I clenched the last talisman, my knuckles numb. The lesser demons did not pause. The leader rolled its throat, and every demon pressed forward at once. They no longer attacked separately, splitting instead into three groups: a frontal assault, flanking forces on both sides, and several already circling around to the flank, ready to ambush us.
I could not wait any longer.
With a low shout, I pushed off the ground and charged toward the three lesser demons directly ahead. The spirit beast reacted at once, flicking its tail as it lunged forward with me. We were not fighting separately—we advanced back to back. Whenever I moved, it moved.
The first lesser demon swung its blade at me. I twisted aside and chopped the edge of my left palm against its wrist. It screamed, and its bone blade fell to the ground. The second rammed into me from the side. I drove my knee into its chest and shoved it away, sending it staggering back into another demon behind it. Seizing the chance, the spirit beast's horn flashed, and a shockwave swept out, throwing every lesser demon within five paces off balance.
An opening had appeared.
But before I could take a step, two shadows lunged from the left. I had no time to block and could only arch backward, hit the ground, and roll away. The spirit beast leaped up, twisted in midair, and used its body to block one of them. The other missed and landed, then turned to pounce again.
I rolled to my feet, my breathing already growing heavy. That string of movements had consumed a great deal of strength, and the spiritual energy in my meridians was circulating more slowly. The old injury in my shoulder began to burn, as though a thin needle were piercing back and forth inside it.
I did not stop.
While the spirit beast drove back the enemies on the left, I charged to the right. Three lesser demons were creeping closer there, intending to trap me from behind. With a flick of my right hand, I slapped the last defensive talisman onto the ground. The instant the paper touched down, it exploded, and a ring of spiritual energy spread outward, flipping every lesser demon within five paces onto the ground.
The spirit beast and I seized the opportunity and quickly retreated to the center.
Just as I steadied my breathing, the leading lesser demon let out a shriek. The remaining demons immediately changed formation. No longer charging together, they split into four groups that attacked in turns. One group advanced, two waited at the sides, and one circled behind. They had learned to conserve their strength. They had learned to cooperate.
When the first wave came, I struck the arm joints of two demons with my palms, leaving them unable to fight. When the second wave charged in, the spirit beast drove them back with a shockwave. As the third wave arrived, I felt the spiritual energy within me beginning to fall behind the rhythm. Every time I mobilized it, it took longer to recover. My dantian was starting to feel heavy.
I gritted my teeth and held on.
A lesser demon ambushed me from behind, its claws tearing across the hem of my Daoist robe. I spun and struck its cheek with a palm. Bone cracked sharply. As it fell, blood trickled from the corner of its mouth and its eyes rolled back.
But the moment I dealt with that one, another immediately took its place. I was forced back half a step, my heel landing on loose stone. I nearly slipped. Sensing the danger, the spirit beast shifted sideways at once and blocked my retreat with its body.
We had returned to our original stance—back to back.
I could feel its breathing growing labored, and the light on its horn was much dimmer than before. It was holding on too. Yet it did not retreat or show weakness. It simply stood quietly behind me, guarding my back.
The lesser demons formed a circle and slowly tightened it.
The leader stood at the outer edge, the damaged knuckles of its right claw trembling faintly. It did not order another charge. Instead, it had its subordinates creep closer bit by bit. Their footsteps were light, but every step carried murderous intent. The reek in the air grew stronger, mixed with the scent of earth and rotting leaves, drying out my throat.
I lowered my head and looked at my hands. My palms were slick with sweat, and my fingertips trembled slightly. Not from fear—from exhaustion. After fighting for so long, both my strength and spiritual energy were draining rapidly. I had used that talisman too early. Now, I had nothing left in my hands.
But I could not fall.
As long as I remained standing, the spirit beast would not retreat. As long as we stayed together, they would not dare pounce so easily.
I drew a deep breath and forced myself to slow down. I no longer took the initiative to attack, nor did I force myself to block. I controlled the range of every dodge and struck precisely at vital points with every palm. I did not seek to kill them. I only sought to buy time.
But time was against us.
A lesser demon suddenly sprang up from the side, lunging straight for the spirit beast's hind leg. I caught sight of it from the corner of my eye and immediately fired a burst of spiritual energy. It struck the demon's shoulder, knocking it crookedly to the ground. But it immediately scrambled back up and charged forward again.
More lesser demons began copying this suicidal style of fighting. They no longer feared injury. Even with broken legs, they would crawl forward. Some even hurled their bodies directly into the spirit beast's shockwaves, just to gain a single step of distance for their companions.
The spirit beast's attacks noticeably slowed.
It released another shockwave just then, but it held only a third of its former power. The glow had barely flashed before dying out. It lowered its body and panted, yet it still stood in front of me.
I knew it was close to its limit.
So was I. My legs had gone weak, and each time I lifted a foot, it felt as though I were stepping through mud. My dantian was empty, with only a trace of spiritual energy remaining. The pain in my shoulder was becoming sharper, as if something were rampaging through my meridians.
The lesser demons saw our weakness.
The encirclement tightened again, leaving only three paces between us. They no longer probed at us. They all raised their weapons, bared their fangs, and let out low growls.
At last, the leading lesser demon stepped out from the crowd.
It approached one step at a time, its gait steady and its gaze fixed on me. Unlike the other lesser demons, it was not frenzied. Instead, it carried a chilling calm. It knew we could not hold on much longer.
It stopped five paces away, raised its left claw, and slowly pointed at me.
The next second, every lesser demon charged at once.
I summoned every last bit of strength and thrust both palms forward, gathering my final trace of spiritual energy into a barrier. The spirit beast also exhausted itself, its horn lighting up one final time as it unleashed a shockwave.
The impacts collided.
Three lesser demons were sent flying, and five fell to the ground. But more charged forward over the bodies of their companions. One pounced at my arm, its claws ripping through my sleeve. Another slammed into my waist, making me stagger a step and nearly drop to my knees.
The spirit beast roared and charged into the enemy horde, overturning two with its horn and sending another flying with a sweep of its tail. But two demons also pounced on it and pinned it to the ground, where it struggled.
The crowd forced me back again and again, and the force of my palm strikes grew weaker. A lesser demon seized the chance and slashed my calf with its blade. My clothing tore, and my skin burned with pain. I struck it away with a backhanded palm, but it had already opened a wound.
Blood flowed out.
Warm liquid ran down my calf. I did not bother with it. This was not the time to tend to a wound.
But at that moment, the spiritual energy within me completely cut off.
It was as though a river had run dry, leaving my meridians empty in an instant. I stood there, unable even to raise my hand. My vision darkened, and all I could hear were shrieks and footsteps.
The lesser demons smelled the blood, and their assault grew even more frenzied.
They surrounded me completely, weapons raised and fangs bared. The leader slowly approached, a trace of cruelty flashing in its eyes.
I leaned against a rock and slowly slid down to sit. My vision blurred, and breathing became difficult. Several lesser demons had pinned the spirit beast to the ground. The light on its horn had gone out completely, and it could only whimper softly.
The leading lesser demon stood before me and raised its bone blade.
The tip of the blade pointed at my throat.
Its mouth split open, revealing black teeth.
I raised my head and looked at it.
Then I heard a sound.
It did not come from outside.
It rose from within my heart.
[Ding—]