The Insect Demon's final frenzy left the other martial artists unable to approach-and, truth be told, afraid to try. The locust swarm had gone mad as well, blotting out the sky and even battering out the torches in their hands.
The endless locusts seemed to have gained minds of their own. They even defied their instinct to seek light, continually converging on the Insect Demon.
The scene was far too uncanny. Government officers kept shouting for the people to retreat, and the terrified crowd scattered, some even falling in their flight.
Even from a distance, Chu Hang felt his hair stand on end. He instinctively glanced at Jian Lü beside him-or, more precisely, at the Emperor's Sword strapped to Jian Lü's back.
"Brother-!"
Mai Ake cried out anxiously. Like the martial artists around her, she had been forced back by the frenzied locusts. With nothing visible through the swarm, recklessly pressing closer would only make her a burden.
The insects' wingbeats and cries created an endless din, drowning out even the shouts of those nearby.
The hundred-odd martial artists who had just formed a united battle formation against the demon now seemed like so many isolated islands.
Under these conditions, only Mai Lingfei could fight the Insect Demon amid the chaos.
This was not merely a battle between man and demon, but between man and calamity. The Insect Demon seemed to have unleashed its last reserves of potential. Countless locusts shattered around it, turning into streams of energy that flew into its mouth. Even the insect legs severed earlier had grown back.
Yet Mai Lingfei's fighting spirit only burned brighter. He had grown familiar with the monster's moves and accustomed to the insects' clamor. Under these conditions, his mind instead became perfectly clear.
The sword in his hand seemed to