As the Demons fell one after another, the Training Institute disciples finally broke through the encirclement, crossed the Black Vortex in succession, and reached the entrance passage.
As expected, only a scattering of low-rank Demons remained here. The disciples quickly wiped them out and prepared to hold the choke point and endure.
Only then did everyone suddenly realize that the situation had turned greatly in their favor.
Although the Demon army was vast, the terrain meant that almost none could penetrate the void and climb across. Even when groups of three or five Demons were swept over by the Void Tide, they posed almost no threat anymore.
Quite a few nearly wept with joy. This damned reversal had come so quickly! They had almost died in there, but fortunately, they had found a way out.
Before long, Ye Tianming, Senior Brother Kong, and the others also found openings to retreat, coming back one after another.
Just as Fang Qianyuan had said, this Demon Suppression Cavern had originally been a prison for Demons. Its arrays, restrictions, and architectural layout all favored humans. As long as they held this choke point firmly, they could keep going.
Finally, Fang Qianyuan withdrew as well.
With no humans left to draw their attention, the Demons turned around again and swarmed toward them.
Even the Kunlin Insect King came over.
It shoved aside the other Demons blocking its path, then thrust its long, halberd-like mandibles into the void, stirring up ripples.
Before long, the already thin Gang Essence dissipated, and part of its massive body squeezed through.
But everyone was ready. Their attacks poured down like a torrential rain, driving it back at once.
At the sight, many disciples felt an overwhelming surge of relief and exclaimed, "Junior Brother Fang, you've rendered a great service this time!"
"Yes, Junior Brother Fang, you're incredible!"
"If it weren't for you, we'd still be foolishly holding our ground inside and getting the worst of it!"
After using Combat Arts in succession, Fang Qianyuan was already somewhat tired. But his mutated physique far surpassed that of ordinary people, and he had already caught his breath. He said modestly, "Senior brothers and sisters, please don't say that. We only made it this far because everyone worked together."
"Besides, the danger hasn't passed yet. Let's not get careless. Keep a close watch, all right?"
"Of course. We'll listen to you this time," everyone hastily replied.
Without anyone quite noticing when it happened, Fang Qianyuan, their younger junior brother, had earned everyone's recognition.
Only Ba Ming remained livid, staring fixedly at Fang Qianyuan's back.
"Damn it, Tianming, the credit clearly belongs to you, but that brat's reaped all the benefits!"
"Now isn't the time to argue about that. Let's hold on until the Training Institute's reinforcements arrive," Ye Tianming said calmly.
More than an hour passed. Then, as a heavy rumble sounded from the distant passage entrance, the disciple on scouting duty shouted excitedly, "They're here! They're here! This time, it really is our reinforcements!"
The Training Institute's reinforcements had finally exterminated the Demons blocking the stone gate and fought their way inside.
Leading them this time were none other than two great experts: the Training Institute's Institute Master and Elder Ye Li of the Merit Hall.
Both were Spirit Tamers at the tenth turn of the human rank. Although they had become senior figures in the Training Institute and had not seen battle in a long time, strength commanded respect in the world of Spirit Tamers. To preserve their positions and power, they had continued cultivating and maintained the standards expected of them.
As they led the Training Institute's elites into the Stone Tower, cleared the underground caverns, and opened the great gate, neither had hidden in the rear. Instead, they had led the charge and fought personally.
They had killed more than ten insect kings and Otherkin leaders above the seventh turn alone, to say nothing of the countless other Demons, great and small.
Those battles had indeed taken considerable time, however. They also had to clear away the Demon corpses and disperse the demonic qi before they could reactivate and open the demon-suppressing grand array.
This was an entire system designed to prevent Demons from fighting their way to the surface and causing a catastrophe. Even though everyone's hearts burned with anxiety, they could not speed it up.
"How are you all? Have there been any casualties?"
The moment the Institute Master saw them, he asked urgently, with none of his usual composure.
He could hardly be blamed for being so agitated. This incident was entirely a chain reaction caused by a natural disaster.
If it resulted in heavy casualties and the Training Institute's senior figures were punished by the sect, or even stripped of their authority, they would truly have suffered an injustice.
"Institute Master, Song Fang, Xiao Chengyin, Meng Shi, and **-all four died in battle! More than ten others are injured, but everyone else is mostly all right... Ah, yes, we lost quite a few spirit creatures..."
A senior brother who seemed to be a disciple of the Institute Master hurried forward to report.
"What?" Hearing that four had died and more than ten were injured, the Institute Master's expression changed slightly.
But he quickly regained his composure and nodded without betraying his thoughts. Full of concern, he addressed them. "Disciples, you have been through a terrible ordeal. On behalf of the Training Institute, I offer you my sympathy and thanks."
"This incident was indeed caused by a natural disaster. But every one of those who died or were injured, along with all of you, is a hero who defended the Training Institute. Only your bloody struggle kept our losses this low!"
Compared with the scale of the demonic disaster, these casualties were actually not severe. Whatever happened, they could give the sect an acceptable accounting.
The Institute Master then glanced at the warped Black Vortex and the Demon army inside the cavern beyond it. "Leave the rest to us."
An accompanying Training Institute steward hurriedly urged the disciples behind him, "What are you standing around for? Hurry and relieve them! And carry the seriously wounded up first!"
"We can still fight!" the senior brother who had spoken earlier said hastily.
"Very well. If you still have spirit essence and strength left, follow us. But don't push yourselves," the Institute Master instructed.
These Training Institute reinforcements were formidable. Most were guard disciples above the fifth turn, and they numbered over a hundred. Among them were a dozen or so experts above the seventh turn, as well as the Institute Master and Ye Li, both Tenth Transformation experts. Before long, they had resolved the trouble that had beset the disciples.
Even the Kunlin Insect King, against which the disciples had been utterly helpless, could not resist the combined assault of the two Tenth Transformation experts.
Fang Qianyuan saw that the Institute Master seemed to be using a spirit creature imbued with the power of flame. Through the Transformation Dao's Borrowing Art, he condensed fireballs that exploded among the insects with the force of thunderbolts.
After several blasts from those fireballs, the Kunlin Insect King was covered in wounds. Before long, the wolf pack summoned by Ye Li tore it apart with their fangs, killing it on the spot.
Once the remaining Demons no longer posed a serious threat, the Institute Master took out a Jade Talisman shaped like an official seal and tossed it into the air. The Jade Talisman rose swiftly and hovered there, radiating waves of spiritual light.
The spiritual light merged into the void, and the entire Demon Suppression Cavern trembled.
Beam after beam of light descended out of thin air and enveloped the Demons. One by one, they were drawn into the void, turning into white light as they were sealed away once more.
After this was done, the Jade Talisman's light had dimmed considerably, but their surroundings were now utterly peaceful.