Before the Golden Wing Sect cultivators could rejoice, the enormous green wave crashing toward them blasted them away.
They slammed hard into the ground.
Meanwhile, inside the Jade Hall of the Jade Great Radiance Church, one or two of the eight cultivators who had become part of the formation actually collapsed on the spot.
Clearly, the force of that self-detonation had drained all their spiritual qi.
Yet there were more than a dozen cultivators in the hall who had not contributed their strength to the formation.
Now they all brandished crescent-shaped sickles and charged at the Golden Wing Sect cultivators on the surrounding ground.
The expressions of Zong Ya, Nan Shang, and the other main combatants changed.
Once the enemy's numbers swelled, the Golden Wing Sect cultivators instantly fell into a disadvantage.
As the Jade Great Radiance Church's curved blades crossed, numerous spirit insects were slaughtered on the spot.
Fortunately, they had already heeded Zhuge Qi Tian's words and retreated some distance.
Only then were the cultivators on several parts of the battlefield barely able to hold the Jade Great Radiance Church cultivators at bay with long-range spell arts.
Clearly, they had walked into an ambush.
Zong Ya and Nan Shang also swiftly redirected the Fire Lance and Bone Nails, helping the Golden Intent Sect's people stabilize the situation.
But the enemy had overwhelming numbers, and cultivators were immediately trapped beneath several enemy blades.
Zong Ya promptly shouted, "Close ranks, quickly! Join forces to resist the enemy!"
Hearing this, the Golden Wing Sect cultivators all fell back and formed several circles of roughly a hundred people each.
They dragged the wounded into the centers of the circles.
The Jade Great Radiance Church cultivators, however, gave them no opportunity.
As they darted back and forth through the ranks, all manner of