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A barrage of spells fell from the skies.

Liu Suye reacted quickly and called forth a barrier to protect them. He clenched his teeth, feeling his power strain at the little explosions going off nonstop. But the wind picked up and whirled around them like a gusting s.h.i.+eld.

Xu Hexian yelped as his horse jolted, the beast was surprised by the flames that shot down at its hooves.

Not far off, the group gathered under Chen Leike was experiencing similar grievance as explosive spells descended from the skies. The Immortal of Luck whipped out his meteor hammer and swung it around above him. Each swing seemed to collide with barraging spells at just the right angle, reflecting the beams off of him.

Chen Leike's visage was calm. But the same could not be said for the cultivators that were in his company. They struggled to erect a power enough barrier overhead and each demon spell ate away at the s.h.i.+eld. Eventually, the demon's powers broke through. Chaotic cries and confused shuffling about.

The fields bloomed with red as more of their comrades fell. Through the fray a few brave souls aimed arrows and spells skyward but their aim did not strike true. The eagles, like the wolves, were no simple beasts and were seasoned warriors that knew their way around the battlefield.

Chen Leike sighed. These things had sure put a wedge in his original plans. He was really hoping to send more people into the city! The group, now scattered, couldn't get their bearings and it was now impossible to raid the city with impressive numbers.

And worse were the fools behind him that were intent on foiling his plan.

"Fall back!" Liu Suye's voice cried.

And if it were he alone, Chen Leike might have been able to sway the others over the Heavenly Sword Sect Young Master. But there was Peng Zhugen with him as well who could summon a roaring tornado without even batting an eyelash.

Chen Leike sighed, a bit peeved and pretended to focus on the fiends around him innocently.

"Fall back, you d.a.m.ned fools!" Peng Zhugen bellowed out without any elegance. Without warning, he called forth his mighty tornado that tore up both land and sky. A few demon birds were caught in the torrent but one unlucky young man was swept up as well. The spell knew no allies nor foes and only roared through the battlefield with a mind of its own.

Xu Hexian watched the chaos unfold. He made sure to keep behind Peng Zhugen and was glad that he wasn't still in Chen Leike's company because d.a.m.n…

Was it just him or did all these guys have terrible personalities!? Next to them, even the womanizing Liu Suye seemed like a saint. He looked at his s.h.i.+xiong for help.

Liu Suye caught Xu Hexian's pleading glance and tried to give a smile of rea.s.surance. "Peng Zhen! Aiya, just what in the world are you doing? This is too excessive!"

Peng Zhugen only scoffed, "If they do not know how to follow commands then it is only deserving! Look at them, running around like useless headless chickens."

"You're being way too harsh."

It wasn't the first time Peng Zhugen heard those words. He rolled his eyes but actually raised his hand to steer the tornado away from his fellow cultivators.

The eagle and wolf demons made a mess out of the battlefield, but the timing had been such that at least no more fools had rushed into the city without a moment's notice…

…

"Ge!" Xia An ran through the streets with her two martial sisters. The city was enveloped with a dark shadow with only the slightest of light piercing through. The streets were narrow and devoid of any inhabitants. Whatever once thrived upon these streets had since vacated and left only a dreary feeling behind. This is no good news.

But Tu Caihe and the others that came in before her were still nowhere in sight. "Ge!" But no one responded "Tu Caihe!" She called desperately.

Still silence. Her two martial sisters looked around with alarm in their eyes. The shorter one had eyes the size of saucers and held her spear close to her chest. "I have a really bad feeling about this!"

"..." The other one, taller, with a fan in her hands clicked her tongue, her brows furrowed as she looked up. But there were no signs of their comrades.

Xia An wasn't liking how things were looking. They stopped at an intersection and swept their eyes around for clues. A chill crept under her skin, making her jump. The shadows seemed like they were moving beneath her feet and she couldn't tell if it was her imagination or not.

Just when she thought hope had been lost for Tu Caihe, a shout sounded in the distance.

"Let's go!" She called her martial sisters at once and the three women made their way through the winding, narrow alleys of a dark vacant city...

They were not prepared to see what they saw.

The narrow roads opened up to a plaza. She smelt it before catching sight of it, the putrid scent of iron burned her nose and dread sank deep down her guts, "Quickly!" She yelled and rushed to the end of that little alley.

There was a wet sound when she stepped into the plaza. The ground was like a red pool. It took her a moment to realize the colored shreds of cloth thrown about used to be clothes. There were other things as well. Hairpieces. Bracelets. Swords. Dyed with red and gore.

Xia An's stomach flipped. And the only reason she held back her retching up her last meal was the sight of a man steadying himself against the wall.

His breathing was ragged, black hair matted against a stretch-drenched brow. His tanned skin was marred with blood and filth and where once his eyes was now only red mangled flesh.

His hands--

Heavens, he was missing his right hand.

"Ge!" Xia An rushed to his side. Upon closer inspection, the stub had already been burned with Tu Caihe's power, stopping it from bleeding him out. She knelt down in front of him and spoke softly to let him know of her presence, "Ge, it's me, Xia An."

His large hand reached out, groping for her. She lent him her hands and gave him a rea.s.suring squeeze. His voice came out shaking, "Xia An? Is that you? Is that really you?"

"Yes, it's me. What happened here?"

The taller of Xia An's two martial sisters tread carefully around the plaza. Unlike her younger sister, she masked her disgust and her fear to focus on the details of the scene. Light was limited but she was reluctant to summon a spirit light, lest it attracted whatever foul thing that was responsible for the horror before her eyes. The smell of iron and filth made her gag and she didn't miss the strange under sweet underlying scent as well. It was a bit like honey.

But something else caught her attention. A reflective thing. She narrowed her gaze downwards and held her breath when inspecting a piece of slimy meat. There was a reflective sheen on top of it. She steeled her nerves and slowly bent down. The thing, whatever it was, was ice cold under her fingers. And oddly stiff.

"We need to get out of here!" Tu Caihe cried in alarm, "We need to get out of here before--"

His voice alarmed her but when she tried to move, the tall female cultivator realized that her feet were stuck in place.

"Huh?" She didn't get the time to process what was happening when two giant leafy wings appeared on either side of her as if out of nowhere. All she noticed where the sharp like barbs at the end of the large round shape and-

The overgrown Venus flytrap snapped shut and she was reduced to nothing more than a messy sludge of gore.

Her smaller martial sister screamed.

Xia An, paled and was struck with shock of horror but she refused to let the situation control her. She hauled Tu Caihe to his feet and shouted at her s.h.i.+mei, "Hurry! We have to get out of here!"

Her s.h.i.+mei was in tears and followed without question. They wove through the narrow complex of alleys and Xia An refused to look back. Instead she searched for the telling light that would no doubt spill through the city gate…

Behind her, she could hear her s.h.i.+mei's wails following them with quick steps. She didn't know if that creature was still on their trail but there was definitely something. A dark, oppressive energy snaking after their escape.

She chanced a glance and only caught her s.h.i.+mei's crying face. But she didn't miss how the shadows seemed to darken behind them, swallowing up the buildings and streets. Xia An cursed under her breath and tried to urge her legs to go even faster. It was difficult with Tu Caihe's hulking weight bringing her down…!

But upon the next corner she saw the light, the open gates that sparkled with daylight.

"We made it…!" She cheered but it was a little too early.

Her s.h.i.+mei's cries were ear piercing and when she wanted to look back Tu Caihe urged her toward the exit, "Don't! It's too late!"

Tears stung at her eyes as they rushed out of the gates, greeted by sunlight and the roar of a battlefield. Xia An wailed and cried, wondering if the h.e.l.l she stepped into was any better than the one she escaped from.

But the battle upon the plains was wrapping up. The majority of the wolves had been slain and Liu Fumao was leading a group to chase off stragglers that went off into the fields. The eagles had retreated as well and left the skies clear.

The field was saturated with carnage and Xia An found herself dizzy as everything was slowly starting to sink in.

"Xia An! Tu Caihe!" Someone called for her and when she looked up she saw the concerned face of Liu Suye, "What in the world happened to you? Where…" he swallowed, lips thinged, "Where are the others?"

Tu Caihe answered him before she had a chance, "Gone. We need to retreat while we still can! There's no use going into that wretched city!"

…

Within Xinlie, Hui Siran dislodged her arrow from the fallen cultivator and sighed. Talk about overkill. And now she had to be the one to clean up the foul mess left in the plaza.

Though she had to admit, he was effective at his job.

"Let's see what else you're capable of, Tu Caihe."

"Do you trust him?" The wolf at her side sneered in distaste.

The She-Wolf General smirked, "Do you take me for a fool?" She strode over to the wolf demon and mounted him like a steed, "Let's not waste our time mulling over that savage. We still have work to do!"