Chapter 617: The Great Protector Has Arrived
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"One can always find a pretext to accuse someone. I have never colluded with the Demon Sect; believe it or not. I have also never betrayed Di Yi, because there is no betrayal to speak of. If Di Yi can be the Young Master, why can't I?"
Red Desire Star Envoy let out a cold snort, gritting her silver teeth, and continued to flee forward.
In the earlier clash, although Red Desire Star Envoy had used illusion techniques to kill over twenty Fish-Dragon realm experts, she was also struck by Azure Garment Star Envoy's sword technique. The powerful sword energy erupted, leaving seven sword wounds on Red Desire Star Envoy's body.
At this moment, blood continuously gushed from the wounds, soaking her red robe and dripping down endlessly.
With every step Red Desire Star Envoy took forward, she left a red bloody footprint on the ground, and her injuries continued to worsen.
"Stubborn and unrepentant."
Azure Garment Star Envoy's gaze was icy cold. She pressed two fingers together, forming a sword seal.
Azure Garment Star Envoy's sword path realm had reached Sword Heart Illumination, cultivating a Sword Intent Heart, naturally allowing her to perform the Flying Sword Art. With her cultivation at the seventh transformation of the Fish-Dragon realm, she could execute exquisite sword techniques through the flying sword.
"Whoosh!"
A bluish-green sacred sword flew out from its sheath, circled in the air, and shot straight toward Red Desire Star Envoy.
"Heart-Piercing Kill."
The azure ancient sword spun rapidly, its inscriptions constantly flashing, releasing a powerful sacred might. It pierced through Red Desire Star Envoy's back and flew out from her chest.
The evil path cultivators beside Red Desire Star Envoy were all greatly alarmed, thinking she had already fallen to Azure Garment Star Envoy's sword.
"Whoosh!"
Red Desire Star Envoy's body gradually dissipated, turning into a cloud of red mist.
Ten zhang away, another Red Desire Star Envoy's body reappeared, continuing to flee forward at great speed.
Azure Garment Star Envoy retracted the azure ancient sword, furrowed her brows, and snorted coldly: "Another illusion technique."
Although Azure Garment Star Envoy had a strong will, she could only resist Red Desire Star Envoy's illusions when her concentration was at its peak.
Therefore, even though she was a Sacred Body, she was still quite wary of Red Desire Star Envoy.
If it were a one-on-one fight, Red Desire Star Envoy might not necessarily lose to Azure Garment Star Envoy; in fact, Red Desire Star Envoy's chances of winning might be slightly higher.
But now, the Hunter was hiding in the shadows, assassinating several experts in succession, forcing Red Desire Star Envoy to only lead her people forward in escape.
"Swish, swish."
Above the cliff walls of the Quicksand Gorge, eight extremely fast figures appeared.
A squad of evil path cultivators, clad in Liuli Bone Armor and wielding dragon bone spears, leaped down from the cliffs on both sides of the gorge, landing at the bottom. There were eight of them, standing neatly in a row.
All eight evil path cultivators were Liuli Knight Generals, with the lowest cultivation being at the fourth transformation of the Fish-Dragon realm.
The one standing at the front was the "Liuli Knight Commander," appearing to be around forty years old, with sharp eyes and a robust build, his cultivation reaching the ninth transformation of the Fish-Dragon realm.
"Red Desire Star Envoy, you colluded with the Demon Sect's Holy Maiden, inciting internal strife in the Black Market, committing a grave crime. Why don't you surrender immediately?"
The Liuli Knight Commander stood horizontally with his spear, releasing his true qi, instantly erupting with a powerful aura, as if transforming into a towering mountain.
The Liuli Knight Commander and the seven Liuli Knight Generals formed an impenetrable wall, completely blocking the Quicksand Gorge and cutting off Red Desire Star Envoy's escape route.
The evil path cultivators on Red Desire Star Envoy's side had no choice but to stop.
"The Liuli Knight Commander, Zhao Hanhu, why is he here too?"
"Zhao Hanhu reached the ninth transformation of the Fish-Dragon realm thirty years ago; his cultivation is unfathomable."
...
With a strong enemy ahead, pursuers behind, and even a top-tier assassin lurking in the shadows like the God of Death, even Fish-Dragon realm cultivators with strong mental fortitude felt utterly hopeless.
Azure Garment Star Envoy, the Hunter, Zhao Hanhu—which one of them wasn't a top-tier evil path big shot?
How could there be any chance of survival today?
Shi Buchou clenched his fists tightly, stepped forward three paces, shielding Red Desire Star Envoy behind him, a look of determination in his eyes. "Star Envoy, don't worry about us. You leave first."
Red Desire Star Envoy looked at the twenty-six evil path cultivators still by her side, more than half of whom were injured to varying degrees. Only Shi Buchou and Blood Cloud Sect Master Xu Hong still had the ability to fight.
With her current manpower, there was simply no way to break through the encirclement.
Red Desire Star Envoy had a sacred decree on her and could escape alone.
But if she fled, the remaining twenty-six followers would fall into Di Yi's hands. With Di Yi's ruthless methods, he would surely make them wish they were dead, and even bring disaster upon their families.
"Fight! Even if I die here in the Quicksand Gorge today, I will not leave."
Red Desire Star Envoy's gaze gradually became resolute. She thrust the Crystal Sacred Staff into the yellow sand, proudly staring at the distant Azure Garment Star Envoy, ready to fight to the death.
The cliff walls on both sides of the Quicksand Gorge were made of hard yellow rock, three hundred zhang high, steep and straight. Looking up from the bottom of the gorge, only a narrow strip of the night sky could be seen.
"Whoosh!"
A faint sound came from the air above the gorge. A semi-transparent figure appeared, standing on the void, his voice cold: "Sect Master, today you have no way out. You can persuade Red Desire Star Envoy to surrender and admit defeat. If she is willing to go to the Young Master and admit her mistake, with the Young Master's magnanimity, he will surely spare your lives."
This person was the number one assassin of the Blood Cloud Sect, the Hunter.
The evil path cultivators beside Red Desire Star Envoy all looked up.
Only now did they see the Hunter's figure.
The Hunter's feet stood on a stream of opposing air currents, steadily positioned above the gorge, like a God of Death presiding over everyone's lives, looking down from above.
With the Hunter's strength, anyone trying to escape from above would likely be killed by him.
The Quicksand Gorge was like a prison, trapping everyone inside.
Blood Cloud Sect Master Xu Hong stepped forward, staring deeply at the Hunter. "Hunter, taking you as my disciple was my greatest pride. But we each serve our own master. You can be loyal to the Young Master, and I cannot betray Lord Red Desire Star Envoy. So there is no need for you to persuade me. If I die in battle today, you will be the new Sect Master of the Blood Cloud Sect."
The Hunter remained silent, not saying another word.
As Xu Hong said, they each served their own master. Since they stood on opposite sides, they could only face each other with life and death.
Azure Garment Star Envoy stared at Red Desire Star Envoy and snorted coldly: "Ye Honglei, I didn't expect you to be so foolish. Don't you know that if you surrender and admit defeat, not only can you continue to live, but you can also save the lives of these followers by your side?"
Red Desire Star Envoy sneered: "You are willing to be a dog by Di Yi's side, but you can't force others to be dogs too, can you? If I surrender and admit defeat, will Di Yi let me go? Don't joke around. Do you really think I'm still a naive little girl?"
"Kill them all, leave no one alive."
Azure Garment Star Envoy was furious. She formed another sword seal, and powerful sword energy erupted from the sacred sword.
The sword energy surged like a tidal wave, flying toward Red Desire Star Envoy, crashing against the ground and the cliff walls on both sides, producing a "crackling" sound and leaving behind shocking sword marks.
Just then, the Hunter, standing above the gorge, suddenly sensed a massive energy. He looked up.
From the sky, a "whooshing" sound came. A huge vortex of electric fire descended from above the clouds, plunging into the Quicksand Gorge.
The electric fire vortex was formed from lightning and flames, spinning continuously as it rushed to the bottom of the gorge, engulfing the seven Snow Clan warriors and Azure Garment Star Envoy completely.
"Crackle!"
Dozens of lightning bolts, as thick as bowls, shot through the vortex, unleashing immense destructive power.
One of the lightning bolts flew out, piercing through the abdomen of a Snow Clan warrior and striking the left cliff wall with a "boom," leaving a rock crater one zhang in diameter.
No one had expected that someone would suddenly throw a third-level lightning-element spell, "Electric Fire Vortex," into the Quicksand Gorge.
The electric fire vortex grew larger and larger, forming a wild storm that caused the cliff walls on both sides to collapse continuously, burying the Snow Clan warriors' bodies under the boulders.
"Break!"
Azure Garment Star Envoy mobilized all her true qi, activating the inscriptions on the azure sacred sword to their peak. She thrust forward fiercely, breaking through the electric fire vortex and escaping.
The electric fire vortex lasted for ten breaths before gradually subsiding.
A section of the Quicksand Gorge had completely collapsed. Countless tiny electric patterns still flowed through the gorge, emitting a "sizzling" sound.
Four of the massive Snow Clan warriors had died under the attack of the electric fire vortex, their bodies buried under the boulders.
The other three Snow Clan warriors were also severely injured, lying on the ground, barely alive.
The sudden turn of events caught everyone off guard.
Only Red Desire Star Envoy's face showed joy. She looked up and said: "The Great Protector has arrived!"
Zhang Ruochen, wearing a metal mask and a white robe, flew out from the clouds, hovering in the center of the gorge. With one hand holding the Thunder Pearl and the other behind his back, he said: "Star Envoy, I haven't arrived too late, have I?"
The tension on Red Desire Star Envoy's face finally eased into a smile. "If you had been one step later, you would only be collecting my corpse."
"It's good that I'm not late."
Zhang Ruochen thought for a moment, then took out the Withered Wood Staff and tossed it down to Red Desire Star Envoy. "This gift is for you, Star Envoy."
Red Desire Star Envoy caught the Withered Wood Staff, glanced at it, and widened her eyes in surprise. "This is... Ice Demon's Withered Wood Staff?"
"That's right. I have killed the Ice Demon, so of course, the Withered Wood Staff should be offered to you, Star Envoy." Zhang Ruochen said.
Although the Withered Wood Staff was a precious treasure, it wasn't suitable for Zhang Ruochen.
Rather than selling the Withered Wood Staff for spirit crystals, it was better to give it to Red Desire Star Envoy as repayment for her gift of the Thunder Pearl.
From now on, he and Red Desire Star Envoy would owe each other nothing.
[It's almost 515. I hope to continue impacting the 515 Red Envelope List. By May 15th, the red envelope rain will reward readers and promote the work. Even a little love is appreciated. I will definitely update well!]