Read Novel Full Chapter 356 - 320: Luring the Enemy, Sacrificing a Pawn
Chapter 356: Chapter 320: Luring the Enemy, Sacrificing a Pawn
"Before the magic tide arrived, Li Fei suddenly fell into a coma, and by the time he woke up, the third battalion had already relocated to a cave."
Yan Song’s lips curled into a cold smile, "This Qin Tian truly does live up to his origins in the Seventh Bureau; he’s far more adaptable than that rigid and pedantic soldier Xu Xiong."
Behind him, a figure in a black robe standing in the shadows spoke, their voice deep and aged:
"This person has both means and ability. Fortunately, he’s not a Tier Six Spiritualist; otherwise, your position might not be so secure."
Upon hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Yan Song’s eyes.
"Tier Six is a major threshold for Spiritualists, not easy to cross. But old ghost, you’re right; I cannot let such a time bomb lie hidden beside me."
In order to become the highest-ranking young member of the Yan Family and regain the family’s attention and training, he took great risks entering the Demon Suppression Abyss, spending his days in the company of demons.
Whoever became an obstacle on his path forward, or threatened his position, he would remove without hesitation.
"Old ghost, send out the notice: the magic tide has ended. In half an hour, the third battalion will proceed as planned, feigning an attack on the second Demon Cave. The first battalion will be ready to assist, and all other battalions must reach Black Mountain Valley within the next half hour to assemble."
"Yes!"
The black-robed man named Old Ghost nodded, then quietly exited the tent like a phantom.
After Old Ghost left, Yan Song leaned back in his chair, gently caressing a metal-based Red Ruby Ring on his index finger. He infused it with traces of flame Spiritual Energy, speaking softly:
"I’ve fed you for over half a year, consuming no less than 500 flame spirit stones. This time, I hope your performance will satisfy me; otherwise, I guarantee you will never see the light of day again."
Buzz~
The Red Ruby Ring trembled slightly, emitting a dull hum.
......
In the valley outside the second Demon Cave, the demonic energy had not yet fully dissipated, but the previous ferocity was gone.
Hundreds of demons lay scattered across the black stone beach. Some sprawled on the ground, panting heavily as the sulfurous wind echoed throughout the valley; others dragged their injured limbs languidly, their claws scraping against the rocks with a feeble sound, clearly not yet recovered from the frenzy of the magic tide.
Suddenly, the skull-winged demon closest to the valley entrance abruptly lifted its head, its nostrils twitching fiercely.
The next moment, it let out a sharp howl, its murky eyes instantly igniting with greedy red light.
Humans... it’s the scent of humans.
This howl was like a spark thrown into stagnant water, instantly igniting the demons’ instincts. Fatigue seemed to vanish in an instant, with hundreds of demons pivoting in unison toward the direction of the scent, emitting eager growls with dark green saliva dripping from their mouths.
To demons, human flesh is undoubtedly the best nourishment.
"Roar——"
Over thirty agile clawed demons charged out first, their bone claws tapping the black stone with a rapid clatter, leaping toward the dense forest to the right of the valley entrance.
Their figures quickly disappeared from the sight of the other demons, leaving only the increasingly distant howling sounds.
Yet in just a few breaths, those howls abruptly ceased.
The remaining demons halted suddenly, their previously eager eyes now mixed with confusion.
They could clearly sense that the presence of those thirty-odd comrades had vanished completely in that instant — no struggle, no screams, just as if something had forcibly erased their existence.
"Hah~"
The demons grew alert, slowly advancing.
Clickety-clack
A distant, orderly sound of footsteps approached.
As a group of human figures clad in Profound Iron Armor appeared, the pupils of the demons abruptly contracted.
Over a hundred figures stood in a neat phalanx at the forefront, their Profound Iron Armor gleaming with a cold luster in the dim light, the cold weapons in their hands radiating a sharp edge.
Their eyes were as sharp as eagles, locking onto the demons in the valley with precision, and though they made no extraneous movements, they exuded a palpable oppressive aura.
The disappearance of those thirty-plus demons was clearly related to these humans.
Behind the ranks, Spiritual Energy fluctuated violently.
Fireballs, Wind Blades, and Ice Spikes flew over the phalanx, crashing into the demon horde.
Though these Spiritual Ability Magic attacks did little harm, they instantly stirred the demons’ inherent ferocity. Anger and the craving for flesh overwhelmed reason, and they bellowed deafening roars, surging toward the human phalanx like a tide.
"Retreat!"
The warriors turned and fled, Spirit Mages continuously casting magic to slow the demons’ progress.
Feeling the battle erupting outside the valley and sensing the fluctuations of human Spiritual Energy, the demons inside the valley howled, layers of echoes reverberating. Many demons could no longer contain themselves, rushing out without waiting for the Tier Six demon’s command.
Boom boom boom!
Spiritual Ability Magic rained down on the demon horde like a storm, fireballs exploding into flames among them, and the muffled sounds of ice spikes piercing decaying flesh resounded continuously.
But these hideous creatures seemed oblivious to pain, stepping on the remains of their comrades as they pressed forward, their claws nearly reaching the warriors’ armor.
At this critical moment, another team of figures suddenly emerged from the slopes on the side of the mountain.
Their presence was as faint as pebbles by the roadside, unnoticed even by the most vigilant skull-winged demons until dozens of beams of Spiritual Energy shot through the air — sharp spikes formed from Metal Spiritual Energy pierced through the eye sockets of three demons, while rock walls erected by Earth Element magic cut off the pursuers. Only then did the demons realize that another group of humans had been hidden on the slopes.
"Kill them all!"
Li Wufeng shouted fiercely, wielding his battle sword wrapped in pale golden Sword Qi, slicing precisely at the neck of a clawed demon.
With a crisp sound of shattering bone armor, the head that was still howling tumbled to the ground, and the dark green blood splattered on his armor, steaming up a pungent white smoke.
To remain stealthy, the warriors of the First Battalion took Breath Concealment Pills in advance.
The sluggishness brought by the elixir slightly decreased their combat power, but as the attacking side, this became an acceptable cost.
The two teams interlocked like gears, with the First Battalion tearing into the demon horde from the flank, while the Third Battalion held firm at the front. Intersecting blades and beams of Spiritual Energy wove a lethal net, harvesting the demons caught in the cracks.
"Roar---!"
A piercing roar penetrated the clouds, reaching deep into Demon Cave Number Two.
The demons, originally lurking, could no longer hold back, and their dark silhouettes surged out from the cave entrance like a tide, roughly numbering near a thousand. Their dark green eyes linked into a ghostly fire in the dimness.
"Retreat! Quick, retreat!"
Li Wufeng sensed the distant, turbulent, and violent aura, adding urgency to his shout.
He swung his sword to force back the decaying flesh demons in front of him, leading the First Battalion toward a preset trap; almost simultaneously, Xiong received a message from Qin Tian, swinging his giant ax to carve a bloody path and leading the team to fight while retreating.
The two teams moved like rotating millstones, first clearing the remaining demons trapped in the middle, and then merging into one.
The Barbarian Warriors under Xiong formed a thick shield wall at the rear, sending flesh flying with each swing of the giant ax. In front, the Spirit Mages laid layers of ice barriers and vine barriers to slow down the demons’ pursuit.
Gradually, a distance of several dozen meters opened between the team and the demons, yet the tension remained firm.
When the allied forces retreated to the middle of a small canyon, a sudden change occurred.
Bzzz---!
A vast spatial fluctuation erupted suddenly, like an invisible dome enveloping the entire team.
The warriors only felt a flicker of light and shadow before their eyes, and hundreds of people were collectively transferred to a cliff on the east side of the canyon, overlooking the swarm of demons rushing below.
Then, a dull tremor came from the ground.
Boom boom boom!!!
The Spiritual Energy explosives buried underground in the canyon were instantly detonated; crimson flames accompanied by shockwaves soared into the sky, like fire dragons breaking free from their restraints.
The demons pouring into the canyon were blasted into the air, with severed limbs and debris flying everywhere.
The pursuers outside the canyon fared worse; the chain explosions erupted fire walls from the earth, engulfing the entire demon horde in a sea of flames. Screams erupted one after another in the blaze, only to be crushed in an instant by the roar of explosions.
"Tsk tsk, what a spectacular scene."
Li Wufeng gazed at the fiery sea swirling below the cliff, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. But as his gaze swept over the area where even rocks were melting, a hint of doubt crept in, "Something’s not right. Yan Song clearly said he only prepared thirty tons of Spiritual Energy explosives. This power... it’s at least several times greater."
He shook his head to dispel the distracting thoughts. Whether Yan Song secretly added more or not, at least the mission to lure the enemy had been completed. The rest would be handled by the follow-up team.
"Roar---!!!"
From the depths of Demon Cave Number Two, a roar filled with infinite fury shattered the rock walls.
The figure of a Tier Six Magma Demon appeared at the cave entrance, its body flowing with magma, condensing into a pair of dark red flaming wings. The moment the wings flapped, the surrounding air twisted into heat waves, charging towards the canyon like a burning meteorite.
At this moment, outside the cave, the six battalions of the Crimson Gold Legion and Yan Song’s personal guard had already assembled.
When the fire pillars that pierced through the heavens rose, the warriors erupted in a deafening cheer, but their cheers were abruptly stopped in shock as the Magma Demon ascended into the sky.
"Commander! The Tier Six Demon has moved out!" The leader of the Sixth Battalion rushed to Yan Song’s side, unable to conceal his anxiety in the clashing sounds of armor, "If we don’t provide support, Li Wufeng and his men might not hold!"
"It’s time for us to set off."
Yan Song raised his hand to interrupt him, his demeanor as calm as if discussing the weather. His hair fluttered slightly in the wind, and a glint of coldness flashed in his eyes as he glanced at the demonic silhouette slicing through the sky.
"Everyone, prepare for liftoff!"
At the instant the order was issued, several Wind Element Spiritualists simultaneously formed seals.
Pale blue Spiritual Energy surged and converged on the ground, finally forming a wind carpet covering several miles. Three thousand warriors stood upon it, the whole team resembling a hovering black cloud, poised to launch.
"Set off!"
Woosh!
The wind carpet suddenly accelerated, soaring forward with a sound breaking through the air.
But before the warriors could become exhilarated, the expressions of several battalion leaders suddenly changed—the direction in which the team was advancing was not towards the canyon of Demon Cave Number Two!
"Commander! The direction is wrong!" The leader of the Sixth Battalion called out anxiously.
"The direction is correct."
Yan Song turned to glance at him, his gaze unwavering and calm, "Qin Tian and Li Wufeng’s two battalions are enough to handle the remaining demons. Besides, with Qin Tian’s Spatial Ability, even if they are overmatched, he can safely transfer the team. Our target is..."
"Demon Cave Number One!"
"Wha... what?!"
Exclamations exploded on the wind carpet, as the leaders of the six battalions exchanged bewildered looks, and even the warriors of Yan Song’s personal guard displayed incredulous expressions.