Liu Qiao’e and the others dared to attend today’s appointment at this ruined temple, naturally having considered all aspects as thoroughly as possible.
But firstly, the incident happened too suddenly, and secondly, the scene at the gathering was truly shocking to behold.
Some disciples who had come out with their masters for training experience lacked worldly savvy and failed to react in time.
Several Jade Clarity Temple disciples gathered around Liu Qiao’e.
When the Bone Devouring Sect assassins struck, these few were still standing there dazedly staring at the novelty.
Liu Qiao’e furrowed her brows tightly and picked them up like little chicks, one in each hand, dodging the first wave of attacks.
She shouted sternly, “What are you standing around for? Waiting to die?!”
Those Jade Clarity Temple disciples spun dizzily and escaped death by a hair’s breadth.
Suddenly seeing the woman’s round face filled with fury, her willow brows inverted, looking fierce as evil spirits, they all paled in fright. How could they dare say anything more? They hurriedly drew their swords to fight back.
Liu Qiao’e kicked away a pouncing Bone Devouring Sect assassin and leaped into the center of the battlefield.
That assassin took her kick squarely to the chest, his breastbone shattering as he flew a dozen feet away, vomiting blood nonstop.
At the central ruined temple.
Liu Qiao’e’s first reaction was to search for Mu Daoying, but there were too many people around. With the sudden chaos, everyone was busy screaming and fleeing, surging like a tide. Where could she find Mu Daoying’s figure?
Candlestands toppled, flames bursting forth everywhere.
Where was he?!
In front of the roaring blaze, Liu Qiao’e grew anxious and swung the Blood Rakshasa viciously, sending flying those reckless assassins who charged forward heedlessly.
His injuries had never fully healed! He had no sword at his side! She somewhat regretted not asking the Immortal Alliance to return his sword, regretted letting him get injured again and again. She knew his foundation was already shattered too severely, his true qi circulation extremely poor. If he forcibly circulated true qi again, it might lightly cause his realm to fall, or at worst destroy his cultivation and kill him.
Liu Qiao’e paled, her gaze swiftly scanning the surroundings over and over.
She wasn’t too worried about the Joyous Union Sect disciples under her command. Those people were quick-witted, flexible, without much sense of morality or righteousness. When trouble arose, they ran faster than rabbits, always prioritizing self-preservation.
The Cloud Mountain Song Clan and Wandering Sword Pavilion disciples had Song Miaoling’s protection. With Liu Qiao’e’s earlier sharp shout, Song Miaoling had quickly responded, leading her sect disciples to organize a counterattack.
These Bone Devouring Sect assassins were clearly all elites from their sect, coordinating tacitly and unleashing all sorts of sinister spells one after another. Even Song Miaoling couldn’t take them down for the moment.
Di Chong also led the Supreme Harmony Sect disciples to timely reinforce the battlefield.
However, the battle situation stalemated for the time being.
At the temple gate.
Zhao Yange was leading a group of Jade Clarity Temple disciples to fend off the endless stream of assassin attacks.
Liu Qiao’e saw his stern expression and commanding presence, no wonder he could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Mu Daoying and Shen Chengyin. She then looked toward the east.
At this glance, she couldn’t help furrowing her brows.
Under the broken wall to the east of the ruined temple, two straggling Jade Clarity Temple disciples were actually huddled there!
The two had their backs against each other and initially coped adequately.
Until the male disciple on the left made a mistake, plunging them both into crisis.
Liu Qiao’e fumed inwardly but had no choice except to fly over to save them. The Blood Rakshasa flew from her hand!
–
Those few Bone Devouring Sect killers had their flesh burst open, white bones protruding. Their entire bodies resembled being pierced through from within by a pale giant tree.
The bone tree grew rapidly along their limbs without pause, in the blink of an eye transforming into a bone membrane covering their bodies, forming a suit of hard bone armor.
This skeletal structure had been refined by them to the extreme; the bone armor was impervious to blades and spears, ordinary spells striking it had almost no effect.
Zhang Suxin continuously hurled out several spells and treasures, yet couldn’t injure them in the slightest. Her face turned ashen as death.
Just as they were about to perish on the spot, at that moment, a ferocious blood shadow suddenly came from afar!
The blood shadow swirled up and down around the Bone Devouring Sect killers, diving to envelop them. That supposedly indestructible bone armor actually emitted cracking sounds, fissures rapidly crawling over their entire bodies. In the blink of an eye, it shattered into pieces like peeling wall plaster.
Seeing their bone armor broken and their fragile flesh exposed, the killers’ faces changed drastically. They turned to flee, but the blood shadow pierced through their bodies. The several of them didn’t even make a sound before perishing miserably in an instant.
Zhang Suxin and Wu Yunhua dazedly lifted their faces, meeting Liu Qiao’e’s gloomy fury: “Useless trash! Why aren’t you hurrying back to find your senior brother?!”
Zhang Suxin and Wu Yunhua couldn’t remember how they stumbled and staggered back to Zhao Yange’s side.
Zhao Yange turned and saw the two, joy and surprise mixing on his face, but with no time for greetings, he just solemnly nodded before refocusing on the battle.
Too slow.
Unable to find Mu Daoying after half a day, Liu Qiao’e grew panicked and furious, rage assaulting her heart. Her gaze swept the ruined temple; countless mortals dashed about the field like headless flies, screaming.
Aside from Di Chong’s arrogant temperament, the other Immortal Alliance disciples, including Song Miaoling, all had some conscience to varying degrees and thus held back their hands.
This was why the Immortal Alliance couldn’t take down these assassins for the moment.
“All of you, get out of the way!”
These useless fools!
Liu Qiao’e gathered qi in her dantian and let out an angry shout. Vast aura overflowed from her body in all directions, her black hair lifted high by the qi flow.
In an instant, with her at the center, the Seven Realms cultivator’s Realm Domain fully activated! The pressure spread outward inch by inch like tidal waves!
The surrounding air was compressed, seemingly unable to bear the burden, emitting creaking hums.
At the same time, an enormous lotus flower flew from the top of her head. The lotus spun rapidly, scattering endless flower petals!
These petals flowed like chasing streams, avoiding mortals without spiritual qi and pursuing the demonic qi. Each piece striking the Bone Devouring Sect assassins cracked their bone armor, riddled their bodies with bloody holes. With a miserable scream, they died on the spot!
The Immortal Alliance disciples present, led by Song Miaoling, Zhao Yange, Di Chong, and others, were all stunned by this scene.
Was this the power of a Seven Realms cultivator?
–
Just as the Bone Devouring Sect assassins suddenly burst from the crowd, scattering the people like startled crows.
Mu Daoying was blocked inside the temple by the crowd, unable to advance an inch.
Seeing the crowd surging like bees toward the temple gate, blocking it dead, Mu Daoying retreated back into the temple without hesitation.
From the corner of his eye, he glimpsed a four- or five-year-old girl separated from her family, wailing loudly.
Mu Daoying had no time to be angry at the parents for bringing a child to such a place, but with the surging tide of people, fearing the girl would be trampled to death, he hurriedly picked her up and hid behind the altar.
The child cried fiercely. Mu Daoying softly comforted her while furrowing his brows and coldly observing the battle situation.
But soon, Mu Daoying sensed something amiss.
Though his nature was chivalrous, he was not the hot-headed reckless type.
These assassins should be targeting the Immortal Alliance and had no reason or need to attack mortals.
From what he could see, mortal casualties were mostly from trampling.
As long as he, an Immortal Alliance disciple, didn’t stand out and show off, but stayed obediently hidden in the temple with the mortals, he wouldn’t draw the Bone Devouring Sect’s attention and bring the flames of war here.
Yet several assassins bucked the crowd flow and charged into the ruined temple. Once inside, as he expected, they didn’t rush to kill indiscriminately but seemed to be searching for something.
Searching for what?
Tattered curtains shielded a tiny space behind the altar.
The girl in his arms cried in terror and couldn’t help shouting, “Mother—”
Mu Daoying was slightly stunned and quickly covered her lips.
Meeting the girl’s frightened gaze, his eyes gentle yet firm, he lightly shook his head.
The girl stopped breathing, tears shimmering in her eyes.
Just as Mu Daoying puzzled endlessly, one of the Bone Devouring Sect killers finally seemed to detect the secret behind the altar.
In the instant their four eyes met, Mu Daoying heard the killer shout, “Here!”
At the same time, sharp bone spikes extended from all directions!
Mu Daoying held the child and leaped lightly out.
He had no sword; his lifebound sword Encounter Spring had been confiscated by the Immortal Alliance months ago. He could only use his fingers as a sword. His slender white fingers rapidly formed sword seals as he held the child and fought while retreating.
At first, Mu Daoying thought these assassins had orders like “kill all Immortal Alliance disciples on sight.”
But when another Wandering Sword Pavilion disciple entered the ruined temple and the killers ignored him completely, still encircling and pressing Mu Daoying step by step.
Mu Daoying was shocked; these assassins were coming for him! He decisively tossed the child toward that Wandering Sword Pavilion disciple.
“Catch!”
That Wandering Sword Pavilion disciple, in his panic, heard a familiar clear voice. Seeing a girl descending from above, he widened his eyes in confusion. Following the sound, he looked.
Mu Daoying was already trapped in the encirclement. Without a sword, he formed sword seals with one hand and circulated half a taiji pattern with the other, both defending and attacking.
Though fraught with peril, he had no immediate threat to his life for the moment.
But flesh wounds were inevitable.
Seeming to know he was empty-handed with only bare palms, the killers, frustrated at failing to take him down after prolonged attacks, grew ruthless.
Their moves targeted his palms!
Bone spikes whistled through the air, slicing his palms, nearly severing half his hand. Blood dripped profusely! Mu Daoying endured the pain strongly, not daring to be careless. His face was cold as frost and snow, his gaze resolute, without a moment’s slack.
Since he was exposed and they were after him, Mu Daoying simply pursed his lips tightly and lured the several assassins all the way out of the temple gate.