230 Chapter 229: Darkest Despair (1/2)

Halfway up Flame Volcano, a couple of girls managed to peek out from the windows of the massive shelter where the surviving civilians were seeking refuge in.

Ling Yu Mei and Ling Yu Xuan had climbed up to the platform next to the huge windows and were peering down at the bloody conflict unfolding in Nine-Tailed Fox Sect plaza right now.

Below them, the civilians milled about restlessly and anxiously, glancing around in fear and trepidation. Earlier, they had felt the massive vibrations and terrible tremors that resulted from the explosions of the seven Sunburst bombs, and wondered if an earthquake had occurred. Children cried and wept, women huddled, and even the men crouched down with their eyes shut, praying to the heavens for deliverance.

The two sisters, having trained in martial arts, were more curious than fearful, and thus wanted to know what was going on. That was why they hurried up the stairway and onto the platform, where the windows were. Despite the violent tremors and the fearsome shaking of the shelter, the glass remained intact, the windows not shattering from the immense force.

There was no one to stop them. At the moment, every single martial artist of Blood Blades had assembled in the plaza for their final stand. Thus the civilians and the Ling Sisters were left on their own. Aware of that, Ling Yu Mei and Ling Yu Xuan scrambled up to watch the inevitable demise of Nine-Tailed Fox Sect.

It was then they heard Jiu Liu Yu's ghastly and horrifying shriek.

”It's Master!”

Ling Yu Xuan cried out and hastily scanned the foot of Flame Volcano. There, they spotted the burned out remains of Nine-Tailed Fox Sect and the seven colossal craters that had replaced what was left of the city.

”…no way…”

Ling Yu Mei whispered to herself, her eyes widening in horror. Both she and her sister were shuddering at the hellish scene, unable to comprehend what they were seeing. Swallowing, Ling Yu Mei clenched her fists as she trembled uncontrollably from fear.

”Good Heavens…what just happened? How did it become like this?!”

”So many people died. What horrifying destruction…the whole city has vanished! I can't even see their bodies! There's nothing left! Where is Dark Fiend Valley Sect!? Where are the Seven Valley Sects?!” Ling Yu Xuan was crying at the horrific sight.

”Master! Where is Master?!”

The two sisters began searching for some sign of Jiu Liu Yu from the window.

”Fei Wu! I will hack you into a thousand pieces, peel off your skin, pluck your sinews, and drink your blood everyday!”

Well, I wasn't going to repeat the whole scene from the last chapter, but needless to say, the Ling Sisters could only watch helplessly as their master went insane and threw herself at the surviving martial artists of Nine-Tailed Fox Sect.

They also witnessed with their own eyes Jiu Liu Yu's ruthless murder of Tang Qi Hong, when the latter sacrificed her life to save mine.

”Master…no…you can't…”

Ling Yu Mei dropped to her knees and shook her head, tears streaming down her eyes.

”Please stop…you've gone too far.”

”Master!” Ling Yu Xuan screamed. ”Stop it! So many people have already died! What will more killing achieve?!”

There was no answer. Their voices would never reach their master, not this far up Flame Volcano.

Not that she would listen. It wasn't just Jiu Liu Yu. Ji Liu, Fu Chang, and many survivors of the thirteen sects were murderously closing in on the survivors of Nine-Tailed Fox Sect, determined to butcher every last one of us to death (ironic, given how they called us butchers…).

”Fucking bitch!”

Zi Shou De bellowed as he swung his Thunder Hammer, unleashing a devastating web of lightning that crackled between them. Jiu Liu Yu retreated, shielding herself with her arms. Dark, ominous yin qi surrounded her arms as she used her famous Nine Yin Demonic Claws to tear the destructive electricity apart.

”You think you can defeat me?”

Giggling hysterically, the sect leader of Dark Fiend Valley Sect threw herself forward and slashed at Zi Shou De. Even though she was severely hurt by the Sunburst explosion, she was still able to move freely and deliver lethal strikes of her own.

”!!”

Realizing that he couldn't underestimate her, Zi Shou De skidded to a stop and swung his hammer about defensively. Jiu Liu Yu managed to back away, staying just out of reach of his wildly swinging hammer, and danced around agilely despite her blackened body trembling. It seemed that she was running entirely on adrenaline and endorphins right now – it might stave the pain away for now, but she was going to pay for it later.

However, as long as she could achieve her objective – vengeance – she didn't care if she died later. She was desperate to drag us into hell with her.

However, Zi Shou De was fueled by fury right now, presently intent on achieving revenge for his adopted daughter. With a yell, he smashed the hammer against the ground, throwing up gravel and rubble in Jiu Liu Yu's face and forcing her back. Clobbering past the flying debris, he then smashed the hammer into the old witch's chest.

”Little tricks.”

Unfortunately, Jiu Liu Yu was a seasoned veteran and already anticipated his move. In contrast, despite Zi Shou De's reputation as a legendary blacksmith second only to Hai Mo, he was not a skilled fighter. The only reason why he had managed to drive Jiu Liu Yu back so far was purely because she was severely injured and not fighting at 100 percent. Otherwise the match would have been over a long time ago.

Jiu Liu Yu still had several tricks up her sleeves, and she unleashed Nine Shadow Claws, the fiendish qi slicing through the concrete and slamming against Zi Shou De. The sect leader of Nine-Tailed Fox Sect just barely managed to parry the strike by lowering his hammer, but blood spurted out of his mouth and he crashed to the ground several meters away.

”I'll send you to join your daughter then,” Jiu Liu Yu sneered as she closed in on him.

”Dear!” Zi Da Ji swooped down and struck at Jiu Liu Yu, only for Song Si Yuan to bar her path. He slashed with his saber, causing Zi Da Ji to block it with her spear and forcing her to back away. ”Out of my way!”

”I'm afraid I can't do that. Our match isn't over yet.” Song Si Yuan sighed heavily. ”If the only way to end this fighting is to kill your husband, which means the end of Nine-Tailed Fox Sect, then I will have no choice but to go along with it.”

”You bastard!”

However, Zi Shou De was not destined to die just yet.

”Kill them all!”

Hai Rong's voice suddenly flared up. The remaining martial artists of Blood Blades and the outer sect surrounded Zi Shou De at this moment, forming a protective circle around their sect leader. They raised their Spirit Weapons with a defiant howl.

After two waves, we had lost over forty percent of our forces, both in Blood Blades and the outer sect. Our defiance had cost a lot in blood and lives, with many of our fiercest and most talented martial artists falling to the cruelty and savagery of our invading enemies.

However, almost every single one of the remaining martial artists of Nine-Tailed Fox Sect gathered around Zi Shou De under Hai Rong's orders. The few that didn't obey were currently engaged in combat against Xie Zhi Zhang alongside Lang Xie. Hai Rong would have ordered them to stay by Lang Xie's side anyway.

”Protect Sect Leader with your lives! Ensure that Sect Leader does not die! Even if we are to be killed to the last man, Sect Leader and Nine-Tailed Fox Sect must survive!”

Hai Rong was gritting her teeth so hard that blood ran from her lips. She screamed out her order so hoarsely that it revereberated throughout the smoldering remains of Tushan City.

”We obey Instructor Hai's orders!” all the martial artists of Blood Blades shouted resolutely, emitting their own horrifying killing intent.

”Kill!” Jiang Yuan ordered. ”Kill them all!”

”Everyone, go!” Fu Zhuo Hui also instructed.

The remaining martial artists of the thirteen sects surged forward, crossing the colossal crater that had been blown into the outer sect districts of Nine-Tailed Fox Sect, and leaped into the plaza. Joining up with Jiu Liu Yu, Ji Liu and Fu Chang, they began their slaughter. However, the martial artists of Blood Blades and the outer sect cut into their ranks with desperate fury and berserk rage, causing the enemy's charge to falter.

”Great Yin Earth Demonic Banner!”

Jiu Liu Yu screeched ferociously, like a fucking banshee, as she unleashed ominous-looking banners of corruptive qi from her blackened arms. The banners burned with creepy purple flames that washed across a squad of Blood Blades martial artists. They jumped away in reflex, but the couple of martial artists too slow to react wer hit by the flames.

They began screaming as they grasped desperately at their heads, even as disturbing purple flames began to burn out of their eyes, mouths, ears and noses, before they crashed lifelessly onto the ground.

”Old demonic bitch! I will kill you!”

Hai Rong, realizing the threat Jiu Liu Yu posed to our defensive formation, rushed out to confront her by herself.

”Divine Dagger!”

Drawing a ruby dagger, Hai Rong infused the short blade with her qi before unleashing a scarlet stream of destructive qi that smashed against the ominous purple banner. For a moment, she succeeded in stalling the incendiary banner with her technique.

However, Jiu Liu Yu was far from alone.

”Out of the way!”

Cloud Sky Mountain's Ji Liu came barreling over, scowling in irritation. He sought to ram against Hai Rong, but he could close the distance between them, he unleashed a golden fist-shaped discharge that slammed into Hai Rong's qi blast like a freight train.

Another of the Three Stones of Cloud Sky Mountain, Fu Chang, laughed ruthlessly as he joined his comrade in ganging up on poor Hai Rong. He drew two silver swords and slashed at Hai Rong, releasing a sharp, silver blade qi that gouged concrete out of the plaza as they hurtled mercilessly toward the wounded Hai Rong.

Hai Rong quickly drew a ruby-colored shield that parried the silver blade qi, and parried one of Fu Chang's two swords with her dagger. While she was distracted, her scarlet qi blast dissipated harmlessly when Ji Liu's golden fist smashed it apart.

”Ugh…!”

Hai Rong coughed out some blood as she staggered, even as she struggled to match Fu Chang blow for blow. Having yet to recover from her severe injuries earlier, she was unable to contend with two of the Three Stones of Cloud Sky Mountain by herself.

The two outer sect elders, Zhao Shi and Cheng Ping, threw themselves forward and risked their lives to protect Hai Rong. Drawing their own high-grade Spirit Armaments, they flanked Fu Chang from opposite sides, driving him back.

”Don't get in the way!” Fu Chang bellowed and backed off, slashing at them. Elder Zhao was able to defend himself, but Cheng Ping wasn't. Lacking luck or strength, or both, he stumbled back, the copper-colored sword he had drawn severed in half.

Fu Chang's silver sword ended up embedded in his chest, and Cheng Ping collapsed, blood spurting from his mouth and fatal wound.

”Old Cheng!” Elder Zhao yelled, but received no response.

”Kill all of them!” Jiang Yuan ordered.

Those who survived the Sunburst bombs' explosions were the elites among the elites, the most ruthless and vicious of the thirteen sects who had survived through all odds.

And it was these people who now surrounded Nine-Tailed Fox Sect and were massacring a fair number of us.

Fortunately, the survivors of Blood Blades and the outer sects were also the strongest and the most intelligent, and we were able to hold our own. With just ten percent of the invaders left, the battle had swung slightly in our favor. If we hadn't sustained so many losses earlier, we might even have prevailed.

However, even our stalwart defense was unable to halt Jiu Liu Yu's berserk charge.

The old witch was the first to break through our defensive lines and charge toward the hapless Zi Shou De and me. She was now wielding multiple banners, which blazed an ominous purple and incinerated the few Nine-Tailed Fox Sect martial artists too slow to evade them.

She actually dismissed Zi Shou De for a moment and charged straight at me, mistakenly believing that I had done something unforgiveable to her two disciples, and also seeking revenge for the death of Lu Li.

”Zhao Shi! Go and join Cheng Ping!” Ji Liu laughed crazily as he fought his way through the line of outer sect martial artists, knocking them aside like bowling pins. Many of them fell back, aware that they lacked the strength to halt his rampage, and kept a safe distance from him.

”I'll deal with him!” Elder Zhao shouted to the scattering outer sect disciples. ”All of you, fall back and protect Sect Leader!”

He was unaware that Jiu Liu Yu was aiming for me, but that was fine. The topmost priority should be protecting Sect Leader Zi Shou De, not me.

”Very good! Let's settle this here once and for all!” Ji Liu advanced toward a resolute Elder Zhao with a savage smile. His fingers twitched, as if he wanted to wrap them around Elder Zhao's neck and crush him with his bare hands.

While people were dying around me, I was still in a stupor.

”Qi Hong! Qi Hong! No!”

Lian Rou was weeping as she knelt by Tang Qi Hong's corpse. She was desperately trying to apply first aid to her best friend, even though she knew that it was useless. Tang Qi Hong's heart had literally been torn out and shredded into pieces. There was no technique, no magic, no technology in this world that could bring her back.

”Why?! Qi Hong…why?”

While Lian Rou sobbed hysterically, holding onto Tang Qi Hong's body, I merely cradled the girl who was my first love in my hands, staring blankly at her once beautiful face. Speechless, shocked, whatever. I just couldn't accept what was happening.

”Fei Wu, snap out of it!”

Tong Xue was yelling at me, trying to drag me out of my stupor. A Cloud Sky Mountain martial artist leaped at us, and Tong Xue knocked him back with his short sword. Panting, he tried to slit the enemy's throat, but the Cloud Sky Mountain martial artist wisely withdrew to safety before launching a counterattack that forced Tong Xue into the defensive.

”We need your help! The lines are collapsing!”

”…Fei Wu, please go. I'll take care of Qi Hong.”

Lian Rou wiped the tears from her eyes, and gave me a slight push. But I refuse to budge, still cradling Tang Qi Hong in my hands.

”…my fault.”

”Eh?”

Lian Rou's eyes widened when she heard me speak for the first time since Tang Qi Hong's violent death.

”It's my fault that Qi Hong is dead.”

”That's not true!” Lian Rou gritted her teeth and shook me. ”Qi Hong saved your life! You mustn't let her die in vain!”