Boom!

Pressing a pair of wind blades against his feet, he boosted his speed just in time to avoid being crushed by whatever had descended from above.

Elder Han’s path was blocked, but he wasn’t perturbed. Instead, he smiled enthusiastically. "Sect Master!"

From the rubble, a burly figure in pure red robes could be seen standing with his back turned to Elder Han.

"Is that him?"

The man asked, his voice deep with a low tremor.

Elder Han immediately nodded. "Yes, it’s him! He must have the spirit crystals on him."

The Sect Master nodded, then raised his hand slowly.

Seraph instantly felt beads of sweat forming on his head, and he glanced back involuntarily. Although he couldn’t see the Inferno Sect Master, he felt something coming for him.

Frowning, he shot several wind blades and water blades into the tunnel behind him, but they hit nothing but air.

Focusing on Tamar’s direction, he soon found the place where Ariana had been kept. Just like Tamar, she was sitting on the ground, hugging her knees when he burst in.

He slowed down a bit to grab her, and that was when it hit him.

Boom!

A blunt force of pure spiritual energy slammed into him from behind, sending him face-first into the wall.

He quickly released Tamar before he slammed into the wall, ensuring that she remained unharmed.

Wiping the blood that flowed from his forehead, he shook off the dizziness and reached towards Ariana who was staring at him with wide eyes.

Puchi!

A short dagger flew through the air and pierced through his wrist, causing him to groan in pain. He immediately removed the dagger and grabbed Ariana, then rushed to Tamar’s side to pick her up.

Just as he placed her in his arms, someone with a suffocating presence stepped into the room.

Seraph stiffened, his eyes widening slowly. ’I can’t... fight him.’

He could manage a few Peak King Stage cultivators at worst, but against an Emperor Stage cultivator, he was powerless.

’Damnit.’

Still holding the two girls in his arms, he turned around to look at the Sect Master.

The man had a burly physique with long black hair flowing down his head. His eyes were as sharp as swords, and he had a jaw perfect for most men.

’The Sect Master, huh?’

Seeing him, Seraph tried to offer a smile but failed. Instead, all that appeared on his expression was intense hatred, disgust, and desire for revenge.

"Oh? You look ready to kill me." Inferno Sect Master said with a smile. "The question is, can you?"

Without hesitation, Seraph brought out a modified desert eagle gun from his storage ring and fired three precise shots at the man’s head.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

To the Sect Master’s surprise, the three hits forced his head back by a bit, and the hits stung painfully.

"Impressive." He grinned, throwing his head back to laugh. When his laughter died down, he looked around only to realize Seraph and the two girls had escaped.

His attention was immediately drawn to a hole in the ground, and he realized that he might have been too careless with those young cultivators.

Quickly spreading out his spiritual sense, he found them still traveling through a tunnel that was being created by Tamar. An emotion crossed his eyes, and he dashed straight after them, easily tearing through walls.

After a while, he burst out at the Inner Court area of the sect, then looked around in confusion. Seraph was nowhere to be found, and he couldn’t sense the other two girls too.

’This... a concealment talisman?’

It was the only logical explanation, but it seemed impossible. After all, he was an Emperor Stage cultivator. No normal concealment talisman should be able to fool him.

Unfortunately, he didn’t know that Seraph had a cheat divine shop where he could get such things. Currently, Seraph was hiding in Ariadne’s house with Ariana and Tamar.

The three of them wore purple bracelets around their wrists, which completely hid their spiritual energy from anyone that was trying to find them.

"Big brother..."

Ariana immediately lunged into Seraph’s embrace, hugging him and crying profusely. Tamar retained her usual stoic expression, not showing any emotions.

Seraph patted her head reassuringly while enduring the pain in his wrist. The dagger that had stabbed him contained poison. Thankfully, his body was highly resistant to poison and had already rendered it useless. The only lingering issue was the pain of having his hand pierced.

"It’s alright. I came here to get you out anyway."

Seraph said, then turned to Ariadne who was still sleeping on the bed.

’Halo, what exactly is special about her?’

["Special? Hmph! Who knows? Maybe you should add her to your burdens, then find out once you’ve escaped."] Halo replied with a sneer, causing Seraph’s eyes to narrow.

’This will be troublesome.’

........................

The battlefield had long descended into chaos.

The earth trembled beneath countless explosions as disciples of the Soul Cross Sect and Inferno Sect clashed across the ruined valley. Flames roared into the sky while the other elements rose in defiance. Craters littered the ground, and the scent of blood mixed with smoke filled the air.

A young Inferno Sect disciple thrust both palms forward "Burning Sun Art!"

A sphere of blazing fire shot toward his opponent, radiating intense heat. The Soul Cross Sect disciple opposite him calmly swung his sword. A water energy condensed around the blade before erupting outward.

"Water Arc Blade!"

The two attacks collided, producing a large shockwave.

Boom!

The shockwave blasted through the area as fire scattered in all directions. The Inferno disciple was forced backward several meters before a silhouette suddenly appeared behind him.

His eyes widened, but it was already too late. A sword pierced through his chest, and his blood splattered onto the scorched earth.

Nearby, dozens of similar battles unfolded simultaneously. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Although Sylvia and the other Soul Peak disciples had changed the tide of the battle slightly, the battle was still hot and intense.

The battle had already continued for an hour, and neither side showed signs of retreating.

Yet, compared to the carnage below, the true battle was taking place high above the clouds.

Boom!

A massive explosion shook the heavens, and three figures shot apart.

Song hovered calmly in the sky, her robes fluttering violently in the wind. Her expression remained cold and indifferent, her eyes fixed on her opponents.

Opposite her stood two Inferno Sect Elders, their faces pale. They were breathing heavily, and had blood staining their clothes.

The difference in strength was obvious. Song, an Emperor Stage cultivator, was simply stronger.

Dark shadow energy coiled around her body like countless black dragons. The surrounding sky had darkened under her influence.

One of the Inferno Elders wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Damn woman... even after warning..."

His voice trembled slightly.

"How are you this powerful?"

Song’s expression remained unchanged. "You talk too much."

The shadows around her suddenly surged forward, and the heavens darkened further.

The two elders immediately sensed danger.

"Move!"

The elder shouted and separated instantly.

Unfortunately for them, Song had already made her move.

"Shadow Domain."

The world seemed to freeze, and darkness spread across the sky like an endless ocean—every ray of sunlight vanished.

The Inferno Elders felt their bodies grow heavier, and their spiritual energy circulation slowed.

The Elder on the left groaned. "Break!"

Flames erupted from his body, and a giant fire serpent appeared behind him and rushed forward.

At the same time, the second elder formed hand seals. "Crimson Inferno Palm!"

A sea of fire descended toward Song, and a wave of heat preceded it.

Yet, Song merely raised one hand and said, "Weak."

The surrounding shadows condensed.

A giant black cross appeared above her.

The moment it descended, the fire serpent shattered. The sea of flames exploded.

Boom!

The Inferno Elders were sent flying backward, coughing up blood violently. Their attacks had been completely crushed, and fear finally appeared in their eyes.

They had entered this battle believing they could stall Song until their Ancestor Elder returned.

Instead, they had become prey. Two of them were already dead, and they were already struggling to survive.

Song’s figure suddenly vanished, and the elder on the right felt his heart stop.

’Behind...’

She was behind him.

Before he could react, a shadow blade materialized in Song’s hand.

Slash!

A black line flashed through the air, and he froze.

His eyes widened as he felt his head slowly separated from his neck. Blood erupted like a fountain from his neck, raining on the disciples below. His corpse plummeted after it, falling from the sky.

The disciples below watched in horror.

An Inferno Sect Elder had just died like that.

The battlefield momentarily trembled, and the morale shifted instantly.

The Soul Cross Sect disciples erupted with excitement.

"Elder Song killed him!"

"Victory belongs to Soul Cross Sect!"

"Kill them all!"

Meanwhile, the Inferno Sect disciples felt despair creeping into their hearts.

The remaining elder’s face turned deathly pale.

His companion had died so quickly that he could barely process what happened.

He immediately turned around and fled. His survival instincts overwhelmed all sense of dignity. He no longer cared about the battle, not did he care about the sect.

He simply wanted to live.

Song’s eyes remained cold as she watched his attempt at escape.

"You think you can escape?"

Shadows surged beneath her feet, and her figure transformed into a black streak.

The distance between them rapidly closed. The Inferno Elder’s expression became desperate. "No!"

He unleashed every remaining bit of spiritual energy.

A massive pillar of fire exploded outward, with the flames illuminating half the sky.

Yet, Song tore straight through it. The fire couldn’t even slow her down. The man’s eyes filled with despair as he felt his own death approaching. For a moment, he thought Song looked like a grim reaper.

Just as she raised her shadow blade to cut him, the battlefield paused at the reappearance of two figures.