Chapter 74: A Violent Battle

"Second Young Master, something's wrong. These two toad spirits swallowed two of the crow generals in one swoop. They're likely extremely strong even among Ascension-realm lifeforms," one black-armored cultivator whispered.

"Don't leave anything to chance. Everyone, strike at once!" Xiang Wei shouted. He drew the Lady Arclight's longsword, causing frosty light to illuminate the cavern. A huge sword slash struck at the two toad spirits.

The male toad, noticing the strength of this technique, cried out and charged forward, taking it on behalf of its female companion. However, even the toad's defenses were insufficient to block a blow of this magnitude.

The female toad cried out in shared pain, attempting to block the blow for its male companion.

However, there were quite a number of Ascension-realm cultivators among the black-armored warriors. Four sword techniques were launched at the female toad, forcing it to defend.

The male toad was struck by Xiang Wei's sword technique, another cultivator's sword technique, and the flames from the remaining two crow spirits, which charged at its lower back.

The male toad croaked in frustration. It had just swallowed huge quantities of draconic aether and bolstered its cultivation, so how could it still be suppressed? It struggled madly, causing a huge shockwave of energy.

"The eight of us Ascension-realm cultivators are only barely holding back these two toads? They must be at the peak of Ascension!" one black-armored cultivator cried out.

"Continue at maximum strength! This sword bears divine might, so I'll be able to kill this toad spirit and then deal with the other one soon enough! Suppress them both!" Xiang Wei shouted, clutching his sword tightly.

"Yessir!" the five Ascension-realm black-armored cultivators replied.

"Everyone else, help out! Blind the toad spirit's eyes!" Xiang Wei commanded again.

"Understood!" A group of Immanence-realm cultivators charged forward.

The two toad spirits croaked. The tumors on their back burst open, scattering huge quantities of poison on the gathered cultivators, who found their skin and armor corroding away.

The cultivators cried out and shrieked as they ran. Dozens of people died within moments, and about twice that were injured.

Not only that, except for Xiang Wei, who was protected by a jade pendant that emitted a red energetic barrier, the remaining Ascension-realm cultivators and the two golden crow spirits were all keening in pain.

"Second Young Master, this poison was able to break through our technique! It hurts!" one black-armored cultivator yelled.

"Just bear it a little longer. They're only releasing this poison because they're scared, but the more they do so, the weaker they become. Keep suppressing them. My sword will soon be able to break through their defenses. I'll kill them all!" Xiang Wei promised.

Indeed, Xiang Wei's sword penetrated the toad spirit's body even more deeply, causing the male toad's face to distort in pain.

"Didn't you hear me? Everyone, keep up the pressure!" Xiang Wei shouted.

""Yessir!" All the black-armored cultivators charged forward once again.

Just then, a yell came from the back of the gathered cultivators.

Everyone turned to see heads flying through the air and blood fountaining.

"It's Nanfeng! He's emerged from one of the frost spheres!"

Xiao Nanfeng was wielding a long blade, murderous killing intent gushing out of his body. "Toads, hold on just a bit longer. The elder will wake up soon. Let me clear away these pests for you first!"

The two toad spirits croaked in agony.

"The Lady Arclight's about to awaken? Damn it, break the frost sphere and kill her now while she's still meditating!" Xiang Wei cried out.

"Who dares?!" Xiao Nanfeng stood between them and the Lady Arclight.

"Nanfeng? We'll settle my debt against him today. Take him down. I want to skin him myself!" Xiang Wei commanded.

"Understood!" A group of black-armored cultivators charged forward.

Xiao Nanfeng's eyes glimmered with frost. He slashed forward with the blade in his hands.

Countless swords were broken in half. Two heads were sent flying amidst countless cries. With a backward slash, Xiao Nanfeng slaughtered the disarmed cultivators in a fountain of blood.

"He's already at the peak of Immanence? This is impossible!" one cultivator shouted.

"In just a little more than half the month? Even with natural treasures, it's impossible to raise one's cultivation to that extent! He must have some secret he's hiding. Seize him alive—I'll interrogate him personally!" Xiang Wei ordered.

Another group of warriors rushed at Xiao Nanfeng, but he didn't fear them at all. The longsword in his hand was like a reaper's scythe. Where it swung, cultivators fell. He was more deadly than even the opponent Immanence-realm cultivators.

Another dozen or so black-armored cultivators were killed within moments. It was as though Xiao Nanfeng had transformed into an array of blades, wreaking destruction wherever he went, causing the black-armored cultivators that charged toward him to grow fearful.

"In addition to dealing with Nanfeng, have a group of cultivators attack that frost sphere! Kill the Lady Arclight as quickly as you can!" Xiang Wei howled.

"Don't you dare!" Xiao Nanfeng's eyes were edged with rime.

He swung his blade faster and faster, as though he had an inexhaustible well of stamina. Another few cultivators found their heads displaced from their bodies. He targeted all those who attempted to rush toward the sphere.

He seemed to have transformed into an invincible god of death. None could stand against him as he unleashed a dispassionate slaughter. In the blink of an eye, dozens had died to his blade. Of the remaining, some were covered with blood, and others, out of fear and shock, began to run away from him instead.

Even Xiang Wei seemed gobsmacked. "How did you manage to raise your cultivation to such an extent in less than a month?"

He very much wanted to catch and interrogate Xiao Nanfeng himself, but if he did, the toad spirits would be freed. That would only worsen the situation.

"Damn it, take him down as quickly as you can!" Xiang Wei bellowed.

Xiao Nanfeng ignored Xiang Wei as he continued to charge toward the gathered crowd.

The remaining black-armored cultivators were so scared that they fled from him, but how could they outrun Xiao Nanfeng? Having lost their will to fight, they were even more easily killed. Another dozen lost their lives.

Xiao Nanfeng chased them down more and more quickly as the majority of their number died. Xiang Wei was unable to do anything. He was infuriated—how had the situation devolved like this? If he didn't do anything, the tables might turn on him!

Eventually, a few cultivators, their will to fight entirely broken, ignored whatever orders Xiang Wei gave them and fled through the underwater barrier, whereupon they were struck to the ground by a strong force.

"Are there more people outside?!" The cultivators glanced out in shock. On the outside of the barrier were four blue-armored men, who had blocked the black-armored cultivators' escape.

"I thought we'd be able to take advantage of the two parties fighting each other by secretly following behind them, but we were discovered in the end," one blue-armored cultivator murmured.

Xiao Nanfeng recognized them immediately. These four cultivators were the ones that had been chased by all the spirits gathered around the lake—how had they managed to survive the chase, and what were they doing here?

"Are you all from Dayan?" Xiang Wei asked. Clearly, he too had met members of their kind and learned about the world of this hidden realm.

One of them looked toward Xiang Wei. "A foreigner? So you're a disjointed group yourself! Don't worry, we can help you out!"

"What?" Xiang Wei replied.

"I can help you kill these two toad spirits, as well as this pair of cultivators. We'll split the treasure between us," the blue-armored man offered.

"Why help me?" Xiang Wei narrowed his eyes at the man.

"We've been exposed, so it's hardly as though we can just wait out your fight now. Rather than have you be wary of us, why not cooperate? We bear these two toad spirits a grudge, as well as these cultivators who induced an attack on us from all the nearby spirits! They killed the majority of our men, and we'll take revenge for them all!" the blue-armored man cried out.

Xiang Wei frowned. He knew that the blue-armored man likely had ulterior motives, but this wasn't important. The biggest threat was undoubtedly the Lady Arclight. It would be best to kill her first, then the toad spirits, and then to settle the score with the blue-armored men.

"Very well. Kill that woman, and I'll agree to the cooperation!" Xiang Wei called out.

"So be it!" the blue-armored man replied. The four blue-armored cultivators rushed toward the frost sphere, each slashing toward it with their weapons.

"Hold it!" Xiao Nanfeng thundered.

However, Xiao Nanfeng was being held back by two black-armored cultivators. In fury, he killed them both within moments.

By then, however, the four sword techniques had struck the frost sphere, causing cracks to form on its surface, as though it would shatter at any moment.

"One more time! Kill her!" Xiang Wei howled.

"Again!" the four blue-armored cultivators shouted.

Just then, the Lady Arclight's eyes opened. Her eyes radiated with golden light, immediately

causing all the enemy cultivators to rear back.

"Not good!" Sensing the threat, the four blue-armored cultivators began to strike even more rapidly.

"Be careful, Elder!" Xiao Nanfeng shouted.

"The Lady Arclight's awake? Kill her, quick!" Xiang Wei commanded.

The Lady Arclight made a motion with her fingers, causing her sword to fly out of Xiang Wei's grasp and into her reach. She broke the frost sphere easily.

"Die!" The four blue-armored cultivators launched four separate techniques at her.

The Lady Arclight narrowed her eyes as she shifted to the side, dodging the attacks.

As the four men struck, the Lady Arclight appeared behind their backs, beheading them all with a swing of her sword. The four Ascension-realm cultivators were killed in just one strike!