Translator: CinderTL
Xiang Tan suddenly opened her eyes, a dazed expression in her eyes. She had already given up hope, never expecting Xu Sanyan to awaken in such a desperate situation.
"Senior Brother Xu... you're awake?"
"Yes. Stay close."
Xu Sanyan pressed his lips together and pulled out a pitch-black banner from his storage pouch. This was the first magic artifact he had obtained, offering both defense and the ability to trap enemies. He had found it on Great Solitary Mountain.
As he infused it with Spiritual Power, the banner grew in the wind, forming a protective barrier above their heads.
Xu Sanyan glanced in Chi Yu's direction, a hint of hesitation in his expression. Through the Demonic Seed, he could sense that Chi Yu was still alive; if Chi Yu had died, the Demonic Seed would have dissipated.
But in the end, he shook his head and quickly charged toward the formation he had prepared earlier.
There were simply too many Bloodthirsty Demon Bats. He feared being trapped himself. If he failed to rescue Chi Yu and ended up trapped as well, it would be a complete loss.
The Bloodthirsty Demon Bats swarmed from all directions, diving beneath the banner to attack the three of them. However, their numbers had dwindled significantly, and the pressure eased considerably. Still, the banner's surface was covered in frantic scratching sounds as the Bloodthirsty Demon Bats continued their relentless assault.
"Senior Brother Xu, save me!"
Someone roared, trying to rush in. Xu Sanyan channeled his Spiritual Power, extending the great banner slightly to draw the man inside.
This wasn't an act of kindness, but rather a strategic move. The Holy Son Competition hadn't ended yet, and every bit of power preserved was valuable.
The Bat King ignored them, still engrossed in sucking up every last drop of beast blood from the ground.
A sixth-stage demonic beast corresponded to Soul Refinement in humans, making its blood a rare delicacy for Bloodthirsty Demon Bats.
As for Xu Sanyan and the others, they were mere scraps to the Bat King—neither capable of nourishing its clan nor itself. It simply let them be.
As more people joined the banner's protection along the way, it continued to extend. Finally, with half his Spiritual Power depleted, Xu Sanyan stepped into the formation's range. He immediately pulled out the formation control flag, channeling his Spiritual Power into it with furious intensity.
The eight small flags on the ground erupted in dazzling golden light, shooting out of the earth with a "whoosh" and spinning in mid-air.
Golden threads wove through the void, quickly forming a vast net that trapped everyone inside, including some Bloodthirsty Demon Bats. The others quickly dispatched the trapped bats without Xu Sanyan's intervention.
Clang! Clang!
The Bloodthirsty Demon Bats attacked the formation with frenzied ferocity, refusing to stop even as their heads were bloodied. Their skulls slammed against the formation, producing crisp, metallic clangs like hailstones striking an iron plate.
Countless bats swarmed the magic formation, forming a dense, impenetrable black mass that completely obscured the view inside.
The Bloodthirsty Demon Bats' relentless assault caused Xu Sanyan's Spiritual Power to drain rapidly. His expression darkened as he barked orders to the others, "Hurry! Recover your Spiritual Power! I can only hold out for another thirty minutes!"
Xiang Tan and the others immediately swallowed pills, then sat cross-legged on the ground to replenish their Spiritual Power.
After thirty minutes, they were relieved by a fresh team. Xu Sanyan finally had a moment to catch his breath, pulling out a Spirit Stone to meditate and recover his energy.
Operating the formation was simple: they needed only to continuously infuse it with Spiritual Power to keep it running.
The formation truly lived up to its name, the Eight Directions Divine Lock Formation. Despite the relentless attacks of countless bats, not a single crack appeared in its defenses.
Xu Sanyan glanced around. Only nine people remained inside the formation, including himself. They had started with twenty-three. Fourteen had perished in this ordeal.
"Sigh..."
Xu Sanyan sighed deeply. Without even having done anything, they had already lost more than half their number. Ten Thousand Demons Mountain truly lived up to its name.
Suddenly, Xu Sanyan sensed the Demonic Seed within Chi Yu dissipate, indicating his death.
Xu Sanyan felt a twinge of regret. Chi Yu was a seasoned operative who knew a great deal and was exceptionally useful. He had even planned to take him outside and nurture him properly, but now he had perished here.
Conversely, Xiang Tan, whom he had always underestimated, had stumbled through life until now—a truly unexpected turn of events.
Xu Sanyan beckoned to Junior Sister Chu and Xiang Tan. "Come, tell me what happened after I passed out."
The first thing he saw upon opening his eyes were the two women, so naturally, he turned to them for answers.
Junior Sister Chu, having just faced a life-or-death crisis, was still reeling from the emotional rollercoaster. However, as she began to recount the events, her spirits lifted. "Senior Brother Xu, you wouldn't believe it. After you and Senior Brother Chi passed out, Senior Sister Xiang Tan first called me..."
Junior Sister Chu embellished the story slightly as she recounted the events, concluding with a look of admiration at Xiang Tan. "Senior Sister Xiang Tan acted decisively, instructing me to carry you out. We took turns guarding you, and we finally managed to keep you safe until you woke up. You know the rest."
Xu Sanyan was stunned. He turned to Xiang Tan, surprised that she had ultimately saved his life.
Xiang Tan smiled, brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, and gently leaned into Xu Sanyan's embrace. Tilting her head slightly, she said softly, "I've given you my body, of course I'll do my best."
Xu Sanyan patted Xiang Tan's shoulder lightly, his voice filled with satisfaction. "I'll remember this. After we get out, I'll reward everyone according to their merits. You won't be left out."
"Mm, as long as you're safe, I'm content. I don't need any reward."
Xiang Tan nestled in Xu Sanyan's arms, feigning modesty while her heart soared with excitement. She had finally heard the words she longed to hear.
Xu Sanyan's promise to reward her after they escaped meant she had already secured a spot among his supporters!
"Senior Brother Xu, I..." Junior Sister Chu blinked at Xu Sanyan, her meaning crystal clear.
Xu Sanyan pinched her cheek and chuckled. "You'll get your share too."
"Mm-hm!" Junior Sister Chu's face lit up with joy.
Although it was still uncertain whether Xu Sanyan could obtain the Holy Son Token and successfully become the Holy Son, this promise significantly increased their chances of survival.
"Rest well," Xu Sanyan said, smoothing the stray strands of hair from Xiang Tan's forehead, his voice filled with tenderness.
"Mm," Xiang Tan obediently sat up and resumed recovering her Spiritual Power.
Junior Sister Chu watched Xiang Tan with envy, her mind made up: she would definitely cultivate a good relationship with Senior Sister Xiang Tan in the future.
If Xu Sanyan could seize the Holy Son Token, Xiang Tan's status would skyrocket, becoming vastly different from before.
Meanwhile, Xu Sanyan gazed at the dense swarm of bats, pondering how to escape.
He didn't know when these bats would disperse, and time was running out. He couldn't afford to linger here any longer; he had to find the Holy Son Token.
One piece had already appeared, so the others would likely manifest soon. He had to hurry.
Xu Sanyan retrieved the bottle of beast blood from his storage pouch and, after a moment's thought, had an idea.
Since the Bloodthirsty Demon Bats had been drawn in by the beast blood, he could use it to lure them away. The key was how to throw the blood far enough.
(End of the Chapter)
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