Chapter 46: The Crimson Siege
The Ironfang border erupted into a maelstrom of chaos, the air thick with the guttural roars of Hellbound Beasts, their jagged claws tearing at the earth, while the sharp, metallic tang of blood mingled with the acrid sting of smoke. The midday sun beat down relentlessly, its harsh light casting stark shadows across the scarred landscape, illuminating the frenzied advance of Ironfang's forces bolstered by Crimson Claw and Bloodshade Abyss. Lin Xuan stood at the vanguard, his crimson eyes burning with a fierce resolve, the weight of his newly advanced 7th Layer Qi Transformation surging through him like a tidal wave. The breakthrough, fueled by Battle Soul Unity from the Scriptures of Severed Unity, had come at a cost—hours of meditation in the inn's quiet, his body trembling as qi reshaped his core—but now it steadied him amidst the storm. The Celestial Unity Crest on his back pulsed with a quiet rhythm, a silent guide as he raised his voice. "Hold the line—we push back together!"
He led with a surge of power, his qi weaving through the battlefield, striking down a 6th Layer Ironfang cultivator with a precise blow that sent the man reeling, blood spraying from a deep wound across his chest. "Stay focused—don't let them break us!" he shouted, his voice rough but commanding, wiping sweat from his brow as the beasts charged. Liu Yue, having advanced to the 3rd Layer Qi Transformation with Frost Phoenix Cry—a radiant evolution of her Icy Skin—stepped forward, her snowflake mark blazing as she unleashed a wave of frost that encased a beast's legs, its roar turning to a pitiful whine. "I've got your side, Senior Brother—let's freeze them out!" she called, her moonlight eyes alight with newfound confidence, her raven hair whipping in the wind.
Liu Yang, now at the 9th Layer Body Refining, struggled with a deepening identity crisis, the Human Emperor's bloodline a heavy mantle that made his chest tighten with doubt. His blood-forged glaive swung with force, shattering a beast's claw, but his voice wavered as he muttered, "Who am I really becoming?" The strain showed on his young face, his resolve tested as he guarded Lin Xuan's flank. Bai Ningxue, her 5th Layer Qi Transformation aura now blossoming into the 6th Layer, reinforced the defenses with her Thousand Lotus Seal Art, her seals shimmering like delicate petals amidst the chaos. "I'll hold the line here—keep going!" she said, her spirited tone belying the fatigue in her limbs, her duty subplot growing as she shielded the rear.
Ji Yunjing, having advanced to the 3rd Layer Profound Heavenly Realm, eased his leadership doubts, his silk robes fluttering as he rallied the Azure River Guards with a steady voice. "For Dawnriver—stand with me!" he called, his presence a beacon, though his eyes still flickered with the weight of command. Lin Xuan, seizing a moment's respite, planted Crimson Vein Suppression traps, their crimson threads weaving a deadly net across the battlefield. "This'll slow their next wave—give us a breather," he said to Liu Yue, his tone weary but determined, the air thick with the scent of scorched earth and the promise of a hard-fought stand. The siege stretched into the afternoon, the ground trembling with each beastly charge, the clash of steel and qi a relentless drumbeat, their unity a fragile shield against the growing tide.