Chapter 73: The Betrayer's Return
The heart of Ironfang's capital pulsed with the chaos of war, the air thick with the acrid sting of smoke and the coppery tang of blood, the late afternoon sun casting a grim light over cobblestone streets littered with debris and the fallen. The allied rear, momentarily unguarded, faced a sudden ambush as Zhao Heng returned with Ironfang reinforcements, his 8th Layer Qi Transformation aura a sinister presence as he led a force of Xun Clan warriors and Bloodshade Abyss cultists. Lin Xuan stood at the forefront of the counterattack, his crimson eyes blazing with combat fury, the power of his 9th Layer Qi Transformation surging like a tempest. The Celestial Unity Crest on his back pulsed with a steady rhythm, a quiet beacon as he raised his voice. "They won't take us by surprise—fight back!"
He clashed with Zhao, unleashing Starlit Void Fist, the technique weaving star-like qi into a blinding barrage that struck Zhao's defenses. The impact sent shockwaves through the air, Zhao's qi shield cracking as he staggered, blood trickling from a cut on his cheek. Zhao retaliated with a sweeping qi arc, the dark energy forcing Lin Xuan to duck and roll, his robes singed, but he countered with a second fist strike, the force slamming Zhao into a wall, rubble cascading around him. "You're out of tricks," Lin Xuan gritted out, his tone icy, pressing the advantage as Zhao groaned and retreated into the shadows. Liu Yue, her 8th Layer Qi Transformation qi flowing with Frost Phoenix Cry, and Liu Yang, his 6th Layer Qi Gathering qi robust, repelled the ambush, her snowflake mark blazing as she froze a cultist's advance, his blood-forged glaive flashing to cleave through another, blood spraying. "Hold the rear, Elder Sister—their numbers are thinning!" Liu Yang shouted, his young face set with determination, the glaive's weight a grounding force.
In the command post, Ji Yunjing, at the peak of the 4th Layer Profound Heavenly Realm, ordered a counterattack, his silk robes fluttering as he directed the Azure River Guards, his voice resonant with authority. "Push them back—secure our lines!" he called, his brow furrowed with the strain of command as he deflected a qi lash, the impact sending a ripple through his guard. Bai Ningxue, her 9th Layer Qi Transformation aura a serene yet potent force, purified the battlefield with her Thousand Lotus Seal Art, her seals shimmering as she dispelled a curse that threatened the troops, the energy dissipating in a burst of light. "I'll clear the taint—keep fighting," she said, her tone calm and resolute, her hands steady as she wove the seals with precision.
The ambush stretched into the evening, the air thick with the relentless clang of steel, the guttural cries of the wounded, and the occasional crash of falling structures, the allied forces holding firm despite Zhao's escape. Lin Xuan gathered his team later, his breath heavy but his resolve firm. "He's wounded—we'll track him again," he said, his voice thoughtful. Liu Yue nodded, her breath ragged but her spirit unbroken. "We'll be ready, Senior Brother—let's finish this," she replied, The Ji Clan outpost buzzed with the clink of armor and the murmur of counter-strategy, the betrayer's return a bitter setback, the war's end tantalizingly close yet elusive.