They both kept running, using their techniques now and then to fight off the nasty rats. Da Zhuang would raise small earth spikes or walls to trip them up,
while Lan Ruo would splash them with water, hoping to slow them down.
They were small, but they were determined, fighting with all their might against the overwhelming numbers of the filthy rats.
Lan Ruo, who had been running breathlessly, suddenly stopped dead in her tracks.
"Hey! Why did you stop now?" Da Zhuang yelled, his voice filled with panic. He quickly stomped his foot, and a thick earth wall shot up, bigger and stronger than before, shielding both of them from the immediate onslaught of rats. "We don't have time to stop! Run!"
But Lan Ruo shook her head, her young face set in a serious expression.
"No! We won't be able to run away like this forever. We need to remember that we are also disciples of the Eternal Sect!"
Her words were firm, reminding Da Zhuang of their training and their honor.
Da Zhuang's eyes widened in understanding. She was right. Running was only delaying the inevitable.
He gritted his teeth, a fierce determination replacing his fear. "Then let's fight!" he shouted, ready to stand his ground.
With a roar, Da Zhuang launched his attack. His small figure seemed to grow, and behind him,
a shimmering, giant fist made of earth and rock appeared. It was massive, like the fist of a towering mountain god.
"Thousand Pounds Mountain Fist: First Form!" he yelled, his voice echoing.
"Fist of the Mountain God!"
He smashed his own fist forward, and the giant earthy fist behind him mimicked his movement, surging towards the countless rats.
The sheer force of it was immense. Thousands of Nether Shadow Rats at the front of the swarm were hit by the powerful energy wave from that giant fist.
They were crushed, splattered, and sent flying, dissolving into dark mist. It created a temporary clear space, but there were still so many more behind them.
Lan Ruo also nodded towards Da Zhuang, acknowledging his courage and power. She knew she had to do her part.
She focused her spiritual energy, and her young body became the center of a swirling force.
"Azure Sea Secret Technique: First Form!" she cried out, her voice clear despite the chaos.
"Myriad Waves in the Sea!"
Suddenly, the air around her seemed to ripple, like water. From nowhere, thousands upon thousands of sparkling water waves manifested, rising high around her.
These weren't gentle ripples; they were powerful, surging currents that then swept outwards, engulfing the remaining rats.
The black rats were caught in the powerful, crashing waves, slammed against each other, and utterly crushed by the force of the water. Many more dissolved into nothingness.
Both Da Zhuang and Lan Ruo were panting heavily. They had used their powerful secret techniques,
pushing their young bodies to the limit to fight against these filthy extraterrestrial beasts.
The ground around them was a muddy, bloody mess of dissolved rat remains.
But even after such devastating attacks, there were still so many left. The sheer numbers of the Nether Shadow Rats were horrifying.
Lan Ruo looked at the remaining swarm, her face grim, and gritted her teeth.
"You guys really leave me no chance!" she muttered, her eyes narrowing. It was clear what she meant.
She looked at Da Zhuang and gave him a quick, meaningful nod. Da Zhuang instantly understood the message behind her words.
There was only one way to deal with this endless horde when their own energy was running low.
Both of them, moving in perfect sync, reached into their spatial storage items. In their hands, they each pulled out a 9th-grade lightning dragon talisman.
These talismans were extremely powerful, meant for desperate situations. They glowed with a fierce, unstable blue light.
With a unified wave of their hands, they threw the talismans towards the mass of filthy Nether Shadow Rats.
The talismans exploded in a flash of brilliant light, and from the energy, two beautifully terrifying lightning dragons roared into existence.
They were magnificent, crackling with raw electrical power, their forms made of pure blue lightning.
The dragons moved with incredible speed and devastating power. One lightning dragon swept through one side of the rat swarm, while the other tore through the other side.
They didn't just kill; they evaporated. Every single rat caught in their path was instantly disintegrated, turned into ash by the searing heat and immense electrical force.
No remains, no blood, just empty air where thousands of rats had been moments before. The entire area became clear, clean, and silent.
A huge sigh of relief escaped both Da Zhuang and Lan Ruo. The danger was finally gone. Their young faces, previously strained with fear and effort, now bloomed with tired but joyful smiles.
Their white uniforms, with the words 'Earth' and 'Water' now fluttering gently in the breeze, were a little dirty, but they stood tall. They had survived, together. Ready for their next battle, whatever it may be.
While the disciples of the Eternal Sect battled across the Secret Realm, two girls, Zhao Yue and Lan Suyin, were also fighting for their lives. They came from outside the Eternal Sect, but had recently joined forces with it.
Zhao Yue was from the Great Solaris Kingdom, and Lan Suyin was from the Azure Mist Sect. These two groups were subordinates, to the bigger Eternal Sect.
Zhao Yue was about fifteen or sixteen years old, and Lan Suyin was sixteen. Both were fighting with gritted teeth, their faces set in fierce determination.
It had only been a few days since they officially joined the Eternal Sect, and now they were already thrown into this dangerous Secret Realm.
Even though they were young, they were powerful. Zhao Yue was at Nascent Soul Level 6, and Lan Suyin was at Nascent Soul Level 5.
These were strong cultivation levels, but the sheer number of Nether Shadow Rats was making even them struggle. They were fighting with everything they had.
Their Sect Master, Shen Huai, had given them ten special 8th-grade talismans. These were meant to be used only in very desperate times, like now.
But neither girl had used them yet. They also carried a special token from The Grand Elder Wuhe, another powerful figure.
They hadn't used that either. For them, these were their last, most important tricks, their "extreme trump cards."
Zhao Yue moved with precise and sharp movements, using fighting techniques from her own Solaris Kingdom.
In her hand, she wielded a sharp sword, cutting through the swarms of Nether Shadow Rats.
These rats were strong, each with the power of a Nascent Soul cultivator, making them dangerous even to strong disciples.
Zhao Yue had already killed hundreds of them, her sword a blur of silver light.
Lan Suyin, on the other hand, used her special Azure Mist Illusion Method.
She created confusing illusions, making the rats see things that weren't there. The rats would attack each other, thinking their friends were enemies, or they would hit empty air.
This method was very clever, and it helped Lan Suyin kill hundreds of Nether Shadow Rats without having to fight them directly.
But now, even with their skill and power, they were in deep trouble.
There were still so many rats. Thousands upon thousands of them were attacking them from all sides, a black, chittering tide.
The air was filled with their foul smell and the sound of their scuttling feet.
Zhao Yue and Lan Suyin were truly desperate now. Their spiritual energy was running low, and their bodies ached from the constant fighting.
They looked at each other, a silent agreement passing between them. They both knew it was time.
They were ready to use at least one of their precious talismans, to clear these filthy rats once and for all. They couldn't save their trump cards any longer. Their lives depended on it.
At this very moment, as Lan Suyin fought with all her might, something amazing happened. Right beside her, a huge, spectral pine tree suddenly appeared, shimmering with power.
And in front of that majestic tree, stood a familiar figure. He was handsome, dressed in white, and his uniform had the word 'Wood' on it. It was Bai Wei!
"Senior Brother Bai!" Lan Suyin cried out, her voice filled with relief and surprise.
In the past few days, since her sect joined the Eternal Sect, she and Zhao Yue had already met and become familiar with Bai Wei. They knew he was a powerful and kind senior.
Bai Wei had heard the sounds of their desperate battle and had rushed over, finding his new junior sisters in trouble.
At the exact same time, on Zhao Yue's side of the frantic fight, another white-clothed figure appeared.
This one had the word 'Blade' in his uniform. It was Zhao Tie, his short hair and sharp eyes instantly recognizable.
He also had heard the sounds of the intense fight and came to help. He stood ready, a sharp blade already gleaming in his hand, waiting for his chance to strike.
The two junior sisters, surrounded by thousands of rats, felt a surge of hope and relief. Their seniors had arrived! Bai Wei,
with the powerful pine tree still behind him, nodded grimly at Lan Suyin. Zhao Tie, his gaze intense, met Zhao Yue's eyes, a silent promise to fight by her side.
The battlefield, which had been a picture of desperation, now pulsed with renewed energy.
The Eternal Sect's powerful disciples had come to the rescue, ready to turn the tide against the filthy Nether Shadow Rats.
At this moment, two powerful voices rang out across the chaotic battlefield, cutting through the squealing of the rats.
"Palm of the Ancient Pine!" roared Bai Wei, his voice clear and strong.
"Thousand Cuts in a Single Blade!" shouted Zhao Tie, his voice sharp and fierce.
With a resolute determination, both young men launched their powerful attacks.
They fought with all their might, pouring their spiritual energy into their techniques.
On Bai Wei's side, the giant, spectral pine tree behind him moved with incredible force.
Its immense, shadowy form slammed into the mass of Nether Shadow Rats. The rats were smashed, crushed, and utterly wiped out one by one.
In just a few seconds, thousands of the filthy creatures were eliminated, disappearing as if they were never there.
On Zhao Tie's side, the air shimmered and cracked. Thousands of shimmering, phantom blades suddenly appeared, filling the space like a deadly storm.
With a single, sweeping motion from Zhao Tie's real blade, all the ethereal blades surged forward, cutting through the thousands of Shadow Rats.
The rats, caught in this whirlwind of blades, were sliced into countless pieces, dissolving into dark mist.
They had never imagined they would meet such a horrifying death, vanishing in mere seconds.
Both Bai Wei and Zhao Tie let out a deep sigh of relief. The immediate threat was gone.
The battlefield was clear, silent once more, save for the faint, lingering smell of dark energy.
Bai Wei quickly reached into his storage and pulled out two small, glowing pills.
These were 8th-grade spirit pills, very valuable for restoring energy. He handed one to Zhao Yue and one to Lan Suyin. They both took the pills and swallowed them.
Almost instantly, their tired, strained faces brightened, and their exhausted bodies felt full of energy again. They were lively once more, ready for whatever came next.
Zhao Tie looked at Bai Wei, his brow furrowed with concern. "Do you know where the others are?" he asked. "I heard some noise from the west when I was coming here. I think we should go there to see."
Bai Wei nodded slowly. His own ears, sharp from his cultivation, had also picked up distant sounds. "I also heard commotion coming from the south," he replied.
He thought for a moment, then suggested, "Let's go our separate ways. You go west, and I'll go south. After finding them, let's meet back here."
Zhao Tie nodded in agreement. They both knew it was important to find their other brothers and sisters from the Eternal Sect.
The Secret Realm was proving to be much more dangerous than anyone had expected...