Just as Xiao Qi initially fused the Vermillion Bird Soul Crystal, controlled the Southern Bright Separating Fire, and his strength greatly increased, preparing to discuss with Fire Crow Village the details of entering the Molten Fire Heart, an extremely subtle yet malevolent fluctuation, like a stone thrown into a calm lake, abruptly broke the tranquility of Crimson Flame Mountain Valley.
"Woo-woo-woo—"
An even more urgent, more mournful alarm horn sounded instantly across all Fire Crow Village! This time, the horn carried unprecedented urgency and panic.
"Enemy attack! Powerful enemy attack!" The watchtower villager shouted in changed dialect.
Almost simultaneously with the horn's sounding, Chief Lie Shan, Elder Wumeng, and Yan Lie's expressions changed simultaneously. Lie Shan fiercely looked toward the village's outer forest, tiger eyes wide. A heavy, mountain-like killing aura erupted from his body. "What dense evil energy! It's them! They've actually come!"
Elder Wumeng's staff heavily struck the ground. His turbid old eyes gleamed sharply, carrying anger and resolve. "For the Sacred Crystal! They truly won't give up!"
Xiao Qi and Third Senior Sister Liu Yun exchanged glances. Their hearts sank together. Their greatest worry had become reality. Shadow Snake Pavilion's revenge came so quickly, so swiftly!
The two figures flashed, following Chief Lie Shan and otherscharged out the cavern, arriving at the village center's stone plaza.
The originally dense jungle outside the village had beenlarge areas corroded and withered, emitting nauseating foul stench. Dozens of robed figures shrouded in gray-black demonic qi, like ghosts emerging from forest shadows, appeared—nearly a hundred! These people had cold, complex auras, mostly at Foundation Establishment, but their movements formed battle formations, obviously well-trained,certainly not a mob.
More chilling were three figures suspended in mid-air.
The left one, tall and thin as a bamboo pole, face hidden under hood shadow, only exposing a pair of eyes flickering with sickly green ghost fire. He held a bone-white staff topped with a skull constantly twisting, emitting soundless wails. His aura was eerie, unmistakably an early Golden Core ghost path cultivator!
The right one was a massive man built like a bear, naked upper body covered in bizarre black demonic patterns, muscles knotted, filled with explosive power. He wielded a door-sized black axe, blade flowing with dark red blood light, killing aura soaring to heaven. Also an early Golden Core body cultivator, but walking the demonic path, aura violent and wild.
The center figure made Chief Lie Shan and Elder Wumeng's pupils shrink. An elder in dark purple robe, face thin, hawk nose, deep-set eyes, triangular eyes flickering with venomous, cold, cunning light. He didn't deliberately release pressure, merely standing there gave a deadly threat feeling like being stared at by a venomous snake. His cultivation was mid Golden Core! Moreover, observing his aura's condensation degree, it was definitely not simply newly entering mid stage!
"Shadow Snake Pavilion, Seven Killing Hall Deputy Hall Master, Yin Jiu." The purple-robed elder's voice was hoarse, like sandpaper scraping, carrying an indifferent superiority. "Hand over the youth who obtained the Vermillion Bird inheritance in the village, and everything on him. Otherwise, today, Fire Crow Village... not a chicken or dog shall remain."
His gaze, like a cold blade, passed over the prepared Fire Crow Village defenders, precisely landing on Xiao Qi who had just arrived at the plaza. That gaze carried undisguised greed and killing intent. Obviously, they not only knew Xiao Qi was here, but that he had obtained the Vermillion Bird Soul Crystal!
"Nonsense!" Chief Lie Shan's beard and hair stood on end, anger blazing. In his hand appeared a huge axe burning crimson flames. "Fire Crow Village only has warriors who die fighting, no cowards who kneel and beg! If you want to touch my honored guests, first walk over my corpse!"
"Protect the sacred village! Protect the Holy Messenger!" Yan Lie raised his arm in rallying cry. All Fire Crow Village warriors, regardless of gender or age, raised weapons, letting out earth-shaking roars. A tragic, determined, blood-and-guts courage surged skyward, temporarily holding back the enemy's overwhelming demonic might.
Elder Wumeng murmured incantations, his staff waving. Threads of crimson-red light shot into the ground. Instantly, countless complex flame talismans lit up across the village. A defensive array covering the entire village activated, forming a translucent crimson light barrier. Above the barrier, faint Vermillion Bird phantoms circled.
"Obstinate fools." Yin Jiu's lips curved into a cruel smile. He lightly waved his hand. "Kill! Not one spares!"
"Hehehe..." The bone-staff ghost cultivator made ear-piercing laughter. His staff swung. Countless ghostly green flames like rain poured onto the village's protective barrier. Where ghost fire touched the barrier, sizzling corrosion sounds erupted. The barrier fluctuated violently.
"Roar!" The demonic body cultivator massive man let out an inhuman roar. Like a wild bull he charged toward the village gate, axe bringing tearing-air whistle, viciously hacking at the barrier!
"BOOM!"
The barrier violently trembled. Elder Wumeng, presiding over the array, staggered, face paling.
Meanwhile, nearly a hundred Shadow Snake Pavilion Foundation Establishment cultivators on the ground also unleashed artifacts and evil techniques. Various yin thunder, poison fog, bone spears, demonic fire, like a tide, bombarded the protective barrier.
Though the barrier was sturdy, under the fierce attacks led by three Golden Core demonic cultivators, it began dimming at a visible rate, obviously unable to hold much longer.
"We can't wait to be slaughtered!" Third Senior Sister Liu Yun coldly shouted. Her sword left its sheath, ice-cold sword energy soaring. "Xiao Qi, we go out, pin down those three Goldens! Chief, you stabilize the array, deal with those Foundation Establishment cultivators!"
Chief Lie Shan also knew this was the only method. He heavily nodded. "Good! Yan Lie, lead elite fighters, use the array to snipe those Foundation Establishment demonic brutes! Others, follow me maintain the array!"
Xiao Qi's eyes coldly gleamed. The powerful strength from Four Symbols Soul Crystal fusion surged in his body. He glanced at the three murderous Golden Core demonic cultivators in the air, especially Yin Jiu who gave him the strongest threat.
"Senior Sister, you take that ghost player. I'll handle that big guy. As for their leader..." Xiao Qi drew a deep breath. Powerful battle intent mixed with killing intent erupted. "We join forces, resolve them quickly!"
Before his voice finished, his form shimmered. Transformed into golden light (after fusing Four Symbols source, his escape light took on pale gold), actively charged out of the protective barrier! Target: that demonic body cultivator massive man furiously hacking the barrier!
"Seeking death!" The massive man, seeing Xiao Qi actually dare attack proactively, grinned hideously. Abandoning the barrier, his axecarrying overwhelming force swept over, blade's windsufficient to tear through metal and stone before even arriving!
Facing this powerful strike, Xiao Qi didn't block head-on. Swimming Dragon Nine Turns executed to extremes, his form like a ghostpressed against axeswept past. Simultaneously, fingers like sword, a highly condensed pale-gold sword energy containing Four Symbols power, like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, thrust straight toward the massive man's exposed armpit vital point! Speed, angle—far exceeding before!
The massive man obviously hadn't expected Xiao Qi's speed to be so terrifying. In panic, returning the axe to block was impossible. He could only roar, demonic patterns on his body blazing, relying on his powerful demonic body tobrace against!
"Splurt!"
The pale-gold sword energy struck the demonic pattern. A dull sound. The massive man's body convulsed violently. Those demonic patterns sufficient to withstand superior spirit artifact strikes were torn open by this finger sword energy! Dark red blood sprayed out!
"What?!" The massive man was shocked and furious. He was an early Golden Core demonic body! How could a youth appearing only mid Golden Core (he sensed Xiao Qi's surging aura, misjudging) injure him with one strike?
Meanwhile, Third Senior Sister also engaged the ghost cultivator. Mystic ice sword energy and ghostly green fire violently collided in mid-air. Ice shards and ghost fire scattered. For a time, hard to distinguish victory.
Yin Jiu floated in mid-air, not immediately intervening. His cold gazewatched with interest as Xiao Qi grappling with the massive man, and Third Senior Sister battling the ghost cultivator. Triangular eyes flickered with surprise. These two Qingxu Temple brats' strength seemed considerably stronger than intelligence described. Especially that youth—movement technique bizarre, spiritual power nature peculiar, actually could injure Mo Ku's (the massive man) defense.
"Interesting... so the Vermillion Bird Soul Crystal truly transformed you." Yin Jiu licked his lips, greed in his eyes intensifying. "But this ends now."
He slowly raised his withered palm. In his palm center, a profound darkness energy that seemed capable of devouring light began condensing, emitting terrifying fluctuations that made souls shiver.
"Shadow... Soul-Devouring Wave!"
He prepared to personally strike, with thunder force, smothering this greatest variable in its cradle!
The great battle fully erupted! Fire Crow Village faced its most severe life-or-death trial since establishment! And Xiao Qi and Third Senior Sister directly faced the most powerful enemies since entering the Southern Frontier!