Immortal Strike

At the critical moment, Lin Xuan stepped forward.

"Danger!" Di Haoran exclaimed with concern.

This was someone who had inherited the legacy of an immortal—a beacon of hope for humanity in their battle against the monstrous beast hordes.

He absolutely could not be harmed.

Yet, Di Haoran was blocked by the Grand Priest, powerless to intervene.

Lin Xuan, however, showed not a trace of fear. Facing the Beast Lord's "Roar of the Demonic God," he stood firm before the crowd, unwavering.

His expression was resolute.

"Now, let you beasts witness the might of humanity!"

Without hesitation, Lin Xuan retrieved a gemstone and crushed it in his grasp.

"Immortal's Strike!"

A surge of overwhelming power erupted from the shattered gem.

This strike seemed to descend from the heavens above, carrying boundless majesty and force, like a dazzling meteor streaking across the sky.

The raging energy surged forth like a catastrophic flood, unstoppable and devastating.

The Beast Lord's Roar of the Demonic God was instantly swallowed by this immense power, vanishing without a trace—like a pebble dropped into an unfathomable abyss, leaving no ripple behind.

Yet, the Immortal's Strike did not halt. It continued its relentless advance toward the Beast Lord.

With every inch it progressed, space trembled, as though the entire world would bow before its might.

Any monstrous beasts in its path were obliterated in an instant.

Seeing this, the Beast Lord felt an unprecedented dread rise within him. Never had he imagined such terrifying power existed in this world.

But he was the Beast Lord. Quickly suppressing his fear, he mustered all his strength to resist the Immortal's Strike.

With his full power, he barely managed to halt its advance.

Yet, even then, he could not fully dissipate the attack—its momentum only grew stronger, pressing forward with relentless force.

The Beast Lord roared, summoning his power once more to resist, but the Immortal's Strike continued pushing him back.

If he faltered, he would be consumed by this strike—whether he survived or not, the outcome would be dire.

Realizing the dire situation, the Grand Priest immediately commanded, "All beasts, gather now!"

Monstrous beasts at the Void Piercing realm and above abandoned their pursuit of the humans, rushing to aid the Beast Lord in resisting the Immortal's Strike.

Those who were too weak were instantly disintegrated upon contact with the strike.

"Stand behind me and lend me your strength!" the Beast Lord ordered.

He stood at the forefront, while the other beasts supported him from behind, channeling their energy.

Yet, even with their combined efforts, they could not fully neutralize the Immortal's Strike.

The Grand Priest then invoked one of the Ten Great Secret Arts—Bloodline Resonance!

As he chanted the incantation, a massive formation materialized behind him.

The formation radiated an eerie glow, its intricate lines weaving together into a complex and mysterious pattern.

Slowly, the formation began to rotate.

"Channel all your power into me!" the Grand Priest bellowed.

The monstrous beast hordes howled toward the sky before directing their energy into the formation behind the Grand Priest.

Threads of energy linked to the formation, funneling power into it.

The weaker beasts could only contribute in this manner.

The Grand Priest refined the gathered energy, then directed it toward the Beast Lord, amplifying his strength.

This secret art was simple in essence—it allowed the user to gather the power of other beasts, either for themselves or to bestow upon another.

Through the formation's refinement, the backlash from wielding such power was greatly reduced. For the Beast Lord, there would be no backlash at all.

Empowered once more, the Beast Lord erupted with renewed might.

"Puny humans, do you still think this is the era of ten thousand years ago? We will no longer cower in your shadow!"

"Now is the time for the monstrous beast hordes to rise! Remember this, humans—we will trample you beneath our feet!"

"Today marks the beginning of your doom!"

With a final surge, the Beast Lord pushed the Immortal's Strike back.

Yet, that was all he could manage—he could not reflect it.

The clash between the Immortal's Strike and the Beast Lord's power continued, triggering violent explosions in the surroundings.

After a prolonged struggle, the Beast Lord finally dissipated the strike.

Panting heavily, the Beast Lord stood weakened but unyielding, hovering in the air, refusing to fall.

The rest of the monstrous beast horde had already collapsed from exhaustion.

Even the Grand Priest felt dizzy and disoriented.

It was clear—the monstrous beasts had expended tremendous effort to block this single strike.

The Beast Lord snorted coldly. He hadn't expected the humans to possess such a trump card.

Had he faced it alone, he would have perished.

But he refused to believe they had another. If they did, they would have used it already.

By now, the humans had long since fled.

"Beast Lord, are you unharmed?" the Grand Priest asked.

"I’ll live. No need for concern. Blocking that strike has deepened my understanding of the Demonic God’s bloodline. After I retreat to seclusion, my power will advance further."

"Congratulations, Beast Lord."

"Grand Priest, hunt down those humans. Do not let them escape the Desolate Wilds."

Though he knew it would be difficult, he was the Beast Lord—his words were absolute, unyielding.

"As you command."

The Grand Priest understood—at this point, they could only do their best.

But he knew the chances of success were slim.

The Beast Lord needed to recuperate and enter seclusion. The two Great Beast Generals had been battered in the clash, having exhausted themselves resisting the Immortal's Strike.

The rest of the horde was in no better shape.

Yet, they could not let the humans escape so easily.

"All monstrous beasts present, heed my command! We shall encircle and slaughter the humans!" the Grand Priest broadcasted through his telepathic link.

With the aid of the Totem Altar, he could accomplish many feats within the Desolate Wilds—including long-distance communication with multiple beasts.

Most of the monstrous beast horde had already been drained of strength.

But "most" did not mean all. The Beast Lord, though weakened, could still fight. The Grand Priest, too, retained some power—which was why Di Haoran and the others had chosen to flee without hesitation.

When Di Haoran witnessed the Immortal's Strike, he had briefly considered seizing the opportunity to trade his life for the Beast Lord’s.

But upon reflection, he realized that doing so would doom everyone present.

Moreover, the Beast Lord might still survive. Despite his struggle against the Immortal's Strike, Di Haoran knew the Beast Lord had countermeasures in reserve.

The risk was too great. And Lin Xuan, having inherited the immortal’s legacy, should not perish here prematurely.

So, erring on the side of caution, Di Haoran led the retreat without hesitation.

Now, the Grand Priest could only rely on the arriving monstrous beast reinforcements—many of which were still formidable—to pursue Lin Xuan and the others.

Against the wounded humans, they still stood a chance.

What followed was a desperate flight.

Lin Xuan and his companions raced through the Desolate Wilds, evading the Grand Priest’s relentless pursuit.

The Desolate Wilds were vast, and hiding was possible—but monstrous beasts lurked everywhere, ensuring frequent encounters.

Exhausted and unable to linger, Lin Xuan’s group had to dispatch any beasts they encountered swiftly.

Yet, each kill revealed their location to the Grand Priest, who would then close in with his forces.

They had no choice but to weave and backtrack, obscuring their trail to avoid being cornered.

What should have been a single day’s journey had now stretched into three—and they were still trapped within the Desolate Wilds.