Nangong Xiyun's Rearguard Action

"Keep going, just a little further and we'll reach the outskirts of the Savage Wilds. Once we're there, we'll be somewhat safer."

There, they could call for help from the Northern Celestial Gate, and reinforcements would arrive swiftly.

"But I have a bad feeling about this."

"Shut up, don't jinx it."

Yet, the jinx became reality.

The Grand Priest appeared to their left, followed by an endless tide of demonic beasts.

"You’ve been quite the runners, but the game ends here."

Without wasting another word, the Grand Priest ordered the beast horde to charge—no more delays to avoid unexpected complications.

Another fierce battle erupted.

This time, however, the Grand Priest’s forces lacked the Beast Lord’s presence, and two of the elite beast generals were still recovering, leaving them reliant on sheer numbers.

Di Haoran and the other Mahayana-stage cultivators, along with the rest, barely managed to hold their ground.

But this was only temporary. In the Savage Wilds, the demonic beasts were countless.

Moreover, everyone in their group was injured to some degree, and after days of relentless fighting, their strength was far from its peak.

The fresh waves of demonic beasts, however, were at full strength, fierce and relentless.

Their best chance was to break through, not to fight to the death.

Amidst his spellcasting, the Grand Priest found time to taunt, "You won’t escape. I must admire your courage—coming to our Savage Wilds with so few."

"Who dies first remains to be seen." Di Haoran strained, his own injuries weighing on him.

Yet he stood firm, shielding the others from the Grand Priest’s attacks.

The Grand Priest’s true target had always been Lin Xuan. At every opportunity, he tried to strike him down.

But each time, Di Haoran intervened.

Having witnessed Lin Xuan unleash a strike worthy of an immortal, the Grand Priest knew this one couldn’t be left alive.

Meanwhile, Lin Xuan was cutting through the beast horde like a scythe through grass.

Leading the exhausted and wounded, he fought to break free.

But the beasts were simply too many.

...

After a brutal struggle, Lin Xuan finally led the group out, and they fled once more.

The Mahayana-stage experts covered their retreat, buying time before withdrawing themselves.

Yet the Grand Priest wouldn’t let them go so easily.

Di Haoran’s expression darkened. Even though they’d broken through, escape seemed unlikely in their condition.

They’d be surrounded again soon.

He stopped.

He’d made his decision—he would be the one to hold the line.

His injuries had worsened, and staying behind meant great risk.

But someone had to do it.

If it came to it, he’d sacrifice himself—a massive self-detonation to cover their retreat.

Taking the Grand Priest down with him would be ideal, but the cunning priest likely wouldn’t give him the chance.

Then Nangong Xiyun spoke. "I’ll cover the retreat."

She stepped forward, exhaustion evident but still in better shape than Di Haoran.

"Don’t be reckless. You’re more talented than I am—you should live." Di Haoran wasn’t joking.

Nangong Xiyun’s potential far surpassed his own.

Nangong Xiyun rolled her eyes. "Who said I’m dying? I’ll outlive you. This is just a rearguard action—no one’s dying here."

She wasn’t that selfless. She still had Su Luo to return to.

Di Haoran: "..."

"But if you’re surrounded, escaping won’t be easy."

"That’s your problem. I have my ways."

Di Haoran hesitated, unconvinced.

"Enough. Go." Nangong Xiyun’s tone brooked no argument.

With no time to debate, Di Haoran could only trust her.

He rejoined the fleeing group.

The beast horde still pursued.

Nangong Xiyun’s sword flashed, drawing a line in the earth before them.

"None shall pass."

"Ridiculous." The Grand Priest scoffed. "Beastflame Barrage!"

Nangong Xiyun cleaved through the flames effortlessly, then pivoted, her blade reaping lives among the charging beasts.

She couldn’t kill them all, but as she dueled the Grand Priest, she still found openings to slow the horde’s advance.

The Grand Priest seethed—she was treating him as an afterthought.

"Tenfold Secret Art: Piercing Spear!"

A lance of dark energy shot toward Nangong Xiyun’s head.

Her gaze turned glacial, her sword radiating an icy aura.

A single slash—no flourish—shattered the spear into nothingness.

While the Grand Priest stood stunned, she unleashed more slashes, further hindering the beasts’ pursuit.

No matter how fiercely the Grand Priest attacked, Nangong Xiyun always found a way to strike back.

The horde could only watch as Di Haoran and the others vanished into the distance.

Realizing the chase was futile, the Grand Priest snarled. Soon, they’d reach the border, where human reinforcements might turn the tide.

"Fine. But you’ll die here."

Nangong Xiyun didn’t laugh. "You’re not up to the task."

The Grand Priest waved his hand, and the beast army ceased their pursuit, instead surrounding Nangong Xiyun.

"You have no escape."

Immediately, the entire beast army began their assault on Nangong Xiyun.

With a single sword in hand, Nangong Xiyun moved effortlessly through the horde, her blade radiating a chilling gleam.

Each strike was simple, yet it felled swathes of beasts.

However, sheer numbers proved effective—the endless tide of beasts wore down Nangong Xiyun’s stamina.

Meanwhile, the Grand Priest observed from the sidelines, recovering. Though he had expended much energy over the past few days, the altar’s power sustained him.

He waited, preparing to strike the moment Nangong Xiyun showed weakness.

Now was the time.

"Beast God’s Wrath—Axe of Annihilation!"

A colossal phantom of a beast materialized behind the Grand Priest.

As he swung downward, the phantom raised a massive axe and brought it crashing toward Nangong Xiyun.

The surrounding beasts had already scattered in retreat.

Nangong Xiyun looked up, her expression unreadable.

"This alone won’t kill me."

"Ridiculous! Be reduced to ashes under this strike!" The Grand Priest held no underestimation of Nangong Xiyun—he had poured his full strength into this attack.

Facing the onslaught, Nangong Xiyun merely exerted force and hurled her sword.

The blade shot toward the descending axe.

When the two forces collided, one would expect a cataclysmic explosion.

Yet Nangong Xiyun’s sword sliced through the phantom’s axe as if it were mere tofu.

The beasts gaped in shock—what kind of swordsmanship was this?

Nangong Xiyun flicked a finger, and the sword in the sky whirled violently.

It shredded the phantom into nothingness.

Then, it descended gracefully back into her hand.

Calm and poised.

From start to finish, Nangong Xiyun showed no fear—as if she wasn’t the one surrounded by beasts, but rather the one who had cornered them.

The outcome of that clash left no doubt about the disparity between them.

In both power and skill, the Grand Priest had been utterly outmatched by Nangong Xiyun.

His face darkened. He had anticipated defeat, but not such a crushing one.

And her unshaken composure only deepened the humiliation—as if his entire beast army meant nothing to her.

"Kill her!"

The Grand Priest refused to give Nangong Xiyun even a moment’s respite, barking the order.

But the beasts needed no command.

In an instant, the horde surged toward her once more, fearless and relentless.