The guards stood frozen solid as the lifeless disciples stood all at the same time.
They were currently brandishing their spears, but actually had no idea on how to proceed next.
Should they fight?
They all looked at Elder Xing Cai for an answer. Who, in their surprise, was also as stiff as a stick. The guards were in a panic.
If the Elder was scared, how could they even begin to fight this horde?
But then they noticed that Xing Cai was not really looking at the lifeless disciples, but towards where the mountain of corpses were.
Only then did the guards notice a circular light in the middle of the mountain of corpses. Half of it was still being covered by the corpses, but they were sure. This is what they have been looking for.
The only problem now was, what exactly are they going to do now?
Should they run?
But as soon as the thought came into their mind, they sensed a massive amount of pressure coming from beside them. Looking at the direction, they saw Viel with his arms stretched, a ball of light forming on his palm.
"Finally, Miss Xianying. Wait for us!", Viel was about to fire the small ball of light that was on his hand, when Xing Cai stopped him.
"Stop it, Viel. With that amount of power, you'll blow the whole place up", Xing Cai hurriedly said. And she might be right. Even she was feeling the pressure from the ball of light that Viel has just summoned.
She was sure of the destruction that will follow if Viel releases it inside the training ground. He might even bury the portal along with them. Who knows what effect that'll have to the entrance of the dungeon.
"Tch...", and even though reluctantly, Viel clasped the ball of light and the pressure soon disappeared.
"Until you learn how to control your ridiculous power, do not use it in closed spaces like this"
A flashback appeared on Xing Cai's mind. The very first day she met Viel, the unbelievable strength he held- almost erasing Taizhou Academy's courtyard. No, if the other Elders did not step in, maybe the whole Taizhou Academy would have been wiped out from the map.
Just months. That was only months ago.
Not even half a year.
But it already felt like she had spent years with him. Truly, it was like he gained a rowdy little brother.
But this was not the time for these thoughts. Xing Cai released a huge breath as she stared at the portal.
Should they really just make a run for it?
"…"
She looked at the guardsmen, specially the small guard that was currently shriveling, his helmet noisily shaking.
No, it seemed that running would be impossible with this lot.
If it was only her and Viel, then they could definitely do that.
Should they?
…No.
The guardsmen will surely die.
I guess the only option now was to…
"Survive.", Xing Cai said as she glanced at the guardsmen one by one, "That's my order."
"Yes ma'am!", even though the guardsmen were panicking just earlier, as soon as they said that it was an order, they immediately calmed down and went into a formation, like they were hard-wired to do so. They firmly tightened their helmets and got into a C-shape formation.
Well, all of them except the small guard. He looked as if he had no idea what to do.
"Greenhorn, what're you doing!?"
"W-what?"
And it would seem that he really had no idea what to do as he treaded back and forth, panicking.
"Tch. Just do what you want! You're on your own!", one of the guards frustratingly scowled as they saw the new guard fumbling about, the guard then shouted, "Get ready!"
And with that shout, they all went into a stance with their spears pointed in front.
Xing Cai nodded in approval as she saw this, she then focused her attention in front of her.
"Viel, whatever you do, don't do anything rash. You have other people fighting beside you, okay?"
In response, Viel just shrugged his shoulders as he slightly clicked his tongue. He then arrogantly looked at the guardsmen that were hurdling together and gave a disappointed sigh, "…insects", and although it was a whisper, all the people present could still hear the word that Viel muttered
Xing Cai was shocked. Viel was not like this.
Sure, he had moments before where he occasionally teased people, but it was mostly unintentional and due to his ignorance in social norms.
But to blatantly display arrogance and call people insects? Since when did he learn to treat people that he doesn't even know badly?
Viel's whisper and disdain did not escape the guardsmen's attentions. But what can they do? It was somewhat true. And it wasn't like they could react, given the situation.
But Viel's whisper had a different effect for the small guard. For him, the disappointed sigh was like a fuse that turned off his nerves.
He stopped fidgeting as soon as he saw the disappointment on Viel's face. A huge breath can be heard being released from the small guard's helmet.
But unlike the older guards, he did not get into formation. Except, he took off his gloves and boots, also throwing away the spear that he was holding.
The small guard then slowly approached Viel… and stood in front of him, with his back facing Viel. And once his feet was firmly placed on the floor. He got into a fighting stance.
All of them were confused. What exactly was the small guard trying to accomplish by positioning himself like that? Did he really think that he could protect the little monster?
Xing Cai could not help but let out a curious sound. The stance that the small guard did, Xing Cai was sure that she had seen it before… But where was it?
Xing Cai knotted her eyebrows trying to think about it, it was on the tip of her tongue.
But before anymore thoughts can gather inside her mind, the horde that was quietly looking at them, finally started to move.
"Here they come!", the guardsmen that were on position tightened their formation as they readied themselves for the onslaught that was about to come.
But it did not. Nothing came.
The lifeless disciples were just slowly walking towards them, each of their steps were separated by more than a breath.
Seconds and minutes passed by. But none of the two groups were moving. Viel was even yawning as he waited for something to happen.
"That's it. I'm going!"
And perhaps due to impatience, one of the senior guards suddenly rushed towards the nearest disciple that was near their formation.
"No!", Xing Cai shouted but it was too late.
It was then that a loud sound erupted from above them.
But they did not even have the time and chance to look up, because as soon as the loud sound erupted from above, the horde that was previously moving like a snail started to sprint towards them all at the same time.
But they instantly found that not looking up was a mistake on the guardsmen's part.
Because the loud sound that erupted from above dropped on the guardsmen like a raging waterfall.
A raging waterfall of bodies that devoured them entirely. Making their formation, their readiness, utterly useless. Just like that, they were gone.
"No, no!", but one of them were lucky enough to survive, but the sheer number and weight of the disciples that fell on top of them was enormous. He tried to reach out his hand, just reaching for anything that could help him escape this predicament, "Help me!"
Viel sighed. He was about to turn his body and approach the guard, but Viel instantly stopped as the guard's helmet was teared off by a loose vine, completely exposing his face.
Viel recognized him immediately. He recognized him as one of the people that threw rocks at him and shouted all kinds of obscenities at him. He was sure that he was one of the people that oppressed him.
And in that instant, without even a slight hesitation…
Viel chose to look away.
The guard, who still had his arms reached out had his eyes wide open as he saw Viel look away.
When he saw Viel looking at him when he had asked for help earlier, hope ignited inside him. He actually had hope that he would be saved… but all that light vanished as soon as it was lit up.
And, quite literally, his vision darkened as fingers of vines pierced both of his eyes. He shouted in pain, but this only led with his mouth being filled by vines as they inserted themselves into his throat.
And just like that, he joined his brothers in death.
A brutal but very anticlimactic end for the guards that prepared themselves for battle.
They did not even get a chance to fight.