Boom!
Huo Yan's Sacred Flame Domain continued to clash relentlessly with the barrier. Compared to Qi Ximing's Tempest Domain, Huo Yan's Sacred Flame Domain was many folds fiercer and faster.
A large hole kept appearing on the barrier from time to time, but it could still hold on without a sign of breaking anytime soon.
"How many casualties?" Yun Qianxue asked.
One of the leaders from the younger generation stepped forward with a solemn expression. "Report to the Sect Master. We've lost 176 sisters."
Several young girls in the group started to silently sob when they heard this report. The reality was completely different from their imagination. No matter how well-prepared they were, they won't be able to suppress the emotions when seeing their close one died in front of them. However, they could not be blamed since this was the first time they had experienced the actual war on this scale.
Yun Qianxue was no exception, but her ability to control her emotions was far stronger. Every single disciple was akin to her daughter. When she recruited them to the sect, she wanted to give them warmth and a place to call home. Now, 176 of her daughters had died. How could she not feel anything?
She turned to Yun Ruanyu and said, "I want to start the next plan."
Yun Ruanyu understood Yun Qianxue's mood and had no intention of stopping her. She nodded and turned to everyone. "Everyone below the Earth Profound Realm should retreat to the main hall, and the rest of you will follow us."
"We refuse to retreat! Please grant us permission to stay, First Hall Master!" All the disciples below the Earth Profound Realm said in unison.
Yun Ruanyu's eyes turned cold, and her aura immediately enveloped the room. She said, "This not the time to be brave. I know everyone wants to avenge your fellow sisters, but all of you are too weak! You will only become a burden to us. Step back!"
The girls gritted their teeth, endured the pressure, and stubbornly looked at Yun Ruanyu. They were still refused to retreat as they were overwhelmed by a strong thirst for revenge.
Yun Qingrou stepped forward to appease, saying, "Leave this duty to us." Seeing some of them wanted to say something, Yun Qingrou said further, "You don't believe us?"
All the stubborn girls hurriedly shook their heads, denying any involvement, and obediently retreated to the main hall in the end.
This series of actions was seen by Ji Muchen and Huo Han and caused the frowns between their brows to grow deeper. They racked their brains up but still could not figure out what Yun Qianxue would do next.
Boom! Boom!
Huo Yan increased his attack power further, and the barrier had now trembled violently as if it was about to break in the next second.
Yun Qianxue turned to look at the trembling barrier and waved her hand slightly. The barrier suddenly cracked open, and her figure shot forward in the air at lightning speed.
A trace of surprise appeared on Huo Yan's face, but it lasted only a second. He didn't care what the plan Yun Qianxue had in her mind was. All he knew was that he could easily exterminate them with his strength.
Yun Qianxue floated steadily in the air, surrounded by the world of flame that painted the sky into crimson color. She raised the divine sword and released the Ice Phoenix projection toward Huo Yan.
"A small trick." Huo Yan sneered with contempt. He had already seen this move before when Yun Qianxue used it against Qi Ximing. Hence, he was confident to deal with it.
Scree—
The Ice Phoenix flapped its wings, flying toward Huo Yan with ice mist trailing behind its tail. Huo Yan's Sacred Flame Domain was slightly affected by its frost aura, but the domain didn't shrink as Qi Ximing's.
Huo Yan exerted over seventy percent of his strength to enhance the power of his domain and directed it towards attacking the approaching Ice Phoenix.
Boom!
The ice and fire aura clashed with each other and fell into a stalemate. The Ice Phoenix could go forward, and the same went to Huo Yan's flame.
Yun Qianxue took this chance to launch a long-range attack at Huo Yan by sending a deep blue beam, but it was burned into nothingness before arriving at the target.
"Let me help, ancestor!" Huo Han's wounds had already stopped bleeding. He flew towards Yun Qianxue and sent several fire palm prints at her.
Yun Qianxue skillfully avoided all the palm prints and executed the Misty Cloud Steps to arrive in front of Huo Han. She swung the divine sword down with a powerful sword force.
Ding!
Huo Han used his sword to parry hers, but his sword immediately shattered directly, causing him to avoid the slash hastily.
"Get out!" Ji Muchen shouted at Huo Han as he condensed sword intent by using an ordinary Heaven rank sword. He thrust his sword into the air, and a multitude of sword intents surged towards Yun Qianxue.
Clang!
The majestic melody rang out, intercepting Ji Muchen's sword intent. Ji Muchen was frustrated as he stared at Yun Ruanyu, who was sitting on the ground behind the white Guqin.
"Go stop her!" Huo Han yelled at a few nearby elders, and they immediately rushed towards Yun Ruanyu. However, they were intercepted midway by the twelve elders and Yun Qingrou.
Ji Muchen's face turned ashen and quickly ordered his subordinates to join the battle while his mind spun rapidly. A second later, he suddenly found the crux of this matter as he looked around the place. "Where are Yun Meilan and Yun Lingwei?"
Hearing this, Huo Han had also realized it was indeed both of them were missing. The uneasiness in his heart became more apparent at this moment.
"Don't tell me...." Huo Han exclaimed and quickly used a transmission jade to contact his disciples who stayed back in the sect. In the next moment, his face became horrified when he realized he couldn't contact any of them.
Ji Muchen saw this. His expression also changed drastically as he hurriedly contacted one of his aides.
"We've been tricked! Everyone, retreat!" Ji Muchen yelled in anger and attempted to flee, but Yun Ruanyu swiftly intercepted him, appearing before him in a flash.
"Where are you going, Sect Master Ji?" Yun Ruanyu said with a faint smile that seemed to be mocking him.
"Go away!" Ji Muchen did not hesitate to swing his sword at Yun Ruanyu, but the latter simply blocked him with her Guqin.
Yun Ruanyu pushed the Guqin at Ji Muchen and forced him to retreat further and further until he almost reached the edge of the Grand Protection Formation's barrier.
Huo Han had a different thought from Ji Muchen. Since it was useless to go back to the sect now, he better continued to fight here.
A ruthless glint flashed across Huo Han's eyes. His figure disappeared from the spot and reappeared behind one of the twelve Elders.
"Be careful!" Yun Qingrou shouted and shot an arrow at Huo Han, but it was too late. Huo Han had already landed a successful punch on the back of his target, causing Yun Qingrou to cough up blood and fall to the ground harshly.
Yun Qianxue saw this scene and prepared to take care of Huo Han, but suddenly, she heard the Ice Phoenix cried out loud in pain, making her look at it.
At this moment, Huo Yan had unleashed his strength to the maximum. The power of the flame instantly increased and began to push the Ice Phoenix back. A moment later, the Ice Phoenix could no longer resist the flame and was completely engulfed by it.
"No!" Yun Qianxue exclaimed unwillingly when she saw the Ice Phoenix beginning to fade away. The droplet symbol on her forehead immediately glowed brightly as she aimed the divine sword at Huo Yan, unleashing a barrage of ice swords towards him.
"Hmph!" Huo Yan snorted, and the flame aura suddenly burst out like a volcano, quickly melting Yun Qianxue's ice swords into vapors
Seeing that the Ice Phoenix could not hold any longer as it disappeared under the raging flame, Yun Qianxue decisively told everyone to retreat.
"Still want to go back!?" Huo Yan spoke coldly, and his Sacred Flame Domain erupted with a deafening explosion.
Boom!
Yun Qianxue and the rest were directly blown away by the explosion and fell onto the top of the Misty Cloud Peak one by one.
Huo Yan made another attack on the barrier and successfully created a permanent hole in it.
"Hahaha! Everyone, go!" Huo Han laughed wildly and rushed into the barrier with his subordinates.
Ji Muchen hesitated briefly but decided to follow afterwards. Since he could not save the people in the sect, he could only take revenge for them.
Huo Yan retracted his domain because it consumed too much energy, and he slowly followed everyone into the barrier.
Yun Qianxue stood up, wiping a trace of blood from the corner of her mouth. Her current appearance was quite pitiful. Her snow-white robe was partially burned by the explosion, exposing flawless skin underneath.
When she saw Huo Yan and the others pass through the barrier into the sect's territory. A cold smile emerged on her lips as she calmly said, "Open!"
Hong!
Following the ringing sound, a golden light suddenly enveloped the entire sect, and a tremendous pressure immediately descended upon Huo Han's group.
"What is this!?" Huo Han exclaimed in shock. He felt as if his strength had magically disappeared from his body. At this moment, his strength was equal to the tenth level of the Earth Profound Realm.
Ji Muchen was no exception. He was terrified to the core when he realized this and hastily turned around to flee.
"Damn it!" Ji Muchen cursed loudly when he found out he could not go out anymore as he had no way to break the golden light barrier.
Huo Yan frowned slightly. He had lived for thousands of years, but this was the first time he had encountered such a bizarre formation. He felt that his strength had been reduced to the third level of the Ruler Profound Realm. Although it wasn't much, he still needed to be careful when facing the Ice Phoenix projection next time.
"Kill!" Yun Qianxue said loudly.
Everyone, including the disciples of the Earth Profound Realm, charged at Huo Han and the others with all their might.