As soon as the shout echoed around the place, several auras descended upon them. To the dragoness's surprise, she noticed 20 Peak-level Epoch Core auras descending on them, together with a few hundred high-level Epoch Core ones.
Evelyn whistled. "Okay, I was wrong in my estimations. Their numbers are a bit higher than anticipated."
As soon as Evelyn stopped speaking, their group was surrounded by thousands of cultivators. These cultivators all ranged from peak-level Ethereal Soul realm to peak-level Epoch Core realm.
The Sect Master of the Silent Fang Sect stepped forward and looked at Yasenia through his shadowy figure. "Yasenia, I have yet to find you, and you dare come and knock on my door?"
Yasenia smiled. "Knocking on your door? I've long pushed the door down and killed a few people. How does being assassinated feel like, Li Chenfang? Is it a nice feeling when 85% of your sect is now gone?"
The man paused and asked with a deep tone. "How do you know my name?"
Yasenia's smile widened. "Why wouldn't I know your name? To be honest, the fact that you have an identity outside being the Sect Master of the most prominent assassin organization surprised me. I thought that you were just a heartless creature who would kill anything and anyone if the price was fair enough, yet…" Yasenia laughed. "You have a family, a wife, and two children!"
The Sect Master looked at Yasenia for a few seconds and asked. "Did you do anything to them?"
Yasenia blinked and asked with a sneer. "Say, Li Chenfang, what have you been trying to do to me all this time? Take my precious child, trying to assassinate my lovers. You have targeted all those around me because you wanted to attack me. What do you think I did the second I discovered about your family?"
The dragoness's eyes shone ruthlessly, and her sneer became aggressive. "Li Chenfang. They are dead. Don't worry about me using rough methods, though. They probably didn't even realize they died. It was a peaceful and instantaneous death."
The people around looked silently at the Sect Master and saw the shadows that had been around him slowly vanishing, revealing the figure of a dark-furred deer man. Yasenia said. "I see. No wonder the Shadow Running Deer Clan has such a good relationship with your sect. You are part of their clan."
Li Chenfang frowned. "You didn't know my race?"
The dragoness smiled. "I could guess, but we didn't have confirmation. Of course, from the mixed race of the children, it was not that hard to speculate."
Li Chenfang spoke stoically. "You know that I won't ever rest until I kill you and everyone you hold dear, right?"
Yasenia answered flatly. "Well, nothing has changed. That was your intention before, as well. Did you think you covered your tracks well enough? You must've forgotten that my power has half-step Dantian Spirtualization Realm cultivators. Your fate was sealed the second one of your energy trails appeared in an area where Kaleina and Flame had played before."
Yasenia's aura began increasing as her golden eyes turned red. "You say that you won't rest until you kill everyone precious to me? No need to worry. I'll make sure that you become a resentful ghost that never rests and never goes through the reincarnation cycle for eternity."
Yasenia's aura increased as everyone around her also started releasing their strength. With a cold tone, she stated. "Silent Fang Sect disappears today."
One peak-level Epoch Core Assassin disappeared in the shadows and reappeared by Yasenia's side, his sword gleaming with a cold light while it rushed toward her neck.
That peak-level Epoch Core looked into Yasenia's, and instead of seeing surprise, he saw a calm and steady gaze actually looking at him.
Right after, his danger senses activated as killing intent like he had never felt before surrounded his entire body. 'What kind of killing intent is this!? Has this person slaughtered a continent!?'
Not wanting to risk it, he quickly activated a movement skill and reappeared in his initial position. Looking over, he saw the yellow-scaled dragon maid holding a spear surrounded by lightning looking at him.
Meanwhile, Yasenia looked over and smiled. "Good try. You were a bit obvious, though."
The elderly man sneered. "Was I? Then die."
Yasenia laughed. "The other three were even more obvious."
After the dragoness said that, three invisible shadows around her were struck by three of Yasenia's maids, pushing them against the walls and creating a loud sound.
Yasenia saw the elder's face not changing and grinned. "No matter how many, to be honest, you won't succeed."
Then, while Yasenia stood in place, the 20 Top-Level assassins began launching ambushes at Yasenia. The place was instantly filled with sword lights and many other effects, creating a storm of lethal strikes around the dragoness.
The 20 peak-level Epoch cores were using all their skills to assassinate Yasenia with swift attacks that rushed from all angles and with different speeds and properties. Some were shadowy, others were pure sword energy, while some were electric.
Myriad elements clashed with each other, displaying a spectacular show of masterful assassination proficiency. However, what everyone was impressed by was not the attacks but the defense and Yasenia's unwavering confidence in her protectors.
Not once did Yasenia lose eye contact with Li Chenfang except during the first attack when she reacted to the danger out of instinct. The dragoness was sure she could've defended herself from that first attempt while bearing very light injuries.
Of course, when 20 peak-level Epoch Cores attacked her at once, her only chance would be death or escape, the latter being quite impossible as well without the use of life-saving treasures.
Still, that didn't mean Yasenia was unaware of her maids' defensive capabilities. Of every skill her maids had trained, defense was by far the strongest.
Their job from the very beginning was to protect her. All their training, all their lessons, and all their blood, sweat, and tears they've spilled were while practicing defense.
Even if the number of peak-level Epoch Cores doubled, the dragoness would still be sure that standing still was the best option.
Moreover, the ones taking part in the defense this time were just 10 Half-Step Dantian Spiritualization maids, and adding insult to injury, as time went by, the defensive sphere around Yasenia increased instead of shrinking.
One of the high-level Epoch Cores from Yasenia's side asked. "What is happening? Why are they gaining terrain as time passes? At first, some attacks came as close as within three meters of Sect Master. However, now no attacks can cross the 20-meter mark."
Evelyn answered. "They got used to it."
The Epoch Core was stunned. "What do you mean, Lady Evelyn?"
Evelyn continued. "Those maids around Yasenia are the most elite force in this world without a single shred of doubt. However, people don't know that they are also one of the most elite forces back in our world."
The people who listened widened their eyes. Evelyn said coldly. "Now that there is enough space around Yasenia to not bother her… They will start going seriously."
"What do you mean by seriously-"
Yet, before he could finish his words, the entire space around them quaked as one intent after another was deployed by the 10 Half-Step Dantian Spiritualization maids.
BOOM!
The aura of Level 8 and Level 9 intents flooded everything with terrifying pressure, finally making Li Chenfang's face change as he shouted. "ATTACK!"
As soon as he spoke, Yasenia started shouting out orders at an incredible speed. "Remaining maids cover the peak-level battlefield. Alaia, switch with another Dantian Spiritualization maid. I need you to help the other group defend against the high-level Epoch Core assassins. Kali, summon Valeria. Angel, summon Mirrory. We are not holding back anything. Remember that this is a defensive battle, so keep the planned battle formation activated. Spirits, you are free to do as you please."
Then, Yasenia extended her hand forward, summoning two orbs. One of them was deep red, while the other was a beautiful and harmonic mix of golden and silver energies.
"Draheart, Soluna. Come out."
Two profound auras spread from the orbs, and in an instant, an Empyrean spirit of the Sun and Moon materialized together with a majestic sword.
The dragoness grabbed Draconic Heart and pointed skyward. "Maids, I am going all out. Coordinate with me. [Celestial Pearl Assimilation]."
Right above Yasenia's chest, the [Celestial Pearl] appeared, and the energy gathered inside of it flowed all around the dragoness's body. Following that, she used one of her most powerful attacks on the approaching cultivators.
First, [Celestial Dragon Body] activated, followed right after by [Internal Celestial Cosmos Ignition].
These two skills, other than [Day and Night], were the skills that boosted her raw strength the most.
As if that wasn't all, Yasenia had already deployed [Heavenly Constellation Steps, Second Sky: Ursa's Grasp].
With a terrible combination of pure strength boosts and the [Celestial Pearl], Yasenia could enter a berserker state for a few moments that compared to peak-level cultivators. Of course, the [Celestial Pearl] could be used once every month, so it was not a reliable method of combat.
Yet, for a single second, Yasenia's new meridians overcharged and went to their actual limits. Energy rushed alongside her body, creating a terrifying aura around her. Her bloodline aura spread far and wide without any control whatsoever.
For the first time since Yasenia's breakthrough, the dragoness's true bloodline appeared. The effects were immediate, freezing almost everyone that wasn't strong enough to block the mental shock.
Then, with her sword raised high up, Yasenia chanted. "[Star Core Shattering Strike]."
White.
Everything before Yasenia became white as the formations of the place crumbled to dust while her attack swallowed everything.
After the white light, the world reacted with a terrible shriek, echoing the pure destruction unleashed.
BOOOOM!
Her attack was naturally noticed by the peak levels and everyone else, so many of them came in the way of such a terrifying blast.
Yet, the effects were devastating because the maids prevented most of them from joining the defense.
All peak-level Ethereal Soul realm cultivators caught in the wave of pure white light were no more. Utterly annihilated.
The numbers went down from almost 10 thousand to nearly 2,500 people.
Yet, Yasenia was not done. She took a step forward while her entire body released a pillar of Celestial Energy, her sword raising in a deadly arc.
"[Sun Core Shattering Strike]."
Li Chenfang shouted. "ALL OF YOU DEFEND!"
The several thousand remaining assassins didn't bother holding back and erected their best defenses.
They had never in their lives expected that a Low-Level fifth realm cultivator could release such a terrifyingly devastating attack.
The dragoness's golden wave calcinated everything in its way, colliding with the defenses in a massive explosion that echoed far beyond the valley they were fighting in.
It sounded like a World Gong, reverberating everyone with a deep and sonorous explosive sound.
Yasenia's eyes sharpened. 'This second attack did nothing… let's attack again. I think it can at least give my subordinates time to prepare. Moreover, all the cannon-fodder are gone.'
The dragoness took another step forward, placing her sword behind her, and then she used every single inch of her current strength, which made her chant echo with terrifying coldness.
"[Moon Core Shattering Strike]!"
WHOOOM!
BOOOOOM!
With the freezing silver light swallowing everything, the superheated atmosphere was instantly frozen, creating a chain reaction at unimaginable levels, which pushed even Yasenia to fly backward from the shockwave.