As the first company advanced through the cold, hilly plains, the air grew colder, filled with an unnatural chill that seeped into their bones. The demonic aura grew stronger as they approached the battlefield. The sounds of clashes grew louder, and soon they reached the main battlefields.
Blood and gory scenes stood before them as demons destroyed human cultivators. Lights and tremors from various martial skills lit up the area as the offensive companies approached. The battlefield was chaos, filled with roars, cries, and shouts. The stench of blood was overwhelming.
These demons were not part of the main army, which was still waiting for the portal to fully open. What they were fighting now were merely scouts from the demon world.
Serana, clad in her usual sky blue hanfu robes, moved with silent grace. Her piercing blue eyes scanned the battlefield as she clenched her sword, Heaven Deceiver, tightly.
As the company approached, Serana reminded her squad, "Stay alert. Once we advance, anything can happen."
At the top of the hill, Serana saw the demon fortifications towering from the surrounding forest outside Frostfall Forest. The sky was dark and ominous.
The two elders in front of her held talismans in their hands, and a moment later, the talismans glowed, signaling the elders. It was time.
"Attack!" The command rang out, and the first company surged forward.
Like a dam breaking apart, a flood of cultivators from the first, second, and third companies flooded the battlefield, pushing the demons back and creating two lines of clashes.
The elders attacked the strongest demons, and soon bright lights of freezing obsidian and fiery flames towered over the two sections of the battlefield. These were attacks from Serana and Asher from the third company.
Serana's sword, shimmering with black ice, flashed as she led her squad into the fray. The first wave of demons met them head-on. The weaker demons were quickly dispatched by Serana's sword, which then swiftly moved to another group of demons. These were hulking brutes, their skin tough as stone and their eyes burning with malice. Serana's movements were precise and fluid, her blade cutting through the air with deadly intent.
"Frostbite!" she cried, her sword leaving a trail of icy blue in its wake. The nearest demon roared in agony as its arm was severed and instantly frozen, immobilized by the chilling cold.
Having perfected the core techniques of her Frozen Star Sword Art, Serana's attack was very effective while consuming less qi. This allowed her to spam her core techniques against these demons, killing them one by one or in groups.
Serana's kill count had already reached fifty demons in the short clash.
Asher, with his flames that were too hot for demons, also had a high kill ratio. His flames contained divine qi, the bane of demons, making them no match for him.
Asher clashed with the demons, a massive smile across his face. His flames roared to life with a mere thought. "Phoenix's Wrath!" he shouted, unleashing a torrent of fire that incinerated a swath of demons, turning them to ash in seconds. His fiery techniques created a stark contrast to Serana's icy assaults, the two elements working in tandem to devastating effect.
The battlefield was a clamor of clashing weapons, roaring flames, and the chilling screams of demons. Serana's squad fought with unmatched precision. Kayla, the assassin of the team, lurked in the shadows, swiftly killing demons that disrupted demon formations. Serana's other teammates, the heavy hitters, engaged directly, their powerful strikes shattering demon defenses.
"Glacial Sweep!" Serana called out, performing a horizontal slash that sent a wave of ice energy in a wide arc. The demons in her path were slowed and weakened, their movements sluggish as frost crept up their limbs. With a swift follow-up, she dispatched them with ease.
Serana's blue eyes gleamed in the chaos as her sword danced. Each swing took a demon's life, soaking her bright sky blue robes with black demon blood.
The six elders were scattered throughout the battlefield, their immense power turning the tide in critical areas. One elder, wielding a massive warhammer, crushed demons with earth-shattering blows. Another, a master of wind techniques, sliced through the enemy ranks with razor-sharp gusts.
Serana's keen eyes caught sight of a group of demons attempting to flank them. "Cover our left!" she ordered.
Her teammate nodded, her hands moving swiftly as she prepared a talisman. "Barrier of Frost!" she chanted, slamming the talisman into the ground. A wall of solid ice erupted, blocking the demons' path and forcing them to confront the main force head-on.
"Good work," Serana said, her tone steady. She turned her attention back to the front, where more demons were pouring out from the valley. The first company was making headway, but the enemy was relentless.
As the battle intensified, the humans pushed the demons back once more. The first and third lines converged into the center, pushing the demons into a straight line.
In the third company, Asher's eyes alight with battle fervor. "Damn demons!" He raised his sword high, flames spiraling around the blade. "Phoenix Ascendancy!" With a powerful swing, a massive wave of fire surged forward, cutting a blazing path through the demon ranks.
The huge pillar of flames clashed onto demons, burning them into dust instantly. The divine fire of the phoenix killed them.
Taking advantage of the opening, Serana and her squad pushed forward. "Absolute Zero Thrust!" she cried, concentrating her ice qi into the tip of her sword. She lunged at a particularly large demon, her blade piercing its chest. The creature froze instantly, its body turning to ice before shattering into countless pieces.
She leaped into the center of the demons where the huge demon had been, surrounding her area with demons. Serana clutched her sword at chest level, pointing the sword at the sky.
A cold qi erupted from her body!
Her deep qi reserves boiled as she kept pumping more and more cold qi onto her sword and meridians!
"Cyro Wave!" Her eyes glinted coldly as her skill was released.
Like an explosion but with black ice, a powerful wave of icy energy radiated outward, blasting the demons who were close to her into frozen statues. The wave froze everything in its path, creating a temporary ice field, slowing all the demons of her caliber and below. Most of the demons were slowed down!
The demons' defensive lines began to crumble under the combined assault of the first and third companies. Elders and disciples alike fought with unwavering determination, their attacks coordinated and relentless. Serana's mind was focused, her every move calculated to maximize damage and minimize risk.
But the demons were not without their own strategies. From the shadows, a demon general emerged, its presence exuding a palpable aura of dread. It was larger than the others, with twisted horns and glowing red eyes.
"Focus on the general!" Serana shouted, recognizing the threat.
The demon general let out a guttural roar, its voice echoing across the battlefield. Dark energy swirled around it, forming a barrier that deflected initial attacks. It raised a massive clawed hand, summoning a wave of demonic qi that swept towards the first company.
"Permafrost Defense!" Serana called out, slamming her sword into the ground. A barrier of solid ice rose up, absorbing the brunt of the demonic qi. Even so, the impact sent shivers through her, the demonic qi biting deep into her bones!
The demon was a rank 6 demon!
Asher, seeing the huge demon on his side, set in motion, his flames flaring brighter as he charged at the demon general.
Soon Asher was joined by elders. Asher's fiery assault clashed with the demon general's dark energy, the two forces battling for dominance. With a fierce cry, Asher broke through, his flames searing the demon's flesh.
On the other side of the demon general, Asher noticed Serana charging up a skill to attack the demon. He focused on the demon general, dodging its attack with a flip.
His fists blazed with fiery light. He punched out in the air, and the fire from his hand rocketed towards the demon, exploding upon contact right into its face!
"Now, Serana!" Asher shouted.
"Absolute Zero Thrust!" Serana responded, unleashing a powerful wave of icy energy. The demon general, already weakened by Asher's flames, was caught in the blast. Its movements slowed, ice forming on its limbs, but the cold qi didn't penetrate the heart as the demon's armor was tough!
Seeing the opportunity made by the juniors, the elders joined the assault. An elder's blade flashed as she struck the demon's legs, while the other elders delivered crushing blows to its torso. Asher's flames exploded around the demon, further weakening its defenses.
The demon general roared in fury, lashing out with its claws. Serana narrowly dodged, feeling the rush of wind as the claws passed mere inches from her. She countered with a swift slash, her blade leaving a trail of ice across the demon's arm.
"Asher!" Serana called out.
"Right behind you!" Asher replied, his flames intensifying. Together, they launched a combined attack. Serana launched another Absolute Zero Thrust, and this time it pierced the demon's heart! Meanwhile, Asher's flames engulfed its head. The demon general let out a final, anguished roar before collapsing, its body disintegrating into ash and ice.
With the general defeated, the remaining demons faltered. The first company pressed their advantage, driving the demons back and breaking through the fortifications. Serana's squad moved with lethal efficiency, cutting down any demon that dared to stand in their way.
As the sun began to rise, the assault companies regrouped, their victory hard-earned but decisive. The battlefield was littered with the remains of demons, the air thick with the scent of burnt flesh and the chill of frost.
Serana stood amidst the carnage and popped two condensed qi pills into her mouth, her breath steady despite the exhaustion tugging at her limbs. Asher approached, his expression one of respect and admiration for the beauty in front of him.
"Well fought, Serana," he said, extending a hand.
Serana, thinking about how he helped her during the battle, decided to take it, her grip firm. "Likewise, Asher. Let's keep pushing forward. The demons won't give us much time to rest." Her voice was calm as she reminded him.
Asher was stunned by Serana's cold hand. A faint blush appeared on his face, then, with a smile, his eyes lit up with determination. "Agreed. We've made a dent, but there's still much work to be done."
Together, they turned their gaze towards the horizon, where the next battle awaited. The war against the demons was far from over, but with each victory, they drew closer to reclaiming their world.
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