The battle was locked in a deadlock, with disciples from both sides fighting fiercely amidst smoke and blood. Each sword strike was a life-or-death decision. Although the disciples of Yunxiao Sect resisted with all their might, the overwhelming enemy forces forced them to retreat step by step, spilling blood across the battlefield. Just as Yunxiao Sect's lines were on the verge of collapse, a beam of golden light pierced through the clouds and descended onto the battlefield, radiating powerful spiritual energy—the Golden Core Elder of Yunxiao Sect had finally arrived.
The elder's sword moved like a dragon, his spiritual energy rippling outward, seeming to rekindle the disciples' final glimmer of hope. Seeing their elder arrive, the disciples of Yunxiao Sect felt a surge in morale, steeling themselves to face the enemy once more. They watched in awe as the elder charged through the fray like thunder, unleashing waves of sword energy that drove back or slew groups of enemies, buying Yunxiao Sect a brief moment to catch their breath.
However, the enemy forces were prepared. From the far side of the battlefield, two equally powerful auras at the Golden Core stage rose up. Two enemy Golden Core cultivators appeared, one clad in crimson armor, the other draped in a gray cloak. They hovered in the air, their piercing gazes fixed on the Yunxiao Sect elder, blocking his path with a clearly premeditated strategy.
The elder knew the danger but faced them unflinchingly, engaging in a fierce battle with the two. Sword glints clashed with spells, scattering spiritual energy and shaking the ground. Yunxiao Sect disciples had to retreat, barely avoiding the overwhelming shockwaves. Wang Quan, watching all of this, clenched his fists, feeling both exhilarated and anxious, acutely aware that this was the battle that would decide Yunxiao Sect's fate.
Yet after fifty rounds, the elder's spiritual energy was nearly depleted; his aura was becoming erratic, his movements slower. The two enemy Golden Core cultivators worked seamlessly, pressing the elder back with each strike, overwhelming him in both speed and spiritual power. The elder struggled to hold his ground, but in a fatal misstep, the crimson-armored cultivator pierced his chest with a sword. Blood spurted out as he fell heavily to the ground, his eyes filled with unwillingness and sorrow as he breathed his last under the gaze of his disciples.
"Elder!" The disciples watched helplessly, their hearts sinking into despair. In an instant, Yunxiao Sect's formation began to crumble as the disciples scattered in all directions. Wang Quan, seeing the elder's sacrifice, felt a wave of panic but knew he could no longer turn the tide and could only strive to find a way out amidst the chaos.
He fought alongside his senior brother Xiao Fei, the two of them having developed a deep bond through battles. Seeing Wang Quan's troubled expression, Xiao Fei whispered, "Wang Quan, stay calm; only by surviving can we take revenge." Wang Quan took a deep breath, a glimmer of determination reigniting in his eyes, and nodded.
The two retreated toward the core of the formation, but the enemy was already pursuing, their shouts echoing across the field. Along the way, Yunxiao Sect disciples fell one after another, the brutal scene piercing Wang Quan's heart. Just as they approached the formation's center, Xiao Fei suddenly stopped, positioning himself in front of Wang Quan.
"Senior brother, hurry!" Wang Quan urged, only to see Xiao Fei poisoned, a determined smile on his face. "Junior brother, I'll cover you. Find a way to survive!"
With those words, Xiao Fei leapt into the enemy lines, slashing through multiple foes and fighting desperately, heedless of his own safety. Wang Quan watched Xiao Fei become engulfed by the enemy, wanting to rush forward but stopped by Xiao Fei's furious shout.
"Go! Don't look back; don't let my sacrifice be in vain!"
Grinding his teeth, Wang Quan turned and ran toward the formation center, struggling to suppress his grief, repeating to himself that he must survive to avenge his senior brother. Yet as he reached the formation's center, he looked up and saw an even more terrifying sight—a swirling mass of eerie purple clouds descending from the sky, suffused with deathly energy that swallowed the light.
In the heart of the cloud, a figure slowly emerged. Surrounded by a thick miasma, clad in a black robe with faint dark patterns, he exuded waves of toxic energy. His face was pale and coldly chiseled, his eyes emitting a ghostly green glow. This was Shen Tuo, the infamous Nascent Soul cultivator known for his mastery over poisons, ruthless and devoid of compassion.
Hovering in the air, Shen Tuo looked down at the scattered survivors below, sneering, "A few mere juniors, and they dare to resist me? How laughable." His voice was icy, and before he had finished speaking, he summoned nine layers of poisonous clouds. The thick black-purple mist spread out, encircling the entire formation. The toxic fog, corrosive and deadly, withered everything it touched in an instant.
The four remaining Golden Core elders of Yunxiao Sect fought desperately to resist the poisonous clouds, but the fog was too potent, penetrating their spiritual shields and seeping into their bodies, turning into toxic liquid that corroded their organs. Moments later, the four collapsed in agony, their faces ashen.
With a cold laugh, Shen Tuo clasped his hands together, condensing the nine layers of poisonous clouds into a massive toxic hand that descended like a reaper over Yunxiao Sect's southeastern resource point. The ground erupted in an explosion, and the entire outpost disintegrated in the poisonous fumes, reduced to ashes. What had once been a bustling resource site vanished in an instant, leaving only Wang Quan, who had narrowly survived by hiding within the remnants of a protective array.
Crouched within the array's weakened barrier, Wang Quan watched everything unfold, his heart filled with despair and fury. He closed his eyes in pain as a fire of resentment and hatred ignited deep within. He had always thought reaching the Foundation Establishment stage was enough, but the crushing reality left him reeling.