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All the cultivators were ready for battle. Xiang, eager to join, begged to fight alongside them, but everyone refused. She had just begun her training and lacked the necessary knowledge and experience. Her parents, concerned for her safety, instructed her to stay hidden.
Mr. Lee prepared to leave for the battlefield and told his wife, Madam Lee, to stay behind. But she insisted, "I will come too. I am also a cultivator and can fight." Seeing her resolve, Mr. Lee relented, and the two prepared to depart together. Before leaving, they turned to Xiang, who was pleading desperately, "Please don't leave me behind! I want to come with you!"
Her father spoke gently but firmly, "Xiang, you must stay here. You've only just started learning cultivation and fighting. The demons are incredibly dangerous and merciless. They won't hesitate to harm you. Hide in the house and don't come out until we return."
Despite her protests, they lovingly explained their decision and locked her in a room to ensure she wouldn't follow them. Xiang cried and banged on the door, yelling, "I need to get out of here! I want to help!" Her mother, hearing her cries, also wept but knew this was the only way to keep her daughter safe.
Meanwhile, the battle began. The demons attacked with full force, catching the cultivators off guard. Many were injured in the initial wave, but they quickly regrouped and fought back fiercely. The battlefield was chaotic, with powerful cultivators giving their all to defend their land.
The cultivators were brave, but the demons were too strong, their dark energy overwhelming even the most skilled fighters. Just when the cultivators began to lose hope, Wen Shia arrived with a group of immortals.
Wen Shia carried the legendary Divine Blood Sword, a weapon so powerful it could destroy thousands of demons with a single strike. The sight of him uplifted everyone's spirits. The demons, though momentarily shaken by his presence, hid their fear and continued fighting.
With a single swing of his sword, Wen Shia defeated a horde of demons, saving many cultivators. Turning to the remaining demons, he warned, "If you leave now, I will spare your lives. But if you stay, I will destroy every one of you."
Some demons hesitated, fear gripping their hearts. They were caught between two dangers: retreating and facing their master's wrath or staying and dying at Wen Shia's hands. While a few fled, others stayed to fight, hoping for a miracle.
As the battle raged on, most of the demons were defeated. Suddenly, a commanding voice echoed across the battlefield. It was Yangli, Zo Huan's trusted lieutenant. He ordered the demons to retreat and approached Wen Shia with a sly smile.
"The battle stops now," Yangli declared. "I have a message from Zo Huan. If you do not hand over the Element Power Stone, we will destroy both Earth and Heaven."
Wen Shia laughed coldly. "How dare you threaten me? Do you value your life so little?" He reached for his sword to strike, but Yangli vanished before he could react.
Meanwhile, Xiang, locked in her room, devised a plan to escape. She broke the window at the back of the house and slipped out, running toward the forest. She believed that by reaching the battlefield, she could help save her parents.
As she ran through the dense woods, she stumbled upon a boy sleeping peacefully under a tree. Shocked by his calmness, she shook him awake.
"What are you doing here?" she scolded. "How can you sleep so comfortably when there's a war going on? Don't you know the demons could attack at any moment? Get up and protect yourself or find a safer place to sleep!"
The boy slowly opened his eyes and saw Xiang standing before him. She was a young girl, around 15 or 16 years old, dressed in light purple clothes. Her fair complexion and bright smile made her look radiant even in the midst of chaos.
He stared at her for a moment, then asked, "What's your name? And why are you here?"
Smiling softly, Xiang replied, "I'm Xiang. My parents locked me in a room to keep me safe, but I escaped. I'm worried about them and want to help. Will you come with me?"
The boy studied her carefully before replying, "Your parents did the right thing. You shouldn't be out here. You haven't even started proper cultivation yet. How will you fight against demons?"
Xiang's face fell slightly, but she stood firm. "I don't care! They're my family, and I need to protect them!"
The boy sighed, sitting up. "You're brave, I'll give you that. But bravery alone won't win battles. Let me think about this."
And so, the two sat together under the tree, as the war loomed ever closer.
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