Above the boundless sky, a dozen or so tiny black dots faintly appeared. Moments later, these dots gradually expanded, finally transforming into a dozen huge Griffin beasts soaring past. On the lead Griffin, Xiao Yan squinted his eyes, gazing at the distant horizon beneath the sky, and turned to Wu Hao beside him, “We have entered the Black-Corner Region, right?”
Wu Hao nodded, retrieving a scroll map from his Storage Ring, unfolding it slowly and pointing to a certain area, “According to the intelligence, the major forces of the ‘Black Alliance’ are heading in this direction. Your second brother, Xiao Li, is likely here as well. Given our speed, we will reach there by tomorrow morning.”
Xiao Yan nodded slightly, slowly calming his somewhat urgent heart. He sat cross-legged on the spacious back of the Griffin, closing his eyes to rest. Since they had Griffins, which were extremely adept at long-distance travel, Xiao Yan and his companions were spared the hardships of traveling and the various troubles of the Black-Corner Region. Thus, they could gradually approach their destination in just one night, a feat that would normally take four to five days on foot.
Perched atop a Griffin’s head, Xiao Yan looked towards the distant mountains shrouded in a light mist. As they drew closer, his sense of unease grew stronger. After a few anxious minutes, he could no longer contain his emotions and turned to Lin Yan, Wu Hao, and others, saying, “I will go ahead. Follow me as soon as you can.”
Hearing Xiao Yan’s words, Wu Hao and the others were briefly stunned but did not try to dissuade him. With his current strength, even within the Black-Corner Region, there were few who could make him suffer. Moreover, Xiao Yan was not some inexperienced novice. His combat experience and other skills were quite impressive, so Wu Hao and the others were not too worried. They simply reminded him to be careful out of habit.
Smiling and nodding to Wu Hao and the others, Xiao Yan shook his shoulders, and a pair of splendid fiery wings extended from his back. Perhaps due to his internal Dou Qi merging with the Heavenly Flame, even the originally azure flame wings had turned emerald green, resembling jade, extremely beautiful and envious. This was evident from the looks of admiration on the faces of those on the following Griffins when Xiao Yan’s wings appeared.
With a light flap of the emerald wings, Xiao Yan jumped off the Griffin’s back and, with a few more flutters, transformed into a shadow, quickly disappearing from the others’ sight.
“Ah, it seems we need to pick up our pace. Otherwise, when we get there, he might have already solved everything,” Wu Hao chuckled, watching Xiao Yan vanish. With a wave of his hand, the Griffins emitted a synchronized low roar, and with a mighty flutter of their great wings, they shot forward, leaving behind gusts of wind.
…
This was a complex mountainous region where towering trees, like pillars holding up the sky, stretched toward the heavens, blocking much of the sunlight and casting a gloomy light over the area. In a hidden corner, a fairly expansive encampment stood beneath the canopy of the dense trees, its location so concealed that it was difficult to detect without carefully searching for it.
The camp was eerily quiet, yet plenty of figures moved about. These shadowy figures moved silently, dashing across the grounds, creating an atmosphere of tension, though no hint of panic was present. At the center of the encampment, a figure, entirely covered in a black robe, stood tall on a high platform. The thick stench of blood emanating from the figure was pungent even from a distance. However, the nearly hundred black-robed figures standing below the platform seemed unperturbed, quietly arranged in neat rows. Apart from the rustle of black robes in the gentle breeze and the faint sound of footsteps, silence reigned.
Suddenly, a black figure dashed from afar, appearing before the high platform and kneeling on one knee, reporting in a low voice, “Boss, according to our covert investigation, most of our outposts in the forest have been secretly removed. From the traces found in the forest, it seems our tracks have been discovered. This place is no longer safe.”
“The Black Alliance has finally made their move,” the robed figure replied indifferently, slowly raising his head. The sunlight, reflecting off a young face seething with deathly aura, revealed none other than Xiao Li, Xiao Yan’s second brother!
“How many people are hunting us this time?” Despite the unsettling news, Xiao Li’s face remained stoic, his emotionless eyes scanning the black-cloaked figures below him.
“At least two hundred, all capable fighters, and they work seamlessly together,” the black-robed figure reported without hesitation.
“Who’s leading them?”
“We haven’t seen them directly, but among the hunting forces, we’ve spotted members of the Blood Sect. At worst, it’s likely the Sect Leader, Fan Laolao, himself.”
“Fan Laolao, huh…” Xio Li’s eyes narrowed, a sly smile spreading across his lips. There was a significant grudge between the third brother and this old bastard. Back then, during the strongmen’s assault on the Inner Academy, this man was among the top contenders.
“Since time is running short, I’ll risk my life today to bring him down as a companion for my little brother,” Xiao Li sneered, waving his hand lightly. His cold voice rang out, “Sniper Team, infiltrate the forest, fighting while retreating, and do your best to exhaust their strength. Remember, even if you die, take one down with you. If not, your death won’t be worth it!”
“Yes!” Nearly half of the men shouted in unison, then darted off, their black shadows weaving through the woods, disappearing into the vast expanse of the forest. They didn’t question the inevitable, as those who ever doubted Xiao Li’s orders had long been cleared out. Those remaining were loyal, their hearts and souls dedicated to him.
“Others, defend the stronghold and be on full alert!”
“Yes!” The remaining men responded in unison, then flashed into the dark corners of the stronghold, their blackened, sharp daggers gleaming with a cold, lethal edge.
Xiao Li watched the vanishing shadows with cold indifference, his eyes slowly closing. A faint aura of death surrounded him, as if a grim reaper.
“Little brother, wait. I’ll bring someone down with me.”
In the early morning, the tranquil forest suddenly erupted with innumerable cries of pain and horror, echoing through the mountains, sending chills down the spines of those nearby. In the dark forest, countless figures, brimming with killing intent, rushed in, only to be ambushed by shadowy figures, sharp blades slicing through flesh and splattering blood. Though the ambush had significant losses, these veterans, with their ample battle experience, stabilized the situation with numerical advantage. What followed was a brutal, near-deadly melee.
…
In the encampment, Xiao Li, who had kept his eyes closed, abruptly opened them, watching a dozen shadows returning from the forest. These shadows swiftly returned to the encampment, kneeling on one knee before the high platform.
“Boss, the Sniper Team has suffered heavy casualties, but we’ve inflicted double the damage. Yet, the force coming to attack us includes elite fighters from several major factions, including three Dou Wangs and a Battle Emperor. Our assassination wasn’t very effective,” a dark, somber voice reported from one of the black figures.
Xiao Li’s face remained calm, merely nodding slightly.
“At their current pace, they will arrive outside the camp in ten minutes!”
“Spread out and prepare for a deadly confrontation,” Xiao Li instructed, his chin tilting slightly.
Though Xiao Li never mentioned retreating, no one among the wooden-like figures spoke; they all strictly followed his command.
As the figures dispersed, Xiao Li’s gaze rose, looking at the distant forest, a trace of madness flickering across his face. The reality was worse than the report. Soon after, more figures began to emerge from the forest, surrounding the encampment in a matter of minutes.
“Are you the leader of this nameless organization?” a cold, mocking voice echoed in the air above the encampment. Xiao Li raised his head, seeing four figures suspended in the sky, their imposing auras enveloping the entire encampment. Leading them was Fan Laolao, the Sect Leader of the Blood Sect, who had almost died at Xiao Yan’s hands!
Xiao Li fixed his fierce gaze on the sky, clenching a black spear that appeared in his hand, wrapping it in a silver-hued Dou Qi tinged with the sound of thunder.
Looking down at Xiao Li, preparing for a desperate fight, Fan Laolao curled his lips disdainfully, waving his hand, “Kill him!”
At Fan Laolao’s command, three Dou Wangs behind him immediately sprang into action. With a fierce cry, the three silhouettes charged down like meteors, their combined power causing the air to howl.
Xiao Li clenched his spear, gritting his teeth as the trio lunged towards him. Though he was capable, he couldn’t easily best two Dou Wangs, and three would certainly put him at a disadvantage. Still, he did not retreat, for he had little time left and nothing to fear, not even death.
“Die!” The three Dou Wangs cried out, their teamwork and ruthlessness evident. Three powerful strikes interwove, forming a spinning triangle, hurtling towards Xiao Li.
“A mere Dou Wang, daring to provoke the Black Alliance, overestimating yourself!” Fan Laolao sneered, his eyes fixed on Xiao Li, overshadowed by the formidable attacks.
Xiao Li’s spear shook, and a burst of silver light and the crackling of lightning surged forth. An electric serpent-like strike lashed out, colliding fiercely with the incoming attacks.
A loud boom resounded, and the powerful energy waves scattered, forcing both Xiao Li and the three Dou Wangs to retreat. However, Xiao Li took the brunt of the impact, a low, pained groan escaping his throat, indicating a minor injury.
In the sky, Fan Laolao scowled, watching Xiao Li hold his ground, relatively unharmed. He glared at Xiao Li, who staggered back, and then vanished, reappearing instantly before Xiao Li. With a cruel laugh, he delivered a crushing blow, sending Xiao Li coughing up blood, his feet digging into the ground as he retreated, slamming into a boulder, which shattered under the force.
Eyeing the bleeding Xiao Li, Fan Laolao sneered, “Dare to kill a member of the Blood Sect? Today, I’ll cripple you and make you a blood slave!”
Unable to avoid the attack, Xiao Li could only watch the blood spear hurtle towards him, powerless to dodge.
“Little brother, I am unable to even bring a single person down for you,” Xiao Li thought bitterly, closing his eyes, murmuring, “It’s the end of the Xiaos…”
Just as the blood spear was about to strike, a faint clap of thunder echoed in the sky. Suddenly, a wall of emerald flames surged up before Xiao Li, melting the blood spear upon contact with a hiss.
“Who is it? Mind your own business, this is the Black Alliance’s affair!” Fan Laolao snarled, glaring at the unexpected emerald flames.
“Ha, Sect Leader Fan, it’s been two years, and you seem more formidable than ever. Two years ago, you narrowly escaped with your life, I wonder if you’ll be so lucky again today,” a soft, mocking voice filled the air as a black-robed figure appeared in the sky, drawing horrified gazes.
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