“How could this be? How did we run into such a massive horde of Demon Hunters?”
“Over eight hundred of them, and more than six hundred are at the Divine Emperor Perfection level? The proportion is absurdly high!”
“Our luck is truly abysmal.”
“To encounter such a terrifying horde of Demon Hunters…”
The team fled at their fastest speed.
Everyone was frantic and incredulous! Running into such a massive group of Hunyuan lifeforms was exceedingly rare. Usually, such large gatherings only occurred near the lairs of ‘Hunyuan Prisoners’! Their flight path had been meticulously planned to stay far from any known prisoner strongholds!
At this moment.
Unbeknownst to the cultivators in this hunting party, they had just stumbled upon a ‘Hunyuan Prisoner’ on patrol.
The prisoner’s patrol route happened to bring it uncomfortably close to them, prompting its swift arrangements.
Had the prisoner remained in its lair, the distance would have been too vast for it to reach them in time, even if alerted.
“Everyone, stay calm. We detected those eight hundred Demon Hunters early—they’re still far away! Our current speed far outstrips theirs. It won’t take long to shake them off completely. They won’t be able to sense us anymore,” Daoist Youya transmitted via voice projection.
“Understood.”
“Let’s hurry and lose them.”
Though the distance was still considerable, they couldn’t rest easy until the threat was fully evaded.
Because if caught, it would mean utter annihilation!
…
Yet, it seemed the cultivators’ luck had truly run out. Not long after their escape—
“Disaster! Ahead lies a group of ‘White Stone Deities’—over two hundred have spotted us,” the cold-faced golden-armored man urgently reported.
“What? White Stone Deities?” Daoist Youya paled.
“More than half are estimated to be at the Divine Emperor Perfection level,” the man added grimly.
Daoist Youya’s heart sank.
White Stone Deities—individually, they surpassed Demon Hunters in strength. A single White Stone Deity could match two Demon Hunters of the same tier.
Now, with two hundred of them, their combined might rivaled that of their entire hunting party.
“The White Stone Deities charge from the front, the Demon Hunters pursue from behind. If we detour, we might only narrow the gap with both,” the golden-armored man transmitted. “Youya, here’s the distribution map of other nearby groups—none have detected us yet.”
“Understood.”
Daoist Youya swiftly analyzed the surrounding Hunyuan lifeform clusters.
Two groups had spotted them:
One behind—the terrifying horde of over eight hundred Demon Hunters.
One ahead—closing in rapidly, two hundred White Stone Deities.
Other groups lurked nearby, still unaware.
“The Demon Hunters are still distant. If we push hard, we have enough time to break through the White Stone Deities’ blockade,” Daoist Youya concluded decisively.
He immediately relayed the plan to every cultivator in the team.
“What? White Stone Deities too?”
“Two hundred ahead?”
Panic flickered through the group.
The situation had turned dire.
“Our best chance is to charge forward at full speed. The Demon Hunters are far behind. If we give our all, we can break past the White Stone Deities before they catch up,” Daoist Youya urged.
“Agreed.”
“Charge!”
Everyone studied the scouted distribution map, recognizing this as their only viable option.
“Brother Feixue, I know maintaining your peak form is unsustainable, but you must push your limits now,” Daoist Youya transmitted privately.
“Understood,” Dongbo Xueying nodded calmly. As the team’s steadiest member, he treated this as a trial. The eight hundred Demon Hunters didn’t faze him.
“They’re here.”
“Prepare for battle.”
The cultivators and the White Stone Deities collided head-on.
The deities resembled towering white-rock giants, wielding crude weapons—stone clubs, axes, hammers—all forged from the same pale mineral.
“Slay them!”
“Annihilate these cultivators!” Over two hundred White Stone Deities roared, swinging their massive weapons with earth-shaking force.
The cultivators unleashed their full arsenal—binding techniques, disruptive tricks, coordinated strikes. Dongbo Xueying expanded to a ten-meter-tall gray-hued giant, his strength rivaling a Perfection-level White Stone Deity, his techniques far surpassing theirs.
“Go!” With a flick of his spear, he sent a deity hurtling through the air to crash distantly.
“Quick, shake them off!” Daoist Youya’s black-and-white domain unfurled, tendrils of energy weaving through the battlefield.
…
Soon, the cultivators breached the blockade and accelerated away.
“The Demon Hunters are gaining,” someone warned. Scouting showed the pursuers had halved the distance.
“My body can’t sustain this much longer,” Dongbo Xueying shrank back to normal size, his vitality drained to 20%.
Even at full capacity, his peak physical form lasted only minutes in prolonged combat.
“My flesh simply can’t endure extended battles,” he mused silently.
“NO!”
The gray-robed man’s face turned ashen, eyes blazing with fury.
The team turned to him. Even Daoist Youya froze. “Chong Man, what is it?”
“A Prisoner!” The man’s despairing voice echoed in their minds. “A Hunyuan Prisoner approaches ahead—leading over seven hundred Demon Hunters! It’s all a trap! The prisoner spotted us during its patrol, herded us with the rear horde, while it ambushes from the front. We’re finished.”
Silence.
Utter despair gripped them.
“From my home planet to cosmic transcendence… after witnessing countless civilizations fall, must I join them today?” a golden-robed elder whispered.
“A prisoner’s patrol… this is the end.”
Memories flashed—lifetimes of struggle leading to this fatal juncture. They’d all accepted mortality when entering this world, yet facing it now stirred profound turmoil.
The scenario was clear: A rare prisoner excursion had ensnared them in a lethal pincer. Historically, such encounters were vanishingly rare—prisoners seldom left their lairs due to excruciating penalties.
“Youya,” Xie Fan’s eyes burned with desperation. “Our only hope is to scatter! With hunters before and behind, our sole chance is splitting toward the flanks! Together, we die. Divided, some may survive.”
Daoist Youya met his gaze.
Split up.
“Gather the elite—no more than ten,” Xie Fan pressed. “Our fifty-one must fracture. A small, swift team might slip through.”
Youya hesitated. “Who?”
“Here’s my list.” Xie Fan transmitted names instantly.
“No Flying Snow Emperor?” Youya frowned.
“His vitality’s at 20%—his peak time is negligible. We need endurance for prolonged escape. His chaotic aura would only draw attention.”
Their exchange was lightning-fast.
“I’ll adjust this.” Youya gritted his teeth. Nine slots—two for leaders, seven for elites. Sacrificing so many comrades pained him deeply.
Yet he knew—this was their sole sliver of hope.
“Kill!”
“Slaughter the cultivators!”
The vanguard of Demon Hunters surged into view, closing rapidly. Behind them loomed a colossal figure—chains binding its limbs, golden runes flaring with oppressive might. The prisoner observed coldly as its minions charged.
“Scatter now for survival!” Xie Fan roared.
He and Youya seized seven cultivators, bolting away.
The abandoned members reacted variously—some fled, some stood defiant.
“Perhaps death will birth a Hunyuan breakthrough,” one muttered.
Dongbo Xueying merely smiled.
“Interesting.”
He stepped forward—alone—toward the oncoming horde.
“Unreal World… descend!”
His hand pressed outward.
BOOM!
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