Chapter 999: Escape

On the ground, Qian Jiarun was struggling against attacks from a Sea Clan member and multiple third-tier demonic beasts.

Roar! An extremely strange roar rang out. When Wang Qiuming and the others heard it, they felt dizzy and lightheaded, unable to stand steadily, as if someone were striking their heads with heavy objects.

Seizing this excellent opportunity, the octopus monster swung its hand, its black giant axe cleaving fiercely towards Wang Qiuming. A black light flashed, and three enormous black axe blades flew out, heading straight for Wang Qiuming, threatening to cut him into mincemeat.

Wang Qiuming was startled. He opened his mouth, and a golden luminous wheel shot out, striking the three black axe blades.

Boom! The three black axe blades were shattered by the golden wheel, and a powerful, visible wave of air rapidly spread out.

Suddenly, dots of blue light lit up behind Wang Qiuming. A blue light flashed, and a broad-shouldered, muscular young man in a blue shirt appeared behind him. The young man's hands were covered by several blue scales, and he also had a few blue scales on his face, giving him a ferocious appearance.

The Sea Clan excels at water-element spells, making them incredibly difficult to guard against.

Wang Qiuming was alarmed. His body quickly glowed with golden light—it was the Glazed Golden Body—and the golden wheel's light intensified as it struck towards the blue-shirted young man.

Dense blue scales appeared on the blue-shirted young man's body, and he slammed his fists towards Wang Qiuming.

The golden wheel struck the blue-shirted young man's body, producing a dull clang of metal colliding, but the blue-shirted young man was unharmed.

The blue-shirted young man's fist slammed into Wang Qiuming's body. Wang Qiuming flew backward like a sandbag, slammed heavily onto the ground, continuously spitting blood, and his face turned pale.

To be fair, his combat experience was rich, but he had encountered a Sea Clan member adept at water-element spells, not a cultivator or a demonic beast.

Five massive third-tier demonic beasts pounced, threatening to tear Wang Qiuming to shreds.

Wang Qiuming's expression changed dramatically. As he tried to evade, countless blue lights suddenly appeared around him, transforming into a hazy blue giant hand that pinned him to the ground, rendering him unable to move.

Boom! A huge thunderclap resounded, and a vast swath of silver lightning descended from the sky, striking the five third-tier demonic beasts.

The five third-tier demonic beasts were struck by the dense silver lightning; they didn't die, but their speed slowed down.

Seizing this opportunity, Wang Qiuming transformed into a golden streak of light and flew towards the city.

The Sea Clan tried to block him, but a vast swath of silver lightning descended from the sky, striking towards them.

Boom! The silver lightning struck empty ground as the Sea Clan members evaded it, leaving a large area of steaming craters on the ground.

Wang Qiuming took the opportunity to fly back into the fortress, retracting his magic treasures and puppet beasts midway.

"Uncle Master Qiuming, are you alright? Quickly take this elixir to heal your injuries." Wang Mengbin asked with concern, taking out a green pill and giving it to Wang Qiuming to take.

"I was careless," Wang Qiuming said. "The Sea Clan is different from the Demonic Clan; they excel at water-element spells. I was injured by them, and I wonder how Aunt Shi is doing."

Wang Qiuming took the elixir and looked towards the underground, his eyes filled with worry.

Wang Qingling had burrowed underground earlier; if not for that, she might also have been ambushed by the Sea Clan.

A deafening roar sounded, vaguely mixed with a scream.

Wang Qiuming and Wang Mengbin looked towards the source of the sound, only to see a young woman in a blue dress fallen into a giant pit, her head completely shattered.

A man in a golden shirt with spikes on his back stood before the giant pit, his right hand, covered in golden scales, stained with blood, and his eyes filled with murderous intent.

"Seventh Sister!" Qian Jiarun cried out in anguish.

"Fellow Daoist Qian, watch out behind you."

Wang Qiuming suddenly realized something and shouted a warning.

No sooner had he spoken than a flurry of blue light dots appeared behind Qian Jiarun, revealing a broad-shouldered, muscular young man in a blue shirt.

Qian Jiarun's expression changed drastically, and he quickly manipulated nine golden copper coins, striking towards the blue-shirted young man.

With a dull clang of metal colliding, the nine golden copper coins shattered the scales on the blue-shirted young man's body, but they were blocked by his protective spiritual light.

The blue-shirted young man roared, his right fist glowing brightly with blue light, and he slammed it fiercely towards Qian Jiarun.

With a scream, Qian Jiarun flew backward. Before he even landed, a vast array of spells and over a dozen magic treasures flew towards him.

The ground shook violently, and countless yellow sand grains flew up, forming a yellow earth wall over thirty zhang high that blocked in front of Qian Jiarun.

Boom! The yellow earth wall was shattered, and Qian Jiarun seized the opportunity to retreat back into the fortress. The Qian family's guardian spirit beast, the Golden Crab (Golden Coin Crab), transformed into a golden light and flew towards the fortress. Three black axe blades descended from the sky, striking the Golden Coin Crab accurately, and the Golden Coin Crab fell to the ground.

A dense barrage of spells and over a dozen magic treasures engulfed the Golden Coin Crab. Facing attacks from multiple Core Formation stage Sea Clan members and over a dozen third-tier demonic beasts, the Golden Coin Crab perished.

An angry dragon roar came from high above, and the Ice Wind Flood Dragon plummeted from high altitude, flying back into the fortress.

Its body was covered in wounds, many of its scales had fallen off, and it was seriously injured.

Considering it was uncontrolled and faced attacks from three Core Formation stage Sea Clan members and over a dozen third-tier demonic beasts, it was quite remarkable that it survived.

A yellow light flew out from underground, revealing a man in a yellow shirt with a tortoise shell on his back. His body was covered in wounds, and there were multiple cracks on the surface of his tortoise shell.

Wang Qingling followed closely, flying out from underground and straight back into the fortress.

Wang Qingling's face was a little pale. When she saw the wounded Ice Wind Flood Dragon, she felt very sad.

"Aunt Shi, are you alright!" Wang Qiuming asked with concern.

"I'm fine!" Wang Qingling replied. "These Sea Clan members are stronger than the previous ones. If we stubbornly hold our ground, we will all die. Fellow Daoist Qian, arrange for the lower-tier cultivators to evacuate! Mengbin, Qiuming, you two withdraw first. Fellow Daoist Qian and I will stay behind to hold off the enemy."

Wang Qingling ordered with a solemn expression. There was no way to win; staying to fight to the death was a dead end, and there was no need for it. As the saying goes, "as long as the green mountains remain, there will be wood to burn."

Only a portion of the lower-tier cultivators remained in the fortress, and their evacuation was quick.

Wang Mengbin shook his head and suggested, "Aunt Shi, you and Uncle Master Qiuming should withdraw first. Fellow Daoist Qian and I will stay behind to hold off the enemy."

"No!" Wang Qingling firmly replied. "If anything happens to you, I won't be able to explain it to Uncle Jiu and Aunt Jiu. I have a way to escape. You two withdraw quickly; don't dawdle."

Wang Qingling's tone was full of undeniable authority. The situation was urgent, and there was no room for delay.

"Aunt Shi, please be extra careful," Wang Qiuming said. "Mengbin, let's retreat quickly. Don't distract Aunt Shi."

Wang Qiuming knew the seriousness of the situation and pulled Wang Mengbin towards the teleportation hall.

Qian Jiarun also gave orders for the lower-tier clan members to teleport away; he would stay with Wang Qingling to hold off the enemy.

The Sea Clan naturally wouldn't just watch them escape, and they intensified their attacks.

Roaring sounds continued, and various spiritual lights from spells illuminated the golden light barrier.

In less than a quarter of an hour, the clan-protecting formation was breached by the dense attacks. Wang Qingling jumped onto the Ice Wind Flood Dragon's back and flew towards the sky. Qian Jiarun activated a golden leaf magic treasure, transforming it into a golden streak of light, and also flew towards the sky.

"Pursue them! Don't let them escape!" shouted a Sea Clan member. "Especially that female cultivator who raised a third-tier flood dragon. She must be killed."

The Sea Clan divided into three groups: two groups pursued Wang Qingling and Qian Jiarun, and one group remained behind to loot valuables.