Chapter 800: Saving

Spirit Beast Sect.

Rain poured from the sky.

Mud on the mountain path was washed down the steps by the overflowing rainwater, gushing downwards.

However, today's rain was unusually red.

Gong Caiyi's palms trembled, and her eyes twitched uncontrollably.

She clutched Jiang Fan's arm, her voice nearly pleading: "Jiang Fan, quickly tell me they're all right."

Her nails dug in hard. They pierced Jiang Fan's arm, and trickles of blood soaked his black clothing.

He calmly put an arm around Gong Caiyi's slender shoulders and said: "Don't look at the ground later. Look for survivors; save everyone you can."

Then, he turned to the Spirit Beast Sect disciples behind him and said, "Go hide far away! Don't follow! Senior Brother Ren, Senior Sister Wu, help me rescue people. Afterward, I'll give each of you a Bodhi Pill."

Wu Manyue gave him a cold look. She flicked her sleeve and dashed up the steps towards the mountain peak.

Ren Guhong also glanced at him indifferently and said, "Who are you looking down on?"

Jiang Fan's heart jolted slightly. He clasped his hands and said, "My apologies."

In their usual competition for resources, they might resort to countless methods, even treachery and cunning. But in the face of grave injustice, they stood straighter than anyone. To offer them Bodhi Pills as an incentive when a great enemy was upon them was undoubtedly an insult.

Killing intent surged within Jiang Fan. He turned to the trembling Gong Caiyi in his arms and said, "Are you ready? Don't look at the ground; rescuing people comes first." If there were still people to save.

*Whoosh*—

He summoned a lightning dragon and rode it, carrying her away. In an instant, they reached the peak of the Spirit Beast Sect mountain.

In front of the once-spacious Mission Hall, countless body parts lay scattered. Washed by the rain, the waterlogged ground resembled a pool of blood.

Jiang Fan didn't look; instead, he pricked up his ears, listening for movement around them.

*Clang*—

A faint sound of distant fighting reached them. Normally, a sudden sound of combat would tighten one's nerves. But in the current silence of death, it gave them a surge of hope. Like the cry of a newborn, it signified new life.

"Fighting means there are still survivors," Jiang Fan whispered.

Light instantly rekindled in Caiyi's eyes. She broke free from Jiang Fan and headed towards the sound of the battle.

In front of the treasury, Yuan Zhiyu stood, clutching her broken arm, before the grand Treasury Hall. A massive earthy-yellow energy shield, emanating from a formation, enveloped her and the hall behind her. Several elders lay fallen beside her, having bled too much. Inside the Treasury Hall behind them, wounded individuals were crammed together. As for their injuries... Yuan Zhiyu was already the only one still able to stand.

The disaster had struck too suddenly. Without any warning! A group of mysterious martial artists descended from the sky. Guided by several traitors from the Spirit Beast Sect, they precisely sealed every path down the mountain. Then, they prioritized killing all flying spirit beasts. What followed was a brutal, inhumane slaughter. They didn't personally engage in the killing; instead, they drove the sect members towards several enormous ferocious beasts. They allowed these beasts to tear the Spirit Beast Sect members apart like tofu, scattering their remains everywhere.

Everything had been premeditated. The only thing they hadn't anticipated was that, after the Battle of Boundary Mountain, the Spirit Beast Sect had used its wartime merits to exchange for a defensive formation from the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion's treasury. This formation could withstand attacks from cultivators at the perfected ninth layer of the Core Formation realm. The Sect Master had secretly placed it in the treasury. And it was precisely this formation that became the last refuge for the survivors.

But it was only temporary.

*Thud*—

A monstrous claw fiercely slammed onto the earthy-yellow shield. The impact caused the shield to ripple violently. Before the shield could stabilize, another massive claw struck it hard. This was followed by a third, a fourth, and a fifth! Outside the shield, no less than five ferocious beasts relentlessly assaulted it. It visibly weakened at a rapid pace.

*Crack*—

A faint cracking sound echoed. Looking up, an arm-thick crack had appeared directly above the shield.

Yuan Zhiyu's heart sank. All was lost. She gazed at the drizzling rain from the sky and smiled grimly: "Master, your disciple and the sect members will go first."

*Crack*— *Crack*—

The shield completely shattered, dissolving into countless shimmering fragments. The five ferocious beasts roared, lunging towards the crowd.

Yuan Zhiyu closed her eyes. Feeling the foul wind rush towards her, she clenched her teeth. The horrific images of her fellow sect members being chewed by the beasts flashed through her mind.

However, the anticipated pain did not materialize. Instead, a clear, sharp shout rang out.

"Vile beasts!"

Immediately after, an aura of divine heat, like heavenly might, surged forward. It was accompanied by agonizing roars and the pungent smell of burning flesh.

She opened her eyes. The sight before her instantly shocked her. Of the five massive ferocious beasts, some were reduced to only a charred head. Others had only a pair of legs and their hindquarters remaining. Still others were left with charred front and back sections, completely missing their middle. An unknown divine might had burned through their bodies. It had also melted a trench hundreds of feet long into the ground, where black and red lava churned. At the source of the trench, stood Jiang Fan in his long black robes, tightly clutching a fiery red jade talisman that was gradually dissipating into particles.

"Jiang... Junior Brother Jiang?" Yuan Zhiyu stared blankly. She then stumbled forward, tears streaming down her face: "Junior Brother Jiang, our Spirit Beast Sect..."

Jiang Fan swiftly moved forward. He caught her before she could fall. Seeing her shocking severed arm, he immediately took out a Rejuvenation Pill and put it into her mouth. Then he looked at the wounded, old and young, inside the hall. The heavy stone in his heart lightened considerably. Although the casualties were heavy, it was much better than the complete annihilation he had feared. Most importantly, the elite disciples had been led away by Gong Caiyi, thus escaping the catastrophe. Once the next generation matured, the Spirit Beast Sect could still return to its peak.

Gong Caiyi also rushed over at this moment. Seeing many elders and grand elders still alive, the suppressed emotions in her heart finally gave way, condensing into tears that streamed down her face. "You're still alive, that's wonderful... truly wonderful... I thought I'd be the only one left..."

Jiang Fan walked over and gently patted her arm: "The situation isn't entirely hopeless. Distribute these Rejuvenation Pills to them."

Gong Caiyi looked at the several bottles of Rejuvenation Pills Jiang Fan offered. She saw the dust of the Nascent Soul jade talisman scattering from his hand. She felt like a soaking wet, homeless little girl in a pouring rainstorm. Suddenly, someone had held an umbrella over her, shielding her from the wind and rain. He gave her a pillar of support.

In that moment, her fragile self could no longer maintain her usual composure. She threw herself into Jiang Fan's embrace and sobbed loudly: "Jiang Fan, thank you. Thank you for saving my sect members, thank you."

If Jiang Fan hadn't used an incredibly precious Nascent Soul jade talisman to timely obliterate these ferocious beasts, she would have been the only elder left in the Spirit Beast Sect.

Jiang Fan gently embraced her delicate body. He kissed her forehead and said, "There's no need for thanks between us. Quickly distribute the Rejuvenation Pills, then lead them away."

Gong Caiyi looked up, tears in her eyes, and asked, "What about you?"

Jiang Fan's gaze turned cold: "Someone has to be held accountable for those who died, right?"

Just then, Ren Guhong's hushed, urgent voice suddenly came: "There's a tunnel here!"

Undoubtedly, it was the tunnel leading to the tomb of the Earth Phoenix Grand Sage!