Chapter 344: Coming to the Rescue

"Where are the Xiao family members!"

Li Yuanjiao, leading the Li family, halted far off in front of the massive, sky-obscuring formation. They were still a full dozen li from Guanyun Peak, and everyone stopped, their expressions grim, hovering in the air.

The reason was simple: the entire Guanyun Peak was shrouded in demonic mist, the major formation was riddled with cracks, and above it, four or five Immortal Foundations were visible—Foundation Establishment cultivators surrounding the peak. How could any of them dare to pass through?

"The Xiao family... it seems there's trouble in more than one place!"

Li Qinghong's eyes were bright, and her expression was somewhat anxious. Her Du Ruo Spear was strapped to her back, and in her hand, she held a gray long spear of the Qi Condensation level. Her violet-tinged eyes stared at the massive formation as she murmured:

"It only takes the time of an incense stick to get here from Xianyou Peak. If the Xiao family's Foundation Establishment cultivators wanted to come, they would have been much faster than us arriving from Lijing Mountain! They've probably been held up!"

Everyone fell silent. The Xiao family was currently the Li family's primary backer, and Li Yuanjiao and the others naturally didn't want to see this situation, especially since their own family members were still inside the market district and hadn't come out yet...

"Husband!"

Li Yuanjiao and the others waited anxiously when a woman, graceful and dignified in appearance but with a hint of anxiety, arrived on the wind from behind them. It was Xiao Guiluan, who had rushed over upon hearing of the Xiao family's predicament.

"Luan'er."

Li Yuanjiao pulled her into an embrace, stopping her impulse to go forward, and said quite firmly: "There's no telling how many demonic cultivators are ahead. Don't go any further!"

Although Xiao Guiluan had an extremely poor relationship with her heartless father, she still held affection for the Xiao family who had raised her since childhood. Seeing the Xiao family's market district besieged, and her uncle Xiao Ruyu possibly still inside, she became frantic with worry and whispered:

"The Old Ancestor must have been held back by someone! Xianyou Peak and several other locations like Yushan must have been attacked, preventing them from rescuing this Guanyun Peak market district... Senior Xiao Ruyu has always looked after our shop, and now he's trapped inside!"

Li Yuanjiao was equally anxious but couldn't show it. He could only gently comfort his wife, saying softly: "Xiao Ruyu is a Peak Qi Condensation cultivator of the Xiao family; he surely has some trump cards for escape... Don't worry, don't worry."

As they spoke in hushed tones, a muffled thunderclap suddenly boomed from the horizon:

"Boom!"

The world was suddenly illuminated in white. The Foundation Establishment formation, painstakingly crafted by the Xiao family, had held for nearly half an hour, but finally shattered like glass, transforming into a startling thunderclap and vanishing from the world.

A horde of demonic cultivators, riding on demonic clouds, swarmed in, commencing widespread looting and fighting within the market district. Conflict erupted instantly. The Xiao family cultivators gathered at Guanyun Peak all rushed down the peak, knowing the situation was hopeless, and fled for their lives.

Unfortunately, Guanyun Peak had become a primary target for the demonic cultivators' siege, and it was uncertain how many could escape.

"Let's go!"

Seeing all the demonic cultivators enter the market district, the group exchanged glances and slowly covered the distance, flying several li before hearing a fierce roar:

"Xiao family's Chen Taojing is here! Do not be presumptuous!"

Suddenly, a white light erupted from Guanyun Peak in the sky, revealing two faint red flood dragons. They bared their fangs and brandished their claws, fighting against multiple opponents and coiling around four black streams of energy, a truly astonishing sight.

Chen Taojing must have consumed some elixir or employed some secret art, appearing awe-inspiring. Although the flood dragons were unusually colored, they were remarkably lifelike and possessed astonishing power.

No sooner had his voice faded than the Jiaopan Ying at Li Yuanjiao's waist began to hum and tremble, as if it would tear through the air and fly away at any moment. Startled, he quickly pressed it down and said in surprise: "I've also heard my uncle mention this Chen Taojing; he's clearly a saber user... Why would he cause the Jiaopan Ying to react like this?"

While he was still pondering this, a seductive voice rang out again: "Xiao family's Chen Taojing? Hahahaha..."

The demonic cultivator seemed to have heard something utterly ridiculous, giggling incessantly. Her voice paused, then she said softly and alluringly: "This little girl only ever heard that the Xiao family were dogs of the Chen clan of Lingyu Sect. Who would have thought that after a mere hundred years, the tables have turned, and now it's the Chen clan's turn to be dogs for the Xiao family!"

Chen Taojing, in the air, paused, seemingly identifying something, then sneered: "I wondered where such a massive demonic disaster came from; it turns out it's something released from the pagoda!"

"Shut up!"

At these words, the female voice became enraged and let out several sharp cries. The black streams of energy in the air visibly grew more agitated, forcefully surrounding Chen Taojing and cutting off his words within the black mist.

Seeing that several Foundation Establishment demonic cultivators in the sky were entangled and unable to act, it was a good opportunity to save people. Li Yuanjiao looked at the group behind him and whispered: "Guest Elder An and I have the highest cultivation. Everyone else wait here; Guest Elder An and I will go closer to investigate."

An Zheyuan stepped forward upon hearing this. Li Qinghong, standing before him, pursed her lips slightly, understanding Li Yuanjiao's intentions. She simply drew the Du Ruo long spear from her back, held it in her hand, and said gently: "Brother! My lightning magic is most effective against demons. It would be of great use against demonic cultivators. Why don't you stay here and watch over everyone, and let me go with Guest Elder An to check things out?"

Li Qinghong's words were reasonable, causing Li Yuanjiao to momentarily freeze. Knowing that he and Li Qinghong certainly couldn't both take risks simultaneously, he reluctantly nodded and said in a deep voice: "Alright! If the situation becomes untenable, do not put yourself in harm's way."

The two acknowledged, riding the wind towards Guanyun Peak's market district. Li Qinghong's heart was anxious, and she moved much faster, pulling An Zheyuan along. In just a moment, they arrived outside the market district.

Only when they stopped in the woods outside the market district did they see the ground covered in bloodstains, with raging fires and billowing demonic smoke within. An Zheyuan, though somewhat chilled by fear, was relatively alright. He thought to himself: "With her by my side, as long as we don't encounter a Foundation Establishment cultivator, we'll certainly be able to retreat safely..."

After all, Li Qinghong had challenged all of the Li family's cultivators, big and small. Those in the early Qi Condensation stage were no match for her in a single exchange, and only those in the middle to late stages could put up a fight. An Zheyuan himself could only last a few hundred rounds before eventually being swept away by Li Qinghong's spear.

Currently, only Li Yuanjiao and Chen Donghe, who had left the family, possessed the strength to suppress her. If they truly fought, the outcome would be uncertain, especially considering Li Qinghong held the Du Ruo Spear, a Foundation Establishment magical artifact...

An Zheyuan breathed a sigh of relief on his end, but Li Qinghong, with her spear gripped, had a slightly pale face. With the market district in such a state, her foster father Li Xuanxuan and clan uncle Li Qiuyang faced life-or-death peril, not to mention her mortal younger brother Li Yuanyun.

However, people always cling to hope. She still held a glimmer of it, taking out a jade pendant from her storage bag. This pendant was owned by the Li family's direct lineage cultivators and a few key confidantes; it could sense each other's positions, though only within a short range of one or two li.

"Oh?"

She sent out her spiritual sense and saw two jade pendants moving in tandem, steadily flying out of the market district. Her face lit up with joy, and she announced loudly: "Clan Uncle Qiuyang and Uncle Xuanxuan have already rendezvoused, and they're not far away!"

An Zheyuan nodded repeatedly, offering congratulations twice, then followed Li Qinghong as she descended on the wind, thinking to himself: "I just hope Li Xuanxuan and Li Qiuyang weren't killed by the same person and had their jade pendants stolen... If this formidable lady gets angry... it'll truly be a lightning strike from heaven, leaving no remains..."

Today, due to an adjustment in my schedule, I'm releasing an extra chapter for the Alliance Master's bonus update!