Phoenix Vane and Lynette Quill walked out of the command tent together. The soldiers in the camp were rushing to the back. Under the command of officers at all levels, the camp did not fall into chaos. Fortunately, Garrick Stonewall reacted early, so they were able to organize an effective counterattack when they encountered the enemy's surprise attack.
Obsidia Shade slew three attacking bandits head-on, while Garrick Stonewall roared from the side, "The Wind Bandits! What are they doing here?"
She turned her head and saw Garrick Stonewall's Greatsword striking a bandit's shoulder with a heavy blow, splitting the unfortunate soldier in two. The gushing blood was immediately absorbed by the thirsty grass. A sharp gust of wind rushed past her ear as a slender spear thrust forward. Obsidia Shade skillfully dodged the attack, then retaliated with a sword strike that struck the spear's owner.
Phoenix Vane and Lynette Quill joined the fray, their exceptional skills immediately boosting the morale of the Fast cavalry. They fought back fiercely against the invading Wind Bandits. Amidst splattering blood and screams, swords clashed and sparks flew, spears clashed, and as one soldier fell, another immediately took his place.
Obsidia Shade called to Garrick Stonewall, "I'm going to find the young master!" Garrick Stonewall nodded and continued adding the corpses of the Swiftwind Thieves to the pile of bodies beside him.
Seeing Obsidia Shade transform into a blur and charge into the enemy ranks, Phoenix Vane patted Lynette Quill on the shoulder and said, "I'm leaving this to you. I'm going with Obsidia Shade." With that, he slashed his sword, and the two enemy soldiers who had charged ahead fell to the ground, blood spurting out.
The stunningly beautiful woman in her colorful armor, like a beautiful rainbow, pierced through the territory of the Swift Wind Bandits. Whether it was the bandits who rushed up because they were attracted by her beauty, or the leaders who wanted to show off their martial prowess because they were boasting, they all fell to the ground, bleeding profusely, becoming lifeless objects.
"What a terrifying woman!" the Wind Thieves, having lost their courage, exclaimed, and made way for Phoenix Vane to rush past them without any hesitation.
"It's actually our General Feifeng!"
A silvery female voice mocked, but she dared not be careless in her actions and delivered a heavy slash.
Phoenix Vane shouted, "You dare block my way with something this weak!" Her longsword flashed like lightning, aimed straight for the opponent's vitals.
Realizing that he would taste the sharp sword before he could even strike the beautiful woman, the woman in fiery red armor quickly stepped back, avoiding the terrifying blow.
"Not bad, you managed to dodge my sword, I'll spare your life!" Phoenix Vane didn't want to get entangled with her any longer, and with a single strike, he killed a Wind Thief who was trying to sneak up on him. "State your name!"
"I am the leader of the Gale Bandits, Fire Maiden!" Fire Maiden's voice came from behind, but she did not chase after her.
"This woman's outfit really suits her nickname." Phoenix Vane thought to herself as she tried to leave, but a shot from the side blocked her way.
"I am Lucy Caber." His simple words, like his unassuming face, were utterly unremarkable, but the steady, powerful thrust of his spear surprised Phoenix Vane. Such a master among thieves! No wonder the Gale Thieves were so famous on the continent.
With a whooshing sound, two more masked men appeared beside her, each wielding a longsword, its tips slightly raised and pointing at Phoenix Vane. Two sharp sword energies swept through the air, locking onto her delicate body. The air around her seemed to freeze, demonstrating the extraordinary skill of these two men. Together with the man wielding a gun to her left and the Fire Maiden behind her, they surrounded Phoenix Vane.
"It seems the best of these thieves have arrived," Phoenix Vane thought to himself. "That's good, let's crush them in one fell swoop and save ourselves the trouble!"
Having made up his mind, Phoenix Vane moved with a slight sway, his sword flashing like a dragon, preemptively attacking Lucy Caber, who was wielding a spear. The four were taken aback; the one trapped in the encirclement was actually taking the lead in the attack, and targeting the one among them who was the most skilled. This was the opposite of what is usually done by someone trapped in an encirclement—who would choose the weakest opponent to create an opening.
It should be noted that all four of them were top-tier fighters, possessing immense confidence in their skills. However, Phoenix Vane's sword strike was like a raging dragon emerging from the sea. Although it was aimed at Lucifer, the powerful momentum it unleashed was like a raging storm, causing the other three to feel a chill run down their spines. With a shout, they each brandished their weapons and charged forward to meet the attack.
Lucien Carboir, who was directly in the path of the attack, felt it most acutely. A single sword strike aimed directly at his heart, but his sharp eyes detected a subtle tremor in the air, making it impossible for him to pinpoint the true target. In such a simple strike, it seemed as if his entire body was enveloped in the sword's aura, leaving him no choice but to dodge. At that moment, he truly understood why Phoenix Vane enjoyed such a renowned reputation.
With a loud shout, Lucie Caber retreated rapidly, his spear flashing out from an incredible angle, aimed straight at Phoenix Vane's sword-wielding arm.
Phoenix Vane's delicate body suddenly turned, rushing forward close to the gun barrel. Her longsword remained unchanged, still aimed at Lucy Caber's heart. At the same time, her pink leg lifted lightly, and her toes met the masked man who rushed in from the left.
Lucien Vane had no choice but to stomp his feet on the ground, lean back, and twist and turn in mid-air to clear the way. The masked man on the left, confused by Phoenix Vane's seemingly kicking motion, stamped his foot and roared, his longsword changing direction with lightning speed as he slashed downwards.
Phoenix Vane smiled slightly and withdrew his toes. "You've been tricked!" A delicate figure had already soared into the air, passing the longsword that slashed from the right, and flew forward.
"Where do you think you're going?" Fire Maiden leaped forward swiftly, her longsword skimming the ground as she charged, her eyes fixed on Phoenix Vane. The masked man on her right was also taken aback. Seeing Phoenix Vane pass by, he quickly followed suit, his sword drawing a beautiful arc in the air as he thrust it towards Phoenix Vane's shoulder and neck.
Luciano had just stopped when he saw this and cried out in alarm, "Watch out!" He had already sensed something was wrong, and with a roar, he charged forward with his gun, disregarding his own safety. The masked man on the left had a flicker of doubt in his eyes, but before he could follow, the situation had already changed.
Phoenix Vane let out a sharp cry, and her rapidly flying body unexpectedly paused for a moment as two longswords instantly struck her back. The Fire Maiden and the masked man were overjoyed, almost shouting out loud.
Suddenly, Phoenix Vane's delicate body vanished without a trace, and another masked man's panicked cry rang in her ears: "Above you!"
Both men felt a chill run down their spines as sword energy approached, its internal force as solid as a mountain. The masked man felt an immense force surge into his shoulder, causing his blood and qi to churn as if struck by a massive hammer. He couldn't catch his breath and his body slammed to the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
Phoenix Vane's toe touched the masked man's shoulder, while her longsword slashed towards the Fire Maiden's neck. She was determined to kill this woman with her sword, so that the Gale Bandits, who were ravaging the continent, would lose their leader today.
Feeling the terrifying force of the longsword engulf her vital points, and knowing she was in mid-air and had exhausted her inner energy, Fire Maiden felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave. The shadow of death loomed over her, and she could almost feel the chill. But the longsword didn't reach her head. A familiar voice reached her ear, and that reassuring aura reached her. The energies collided with a deafening roar, and the overflowing force scattered her hair. At the critical moment, Lucifer blocked the fatal blow for her.
"You fool who doesn't know what's good for him!"
Phoenix Vane's sharp cry struck the Fire Maiden's eardrums like a hammer blow, followed by a muffled groan. Startled, she cried out before she could even land properly, "Luci Caber!" But all she saw was Luci Caber, now speechless, blood gushing from the sword wound in his chest.
These changes happened like a spark from lightning, and then the other masked man's voice rang out: "Karl!"
Phoenix Vane was about to continue her attack when a terrifying thunderclap suddenly erupted from the back mountain. The world brightened abruptly, as if a powerful beam of light had shot down from the sky. Looking up, she saw the sky behind the mountain had changed drastically. Gale-force winds raged, and massive black clouds rapidly gathered. The sky, normally greyish-white, was now shrouded in a dense mass of dark clouds, exuding a terrifying aura. These inky clouds continued to expand, and even faint rumbles of thunder could be heard from the horizon, rhythmic and powerful like the beating of drums. All those engaged in battle stopped, staring blankly at this extraordinary phenomenon.
A thought suddenly flashed through Phoenix Vane's mind, and he exclaimed in alarm, "Oh no!"
She no longer cared about dealing with her defeated enemies and hurriedly headed towards the small lake Lynette Quill had mentioned.
※ ※ ※
Da Feng, panting heavily, blocked the fierce attack that came from the front. A tremendous internal force surged from the longsword, traveling up her hand, wrist, elbow, arm, and shoulder, instantly numbing half of her body. Looking at her sisters beside her, she saw that none of them were without a look of shock and sweat on their foreheads.
They had only been fighting these goddess warriors for less than a breath, yet it felt as if they had been fighting for a long time. These goddess warriors truly lived up to their reputation as one of the three divine races; their strength was simply terrifying. Moreover, the javelins they used were electrified, and each contact consumed a portion of their opponent's stamina, making their opponent's hand holding the weapon feel as if it had been struck by lightning.
The Eight Golden Phoenix Guards were highly skilled warriors meticulously trained by Phoenix Vane, ranking among the best in the Golden Phoenix Guard. Their skills were only slightly inferior to Lynette Quill's, definitely top-tier. They had previously charged through massive armies unscathed, their swordsmanship so exquisite that it would put many masters to shame. However, in front of these goddess warriors, they seemed several levels below, struggling to parry even the slightest attack. After two rounds, they were all forced into a defensive posture. Fortunately, Phoenix Vane had simplified the "Phoenix Nine Heavens" formation and taught it to the Eight Golden Phoenix Guards, enabling them to form a defensive array when at a disadvantage.
Aurelian Dragon unleashed her Fiery Sword, deflecting a spear thrust from the left. Seemingly influenced by the aura of the goddess warrior's lightning javelin, the Fiery Sword also emitted a terrifying red light, enveloping the entire sword in a thick crimson glow, making it look extremely frightening.
The lightning javelin emitted a slight tremor as it grazed past Aurelian Dragon's ear, sending a tingling, electric shock through him. Seeing the Eight Guards moving slowly and heavily, he knew something terrible was about to happen. The shouts of battle coming from the other side of the mountain plunged his heart into despair.
The anger in his heart burned intensely, and the Fiery Sword shone brightly red, its blade completely transforming into flames. He slashed at the goddess warrior in front of him, and a wave of heat hit him, making the air seem to be burning and hissing.
The tallest of the goddess warriors, standing outside the encirclement, blinked and shouted, "Be careful! This is an ancient artifact!" With that, she leaped into the fray, raised her javelin, and thrust it swiftly towards Aurelian Dragon's exposed left rib. The thrust was precise and ruthless, brimming with internal force; even the tip of the javelin crackled with electricity.
It seems she is the leader of this group of goddess warriors, and her skills far surpass those of her subordinates. Her arrival immediately increased the pressure on Aurelian Dragon.
A total of fifteen goddess warriors appeared this time. Nine of them were besieging the Eight Golden Phoenix Guards, while the remaining six surrounded him, trapping him in different positions, and then two of them fought him.
After a period of training and the tempering of several fierce battles, Aurelian Dragon's power had greatly improved, allowing him to remain undefeated despite being attacked from both sides by the two goddess warriors. Just now, in a fit of rage, his power suddenly increased, and he was about to injure the goddess warrior in front of him when, unexpectedly, the goddess warrior leader standing at the farthest point attacked.
He sighed inwardly and abruptly withdrew his sword. The Fiery Sword trembled unwillingly as it changed direction and slashed at the lightning spear that was thrusting towards his left rib.
"Boom!"
The Fiery Sword and the Flying Lightning Javelin collided, but instead of a crisp metallic sound, there was the sound of invisible energy clashing violently.
The leader of the goddess warriors swayed slightly, and the lightning spear in her hand suddenly shone brightly, bursting with wisps of electricity that swirled around the now incandescent spear. If one listened carefully, one could even hear faint crackling sounds emanating from the flow of electricity.
Seemingly surprised by the change in her weapon, the leader of the goddess warriors shouted, "Everyone, attack! This sword is strange!" The four goddess warriors standing around responded and stepped forward, brandishing their lightning javelins, thrusting them simultaneously at the Aurelian Dragon.
Aurelian Dragon was still struggling from the lingering force of the impact, as an extremely powerful electric current surged through his body and mind, causing his internal energy to surge wildly, making him see stars and sway precariously. Strangely, the Fiery Sword did not slip from his grasp; instead, it seemed to be stuck to his hand, preventing him from letting go of the terrifying energy emanating from it. He could only grit his teeth and endure the waves of piercing electric shocks.
Seeing four javelins spitting terrifying electric currents aimed at his vital points, Aurelian Dragon was terrified. He cried out, forcefully suppressing his surging blood and qi, and formed a dense sword mountain around his body with his Fiery Sword to block the deadly attack. But this only intensified his pain; his body felt as if his energy was about to burst out, and his eyes turned bloodshot.
But these four javelins constituted only the first wave of attack. As the spear shadows dissipated, the shield that had remained hidden in the left hand of the goddess warrior leader suddenly appeared to the right of Aurelian Dragon. The silver shield, as bright as a mirror, reflected the afterglow of the sunset and, with a clever trajectory, collided with Aurelian Dragon's Fiery Sword, leaving no room for avoidance.
"Boom!"
The Fiery Sword was knocked aside, causing the hand holding it to swing to the side. The force of the impact caused Aurelian Dragon to stagger and lose his footing. He mustered his remaining strength, let out a shout, and leaped into the air, his legs flying, striking the two shields that were closing in on him.
With a loud bang, the two goddess warriors holding shields took half a step back, while two lightning javelins flew out of their hands and headed straight for the Aurelian Dragon in mid-air.
He had originally intended to use this momentum to escape the encirclement of the goddess warriors, but now he found himself in an even more terrifying situation. Aurelian Dragon saw it clearly from the air: two javelins flashing with electricity, one above the other, were aimed precisely at the path he was about to land.
Aurelian Dragon inwardly cried out in alarm, barely managing to dodge the vital parts by slightly changing direction.
Two javelins struck Aurelian Dragon almost simultaneously, embedding themselves in his waist and left shoulder respectively. The powerful force carried him a distance further, landing him right in the midst of the Golden Phoenix Eight Guards' formation.
With a heavy thud, blood gushed out. Amidst the gasps of the Eight Guards, Aurelian Dragon struggled to her feet, swaying as she leaned on her sword. The Eight Golden Phoenix Guards sheathed their swords and surrounded her, while the outer goddess warriors began to tighten their encirclement. Waves of powerful, concentrated energy surged towards them, and javelins, gleaming with cold light, were slowly raised above their shoulders. One could imagine the spectacle when these dozen or so were fired simultaneously.
Dafeng looked at her sisters, whose bodies were covered in wounds, and then glanced sadly at Aurelian Dragon standing in the middle. Suddenly, she turned around and said in a trembling voice, "Take care, young master!"
Aurelian Dragon was startled. Before she could ask a question, the eight guards exchanged a glance, nodded resolutely, and began to spin rapidly in perfect unison. Their speed was so great that they were difficult to see clearly. A strange wind rose beneath their feet and surged around them.
The goddess warriors sneered in unison. They had already learned the Eight Guardians' true strength during their battle with them, and they had also seen through the "Phoenix Nine Heavens" formation. What they were doing now was, at best, using the same type of wind magic. As one of the three divine races, the goddess warriors possessed a far greater understanding of magic than the humans. These women's attempt to use magic against them was utterly foolish.
Just as the leader of the goddess warriors was about to issue a command, a clear voice suddenly rang out from within the swirling pillars of wind: "Master of all things, the only supreme being in heaven and earth, please accept our sacrifice of life, open the covenant of life, erect a strong barrier, and protect your servants from harm—Phoenix Rebirth!"
Suddenly, blazing flames erupted beneath the feet of the Eight Guards. These dazzling white flames were the true essence of fire. The fleeting high temperature caused the goddess warriors to feel a powerful heat rush towards them, and they couldn't help but take two steps back.
"No!"
Aurelian Dragon let out a cry of grief and indignation, but he seemed to be frozen in place, his feet rooted to the ground, watching helplessly as the sudden flames engulfed the Eight Guards. The eight vibrant and beautiful young women turned into wisps of smoke, swirling around him, and he could almost hear their joyful laughter.
The leader of the goddess warriors finally changed her expression and exclaimed, "Life Barrier!" She knew this was magic created during the War of the Hundred Races, where eight highly skilled cultivators used their own lives as a contract to build a protective barrier that could block all attacks. These eight girls actually knew this nearly lost magic?
Aurelian Dragon could no longer contain his rage. An immense surge of energy rose within him, and violent thoughts filled his mind. He raised his Fiery Sword, ready to pounce, when a black lightning bolt exploded in his mind. His vision went dark, and he fell backward to the ground.