"Master!!"
Just as Yu Xuzi's sense of hearing was about to fade away, he seemed to hear Li Xian's voice.
Although it wasn't clear, it did make him feel less regretful. Yu Xuzi slowly closed his eyes and let himself sink into darkness.
As his consciousness gradually dissipated, he wondered if Shen Qing had taken his last words to heart and if Li Xian could recover quickly.
The mountain - protecting formation had been broken. The disciples were in a long - drawn - out battle with the demonic beasts, and there would surely be casualties. It was all because he, the sect master, wasn't powerful enough to protect his disciples. He felt deeply ashamed.
His heart was filled with mixed emotions, but there was nothing else he could do now. He had made all the arrangements within his power. From now on, it was time for the young generation to forge their own paths...
He was so sleepy...
It was time to sleep...
Seeing Yu Xuzi's state, Shen Qing knew that his consciousness was slowly fading away. But she just couldn't accept that a respected elder was losing his life right before her eyes.
This sense of helplessness left Shen Qing at a loss.
When she first learned that the Qingyun Sword Sect had fallen, Shen Qing was still in a daze. But now, the real feeling that everything around her had been destroyed reached its peak.
"Master!!"
Shen Qing let out a sorrowful cry. Just as she was about to fall to the ground, the Chenxi Sword steadied her body, preventing both her and Yu Xuzi from crashing onto the ground.
Shen Qing tightly grasped Yu Xuzi's body. His thin and shriveled wrist seemed as if it could be easily broken with a bit of force.
Li Xian, supported by Xue Ling, slowly ran over from afar. When he saw the lifeless Yu Xuzi, tears rolled down his pale cheeks.
Li Xian shook off Xue Ling's supporting hand and stumbled towards Yu Xuzi.
He hugged Yu Xuzi in his arms and desperately poured spiritual energy into his body, regardless of the fact that he had just woken up and his meridians and injuries hadn't fully healed.
"Master, wake up! You old rascal, are you pretending to be dead again to scare me? I'm really scared this time... Please wake up quickly!"
Li Xian said with a trembling hand, unable to believe what had happened.
Seeing that Yu Xuzi didn't respond at all, Li Xian looked up at Shen Qing, seeking an answer. "Shen Qing, Master is just too tired and asleep, right? He's okay, isn't he?"
Shen Qing hung her head, unable to bear to answer.
No matter how much Li Xian didn't want to believe it, he had to face the reality. He paused for a moment, then raised his head and shouted, venting his grief.
The disciples guarding the mountain gate were in a head - on battle with the demonic beasts. At first, they could maintain their formation, but as the demonic beasts kept coming, they gradually couldn't hold on. Their formation was broken, and casualties began to occur among the disciples.
After the demonic beasts dealt with the disciples guarding the mountain gate, they marched up the stairs towards the mountain peak. The entire mountain was filled with thick, black demonic qi and the howls of the demonic beasts.
Hong Chaoyang had pulled herself together and started leading the disciples to fight the demonic beasts. She also arranged for the disciples to retreat in batches.
But the disciples knew clearly that even the Five Elements Dao Sect, the most powerful sect on the Nine Desolate Continent, had been occupied by the demonic beasts. Even if they escaped from here, where could they hide?
So, even when they were arranged to flee, they coldly refused and remained steadfast, fighting the demonic beasts until the last moment.
Li Xian looked sickly. Shen Qing couldn't bear to speak harshly to him. "Li Xian, we must complete the task that Master entrusted to us. Master fought with all his might to leave a glimmer of hope for the Nine Desolate Continent. We need this hope."
Li Xian gritted his teeth. The grief in his eyes turned into intense killing intent. His face was as cold as the frost on a glacier. "My master is gone. I'll make these disgusting things pay with their lives."
Seeing Li Xian stagger to his feet and lunge forward like a madman with the Chenxi Sword in hand, ready to fight the demonic beasts, he was stopped by Xue Ling and Shen Qing at the same time.
Xue Ling knew that Li Xian had temporarily lost his sanity and that his current physical condition was not suitable for battle. If he continued to fight, all the efforts to save him would be in vain. So, Xue Ling firmly blocked in front of Li Xian, preventing him from taking another step forward.
"Li Xian! Don't be so impulsive. For now, you should leave here with Shen Qing first..."
"I won't!!"
Without even thinking, Li Xian rejected Xue Ling's suggestion. He pushed Xue Ling away forcefully and took two steps forward. But due to the pain from his wounds, his knee of one leg crashed heavily onto the ground.
Shen Qing stepped forward to support Li Xian. "The mountain - protecting formation of the Five Elements Dao Sect has been broken. Our senior brothers, senior sisters, and the elders are fighting bravely in the blood. If you really want to avenge them, I'll accompany you, but not now!"
Li Xian suppressed his sobs. It felt as if a huge hand was tugging at his lungs. This heart - wrenching pain made him feel like death would be a relief.
"But Shen Qing, I feel so miserable. What should I do?"
Xue Ling sighed and handed Li Xian over to Shen Qing. Then he picked up his magical artifact and stepped forward to join the battle. The scene in front of him reminded him of his own master.
He didn't want to know about Bu Yan's news, afraid that it would be the news of his master's death. For now, he could still deceive himself into thinking that the Faying Temple was okay and his master was okay.
If he were to be honest with himself, if he learned of Bu Yan's death, he wouldn't be much calmer than Li Xian at this moment.
Li Xian had just woken up and witnessed Yu Xuzi's fall right in front of him. He couldn't control his emotions at first, but after crying, he gradually calmed down. Now, hearing the miserable cries of his fellow disciples, a bit of his rationality returned.
He took one last look at Yu Xuzi, moved his body into the hall, then turned to Shen Qing and said, "I'll complete the task that Master left behind. But I can't just abandon my fellow disciples and run away now. Shen Qing, would you be willing to go crazy with me one more time?"
Shen Qing waited for a while and replied, "Of course."
"Good! Then let's go and kill!"
Li Xian picked up his sword, leaped into the air, stuffed a few rejuvenation pills into his mouth, and charged into the horde of demonic beasts, ready to fight.
Shen Qing also wanted to step forward, but she couldn't summon the Wuwang Sword no matter what. Helpless, she had no choice but to form hand seals with both hands and use ice - based spells to fight the demonic beasts.
But since Shen Qing had just received the inheritance of the Dragon Clan, the dragon bones in her body weren't very stable yet. So, it was quite strenuous for her to cast spells.
With the addition of Shen Qing, Li Xian and others, the casualties of the disciples weren't as heavy, but the situation was still far from optimistic.
Hong Chaoyang completely cast aside her inner fear and charged to the front of the disciples. She used her sword and soft whip simultaneously, dancing them skillfully and slashing all the demonic beasts in front of her.
As soon as Shen Qing froze a group of demonic beasts into ice sculptures, more demonic beasts rushed up. She had no choice but to grit her teeth and keep casting spells.
"Junior Sister!! Come with me quickly!!" Nan Zhijin suddenly emerged from somewhere and made her way quickly through the horde of demonic beasts to Shen Qing.
When Shen Qing saw the clothing of the Main God's Hall on Nan Zhijin, she was filled with anger. The ice sculptures formed by her spells kept smashing towards Nan Zhijin.
While dodging Shen Qing's spells, Nan Zhijin shouted, "It was Yu Xuzi who sent me to take you away!!"