Some Cloud-Piercing Beasts agilely dodged them. The people on their backs then unleashed red light spells, striking at the mechanical beasts. Those mechanical beasts were powered by the souls of spirit beasts, controlled by beast souls, making them somewhat sluggish and difficult to evade. Most attacks hit their mark.
However, the mechanical beasts were resilient and felt no pain. Even if a leg was severed, they would rise again, albeit crookedly. Even if their entire backs were cut off, they would immediately flip over and get back up, then spray beams of light at the approaching enemies.
For a time, they managed to keep the invaders outside the barrier.
Just then, a colossal Cloud-Piercing Beast suddenly appeared out of nowhere. In a flash, it smashed a massive hole in the barrier.
Simultaneously, as if a teleportation array existed outside the breach, countless Cloud-Piercing Beasts, other demonic beasts, and various demons swarmed in, a continuous wave.
The mechanical beasts converged towards the breach. Thousands of figures concentrated towards that single point from all directions.
As the invading demonic beasts and demons charged, they formed a flow of spiritual energy that violently surged forward.
The converging mechanical beasts were instantly scattered, most reduced to dust in an instant, leaving only their beast souls to flee into the air.
Only a few mechanical beasts lay on the ground, their limbs and wings gone, unable to move. They remained there, spitting beams of light towards the sky.
The mechanical beasts were annihilated in an instant. Guan Shicheng, showing no fear, formed a hand seal.
"Yan Yang Huo Shen Jue!" A figure completely enveloped in crimson fire surged forward like an overwhelming tide, sweeping towards the stream of spiritual energy.
As the two clashed, the torrent formed by the demonic beasts and demons plunged into the sea of fire. Sparks flew, and flames bloomed outwards in all directions.
The demonic beasts and demons at the front were rapidly melted, while those behind were thrown about haphazardly.
The flames of the sea of fire also scattered in all directions, gradually dissipating.
Concurrently, Guan Shicheng's body was sent flying backward. At that moment, a white light shot out from the tide of demonic beasts and demons, flashing like lightning, and struck Guan Shicheng's body.
It sent Guan Shicheng flying like an arrow, crashing down like a meteor.
As the gap widened and more and more demonic beasts and demons poured into the barrier, a few soldiers bravely stepped forward, only to be instantly swallowed. The remaining soldiers fled in all directions.
Seeing the barrier breached and the enemy forces advancing in full force, Wu Fan did not hesitate. He waved his hand, intending to command his disciples to advance and hold them back.
Ren Kui said, "Sect Master, the enemy is too powerful. We cannot hold them. With just these few hundred people and our cultivation, we are not even enough to fill their teeth."
Wu Fan retorted, "What nonsense are you spouting? If you don't go, I won't go, and no one goes, are we just going to watch them charge through, ravage everything, and slaughter the innocent?"
Ren Kui replied, "It doesn't matter if we go to our deaths, but Sect Master, have you considered the future of our Lingxiao Sect?"
Wu Fan was suddenly stunned.
After knocking Guan Shicheng over, the white light suddenly stopped. A humanoid form appeared in the air. Clad in white robes with flowing black hair, it was a handsome young man, leisurely fanning himself with a folding fan, exuding utmost grace.
At this moment, Guan Shicheng transformed into a sea of fire once more, engulfing the white-robed young man.
The white-robed young man laughed heartily, gently fanning his fan. A clear stream, like a tide crashing against a dam, surged upwards. At its peak, it rolled back and pressed down with the might of Mount Tai.
The sea of fire was blown into a thousand fiery waves, scattering in all directions.
The white-robed young man flickered and surged forward. The seven-petaled lotus in his hand spun, forming a swirling vortex that blew away the scattered sparks.
The white-robed young man transformed into a streak of white light once more, charging fiercely at Guan Shicheng.
With a resounding boom, as if striking diamond, the white-robed young man was sent flying backward and fell to the ground.
The white-robed young man looked up in terror. Before Guan Shicheng stood a colossal mechanical beast, completely blocking him.
Before the white-robed young man could even stand up, the mechanical beast opened its mouth and unleashed a beam of light like an ocean tide, dazzling and brilliant, like falling stars. It surged and struck the white-robed young man.
The white-robed young man continued to spin the seven-petaled lotus, shredding and tearing the beam of light layer by layer.
"Qian Si Wan Lu!" Suddenly, a black shadow flashed. Spiritual energy bodies as fine as a thousand strands of hair erupted, fiercely piercing into the mechanical beast's body. With a roar, the mechanical beast exploded, scattering into countless particles in the air.
The myriad black threads continued to surge forward, striking at Guan Shicheng. Guan Shicheng was greatly alarmed. In a moment of inspiration, he hastily summoned his flying sword, which spun rapidly before him, forming an impenetrable defense.
The black threads appeared light and ethereal, yet when the flying sword struck them, sparks flew, as if striking steel.
Amidst the flying sparks, the black threads snapped one by one. However, a few escaped, silently and stealthily piercing into Guan Shicheng's body.
In the blink of an eye, a black-clothed girl stood beside the white-robed young man, emanating dark energy and a chilling aura.
There was also a shadowy figure, drifting ambiguously, sometimes to the left, sometimes to the right, yet remaining composed, not attacking anyone, as if everything in the field was irrelevant to him.
At this moment, the Cloud-Piercing Beasts and other demonic beasts and demons bypassed the confrontation between the few individuals and fled in all directions, attempting to break into the Nine God Realm.
Ahead lay a mountain. Once they crossed this mountain, they would reach the vast lands of the Nine God Realm. The beasts and people were filled with excitement and anticipation.
Wu Fan and the others stood on one side of the mountain pass, occasionally being impacted by stray demonic beasts. They struggled to resist, let alone stop the torrent from surging forward.
Guan Shicheng lay silently on the ground, tears in his eyes.
He was filled with regret. All of this was his own doing.
If he had not been arrogant and stubborn, he would not have ended up fighting alone. If those people had not left, they could have at least held on for a while, perhaps long enough for reinforcements to arrive.
But now, the invaders were breaking through like a bamboo, advancing unimpeded. What disasters would they bring to the Nine God Realm and even the Southern Continent?
What was the use of thinking about it now?
The great mistake had already been made, and regret was futile.
He slowly stood up, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, which he ignored.
His eyes held a look of defiance in the face of death, a resolve for mutual destruction.
Just then, the mountaintop suddenly teemed with figures, blotting out the sky.
"Are reinforcements here?" Guan Shicheng turned his head, his eyes filled with joy.
Over ten thousand troops immediately entered the fray. Beams of light and energy crisscrossed, flashes of brilliance illuminated the sky, and all sorts of spells and divine abilities were unleashed upon the opposing army of demonic beasts and demons.
The army of demonic beasts and demons did not flinch, continuing to charge at their original speed, plunging into the reinforcements of the Qionglou Realm.
Their surging momentum was unstoppable. Beams of light and energy shattered, and people in the middle of the Qionglou Realm army fell. The demonic beast and demon horde plunged through the center, like a mudslide cascading down a mountain slope, sweeping away all obstacles along the valley and forcefully carving a path.
The first formation encountered was that of the Lingdu Sect, which was quickly broken through. However, the speed of the demonic beast and demon horde also slowed down.
Suddenly, a figure appeared in the middle of the torrent. The Qiankun Circle was unleashed, emitting a brilliant radiance. With a sweep, it sent the demonic beasts reeling, many turning into minced meat on the spot, while others, covered in blood, crawled on the ground.
The demons retreated rapidly.
The demonic beast horde behind surged forward, trampling, and the torrent became a chaotic mess.
Those demonic beasts and demons that had passed Mo Qi's position became isolated. Some of the cultivators from the Lingdu Sect on the fringes quickly surrounded them, cutting off their retreat. Due to the lack of follow-up, their charge was no longer as fierce, and the path ahead was soon blocked.
As Mo Qi used the Qiankun Circle to fend off the continuously surging demonic beasts and demons, other soldiers from the third tier, including Tang Qianyu, attacked them from the flanks.
In an instant, the fierce tide of demonic beasts and demons was halted.
The pressure on the disciples of the Lingxiao Sect was relieved. From a purely defensive stance, they gradually transitioned to active offense, with many venturing deep into the demonic beast horde.
However, even more demons and demonic beasts continued to pour in from the breach in the barrier, an endless stream.
If the breach was not sealed, all efforts would be in vain.
Mo Qi thought of using his telekinetic power to repair the barrier and then moved towards it.
To alleviate the pressure on Tang Qianyu and the others, he continuously unleashed the Qiankun Circle to eliminate the surrounding demonic beasts.
At this moment, he saw several familiar faces, which shocked him immensely: "The cultivators who voluntarily came to help are actually disciples of the Lingxiao Sect."
Zhao Zhou also saw him and shouted excitedly, "Vice Sect Master! Vice Sect Master!"
All the disciples of the Lingxiao Sect looked towards him, some beaming with joy, others teary-eyed!
Mo Qi was also filled with emotion. He cast a smile at Zhao Zhou and then continued to press forward.
At this moment, he saw a slightly desolate and hunched figure also heading towards the barrier.
It was Wu Fan!
He couldn't help but tremble inwardly, his body freezing in mid-air.
He hadn't expected to see him on this occasion, in this manner.
How should he face him?
Hatred? There had never been any.
Anger? It had long since vanished.
Excitement? Don't be ridiculous.
At this moment, people and beasts were pouring in from the breach in the barrier like a tide. With Wu Fan's cultivation, he couldn't even get close to the breach.
Then why was he going there? Going there without being able to do anything was truly overestimating himself.
Mo Qi unleashed the Ding Long Pearl. A crimson light erupted and swept down, enveloping the demonic beasts and demons, instantly turning them into stone sculptures, standing motionless.
Some of the stone sculptures blocked the opening, and at that moment, they halted the advance of the demonic beasts and demons from the other side of the barrier.
Wu Fan glanced back and saw Mo Qi. A hint of relief flashed in his eyes, along with a smile.
Mo Qi also smiled.
The next moment, Wu Fan turned his head, formed a hand seal, and extended his finger forward. Fresh red blood gushed out like an opened faucet towards the breach in the barrier.
It formed a thin red mist, filling the breach layer by layer.
He was going to transform himself into the barrier!
Mo Qi immediately used his teleportation skill, appearing behind Wu Fan, intending to stop him: "Old man..."
To his horror, as the blood flowed out, Wu Fan's entire body rapidly shriveled and withered.
Wu Fan glanced at him gently: "You're back?"
Mo Qi nodded: "I'm back."
A faint smile appeared on Wu Fan's pale lips: "It's good that you're back."
Mo Qi's eyes were blurry with tears: "Old man, why must you do this?"
"I am so old, and my cultivation is so low. Facing the invasion of demons, if I do nothing, I would be ashamed to continue living. I can do what little I can," Wu Fan said, his lips dry and his breath weak.
"There are still so many people. The world isn't just you!"
"If I don't go to hell, who will?" Wu Fan said resolutely.
"Old man, can I stop you?" Mo Qi's vision was blurred by tears as he watched the endless flow of fresh blood.