Lü Jing, already weakened by his wounds, was further assaulted by the Black Bat Fortress Master and the desperate effort to protect the child's soul, leaving him at the mercy of two bats that tore at his body.
Lü Jing's life hung by a thread, the child's soul was held hostage by the Black Bat Fortress Master, and the choice of who to save rested with Wen Yuxian.
Time was of the essence; she could only save one.
If she saved the child, Lü Jing would perish.
If she saved Lü Jing, the child would die.
Wen Yuxian's heart naturally leaned towards saving her great-grandchild, but Lü Jing did not deserve to die either.
As she wrestled with her decision, Lü Jing suddenly roared, "Save the child quickly! … The child is not only your great-grandchild but also Zi Tong's flesh and blood! A descendant of my Lü Shan Sect!!"
In Lü Jing's eyes, though the child shared no blood relation with him, he had long considered Lin Zi Tong his own daughter. Regarding Lin Zi Tong's offspring, he and Wen Yuxian were of the same mind!
Wen Yuxian gritted her teeth and made her choice, diverting all her flying swords to the central lotus, blocking the Black Bat Fortress Master.
Simultaneously, the two blood-sucking bats had latched onto Lü Jing, draining the last vestiges of his blood.
"Sect Leader Lü Jing!" Wen Yuxian's eyes welled with tears.
In an instant, Lü Jing's face lost all color, his entire being resembling a carved wooden effigy.
His muscles twitched, and the light in his eyes gradually faded.
Wen Yuxian knew that even if Old Jin appeared now, it would be too late to save Lü Jing.
"Alas, he is thoroughly dead."
Though the Black Bat Fortress Master had failed to harm the central lotus, he reveled in the sight of a strong cultivator perishing and Wen Yuxian's grief-stricken fury.
His appearance this time was precisely to inflict endless torment upon the Yan family.
The death of Lü Jing was merely the beginning!
Lü Jing collapsed to the ground, but the two blood-sucking bats showed no intention of leaving him alone. Instead, they stood on either side of his corpse, seemingly drawing something out.
A wisp of soul slowly drifted out from Lü Jing's body!
Wen Yuxian gasped in alarm!
These two blood-sucking bats had not only killed Lü Jing but intended to devour his soul, preventing him from ever finding peace.
"Bastard!!"
Enraged, Wen Yuxian finally had the freedom to direct her flying swords to slay the bats!
The flying swords shot forth. The two bats, keenly alert, flapped their wings and fled.
However, one bat, unable to evade in time, was pierced through the heart by several flying swords and fell lifelessly from the sky into the lotus pond!
Upon seeing this, the other bat let out a shrill cry, as if mourning its companion's demise.
The Black Bat Fortress Master's face contorted with fury. "You dare kill my children?!"
In the Black Bat Fortress Master's world, these two bats were his offspring, a male and female pair of twins.
Now, his vengeance had barely begun, and his children had perished by Wen Yuxian's blades, enraging him beyond measure.
"You killed my children, and I'll kill your descendants. We're even!"
With that, the Black Bat Fortress Master lunged towards the central lotus once more.
Wen Yuxian, overcome with grief and anger, immediately summoned her flying swords for defense, roaring, "Do not dare compare your vile creations to my great-grandchild!"
Her flying swords formed a shield before the Black Bat Fortress Master, ensuring that any attack from any angle would be met with sharp points.
Yet, the Black Bat Fortress Master showed no fear. His body suddenly exploded into black mist, bypassing the sword shield and reaching the central lotus!
Wen Yuxian's expression turned grave.
She had failed to save Lü Jing, and if she lost the child too, she would be ashamed to face Yan Shouyi and Lin Zi Tong.
Therefore, Wen Yuxian unleashed her full power, transforming into a ball of ghostly energy that materialized between the Black Bat Fortress Master and the central lotus!
The black mist and ghostly energy clashed and intertwined, turning into a struggle of strength between the two.
Wen Yuxian desperately tried to push the Black Bat Fortress Master away from the central lotus, while he pressed down on her with all his might.
"Years ago, your son crippled my cultivation. I bided my time for a full twenty years, my strength only growing stronger! If your son were here, I might still fear him a little, but you are merely a dead old woman. How dare you contend with me?!"
The Black Bat Fortress Master cackled, his ghostly energy gradually overpowering Wen Yuxian's.
Wen Yuxian's heart pounded with urgency. She realized she was no match for the Black Bat Fortress Master. Yet, with everyone focused on the arena, no one would come to her aid even if she cried out for help.
I will protect the child, even if it means death!
Every second counts!
Witnessing Lü Jing's death, Wen Yuxian had already prepared herself for her own demise.
However, the surviving blood-sucking bat surprisingly bypassed Wen Yuxian and landed beside the central lotus!
Wen Yuxian cried out in alarm!
In this critical moment, Lü Jing summoned four Ghost Kings with his last ounce of strength, who simultaneously attacked the blood-sucking bat with their weapons!
The blood-sucking bat unleashed a burst of light, fending off all four Ghost Kings!
Wen Yuxian then noticed a blood-red talisman affixed to the bat's chest.
The Black Bat Fortress Master's ambush was not a spur-of-the-moment act. He had meticulously prepared, aiming to eradicate the Yan family's lineage.
The bat blocked the four Ghost Kings' attacks and raised its claws, intending to destroy the central lotus!
"No!!"
Wen Yuxian screamed, frantically shaking off the Black Bat Fortress Master to rush and save the child.
However, the Black Bat Fortress Master, unwilling to give her the chance, also fought with all his might to restrain Wen Yuxian!
Unable to break free, Wen Yuxian could only watch helplessly as the bat's claws descended, her heart sinking into the abyss.
Do not... do not harm the child...
That is Shouyi and Zi Tong's child, the treasure of our Yan family...
Despair flickered in Wen Yuxian's eyes.
Meanwhile, the Black Bat Fortress Master's face beamed with excitement.
Finally, my revenge will be served!
"Begone!!!"
At the critical juncture, a furious roar erupted from above the lotus pond.
The deafening cry shook the Black Bat Fortress Master's dark mist, and the blood-sucking bat, clutching its ears in agony, froze momentarily.
The next second, a figure appeared behind the blood-sucking bat and smashed its head into pieces with a single punch!
The fallen blood-sucking bat plunged lifelessly into the lotus pond.
The man cradled the central lotus, and only upon finding it unharmed did he breathe a sigh of relief.
The Black Bat Fortress Master, regaining his senses, recoiled in terror upon seeing the newcomer, revealing his true form with a look of fear.
"Yan Chou... you couldn't have come at a worse time!"
Yan Chou's gaze swept across the scene. Upon seeing Lü Jing's corpse, his expression turned exceedingly grim.
His eyes fixed intently on the Black Bat Fortress Master, his voice laced with ferocity, "You... are seeking death!"