"Demonic beasts are here!" the cultivators suddenly shouted, rousing those who were resting to set up formations together.
These sounds also reached Lan Yan, her expression changing to one of grave concern. She peered out of the cage, hoping to see Jun Yelai, but the outside was shrouded in darkness, rendering everything invisible.
Xiao Lingling naturally heard as well. After a moment of surprise, she looked triumphantly at Lan Yan, "Lan Yan, you can't escape this time."
Lan Yan's attention was focused on the demonic beasts, leaving her no time to bother with Xiao Lingling. She looked at the rats below and said, "Take her away."
The rats, succumbing to the aura emanating from Lan Yan, scurried around Xiao Lingling's feet and pushed her away.
"Lan Yan!" Forced to retreat, Xiao Lingling pulled out her whip and lashed at the rats, but they were too fast.
Lan Yan's gaze remained fixed on the demonic beasts. As they reached the edge of the abyss, they stopped, clearing a path.
Emerging from this path was none other than Jun Yelai. He held a curved saber in his hand, his eyes chillingly fixed ahead. "Hand over my people!" he commanded.
Lan Yan wanted to watch for a little longer, but the cultivators rushed out, completely blocking her view. "..." She suppressed the urge to curse and glared at the cage before her.
Led by the sect leader of Lingshan, the cultivators raised their swords and sabers, pointing them at Jun Yelai.
"A mere demonic beast dares to cause trouble here," the Lingshan sect leader sneered, calling out behind him, "Set up the formation and kill these beasts."
As he spoke, the cultivators moved to the sides, joining in the formation.
However, Jun Yelai swung his curved saber, repelling the cultivators and shielding the demonic beasts behind him. "I said, return my people to me!" he roared, swinging his saber again, sending the cultivators tumbling to the ground.
Seeing this, the Lingshan sect leader's eyes blazed with anger. He flew into the air and launched all the swords behind him.
Jun Yelai spread his wings and met the Lingshan sect leader, repelling the swords one by one. His heart and eyes were solely focused on Lan Yan. He fiercely redirected the trajectory of the swords, sending them back towards the sect leader.
The Lingshan sect leader dodged to the side, but his disciples behind him were struck and fell. His anger intensified; this demonic beast had grown stronger!
"You think this will win you the fight? You underestimate our cultivation world!" He pulled a pill from his robe and swallowed it. His eyes became bloodshot, and his arms swelled as he lunged at Jun Yelai.
Jun Yelai frowned. It was the Lingshan sect leader who had done this last time, causing Lan Yan to fall off a cliff. He hadn't settled that score yet! He retracted his saber, his hands transforming into claws, and blocked the attack.
While Jun Yelai was blocking, the Lingshan sect leader activated the swords behind him, piercing Jun Yelai's shoulders. "Haha!"
"Hmph," Jun Yelai sneered. Disregarding the wounds, his sharp claws tore into the Lingshan sect leader's arm. Then, with a sweep of his wings, he struck the sect leader in the chest.
Before the Lingshan sect leader could react, he landed on the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood. He looked up at Jun Yelai, still suspended in the air, whose cold gaze seemed to tell him he was nothing.
"No! I haven't lost yet." His eyes flickered towards the cage behind him, seeing Lan Yan casting a spell to break the formation. He let out a laugh. "Someone bring Lan Yan to me! Let Jun Yelai see clearly."
Jun Yelai's eyes instantly turned cold, and he flew towards Lan Yan's cage but was blocked.
The Lingshan sect leader, controlling the cage with his hands, smiled sinisterly. "If you dare to move, I will shatter this cage and turn Lan Yan to dust."
The veins on Jun Yelai's hands bulged. He stared fiercely at the Lingshan sect leader. "If she dies, all of you die." Seeing Lan Yan approaching, his expression shifted from anger to concern.
"Yan'er, are you alright?"
Lan Yan looked at Jun Yelai, covered in blood, and shook her head. "Yelai, you're injured," she said worriedly.
Jun Yelai then remembered his injuries, a trace of self-reproach appearing in his eyes. "Yan'er, I'm sorry. I didn't heed your words and got injured."
He didn't want Lan Yan to worry.
Lan Yan's eyes instantly welled up. This big fool was still thinking of her at a time like this! "Yelai, it's alright. I'll apply medicine for you later."
If she wasn't here, Jun Yelai definitely wouldn't take care of himself.
Jun Yelai nodded, a slight curve appearing at the corner of his lips.
"Have you two finished your affectionate display!" the Lingshan sect leader roared, filled with rage. He walked to Lan Yan's cage and shouted at Jun Yelai, "If you want to save her, you must die."
Lan Yan gripped the bars in front of her and yelled at the Lingshan sect leader, "Sect Leader, don't let me get out. I will beat you senseless!"
She looked at Jun Yelai and shook her head. "Yelai, don't believe him."
The Lingshan sect leader moved even closer to the cage, his palm aimed at Lan Yan. With a single move, Lan Yan would surely die.
Jun Yelai hesitated not at all. "Fine. What do you want me to do?" he called out. Seeing Lan Yan's extremely worried expression, he tried to force a smile to reassure her that he was fine.
"Discard the curved saber in your hand and destroy all your meridians." This would render Jun Yelai powerless, weaker than the smallest demonic beast.
"No!" Lan Yan cried out immediately, her face filled with fear. "Yelai, listen to me, you can't do this!" Tears welled in her eyes, and she looked at Jun Yelai helplessly.
Jun Yelai smiled faintly, discarded the saber, and spread his arms. However, he didn't act immediately. He looked at the Lingshan sect leader. "How do I know you will let Lan Yan go?"
He was willing to die here, but Lan Yan could not.
The Lingshan sect leader frowned; this Jun Yelai had become smarter. "I am the Lingshan sect leader. My word is my bond. I won't lie to you in front of so many people."
After all, the life and death of a traitor meant nothing. The important thing was that with Jun Yelai dead, he could obtain Jun Yelai's demonic core!
"Alright, or I will drag all of you down with me!" Jun Yelai channeled energy to his palm and struck his left shoulder heavily, letting out a grunt.
Simultaneously, the blood on his shoulder increased, soaking his entire green robe.
Lan Yan frantically shook her head at him, trying to stop him, but Jun Yelai wouldn't listen. She couldn't bear to see Jun Yelai like this. She took a dagger from her pouch and pressed it to her throat.
"Yelai, stop."
This action stunned everyone.
Jun Yelai seized the opportunity, struck the Lingshan sect leader with a palm, entered the cage, and looked at Lan Yan, tears in his eyes. "Yan'er."
He reached out and held Lan Yan's wrist, taking the dagger away, his eyes filled with heartache.
"Yelai." Lan Yan's tears could no longer be held back, falling one by one. She threw herself into Jun Yelai's arms, hugging him tightly. She had almost lost Jun Yelai!