The Array Formation was successfully activated and Xiao Hong breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Xue Hun, who was the first one to reach the barrier, attacked it ruthlessly, condensing a massive demonic claw and tearing at the Formation barrier.

Boom! 

The barrier, however, remained completely unharmed and only rippled slightly!

Unconvinced, he attacked once again; this time with even greater ferocity!

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! 

He attacked relentlessly like a man possessed. He unleashed attack after attack - demonic claws, sword qi slashes, and gigantic balls of blood inundated the Formation, yet, it held on. The ripples grew weaker and weaker with every attack as the Formation gained more and more strength.

Xue Hun’s face twisted into a hideous scowl, as he panted from the intense exertion of his Demonic Qi, “I don’t believe I cannot shatter this puny Formation!”

He retreated a short distance before pulling out a jet-black sword that was covered in deep purple marks. The purple marks wriggled and glowed and pulsated like a beating heart. It gave the sword an eerie sense of vitality; of life. 

Xue Hun raised the Sword above his head, pouring the greatest quantity of Demonic Zhenqi he could muster, causing the purple marks to glow brightly and pulsate more vigorously. He took a deep breath and swung it down with all his might, screaming so loud his voice cracked into shrill noise, “Sky Rending Sword!”

A titanic, deep purple arc of Sword Qi sliced through the air, slicing towards the Undead Wood Life Protecting Formation at a breakneck speed. It descended upon the Formation like the wrath of an Evil God!

Boooom! Screeeech!! 

An ear-piercing shrill noise tore through the ears of everyone present, yet no one cared. Every Cultivator stared fixedly at the point of contact where the deep purple Sword Qi and the barrier produced by the Formation were clashing. They stayed frozen with bated breaths - as if they were afraid their breaths would change the result.

The screeching noise continued as the barrier and the arc of Sword Qi clashed. The barrier rippled violently as though it would break, causing the hearts of the Purple Spirit Sect’s disciples to jump to their throats. 

Yet, it held on.

It held on and didn’t break!

The arc of Sword Qi slowly dissipated, but the Formation Barrier remained intact!

“Haha!” Upon confirming the effectiveness of the Array Formation, the disciples cheered! If it weren’t for the fact that they still had enemies to deal with, they would have thrown up their weapons and started a victory dance on the spot! 

They were mostly safe now that they had locked out the most fearsome enemies, leaving only those at and below the 7th Disaster. With Gu Ran’s and Jun Meiling’s help, the remaining Demonic Cultivators would not be able to do anything at all!

Xue Hun floated outside the barrier panting like a dog. His face was twisted in a hideous scowl as he glared balefully at the disciples inside the barrier with a clenched jaw. His Killing Intent blazed and his Cultivation Base roiled, yet he was unable to do anything.  He could only stare at them in impotent rage! All because of…

‘All because of that bitch!’ His gaze settled on the girl, who was so ridiculously beautiful that the world seemed to dim around her. The girl seemed to have sensed his gaze and turned to him, a mocking smirk appearing on her face. 

The smug look on the bitch caused his Killing Intent and wrath to surge to the Heavens like a volcanic eruption! He couldn’t help but roar out, “Just you wait, bitch! I’ll show you what it means to offend me! Just hope that I never get my hands on you! Because if I do…” A sneer carved itself on his face as his gaze roved all over her body.

“Yeah, yeah!” Xiao Hong dismissively waved her hands, “You’ll humiliate me and do bad things and all that. But you can’t do anything now, right? So, scram. You’re being an eyesore.” She flicked her wrist like shooing away a stray dog.

“You! How dare you?!” He roared, voice empowered by Zhenqi. Xue Hun’s aura erupted and battered against the Formation barrier, causing a very small ripple.

“Tsk, tsk.” Xiao Hong gave Xue Hun a look of utter contempt, “How small.” 

“Arghh!” Xue Hun screamed like a madman, battering the Formation barrier with attacks! It was only after he had almost completely exhausted himself that he stopped. Just as he was about to say something, a voice interrupted him.

“Forget it, Fellow Daoist Xue.” Mo Qingzhu’s voice interrupted as she flew over to Xue Hun. “There’s no point in arguing with her. She’s just using your wrath to stall for time, hoping the reinforcements arrive to deal with us.”

Indeed. If, after being told to scram by Xiao Hong, he really did retreat, he would feel incredibly humiliated. As prideful as he seemed to be, it might even end up becoming an Inner Demon for him. Moreover, Demonic Cultivators tended to be much more susceptible to Inner Demons because of their Cultivation Methods.

So Xiao Hong wanted to use his pride against him. Of course, she did not really know that he really was that prideful. But he definitely looked arrogant. And he seemed to be someone of status within the Blood Sea Sect since he could cultivate the Blood Sea Scripture - these Demonic Cultivators had rather unstable emotions. So she thought, why not give it a try? 

If she really succeeded in stalling, she could get revenge in advance. 

Of course, the likelihood of such a thing happening was not great.

Sadly, Mo Qingzhu ruined her ‘carefully thought-out’ plan.

Mo Qingzhu directed a long, hard stare at Xiao Hong before turning away. Xue Hun also huffed angrily and retreated along with the other 8th Disaster Demonic Cultivators and a few lower Demonic Cultivators who were lucky enough to not be locked inside the Formation.

***

After the departure of the 8th Disaster Demonic Cultivators, Gu Ran’s grin widened as his eyes settled upon the Demonic Cultivators trapped inside the Formation.

Jun Meiling also had a mocking smile on her face.

Similarly, the rest of the disciples cast very, very unfriendly gazes towards them.

“Hehehe, now that your strongest backing has disappeared, what are you going to do?” A disciple of the Purple Spirit Sect sneered. 

Looking at the intense Killing Intent in the eyes of the opponents they had been happily suppressing until now, the Demonic Cultivators felt cold sweat form on their backs. Their opponents’ cruel Killing Intent was like a sharp sword pointed directly at their necks, just short of drawing blood. 

There was no way their opponents would let them go.

It seemed to them that they were truly done for!

This time, it was the Demonic Cultivators who felt an unprecedented fear in their hearts - evident from their pale faces and clammy hands. The disciples of the Purple Spirit Sect slowly surrounded them. 

Even though they had greater numbers, they still did not feel even an ounce of safety - because there were two monsters who could fight against three 8th Disasters on their own! 

Especially that fellow named Gu Ran - with the advantage they had before, they could afford to pay some attention to the fights at the highest level. Therefore they could clearly see the situation. This fellow, despite being at the 7th Disaster, could suppress the Saintess candidate of the Harmonious Heavenly Bliss Sect who had partnered up with her Sect mates!

What’s more, he actually seemed to be more powerful than Jun Meiling, who was barely able to match the injured Xue Hun and his partners.

They had thought that he was burning much more of his Cultivation Base at first, but now… 

Look at that perfectly healthy, red face! Does that look like someone who’d just used a Cultivation Burning Secret Technique?!

If it weren’t for his weakened Life Aura, they would think he was perfectly fine!

Just as the Demonic Cultivators were falling into despair, they heard a loud voice that seemed to deliver them from despair!

“Fellow Daoists of the Immortal Path, I suggest you let us go!” A blonde 7th Disaster Demonic Cultivator, who could be considered a small leader among them, spoke up. His shrewd eyes observed the Purple Spirit Sect’s Cultivators, “Even if we are objectively much weaker than you, we would still put up a fierce resistance to keep our lives!

“At that time, even if you guys win, there will definitely be casualties on your side!

“Your Purple Spirit Sect has already suffered heavy losses this time, can you truly bear to make more losses?

“Even if your side has two 8th Disaster Experts, they would not be able to protect everyone, right?”

He turned to Gu Ran and Jun Meiling, “Moreover, you two are seriously injured, aren’t you? After all, the Cultivation Burning Techniques come with side effects. If I’m not wrong, the both of you are already dealing with severe sequelae, right?”

Even if Gu Ran looked perfectly healthy, his weakened Life Aura told a completely different story.

The disciples who were raring to go, immediately shut up. What he said was actually true. They had already suffered tremendous losses and the desperate resistance of these Demonic Cultivators would only create more losses for them.

It had to be said - this Demonic Cultivator had grasped their weakness perfectly!

Jun Meiling bit her lips in frustration. Indeed, that was the case. She really could not afford to fight any longer. Although she looked only slightly pale outside, internally, she was already suffering from severe sequelae - her Meridians were sore and cracked and her Dantian was shrivelled. Every movement she made was laborious - like she was moving mountains rather than limbs. 

She really did not want to let them go. It made her feel helpless and weak. She turned to Gu Ran, the only other person who had Battle Power rivalling or even surpassing her own.

Gu Ran felt the numerous stares directed at him and fell into thought.