C20 Change

Xing Yun spoke up again, "Tell me, does everyone in your sect who inherits this technique bear the surname Li?"

Seeing Xing Yun initiate conversation, Lee Xiao'er felt somewhat relieved. She shook her head and said, "No, the surname is actually Xiao. My mother is a Xiao. It's just that my father's surname is Li. I've never met my father, and it was under the sect's pressure that my mother insisted I take my father's surname."

Xing Yun was delighted. "So, the authentic inheritors of this technique all have the surname Xiao?"

"Exactly!" Lee Xiao'er responded promptly.

Xing Yun was inwardly thrilled, yet outwardly he remained composed as he directed the wolf pack troops to head north.

"It appears that members of Xiao Ying's lineage have found their way to the Shadowlands, and in the process, the inheritance has been lost, resulting in this incomplete version."

Xing Yun started to contemplate how to make contact with Lee Xiao'er's sect to learn more about the situation.

When a tree falls, the monkeys scatter; when a wall collapses, everyone pushes it over.

After his fall, even though his disciples were unlikely to betray him, the Infinite Cosmos was filled with numerous powerful beings. Many Exalted realm experts had already been eyeing Xing Yun's throne, and the fate of his followers and kin could only be imagined.

"Do you recognize our Xiao family lineage?" Lee Xiao'er asked, puzzled.

Xing Yun smiled and replied, "I can't explain right now, but I apologize for secretly learning the technique earlier."

"You, of all people, are apologizing to me..." Lee Xiao'er was astounded.

This young man, who seemed to have the world at his fingertips, was actually apologizing to her?

Xing Yun nodded and said, "I, Xing Yun, do not hold grudges against women, nor am I a person of unreason. You should head back to Grimgarth for now; it's safe there."

"No!" Lee Xiao'er refused outright, her expression stern. "As a member of the Order of the Celestial Veil, I cannot ignore the plight of the innocent. I will join you in holding back the Hellbeast horde!"

Xing Yun finally gave Lee Xiao'er his full attention and nodded slightly, "It seems the Order of the Celestial Veil isn't completely corrupt; there must be truly honorable people within it. If I ever confront the Order of the Celestial Veil, I will take the circumstances into account and show restraint. Follow me!"

Having finished speaking, Xing Yun turned and commanded the wolves to hasten their pace.

Lee Xiao'er remained noncommittal about Xing Yun's words. Did a minor city like Grimgarth truly believe it could stand against the Order of the Celestial Veil?

She couldn't fathom that, despite Xing Yun's impressive martial skills, taking on a behemoth like the Order of the Celestial Veil would be anything short of suicidal!

Yet today, Xing Yun had managed to alter her perspective, and that was a fact.

The Scarlet Fire Hawks, swiftly approaching from the sky, were now merely a hundred yards from Xing Yun's troops. Closing the distance was only a matter of time for the Scarlet Fire Hawks.

A fierce battle was imminent!

Xing Yun, with a grave expression, watched the Scarlet Fire Hawks in the sky and directed the wolves into a thicker part of the forest.

The Scarlet Fire Hawks hesitated to dive recklessly due to the forest below, which posed a risk of them becoming prey to the wolves.

This provided Xing Yun's troops with a much-needed respite. By this time, two hundred of his soldiers had fallen, and over five hundred had sustained injuries.

A hundred of those with severe wounds were taken by Xing Yun into the Voidlands for healing.

Ling Ji observed the unfolding events in silence. To divert the direction of the Beast Tide, Xing Yun had chosen to use his own troops as bait, a sacrifice that made the harsh reality even harder for her to accept.

In her eyes, Xing Yun had never been a great villain, but he wasn't exactly a good man either.

Yet the lord of Grimgarth, infamous in the Shadowlands for his indiscretion with the saintess, had indeed made a sacrificial move for the city, causing her to question her previous judgment.

Meanwhile, as the wolves at the rear were in hot pursuit of Xing Yun's troops, the tremors in the ground grew increasingly intense. Suddenly, a multitude of colossal beasts emerged from the dense northern forest.

Lee Xiao'er focused her gaze and involuntarily inhaled sharply, "This is trouble!"

Before them lay countless greyish-black rhinos — the Second Ranked Hellbeast, Stone Rhinos!

With their massive bodies, each two fathoms in length and one fathom in width, these stone rhinos appeared in the hundreds, ready to effortlessly trample any Rank One Hellbeast army.

"Excellent!"

Xing Yun burst into hearty laughter. "The bigger the commotion, the better!"

Hundreds of Stone Rhinos charged as one, trampling the vegetation beneath them, with Xing Yun's troops squarely in their sights!

"To encounter such a severe Beast Tide on the outskirts? We must investigate the cause..."

Despite his excitement, Xing Yun charged cautiously toward the north.

Lee Xiao'er was inwardly alarmed. "He must be out of his mind..."

Facing so many Stage 2 Hellbeasts, Xing Yun didn't flee but instead charged toward them!

"Spread out! Follow my lead!"

At Xing Yun's command, the wolf pack dispersed, trailing him to the northwest.

Lee Xiao'er remained silent, sticking close to Xing Yun. Though not fully recovered, her Azure Paragon strength was more than sufficient to keep pace with him.

"Moo!"

The Stone Rhinos bellowed like calves and charged at Xing Yun's forces, kicking up a dusty yellow airflow beneath their hooves.

Clumsy as they were, the Stone Rhinos were bolstered by Spiritual Qi, making them a formidable challenge for any Awakened Soul warrior or Stage 2 Hellbeast to provoke!

The airflow beneath their feet quickened their pace, making them momentarily faster than even the Rock Wolf King!

In an instant, Xing Yun's troops were assaulted by the Stone Rhino herd.

Thankfully, Xing Yun had preemptively ordered his troops to scatter. With the Rock Wolves and Stormblade Wolves being much smaller than the Stone Rhinos, those injured were swiftly taken into the Voidlands, mitigating the losses.

Nevertheless, Xing Yun's Hellbeast army suffered over a dozen casualties.

Enraged by the humans' cunning tactic of dispersing their forces, the Stone Rhinos bared their massive jaws and spewed streams of molten rock at the distant Xing Yun.

Hundreds of lava streams surged forth, striking several Rock Wolves instantly and petrifying them into statues, which were then shattered under the furious stomps of the Stone Rhinos.

Xing Yun, with Lee Xiao'er in tow, made a beeline for the northwest, the relentless pursuit of the wolf pack and Stone Rhinos close on their heels.

"Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!"

As Xing Yun's troops were compelled to burst forth from the dense forest, a multitude of Crimson Fire Eagles dove from the sky, spewing slender streams of fire.

Xing Yun's pack of wolves suffered heavy losses, with dozens incinerated by the intense, fiery strands!

Simultaneously, from the northwest, hundreds of towering figures emerged, their eyes glowing green as they fixed their gaze on Xing Yun.

They were hundreds of Second Rank Stormblade Wolf Kings, merely a few hundred feet from Xing Yun!

"Oh my god..." Lee Xiao'er felt a wave of despair wash over her.

However, she quickly noticed Xing Yun's unflappable demeanor and gathered her courage, offering, "I'll cover our retreat..."

"No need! Stay close and keep silent!" Xing Yun instructed urgently, then led his troops in a swift change of direction toward the northwest.

Surrounded from above, the west, east, and south, Xing Yun's forces were under siege from all sides, with only the northeast offering an escape route.

Xing Yun's Rock Wolves and Stormblade Wolves unleashed wind blades and torrents of shattered rock at the Crimson Fire Eagles, forcing the already wary creatures to decelerate their assault.

Seizing the moment, Xing Yun brandished his sword, channeling his Astral Power into the blade before unleashing a mighty swing—

Sword Sweep Across the Nine Regions!

The formidable Astral Power morphed into a sword qi dozens of feet long, sweeping through the air. Then, the sword qi burst apart, transforming into countless tiny swords that dispersed and hurtled toward the flock of Crimson Fire Eagles.

Caught off guard, the eagles desperately flapped their wings to evade, but over a hundred were struck down. Their piercing cries echoed through the sky as they plummeted to the ground.

"Incredible!" Lee Xiao'er was thrilled, yet she dared not utter a sound, silently admiring the feat.

It was a martial technique even more astounding than the incomplete version of the Phantom Waltz she had performed at the Awakened Soul Stage!

Xing Yun exhaled, and with a mere thought, the Spire of the Infinite within the Voidlands radiated a chaotic glow.

In a fleeting moment, all the giant wolves under Xing Yun's command erupted with a surge of Astral Power, then darted toward the northeast with astonishing velocity.

The carcass of the Crimson Flame Hawk hit the ground, and numerous Stormblade Wolf Kings, as if having found a precious treasure, swarmed to feast upon it.

The airborne Crimson Flame Hawks, witnessing the scene below, shifted their focus and swooped down on the Stormblade Wolf pack. A fierce battle ensued.

The Stormblade Wolf King let out a summoning howl, calling forth a Rank One Stormblade Wolf from a distance to join the fray. The air was filled with fire and slicing wind blades as the two sides clashed relentlessly.

Meanwhile, only the Rock Wolf and Stone Rhino packs continued their pursuit of Xing Yun.

"Did you anticipate this all along?" Lee Xiao'er couldn't help but inquire.

"Indeed! But this is merely a stopgap solution," Xing Yun replied with a nod.

Lee Xiao'er's eyes lit up as if she had stumbled upon a hidden treasure, looking back at the battling Stormblade Wolf Kings and Crimson Flame Hawks. "Genius!"

Someone had actually managed to provoke infighting among the Hellbeasts during the onslaught!

However, it wasn't long before the Stormblade Wolves and Crimson Flame Hawks ceased their skirmish and realigned to resume their chase after Xing Yun. To the Hellbeasts, humans were the ultimate foe!

Xing Yun continued his relentless dash to the northeast. When thousands of Rock Wolves joined the chase, he redirected his forces and made a sudden break for the northwest.

Stormblade Wolf Kings, Rock Wolf Kings, Stone Rhinos, Stormblade Wolves, Rock Wolves, Crimson Flame Hawks...

Xing Yun's forces had successfully drawn all the Hellbeasts from both the periphery and the depths of the Demonic Spine into a frenzied chase toward the northwest.

As they fled, the Astral Power sustaining Xing Yun's wolf clan army dwindled, and their pace significantly decreased.

The hundreds of Stormblade Wolf Kings and Rock Wolf Kings were rapidly closing in on Xing Yun's forces, now only thirty meters away.

"We can't escape after all..."

Lee Xiao'er allowed herself a wry smile, then her expression turned resolute. "Xing Yun, the Order of the Celestial Veil is well aware of your dedication to Grimgarth. I will cover our retreat while you head back to organize the defense. Once my mother returns, you can explain everything to her."

"Freeze!"

Xing Yun's expression grew increasingly grave as he rallied all his forces back to the Voidlands. Without hesitation, he scooped up Lee Xiao'er and continued their escape to the northwest.

"What are you doing? I can run on my own. Put me down!" Lee Xiao'er protested, her embarrassment and anger evident as she lightly punched Xing Yun's chest.

She was convinced that Xing Yun was seizing the chance to take liberties with her.

"What's the point of you running?" Xing Yun retorted, giving the beauty in his arms a dismissive glance before unleashing the Astral Power beneath his feet.

In an instant, Xing Yun had left the pursuing wolves far behind.

Lee Xiao'er's indignation subsided, her cheeks flushed to a deep crimson, and she fell silent, not daring to utter another word.

Just then, a sinister black aura surged from the distance, striking the wolves trailing behind Xing Yun and Lee Xiao'er. In a mere moment, it annihilated every Stormblade Wolf King and Rock Wolf King in its path—a testament to its devastating might.

"Mother!" Lee Xiao'er exclaimed in delight. But soon after, a wave of anxiety washed over her, and she quickly wriggled out of Xing Yun's arms to stand her ground.