C23 The Situation Suddenly Changed

A highborn demon!

A highborn demon had actually appeared!

Moreover, from the Demon's Lair behind the highborn demon, thousands of lowborn demons surged forth.

Yet at this moment, the lowborn demons refrained from a mindless charge. Instead, they closely followed the highborn demon, even maintaining an orderly formation.

Shen Wuyou, atop the watchtower, was gripped by intense anxiety.

The sudden emergence of a highborn demon in Redrock Town, though solitary, exerted a pressure on Shen Wuyou that far surpassed the tens of thousands of lowborn demons.

The highborn demon halted less than thirty feet from Chiying, and the lowborn demons behind her also came to a standstill, their bloodthirsty and greedy eyes fixated straight ahead.

The two sides were now in close proximity, allowing Shen Wuyou to clearly discern the features of the highborn demon.

Aside from the horn on her forehead, the highborn demon's appearance and stature were almost indistinguishable from a human's. Judged by human standards of beauty, she could even be considered attractive.

Yet the murderous intent in her eyes and the chilling demonic aura she radiated were truly terrifying.

A formidable presence emanated from the highborn demon.

Peak of the Nascent Infant stage!

This highborn demon's power was on par with the peak of the Nascent Infant stage!

Chiying was merely at the early Nascent Infant stage, and the twenty guards were at the Golden Core level.

Despite their numerical advantage and seamless teamwork, facing this highborn demon was a perilous endeavor!

But as the loyal warriors of the King of Dawnward, neither Chiying nor the twenty guards showed any sign of fear.

They could not afford to fear or falter. Should they fall, a peak Nascent Infant highborn demon would be capable of annihilating Redrock Town without sparing a single soul.

"Prepare yourselves!"

At Chiying's command, the twenty guards erupted with the spiritual energy unique to cultivators.

A battle-hungry smile spread across the face of the highborn demon, whose beauty was marred by her demonic nature.

"Attack!"

With her long spear thrusting forward like a dragon, the highborn demon launched an assault on Chiying with the force of a siege.

At that moment, Chiying had pushed the Azure Frost Mantra to its extreme. A bone-chilling cold enveloped her, as snow and frost swirled together.

Their confrontation erupted with a formidable impact. Demonic energy, laced with shards of ice, scattered in every direction, hitting the nearest townspeople with a shockwave that made them cough up blood.

In an instant, dozens of townspeople lay on the ground, their screams piercing the air.

This was a battle between cultivators.

Ordinary people had no place in such a fight; even spectating could bring disaster upon them.

"Retreat, everyone retreat!!!" Shen Wuyou commanded the townspeople without hesitation.

Against a highborn demon, the townspeople's bravery and fearlessness mattered little; they stood no chance. Any attempt to engage would be a futile sacrifice.

At present, in Redrock Town, only Chiying and the twenty guards could stand against a highborn demon!

A single highborn demon had the power to turn the tide of battle!

Descending from the watchtower, Shen Wuyou urgently instructed, "Everyone, fall back into the town! Ergou! Fetch all the remaining gunpowder from the factory, and be quick about it!"

"Come with me to the factory!" Ergou, leading a few others, dashed toward the factory with utmost speed.

"Xie Shi, Zhang Lao-Qi!" Shen Wuyou turned to two others, "Take the elderly, the weak, the women, and the children to the mines for shelter. If the devil tide approaches, collapse the entrance! Hide deep within!"

"Where are the people in charge of the oil?! Pour all the oil onto the battlefield, now! Move, move!"

Shen Wuyou issued his orders in rapid succession, and the townspeople sprang into action.

He had to find a way to turn the tide.

He could not let the lives of five thousand people be lost on his watch.

If he were truly cornered... Shen Wuyou glanced at his dantian.

He contemplated unleashing all the nuclear energy stored within his dantian in one devastating release. During the King's Gauntlet, that's how he had triumphed over Wushang, obliterated the training field, and even demolished the statue of the former emperor.

This was a last-ditch effort. Once unleashed, he would succumb to unconsciousness. And if there were to be a second or third highborn demon, or if the devil tide persisted, he would be rendered completely immobile.

The townsfolk had swiftly vacated the area. On the battlefield, the outcome of the clash between Chiying and the highborn demon was clear.

The highborn demon thrust his long spear, and Chiying put up a fierce resistance. But the disparity in their power was a gap too wide to bridge.

Chiying was hurled dozens of meters, crashing to the ground and coughing up blood.

The twenty Golden Core guards had already been defeated, lying on the ground, their fates unknown.

The highborn demon advanced, his spear at Chiying's throat, giving her a puzzled glance and remarking, "A Half-demon... curious."

Chiying stared back defiantly, fists clenched, veins on her forehead pulsing. Her blood flowed backward, and her skin appeared to sprout green scales. With a ferocious roar, her hands transformed into claws, and she lunged at the highborn demon.

Her transformation into a Half-demon had multiplied her speed and strength, but she seemed to be out of control, attacking wildly without any strategy, relying solely on instinct. This reckless approach hastened her defeat.

The highborn demon looked down at Chiying, once again floored, with disdain and said, "Pity, you fight against your own power. And I will not afford you the opportunity to grow."

As the spear was poised to strike Chiying's heart, Shen Wuyou cried out, "Stop!"

"If you kill her, I swear, you and all your minions will meet your end right here!" Shen Wuyou declared through clenched teeth.

The highborn demon halted his spear and turned to Shen Wuyou, asking, "And who might you be?"

"The son of the King of Dawnward, Shen Wuyou!"

The highborn demon's gaze sharpened as he said, "I see. So, you're the one who used tricks to kill my servants?"

"You've witnessed the power of my machinations. Beneath your feet lie countless schemes! Release her, or your death is certain!"

"Then you'll be the first to die!"

The highborn demon charged at Shen Wuyou, his long spear piercing forward.

"Shen Wuyou!!!" Chiying cried out in alarm, but her severe injuries prevented her from matching the highborn demon's speed.

The gap closed swiftly!

The lethal point of the spear was a mere ten meters from Shen Wuyou's chest, then five, then three...

Shen Wuyou had no choice but to summon all the nuclear energy contained within his dantian.

But just then!

A woman with flowing black hair and a delicate silhouette darted in front of Shen Wuyou.

She stood before him, arms outstretched, shielding Shen Wuyou with her own body.

From within her, a dazzling white light burst forth.