While the six top experts on the field were evenly matched, the remaining masters of the Divine Moon Palace suffered heavy casualties under the relentless siege of the numerous Crimson Moon experts from the Raging Dragon Gang. The situation was critical.

Roar! Yan Kong, burning with anxiety, was forced to risk activating his sect’s ultimate technique. On the Mafa Continent, although there were only three professions—Daoist, Warrior, and Mage—each profession possessed corresponding level skills. For instance, Warriors had techniques like the Blazing Fire Sword Skill, Assassination Sword Skill, and Half-Moon Scimitar. These skills, obtainable through cultivation, were known as Class Skills. However, Class Skills were more of a signpost for a certain stage of power; achieving mastery in the Blazing Fire Sword Skill, for example, signified that one’s strength had reached the Crimson Moon level—a very clear demarcation of rank.

Beyond Class Skills, there existed numerous martial arts schools formed by differing combat styles and techniques, known as Sect Schools. The most representative of these were the four great schools: Dragon Abyss, Tiger Howl, Eagle True, and Bear Dominance. Of course, many other technique schools existed as well.

Yan Kong hailed from the Eagle True School, which historically excelled in speed and technique. Yan Kong himself was a shining star among the younger generation of the Eagle True School. With a backward flip, he shot into the sky like a white crane piercing through clouds, instantly soaring to a great height.

"Fire Bird Thousand Soar!" came a thunderous roar.

In mid-air, Yan Kong spread his form like an eagle taking flight. Suddenly, he inverted, head down, plunging straight toward the ground. A myriad of sword shadows descended like a sudden storm, enveloping Chi Xiao below. Every strike emitted a sharp whistle, and under the terrifying speed, they manifested as bizarrely distorted golden arcs of light, resembling countless firebirds burning fiercely, swooping down from the heavens.

Roar! Nebula Vortex! On the ground, Chi Xiao spun the Decisive Judgment weapon like a windmill, instantly generating a sea of flames that seemed to endlessly burn. He then sidestepped, sending that sea of fire hurtling toward the countless golden shadows raining down from above.

Chi Xiao’s lineage was the Bear Dominance School, whose battle aura was historically considered supreme in the Mafa world. Almost every disciple from the Bear Dominance School cultivated an incredibly profound battle aura, and Chi Xiao was the pinnacle expert of his generation within the school. His personal battle aura cultivation was unfathomable. Seeing Yan Kong unleash his sect’s ultimate technique, Chi Xiao naturally dared not be complacent.

The terrifying battle aura vortex, like a giant wave whipped up by a typhoon, slammed into the air, instantly sweeping up the dense golden shadows.

Clang!! Roar!! Puchi

The intensely powerful Blazing Fire Battle Aura collided head-on.

Clang! Clang!! Clang!

The resulting roars were nearly endless. Heaven and earth seemed to transform into an impossibly vast war drum, beaten by an immense warrior. The area around the city wall began to vibrate violently!

Everyone felt as if their chests had been struck by a heavy hammer. Many nearby warriors were violently thrown to the ground, staring in horror at the two crisscrossing green arcs of light within the blazing explosion of fire and energy.

In that moment, the arrangement of fate had finally brought these two innate nemeses together for a fight to the death! Both carried the conviction of certain death, holding nothing back.

All the Heavenly Demon warriors on both sides stared in shock toward the sea of fire enveloping the sky above the city wall, mouths agape!

Clang!! Finally, the ceaseless roaring stopped.

Whoosh!! Two golden shadows that had been flying within the sea of fire simultaneously crashed onto the ground.

During the fierce exchange between Fire Bird Thousand Soar and Nebula Vortex, within that vast sea of flames, Yan Kong managed to unleash six Blazing Fire Sword Qi strikes and dozens of Assassination Sword Qi strikes with astonishing speed. However, every single sword strike was parried head-on in an instant by Chi Xiao's overwhelmingly robust Nebula Vortex. Yet, Chi Xiao was equally incapable of launching an effective counterattack. Yan Kong’s assault was simply too fierce, too wild.

The ultimate techniques of the two great prestigious schools of the era ended in a draw; neither could overcome the other!

Clang! The two figures grappling in mid-air finally plummeted to the ground.

But the moment they landed, both figures exploded upward simultaneously. With incredible speed, the twenty-meter distance seemed non-existent, and in the blink of an eye, they collided once more.

Clang! Puchi!

The colliding figures were repelled again. As they brushed past each other, they left behind two crimson afterimages. Then, with a thud, they both slammed onto the ground. But neither could rise again. Even so, both men kept their eyes locked on the other, as if their gazes alone could kill their opponent.

"Hall Master!"

"Hall Master!"

The subordinates from both sides rushed to their sides, shielding their respective Hall Masters.

Another battle circle on the city wall! Two black arcs of light continued to dart high and low, erratic and unpredictable, chasing several rapidly spinning massive fireballs circling around them. This was a contest of speed against speed, a contest of skill against skill; both exerted their utmost, daring not to hold anything back.

With a tremendous boom, several arrow towers perched on the city wall were shattered into pieces by the terrifying magical explosions during the fierce battle, kicking up vast clouds of dust that enveloped the arena in a hazy gray fog, making clear vision impossible. At this very moment, the duel between Chi Yan and Yan Luo within the dust cloud reached its critical juncture. The fireballs that had filled the sky above the city wall vanished instantly. The two who had been attacking each other magically used the swirling dust to conceal their forms, seeking an opportunity to strike and kill their opponent. For a moment, silence descended within the thick gray mist. Yan Luo calmed her mind, channeling her spiritual awareness to carefully sense any changes in the surrounding aura, trying to locate Chi Yan's position. But in this fog, her opponent's aura was completely untraceable, sinking like a stone in the sea; finding her was far from easy. Yan Luo knew clearly that Chi Yan was doing the exact same thing—trying to pinpoint her hiding spot! In that case, I will lure you out yourself first! With a slight shift in thought, Yan Luo resolved to discreetly pick up a piece of rubble and toss it forward. Clack! Upon hearing the sound, she immediately condensed two massive fireballs in her hands, ready to unleash a thunderous blow the moment Chi Yan revealed her position.

Whoosh! Two sharp blue streaks of lightning tore through the air, aimed directly at her chest.

Ah! It was Rapid Light Movie!

Yan Luo was greatly startled; this ruse to lure the enemy had not only failed but had exposed her location instead. Chi Yan was equally astute. She had suspected the previous sound was Yan Luo’s bait. The instant Yan Luo tossed the stone, Chi Yan had caught the subtle noise but couldn't be certain of Yan Luo's exact position, as the surrounding roars of battle aura and explosions interfered with her judgment. However, once the stone landed and made a sound, Chi Yan instantly calculated Yan Luo's position based on the sound's origin and released the fully charged Rapid Light Movie immediately. It was as swift as lightning and as fast as thunder. Yan Luo had no choice but to grit her teeth, raise her magic shield, and lunge sideways to the left. Yet, even so, she was struck squarely by Chi Yan's Rapid Light Movie. The terrifying electrical magic surged through her entire body, seemingly trying to tear Yan Luo apart. Nevertheless, Yan Luo forcefully endured it with astonishing willpower while simultaneously unleashing the two large fireballs she had kept fully charged. She hurled them out. Nobody expected that, hidden by the dust, the distance between them was so short. The moment Yan Luo was struck, the two massive fireballs she released also hit Chi Yan simultaneously.

Clang! Whoosh!

The two explosions sounded almost simultaneously. Chi Yan and Yan Luo were both blasted away by the terrifying magical energy, slamming heavily onto the ground. The dust cover had now dissipated. Both women saw the wretched state the other was in.

But neither could stand up again; clearly, both had suffered mutual devastation, and neither could defeat the other.

As for Chi Scorpion and Yan Zhen, they were still playing a game of hide-and-seek, circling the arrow towers on the city wall, dodging each other's divine beast attacks while furiously launching sharp Soul Fire Talismans against the opponent. However, the scene was uninspiring—monotonous and dull. On the Mafa Continent, battles between two Daoists were difficult to resolve decisively; two experts of similar strength could fight for an entire day.

However, the overall situation was extremely unfavorable for the Divine Moon Palace. Due to the disparity in numbers, the Divine Moon Palace had virtually no power left to resist. The remaining several dozen Crimson Moon experts were quickly decimated by the more than two hundred Crimson Moon experts from the Raging Dragon Gang. The last dozen or so were in grave danger, forced into a corner.

"Hahahaha!" Chi Yan looked at the scene with a smug smile: "Yan Luo, let's see if you survive this time."

"Hmph!" Yan Luo remained ice-cold: "The ways of the world are unpredictable; no one can claim victory until the final moment."

"Damn woman," Chi Xiao sneered, "still talking tough when death is at your doorstep. Don't worry, I won't let you die easily."

"........" Yan Luo ceased responding, calmly surveying her surroundings. Alas, everywhere her eyes landed, she saw the corpses of the Divine Moon Palace members. She could only sigh helplessly, a flash of resolute determination crossing her eyes. Given Chi Xiao's character, falling into his hands would be worse than death. Better to end it herself now than suffer future humiliation. In that moment, Yan Luo contemplated death, and through the ignominy of suicide. A wave of sorrow and unwillingness flooded her heart. She did not fear death, but she still had so many unfulfilled wishes.

Yan Kong looked at Yan Luo with an expression of apology. He knew now that nothing he said would help. If not for his carelessness and underestimation of the enemy, they would never have fallen into this predicament.

Just then, several senior Warriors from the Raging Dragon Gang quickly rushed up to Chi Yan.

"Report! Hall Master! Someone is attacking from the side gate into the stronghold!" The messenger looked panicked. "Captain Chi Yuan and the others have all been killed."

"What?" Chi Yan was greatly shocked. If the messenger could kill Chi Yuan and his four companions, their attacker must be incredibly powerful and not to be underestimated.

"Before dying, the Captain told us to retreat first, shouting that it was the Blue-Clad Man and that we absolutely must inform you," the senior Warrior said mournfully. "Then, the Captain was killed by him."

"The Blue-Clad Man!" Chi Yan’s heart jolted. Could it be that guy? A flash of an electric-blue figure from the Sky-Rending Gorge immediately appeared in her mind.

"It's him!" Chi Kun beside her gritted his teeth and quickly charged toward the main hall.

"Chi Kun," Chi Xiao's expression was equally ferocious. "Damn it, this guy really knows how to pick his timing." Unfortunately, the previous battle had left him and Yan Kong mutually incapacitated; neither had the strength to fight further now.

"Team Seven, follow Chi Kun immediately," Chi Yan also exclaimed in shock. Although she had only met the Blue-Clad Man once, and didn't even know what he looked like, in Chi Yan's subconscious, the Blue-Clad Man had been placed on the list of extremely dangerous individuals. To escape so calmly under their noses and then kill Chi Jiao—even though that strike was a sneak attack—only further proved this person's cunning and unscrupulous nature to achieve his goals. Given Chi Kun’s current state, clouded by vengeance, facing such a treacherous individual could have dire consequences.

"Yes!" Thirteen early-stage Crimson Moon experts immediately gave chase.

"It seems someone has broken in!" Yan Kong said happily.

"The Blue-Clad Man!" Yan Luo’s expression shifted slightly. Could it be that brat? Judging by Chi Kun’s reaction, it seemed certain. That fellow’s habit of suddenly appearing at critical moments hadn't changed. But why would he be here? Was he deliberately coming to rescue us? Still, based on the situation, it didn't look like it. Moreover, even if he came to save them, what could he accomplish alone?

Damn it, now was not the time for idle speculation. Yan Luo forcefully stabilized her mind.

Chi Yan, on the other side, also made calculations swiftly: she needed to eliminate Yan Luo and the others quickly, then turn back to deal with that intruder. Chi Yan didn't believe that Chi Kun plus a dozen early-stage Crimson Moon Warriors could trap the Blue-Clad Man. After all, that person was not only exceptionally crafty but also possessed astonishing movement speed. If he intended to flee, they would never be able to hold him.

Alas, even the brilliant Chi Yan did not anticipate that Xing Chen had appeared in the stronghold to rescue his mother, and he would not flee until his mother was safe.

However, before the Raging Dragon Gang could take further action, a dull whooshing sound suddenly tore through the air. Countless massive fireballs and bolts of lightning descended like a tempest.

Ah! Everyone was greatly startled! Simultaneously utilizing movement skills and defensive techniques, they desperately dodged the incoming attacks.

"Retreat quickly!" Looking into the distance, the Silver Apricot City Defense Force had somehow pressed close to the pass and simultaneously launched a large-scale magical assault. The dense magic immediately turned the city wall into a sea of fire.

It turned out that the preceding events had long been known to the pursuing Silver Apricot City Defense Force. No one had expected the bandits guarding the stronghold to be so powerful. Silver Apricot City Lord Ye Xiangzhen keenly sensed the unusual nature of the situation and made an immediate, decisive move: the experts of the Divine Moon Palace must be rescued at all costs. After all, the Divine Moon Palace members had fallen into this predicament entirely due to the erroneous intelligence his own side had provided. At least, that was how Ye Xiangzhen and his men saw it.

The sudden magical attack threw the Raging Dragon Gang into confusion. How could Yan Luo and the others pass up such a golden opportunity? Without hesitation, they leaped off the city wall and charged toward the Defense Force.

"Kill them, quickly!" Chi Xiao was greatly agitated. If Yan Luo and the others escaped, it would be like letting a tiger return to the mountains. The two hundred Crimson Moon experts immediately pursued the fleeing remnants of the Divine Moon Palace. However, what greeted them was a sky full of overwhelming arrows and magic shot down by the Defense Force. Even though the Crimson Moon experts were powerful and well-equipped, facing such dense barrages of arrows, stones, and magic, they had to defend with all their might, leaving no opportunity for pursuit. After a mere few seconds’ delay, the Divine Moon Palace experts managed to retreat into the Defense Force ranks. Now, chasing them down became exponentially harder. Although the Defense Force’s overall strength was inferior to the offensive formation formed by the Crimson Moon experts, they had the advantage of numbers and occupied the strategic pass. Relying on dense archery and magic to lock down the narrow passage, combined with the cooperation of the dozen or so surviving Divine Moon Palace Crimson Moon experts, they could completely hold the checkpoint. It was now impossible for the Raging Dragon Gang to completely annihilate the Divine Moon Palace members. Instead, they had to guard against the sudden counterattack from the Defense Force and the Divine Moon Palace members charging into the stronghold.

"Damn it, how could it end like this!" Chi Xiao was enraged but helpless.

"Forget it, let's take what we gained," Chi Yan said. "At least we killed nearly a hundred of their Crimson Moon experts, achieving the most basic combat objective."

"The rest is to retreat quickly," Chi Scorpion sighed. "Also, we must find Chi Kun quickly. I don't want Chi Kun to end up like Chi Jiao at the last moment."

"En!" Chi Yan also felt a secret tremor of fear. The lesson from Chi Jiao’s death at the hands of the Blue-Clad Man at the last moment was painfully deep. They absolutely must not have another accident now.

"Teams Five, Six, and Three, guard this position. Retreat from the stronghold immediately upon seeing the signal," Chi Yan commanded. "The rest, return to the main hall."

"Yes!"

............................

In the distance, the clamor of battle roared and fire illuminated the sky. The fighting at the main gate seemed intense. But what struck me as strange was why the Raging Dragon Gang would travel thousands of miles from MengZhong just to cause trouble near my small village. I certainly wouldn't believe they were after me. My mother was captured by them over a month ago, and I killed Chi Jiao less than twenty days ago. The timeline simply didn't align logically. Furthermore, I was certain my identity hadn't been exposed.

Thinking of this, the scene of the tragic melee in Sky-Rending Gorge inevitably flashed through my mind. It seemed the Raging Dragon Gang was plotting something again. This gang seemed exceptionally skilled at calculating others; they truly hadn't changed their thieving ways.

In the past, I would have ignored such matters, but my mother was dragged into this mess this time, which made me extremely furious. However, knowing the Raging Dragon Gang was behind it brought a slight measure of relief. They weren't ordinary bandits, and since they kidnapped my mother for their own purposes, a large guild like theirs should have strict discipline. Mother should not be harmed.

Before me was a large building. The main entrance was guarded by several senior Warriors. But for me, this was child's play, and I had no intention of showing mercy. I instantly activated my movement technique and rushed forward with extreme speed. With a quick sweep of my blade, I took their heads in just a few exchanges; they didn't even see my face before they died.

However, I did leave one alive.

"Where are the captured people being held?" I seized the throat of one warrior, my face grim.

"In! Inside." This warrior was more sensible than the previous Mage. He pointed toward the great hall within.

"Lead the way." I wasted no more words. Since he was cooperative, I saw no need to cause him unnecessary suffering.

............

It was a very spacious great hall. There was a small door in the corner. Passing through that door led to a corridor descending via stone steps. The end of the steps was blocked by a tightly locked iron gate, guarded by several senior Rangers. Naturally, I showed them no quarter, slaughtering them all. Then, I split the iron gate in half with a single strike from my Hundred Battles Long Saber.

With a tremendous boom, the thick iron door was bisected by my saber. Everyone inside was greatly startled and looked toward the entrance. And there, mixed among the crowd, I saw my mother.

Perhaps from being locked up for over a month, my mother was a bit thinner than before, but her expression was calm as usual. Now, however, she looked at me warily from the doorway.

"Mother!" I could barely stop myself from rushing into her arms, but reason clearly told me we needed to leave quickly and I absolutely could not let the Raging Dragon Gang know my true identity, or there would be endless trouble.

My mother was imprisoned with the Clan Head's wife, several maids, and many children. The young Master and Miss were also inside, which eased my mind somewhat.

"I am here to rescue you, follow me quickly!" Time was of the essence; who knew when the Raging Dragon Gang experts would return.

"En!" The Clan Head's wife was quite composed, also realizing this was no time for pleasantries. Without asking who I was, she shouted loudly, "Everyone, stick close!" As she spoke, she embraced the young Master and Miss. Although they were still young, they behaved calmly. My mother, meanwhile, picked up a little girl—Ada's sister, Xiao Jin, who lived next door to our house. Unexpectedly, she had been captured too.

The preparations were complete in no time. Under my lead, we bolted toward the exit. I had nearly wiped out everyone from the Ye family who came our way; even the one guiding us had been knocked senseless by a single punch from me.