Upon hearing the other party's response, Mo Han immediately grew worried for Liu Yanran. Although it sounded like Liu Yanran wasn't in immediate danger, the way the man in black spoke to her suggested a lack of respect, perhaps even a lingering prejudice against her.

With this thought, Mo Han’s voice turned cold as he spoke, "I warn you, if anything happens to Yanran, I will make you pay back a hundredfold. You can try me."

The man in black burst into laughter at Mo Han's words, retorting, "Very well, feel free to try today. I'd like to see how you plan to deal with me."

After speaking, the man in black wasted no more breath and turned, shouting to the several figures standing beside him, "Kill them all!"

As soon as the command left his lips, those black-clad figures lunged toward Mo Han and his companions. Judging by their movement techniques, each of them appeared to possess cultivation no lower than that of a Sword Master.

Murong Tian watched the unfolding scene and commanded, "Take formation and attack."

As his voice fell, the soldiers of the Blazing Dragon Legion responsible for security on Mo Han's side swiftly moved into their ten-man squad formations, each group of ten forming a small circle with only a minor gap. Barely had they locked into position when the black-clad attackers crashed against them.

Several figures darted swiftly into the small formations. Once the attackers were within their encirclement, the Blazing Dragon Legion soldiers began circling them, then let out a unified roar and swung the weapons in their hands toward the men in black. The situation immediately turned against the black-clad assailants, as these Blazing Dragon Legion soldiers had years of tacit coordination, each covering the offensive gaps left by their comrades. Furthermore, they had fought side-by-side on countless battlefields, possessing immense combat experience—a necessity, given they were the Murong family’s personal guard.

The leader of the black-clad group showed no urgency upon seeing this, merely watching them coldly.

Then, the leading man in black pulled a flute from his robes and began to play. Following the piercing notes of the melody, the eyes of the attacking black-clad men turned blood-red. Their movements seemed to accelerate, and they fought with a reckless disregard for their own lives.

Frequently, the Blazing Dragon Legion soldiers managed to wound these attackers, yet the targets seemed completely unresponsive, immediately retaliating with a killing blow against the soldier who had struck them. Instantly, the Blazing Dragon Legion suffered heavy casualties. The attackers appeared devoid of sensation, knowing only how to continuously assault without any defense. Before long, over a hundred Blazing Dragon Legion soldiers were wounded or dead, while the men in black were covered in wounds—wounds that did not bleed, making the sight utterly terrifying.

A flicker of panic appeared in the eyes of the remaining Blazing Dragon Legion soldiers upon witnessing this. They feared no normal enemy, but these seemingly unkillable monstrosities left them utterly helpless. However, thanks to their rigorous and disciplined training, they did not retreat; only their formation began to show signs of disorder.

Seeing this, Murong Tian frowned in distress. Such heavy losses among the Blazing Dragon Guard were unprecedented. To lose a quarter of their force in one go was heartbreaking, as these were the absolute elite of the Legion.

The Grand Priest Mola observed the situation and spoke, "Old Man Murong, you should recall your soldiers. I suspect these men in black are not ordinary; they must be afflicted by some vile magic. Your soldiers cannot match them. Let me try myself with the Light Magic."

Seeing his soldiers continue to fall while not a single man in black went down, Murong Tian could only sigh in resignation and tell Murong Yuguang beside him, "Call them all back. No more pointless sacrifices."

Murong Yuguang nodded, pulling out a horn from his robes and blowing a clear signal. Hearing the sound, the Blazing Dragon Legion soldiers began to fall back sequentially. The men in black, seeing the retreat, did not pursue, merely standing in place with their eyes still burning red.

Observing this, the leading man in black laughed maniacally, "Well, Murong Tian, do you see the might of my Yin Puppet Warriors now? Once transformed into Yin Puppets, each possesses the strength of a High-Tier Sword Master, and none fear death. Don't think your idiotic Light Magic can defeat them."

"You can try and see."

Hearing the man in black, the Priest Mola's expression grew grave. He shouted angrily, "Even though your Dark Church has always shunned the light, you haven't entirely descended to the point of extinguishing conscience. I never imagined you would resort to using living beings to practice this utterly vicious Puppet Art. It defies all heavenly principles! I can't believe you are so ruthless even to your own people. It seems you have truly fallen."

Hearing Mola’s words, Mo Han was also filled with indignation, because the Yin Puppet Art was not inherently a dark magic. It was developed long ago by an alchemist through a potion. Anyone who drank it would lose all consciousness, becoming a mindless husk, yet gaining an insane, fearless drive to attack. That alchemist once wreaked havoc across the land using this potion until public outrage led to him being hunted across the continent. Rumor had it he fled after being severely wounded and was never seen again. To think his secret formula had fallen into the hands of the Dark Church.

The man in black sneered, "We were too timid before, which is why your Light Church always held the upper hand. Now that we have these Yin Puppet Warriors, let's see how you manage to face me."

Mola’s brow furrowed deeply at the reply. He turned to Murong Tian and Mo Han, stating, "Old Man Murong, Brother Mo Han, these Yin Puppet Warriors are beyond our capability. Moreover, they have a Sword Saint, and their primary target is me. Should something unfortunate befall me, you must take this news back to the Church Headquarters."

Murong Tian retorted, "What's wrong, old slippery fox? It’s rare to see you so lacking in confidence. Furthermore, do you take Murong Tian for someone who abandons his friends to flee? Stop wasting breath."

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