Shadow Appears
"Screech!"
Suddenly, a deafening shriek pierced the air.
In the next instant, one of the Li Family women among the captives collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
Zhang Lingxiao had been on constant alert, his concentration razor-sharp.
He vaguely caught sight of a black shadow flashing past. It moved with astonishing speed—so fast that without intense focus, the naked eye could barely perceive it.
"Hmph! I'll go!"
Having just recovered from his Lingwu Realm cultivation, Zhang Yuyang's confidence surged. Without hesitation, he dashed forward in pursuit of the black shadow.
This mysterious creature was clearly a major obstacle on their path into the Legacy Land and had to be eliminated.
Now that they had finally caught a glimpse of it, they needed to deal with it immediately. Otherwise, more people would die, and they might be wiped out before even entering the Legacy Land.
Bang!
Suddenly, a violent explosion rang out.
Zhang Yuyang, who had only just begun the chase, was instantly sent flying back like a kite with its string cut.
Zhang Lingxiao reacted swiftly and caught him midair.
Blood trickled from Zhang Yuyang's mouth. His entire body trembled as though every bone had been shattered. Leaning weakly against Zhang Lingxiao, his eyes widened with shock.
"Be careful…"
"It's a Yao Beast…"
"Judging by its aura… it's a Giant Bat, infinitely close to the Third Rank."
After saying this, Zhang Yuyang's head tilted to the side as he lost consciousness.
Zhang Lingxiao checked his pulse and confirmed that Zhang Yuyang was still alive. He had merely fainted from the heavy blow and was not in immediate danger.
He handed him over to Zhang Li beside him.
"A Yao Beast close to the Third Rank…"
Zhang Lingxiao's eyes flickered as he tightened his grip on the Tianji Sword.
A Yao Beast on the verge of the Third Rank was comparable to a human martial artist in the Xuanwu Realm.
This creature appeared and vanished like a ghost. Even in a direct confrontation it would be troublesome—let alone with its ability to move silently through the darkness.
Capturing it would not be easy.
However, waiting helplessly for death had never been Zhang Lingxiao's style.
No matter how dangerous the situation, he would face it head-on.
Of course, he would never foolishly expose his back to potential enemies.
Zhang Lingxiao turned his head, his gaze sweeping over Dragon Spring Tooth, who wore a faint smile like a tiger hiding its fangs.
The brutal scene of him killing the Li Family woman who had attempted to escape was still vivid in Zhang Lingxiao's mind.
This man was ruthless—and deeply cunning.
Earlier, when the Zhang and Ma Families had joined forces against the Li Family, he had led the City Lord's Mansion's men to stand aside and watch.
If Zhang Lingxiao turned his back on such a person while fighting a powerful enemy, it would be no different from cutting off his own retreat.
A sneak attack would be inevitable.
"Don't worry. Leave your back to me."
A clear and pleasant voice suddenly sounded beside him.
Zhang Lingxiao turned and met Ma Ying'er's bright, sparkling eyes beneath the faint glow of the lighting talisman.
For a moment, he hesitated.
Then he nodded.
He trusted his father's judgment. This girl was someone he could rely on.
More importantly, she possessed the strength to back it up.
"Alright."
"Screech!"
As they spoke, the Giant Bat's piercing cry rang out again.
The black shadow that had been haunting everyone like a looming curtain of darkness suddenly swooped toward the crowd.
Whoosh!
A violent gust of wind roared past.
The Giant Bat's massive shadow flashed by, and another martial artist collapsed to the ground.
This time, however, the victim was not a Li Family captive—but a Zhang Family martial artist.
"Courting death!"
Zhang Lingxiao shouted coldly and shot forward like lightning, chasing after the shadow.
Sensing the killing intent behind it, the Giant Bat shrieked sharply and abruptly turned around.
Its wings, like withered skeletal blades, slammed toward Zhang Lingxiao.
Zhang Lingxiao activated Phantom Step, pursuing fiercely but remaining cautious.
The sight of Zhang Yuyang being defeated with a single blow had already put him on high alert.
His body halted abruptly as he dodged the incoming strike.
Then he swung the Tianji Sword.
Falling Leaf Sword Qi burst forth.
Clang!
A crisp metallic sound echoed through the air.
The sword qi struck the Giant Bat's wing bone, instantly tearing through its defense. A spray of dark green blood shot into the air.
"It hit!"
The crowd erupted in excitement.
The Giant Bat was nearly a Third-Rank Yao Beast, stronger than most Xuanwu Realm martial artists.
Yet Zhang Lingxiao's seemingly casual strike had pierced its defenses.
The power behind that sword was astonishing.
"Not good!"
Suddenly, someone shouted.
The Giant Bat, wounded by Zhang Lingxiao's attack, seemed to fall into a frenzy.
With a furious screech, it turned and dove straight toward the crowd.
As it emerged fully from the darkness into the light of the talismans, everyone finally saw its true form.
Its massive body was nearly the height of a man.
With its wings fully spread, they spanned more than one and a half zhang.
Its claws were pitch black, with thick talons like those of a giant eagle, emitting a faint, eerie glow.
The bloody holes in the necks of the Li Family victims had clearly been caused by these terrifying claws.
Suddenly, the Giant Bat folded its wings.
Its entire body compressed into a tight sphere before hurtling forward like a cannonball.
Boom!
A thunderous explosion shook the ground.
Dust and debris filled the air.
Within the crowd, not even a scream had time to escape.
When the dust finally settled, a massive crater remained.
Inside it lay nothing but shredded flesh and blood.
Among the entire group, only Ma Ying'er, Zhang Li, Dragon Spring Tooth, a half-masked Li Family martial artist, and a few others from the three factions had survived.
Most of the martial artists had been killed instantly.
This was the terrifying gap between cultivation realms.
To the weak, life was as fragile as that of ants.
Upon closer inspection, faint protective lights surrounded Ma Ying'er and Dragon Spring Tooth.
Clearly, both possessed defensive treasures that had blocked the full force of the impact.
Even Zhang Li, who had been shielded by Ma Ying'er, had still suffered minor injuries.
"Stupid beast! How dare you!"
Zhang Lingxiao's expression turned icy as he looked at the massacre.
This time, even the normally composed Dragon Spring Tooth could no longer remain idle.
With a cold expression, he stepped forward and joined the battle against the Giant Bat.
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