The Guozhao Hunters rode through the once-beautiful green vase field, now a scarred landscape where more than half of the land lay burned, a testament to the invaders' destructive passage. When they reached the Northern Fortress, the sight sent a cold dread through them: the once rock-solid door was shattered, and a large black hole, the size of a city gate, gaped open, allowing the strongest, most terrifying creatures to enter their world freely. They saw the bloodthirsty creatures struggling to escape, a grotesque tide spilling forth. Above them, three monstrous wing-beasts hovered ominously in the air, already attacking the Horsemen soldiers.
As soon as Lim Peizhi's army reached halfway down the hill, one of these three beasts swooped down, attacking them directly, causing his meticulously organized army to be scattered across the hillside, disarrayed and vulnerable.
Zhao Renshu's brow furrowed, a grim line of frustration. "This is worse than I thought," he muttered, his voice laced with foreboding.
Guo Baiyu's gaze swept over his young disciples, seeing the stark fear in their eyes. He sighed, a profound weariness in his voice, yet his words carried unwavering strength. "You all know why you are here. I know that each of you is scared. So am I, but think about the people we love. They are waiting for us at home in Cloud City. They are our mothers, our fathers, our brothers and sisters, our friends, and our classmates. They are our family, and they have given us the courage and strength to be who we are today." He looked directly into the eyes of his disciples, a fierce pride shining through his own fear. "If we must die today, it would be an honor to die alongside all of you."
Zhao Renshu offered a grim smirk. "That's a fine speech," he quipped, a hint of his usual bravado returning. "Now go and destroy those flying beasts!"
Two hundred Guozhao disciples and their masters surged forward, rushing down the mountain. The one large army was swiftly divided into three branches. Guo Baiyu rode with Tam Liang, Tam Kun, and the twelve Fairy Clans, their path aimed at the scattered forces.
Zhao Renshu rode with Guozhao Zhiqiang, Yang Bao, and the core Guozhao Hunters, heading for the thick of the main battle.
Ping'an and Fang Yaoting rode with Siyuan and the Wasteland soldiers, their focus on providing direct aid. As they rode past, they saw dead bodies everywhere, a horrifying tapestry of destruction. They heard the agonizing screams of the wounded, piercing the air. The horrible remains of mutilated corpses were scattered across the blood-soaked battlefield, a sight that hardened their resolve.
Ping'an, Fang Yaoting, Siyuan, and the Wasteland soldiers went straight to the heart of the battlefield, plunging into the fray to help the centaur soldiers who had already been fighting valiantly, but were clearly overwhelmed.
Guo Baiyu, leading Tam Liang and Tam Kun, followed closely by the twelve Fairy Clans, headed directly towards Lim Peizhi's disarrayed army. Guo Baiyu, Tam Liang, and Tam Kun each simultaneously fired forty magic arrows at the winged beast that was relentlessly attacking Lim Peizhi's army. Following this barrage, the master and the two disciples unleashed hundreds of icicles at the same winged beast, a precise, devastating assault that caused the already injured creature to shriek and fall heavily to the ground.
The dazed soldiers, seeing their opportunity, sprang up quickly and stabbed the fallen beast with renewed ferocity. Lim Peizhi's army, now reformed, joined forces with the twelve Fairy Clans, and the combined group of fairies and soldiers continued their swift descent downhill towards their fallen allies and the main conflict. When the army arrived on the battlefield, a lone soldier, seemingly mad with desperation, rode furiously towards the Demon Gate.
Lim Peizhi was utterly confused by the soldier's bizarre actions. "What the hell is he doing?!" he exclaimed, bewildered.
The soldier, reaching the very edge of the abyss, abruptly stopped in front of the Demon Gate and dismounted. Immediately afterwards, the demonic creatures and two-winged bat-beast creatures, as if commanded, began to retreat, pulling back towards the gaping maw of the Demon Gate.
"What's going on?" Zhao Renshu asked, his brow furrowed in confusion, sensing something profoundly wrong.
"They are retreating," Guo Baiyu murmured, his eyes narrowed, an unsettling premonition growing within him.
King Shammek's heart sank, his regal face paling. "No. It can't be him," he whispered, a tremor in his voice.
"Who?" Guo Baiyu asked, his gaze fixed on the King.
"Zhihao," King Shammek replied, his voice heavy with dread.
As if on cue, two grotesque corpses, their forms twisted and lifeless, floated eerily through the dark gate, drawn by an unseen force. These two lifeless bodies hovered menacingly in front of the soldier. The soldier then took out a small pouch, and from it, a single white sphere floated, detaching itself from one of the hovering bodies. Zhihao's spirit, with a horrifying shimmer, pulled himself out of the soldier's possessed body and entered his own body—one of the two corpses. The other corpse, now animated by Zhihao's command, became a terrifying, known entity.
"Who would that be?" Guo Baiyu asked, recognizing the gravity of the situation, but not the specific entity.
"The Dark Lord and his most terrifying knight, Fennu," King Shammek revealed, his voice laced with ancient fear.
Zhihao, now fully re-embodied and radiating pure malevolence, let out a cold, triumphant laugh that chilled the very air. He pointed a finger towards the sky, a dark gesture of victory. "You lost..." He then turned to Fennu, the other reanimated corpse, now his terrifying knight. "Wake up, my dear knight. It's time to finish what we left off."
Guo Baiyu turned sharply to Zhao Renshu, his voice urgent. "Don't let Ping'an near the Northern Fortress!" he commanded, sensing the direct threat.
"Fennu," Zhihao commanded, his voice echoing with dark power, "don't let Syaoran enter the Northern Fortress!"
"As you command, my King," Fennu replied, his voice a guttural rumble, his form radiating ancient malevolence.
The demonic enemies lined up, a vast, terrifying legion, ready to launch their full, devastating attack.
"Remember your position!" Guo Baiyu shouted, his voice ringing with authority across the allied lines. He offered a small, grim smile to Ping'an, a silent promise. "I will see you on the other side." He then rode his horse and took his place by the fairies and the Wasteland Soldiers, ready for the impact.
King Shammek, seeing the overwhelming numbers, ordered all his remaining soldiers to the very front line, a desperate gamble.
"Kill every one of them!" Zhihao shrieked, his voice filled with murderous glee.
Fennu, a monstrous figure of death, led the demonic creatures towards their enemies, and the sound of their combined charge, the ground shaking beneath their countless feet, felt like a cataclysmic landslide.
Zhao Renshu smirked, a grim, determined smile. "Here they come," he muttered, drawing his sword from the scabbard on his back, its blade glinting ominously.
"Soldiers! Shields!" King Shammek bellowed, his voice raw but unyielding.
The front Centaur soldiers, with a synchronized clang of metal, pulled their shields up, forming a solid, unwavering line of defense.
"Fire!" King Shammek roared.
The Centaur soldiers standing behind the shielded vanguard released their arrows with a loud whoosh, the air whistling as thousands of arrows spun in the air, a deadly rain, and shot towards their targets, finding their mark in the advancing horde.
"Fire!" Lim Peizhi shouted, his own voice joining the chorus of command.
Subsequently, Lim Peizhi's soldiers also sent out thousands of arrows, adding to the devastating volley.
"My pets!" Zhihao shrieked, his voice filled with cruel delight. "Fly up and destroy them from behind!"
Two winged beasts, agile and swift, rushed out from the Demon Gate, circling high above the battlefield before swooping down. They began attacking from behind, creating chaos and panic, and neither the hunters nor the soldiers could effectively defend their back line.
The front enemies, a relentless wave, collided with the Centaur soldiers. The impact was deafening, a gruesome symphony of snapping bone and tearing flesh. The enemy, with sheer numbers and brutal force, broke through the centaur's line of defense, scattering them. Fennu, a dark blur, flew straight towards the hunters and the fairies, with many demonic creatures following his lead. He successfully divided a strong, united army into two fragmented halves. His terrifying gaze fixed, he then went straight for Ping'an, singling her out.
"Damn it!" Zhao Renshu snarled, recognizing the immediate threat to his wife. He turned swiftly to his disciples. "Black Beast!" he commanded, his voice strained. He simultaneously sent out one of Huang Hongse's flags, a protective gesture, to shield his disciples as they began casting their powerful spell.
The disciples each took out a small piece of paper talisman and threw it on the ground. They clasped their hands together, their faces etched with fierce concentration, and chanted, "Old spirits of the deceased, I command you to show yourself before me! Lend me your strength! I will offer you the blood of the demonic creatures!"
With a mighty tremor, one hundred and sixty-two massive black bears, their fur shimmering with dark energy, emerged from the very ground, roaring loudly at the enemy creatures, their guttural cries shaking the earth. The hunters of Guozhao Sector nodded, a silent command, and the black bear beasts charged fiercely into the battle, tearing the monstrous demons to pieces, a terrifying, unstoppable force.
Not far away, the disciples of the Guzheng Sector also conjured their guzheng, the musical instruments transforming into powerful weapons, and attacked the enemies, their melodies turning into destructive force.
Fennu, closing in on Ping'an, punched her horse viciously on the belly. The immense force of the blow instantly knocked the horse fifty yards away, sending it sprawling.
Ping'an, with incredible agility, jumped off the horse just as it fell heavily to the ground, avoiding being crushed. She immediately sent her whip directly at Fennu, a sharp, cracking sound. Fennu, with surprising speed, grabbed her whip with his left hand and, with a powerful yank, pulled her violently towards him. He summoned a small, razor-sharp spear-like weapon and held it menacingly in his right hand, aiming it precisely at Ping'an's chest, intending a killing blow.
Yang Bao, his face grim, unsheathed his sword and waved it in a swift, defensive arc at Fennu from the right. Guozhao Zhiqiang, moving with silent speed, attacked from the left.
Faced with this two-pronged assault, Fennu had to let go of the whip, blocking the combined attack of the two hunters.
Ping'an, seeing her opportunity, put her whip away and, with a silent command, her swords flew into her hands, and she attacked from the front, launching a furious, three-way assault.
Guozhao Zhiqiang and Yang Bao, coordinating flawlessly, sent out two rope talismans, their glowing forms expertly tying Fennu's hands together. Fennu, enraged, pulled his two hands together in front of him, straining against the ropes, attempting to collide the two hunters with each other and smash them. But Yang Bao, with lightning reflexes, slid down on the ground to the left of Fennu, while Guozhao Zhiqiang executed a graceful butterfly flip over Yang Bao's body, narrowly avoiding hitting his ally. Guozhao Zhiqiang then flew to Fennu's right, maintaining the tension on the rope.
Ping'an, leaping high into the air, delivered a powerful, precise kick to Fennu's crossed arms on his chest, sending a jarring impact through his body. Her kicks sent Fennu reeling, his huge body flying thirty yards away, while the two hunters still held the magic rope tightly in their hands, keeping him bound.
Fennu then exhausted all his strength, his muscles bulging, to try and pull the two ropes apart, but they held fast. The two hunters quickly flipped back to their own side, maintaining their grip and pulling Fennu's hands further apart, stretching his powerful limbs.
Ping'an then sent out two more rope paper talismans, which instantly tied onto both Fennu's ankles, holding Fennu firmly in place, immobilizing him. Fennu screamed loudly, a sound of frustrated rage and agony, and the very ground beneath them began to shake violently from his struggle.
"Don't let him loose!" Ping'an shouted, her voice urgent.
Lim Peizhi, seeing the desperate struggle, rushed forward and grabbed the other magic rope, adding his strength to bind the monstrous knight.
Ping'an's eyes darted, seeing Fang Yaoting not too far away, battling other demons. She screamed for him, her voice raw with urgency, "Yaoting! Kill him!"
Ping'an and Lim Peizhi and Zhiqiang and Yang Bao picked up Fennu by four corners, holding him taut, as Fang Yaoting, with a deadly precision, jumped on top of Fennu. Fang Yaoting flicked the sword in both hands, its blades glinting menacingly, and pierced directly into Fennu's heart, a swift, final blow.
"No!" Zhihao roared from far away, his voice filled with a horrifying anguish and fury. He watched helplessly as his most loyal knight fell, the brave swordsman piercing his sword into Fennu's chest.
Fennu's monstrous body began to glow with an ominous, internal light, expanding rapidly. Suddenly, his body exploded with a blinding flash and a deafening roar, turning into thousands of tiny beams of light that shot out in every direction.
The immense force of the explosion caused Ping'an, Fang Yaoting, Lim Peizhi, Zhiqiang and Yang Bao, and the surrounding soldiers to be thrown violently backwards, colliding into each other, disoriented and stunned.
"Kill them!" Zhihao roared loudly, his voice vibrating with rage. Hundreds of jagged soil thorns rose menacingly from the ground, shooting towards his dazed enemies, adding to the chaos. More and more demonic creatures continuously rushed out of the Demon Gate, an unending tide.
Ping'an, Fang Yaoting, Guozhao Zhiqiang, and Lim Peizhi's soldiers were disoriented and reeling from the blast as they slowly got up, a loud, painful ringing in both their ears.
Lim Peizhi and Yang Bao, disoriented but alive, landed on the other side of the battlefield, closer to Zhao Renshu's position, with the same deafening ringing in their ears.
Just when three grotesque demon creatures jumped up to attack the two fallen heroes, a massive, swift snake fairy, with a flash of scales, wrapped its tail around the two fallen heroes, shielding them. She yanked her body forward, striking with her sword, expertly slitting the three creatures' throats. But her valiant act was short-lived. Two-winged bat beasts swooped down from above; their talons extended and grabbed the snake fairy. She loosened her protective tails, and Lim Peizhi and Yang Bao fell heavily to the ground, saved but vulnerable. The two winged beasts tore her apart in the sky, her blood and guts raining down onto the terrified people and creatures below, a gruesome, tragic downpour.
Guo Baiyu looked around, his eyes sweeping across the decimated army. He knew, with a sinking heart, that they had been defeated. He saw more and more demonic creatures continuously rushing through the Demon Gate, an endless, overwhelming tide. He grabbed Zhao Renshu's arm, his grip tight. "Renshu..." he said, his voice grim.
Zhao Renshu looked at Guo Baiyu, his face contorted in a grimace of utter despair. He shook his head, a single, bitter word escaping him. "Damn it."
Guo Baiyu and Zhao Renshu, despite their own weariness, quickly helped Lim Peizhi and Yang Bao up, their faces etched with grave concern.
"Ping'an?" Zhao Renshu asked, his voice filled with urgent worry, searching for his wife.
Lim Peizhi shook his head, his gaze distant. "I don't know," he murmured, disoriented.
Guo Baiyu looked directly at Lim Peizhi, his voice firm, leaving no room for argument. "Peizhi, cross the lake. Take the medic students with you and rescue the wounded to cross the lake now!"
"What?" Lim Peizhi asked, bewildered by the sudden order.
Zhao Renshu looked at him, his eyes grim, a profound sadness in his voice. "It's time."
Yang Bao was utterly confused. "Time for what?" he asked, his voice desperate for an answer.
"Go find your Shimu!" Guo Baiyu ordered, his voice echoing with desperate urgency. "Do as Senior Lim said!"
Zhao Renshu grasped onto Lim Peizhi's left arm, his grip tight, a silent, desperate plea. "Remember!"
Lim Peizhi grabbed Zhao Renshu's arm in return, a silent promise. "Good luck," he choked out, understanding the grim finality of the words.
Lim Peizhi and Yang Bao quickly made their way towards Lim Peizhi's army, their steps heavy with dread.
"Everyone, retreat! Cross the lake!" Guo Baiyu shouted at the spirits and the hunters, his voice echoing with urgency, a command for survival.
"Soldiers! Hold the line!" King Shammek roared, his voice resonating with ultimate defiance. King Shammek then looked at his son, Siyuan, a silent farewell in his eyes. "Get out of here!"
Lim Peizhi and Yang Bao found Ping'an, who had been caught in the chaos but was unharmed. Lim Peizhi immediately ordered all his soldiers to return to the waterfall gate, a desperate retreat.
"Ping'an... let's go!" Lim Peizhi urged, his voice strained. He looked at Fang Yaoting, who nodded, knowing the plan.
"Where is Baiyu and Renshu?" Ping'an demanded, her voice filled with a rising panic, searching desperately for her husbands.
"Baiyu was seriously injured," Lim Peizhi lied, his voice flat, trying to keep her calm. "Renshu took him back to the waterfall gate."
"Um..." Yang Bao began, about to protest the lie.
Lim Peizhi subtly shook his head at Yang Bao, a silent warning for him to keep quiet.
Everyone started to back up, a desperate, disorganized retreat, and rushed towards the waterfall gate, leaving the brave centaur soldiers holding the line with the Wasteland soldiers as they fled, buying precious time.
The Huang sisters, from a distance, heard the frantic shouts of the fleeing soldiers, urging them to cross the lake.
Huang Yueliang dropped down onto the ground on her knees, her face pale with shock. "Impossible!" she whispered, her voice trembling. "We are five armies of thousands!"
"They lost," Huang Hongse stated bluntly, her voice grim, the truth undeniable. She turned to the medic students and the doctors, her voice sharp with command. "Everyone on the boat and cross the lake! NOW!"
Lim Peizhi reached the Huang sisters. Ping'an got off her horse, her eyes still frantically searching, and she rushed towards the students.
"Baiyu! Baiyu! Renshu! Where are you?!" Ping'an called out, her voice rising in a desperate wail.
"Shimu!" Tam Qiu cried, trying to comfort her.
"Ah Qiu, where is First Master?" Ping'an asked, grabbing her shoulders, desperate for answers. "How serious is his injury?"
"Shi... Shimu... First Master is not here," Tam Qiu stammered, her eyes wide with fear and confusion, unable to perpetuate the lie.
Ping'an turned sharply to Fang Yaoting and Lim Peizhi, her eyes burning with betrayal. "Peizhi, you lied to me! Why?!"
When the last hunter fled the battlefield, the leaders of the twelve fairy clans and their clan members were the last to retreat, their honor demanding they cover the escape. They stood on the top of the hill, watching the brave centaur soldiers and Wasteland bandits fight the indestructible enemy alongside their clan leaders, a poignant and grim tableau.
"Our leaders are down there," Xiao Huli muttered, his voice raw with a desperate guilt. "So why are we up here and not down there?"
"If they die," Fei Weifeng added, his voice grim, "we will not survive anyway."
"I would rather die standing beside our leaders," Lang Lirun declared, his voice firm, "then flee with my tail between my legs!"
"We are united because of them," Xiang Huaban stated, her voice filled with conviction, pointing to the retreating heroes.
"Leader Zu," Chao Tiaowen urged, his voice filled with urgency, "one of us has to survive. You leave with the remaining wounded!"
"I..." Zu Fengmi began, torn.
"Please!" Xiao Huli pleaded, his eyes desperate.
Zu Fengmi, with a heavy heart, took the wounded fairies and ran towards the waterfall gate, a forced survival.
Xiao Hui smiled, a fierce, determined gleam in her eyes. "What are we waiting for?"
The two Xiao sisters smiled at their father and nodded, a silent agreement. The Fox Clan fairies transformed themselves into their majestic white fox forms, and they charged down the hill, a blur of white fur and fierce determination, returning to the aid of their leaders.
"We stand with our leaders!" Lang Lirun roared, transforming into his magnificent big gray wolf form, his howl echoing across the battlefield. He brought his pack of wolves thundering down the hill, joining the fight.
The ten remaining Fairy Clans, galvanized by the Fox and Wolf Clans' brave charge, followed them back into the brutal battlefield, plunging headlong into the fray. The sunset began to fall on the red horizon, painting the sky with the fiery hues of sacrifice and war.