Chapter 44: The Beast Tide in Sunset Valley

Yan Li’s expression turned grim. “Retreat.”

The two immediately abandoned their advance and hurried back out along the fractured rock.

Just as they exited the fissure, several powerful auras swept past them and shot straight inside.

All of them were Golden Core cultivators.

To them, neither the beast tide nor anyone else could slow them down.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The muffled booms of magic treasures shattering the rock came one after another. Dense fire spiritual energy churned outward. It was clear the struggle for the ore vein had already begun inside.

The Foundation Establishment cultivators outside all wore grim expressions.

The treasures in the vein would be plundered clean before long, and they wouldn’t get even a mouthful of broth.

Several cultivators peered reluctantly into the fissure. But the Golden Core cultivators’ aura pressed down from within, and no one dared follow them in to compete.

At that moment, someone with sharp eyes caught sight of Yan Li and Xuan Shiyan, who had just retreated from the fissure.

“Wait! Those two were in there the whole time!”

The people nearby quickly caught on.

“Damn it, did they already loot the vein?!”

“No more talk. Stop them first!”

In an instant, the eyes of the Foundation Establishment cultivators around them went red.

Fighting Golden Core cultivators for the vein was suicide. But robbing two rogue cultivators with a child? That was easy.

The gray-robed cultivator looked them up and down and sneered. “Bringing a baby to dig in Sunset Valley? Your head must have been caught in a door.”

The tall one chimed in. “They don’t look like they’re from any major sect. Probably just got lucky.”

The fat cultivator cracked his knuckles. “We can’t beat Golden Core cultivators for the vein, but these two? We can take them.”

In their view, Yan Li and Xuan Shiyan were at most lucky rogue cultivators. However strong, how strong could they be? Besides, they were carrying a burden in their arms.

The few exchanged a glance, cold light flashing in their eyes, and closed in together. The rogue cultivators who had been watching also stirred.

In an instant, a dozen figures converged from all sides, blocking the two’s retreat completely.

“Don’t let them get away!”

This was clearly a move to kill and rob them.

Xuan Shiyan’s eyes turned cold. With a light ring, the black sword shot out from his side.

The two cultivators at the front hadn’t expected him to attack so suddenly. They hastily summoned magic artifacts to block, but were still knocked back several steps. One man’s protective shield shattered outright.

The black sword circled once and came to a stop beside Xuan Shiyan.

He said in a low voice, “Everyone, the beast tide is already closing in from behind. If we fight now, none of us will come out of this well.”

But greed stirred their hearts.

And with a whole ore vein before them, who would listen to advice?

The gray-robed cultivator spat. “Stop trying to scare us with the beast tide. If it comes, we’ll leave.”

The tall one chimed in. “Hand over your storage rings, and we might let you live.”

The fat cultivator chuckled. “Acting so tough with a baby. Don’t start crying later.”

As soon as the words fell, more than ten Foundation Establishment cultivators attacked at once.

Flying swords, fire talismans, chains, throwing knives, copper seals, and other magic artifacts rained down on the two.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Firelight and artifact radiance exploded outward. The whole valley trembled, and rubble sprayed in all directions like a storm.

Yan Li tightly shielded Yan Shu. A flying sword flew from her sleeve, turning into a silver rainbow that circled her. Streaks of silver-white sword energy slashed out one after another, shattering the incoming spells.

But more and more cultivators arrived after hearing the commotion, and the number attacking them swelled.

Even though the two were far stronger than those of the same level, they couldn’t withstand the repeated assaults and were forced back again and again.

A flying knife artifact suddenly tore through Yan Li’s protective spiritual light, grazing her arm. Her robe sleeve split open, and a trail of blood slid down her cuff.

On the other side, Xuan Shiyan was entangled by three cultivators at once. Fast as the black sword was, it couldn’t block attacks from all sides. A fire talisman exploded on his shoulder, leaving a patch of blackened flesh.

Although their wounds were only superficial, the two still had to worry about stray blades hurting Yan Shu, so they couldn’t fight freely.

Seeing this, the attackers grew fiercer.

The gray-robed cultivator grew more alarmed as the fight went on. He had thought two rogue cultivators would be taken down in a few breaths, but they had held out until now.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the crimson dust rolling in from afar, and unease flickered in his heart. But they had already fought this long. If they just hurried, there was still a chance.

He gritted his teeth and shouted, “They can’t hold out! Take down the one with the black sword first, then rob the one holding the baby!”

No sooner had he spoken.

Boom!!!

The rock wall behind them exploded.

No one expected the wolf pack to split up and circle around from the other slope.

Over a hundred Flame Wolves charged into the crowd first, their crimson bodies surging in like a tide.

The few cultivators on the outermost edge didn’t even have time to react before the wolves pounced and pinned them down. Agonized screams suddenly filled the valley.

The scene fell into chaos. The cultivators who had been attacking Yan Li and Xuan Shiyan were suddenly too busy to care about them, forced to hastily fight the beasts that lunged at them.

“Demonic beasts!”

“We can’t hold!”

“Run!”

The gray-robed cultivator’s expression changed drastically. He turned and fled toward the valley entrance.

But he had only run a few zhang when a Wolf King, far larger than an ordinary Flame Wolf, burst out from the rubble. The single horn on its forehead glowed with a faint crimson light.

Crack!

It bit down on his calf.

“Ahhh!!”

His screams echoed through the valley. He swung his sword wildly like a madman, but the Wolf King whipped its head and knocked him staggering. More Flame Wolves swarmed in.

The crimson beast tide swallowed him in an instant. The sound of breaking bones mixed with agonized screams, then quickly fell silent.

Some desperately fled toward the valley exit. Some, unwilling to let go, still clutched a few Sunset Crystals. More were scattered and sent running by the wolf pack.

Behind the wolf pack, the ground shook violently.

Dozens of Flame-Horn Rhinos, each two zhang tall, finally charged into the mining area.

Their bodies wreathed in crimson flames, they were like moving hills. Wherever they passed, rocks shattered, and cultivators were knocked flying, coughing blood. The valley instantly became a boiling mess.

Xuan Shiyan’s black sword swept out as a streak of dark light, forcing back a Flame-Horn Rhino charging at him.

Yan Li held Yan Shu tight and sent her flying sword weaving, carving out a path of retreat.

But the beast tide was far larger than they had imagined.

Amid the churning crimson dust, more Flame Wolves came charging from deep in the valley. Fire Birds wheeled and dove from the sky. Red-Scaled Pythons slithered from the cracked fissures, hissing, closing in from every direction.

The two fought while retreating, forced back step by step by the combined pressure of the beast tide and the remaining cultivators.

Yan Li cut down a diving Fire Bird with one slash, her breath growing short. Xuan Shiyan was no better. Blood seeped steadily from his shoulder wound, and the black sword’s swings were visibly slowing.

If this dragged on, even if they weren’t torn apart by the beast tide, they would be worn to death.

Between gasps, Yan Li glanced at the fissure where they had been mining Sunset Crystals.

Dense swarms of beasts had already blocked the entrance completely. Crimson bodies piled up layer upon layer. Several Flame-Horn Rhinos were ramming the edge of the fissure with their heads, desperate to squeeze inside.

Blocked ahead, pursued behind.

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