Chapter 25: The Guide’s Mockery

The yellow-skinned War Fiend roared skyward, unleashing a wave of sound.

Birds perched on the branches flapped their wings frantically, scattering into the sky under the force of the sound wave.

Even a black bear, which had been crouching and growling, bolted away after the War Fiend’s roar, its paws scrambling.

“What a waste of youth, becoming a rebel!” The Youth, having cast a glance at the fleeing black bear, casually placed his left hand behind his back.

He then advanced towards Qi Lin and her companions with unhurried steps, his right hand gripping his sword.

“Bah! You villains, we are no rebels!” Ailin’s face was grim, an inexplicable fury igniting within him.

“Were it not for you scoundrels, our beastkin race, and indeed all races across the world, would be living peacefully right now.

Why else would we be forced into this life of constantly hiding and fleeing!”

Listening to Ailin’s outburst beside her, Qi Lin felt a slight bewilderment.

The Youth, fixing his gaze on Ailin, scoffed: “Hmph, spare me your empty words.

You could never comprehend His Majesty’s profound foresight.”

“Why bother talking so much with these guys? Let’s just attack!” Summoning her scythe, Qi Lin charged directly towards the Youth with long strides.

“Little girl, you’re quite audacious, daring to attack like this.” The Youth, unfazed by the approaching Qi Lin, let out a mocking laugh.

Qi Lin remained silent, simply swinging her disproportionately large scythe in a wide arc to strike.

Sighing softly, the Youth raised his sword, clashing it against the incoming scythe.

“Little girl, have you not had your milk yet?”

“Bastard! How is that possible!”

Qi Lin gritted her teeth, watching the Youth effortlessly deflect her attack and even find time to mock her.

Shaking his head, the Youth exerted a slight force, sending Qi Lin flying.

After tumbling several times across the ground, Qi Lin, her clothes soiled and disheveled, propped herself up with her scythe.

“Are you alright, Qi Lin?” Nia asked, her gaze fixed on Qi Lin as she rose to her feet.

Qi Lin offered no verbal reply, merely shaking her head slightly, her eyes then turning gravely towards the Youth.

‘This guy is incredibly strong, even more so than Ailin!’

Under their watchful eyes, the Youth pointed his sword at the trio: “Attack!”

Behind him, four yellow War Fiends, glaring menacingly, bypassed the Youth and advanced upon Qi Lin and her companions with low growls.

Sensing an oppressive aura from these War Fiends, distinctly different from that of lesser War Fiends, Qi Lin tightened her grip on her scythe.

“Everyone, be careful.”

Watching the War Fiends encircle them, Ailin adopted a defensive stance.

Raising her scythe, Qi Lin immediately swung it at the nearest War Fiend.

The scythe, which would ordinarily cleave a lesser War Fiend in two, merely sparked against the yellow War Fiend’s body this time.

The War Fiend, looking down at the person who had struck it with a scythe, exhaled a plume of white mist from its nostrils before bringing its clenched fist down.

Feeling the rush of air from the punch, Qi Lin abruptly raised her scythe to block.

With a resounding crash, the ground beneath Qi Lin’s feet instantly shattered into a crater.

“Damn it, such immense strength…” Qi Lin gritted her teeth, her scythe held high to block the War Fiend’s fist.

Nia, who had just breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Qi Lin unharmed, was suddenly enveloped by a shadow.

As sharp claws swiped towards her, Nia leaped directly into the air.

Having leaped seven or eight meters high, Nia’s gaze met the War Fiend’s, and she immediately shivered, struck by the terrifying intensity of its eyes.

The War Fiend, however, that met Nia’s gaze, opened its gaping maw, and rolling flames began to coalesce at the corners of its mouth.

Ailin, encircled by two other War Fiends, saw Nia in peril and immediately hurled the bone blade he had just summoned, still cool in his hand.

The bone blade struck the War Fiend’s mouth, where flames were gathering, extinguishing them instantly.

Casting a grateful glance at Ailin, Nia chanted a spell, causing a cold light to emanate from her fingertips.

Then, before she could land, she brandished her claws, raking them across the War Fiend’s face.

After inflicting several scratches upon the War Fiend, Nia finally landed steadily on the ground.

The War Fiend, realizing its face had been scratched by Nia, let out a furious roar and then hunched its body low.

Noticing the War Fiend about to lunge, Nia didn’t wait passively; instead, she began circling, hoping to disorient it.

Though she knew this strategy might be futile, she was determined to try.

With a sharp thud, Qi Lin, who had been locked in a standoff with the War Fiend, finally succumbed to the immense pressure, dropping to one knee.

The already fractured crater beneath her deepened further.

“Damn it… Blood Fury! (Bloodline language)” Unable to bear the humiliation inflicted by the War Fiend, Qi Lin channeled the demonic energy within her, unleashing a spell.

Her blood seemed to boil, continuously augmenting Qi Lin’s strength.

Feeling a surge of immense power coursing through her body, Qi Lin’s heart swelled with delight.

She then rose decisively to her feet and shoved the War Fiend, sending it toppling.

With a thunderous crash, the War Fiend collapsed onto the ground.

“Hmph, that’s what you get for provoking me.” Slinging her scythe over her shoulder, Qi Lin declared with an air of triumph.

From a distance, the Youth, who had remained standing motionless, showed no anger at the War Fiends being toyed with by Qi Lin and her companions.

Instead, a faint smile graced his lips.

After narrowly dodging a War Fiend’s swipe, a panting Ailin cast a quick glance at the Youth, a flicker of confusion stirring within him.

‘What could he possibly be smiling about?’

“What a truly splendid performance!” Snapping his fingers, the Youth suddenly spoke.

The War Fiends, initially poised to attack Qi Lin and her companions, ceased their movements the moment the Youth spoke so abruptly.

Sensing something amiss, Ailin watched the Youth warily.

“It’s time to bring this performance to a close.” The Youth, oblivious to Ailin’s wariness, merely murmured to himself.

With a wave of his hand, the War Fiends retreated behind the Youth.

Freed from the War Fiends’ assault, Qi Lin and Nia hurried back to Ailin’s side, and together they watched the Youth.

“My young friends, your performance was quite commendable.

As a reward, allow me to tell you my name!” Planting his sword into the ground, the Youth offered a slight bow.

‘What in the world is he playing at?’ Qi Lin’s expression was one of profound bewilderment as she observed the Youth’s theatrical demeanor.

“I am Dilud, your guide.” Retrieving his sword, Dilud pointed it at Qi Lin and her companions.

The three exchanged glances, each seeing the same confusion reflected in the others’ eyes regarding the Youth.

‘What’s gotten into this guy?’

‘Why is he introducing himself out of nowhere, and even calling back the War Fiends?’

Dilud took a single step towards the trio, his sword held in a reverse grip.

As Dilud approached, the three watched him with palpable tension.

“Spectral Night!” Dilud swung his sword, unleashing a single strike.

A dark, shadowy slash swept towards Qi Lin and the others.

Seeing the incoming slash, Qi Lin forcefully plunged her scythe into the ground: “Blood Shield!”

“Stone Shield!” Just as Qi Lin’s words faded, Ailin also raised his hands.

However, Dilud’s attack was beyond their capacity to withstand.

Almost instantly, the shields shattered, absorbing only a fraction of the attack’s force, yet the slash continued its relentless trajectory towards the trio.

With a thunderous impact, the three were sent hurtling backward.

“Damn it!” Clenching her fist, Qi Lin slammed it against the ground, then rose to her feet, leaning on her scythe: “Blood Annihilation!”

A crimson beam of light surged towards Dilud.

Witnessing the incoming beam, Dilud disdainfully raised his sword to parry it.

A deafening roar erupted.

As the beam dissipated, Dilud, his robes fluttering, stood completely unharmed, his gaze fixed on Qi Lin and the others.

“Hahahaha, little girl, did you truly believe such a feeble spell could repel me?” Clutching his abdomen, Dilud guffawed heartily.

As his laughter subsided, his expression slowly darkened: “Very well, the cat-and-mouse game is over.

You brats, capable only of conventional magic, should abandon any thoughts of resisting our Imperial Army, unlike your beastkin elders of decades past.”