"Foolish!"
Another disciple from the Xuantian Sword Sect cursed angrily, "You've only just reached Foundation Establishment Stage 1. Even if you are Uncle Master Zou's disciple and have learned the Jinghong Sword technique, you're still no match for the altar master, hall masters, or incense masters. You'll not only fail but lose your life!"
"Although your intentions are admirable, I have to admit your senior brothers are right," the leader of the Tianjue Mountain team added earnestly. "We've already witnessed your strength when you killed the Green Python King."
"Your strength is indeed remarkable, and among Foundation Establishment Stage 1 cultivators, you can already be considered a strong one. But now, we are facing the entire Demon Sect branch's pursuit!"
"Not to mention you—even I, or all of us together—would have no chance of escaping alive if surrounded by the Demon Sect's forces!"
At this moment, the leader of the Zhengmiao Sect joined in, supporting the others' reasoning. "Exactly! Junior Brother Lin, listen to your seniors' advice. Stop saying foolish things about covering our retreat—just run with us!"
"No,"
Lin Li shook his head firmly, his gaze resolute. "As the saying goes, 'the higher the virtue, the greater the challenge.' If this is my fate, then I'll face it head-on!"
"Sigh!"
Hearing this, everyone let out a heavy sigh.
"An uncarved piece of rotten wood!" the Zhengmiao Sect leader lamented.
The Tianjue Mountain leader also shook his head, saying, "Such a stubborn fool!"
"Hmph! If he wants to throw his life away, let's not waste any more time on him!"
"Captain, we need to leave now! If we delay any longer, it'll be too late!"
The surviving members of the Tianjue Mountain and Zhengmiao Sect teams, haunted by the deaths of their comrades and terrified of the Demon Sect forces chasing them, urged their captains to act quickly.
The two leaders nodded and said bluntly, "Don't blame us for not trying to persuade you! We're leaving now!"
With that, they led their teams and fled swiftly.
Wei Heng and the other surviving disciple from the Xuantian Sword Sect also shook their heads, sighing, "Junior Brother, why are you doing this?"
"Once the Blood Altar is destroyed, you'll still receive your rightful reward upon returning to the sect!"
"I didn't join the fight for the rewards," Lin Li declared righteously. "I came to contribute my strength to the sect!"
"Now, with the enemy chasing us, it's only right that I stay behind and cover your retreat!"
"That's enough! No more talking!"
"If you keep stalling, they'll catch up! Hurry and go!"
With that, Lin Li pushed his two fellow disciples, causing them to stagger forward.
Turning back to see Lin Li's firm and determined gaze, Wei Heng and the other disciple were moved but also filled with sorrow.
In the end, they could only let out a heavy sigh before turning and leaving.
"Stop!"
Lin Li shouted at the pursuing Demon Sect army.
"Hahaha!"
An elderly man in blue-green robes, leading the group, burst into laughter. "I am the altar master of this Demon Sect branch! You must be the sword cultivator they reported, the one who killed many of my disciples in the southern part of the branch, including a vice altar master and an incense master."
"That's right!" Lin Li responded confidently.
"So," the altar master sneered, "do you think you alone can hold us here, preventing us from pursuing your comrades?"
"Yes!" Lin Li's voice rang with unwavering strength.
"Hahaha!"
This time, it wasn't the altar master who laughed, but the four protectors, eight hall masters, and fifteen incense masters behind him.
There should have been sixteen incense masters, but one had been killed by Lin Li earlier, leaving only fifteen.
They all burst into laughter, as if they had just heard the most ridiculous joke of their lives.
Finally, a strange figure wearing a mask with a green face and fangs, standing beside the altar master, shouted, "I am the Green-Faced Ghost King, one of the four protectors under the altar master. You're just a lowly sword cultivator, yet you dare boast that you alone can hold off all of us? Isn't that a bit too arrogant?!"
"Whether it's arrogance or not, you'll find out soon enough!" Lin Li declared firmly. "Enough talk—let's fight!"
"Hahaha! Alright then!"
The Green-Faced Ghost King laughed heartily before turning to the altar master. "Altar master, you go ahead and capture those who destroyed the Blood Altar. I'll handle things here."
"Be careful," the altar master warned.
"Don't worry, altar master! Do you really think I'll fall to this mere sword cultivator? Hahaha! That would be underestimating me!"
The Green-Faced Ghost King laughed.
"Let's go!"
With the altar master's command, the rest of the Demon Sect forces passed Lin Li by and continued to chase after the retreating sect members.
Even the giant green toad followed the order and ignored Lin Li as it continued its pursuit.
This left only the Green-Faced Ghost King and Lin Li to face off.
However...
Lin Li's mind was racing!
He didn't want to let that large "prize" slip away! The Green-Faced Ghost King alone wouldn't be enough to satisfy him.
Lin Li made a decision.
"Now is the perfect time to use my trump card!"
With that thought, Lin Li began to circulate the Xuantian Wuji Sword Qi Art, making his spiritual energy surge even stronger.
The powerful energy flowed into Ye Fan's sword.
Sensing Lin Li's intent, Ye Fan laughed wildly, "Hahaha! Good lad! I like it!"
Laughing, Ye Fan activated his active skill: Massacre!
[Active Skill]: Massacre (Upon activation, the user enters a massacre state, where every movement generates powerful area-wide attacks. Massacre mode continuously consumes the user's spiritual energy.)
As Lin Li entered the Massacre state, the originally golden sword aura on his sword suddenly changed, transforming into a twisted combination of dark purple and blood red!
At the same time, gusts of powerful wind erupted around Lin Li!
The violent winds made Lin Li's already battle-worn robes flap wildly, and his blood-stained hair, now matted, stood up as if possessed by the demonic winds.
At that moment, Lin Li looked like a bloodthirsty demon straight out of hell, terrifying to behold!