Mó Su, Mó Qi, and Mó Yi followed closely behind Jian Dan, accompanied by nine black-robed guards at the early Divine Transformation stage.
As they advanced deeper into the valley, their pauses grew longer. Jian Dan was clearly widening the distance between them, but overall, their pace remained swift.
"Mó Yuè isn't even waiting for us, just charging ahead alone," Mó Yi muttered under his breath.
Their group had made significant progress. Mó Qi had successfully broken through to the Divine Soul stage. She had been lingering at the peak of Divine Transformation for a long time, so her advancement came swiftly. Mó Yi had leapt from the mid to late Divine Transformation stage, while Mó Su had steadily climbed from the early to the peak of the mid-stage. Half of the black-robed guards had also made minor breakthroughs.
"You should be grateful," Mó Qi replied, her crimson robes swaying with each step, a teasing glint in her clear eyes. "With someone ahead clearing the way, our risks are halved. If you're not afraid of your meridians bursting from too much demonic energy, go on then, rush forward yourself."
"I know, I know. I'm just worried about her, that's all," Mó Yi muttered.
"Enough talk. If you're really that worried, let's pick up the pace and catch up with her."
"Right."
Mó Yi sobered up and turned to the seated black-robed squad leader, Captain of the "Mó" unit.
"We're moving forward. We're pushing another ten li deeper. We can't keep Mó Yuè waiting too long. I'm worried she'll run into trouble."
"Understood. We're ready," the captain replied without hesitation.
Mó Su opened his eyes and nodded. "Let's go."
They moved in a flash of light, diving further into the abyss.
Meanwhile, Jian Dan and Mó Yuè Zhǎn had stopped at what seemed to be a safe distance. Yet the scene before them made even Jian Dan narrow her eyes.
Dozens of raptor-like beasts, each standing three meters tall and cloaked in darkness, were swarming a single giant black beetle. The beetle was nearly identical in size to the one Jian Dan had encountered in the Chilang Secret Realm.
Though she hated to admit it, Jian Dan knew at once: this was bad.
The raptor beasts leapt onto the beetle, clawing at its vulnerable underbelly with their sharp talons. Some scaled its back and bit down viciously on its membrane-like wings. The beetle thrashed, its six legs flailing as it twisted and turned, trying to throw off its attackers.
Its abdomen contracted, preparing a powerful strike. Alarmed, several raptors dashed to its tail end, clawing at the spot where the energy was gathering, attempting to halt its buildup.
The beetle shuddered in pain, its wings vibrating violently. It managed to shake off the beasts clinging to its back. But the raptors were relentless. They hit the ground, only to spring up again, launching another wave of attacks.
"Master, should we help them?"
Jian Dan hesitated. If she helped them finish off the beetle, would the beasts turn on her next?
"Master, they're not going to last much longer. Are we helping or not?"
The voice of Mó Yuè Zhǎn's spirit echoed in her mind.
Jian Dan's gaze sharpened. She tapped the blade lightly with her foot and leapt into the fray.
"Mó Yuè Zhǎn!"
The blade extended to two meters in an instant and slashed across the black beetle's tail, cleaving it cleanly in half.
A heavy thud shook the ground. The black beetle collapsed. Mó Yuè Zhǎn spun in a sharp arc and returned to Jian Dan's side.
All the raptor beasts froze, heads turning toward her. They tilted their heads in unison, staring curiously at the girl and the crescent blade by her side. No one attacked.
Jian Dan remained calm, standing motionless under their scrutiny. A few breaths later, a roar echoed from deeper in the valley. The tallest of the raptors opened its mouth and roared in return.
Immediately, the others sprang to their feet and bounded off in the direction of the distant cry, their powerful legs tearing across the terrain.
One raptor remained. The leader stood three zhang from Jian Dan, gave a soft growl in her direction, then darted forward again, pausing several paces ahead and looking back at her. Another low growl followed.
Jian Dan understood. The beast wanted her to follow. It had accepted her as an ally.
She wavered only briefly. Curiosity won.
"We'll go with them," she said to the blade spirit. "We don't know what's ahead, so stay close. Be ready for anything."
"Yes, Master."
With a flash, Mó Yuè Zhǎn shifted back into motion and carried her swiftly behind the raptor.
The beast didn't pause again, only quickened its pace once it saw Jian Dan was following. Man and beast vanished into the haze of magic.
As they ventured deeper, Jian Dan's spiritual sense picked up more and more. Scattered corpses, broken beetle shells, trampled plants, scorched carapaces, and gaping craters littered the land. It looked like a battlefield soaked in smoke and ash.
Her nerves were taut now. The truth lay just ahead.
Distant roars grew louder. Beastly bellows and sharp insectoid chirps filled the air. The buzz of wings and faint tremors underfoot hinted at something massive ahead.
Finally, Mó Yuè Zhǎn came to a halt. The thick demonic mist parted. What lay beyond made Jian Dan's breath catch.
A true battlefield.
Colossal black beetles roamed freely, alongside giant mantis beasts with blades for arms. Enormous flying centipedes dropped glowing spheres from above. In retaliation, some black beetles charged up their special attacks and blasted swathes of beasts to the ground.
Among the beasts, Jian Dan recognized the raptors from before. Larger stegosaurs swung heavy tails in wide arcs. A massive tyrannosaur-like beast stood upright, exchanging blows with the largest of the black beetles.
Her arrival drew no attention. Neither the insectoid swarm nor the dark beasts paid her any mind. On this battlefield, a lone human was no more than a drop in the storm.
"Mó Yuè Zhǎn, are you ready?"
Jian Dan's voice was quiet but steady. At the same time, her Obsidian Bracelet activated. She brought her fists together, and thick black demonic energy surged around her hands.
"I've been ready. Attack however you like, Master. I'll be right at your side."
"Good. Let's go."
She dashed forward and punched through two bladed mantis beasts in one strike.
Mó Yuè Zhǎn drew in the surrounding demonic energy like a vortex, then split into tens of thousands of crescent blades.
"Crescent Dance."
The blades spiraled through the air, slicing a flying centipede into countless pieces mid-air. The rich ambient energy allowed Mó Yuè Zhǎn to unleash its full potential.
Jian Dan had not yet fully adjusted to the power boost from her Divine Soul breakthrough, but she had always grown through battle. The stronger the enemy, the stronger she became. This time was no different.
With Jian Dan joining the fight, the tide began to shift. The dark beasts gained an advantage and attacked with renewed vigor. Black beetles fell one after another. Mantis limbs scattered across the field. But there were also casualties among the beasts.
A sharp, piercing screech tore through the battlefield. Jian Dan's gaze locked on the largest black beetle. It had fully charged its ultimate attack—and its tail was aimed directly at her.