Chapter 250: Consecutive Wingform Kills
Zhao Yuanjiao was the first to soar into the air, striking with his Crescent Blade. Dozens of crescent slashes manifested in the air and shot toward the crow spirits.
The Wingform crow in the lead cawed and spread its wings. Fire descended, swamping and overwhelming the crescent blades. Zhao Yuanjiao roared and shot into the flames, his sword and momentum forcing the Wingform-realm crow spirit upward.
However, there were two more Wingform-realm crow spirits left. They flapped their wings, summoning fire as hot as lava. The elders that shot toward them were flung away, screaming as they smashed into the ground.
"Ye Dafu, take good care of my master's physical body. Ye Sanshui, continue preparing the Immortal's Destruction!" Xiao Nanfeng commanded, then took to the air.
He wanted to protect his master's body as tasked, but if the elders were to be injured, the remaining crows would still launch themselves toward him. In order to ensure that his master's body wouldn't be affected by the battle, he had no choice but to take down the two remaining Wingform-realm spirits.
"Understood!" the two cultivators replied.
"Kill!" Xiao Nanfeng cried out, slashing at one of the Wingform-realm spirits.
The divine undying blade caused many of its golden feathers to fall, but was unable to cut through to its flesh. The Wingform-realm crow roared in outrage, its feathers puffing up and sending a torrent of flame straight toward Xiao Nanfeng. Its claws were like sharp spears that stabbed at Xiao Nanfeng and sent him flying.
Although Xiao Nanfeng cultivated an impressive technique and harbored the power of ten suns within his body, he was only a Spiritsong-realm cultivator. As a result, he wasn't able to deal any serious injuries. The Wingform-realm crow spirit rushed at him and caused him to falter.
From the side of his eye, he could see that the elders facing the other Wingform-realm crow spirit were faring worse. Its feathers were like spears that shredded their barriers and caused blood to spray into the air.
The Wingform-realm crow spirit was relentless. It shot forward once again, as though prepared to slaughter the elders in one fell swoop.
"No!" the elders cried out in despair.
"Explode!" Xiao Nanfeng tossed out a corroded Immortal relic at the crow.
The Immortal relic exploded in a huge fireball that consumed the Wingform-realm crow spirit.
The elders, having avoided the imminent crisis, shouted, "Thank you, Elder Xiao!"
"Take it down while it's still injured!" Xiao Nanfeng shouted.
"Understood!" The elders all leapt at the stunned crow spirit.
Xiao Nanfeng, however, had his own foe to take down. The Wingform-realm crow spirit before him was swooping forward again.
"Thinking of helping others even when you're about to die? Take this!" The Wingform-realm crow spirit's sharp claws struck like a row of Immortal spears.
Xiao Nanfeng blanched and defended with the divine undying blade. The clash of blade and claw caused flames to spark to life all around them. A huge wave of energy sent him flying back.
Xiao Nanfeng didn't dare rest. He immediately charged toward the crow spirit again.
"You overestimate your abilities," the crow spat out, swooping at him once again.
Within the flames, as blade and claw collided, Xiao Nanfeng was sent flying again. His current strength only allowed him to defend himself against the crow, but he did manage to successfully stall it from attacking the others.
"Save us, Elder Xiao!" a shout came from afar.
The other Wingform-realm crow spirit had recovered from the explosion. Though it was wounded, it was still a Wingform-realm spirit. It roared in outrage, suppressing the elders and leaving their lives in the balance.
"Explode!" Without any hesitation, Xiao Nanfeng destroyed the final Immortal relic that Ao Zhou had given him.
"How are you, King Xiao?" Ye Dafu asked.
"Ye Dafu, bring me the two Wingform-realm crow spirits' inner cores so I can recuperate. Ye Sanshui, you're in charge of the Immortal's Destruction. Defend me and my master," Xiao Nanfeng commanded, even as more blood seeped out of his mouth.
"Understood!" the two cultivators replied.
As Ye Dafu rushed toward the two Wingform-realm crow spirits, some Spiritsong-realm crow spirits tried to attack Xiao Nanfeng, but they were dealt with by the Immortal's Destruction.
A few more attacked, but repeated blades of energy appeared in the air and killed crow spirit after crow spirit. Eventually, they didn't dare to attack any further.
"King Xiao, the Immortal's Destruction has grown far stronger. One blade is equivalent to an attack from a Wingform-realm cultivator. That's never happened before!" Ye Sanshui exclaimed.
"Naturally. The draconic vein that lies under Taiqing Island is far larger than those we've excavated. The Immortal's Destruction draws from the energy of these draconic veins, so it grew stronger as a result," Xiao Nanfeng explained.
Ye Dafu quickly returned with two shining inner cores. "King Xiao, I've brought the cores back!"
"You've been injured?" Xiao Nanfeng frowned.
Ye Dafu's clothes were the worse for wear.
"I'm fine. A few crow spirits tried to scratch my itches."
A Spiritsong-realm crow spirit had tried to attack him when he claimed the Wingform-realm spirits' inner cores, but Ye Dafu's physique and cultivation technique meant he didn't have to worry at all. The claws never even broke his skin.
"Ye Dafu, operate the Immortal's Destruction with Ye Sanshui and guard the perimeter," Xiao Nanfeng commanded.
"Understood!"
Xiao Nanfeng swallowed both Wingform-realm inner cores and began to recuperate.
Ye Sanshui and his nephew stayed by Xiao Nanfeng and Ku Jiang's side, operating the Immortal's Destruction against any threats that came his way. As for the remaining crow spirits, the elders were more than sufficient to take care of them.
Without the threat of the Wingform-realm crow spirits, the elders quickly claimed the upper hand and forced the crow spirits high into the air beyond the Taiqing Island.
Nalan Yunhai glared at Xiao Nanfeng within the thick fog. He had been preparing to escape along with some others, but Xiao Nanfeng had actually managed to slay the two Wingform-realm crow spirits with his Immortal's Destruction. With the tides having turned, it would be inappropriate for him to flee now. All the elders were fighting, and he had to do the same.
However, when the elders saw Nalan Yunhai, many of them let out looks of disgust. They avoided him and were unwilling to fight side by side with him.
"What's wrong with these elders?" Nalan Yunhai frowned.
One of his subordinates suddenly asked, "Your Highness, will we need to use the Immortal web?"
Nalan Yunhai's eyes flashed as he realized what the reason was.
"Are these elders criticizing me for not saving them with my Immortal web? Damn it. Why did Xiao Nanfeng have to sacrifice his relics?" Nalan Yunhai glowered.
It was no secret that he possessed an Immortal web. Immortal relics were precious by nature, no matter how corroded, and no one would destroy them just to fend off a foe. No one would have criticized him for not contributing enough if not for Xiao Nanfeng's valiant efforts in destroying two Immortal relics to save the gathered elders. In comparison, Nalan Yunhai looked far more selfish and self-interested.
Now that the elders had taken the upper hand, they didn't need Nalan Yunhai's support any longer. No matter what Nalan Yunhai did, he wouldn't be able to change their thoughts on him.
"Well done, Xiao Nanfeng," Nalan Yunhai spat out. "Well done!"