At these words, everyone’s expressions changed at once.
Lin Xiao was also startled. His eyesight, hearing, and spiritual sense were all extremely keen, yet he had detected nothing. How had Wang Qi already noticed?
Did Wang Qi possess some special ability?
“Caw! Caw! Caw!”
Only moments later, a series of shrill cries rang out. Dense black shadows, hundreds or even thousands of them, swarmed from the horizon ahead.
None of the shadows were humanoid. Every one was a flying spirit beast.
There were black-feathered spirit eagles several zhang long, enormous white swans, giant hoopoes with colourful spots, convex-tailed yellow-headed herons… all kinds of avian spirit beasts gathered together.
Powerful fluctuations radiated from each one. Clearly many possessed considerable cultivation.
Leading them were two spirit phoenixes with red feathers mixed with golden fur and magnificent long tails. Each phoenix was around two zhang in length; wings fully spread reached four or five zhang across. Their bodies were massive, beaks hard and sharp like a chicken’s, red crest atop their heads and golden eyes blazing with majesty. They were unmistakably the commanders of this flock.
Both spirit phoenixes exuded the pressure of half-step Martial Saint, pressing down upon Lin Xiao’s group.
“The Spirit Phoenix Clan actually came!”
“And two half-step Martial Saints at that!”
The two Wang family’s two half-step Martial Saint elders turned grave. Everyone else drew their long blades, circulating their strength and preparing for battle.
Seeing those two spirit phoenixes, Lin Xiao was equally shocked.
He naturally recognised spirit phoenixes: an extremely powerful spirit-beast species, renowned for blinding speed and overwhelming combat strength.
It was said they were descendants of the Void Heaven Phoenix Clan, which in turn carried the bloodline of the divine beast Phoenix.
Though the divine blood in spirit phoenixes was extremely thin, even the tiniest trace of divine-beast lineage made them terrifyingly strong.
“You humans dare rob the resources of our beast clans? You truly hold us in no regard!” One of the spirit phoenixes opened its beak and spat out an icy voice.
“Hmph! Zixi Forest belongs to none of your six great beast clans. To forcibly claim it as beast-clan territory, it seems your beast clans have grown bolder and bolder!” one of the Wang family half-step Martial Saints retorted coldly.
On the Central Continent, there were eight great clans, three sacred lands, and eleven overlord forces in total. The only powers comparable to the human overlords were the six great beast clans.
Yet each beast-clan force was slightly weaker than its human counterpart. Humanity clearly held dominance.
Strictly speaking, the continent was currently ruled by humans. Even the six great beast clans had to keep a low profile.
Conflicts between beast clans and humans occurred occasionally, but the beast clans always chose to yield or only retaliated when provoked.
This time, however, felt different. From the moment the Wang group entered Zixi Forest, spirit beasts had constantly attacked them.
And now, two half-step Martial Saint spirit phoenixes had actually appeared.
“Hmph! Detestable humans, not one of you will escape! Surround them!”
The half-step Martial Saint spirit phoenix roared. As they closed in, the hundreds upon hundreds of flying beasts split apart, forming several rings that stretched across a hundred li and completely encircled the humans. They clearly intended to prevent any escape.
“Kill!”
At that command, the Wang group sprang into action. Their two half-step Martial Saints charged straight at the two spirit phoenixes.
They had to pin down the half-step Martial Saint opponents. Otherwise, if the phoenixes attacked the rest, everyone else would be in mortal danger.
If the enemy had simply attacked from one direction in a concentrated assault, the threat would have been great, but the humans could still have fled backward.
By surrounding them, the beasts’ forces were divided, making it easier to break through, provided one possessed overwhelming individual strength. If not, no one would escape.
These avian beasts clearly planned to trap and annihilate them.
Yet how could the Wang family team, twelve high-tier Martial Emperors strong, fear mere birds?
Though the enemy had two half-step Martial Saints, the remaining avian beasts were not all high-level cultivators.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The two spirit phoenixes shot forward at terrifying speed, trying to engage the human half-step Martial Saints at close range to avoid collateral damage to their own flock.
But the two human elders were not so accommodating. Their long blades flashed, unleashing radiant blade beams like heavenly rainbows that slashed diagonally across the sky toward the phoenixes.
One phoenix swept its talons downward. Dazzling golden light burst from its claws and shot toward one blade beam.
The other phoenix stabbed downward with its beak. Blinding golden radiance transformed into an enormous, razor-sharp beak that pierced straight at the second blade beam.
Boom! Boom!
Two earth-shaking explosions rang out. Vast tsunami-like shockwaves erupted, forcing both Wang half-step Martial Saints backward.
At the same instant, Lin Xiao and the others charged outward in all directions.
Thus they avoided the fallout from the clash of the four half-step Martial Saints.
The rest of the Wang family members rushed toward the encircling avian beasts from every side.
Yet the birds refused to let them close. Some flapped wings that released terrifying beams of light. Some slashed with massive talons unleashing dreadful power. Others struck with claws or beaks, firing multicoloured deadly rays.
Dazzling attacks converged from all directions, targeting the eleven humans, including Lin Xiao.
Beside Lin Xiao, Wang Qi and a Ninth Layer Martial Emperor elder of the Wang family attacked the incoming forces together. Their combined might was immense.
Lin Xiao did not hold back either. The Nether Heaven Demonic Pillar appeared in his hand. Demonic yuan surged through his body, demonic flames dancing across his skin. He instantly unleashed the fifth stage of the Nether Heaven Demonic Art, amplified by the demonic pillar. Like an erupting demon lord, terrifying black radiance exploded outward, joining the attacks of Wang Qi and the elder to meet the converging avian assaults head-on.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Deafening explosions rang out in every direction except the one Lin Xiao defended. Tsunami-like shockwaves rolled across the sky. Countless avian beasts were hurled backward, many coughing blood.
In some places humans were forced back, their backs battered by the shockwaves, yet fortunately the individual avian beasts were not overwhelmingly strong. No one suffered serious injury.
In the direction Lin Xiao guarded, the avian beasts were scattered like chaff, many spurting blood as they flew.
At that instant, both Wang Qi and the Ninth Layer elder turned to stare at him in shock.
A First Layer Martial Emperor… had just unleashed combat power approaching half-step Martial Saint?
Not only the two of them, everyone else was stunned as well.
As one of the continent’s overlord forces, the Wang family naturally possessed geniuses capable of fighting above their realm.
Yet someone who could leap from First Layer Martial Emperor all the way to Ninth Layer, even surpassing ordinary Martial Emperors in strength… the Wang family truly had no such monster.
If a First Layer Martial Emperor already neared half-step Martial Saint power, what about when he reached higher layers? Would he not possess the combat strength of a true Martial Saint?
