Indeed, that Li Huo Fei Huang, which had seized the opportunity to charge into the formation, turned out to be a Rank 9 flying locust!
*Whoosh*—*Bang*—*Rumble*!
Just as Yang Hong's divine sense transmitted the order for all Golden Winged Thunder Eagles to cease their Lion's Roar, his companion, the Chasing Cloud Chong Shan, had already moved with lightning speed to intercept. It exchanged a single blow with the Rank 9 flying locust.
However, the old man's efforts were merely a tickle to the Rank 9 locust. He was directly sent flying back by a claw strike and embedded into the mountainside of Panshi Mountain!
"Golden Sword Technique!"
"Sen Luo Prison!"
"True Essence Grand Hand Seal!"
Standing beside Yang Hong were three other individuals: Ke Ji Mei and the other two at the Rank 6 Nascent Soul stage. Apart from Zhong Chengfeng, who was refining pills, the other three Rank 6 cultivators were present.
Without Yang Hong's prompting, they immediately unleashed their most potent spells, targeting the Rank 9 flying locust.
Simultaneously, Jin Jialin, disregarding the fact that the silver sound waves would weaken the defenses of the Panshi Grand Formation, directly adjusted the direction of the silver sound waves to engulf the Rank 9 flying locust.
Meanwhile, Yang Hong swiftly began forming hand seals, closing the opened rift in the formation!
*Puff puff puff*～～
Amidst a series of muffled roars, the advancing body of the Rank 9 flying locust faltered. Then, its wings began to beat with an eerie speed, conjuring a strange vortex out of thin air.
"Screech~"
While the vortex blew away the surrounding spells, a blood-red flame ignited around the Rank 9 flying locust, merging with the vortex to form a formidable fiery whirlwind.
The air around the fiery whirlwind began to distort.
"Be careful, fall back!"
Yang Hong cried out in alarm, urging his companions to retreat. At the same time, he completed the hand seals and shut down the Panshi Grand Formation.
*Whoosh*～～ Although Ke Ji Mei and the other two retreated in time, the Rank 9 flying locust's spell was a natural, innate divine ability, executed with incredible speed. The blood-red [Li Huo Mo Yan] (Demonic Flame of Departing Fire), propelled by the strange vortex, had almost instantly covered the mountaintop.
Ahhh~ Ahhh~ Ahhh~
Chirp chirp~~
The speed of Ke Ji Mei and the others was already thousands of miles per instant, yet they were still pulled back by the fiery whirlwind, screaming within its embrace.
The Golden Winged Thunder Eagles were also incredibly fast, but nearly half of the Rank 5 Golden Winged Thunder Eagles were caught by the fiery whirlwind, their cries echoing one after another.
Only Chasing Cloud Chong Shan, with a mere flicker of its body, escaped the vortex's range and began to cast wind-elemental spells to support the trapped Golden Winged Thunder Eagles.
Jin Jialin, positioned at a higher elevation, was not engulfed. It was unleashing lightning-elemental spells, striking downwards incessantly!
"Beast, you court death!"
The power of the fiery whirlwind was excessively potent. Even Yang Hong, as he charged forward, couldn't maintain his posture, being tossed about by the whirlwind.
It must be known that although Yang Hong's cultivation was still at the Nascent Soul stage, over four years had passed, pushing his cultivation to the absolute limit of the Nascent Soul stage, a million years deep. Yet, under the fiery whirlwind, he could not stabilize himself, and even gathering spells became difficult.
This fiery whirlwind seemed to operate like a domain, restricting the enemy's spellcasting abilities.
Ah~
A scream rang out. The Rank 6 Ren Shou Hui was the first to be torn to shreds, and soon, even his Nascent Soul was incinerated to ashes. This was because Ren Shou Hui possessed the strongest aura among them, being at the late stage of Rank 6.
The Rank 9 Li Huo Fei Huang clearly possessed considerable intelligence. Not only did it know how to ambush, but it also understood the need to focus its attacks on a single target.
*Bang*~
Seizing an opening amidst the concentrated assault, Yang Hong finally reached the vicinity of the Rank 9 flying locust and unleashed a punch.
"So tough!"
Yang Hong's right hand trembled in pain from the impact of his own punch, having injured himself with his own power.
"Sect Master, be careful! The Li Huo Fei Huang possesses Rank 9 in terms of magical power, physical body, defense, speed, and spellcasting. It is a top-tier Rank 9 existence!"
Outside the fiery whirlwind, Chasing Cloud Chong Shan shouted a warning to Yang Hong.
Upon hearing this, Yang Hong's expression shifted drastically!
Generally, cultivators find it difficult to cultivate two aspects to Rank 9, let alone one. Most can only achieve Rank 9 in one area. This Li Huo Fei Huang, however, had achieved Rank 9 in all five aspects. In essence, Yang Hong's punch had landed on a Rank 9 magical artifact, one that also possessed a retaliatory effect.
"Screech~"
The Rank 9 flying locust, indeed possessing significant intelligence, sensed that Yang Hong's punch surpassed that of an eighth-rank cultivator. It immediately adjusted the fiery whirlwind, engulfing Yang Hong entirely with the [Li Huo Mo Yan].
Instantly, Yang Hong felt as if he were a mortal being roasted on a barbecue grill. Furthermore, the peculiar demonic flames directly burned into his internal organs.
"Sword Intent~ Qing Feng!"
Yang Hong was not one to passively await his demise. A flying sword appeared in his hand, and a faint breeze, as if on the verge of extinguishing, enveloped him, repelling the Li Huo Mo Yan and bringing him a moment of coolness.
However, the Qing Feng Sword Intent was rapidly dissipating under the tearing force of the fiery whirlwind.
"Hiss! This damned thing is even more powerful and troublesome than those Rank 9 Buddhist cultivators!"
Yang Hong had personally killed no less than a thousand Rank 9 cultivators. The Rank 9 flying locust was the strongest Rank 9 he had ever encountered in his life!
Chirp chirp~
A few mournful cries from the Golden Winged Thunder Eagles were heard. The Rank 9 flying locust, focused on Yang Hong, had, with merely the residual force of its vortex, killed six or seven Rank 5 Golden Winged Thunder Eagles.
"Fist Intent~ Guardian! Serious Punch!"
Yang Hong gritted his teeth, sending his flying sword, imbued with Qing Feng Sword Intent, shooting forward. He then drew his fist back to his waist and chased after the flying sword.
A resolute will of protection surged and churned within Yang Hong. All his magical power, divine sense, and willpower were concentrated into a single punch.
Squeak squeak~
As if sensing the power within Yang Hong's punch, the Rank 9 flying locust's two scythe-like forelimbs moved with incredible speed. They sliced through Yang Hong's flying sword, which bore his sword intent, as if it were tofu. Then, with a claw strike filled with chaotic intent, it heavily slashed down at Yang Hong.
*Bang*~
The clash of fist and claw sent Yang Hong crashing from the sky into Panshi Mountain. The solid, third-grade bluestone ground was cratered into a pit over ten feet deep.
The Rank 9 flying locust, however, remained suspended in mid-air, its claws still in the slashing posture.
*Puff*～～
In just two breaths, Yang Hong emerged from the debris-filled pit, spitting out a mouthful of blood, his face ashen pale. Yet, he swiftly ascended back into the air!
"Divine Sense Sword! Divine Sense Sting!"
Yang Hong placed himself in front of the Rank 9 flying locust. Instead of making contact, he unleashed two divine sense-based attack skills from a distance. His hands were completely fractured from the previous punch, and even the bones throughout his body had sustained minor cracks! The physical hardness of the Rank 9 flying locust far surpassed the imagination of any cultivator.
However, Yang Hong's punch had yielded results. Although the Rank 9 flying locust possessed Rank 9 magical power and could even cast Rank 9 spells, it was limited by the inherent flaws of insectoid creatures. Its brain was not as developed, and its divine sense was considerably weaker than that of a typical Rank 9 cultivator. Thus, Yang Hong's punch had directly injured the Rank 9 flying locust's divine sense, freezing it in mid-air.
"Divine Sense Sword, Qing Feng Slash~"
After six attacks, it was still the [Divine Sense Sword] that proved more potent. He directly combined his Divine Sense Sword with the Qing Feng Sword Intent, swiftly chopping and slicing at the Rank 9 flying locust.
*Dong*~~
Three minutes later, the Rank 9 flying locust, outwardly intact, fell from the sky. Its soul, however, had been utterly annihilated by Yang Hong's attacks.
*Dong*~ *Dong*~ *Dong*~
Before Yang Hong could celebrate, muffled impacts echoed from the Panshi Grand Formation. Yang Hong turned his head to look, and his expression immediately turned grave!