“That damn bastard... If only I weren't injured...”
Yserazor glared hatefully at the shattered window and cursed under his breath before quickly turning to the group. “Quick! Get inside, and help me guard the door!”
At the same time, a dazzling flare burst into the night sky above the castle. Clearly, the man who had escaped was signaling the others.
The flare’s light was exceptionally piercing in the rainy night, as if announcing to the world that their position had been exposed.
Starlight and the others quickly rushed into the room. In the center, a fist-sized emerald crystal floated silently in mid-air.
The crystal emitted a faint glow, surrounded by a translucent shield. This was clearly the anchor Yserazor had mentioned.
“Is that the anchor?” Po Kong asked.
“Yes,” Yserazor nodded. “But that shield is the anti-space barrier I set up. However, those bastards from the House of Red modified it afterward, so I have to crack it before I can activate the teleportation formation.”
“Then get started quickly. Three minutes, right? We’ll buy you the time!” Starlight nodded to Yserazor and turned his gaze toward the door.
Yserazor didn't waste any more words and immediately pressed his large hand against the shield. Instantly, the previously translucent shield lit up, emitting a brilliant radiance. Spatial power surged from his palm as he began to slowly crack the barrier.
Starlight once again handed Lian to Moen and said softly, “Help me protect her and Little Gold. Leave the rest to us.”
With that, he strode to the doorway, suddenly crouched down, and pressed both hands against the floor of the corridor.
“Ice Prison!”
Deep in the corridor, the sounds of hurried footsteps and shouting were drawing closer. Clearly, the House of Red pursuers had received the alert and were rushing toward the top floor from all directions. However, what greeted them was a terrifying chill.
By the time the first pursuer reached the corridor, the entire hallway had been transformed into a world of pure white. Large blocks of solid ice continuously formed on the walls and floor, blocking their path.
Since it was pouring rain outside, the water elements in the air were practically inexhaustible, allowing Starlight to use the most labor-saving and effective method available.
In just a few seconds, the top of the castle was covered in a layer of solid ice. From a distance, the top of the castle looked like a giant ice crystal bulb, appearing exceptionally conspicuous in the rainy night.
Pinned down by the Ice Prison, the ordinary guards couldn't break through the icy obstruction at all. They only managed a few steps before being frozen in place, becoming rows of ice sculptures.
However, the real problem didn't lie with these common soldiers. Before Starlight could even catch his breath, a blast of intense flames blew a massive hole through the ice wall on the side of the corridor.
Three figures instantly rushed in—the three Saint Rank elders of the House of Red. Their gazes were cold and sharp, clearly prepared for battle.
“Brat, your tricks end here! Fire Dragon Spell!” The elder who had been wounded earlier gave a cold laugh and swung his staff, sending a blast of searing fire straight toward Starlight.
“Watch out!” Po Kong roared, instantly stepping in front of Starlight.
He swung the Sacred Wood Phantom with all his might. The giant scythe’s blade cut through the air, creating a sharp arc of light that forcibly split the oncoming flames in two.
“Vwoom, swish—!”
Almost at the same instant, a sharp whistling sound of wind tearing apart erupted from behind the two. Xia Duo had already drawn her bow to its limit, locking onto her target like a hawk.
The moment the flames exploded, she released her fingers, and an arrow shot out like a falling star.
Because more than half of the corridor was blocked by the ice walls Starlight had created, the narrow space left the enemies with nowhere to hide. She barely needed to aim for the arrow to fly straight toward the opponent's vitals.
This time, Xia Duo didn't hesitate to use one of the precious Sacred Wood Arrows. The dark green shaft was wrapped in a faint magical glow, tearing through the wave of fire like a sharp knife as it headed straight for the elder’s face.
Facing this seemingly simple yet lethally threatening arrow, another Sword Saint from the House of Red reacted with extreme speed.
He stomped his foot down, his body flickering like a ghost as he flashed in front of his mage teammate. He swept his long blade across, the tip of the sword colliding with the Sacred Wood Arrow in mid-air.
“Clang—!”
A crisp metallic collision rang out. The Sacred Wood Arrow was deflected, embedding itself diagonally into the nearby wall, its fletching still vibrating slightly.
The Sword Saint was shaken by the impact, forced back two steps. The hand holding his blade felt numb, and the web of his thumb throbbed with pain.
He looked at Xia Duo with a solemn expression, a trace of wariness flashing in his eyes. He quickly adjusted his posture and took a defensive stance, clearly no longer daring to underestimate his opponents.
“Solve the injured one first!” Starlight whispered, his eyes like ice as he locked onto the Saint Archmage who had been previously wounded by Yserazor.
“Got it!” Xia Duo pulled another Sacred Wood Arrow from her back and nocked it to the string.
Seeing this, the Sword Saint’s heart sank, realizing things were taking a bad turn. Since Philip had gone to the defense core of the castle to take command, he only had two teammates left—a mage and a Saint Rank powerhouse who leaned toward an assassin-type.
In such a narrow corridor environment, it was difficult for the mage to cast large-scale spells, and the assassin-type elder couldn't fully utilize his speed advantage. The situation was not in their favor.
“We can't delay any longer. Break through! They’re just a few brats who haven't even reached the Saint Rank. I don't believe they can hold out much longer!” the Sword Saint growled through gritted teeth, quickly exchanging a look with the assassin-type elder beside him.
The two understood each other perfectly. They exerted their power simultaneously, charging fiercely toward the room where Starlight and the others were.
The Sword Saint in front brandished his long blade, the cold light of the edge cutting through the air with a piercing shriek as he closed in on Po Kong.
At the same time, the assassin-type elder clung to the ice wall like a ghost, his form almost merging with the ice as he launched a flanking assault.
Po Kong’s eyes narrowed as he stood his ground directly in front. He swung his giant scythe, meeting the Sword Saint’s long blade with a deafening metallic crash.
In the instant Po Kong was fully occupied with the frontal assault, the assassin-type elder seized the opening, his figure flashing as he bypassed the defensive line from the side.
“Oh no!” Xia Duo’s pupils contracted. She immediately released her bowstring, sending a Sacred Wood Arrow flying like lightning, followed by several more arrows wrapped in battle qi in an attempt to intercept his advance.
However, the Saint Rank assassin’s body twisted eerily in mid-air, narrowly avoiding the most powerful Sacred Wood Arrow by a hair’s breadth. He easily parried the remaining arrows with his daggers.
Amidst a flurry of clanging sounds, the arrows were deflected. The assassin paid no mind to Xia Duo behind him; instead, his cold eyes locked onto Starlight as he charged straight for him.
Xia Duo naturally couldn't stand by and watch Starlight be attacked. Without hesitation, she drew a short blade from her thigh and flickered forward, resolutely moving to intercept him.
Despite the obvious gap in strength, her exceptional reactions and perception allowed her to barely keep up with the Saint Rank assassin’s movements.
Rate on N.U.
