Before the Gang Qi in his hand could fully condense, however, the wall of roots ahead suddenly turned crimson and a terrifying wave of heat surged forth.
Even Shi Hezhang, whose bones had long been tempered to perfection and whose body was imnsely strong, felt the scorching heat and hastily retreated.
Many clansn behind him, however, had been running too fast and could not stop in ti. They crashed headlong into the wall of roots.
Zzzzzzz!
In an instant, several of the Shi Clan's leading mbers were roasted into charred husks by the overwhelming heat. The stench of burning flesh quickly spread through the air—none of them had ti to scream.
Seeing their clansn perish so miserably, the others still fleeing froze in terror. Their faces turned pale as they halted, unwilling to advance further.
Above, Shi Hezhang’s pupils contracted sharply at the sight.
Such terrifying heat! Even if I touched it, I’d lose a layer of skin!
But when he turned around, his expression shifted to sheer horror.
The locust tree that had once stood rooted in the Chen family’s ancestral hall was now truly rising to its feet.
Countless writhing roots twisted together beneath the trunk, forming the twin legs of the locust tree.
Though its pace was slow, each massive step carried it several ters forward.
As the tree drew ever closer, Shi Hezhang felt a chill of fear rise within him.
This Chen family totem is far too terrifying. I must escape!
Without further thought, Shi Hezhang unleashed his full strength, blasting at the wall of roots ahead.
Other martial cultivators did not dare approach, but he could attack from a distance with his Gang Qi.
After several strikes, a gap appeared in the hardened roots, but it was still too narrow for his clansn to pass through.
Just as Shi Hezhang prepared to continue his assault, a sudden wave of deadly danger surged from behind.
His sharp instincts forced him to abandon the attack and dart swiftly to the side.
In that instant, a thick locust branch swept across the space where he had just stood.
Before he could breathe a sigh of relief, several agonized screams pierced the air.
Shi Hezhang lowered his gaze and saw sothing that made his heart sink.
The area that the branch had swept across was now filled with intersecting Sword qi. Though he had narrowly evaded the strike, the clansn below were not so fortunate. Every one of them perished beneath the branch.
Among the fallen were two Innate Realm elders, who were unable to dodge in ti and were killed instantly.
In that mont, panic erupted. The clansn scattered in all directions, fleeing in terror. Even Shi Chengyi and the few remaining Innate Realm martial artists could not hide their fear.
Earlier, they had only observed from afar, unaware of the branches' true might. From a distance, they had seed ordinary, almost harmless. But only after experiencing them firsthand did they realize their true horror.
While the Shi Clan was delayed and slaughtered, the Chen family warriors surged forward, cutting through the panicked crowd.
However, the Shi Clan’s fighters had already lost their will to resist. Courage had abandoned them, and with the wall of roots blocking their path, they could only scatter to the sides, desperately trying to escape the locust tree’s reach.
The clash between the two forces lasted only a few monts before several slow-moving Shi clansn were cut down!
Agonizing cries echoed in Shi Hezhang’s ears. At this point, even protecting himself was difficult. How could he spare a thought for the others?
Worse still, the divine tree had locked its focus on him.
Seeing that the wall of roots ahead was firm and unyielding and impossible to quickly break through, Shi Hezhang did not hesitate. He turned and fled in another direction.
As long as I live, the clan still has hope!
But as he ran, another branch descended from above with crushing force.
His sharp instincts saved him once more—he dodged aside just in ti. Yet, another chorus of screams ca from below. The clansn who had fled in the sa direction as him were struck down rcilessly.
Aaahhhhhh!
This sight forced the remaining Shi clansn to halt. Instead of following their uncle-grandfather, they turned around and charged at the Chen family warriors who were pursuing them.
They realized the truth: Following Shi Hezhang ant certain death. It was better to fight the Chen family head-on. At least that way, they might avoid the locust tree’s terrifying strikes from above.
Surely the Chen family’s Divine Tree would not slaughter its own clansn along with the enemy, would it?
After narrowly dodging the attack, Shi Hezhang sped up, his gaze fixed on the distant mountains and dense forests of Chaotic Burial Mountain.
If he could escape the locust tree’s attack range, he would survive.
But just as hope flickered in his heart, his steps suddenly froze and his gaze turned vacant.
For a brief mont, he stood dazed. Then, clarity returned.
Yet Ji Yang had long been prepared, unwilling to let such an opportunity slip away.
Countless roots surged forth, empowered by Ji Yang’s will. They extended rapidly from the ground and wove together into a prison of roots that encircled Shi Hezhang.
The cage swiftly contracted under Ji Yang’s control, compressing into a tight sphere.
Inside, Shi Hezhang sensed the looming shadow of death. He struck out desperately, trying to tear the prison apart.
But the strengthened roots folded and layered like endless wrinkles, binding him firmly and refusing to yield.
Ji Yang had initially planned to use the locust tree’s intense heat to instantly lt Shi Hezhang. However, upon glancing at his dwindling life force, he chose to instead swing the massive branch with all his strength and smash it down upon the sphere below.
Pa!
There was no room to evade—the root cage was flattened against the ground in an instant.
Sensing faint traces of life lingering within, Ji Yang struck again, pounding the branch down rcilessly.
Pa! Pa! Pa!
The deafening cracks reverberated through the surroundings.
Only when he perceived that no breath of life remained did he slowly retract the roots.
Inside the shattered cage, only scraps of torn, muddied, red-stained clothing remained—Shi Hezhang’s figure was gone.
The Shi Clan’s Qi Manipulation Realm warrior had fallen, utterly annihilated.
Seeing that his painstaking efforts had finally eliminated this formidable foe, Ji Yang exhaled slowly, relief washing over him.
A warrior in the Qi Manipulation Realm was like a slippery loach—too fast and elusive. Although Ji Yang invoked Withered Wood Revives Spring, enlarging his body to a colossal size, his strikes were cumberso because of his bulk. Without Soul-Seizing, he could never have trapped Shi Hezhang so quickly.
Ji Yang had calculated carefully. Considering Soul-Seizing's limited stun duration, he waited until Shi Hezhang's mind was shaken before unleashing it.
Had he used it outright, Shi Hezhang's strong willpower would have resisted, and the effect would have been far weaker.
His judgnt proved correct.
After countless calculations, success at last.
Yet, as Ji Yang’s consciousness spread outward and surveyed the battlefield, his brow furrowed slightly.
Though he had just dispatched two Innate Realm elders with ease, the Shi Clan still had four Innate Realm warriors remaining.
Without Shi Hezhang’s intervention, the remaining mbers of the Shi Clan could never have stopped the others from escaping at full strength.
If they managed to flee and join the surviving Shi warriors, they would form a formidable force.
Yet, when Ji Yang glanced at his own dwindling life force, hesitation stirred in his heart.
Life force: 112... 110... 108...
In less than half a stick of incense, his vitality had nearly been exhausted and was on the verge of dropping below one hundred.
If I push further, will I even survive this battle?
The tension of the battlefield bore down on him; every decision carried the weight of life and death.
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