The Almighty Ring

In time, the Mutants retreated and so did the martial artists. Calm returned to the valley.

“Sect leader, should we call for backup?” asked Feng Xuanyi.

“What nonsense are you talking about? We are the Soaring Cloud Sect. You know for a fact that we are the strongest sect in China and yet you dare to ask that sort of question?” said Ye Tianshun before Ma Xuantong could react.

As the Grand Elder of the Soaring Cloud Sect, he had participated in this fight against the Mutants, right after he was being kept in prison, none other by the Level 5 master of Soaring Cloud Sect, Feng Tianqi.

“However, Grand Elder, we are severely overnumbered!” said Chen Xuanming. Although it was embarrassing at this point, it was safer to call in reinforcements.

“Silence! I blame the likes of spineless maggots such as yourself for the unbecoming of the Soaring Cloud Sect! We used to be mighty and powerful! Let them come, they are nothing but grackles in a group!” said Ye Tianshun.

“…”

Both Feng Xuanyi and Chen Xuanming kept quiet even though they wanted to bitchslap that old man. He had dared to scold the two heroes who had just gone to the frontlines and fought the overwhelming enemies by themselves. On the other hand, he was just standing with others. Staring and doing nothing else. In fact, he had not been doing any fighting! Just because it would save the face of the sect, he would risk the lives of all martial artists present then!

If all martial artists were said to have a natural inclination to be arrogant, those that were trained in large, famous sects would definitely be the greatest examples. Ye Tianshun was the epitome of being arrogant. He genuinely looked down on normal humans and even the other martial artists of the other sects. In his opinion, only the Soaring Cloud Sect practices the true form of martial arts. To have him ask for help from the other sects would be detrimental to his pride! One that he would rather die than to request for help!

“We’ll see how this battle turns out. Let’s not talk about reinforcements at the moment,” said Ma Xuantong after giving it a thought.

While others might not know about it, Ma Xuantong, the sect leader of the Soaring Cloud Sect understood what happened to Ye Tianshun. Although he was said to be imprisoned by Feng Tianqi, the truth was far from it. The man was accepted by the Level 5 master as his personal disciple! With a Level 5 master standing behind him, the man had become even more arrogant than he already was. Even Ma Xuantong was nothing but a little pea in the face of Ye Tianshun!

“Sigh… We hear and obey…” said Chen Xuanming and Feng Xuanyi. This was not the first time Ye Tianshun had tried to stir trouble. If he had not provoked Jiang Fei, the boy would not have shed blood in the Soaring Cloud Sect and brought shame to them.

If that old fart was going to do the same thing he did with Jiang Fei, Soaring Cloud Sect might be on the road to annihilation.

“Heh. I blame myself for being in Soaring Cloud Sect…” said Feng Xuanyi to himself.

“Hmph! I would have punished the two of you if we are not in a war!” said Ye Tianshun angrily. To think that mere members had dared to talk back to him was unacceptable. However, he knew that it was not the place and time for him to “enact” punishment. However, that did not mean that he would let them go. Once the war was over, he would punish them when they are back in China!

“Sir, I’m curious to know. Why did we stop the attack?” asked a powerful Mutant.

“There’s more than it meets the eye when it comes to warfare, young one. There’s no need for us to push them too soon. The game had only just begun. We do not need to sacrifice 8 of our men to kill 10 of them,” said Desir as he laughed.

The man had made such a decision, similar to the one when he decided to let the Snow Mountain Sect go. He knew that the martial artists could fight when death was knocking on their doors. Although he was sure that he could defeat the Soaring Cloud Sect, he did not want to do it in a way that many of his own brethren would perish.

Right now, all he wanted to do was to catch those martial artists off-guard. The more the better. There was no need for him to find and kill them just yet. As he said, the game had only just begun. When the naval fleet returns with fire support, the martial artists would be weakened and the Mutants could wipe them out easily without suffering many casualties. There was not even a need for them to even attack now!

“What should we do now, sir?” asked another Mutant.

“Good question. For now… Let us regroup and recuperate. It’s about time we have some grub!” said Desir with a warm smile.

“Yes, sir!” said all the Mutant that were standing close to him. They then proceeded to inform the other Mutant group leaders to spread the word.

With speed, all the Mutants that were preparing to fight the Soaring Cloud Sect returned.

“Look at them. Didn’t I say the Mutants were just a bunch of grackles! There’s no need for us to chase them! They retreated willingly!” said Ye Tianshun when he noticed the Mutants were retreating. He genuinely thought that the Mutants were afraid of them!

“…”

Chen Xuanming and Feng Xuanyi sighed heavily. It was obvious that the Mutants did not retreat because of fear. However, they dared not speak their minds.

“Alright. Let’s move on,” said Ma Xuantong as he led the sect somewhere else safe.

The battle was short and fast. Although they had lost several Level 3 disciples when they were ambushed, Chen Xuanming and Feng Xuanyi had killed over 50 Mutants. They had even managed to kill five Level 4 Mutants. It was a good trade since they had only lost less than 10 Level 3 disciples.

It was true that the Soaring Cloud Sect came out victorious. However, losing over 50 men in one fight was nothing to the entire Mutant army!

As time passed, night came and Jiang Fei remained passive while he waited for the Mutants to strike first. On the other side of Japan, Bai Wanli had finally reached to save the Rainbow Longsword Sect!

“Protect the injured!” cried Bai Wanli as he sent out his disciples to rescue those that were maimed and unable to fight anymore. He and a few other Level 4 fighters took the liberty to stand in the frontlines.

“Brother Bai… You’re here…Thank… god…”

When Ganyang Zhenren saw Bai Wanli had arrived to fight by his side, he was grateful yet words seem to fail him. The man was injured badly as his clothing was dyed in red, by the blood of his enemies and him!

Ganyang Zhenren was not the only one, the rest of the surviving Rainbow Longsword Sect were also gravely injured. Some that were still able to fight was in trance. The Mutants were everywhere. The battlefield was basically crawling with them!

All the last surviving members of the Rainbow Longsword Sect were basically running on fumes. Even the Level 4 fighters were unable to fight properly as their visions were fading away.

The only thing that kept them going was willpower and the hope that reinforcements would come to save them. Without that thought, willpower alone was not enough to keep them alive.

While the martial artists were down to their feet, the Mutants were not doing too good themselves. Most of them were exhausted while some were able to keep fighting on in their beast form. Even though they had the quantity, they did not have the quality. Martial artists were trained to have inhuman endurance while the Mutants were never trained! Even though the Mutants could fall back and rest for a while and return to the front lines. There was still a limit to it.

If Desir was there to lead the Mutants, he would have called back the soldiers a long time ago. Unfortunately for this batch of Mutants, the man that was leading them was the man that had an intense grudge against Chinese martial artists. Walker would not stop until he had killed every martial artist right then! When Bai Wanli had arrived, the tables had turned. It was time for them to strike back, and they would strike hard.