In the Nightmare Forest, dozens of kilometres away from the main battlefield, a group of cultivators could be seen battling a ferocious green ape. The creature stood around two metres tall, its muscular frame rippling with power, and its arms were as thick as a grown man's head.
"Now! Release the spell at its head! You, activate an Earth Spike Talisman to restrict its movements!" a commanding voice rang out amidst the chaos.
The one giving orders wore a badge engraved with two swords on his chest, the insignia of a squad leader. His name was Qin Wumian, a cultivator who had recently broken through to the 7th Layer of the Qi Refining Realm.
The position he held wasn't earned by strength alone. It was a no reward, it's a favour, granted by a young master of the Feng Family. Without that backing, someone with his humble origins would've been tossed to the frontlines as expendable cannon fodder, another soul to slow down the tide of demonic beasts. Now that he had been given the chance to prove himself, he was determined to grasp it with both hands.
"Aaagh! Save me…!" a cultivator screamed but it was too late. With a thunderous roar, the green ape smashed its enormous fist into the man's head. The skull burst open like a watermelon, and his lifeless body crumpled to the ground.
"What are you all staring at?! Cast the restraining spell! I'll finish it!" Qin Wumian barked coldly.
As thick roots erupted from the earth, coiling around the beast like serpents, a saber gleamed through the air. With a clean, precise stroke, the weapon sliced through the ape's thick neck, severing its head. Blood spurted like a fountain, and the beast collapsed, its body thudding heavily against the forest floor.
"Good work," Qin Wumian said, wiping his blade with a water spell, his expression unreadable. "Casualties are a normal part of our duty. But if you freeze up every time someone dies, you'll put the entire team in jeopardy."
He crouched by the fallen cultivator and swiftly retrieved his storage bag.
"I'll return this to his descendants," he said without emotion.
Everyone knew those words were empty, a mere formality, a mask. But none said a word. It wasn't their business. On the battlefield, mercy was a luxury no one could afford. A proper burial? That was a joke. Better to burn the corpse than leave it for the beasts or allow a lingering spirit to take root.
Lan Rui observed the scene with a cold, detached gaze. He had no illusions. Sooner or later, he'd be the one stepping over a dead body to take a fallen comrade's place.
"Clean the battlefield. We move out," Qin Wumian commanded, storing the ape's body into his spatial bag.
Half a day had passed since they entered the Nightmare Forest. Three of them were already dead, including the man who'd just been crushed. Only nine remained in the squad now.
.....
Meanwhile, near the main battlefield, around a dozen kilometres outside the market's protective barrier, three figures hovered mid-air, overseeing the scene below.
"Fellow Daoist Ji, when will reinforcements from your sect arrive?" Feng Taishan asked with concern in his voice.
"Don't worry, Fellow Daoist Feng," replied Ji Wuqing with a calm smile. "They should arrive sometime today."
Wu Sheng, arms crossed, narrowed his eyes and pointed into the distance. "Looks like the Second Order demonic beasts are making a move."
As he spoke, the trees near the edge of the forest shuddered violently and three enormous figures emerged, their oppressive auras washing over the land like a crashing tide.
The first was a green-furred ape, standing six metres tall. Its massive muscles bulged beneath its hide, and its lower fangs jutted from its grimacing mouth like tusks. Its aura was thick and suffocating, clearly a Middle-Stage Second Order Demonic Beast.
The second was a massive grey wolf, low to the ground and silent in its movements. While its appearance wasn't particularly striking, the power emanating from its claws each embedded into the earth was enough to send chills down any cultivator's spine.
But the last figure was the most terrifying of all, a ten-metre-long beast with four thick limbs and claws each a metre long. Its entire body was covered in interlocking brown scales like living armor. The Earth Lizard, too, radiated the aura of a Middle Grade Second Order Demonic Beast.
"A Wood Ape of the Middle Grade Second Order, a Low Grade Grey Wolf, and a Middle Grade Earth Lizard... What a terrifying lineup," Feng Taishan muttered, fear creeping into his voice.
The Grey Wolf was the weakest, of course on the paper, but that didn't comfort him. Its speed and stealth made it a terrifying predator. Feng Taishan felt a strange sense of relief seeing it in the open. If it hadn't revealed itself, he might not have known it was even there until it was too late.
"I'll take the Grey Wolf," he quickly said.
"Hmph. Choosing the weakest. Very fitting for you," Wu Sheng scoffed. "Fellow Daoist Ji, what about you?"
"I'll take the Earth Lizard. Its scales won't break under normal attacks." Ju Wuqing said with a calm tone.
"Fine," Wu Sheng said, eyes glowing with bloodlust. "Then the Wood Ape is mine."
"We'll strike them before they reach the battlefield," Ji Wuqing said calmly. "If they break through, there will be mass casualties."
The others nodded and split apart, flying toward their respective opponents. In this war, even Qi Refining loose cultivators were crucial. Every life counted.
"I know you can understand me," Wu Sheng spoke to the towering Wood Ape before him. Hot-blooded beasts, especially those of the ape kind, often possessed far more intelligence than their cold-blooded counterparts.
"Let's fight with everything we've got. I haven't had the chance to test my strength since I broke through." He said with an overwhelming killing intent.
He raised his crimson blade, and the Wood Ape pounded its chest in reply, roaring in challenge. Their battle was about to begin.
On the other side, Ji Wuqing didn't waste time with words. The moment he drew his sword, the spiritual energy around him surged wildly. A chilling Sword Intent erupted, slicing through the air and shaking the battlefield as he lunged at the Earth Lizard.
Feng Taishan, witnessing this, couldn't help but feel shaken.
"So strong… Could he be at the Sixth Layer of Foundation Establishment?" He muttered.
Normally, the position of Market Guardian was given to newly advanced Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Cloud Sword Sect, with a term lasting ten years. But Ji Wuqing had remained at the post for well over a decade and showed no signs of leaving.
That alone raised suspicions. Feng Taishan had begun to wonder if the Cloud Sword Sect was planning something… using this market as a hidden foothold.
"Rooaar!" a howl ripped through his thoughts.
He turned to face the two-metre tall Grey Wolf. Blood rushed to his ears as he steeled himself. He was already injured from the previous battle, and the odds weren't in his favour.
"I just have to hold out long enough. When they finish their fights, they'll come help."
Tapping his storage bag, he summoned a cracked scaled shield, his last line of defense. The battle began.
.....