Maiden Of The Splitting Moon

With the Pearlstone Dagger and the Boltwind Claws, she struck as they were all writhing in pain. But there wasn't enough time for her to kill them all. 

"Just one, the closest one", she thought. 

Her eyes scanned through the five Vore Demons before spotting what she wanted. One of the sisters still clutching her eyes and screaming in anguish and a maddening fury. 

"Ten meters..."

Pointing her claws at this blinded demon, the Boltwing Nails all shot out, silently piercing several parts of her. But one of them struck her throat and with all five releasing a shock of lightning. 

Her writhing body suddenly shook violently as blood began to flow from the tiny holes. 

Ming Yue didn't even bother to wait for her to die and left, fully knowing that there was no way her victim would be able to survive. 

Only seconds passed as she ran with the others and the remaining four sisters uncovered their eyes, blinking constantly. As soon as their sight recovered, they saw that their prey was gone and one of their own killed. 

"No, Second Sister!"

"Those miserable little morsels! They think they could escape us?!"

"Chase after them! Leave none of them alive! Not even a scrap of meat will be left!"

Surrounding their second sister, they mourned for just mere moments before looking towards the direction the soldiers left. With their nose pointed up, all of them sniffed the air before running after them on all fours. 

As Ming Yue caught up to the others, everyone nodded to each other. 

"Don't forget the plan! Distract them and lead them into the traps!" Zi Jing shouted out. 

He then turned to the young cultivator with a serious look. She nodded and slowly drifted away from the group, melding into the shadows. The sun had only begun to set and there was much less cover. 

"What a sight! To think they'd encounter the Vore Demons already! It looks like they have a plan set too! Imagine if that was us!"

Following them from afar were the two disciples, Brother Yu and Sister Ting, the former who felt a thrill and exhilaration from all of this. As for the latter, the opposite could be said. 

"Brother Yu, I don't think it's safe here anymore, we should go back to the camp."

She quietly spoke to him, cowering behind his back. 

"Nonsense! We've come this far! We can't stop now! Come on, come on!" 

He whispered back to her, following the main group. 

Not far from them was the sound of hissing and laughter as the four sisters gave chase. 

"You can't run from us!"

"We'll find you! And we'll eat you!"

Their voices echoed throughout the marshes, drowning out the sounds of buzzing insects and rustling grass. 

"Hurry! It's to the right!" the Commander shouted.

"RIGHT!" 

Ya Lang screamed out to the others, making sure they knew and that they were all focused. 

"Do not panic! Follow my orders!" he continued. 

The twenty-odd soldiers all gave a shout, acknowledging his words. As they reached the location, Zi Jing gave out instructions. 

"Take a talisman and place it there!"

Pointing forward, one of his swords floated up and flew out, piercing the ground. The nearest soldier then whipped out a talisman and slapped it onto the sword. The blade hummed as it gathered energy, the ground began to trembled and a glowing light appeared. 

Having stopped, the four demons quickly caught up, coming in sight of everyone. 

"Eat them! Eat them!"

They called out hungrily as their mouths loosened with drool dribbling down their lips. 

Zi Jin quickly focused, forming several hand signs before opening shouting out.

"Emerald Shackles!"

The formation shined on as the grass grew out, shooting towards the Vore Demons. Wrapping around their limbs and that mouth, they struggled to escape but it did not last for long. Bit by bit, the grass snapped around their mouths as they began to chomp down on them. They were quick, eating up their restraints one by one.

"It can't hold for long! Where's Ming Yue?!" one of them shouted. 

Zi Jing continued to man the formation as he looked around, hoping for her to strike.

And strike she did.

With all four of them detained, Ming Yue made her move. But with their mouths free, she had to be careful. Emerging from the grass behind them, Ming Yue seemingly vanished without a trace, readying the dagger in her hands. 

She looked at the four of them, searching for an opportunity. 

And one would come as one for the sisters took a large mouthful of the grass, freeing three of her limbs. Chewing on them, that was the few seconds where this demon was helpless. 

With her being out of sight, the dagger seemingly appeared from the shadows cast by the grass, stabbing into the demon's thigh. 

But that wasn't all, the dagger crackled with wind and lightning as it coursed into their body. Her screams were muffled by the grass but the others all saw it happen. And their eyes fell upon the dagger that was soon pulled out by Ming Yue, whose body had come out of the shadows. 

And then there were three of them, all of which stared at Ming Yue, hatefully. 

"You're the one! You killed our sisters!"

"We'll kill you! We won't eat you in one gulp, we'll have you limb by limb!"

"You'll suffer unimaginable pain for killing our sisters!"

"Our Mistress will come for us! She'll end you, all of you!" 

They screamed and shrieked, slowly freeing themselves from their bonds. But by then, Ming Yue had disappeared as did the others. 

And with the fury in their hearts, they continued to chase their prey. 

"To think they'd use such tricks! Disgusting, little humans!"

"We'll get revenge, as long as they die, our sisters will be sullied!"

Suddenly one of them stopped and the others followed.

"There's another scent, other humans..."

They sniffed the air and then looked at each other with smiles. 

"Really?... Yes, different... it's fresh."

"Why don't we kill them first?"

"Yes, yes!"

The remaining three scampered away, following the scent of others. But Ming Yue was there and she saw them run off in another direction. 

"Where are they going?" she wondered. 

As she followed them, the air trembled as low growling rumbled through the marshes. And then, six shadows emerged from the waters, revealing themselves as the adult Stoneguise Lizards, the one controlled by Qing Chai, the Red Empress. 

A terrifying cavalry force that only she could ride and they were on the move. 

Ming Yue looked up at them with a surprised look but kept her composure. After all, this was to be expected but she could not focus on Qing Chai yet. Not when the job was completed with her "daughters".

"I have to find where they're going." 

And the young cultivator whistled for Xiao Yin. 

Meanwhile, the two disciples who followed the main group from afar had found themselves within a predicament. They kept close to each other, running from one place to another.

But it didn't matter, they were lost. 

"Where are we? Brother Yu, I'm scared."

Sister Ting trembled as she held her tonfa tightly. Even then, she cowered behind her fellow disciple, who wielded his broadsword with one hand and tried to comfort her with the other. 

"Don't worry, I'll get us out of here!"

He looked at her before surveying his surroundings but it was no use. This was the first time either of them had ventured this far into the marshes. As confident as he was, it was beginning to wane. 

His eyes flickered from one point to another, trying to decide on which direction to take. 

"Where do I go? Damn it, where are we?" 

Brother Yu turned constantly, still hesitant.. And by then, the sound of hissing and laughter drew near.