Chapter 550 523: Successful Breakout

"SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK!"

The Iron-toothed Poison Rats swarmed forward frantically, and Zhaang Ye sensed immense danger. A thousand of these creatures were equivalent to a thousand True Dao Fourth Layer experts—and fearless ones at that. If the Iron-Teeth Poison Rat King were to join the attack with its thousand-strong horde, even with his fusion of two Realms, his only fate would be death!

"SWISH SWISH SWISH!"

Heeding the calls, the Iron-toothed Poison Rats' movements became more frantic, their speed increasing significantly. Soon, the first wave was upon Zhaang Ye's back. Squeaking, they exhaled a thick, foul stench and lunged at him!

A glint flashed in Zhaang Ye's eyes. He swept his palm through the air, and an arc of Celestial River Righteous Qi flew out like a tangible blade. With three soft THWIPS, three Iron-toothed Poison Rats were instantly sliced into six pieces by the Celestial River Righteous Qi. Their toxic blood splattered everywhere, drenching the area for a hundred zhang in a putrid stench.

The blood of the Iron-toothed Poison Rats was not only horrifically toxic but also acted as a powerful stimulant. Goaded by the scent of blood, the eyes of the rats behind Zhaang Ye turned crimson as they surged forward in a mighty torrent.

The squeaks of a thousand Iron-toothed Poison Rats coalesced into a terrifying sonic wave. Wherever it passed, rocks and trees were shredded, and it blasted a deep crater into the ground. Bringing up the rear, Zhaang Ye sensed the dreadful sonic wave and quickly summoned several Tornados to shield himself from harm.

Qi Qingle, Pingcang Mountain, Gu Jianyuan, Taishu Gang, Shi Shenghao, Gao Kangzi, Yan Ming, and Galaxy all had keen senses. When they saw the Iron-toothed Poison Rats swarming up from behind, their expressions changed drastically. The swarm numbered over a thousand; if they got bogged down, they would be doomed, no matter how formidable they were!

Qi Qingle bellowed, "Zhaang Ye, you're the Vice Leader! Hold the line and kill the rats bringing up the rear!"

At that moment, the Iron-toothed Poison Rats were surging in, and everyone was fighting for their lives, unable to spare a hand. The young experts could only hope that Zhaang Ye would unleash his power and hold back the rats at the rear.

"SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH!"

The Iron-toothed Poison Rats were extremely familiar with the terrain and incredibly agile, their bodies seeming to fly as they skimmed just above the ground. No sooner had Zhaang Ye dispatched the first wave than the second attack arrived.

The second wave consisted of five Iron-toothed Poison Rats. These five had sturdy builds and flew through the air like birds. Their two short foreclaws unleashed terrifying beams of blood-red light as they lunged straight for Zhaang Ye, maws wide open!

Zhaang Ye remained perfectly calm. He waited until the five Iron-toothed Poison Rats were just fifty zhang away, then he raised his palm and slashed viciously through the air, unleashing a streak of golden light.

"THWIP THWIP THWIP THWIP THWIP!"

The five Iron-toothed Poison Rats, each comparable to a Mid-stage Fourth Layer True Dao expert, were instantly sliced into ten pieces by Zhaang Ye. Their incredibly toxic blood sprayed in every direction, filling the air with a heaven-piercing stench.

"SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH—"

He had just finished off the second wave when the third arrived. This wave numbered nearly twenty strong. They let out shrill squeals and flew over, their eyes bloodshot.

The young experts' faces turned pale. Nearly twenty Iron-toothed Poison Rats were equivalent to twenty Mid-stage Fourth Layer True Dao experts, all launching suicidal attacks. If these rats took down Zhaang Ye, the others would be caught in a pincer attack, and the onrushing tide of rats would quickly overwhelm them!

Shi Shenghao and Gu Jianyuan, who stood beside Zhaang Ye, knew they couldn't let these Iron-toothed Poison Rats get close. With a unified shout, they prepared to strike.

Just then, the young experts felt the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi shudder faintly. Their gazes fell upon Zhaang Ye as he suddenly thrust out a palm, from which golden Tornados abruptly materialized!

"FWOOM FWOOM FWOOM FWOOM FWOOM!"

Each golden Tornado Zhaang Ye unleashed was like a solid object, condensed and unwavering. The Tornados seemed to have eyes of their own, each one enveloping an Iron-toothed Poison Rat with uncanny precision. Despite their formidable strength, the rats were momentarily unable to escape the Tornados' grasp!

"SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH!"

With another gentle push of his palm, the rapidly spinning Tornados shot high into the sky, flinging the Iron-toothed Poison Rats far into the distance, dozens of li away.

Seeing Zhaang Ye's effortless display, looks of astonishment flashed in the young experts' eyes. They were all True Dao Fifth Layer masters, and it wasn't difficult for them to kill the Iron-toothed Poison Rats. But to dispatch over a dozen of the creatures so effortlessly was beyond their capabilities.

Qi Qingle breathed a sigh of relief and said in a deep voice, "Very good! Zhaang Ye, I knew I wasn't wrong about you!"

Zhaang Ye smiled faintly. Unleashing a flurry of Tornados that instantly flung dozens more Iron-toothed Poison Rats into the distance, he said in a low voice, "We need to break through now! The Iron-Teeth Poison Rat King is almost here!"

"KILL! KILL! KILL!"

"SWISH SWISH SWISH!"

With the help of the Tornados, the pressure on the young experts eased instantly. The eight young masters roared in unison, unleashing terrifying blasts of Gang Qi that shredded the surrounding Iron-toothed Poison Rats. The creatures' toxic blood sprayed in all directions; wherever it splattered, trees withered and even the rocks became discolored.

Zhaang Ye held his breath and sealed his pores, then manipulated the surrounding wind to form a thin, protective Tornado around himself. Even so, he still felt a wave of discomfort. The virulent poison in the rats' blood seemed to have a life of its own, desperately trying to worm its way into his body.

"SKREEE!!"

All nine young experts were formidable individuals. After a frenzied charge, they were on the verge of breaking free from the Iron-toothed Poison Rats. Just then, a piercing shriek suddenly rang out. The next moment, a massive rat weighing over a thousand jin burst from the ground, and a nearly palpable, malevolent aura instantly filled the forest!

"The Iron-Teeth Poison Rat King!"

"Attack now! Don't let it get any closer!"

The young experts knew how terrifying the Iron-Teeth Poison Rat King was. At its appearance, they drew their weapons and unleashed terrifying blasts of Gang Qi that ripped through the air, hurtling toward the Mouse King!

"SKREE!"

The Iron-Teeth Poison Rat King's beady eyes darted. It let out a sharp cry and its body suddenly vanished, causing the young experts' attacks to strike empty air.

"RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE!"

The ground shook. On the surface, a massive mound of earth was charging rapidly toward the young experts.

"Underground!"

The young experts were all sharp-eyed individuals; the moment the Iron-Teeth Poison Rat King vanished, they knew it was burrowing toward them. Unwilling to fight it, they each used every skill at their disposal to flee deeper into the forest.

"SQUEAK SQUEAK!"

The Iron-Teeth Poison Rat King let out two more sharp cries. At its command, the other Iron-toothed Poison Rats moved like a well-trained army, forming a pincer to surround the nine experts. The rats were intimately familiar with the terrain and their speed was no slower than the humans'. In moments, the group would be trapped!

Zhaang Ye's eyelid twitched as a thought suddenly occurred to him. 'This Iron-Teeth Poison Rat King's intelligence is no less than a human's. Could it have been raised by someone?'

"KILL!"

While Zhaang Ye was lost in thought, Qi Qingle let out a furious roar. He thrust his palms into the air, and two immense forces surged forth, sweeping through the forest like a flood and carving out a clearing. Before this power, the Iron-toothed Poison Rats in front were instantly crushed into a blood mist. Not one of the twenty-odd rats could withstand his domineering attack.

Seeing Qi Qingle's overbearing display of power, the young experts were deeply shaken. Over twenty Iron-toothed Poison Rats, each equivalent to a True Dao Fourth Layer expert, hadn't been able to resist his attack for even a moment. This was a clear testament to Qi Qingle's might.

Seeing Qi Qingle unleash his might, the other seven young experts—Pingcang Mountain, Gu Jianyuan, Taishu Gang, Shi Shenghao, Gao Kangzi, Yan Ming, and Galaxy—also unleashed their own power. Fist Gang, Palm Power, and Sword Gang flew out, killing forty to fifty Iron-toothed Poison Rats in an instant.

"SPLAT!"

An Iron-toothed Poison Rat exploded.

After their frenzied assault, the area around Qi Qingle and the others was clear of rats. But Zhaang Ye, who was covering the rear, suddenly felt his blood run cold, the hair on his neck standing on end.

More than a hundred zhang behind him, a massive, thousand-jin rat gleaming with golden light was bursting from the ground and lunging straight for him!

The Iron-Teeth Poison Rat King!

The Iron-Teeth Poison Rat King was comparable to a True Dao Sixth-Layer Expert. It could burrow rapidly and fly through the air. Even more fearsome, it could attack from a distance. From over a hundred zhang away, its beady eyes fixed sinisterly on Zhaang Ye. It opened its mouth, and a jet of blood-red poison gas shot out like an arrow!

An immense sense of danger welled up inside Zhaang Ye. With a thought, the Profound Water True Bow appeared in his hand. Three black Profound Water True Arrows transformed into three Flood Dragons, flying straight to meet the Iron-Teeth Poison Rat King's toxic blast head-on!

Having fused two Realms, the Profound Water True Arrows Zhaang Ye loosed now contained the power of both wind and water. The Flood Dragons the arrows transformed into were incredibly lifelike, and the power they contained was terrifying to the extreme. Even a Late-stage Fifth Layer True Dao master could not retreat unscathed from these three arrows!

"PFFT PFFT PFFT!"

The three Profound Water True Arrows instantly dispersed the poison gas, then continued toward the Iron-Teeth Poison Rat King. The Mouse King let out a shriek and, with a casual swipe of its claw, batted the three immensely powerful Profound Water True Arrows aside. By then, however, Zhaang Ye had already put away his Profound Water True Bow, turned into a gust of wind, and vanished.

-(To be continued.