Chapter 550 - 548: Still Fighting, But the Home Got Robbed

The panic of the two Tier Five Mages was witnessed by the troops from Dawn City.

Upon seeing their faces change drastically, Bois and the Archbishop exchanged a glance and decisively increased their efforts to block them.

As for the other people, there were those in place to hold them back.

"In this situation, perhaps it’s the mysterious person who gave us hints that’s causing trouble. Although we don’t know what they’re doing, it doesn’t seem like a bad thing. Hold them off."

The two shared the same thought.

Flora directly slowed down the attacks from the Protective Array, choosing to approach those Tier Four Mages trying to retreat, while dealing with the Array’s attacks. She battered them unilaterally, forcing them to gradually lose their sanity.

The shortage of high-level combat strength made the skirmishes on the Dusk Sect side exceptionally dire.

In the heat of the battle, a holy light burst from Flora, illuminating the surroundings.

Under the light, those below Tier Three immediately screamed, wailing in pain.

Tier Four Mages could barely resist, but their combat effectiveness was greatly reduced.

Even the two cultists fighting against the City Lord and the Archbishop found their power operation hindered due to the Purification Skill’s influence.

"Damn this Purification Skill!"

The two were furious, glaring at Flora, then exchanged a decisive look with each other.

Afterward, they pulled the Magic Puppets closer, forcefully blocking the attacks from Bois and the Archbishop, seizing the opportunity to withdraw from the battlefield and charging towards the stronghold.

Bang!

The two slammed into the barrier of the stronghold, bouncing away, struck dumb, clutching their foreheads in confusion.

"No, why is the Array..."

Clearly, they had never encountered such a situation before, where an Array capable of distinguishing between friend and foe would block them despite carrying passage runes.

One of them suddenly realized.

"This situation resembles what Suna encountered previously..."

The two looked aghast.

Instantly, their fighting spirit drained.

But thinking of the abnormality of the Death Qi made them even more uneasy.

"The two lords said this Array was laid down with the gods’ revelation, it wouldn’t easily be broken, no need to worry."

"But what is happening now?"

"Things from the gods wouldn’t be destroyed so easily, otherwise they wouldn’t just leave us two here to guard it, nor place it in such an obvious spot."

"You’re right, so what do we do now?"

"Fight back, damn it, the Holy Court somehow got this Purification Skill, too vicious."

"..."

Their exchange was swift, realizing the only way to enter the stronghold was to break through it, they quickly decided to return and resist the encirclement from Dawn City, to see what might happen.

Simultaneously, they ordered the Tier Four Mages inside the stronghold to check what was going on.

At the same time, inside the stronghold.

Those several Tier Four Mages affected by Flora’s holy beam didn’t die; though in a sorry state, the attack wasn’t specifically aimed at them.

Upon detecting the anomaly with Death Qi, they promptly rushed into the dark passage, heading downward.

Soon, they arrived at a vast underground space, seeing Hilia standing at the door at a glance.

Hilia, holding a Magic Staff, looked at the four, with a slight arch of her brow, "Finally, someone comes, huh, with me here, you’ll never get in!"

Rose’s annoyed voice entered her mind: "Even if you don’t block them, they can’t alter the Array."

Hilia’s momentum faltered, but quickly strengthened again.

"Hmph, I’m using this as an excuse to take on four!" she said.

Possessing more Magic Power than typical Tier Fours allowed her to be nearly invincible at the same tier; if it were other Tier Fours, she wouldn’t be so confident.

But these were cultists.

Now it got interesting.

She could apply negative effects on them using the special Purification Skill.

Thus, diminishing them, cultists before her, at the same tier, were nothing more than subordinates.

The four Tier Four cultists exchanged glances, summoned Magic Puppets, and charged forward.

Hilia interrupted her dialogue with Rose, watching the others, with a grin.

"Bring it on!"

Holy light emerged from the Magic Puppets, at this moment Rose wasn’t using a Magic Puppet, so Hilia summoned one as her Purification Skill tool.

Then she tossed aside the Magic Staff to float, an ice bow materialized in her hands. Pulling an old trick, a massive Ice Shield enveloped the charging four along with their Magic Puppets.

As they broke through the Ice Shield, Hilia released the bowstring, delivering a triple arrow while triggering the Ice Shield Skill’s fragments explosion, followed by Crystal Arrow’s burst, then another detonation.

Simple and unpretentious tactics, coupled with debuffs from the ongoing Purification Skill, she directly seized control of the battle.

Hilia didn’t give them any breathing room afterward, unleashing the snowstorm.

Upgraded from Ice Rain Skill, the snowstorm was no longer composed of small hail but individual pieces as big as fists.

As they fell, set off by Ice Burst Skill, they inflicted greater damage.

The four Tier Four cultists scrambled in response, fending off before finally breaking free from the snowstorm’s influence, with one sneaking into shadows, poised to ambush Hilia with a lethal strike.

However, under Spiritual Scan from Mage’s Hand, doubled with ongoing Purification Skill causing chaos in his contamination, his presence stood out more starkly than the rock nearby.

Another carried water essence, utilizing Water Magic to cloak himself... a Water Sword Master it seemed.

He charged in, the demonic qi pollutants enveloping him emitting steadily, dimming his momentum by three points before nearing Hilia.

The other two began casting Magic, preparing for ranged control.

Seeing this, Hilia remained unperturbed, slowly retreating, feigning ignorance of the Shadow Mage’s situation, poised to strike, unexpectedly releasing the Water of Stagnation and freezing promptly.

After brief control, an ice layer rapidly spread, enveloping both the water-restrained Water Sword Master and Shadow Mage.

Hilia swiftly advanced beside the struggling Close Combat Mage, redirecting a spell flying her way, planning to perform a blade thrust.

Meanwhile, the hidden Ice Crystal Missile emerged from the shadows, heading for the two distant Mages.

The vast underground space erupted with colorful Magic light.

Under the Purification Skill’s ’supervision,’ flashes of Magic light blasted forth one powerful explosion after another.

If this were aboveground or elsewhere, this underground space couldn’t withstand four-tier output battles, crumbling long ago.

Yet here, fortified by an Array seemingly laid by the Gods, mere Tier Four Magic couldn’t pose a threat.

Hilia wore a cautious expression, with help from Mage’s Hand, slowly keeping pace with the four Tier Four cultists.

Her Magic Power was still sustaining.

Conversely, under continued weakening from the Purification Skill, the four cultists’ attacks grew frantic, their reason gradually dimming.

The odds of victory were in her favor!