Venerated Venomous Consort

“We should leave the array and attract their attention!”

“All right old man!”

“We shall fight them until our last breaths!”

The rest of the elders were synchronized. Simultaneously, they took their iron rods and aimed them at the Phantom Beasts. At their age, their strength would do no harm to the beasts. Instead, they only managed to trigger the beasts even further. In a rage, the particularly beast they attacked was going to kill them.

“Now!” In a mess, a voice could be heard making a sudden command. It was obviously a signal. Together, the six elders pushed the younger men who were fighting in the frontline apart and rushed out of the group.

Tie Dan and his men had never expected that the elders would make their sudden exit. With no time to spare, they could only watch as the elders ran further and further into the distance.

The beasts on the outside were unable to break through the formation and were desperate. Upon seeing the elders approaching, they switched their target and aimed at them instead.

The crowd was utterly shocked. Some young men wanted to follow the elders regardless.

“Grandpa!”

“Grandma!”

Gu Xijiu saw what happening, but her hands were tied in the battle with the leader of the beasts. By its side, there were another two massive Phantom Beasts that served as its guardians. They had not been able to get close enough to kill it.

As soon as she heard the sudden rise of chaos, she quickly turned around to check it out. That was when she first saw an elder being hunted down by a beast. Caught in a shock, her arm was almost slashed by one of the beasts that she was currently fighting.

The elders were slow, and the beasts were moving very quickly. Not long after they left the group, they were all brutally killed by the beasts.

Their last voices echoed.

“Don’t come here!”

“Stone, take the children out. Our deaths will not be in vain.”

“Stone, please take care of them.”

Their last words hung in the air.

Tears started to roll in Gu Xijiu’s eyes. Di Fuyi’s heart was equally moved. He knew that the eight elders were the slowest ones in the group. Judging from their synchronized actions, it was obviously something they had planned. They took the opportunity to sacrifice themselves. Firstly, they did so to ease the stress of the younger men in the battle. Secondly, they did not wish to delay the progress anymore.

Di Fuyi was not very emotionally attached to the people. He only agreed to save the clan because of Gu Xijiu. Without any emotions for them, he could easily make the most rational decision to find the most suitable solution.

However, to witness the sacrifice came as a shock to him as well. He finally understood why Gu Xijiu insisted on saving each and every one of their lives.

…

Five minutes later, the leader of the beasts was killed. Swiftly, they returned and killed other beasts. As for the eight elders, their pieces of flesh and bones remained on the ground. The clan leader collected some of their bones.

Some of the people in the group started sobbing. Almost everyone was equally affected by the tragedy. Gu Xijiu took a deep breath and gave Di Fuyi a stern look. Di Fuyi froze momentarily upon seeing the iciness in her eyes. Then, Gu Xijiu turned to look at the group of people.

She was sad, too, but it was not the time to show it. “I promise to take everyone out of here!” She did not cry, but her eyes were obviously red. “I will not leave anyone behind,” she said firmly.

“That is right! No one will be left behind!” All of them agreed. Furiously, they clenched their fists tightly in response.

The group continued their journey. Only this time, the progress was much better. Almost everyone was running. The leader of the beasts would only appear once a day. Therefore, after its death, they did not encounter any Phantom Beasts anymore.

Gu Xijiu continued to take the lead, acting calm like she was unaffected by the death of the elders. When Di Fuyi stood beside her, he suddenly realized that her hands were icy cold.