Chapter 288: Hero (I)
Chapter 288: Hero (I)
The Moon Demon’s clenched fists ruthlessly struck at Long Haochen’s back. Not even having the spiritual energy left to use the Glorious Set’s Holy Spirit Protection, he could distinctly feel the Holy Armor deforming under the Moon Demon’s punch. Luckily, it was a piece of Glorious Tier equipment, which was why it wasn’t smashed to pieces. But in his current weak state, how could Long Haochen bear such a terrible strike?
The other members of the 21st and 22nd general grade Demon Hunt Squads held their breath, not even daring to close their eyes.
At the time Cai’er was sent flying by Long Haochen, she was at a complete loss. Although, because of having lost four of her senses, she could only sense the surrounding world through her perception and touch, she was only at a complete loss for a split second, before becoming extremely tense. She understood Long Haochen only too well. The only circumstances that would cause Long Haochen to part from her would be a situation where he would be unable to protect her. And furthermore, the fact that Long Haochen cut off the Soul Linking Chains’ connection, only confirmed that Cai’er’s guess was correct.
Tears suddenly streamed from her eyes, as she desperately threw herself to the ground. However, at this time, a pair of vigorous arms hugged her.
It was Wang Yuanyuan.
Although she was well aware that Cai’er couldn’t hear sounds, Wang Yuanyuan still shouted, choked with emotions, “Don’t let his sacrifice be in vain.” They already couldn’t make it in time to rescue Long Haochen, and it was out of trust that he entrusted Cai’er to her. How could she allow Cai’er to let his sacrifice be in vain?
Right then, as everyone believed that Long Haochen was doomed, an incomparably resplendent radiance shot out from Long Haochen’s chest. It lit up and a matchless aura of terror spread from it. The seriously wounded Moon Demon was instantly sent flying by this sudden massive golden glow, and directly flew back for several meters.
“A Divine Tool!” The Moon Demon roared in midair, his black wings suddenly shooting up, he frantically tried to escape without reservation.
All of this happened too fast: Since the time Long Haochen’s Asura Strike wounded the Moon Demon to now, only a few seconds had passed. And at the time the Moon Demon shot up, the members of the 22nd general grade Demon Hunt Squad suddenly dashed forward. Long Haochen was already breathing with difficulty, throwing himself down to Haoyue.
In the instant before he lost consciousness, an imposing voice could be heard, “Who dared harm the successor of the Slumbering Calamity?”
The red-hot feeling in his chest was now at least ten times more powerful than before, and the souls of the dead converged in the Eternal Melody at an astonishing speed.
In the past, Long Haochen had sensed that it was because of his body’s limits that he could only absorb the souls of the dead in a range of two hundred meters. But at this very moment, the Eternal Melody was entirely aroused, due to Long Haochen being wounded. Further accounting his breakthrough to the sixth step, the Eternal Melody started to operate faster, gently absorbing the surrounding souls, while making the support of Long Haochen the soul energy’s highest priority. The pendant enabled Long Haochen to immediately absorb the light energy around him to provide energy to his devitalized body.
Luc Xi madly launched one healing spell after another at Long Haochen, and the others joined him at the greatest speed possible, rapidly surrounding Long Haochen.
Cai’er had already struggled free of Wang Yuanyuan’s restraint, and, driven by the urge of her feelings towards Long Haochen, was the first to join his side.
Cai’er’s body was entirely stiff, and she seemed to have come to a realization, before rapidly gripping Long Haochen’s right hand. After taking his hand, her pale complexion gradually eased up a little. She was the only one who felt the massive soul energy that converged into Long Haochen’s body, while sensing the returning vitality that emerged from it.
Along with the disruption of this soul power, Cai’er noticed to her astonishment that the Dagger of Samsara started to get restless.
After the two Demon Hunt Squads surrounded Long Haochen, they didn’t get attacked by the demons anymore. Long Haochen had managed to successfully suppress, and heavily wound a Moon Demon of the eighth step, and had thus created a favorable situation for their offense. At the same time, the reinforcements from the Southern Mountain’s City had launched their powerful counterattack, driving the demons out of the Southern Mountain’s City.
Suddenly, from the sky, drops of golden radiance descended one after another, appearing as if filled with intelligence. As this rain of light touched the bodies of every living creature, be it humans or demons, a mystic change appeared. Still there was a clear difference: Every human received a comfortable feeling from the touch of those drops of light. They all had incomparable snug reactions, while the tiredness of their bodies disappeared and their wounds slowly healed. But for the demons, every touch caused a real disaster. The rain of light caused them to shriek miserably and from every area of contact, black vapor rose.
This rain of light enveloped almost half of the Southern Mountain’s City, and everyone with the least common sense could tell that this was a holy-type forbidden spell. It was called the Goddess of Light’s Longing.
This forbidden spell was only usable by priests of the ninth step; but even at the ninth step of cultivation, it would be impossible for any knight to use such a terrible group-healing spell.
Upon reaching the ninth step, a priest would be addressed as Saint. For a human Saint to intervene from the sky, the aerial situation at least needed to have stabilized.
An ear-shrieking sound followed the appearance of the golden rain, falling from the sky. Soon, the the radiance coming from the twelve colored Demon God Pillars dimmed greatly, and the distant landscape slowly became blurry.
The current situation was distinct, because the demon side finally started to retreat. Although none of the twelve demon gods died during the battle, the difference in power between both sides was extremely small. Nevertheless, if not for the prompt arrival of the reinforcements, the Southern Mountain’s City would most likely have already fallen.
Long Haochen was still not conscious, but he vaguely felt a burning sensation on his chest. However, this burning sensation didn’t hurt anymore, but was instead very comfortable. The reason why he couldn’t really wake up was, that he was simply too tired. But still, he felt very relaxed in the knowledge that he did act in accordance with his own will, saving at least hundreds of warriors and mages of the Alliance.
He didn’t disappoint his father’s expectations, and wholeheartedly fulfilled his role as a knight.
The members of the 21st and the 22nd general grade Demon Hunt Squads were forming a defensive ring around Long Haochen. Extraordinarily, none of them uttered a single word, and except from Cai’er at his side and Luc Xi, who was performing healing magic on him without pause, the others all had looks filled with determination. Without the slightest doubt, if someone had tried to attack Long Haochen at this moment, he would have had to trample over their dead bodies first.
Long Haochen’s actions enflamed his comrades’ hearts; none of them feared death, and all shared the same determination as Long Haochen.
In the same situation, what should a recently created Demon Hunt Squad, only being at the fifth step of cultivation, do when facing a Moon Demon at the eighth step? Even if this question was asked to the leaders of the Alliance, they would surely tell this Demon Hunt Squad to stay as far away as possible to preserve their lives.
But did Long Haochen do this? No, he didn’t. To ensure the survival of more people, he didn’t make this choice of self-preservation, even though he was unaware of all the consequences of his choice. It could be said that if not for the eerie light that protected him during the last instant, he would already have died on the battlefield.
They didn’t hear the words ‘divine tool’ from the Moon Demon, and didn’t know what this bright light was, but Long Haochen’s miraculous survival caused them to feel ashamed, especially the members from the 22nd general grade Demon Hunt Squad.
At the time they saw the Moon Demon, the six members of the 22nd general grade Demon Hunt Squad were hesitant. At the time they saw Long Haochen make his unhesitant decision, apart from Li Xin, everyone was in complete shock, and didn’t dare to attempt anything. This was also the reason why Li Xin was the only one who could react, taking the attack in Haochen’s stead, whereas the others all were late.
How could they not be ashamed? They also had a set of Conjoined Spiritual Boosting Pills, but didn’t take them out of attachment to their own lives, and out of the terror they felt towards the Moon Demon of the eighth step.
Although Long Haochen later shouted the order not to take them, couldn’t they have been of help to him if they took them before the situation escalated like this?
The reason why Luc Xi was now healing Haochen at all costs, not having any hesitation to over consume his own resources, was to vent all his shameful feelings. He felt extremely unworthy of Long Haochen: if he let him die, as the captain of the 22nd general grade Demon Hunt Squad, he would never be able to forgive himself.
The battle continued, but those two Demon Hunt Squads always stayed in their defensive formation, everyone remaining completely silent.
Cai’er was sitting on the ground, with Long Haochen’s head on her lap to let him feel more comfortable and to stabilize his neck. She already stopped crying, but was still trembling without interruption, feeling extremely regretful. At this very moment, she even thought that she would rather not remain a Demon Hunt Squad member, as long as she could be together with Long Haochen.
The multitudes of radiances that lit the sky gradually dimmed down, and the demon offense was finally pushed away from the Southern Mountain’s City.
The powerhouses of the Temple Alliance returned from the sky one after another, and the survivors were sent to finally clear up the mess below.
After some time passed, some people came to the side of the 21st and the 22nd general grade Demon Hunt Squads. Full of astonishment, the first to come were the 2nd and 3rd soldier grade Demon Hunt Squads. More accurately, they should have become the 1st and 2nd soldier grade Demon Hunt Squads after Long Haochen’s and Luc Xi’s group progressed in grade. But these two teams planned on advancing in grade the fastest possible, and thus didn’t head to the Demon Hunt Mission Tower to modify their identification number.
Yang Wenzhao and Duan Yi, as well as the members of their two Demon Hunt Squads were totally blood-soaked. While the mages were a bit better off, all the close-quarter fighters were wounded.
However, they had sincere and respectful expressions, peacefully arriving at the side of the 21st and the 22nd general grade Demon Hunt Squads, after seeing them being gathered calmly around Long Haochen. Only Yang Wenzhao and Duan Yi advanced further, murmuring a few words to Luc Xi’s ears, before appearing relieved after getting the confirmation of the safety of Long Haochen’s life.