Chapter Fifty: Unleashing Another Powerful Move

The next morning, a grand procession of over two hundred cultivators at the second level of Foundation Establishment or higher departed from Vengeance City, heading straight toward the ruins within the city. Compared to their previous, desperate escape, their current mindset was entirely different.

Though their numbers were few—just over two hundred—with three Core Formation experts, two Nascent Soul masters, two top-grade earth-class spiritual weapons, and several profound-grade artifacts by their side, their confidence was more than justified.

Especially with Ling Xiao among them—a man who could unleash devastating moves. Even if he could only maintain his power for three seconds, they didn't fear the thousands of Earth Howlers awaiting them.

For cultivators capable of sword flight, the distance from Vengeance City to the ruins was trivial; in just a few breaths, they reached the city’s edge.

“Brothers and sisters, fellow cultivators from all sects, follow the plan. If you’re overmatched, do not act recklessly. If the Earth Howler leader appears, withdraw to the prearranged spot in the east of the city—our trump card awaits there.”

Ling Xiao directed the company of two hundred with a heart brimming with excitement but a mind clear and cautious. He issued all orders through voice transmission, wary that the Earth Howler leader might catch wind of their presence.

These two hundred were only bait; their losses had to be minimized. Moreover, knowing the Earth Howler leader might not show itself if he was detected, Ling Xiao carefully concealed his aura and used an unfamiliar technique to drastically alter his appearance.

Gone was the short, stocky youth—now he was a tall, lean teenager, his round face replaced by an unremarkable square one, blending seamlessly into the crowd.

The others were equally cautious, splitting into two squads as per the plan, descending into the city to begin their search.

Back in Vengeance City, Wang Li stood atop a watchtower, surveying the distant scene.

With his cultivation at the second level of Foundation Establishment, he could see events within the city quite clearly.

“Why aren’t you playing the aloof master? What brings you here?” Old Sheng remarked. “Regretting handing the protagonist’s role back to that chubby fellow?”

“Not at all,” Wang Li replied. “As you said, I have no desire to be a pawn manipulated by others. I’m here because I’m worried.”

“Worried those youngsters will get into trouble?”

“Yes. I have a terrible feeling about this action, as if something bad is about to happen.”

“That’s nothing you need to fret over. With me here, your premonition will only apply to you. The beast in the city is powerful, but the Lin brothers together can handle it.”

“Myself? What do you mean? And you know about the Earth Howler leader?”

“I’m with you. The world’s will may not reach you, but fate is strange; accidents happen. Just lay low and you’ll be fine.”

“Is that so? And what’s the real situation with the Earth Howler leader in the city?”

“Just two little bugs—average meat, good for stew.”

Wang Li fell silent, turning his gaze back to the city.

The Vengeance squad had scarcely penetrated five miles into the ruins before the Earth Howlers detected them.

A deep, powerful roar resounded, and over a thousand Earth Howlers surged from all directions, encircling one of the squads in an instant.

Hong Luanfeng, leading the group, remembered his mission: to draw out the Earth Howler leader, they first had to inflict heavy losses on the pack—meaning, kill as many low-level Earth Howlers as possible until the leader could no longer endure.

“Kill! Avenge our fallen comrades—slaughter these beasts!” Hong Luanfeng bellowed, sword drawn as he charged into the horde.

The others followed without hesitation, weapons at the ready.

Earth-class Earth Howlers were a grave threat to body-tempering and Qi-refining cultivators, but to those at Foundation Establishment, they were little more than insects. In short order, over a hundred Earth Howlers fell to their blades.

The horde, shocked by such heavy casualties in a single exchange, faltered—some even began to retreat. But the Earth Howler leader’s roar soon echoed, halting the low-level beasts.

A series of urgent, frenzied roars followed, and the lesser Earth Howlers, as if bewitched, became frenzied and reckless, attacking the Vengeance squad with abandon.

“We’re getting somewhere!” Hong Luanfeng’s heart leapt with joy.

It seemed the Earth Howler leader was truly enraged.

Good—anger would make it easier to draw out!

“Everyone, push harder. Once this wave is down, retreat east—the big one is about to show.”

Hong Luanfeng kept his wits about him, shouting to taunt the beasts but using voice transmission to communicate during the fight.

Hearing his orders, his companions sped up their assault. Those with area attacks plunged into the horde, unleashing devastation. In less than half a cup of tea’s time, the majority of the Earth Howlers lay dead.

The roars of the beasts and the cultivators’ attacks mingled, transforming the area into a slaughterhouse awash in blood and gore.

Once again, the Earth Howler leader's roar thundered, and reinforcements rushed in from all sides.

The Vengeance squad fought as they withdrew, those who had expended their area attacks clearing a path ahead, while those in the rear gradually widened the gap with the pursuing horde, making it seem they were ready to bolt at any moment.

The Beast Tamer Sect’s disciples had estimated well—a fifth-rank Earth Howler could command at most three thousand earth-class Howlers. When Hong Luanfeng’s group had slain nearly a thousand, the leader, unwilling to be left with nothing, finally appeared, swooping toward them at great speed from above.

The leader’s fury was unmistakable, even to those ignorant of beast speech.

Seeing the leader’s all-out charge, Hong Luanfeng’s squad didn’t hesitate for a second—they dashed east at top speed, far swifter than their fighting retreat.

Elsewhere, Ling Xiao’s team also came under attack, but in their case, the number of Earth Howlers was doubled—and a fifth-rank leader was personally commanding the assault.

“Damn it! Retreat east, as fast as you can!” Ling Xiao hadn’t even begun to serve as bait before the main course arrived on its own.

There was no time to think, and he had no intention of matching strength with a fifth-rank leader. At the first sight of it, he led his squad in a hasty flight.

Still, to ensure the leader would be drawn into the ambush, he risked unleashing a powerful move in his haste.

With a cry of “Sword, strike! Kill!” over three hundred low-level Earth Howlers fell instantly.

Killing its minions right before its eyes—

This act infuriated the leader, who lunged at Ling Xiao with a roar so fierce it nearly sent him crashing into a fellow disciple.

Fortunately, a cultivator at the peak of Foundation Establishment fleeing for his life was faster than even a fifth-rank Earth Howler. With a burst of speed, Ling Xiao widened the distance and struck again, slaughtering a hundred more of the lesser beasts.

As long as his special attack wasn’t unleashed at full power, the cost was not too great—he could keep going for quite some time.

Yet this only served to enrage the Earth Howler leader all the more.