Chapter 18: Lei Hang in Danger (Part 1)

Seeing the scene unfold, Lei Hang let out a furious roar, leading his elite mercenaries forward. The verdant spiritual aura around him surged, and the Four Divine Beast constellation beneath his feet shimmered with dazzling light. The Crimson Flame Vermilion Bird followed close behind, beating its ashen wings and continuously spewing fire at the skeletal warhorse ahead.

Though the skeletal warhorse was a mid-to-high-tier magical beast, it was no match for the Crimson Flame Vermilion Bird. In no time, its body was engulfed in raging flames; it collapsed to the ground with a mournful shriek. Witnessing Lei Hang’s beast so easily dispatch a formidable foe, the elite mercenaries gained renewed confidence. They summoned their own phantom beasts and charged forward, engaging in fierce combat. For a time, the entire edge of Caterla Forest was awash with the multicolored spiritual energies and dazzling skills of the phantoms, sparkling like starlight.

Time slipped by in the tense struggle. Unconsciously, both sides had been locked in battle for half an hour. Around Lei Hang lay the corpses of fallen beasts, yet the wave of monsters seemed endless—each one that fell was replaced by two more. No matter how powerful a phantom master was, they could not withstand such relentless assault. His spiritual energy was running low, and the mercenaries nearby were clearly exhausted, their faces etched with anxiety.

From her vantage point atop the lookout tower, Shen Duo observed the scene in the distance, her usually cold, youthful face tight with worry. Although most of the mid- and high-tier magical beasts had been slaughtered, the ones surging forward now were of lower rank; yet everyone was spent, their phantom beasts panting and drained, able only to barely hold off the monsters’ attacks. In the distance, more shadowy hordes of beasts pressed forward. Clearly, brute force alone could only end in defeat.

Clutching her longsword tightly, cold sweat seeped into her palm. She fixed her gaze in Lei Hang’s direction, lips pursed in determination.

Lei Hang struggled to muster his remaining spiritual energy, launching a greenish sphere of holy light at the Steel Lion before him. The beast fell with a wailing roar, only to be replaced at once by two Forest Direwolves leaping into the fray.

At that moment, the commander of the Blazing Flame Mercenary Corps, Lei Lie, burst into the beast horde with two or three Sky Phantom Masters. Brilliant pentagrams glowed beneath their feet, blue spiritual energy swirling around them as they soared through the air, an arresting sight.

With a thunderous bellow, Lei Lie’s Rampaging Demon Bear instantly armored itself, its gray phantom armor radiating blue light. Lei Lie casually unleashed a Sky Phantom Skill—“Demon Bear’s Detonation.” The incoming pack of Forest Direwolves dropped without a sound, instantly easing the pressure on Lei Hang’s flank. The mercenaries let out a collective sigh of relief. Then Lei Bai and Lei An, also in armored form, followed close behind Lei Lie, charging to the front to withstand the onslaught of low-tier monsters.

A chorus of cheers erupted from the ranks. The power of a Sky Phantom Master’s skills far outstripped that of Grand or Spiritual Phantom Masters—this sweeping destructive force was proof enough. Once a Sky Phantom Master’s beast reached a certain level, it could take the form of armor, allowing the master to wield advanced skills. This mode of combat was vastly superior to fighting side by side with a single beast. Most such armors were nearly indestructible, providing excellent defense. Moreover, after donning their beast armor, Sky Phantom Masters would appear even more strikingly handsome—one of the reasons many aspired to such heights.

After all, who wouldn’t be dazzled by a formidable, charismatic, armored Sky Phantom Master?

Shen Duo’s blood surged as she witnessed the spectacle. The longing in her heart to become stronger burned ever brighter. If one day she could stand tall like Lei Lie, what a new world that would be.

As the Blazing Flame commander charged forth, the Lava Mercenary Corps refused to be outdone. Several dazzling blue lights shot toward the front lines, followed by a whirlwind of transformations. The leading beast horde erupted in chaos as several monsters were felled.

Among them, two figures stood out—their phantom beasts were identical white tyrannosaurs, whose silver armor and even the hair flowing from their helmets shone bright as moonlight. The mercenaries of the Lava Corps let out a jubilant shout in response, and a note of rivalry sparked between the two groups.

Although all the top experts of the mercenary corps had joined the fray and the situation was improving, the beast tide was far from over.

From deep within Caterla Forest came another commanding roar. The frenzied beasts fell silent, bowing their proud heads toward the forest’s heart. The roar gradually subsided, and when it faded, four formidable, savage monsters stood at the forefront of the horde: the Saber-Toothed Tiger, the Earthshaker Rhinoceros, the Flame Beast, and the Iron-Winged Silver Wolf.

The mercenaries were stunned, and their phantom beasts trembled instinctively. Unlike humans, phantom beasts recognized rank absolutely—high-level beasts emitted an aura that suppressed all others. The four monsters facing them now were on an entirely different level.

Some sharp-eyed, veteran mercenaries cried out in shock, “Heavens! High-tier Holy Phantoms—how can this be possible?”

Within the Blazing Flame Corps, Lei Lie’s Rampaging Demon Bear was the highest-ranked beast—merely a six-star Holy Phantom. The four monsters before them were, on average, seven-star Spirit Phantoms.

The few Sky Phantom Masters among the mercenaries found their beasts unable to maintain armored form under such pressure, their fighting strength diminished even further, worsening the corps’ predicament.

From her high perch, Shen Duo acutely sensed the shift in atmosphere. She fixed her gaze on the four ferocious beasts, brows deeply furrowed.

Lei Hang, too, could not believe the situation before him. Though he had not faced many beast tides, Zheng Wu had once shared tales of past events—never had he heard of so many high-ranking monsters appearing together in one tide.

While the mercenaries reeled in shock, the savage monsters gave them no respite. The four behemoths unleashed their skills with thunderous roars and charged.

Low-ranking mercenaries were unable even to withstand a single swipe, many sent flying or killed outright. The scene spiraled into chaos. Retreat was no longer an option; with so many in the Blazing Flame Corps, and the sudden assault scattering their lines, many now found themselves trapped amid the monsters. The only way forward was to resist.

Lei Lie, leading several Sky Phantom Masters, was the first to meet the Saber-Toothed Tiger head-on. Among them, only his Rampaging Demon Bear could barely maintain its armored form. He unleashed “Demon Bear’s Impact,” a Sky Phantom Skill, but the Saber-Toothed Tiger merely shook its head before retaliating with a ferocious roar, the situation dangerously dire.

At this moment, the edge of Caterla Forest was transformed into a battlefield, the brilliance of phantom skills flashing wildly. Of the top ten mercenary corps assigned to suppress the beast tide, three were present: Lava, Blazing Flame, and Gale. Now, with four high-tier monsters appearing at once, Lei Lie and his experts held off one, while Tang Luo, leader of the Gale Corps, led his men against another, leaving the brunt of the burden on the Lava Corps.

Yet as the continent’s number one mercenary group, the Lava Corps had their own strengths—just the number of Sky Phantom Masters was double that of Blazing Flame.

Now, their commander, resplendent in fiery armor, was locked in combat with the Flame Beast, while the Iron-Winged Silver Wolf was intercepted by the two silver-armored men. The smaller mercenary groups had mostly seized the chance to withdraw—fewer people meant faster, more organized evacuation.

Not far from the lookout, Lei Hang was battling a mid-tier Kodo Beast. From her vantage, Shen Duo could see the vast sweep of the battlefield. Suddenly, she clenched her fists in disbelief, her gaze fixed on the two silver-armored men—not only were they holding back in their fight against the Iron-Winged Silver Wolf, but they were deliberately luring it toward the Blazing Flame Corps’ position. And in its path, the first to be caught would be Lei Hang!

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Apologies for the difficulty in writing battle scenes. Yesterday my computer ran out of power and I didn’t finish. I went to the library this morning and only had time to write this afternoon. The woes of final exams are not to be underestimated!