C93 A Mystic Rank Expert Had Appeared!
The Star Flame Beast unleashed its fiery onslaught once again.
As the two forces collided, it was like the clash of titanic waves, sending a dazzling array of light scattering in every direction.
The formidable shockwave made it difficult for the Sun Family Head and others to keep their footing.
Some of the less powerful Human Rank Ten-star experts behind them were even more severely wounded by the blast.
After two consecutive powerful attacks, the Star Flame Beast's fiery aura had noticeably faded.
Clearly, the relentless fiery assault was taking a massive toll on the creature.
This was to be expected. Though Human-rank Martial Cultivators were not as strong as those of Mystic Rank, there were nearly sixty at the Peak of Human Rank present here.
Their numerical advantage was significant.
The Star Flame Beast was merely at the early stage of the Ninth Rank, not the mid or late stages, let alone the peak.
Otherwise, even doubling the number of Peak Human Rank Martial Cultivators would have been futile.
The gap between each level within the Mystic Rank was akin to the disparity between every two or three levels within the Human Rank.
Spotting an opportunity, the Sun Family Head and his companions were elated. "Let's push harder, everyone! The Star Flame Beast has already expended a great deal of energy. A few more assaults like that, and its strength will surely plummet."
The morale of the Martial Cultivators surged.
They might not get a share of the Fiery Vermilion Fruit, but the Star Flame Beast itself was a treasure trove. They were all determined to claim their portion.
The Star Flame Beast's roars grew more frequent, clearly feeling the strain of its extensive energy consumption.
In a sudden flurry, the beast's fiery tail lashed out, splitting into dozens of strikes aimed at Lin Qingshan and the others.
Divided thus, the power of each strike was diminished.
For the Sun Family Head, Lin Qingshan, and their peers, these attacks posed little threat.
Most of the Human Rank experts at the eleventh level could manage them with ease.
Only the Human Rank Ten-star experts found themselves struggling.
Before long, a number of Ten-star experts were grievously injured and rendered incapable of continuing the fight.
The late-stage Human Rank Martial Cultivators, noticing the Star Flame Beast's weakening flames, saw their chance. They charged from another direction, unleashing a barrage of techniques.
The Star Flame Beast, enraged, quickly dispatched a portion of its attack to fend off the late-stage Human Rank Martial Cultivators. In no time, another one of these formidable fighters was grievously wounded.
This opened a window of opportunity for Lin Qingshan and her comrades.
"Thunder Whip!"
"Nine Flame Palms!"
"Hundred Light Chop!"
"Fury of Banshees!"
Boom!
The Star Flame Beast let out a harrowing scream as it was blasted away, crashing to the ground with a thud.
The ten-star Human Rank expert nearest to the Fiery Vermilion Fruit Tree saw his chance and dashed toward it, hands already outstretched for the prize.
But in that instant, the Star Flame Beast, undeterred by the renewed assault from Lin Qingshan and her group, lashed out with its tail, hurling the ten-star powerhouse through the air.
This strike was with its full, undivided tail—a full-force blow.
Despite the Star Flame Beast's considerable exhaustion and significant injuries, it still managed to inflict severe damage on the ten-star expert, leaving him crippled.
Simultaneously, Lin Qingshan and the others launched another attack on the Star Flame Beast.
The beast was heavily injured once more.
The three great families also sustained considerable losses.
The Sun Family Head clenched his teeth in determination. "It looks like we won't get our hands on the Fiery Vermilion Fruit or Flame Vermilion Fruit unless we take down this Star Flame Beast. Let's seize this moment to finish it off. Our families have suffered greatly; we'll use everything from the beast's carcass as compensation."
The Zhou and Wu Family Heads sneered in agreement.
Suddenly, Lin Qingshan caught a glimpse of madness in the eyes of the Star Flame Beast.
"Not good!" she exclaimed, her pace faltering. The Sun Family Head and the remaining warriors quickly outpaced her.
"Wait, everyone!" Lin Qingshan called out, wanting to warn them, but in the heat of the moment, no one paid her heed.
They were on the brink of slaying the Star Flame Beast.
A blinding inferno erupted skyward.
A colossal fire tornado engulfed the Star Flame Beast.
As the fiery maelstrom faded, the Star Flame Beast rose again, its stance commanding and its eyes ablaze with untamed ferocity.
"What's happening here?"
The Sun Family Head and his companions were bewildered as they watched the Star Flame Beast rise unscathed.
Lin Qingshan's face was grim. "It's performing a sacrifice, a rare ability some Devil Beasts possess. It can instantly heal all injuries and maintain peak physical condition."
"But it costs the Devil Beast its life."
"If the Star Flame Beast can't defeat us in ten minutes, the sacrifice will end, and it will weaken and die within a month."
The Sun Family Head and the others were horrified. They had already suffered heavy losses, and now they faced a Star Flame Beast at the height of its power, seemingly invincible, impervious to their attacks.
The Star Flame Beast let out a roar as waves of fire surged forward.
"Nine Flame Palms!"
"Hundred Light Chop!"
"Fury of Banshees!"
The three Family Heads scrambled to defend themselves.
This time, however, they sustained injuries.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Lin Qingshan knew she could no longer afford to hold back.
If these people were to fall, she alone would stand no chance against the Star Flame Beast in its sacrificial state.
"Purple Thunder Whip—Purple Dragon Thunder Roar!"
A roar echoed for miles around.
A massive purple dragon, exuding unmatched might, charged at the Star Flame Beast.
In a moment, a thunderous explosion reverberated.
The Star Flame Beast was hurled away, but it quickly stood, shook itself off, and recovered.
The Sun Family Head and his allies inwardly cursed; a Devil Beast in a sacrificial state was monstrously powerful.
Lin Qingshan's complexion briefly whitened before returning to normal.
The Sun Family Head and the others approached Lin Qingshan and inquired, "Miss Lin, what's our next move?"
Lin Qingshan's display of power had been astonishing, surpassing even their own Human Rank Twelve-star level, rivaling that of an Early Period Mystic Rank Martial Cultivator.
Instinctively, they looked to Lin Qingshan for leadership, their envy of her top-grade, lower-tier Spiritual Tool forgotten.
Lin Qingshan responded swiftly, "Work with me. We need to delay it. If we can hold out for ten minutes, victory is ours."
"Alright!"
The group swiftly rallied behind Lin Qingshan. Survival was the priority; they were willing to concede the Flame Vermilion Fruit to her if it meant living to see another day.
"Purple Dragon Thunder Roar!"
Her True Qi drained rapidly with the effort.
The air was filled with another resounding dragon's cry.
Meanwhile, everyone except Han Feng was awestruck by Lin Qingshan's formidable display of power.
As time ticked away, the three families incurred severe damage, and the ten-minute mark was fast approaching.
Finally regaining its wits, the Star Flame Beast realized that even with time running out, it couldn't completely vanquish these foes. It shot Lin Qingshan a look of pure loathing, then spun around and leaped toward the Fiery Vermilion Fruit Tree, its jaws gaping wide.
Lin Qingshan's alarm was palpable. "This is bad. The Star Flame Beast is about to devour the Fiery Vermilion Fruit Tree. It would rather die than leave us anything."
"Damn beast, you're asking for it!"
Out of nowhere, a chain streaked from the woods, piercing the Star Flame Beast's legs in an instant.
