Thinking this, Ye Cangtian quietly arrived behind Dugu Ling. The Bloodthirsty Mist Array was very powerful, capable of greatly increasing one's combat strength. With so many members of the Black Wind Gate, and the cover of the Bloodthirsty Mist Array, Dugu Ling might not be able to withstand it.
At the same time, Ye Cangtian glanced at Cang Lang, who stood with his hands behind his back, showing no intention of intervening. His vigilance immediately increased. It was simple: if Cang Lang ignored Dugu Ling's peril, it could only mean one thing – Cang Lang harbored ill intentions towards Dugu Ling as well! He didn't believe Cang Lang was merely teamed up with Dugu Ling to complete a mission.
"Dugu Ling, seeing as you've performed quite well along the way, we didn't want to act!"
"But alas, you are too ignorant of what is good for you! Wouldn't it be better to accept your fate obediently?"
"Now, we have no choice but to act personally. It might be a bit cruel, but it will be quick. Just bear with it."
From within the blood mist, Guan Liao's voice emerged. He had no choice but to reveal his identity. After all, they were already in the heart of the forest. If they were to retreat now, it would be difficult to encounter any more threats to Dugu Ling. Assassinating Dugu Ling would then become even more challenging. Therefore, it was better to deal with Dugu Ling here. At least, with Dugu Ling's back to them, they were facing a dead end with no retreat.
"Hmph, a bunch of jumping clowns think they can take this heroine's life?"
"You think too highly of yourselves!"
Dugu Ling snorted coldly, her hands flicked, and a pair of silver longswords appeared in her hands. She then slowly walked towards the blood mist before her.
"Be careful, that's the Bloodthirsty Mist Array. It can greatly enhance the power of those who set it up!" Ye Cangtian quickly warned, seeing Dugu Ling's recklessness.
"Hmph! Coward, if you're scared, stay here. This heroine isn't afraid!" Dugu Ling's expression turned grim, and she snorted coldly, quickening her pace instead. In her eyes, formations were just formations. No matter how powerful, they still required strength to support them. These insignificant Yellow-rank trash, no matter how much they were boosted, would remain trash!
"Heh heh, Ye Cangtian, I didn't expect you to be so knowledgeable!"
"It's a shame this idiotic woman won't listen to your advice, hahaha..."
Guan Liao's voice echoed from the blood mist again. Ye Cangtian's brows furrowed instantly. Without another word, he stepped into the blood mist.
As Ye Cangtian entered the blood mist, many of his teammates rushed in. Like Dugu Yan, they had no awareness of the Black Wind Gate. Or rather, their understanding of the Black Wind Gate was still stuck in the past, when the Black Wind Gate was treated like a rat crossing the street. Therefore, whether it was due to the reputation of the Black Wind Gate or their intention to annihilate them, they attacked without hesitation. Only a small portion of them, heeding Ye Cangtian's warning, kept retreating, avoiding the range of the blood mist.
Clang clang clang...
Within the blood mist, the sounds of weapons clashing echoed, along with groans and screams. Only after stepping into the blood mist did these people realize the terrifying nature of the blood mist. The Black Wind Gate members, amplified by the blood mist, had their strength greatly increased, and they were no match for them. Furthermore, the blood mist obscured their vision, making it difficult for them to evade the attacks of the Black Wind Gate members. In just a few minutes, they were routed, their blood flowing like a river.
Dugu Ling also came to her senses. Those who she had considered weak as ants, now amplified by the blood mist, could actually engage her head-on. If she had to deal with two or three of them simultaneously, she might have managed. But with at least five of them surrounding and attacking her, she was frequently injured and on the verge of death several times. Fortunately, at a critical moment, Ye Cangtian had blocked a fatal blow for her. Because of this, she felt immense remorse and regret. If she had listened to Ye Cangtian and not carelessly entered the blood mist, she wouldn't be facing such dire peril.
"Heroine Ling, protect yourself and hold on for ten minutes. I'll handle the rest!" At this moment, Ye Cangtian's gentle voice reached Dugu Ling's ears. She then saw a figure flash past her and disappear into the blood mist. Ye Cangtian had already dealt with several Black Wind Gate members around them. Now, only those who were continuously pursuing the task force members remained. To prevent further casualties, Ye Cangtian had no choice but to intervene.
"Hahaha, Ye Cangtian, you've fallen for it!" As soon as Ye Cangtian left Dugu Ling's side, Guan Liao's voice resounded through the blood mist. Guan Liao had been using the blood mist to conceal himself all along. Initially, he hadn't taken Ye Cangtian seriously. After all, the Black Wind Gate had only recently begun cultivating the Bloodthirsty Mist Array, and it hadn't spread widely. He believed Ye Cangtian was unfamiliar with it and might be killed carelessly. However, Ye Cangtian had accurately described the function of the Bloodthirsty Mist Array, which made him react. Some time ago, there were rumors that the Black Wind Gate's operations in Tingfeng City had failed and were brutally suppressed by the Hidden Organization. Recalling it now, it must have been true, and the person who acted was likely Ye Cangtian. Otherwise, why would Ye Cangtian see through the Bloodthirsty Mist Array at a glance? Therefore, Guan Liao felt that Ye Cangtian should not be underestimated, and he deliberately created a false impression. He wanted Ye Cangtian to believe that he had already eliminated all the experts around Dugu Ling, thus freeing them to assist others. In this way, the injured Dugu Ling would become their easy prey.
"What?" Upon hearing Guan Liao's words, Ye Cangtian's heart instantly turned cold. Damn it, he had been tricked! He turned around rapidly and rushed towards Dugu Ling's direction. However, before he could reach Dugu Ling, he heard her scream. In just these few breaths, Dugu Ling had been blasted out of the blood mist by Guan Liao and his subordinates, falling into the eerie lake. The sound of her falling into the water reached him, and Ye Cangtian's expression changed slightly. Without a doubt, the one who had fallen into the water was Dugu Ling. The next moment, Ye Cangtian made a desperate move. He leaped towards the direction of the sound, directly plunging into the lake. Shangguan Mingyue had entrusted Dugu Ling's life to him, and as long as there was a glimmer of hope, he would do his utmost. In any case, he could not just watch Dugu Ling perish here!
"Hahaha, this fool!"
"He actually jumped in himself..." Seeing two figures consecutively fall into the lake, Guan Liao burst into laughter. He had been prepared for Ye Cangtian's furious retaliation. But he never expected Ye Cangtian to be so foolish, to jump into the lake knowing it was eerie, truly suicidal! However, this was good; it saved them considerable effort.
...
Heroine Ling and Mr. Ye have fallen into the water... Outside the blood mist, the few remaining squad members watched Dugu Ling and Ye Cangtian fall into the lake, their faces turning pale. Especially when Dugu Ling entered the water, a trace of blood had spurted out. This clearly indicated she had been blasted into the water by the opponent! This meant that the people of the Black Wind Gate within the blood mist were absolutely formidable. Now that the two strongest individuals in both teams were not their match, what ability did they have to resist? For a moment, despair filled everyone's faces. However, where could they retreat to? Returning the way they came was impossible; the Bloodthirsty Mist Array of the Black Wind Gate blocked their path, and entering it was practically a death sentence. And leaving by other routes, who knew what monsters and demons they might encounter, and the chance of survival was slim.
Puff puff puff... Just then, among those dozen or so people, sword light suddenly flashed, and someone seized the opportunity while others were dispirited to launch a surprise attack. In just a few seconds, only five people remained standing. These five were also members of the Black Wind Gate, who had been mixed in with the team earlier. This was Guan Liao's contingency plan. He knew that Dugu Ling and Ye Cangtian were difficult opponents, so he hadn't revealed all of them. If they failed, these five were to carry out the assassination while Dugu Ling was not paying attention. But now that Dugu Ling and Ye Cangtian had both fallen into the lake, this contingency plan was clearly no longer needed, so they revealed themselves and began a massacre. The next moment, their gazes fell upon Cang Lang.