dì sān qiān líng bā shí wǔ zhāng qiān jūn yī fà
第三千零八十五章千钧一发
Chapter 3085: A Moment of Crisis
zhè shì yī níng jìng de zǎo chén ， tài yáng gāng gāng shēng qǐ ， jiāng wēn nuǎn de yáng guāng sǎ xiàng dà dì ， bù shí yǒu niǎo ér míng jiào de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ lǐ ， dào chù mí màn zhe níng jìng xiáng hé de qì xī 。
这是一宁静的早晨，太阳刚刚升起，将温暖的阳光洒向大地，不时有鸟儿鸣叫的声音传入耳朵里，到处弥漫着宁静祥和的气息。
It was a tranquil morning, with the sun just rising and casting warm sunlight onto the earth. The chirping of birds occasionally broke the silence, and everywhere exuded a sense of peace.
měi lì de cǎo yuán yí wàng wú jì ， wēi fēng chuī fú ， yī rén gāo de mù cǎo suí fēng yáo yè 。
美丽的草原一望无际，微风吹拂，一人高的牧草随风摇曳。
The vast grassland stretched endlessly under the gentle breeze, with tall grass swaying gently in the wind.
yī zhī yě tù cóng cǎo cóng zhōng bèng tiào ér chū ， ěr duǒ gāo gāo shù qǐ ， yī biān xún zhǎo zháo shí wù ， yī biān jǐng tì zhe láng 、 hú lí děng cǎo yuán shàng de bǔ shí zhě 。
一只野兔从草丛中蹦跳而出，耳朵高高竖起，一边寻找着食物，一边警惕着狼、狐狸等草原上的捕食者。
A wild rabbit hopped out from the grass, its ears standing high as it searched for food while keeping an eye out for predators like wolves and foxes that roamed the plains.
hǎo bù róng yì xún dào le yī méi yě guǒ ， yě tù gāo gāo xìng xìng de kěn shí zhe ， tū rán ， tā ěr duǒ yī dòng ， xiàng shì fā xiàn le shén me bù tuǒ ， yǒu xiē jīng huāng de zhuǎn guò tóu lú ， suí hòu jū diū xià yě guǒ ， zuān rù yī páng de cǎo cóng bú jiàn le 。
好不容易寻到了一枚野果，野兔高高兴兴的啃食着，突然，它耳朵一动，像是发现了什么不妥，有些惊慌的转过头颅，随后居丢下野果，钻入一旁的草丛不见了。
After finding a wild fruit, the rabbit happily began to eat it. Suddenly, it perked up its ears, seemingly sensing something amiss, and turned its head in panic before quickly diving back into the grass and disappearing.
jiù zài yě tù huāng zhāng táo pǎo de tóng shí ， yuǎn chù de tiān biān ， tū rán yǒu yào yǎn de guāng máng liàng qǐ ， suí hòu shù dào jīng hóng yī shǎn ， fēng chí diàn chè de xiàng zhe zhè biān fēi chí ér lái 。
就在野兔慌张逃跑的同时，远处的天边，突然有耀眼的光芒亮起，随后数道惊虹一闪，风驰电掣的向着这边飞驰而来。
At this moment, from afar on the horizon, a dazzling light suddenly appeared, followed by several streaks of lightning that sped towards them with incredible speed.
nà xiē jīng hóng sù dù hěn kuài ， shǎo qǐng zhī hòu jiù kě yǐ kàn qīng chǔ dùn guāng zhōng de róng yán ， jìng shì qī bā míng xiū xiān zhě ， mǎn liǎn de wèi jù zhī sè ， fǎng fú bèi shén me zhuī gǎn ， zhèng huāng huāng zhāng zhāng de cháo zhe zhè biān táo lái 。
那些惊虹速度很快，少顷之后就可以看清楚遁光中的容颜，竟是七八名修仙者，满脸的畏惧之色，仿佛被什么追赶，正慌慌张张的朝着这边逃来。
These streaks moved so fast that one could soon make out their faces; they were about eight or nine cultivators, all displaying fear as if being chased by something. The leader was an adult in his forties, dressed in black and at the peak of his Condensation Core stage.
wéi shǒu de zhōng nián rén dà yuē sì shí yú suì nián jì ， shēn chuān hēi yī ， xiū wèi dà yuē zài níng dān zhōng qī 。
为首的中年人大约四十余岁年纪，身穿黑衣，修为大约在凝丹中期。
He was the most advanced among them, with the others barely in their twenties and varying levels of cultivation from Foundation Establishment Initial to Intermediate stages.
tā yě shì zhè qún rén zhōng jìng jiè zuì gāo de yí gè ， qí tā de xiū xiān zhě ， dōu bù guò èr shí chū tóu ér yǐ ， xiū wèi gèng shì cēn cī bù qí ， cóng zhù jī chū qī dào zhù jī hòu qī 。
他也是这群人中境界最高的一个，其他的修仙者，都不过二十出头而已，修为更是参差不齐，从筑基初期到筑基后期。
Despite their varied attire, all had a similar mark on their clothing, indicating they were from the same sect. Alternatively, they might belong to smaller cultivator families.
zhè xiē rén de fú shì dǎ bàn suī rán gè yì ， dàn yī lǐng xiù kǒu ， dōu yǒu tóng yàng de biāo jì ， xiǎn rán shì lái zì yú tóng yī mén pài de xiū xiān zhě ， dāng rán ， yě yǒu kě néng shì lì shǔ yú mǒu gè xiǎo de xiū xiān jiā zú 。
这些人的服饰打扮虽然各异，但衣领袖口，都有同样的标记，显然是来自于同一门派的修仙者，当然，也有可能是隶属于某个小的修仙家族。
As these individuals fled, they kept turning around, frantically searching for something, their faces clearly showing their unease and fear—there was no hiding it; their situation was dire.
zhè xiē jiā huo yī biān táo ， hái yī biān huí guò tóu lú ， huāng huāng zhāng zhāng de chá tàn zhe shén me ， liǎn shàng de tǎn tè ， nà shì sī háo yǎn shì yě wú ， xiǎn rán chǔ jìng bù miào dào jí chù 。
这些家伙一边逃，还一边回过头颅，慌慌张张的查探着什么，脸上的忐忑，那是丝毫掩饰也无，显然处境不妙到极处。
"Uncle Yuan, we've been running for so long. Shouldn't we have shaken off those beastly birds by now? Can we take a brief rest?"
“ yuán shī shū ， wǒ men táo le nà me jiǔ ， yīng gāi yǐ jīng bǎi tuō nà xiē yāo qín de zhuī shā le ba ， shì fǒu kě yǐ shāo wēi xiē xī yī xià ？”
“袁师叔，我们逃了那么久，应该已经摆脱那些妖禽的追杀了吧，是否可以稍微歇息一下？”
A young man with clear eyes and sharp brows spoke up. As a late Foundation Establishment cultivator, his complexion was still good, but the few apprentices behind him were much weaker, panting heavily as if they could barely hold on.
yī xīng méi lǎng mù dì nián qīng rén kāi kǒu le ， zuò wéi zhù jī hòu qī de xiū xiān zhě ， tā de qì sè hái suàn bú cuò ， rán ér shēn hòu de jǐ míng shī dì shī mèi fǎ lì yào xī bó xǔ duō ， rú jīn yǐ qì chuǎn xū xū ， míng xiǎn kuài yào zhī chí bú zhù 。
一星眉朗目的年轻人开口了，作为筑基后期的修仙者，他的气色还算不错，然而身后的几名师弟师妹法力要稀薄许多，如今已气喘吁吁，明显快要支持不住。
"Ah..."
“ zhè ……”
“这……”
The middle-aged man hesitated slightly before a heart-stirring cry echoed in their ears. A black light emerged from the sky, and an ominous cloud appeared.
zhōng nián rén liǎn shàng lù chū yī sī chí yí ， shàng wèi kāi kǒu ， gū gū ， lìng rén xīn jì de jiào shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， hēi guāng dà zuò ， yī duǒ wū yún zài tiān biān fú xiàn ér chū 。
中年人脸上露出一丝迟疑，尚未开口，呱呱，令人心悸的叫声传入耳朵，黑光大做，一朵乌云在天边浮现而出。
No, it wasn't a cloud; it was a large bird with black feathers, resembling a crow but much larger—over ten feet long—and its eyes were sharper than ordinary crows. As its wings flapped, a faint grayish-white flame seemed to flicker around them.
bú duì ， bú shì wū yún ， shì yī zhǒng hēi sè de dà niǎo ， xíng rú wū yā ， rán ér què bǐ yì bān de wū yā yào dà shàng xǔ duō ， shēn cháng zhàng xǔ ， yǎn shén yě bǐ pǔ tōng de wū yā gèng jiā ruì lì ， chì bǎng shǎn dòng jiān ， jìng yǐn yǐn fú xiàn chū yī céng huī bái sè de huǒ yàn 。
不对，不是乌云，是一种黑色的大鸟，形如乌鸦，然而却比一般的乌鸦要大上许多，身长丈许，眼神也比普通的乌鸦更加锐利，翅膀闪动间，竟隐隐浮现出一层灰白色的火焰。
More terrifyingly, a third eye appeared on the center of its head.
gèng jiā kě pà de shì ， tā de tóu lú zhèng zhōng chù ， hái fú xiàn chū dì sān zhǐ yǎn 。
更加可怕的是，它的头颅正中处，还浮现出第三只眼。
Three-Eyed Corpse Crow!
sān yǎn shī yā ！
三眼尸鸦！
These beastly birds often lived in groups and posed no threat to high-ranking cultivators, but for those below the婴 stage, it was a matter of life and death.
zhè zhǒng yāo qín xǐ huān qún jū ， duì gāo jiē xiū xiān zhě lái shuō bù zhí yī tí ， rán ér ruò shì yuán yīng yǐ xià de xiū xiān zhě yù shàng le ， zé shì jiǔ sǐ yì shēng de shì 。
这种妖禽喜欢群居，对高阶修仙者来说不值一提，然而若是元婴以下的修仙者遇上了，则是九死一生的事。
A mere Condensation Core cultivator leading several Foundation Establishment apprentices who managed to escape so far were indeed fortunate. Perhaps they had some treasure that could counter such beasts; otherwise, they would have already perished.
qū qū yī míng níng dān qī xiū xiān zhě ， dài zhe jǐ míng zhù jī jí bié de xiǎo jiā huo ， néng táo zhè me yuǎn ， yùn qì zhe shí bù sú ， shuō bù dìng tā men shǒu zhōng hái yǒu kè zhì zhè zhǒng yāo qín de bǎo wù ， fǒu zé ， zǎo jiù yīng gāi yǔn luò diào le 。
区区一名凝丹期修仙者，带着几名筑基级别的小家伙，能逃这么远，运气着实不俗，说不定他们手中还有克制这种妖禽的宝物，否则，早就应该陨落掉了。
The cries of the beastly birds echoed in their ears, causing even the middle-aged man to react with shock.
yāo qín de jiào shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， bāo kuò nà níng dān qī zhōng nián rén zài nèi de jǐ míng xiū xiān zhě quán dōu dà jīng shī sè 。
妖禽的叫声传入耳朵，包括那凝丹期中年人在内的几名修仙者全都大惊失色。
"It's impossible! How could these monsters catch up so quickly?"
“ bù kě néng ， zhè xiē guài wù zhè me huì rú cǐ kuài jiù zhuī shàng lái le 。”
“不可能，这些怪物这么会如此快就追上来了。”
"Uncle, use the talisman bestowed by our ancestor. It should buy us some time."
“ shī shū ， kuài yòng shī zǔ cì xià lái de líng mǎo fú ， yīng gāi kě yǐ wèi wǒ men tuō yán piàn kè 。”
“师叔，快用师祖赐下来的灵冇符，应该可以为我们拖延片刻。”
The young man turned his head back, though his cultivation was negligible, he displayed remarkable composure in such a dire situation.
nà xīng méi lǎng mù dì nián qīng rén huí guò tóu lú ， cǐ rén xiū wèi suī bù zhí yī tí ， rán ér zhè chù biàn bù jīng de tài dù ， què zhe shí liǎo bù qǐ 。
那星眉朗目的年轻人回过头颅，此人修为虽不值一提，然而这处变不惊的态度，却着实了不起。
However, upon hearing this, the middle-aged man's face showed deep sorrow: "It’s gone."
rán ér zhōng nián rén tīng le tā de qīng hū ， liǎn shàng què mǎn shì bēi āi zhī sè ：“ méi yǒu le 。”
然而中年人听了他的轻呼，脸上却满是悲哀之色：“没有了。”
"Gone?" The young man with clear eyes and sharp brows seemed taken aback, not fully comprehending the gravity of the situation.
“ méi yǒu le ？” nà xīng méi lǎng mù dì nián qīng rén yī dāi ， sì hū méi yǒu huí wèi guò lái 。
“没有了？”那星眉朗目的年轻人一呆，似乎没有回味过来。
"We were given three talismans by our master during this excursion. They have all been used up."
“ wǒ men zhè cì wài chū ， shī zūn yī gòng cì xià sān dào líng fú ， rán ér gāng gāng dōu yǐ jīng yòng wán le 。”
“我们这次外出，师尊一共赐下三道灵符，然而刚刚都已经用完了。”
The despairing voice of the middle-aged man reverberated in their ears. Without these talismans, how could they possibly escape from the beastly birds' relentless pursuit?
zhōng nián rén jué wàng de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， ruò fēi yǒu zhè sān dào líng fú de bāng zhù ， tā men zěn me kě néng yì ér zài ， zài ér sān de cóng yāo qín de zhuī shā zhōng táo chū shēng tiān ne ？
中年人绝望的声音传入耳朵，若非有这三道灵符的帮助，他们怎么可能一而再，再而三的从妖禽的追杀中逃出生天呢？
He never imagined that a Three-Eyed Corpse Crow would be so formidable, managing to break free of the talismans and catch up within such a short time.
rán ér tā zuò mèng yě bù céng xiǎng ， sān yǎn shī yā huì rú cǐ kě pà ， zhè me duǎn de shí jiān jiù bǎi tuō líng fú ， chóng xīn zhuī dào le jìn chù 。
然而他做梦也不曾想，三眼尸鸦会如此可怕，这么短的时间就摆脱灵符，重新追到了近处。
With no more talismans provided by their master, it was understandable why the middle-aged man felt utterly hopeless.
rú jīn yǐ méi yǒu le shī zūn cì yǔ de bǎo wù ， yě jiù nán guài zhōng nián rén huì jué wàng le 。
如今已没有了师尊赐予的宝物，也就难怪中年人会绝望了。
Even for an婴 cultivator, survival was far from certain. As for these others, what awaited them?
bì jìng zhè me duō yāo qín ， jí biàn shì yuán yīng qī xiū xiān zhě ， néng fǒu bǎo mìng yě bù tài hǎo shuō 。
毕竟这么多妖禽，即便是元婴期修仙者，能否保命也不太好说。
"Uncle, what should we do?"
zhì yú zì jǐ zhè xiē rén ， xià chǎng rú hé ， nán dào hái yòng diǎn pò 。
至于自己这些人，下场如何，难道还用点破。
The other Foundation Establishment apprentices looked panic-stricken, even the young man with clear eyes and sharp brows no longer showed his earlier composure but fear and trepidation.
“ shī shū ， gāi zěn me bàn ne ？”
“师叔，该怎么办呢？”
One could not remain composed in such a situation; he couldn't think of any chance to escape.
qí tā de zhù jī qī dì zǐ ， yī xià quán tou jīng huáng qǐ lái le ， biàn shì nà xīng méi lǎng mù dì nián qīng rén ， yě méi yǒu le gāng gāng de chén zhuó ， qǔ ér dài zhī de shì wèi jù yǔ huáng kǒng zhī sè 。
其他的筑基期弟子，一下拳头惊惶起来了，便是那星眉朗目的年轻人，也没有了刚刚的沉着，取而代之的是畏惧与惶恐之色。
"We must fight!"
tài shān bēng yú qián ér bù biàn sè ， nà yě shì xū yào shí lì zuò bǎo zhèng de ， rú jīn zhè zhǒng qíng kuàng ， tā shí zài xiǎng bù chū hái yǒu shén me jī huì táo chū shēng tiān le 。
泰山崩于前而不变色，那也是需要实力做保证的，如今这种情况，他实在想不出还有什么机会逃出生天了。
The middle-aged man gritted his teeth, reaching out and striking his chest. A magical artifact shot out from his mouth.
“ pīn le ！”
“拼了！”
"Uncle, you're mad! We have no chance!" The young man with clear eyes and sharp brows cried out in shock, his face showing disapproval.
zhōng nián rén yī yǎo yá ， shēn chū shǒu lái ， zài xiōng kǒu yī pāi ， yī jiàn fǎ bǎo ， bèi tā cóng zuǐ bā zhōng pēn le chū lái 。
中年人一咬牙，伸出手来，在胸口一拍，一件法宝，被他从嘴巴中喷了出来。
"I know, but what else can we do? Running isn't an option; should we just wait to die here?" The middle-aged man's eyes bulged as he said this.
“ shī shū ， nǐ fēng le ， wǒ men méi yǒu shèng suàn ！” nà xīng méi lǎng mù dì nián qīng rén shī shēng jīng hū ， liǎn shàng mǎn shì bù zàn tóng de shén sè 。
“师叔，你疯了，我们没有胜算！”那星眉朗目的年轻人失声惊呼，脸上满是不赞同的神色。
Before the words were fully out of his mouth, a Three-Eyed Corpse Crow flew close. With a flap of its wings, a blade of corpse fire was launched at them. The middle-aged man didn't have time to speak; he waved his hands, and the magical artifact in front of him emitted a burst of light as it clashed with the beastly bird.
“ wǒ qīng chǔ ， rán ér bù pīn yòu rú hé ， pǎo yòu pǎo bù guò ， nán dào zài zhè lǐ guāi guāi de děng sǐ me ？” zhōng nián rén mù zì yù liè de shuō 。
“我清楚，然而不拼又如何，跑又跑不过，难道在这里乖乖的等死么？”中年人目眦欲裂的说。
The other Foundation Establishment cultivators looked terrified but had no choice but to grit their teeth and summon their own treasure weapons.
huà yīn wèi luò ， yī tóu sān yǎn shī yā yǐ fēi dào jìn chù ， liǎng zhǐ chì bǎng yī shàn ， shī huǒ suǒ huà de fēng rèn jiù jī mǎo shè guò lái ， nà zhōng nián rén gù bù shàng duō yán ， shuāng shǒu yī bǎi ， shēn qián fǎ bǎo líng guāng kuáng shǎn ， yǔ yāo qín duì hōng qǐ lái 。
话音未落，一头三眼尸鸦已飞到近处，两只翅膀一扇，尸火所化的风刃就jī冇射过来，那中年人顾不上多言，双手一摆，身前法宝灵光狂闪，与妖禽对轰起来。
The battle was about to erupt, but there was no suspense. The disparity in power made it clear that these mere Condensation Core and Foundation Establishment cultivators were no match for a Three-Eyed Corpse Crow.
qí tā zhù jī qī xiū shì liǎn shàng mǎn shì huáng rán ， rán ér sān yǎn shī yā yǐ jīng fēi dào le shēn biān ， tā men bìng wú xuǎn zé ， zhǐ néng yī yǎo yá jiāng gè zì de líng qì jì chū 。
其他筑基期修士脸上满是惶然，然而三眼尸鸦已经飞到了身边，他们并无选择，只能一咬牙将各自的灵器祭出。
But then, something unexpected happened.
dà zhàn yǐ dào le yī chù jí fā de dì bù ， rán ér què sī háo xuán niàn yě wú 。
大战已到了一触即发的地步，然而却丝毫悬念也无。
A "sizzle" sound echoed, and the bright sky suddenly darkened as if night had fallen instantly.
shuāng fāng shí lì duì bǐ xuán shū ， sān yǎn shī yā qǐ shì qū qū níng dān zhù jī qī xiū shì kě yǐ yìng fù 。
双方实力对比悬殊，三眼尸鸦岂是区区凝丹筑基期修士可以应付。
Spatial fluctuations surged, and within a ten-mile radius, the primordial energy of heaven and earth became chaotic.
rán ér jiù zài zhè shí ， yì biàn tū qǐ 。
然而就在这时，异变突起。
"What is this..."
“ cī lā ” yī shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， sī háo zhēng zhào yě wú ， yuán běn míng liàng de tiān sè ， jìng zài qǐng kè jiān àn dàn xià lái le 。
“刺啦”一声传入耳朵，丝毫征兆也无，原本明亮的天色，竟在顷刻间黯淡下来了。
The sudden change left the cultivators in shock but also with hope; their current situation was already dire beyond measure. Any additional changes could only be beneficial, possibly offering them a chance to survive.
kōng jiān bō dòng zhòu qǐ ， fāng yuán wàn lǐ ， tiān dì yuán qì gèng shì biàn dé hùn luàn yǐ jí 。
空间波动骤起，方圆万里，天地元气更是变得混乱以极。
Under these strange spatial fluctuations, the beastly birds seemed uneasy, hovering uncertainly without attacking the human cultivators nearby.
“ zhè shì ……”
“这是……”
After about a cup of tea's time, the spatial force in the vicinity became even more chaotic.
yì wài biàn gù ， ràng zài chǎng de xiū xiān zhě jīng dāi le ， bù guò jīng yà zhī yú ， gèng duō de shì huān xǐ ， bì jìng duì tā men lái shuō ， rú jīn de qíng shì ， yǐ zāo gāo dào wú yǐ fù jiā de jìng dì 。
意外变故，让在场的修仙者惊呆了，不过惊讶之余，更多的是欢喜，毕竟对他们来说，如今的情势，已糟糕到无以复加的境地。
"Sizzle..."
duō yī xiē biàn gù ， duì tā men lái shuō ， jué duì shì lì dà yú bì ， jī yuán qiǎo hé zhī xià ， shuō bù dìng néng huò dé yī xiàn shēng jī 。
多一些变故，对他们来说，绝对是利大于弊，机缘巧合之下，说不定能获得一线生机。
A lightning bolt like a sharp blade struck down. A crack appeared in the void and rapidly spread outwards, causing nearby space to shatter into a dozen-foot-wide rift.
ér zài zhè gǔ guǐ yì de kōng jiān bō dòng xià ， nà xiē yāo qín sì hū yě yǒu xiē tǎn tè ， bù ān zài xuán fú zài nà lǐ ， méi yǒu zài duì páng biān de rén lèi xiū shì fā dòng gōng jī 。
而在这股诡异的空间波动下，那些妖禽似乎也有些忐忑，不安在悬浮在那里，没有再对旁边的人类修士发动攻击。
Then, black light flashed, and the crack began to spin. After several breaths, a black ball of light emerged from within.
Chapter 3085: A Moment of Crisis
It was a tranquil morning, with the sun just rising and casting warm sunlight onto the earth. The chirping of birds occasionally broke the silence, and everywhere exuded a sense of peace.
The vast grassland stretched endlessly under the gentle breeze, with tall grass swaying gently in the wind.
A wild rabbit hopped out from the grass, its ears standing high as it searched for food while keeping an eye out for predators like wolves and foxes that roamed the plains.
After finding a wild fruit, the rabbit happily began to eat it. Suddenly, it perked up its ears, seemingly sensing something amiss, and turned its head in panic before quickly diving back into the grass and disappearing.
At this moment, from afar on the horizon, a dazzling light suddenly appeared, followed by several streaks of lightning that sped towards them with incredible speed.
These streaks moved so fast that one could soon make out their faces; they were about eight or nine cultivators, all displaying fear as if being chased by something. The leader was an adult in his forties, dressed in black and at the peak of his Condensation Core stage.
He was the most advanced among them, with the others barely in their twenties and varying levels of cultivation from Foundation Establishment Initial to Intermediate stages.
Despite their varied attire, all had a similar mark on their clothing, indicating they were from the same sect. Alternatively, they might belong to smaller cultivator families.
As these individuals fled, they kept turning around, frantically searching for something, their faces clearly showing their unease and fear—there was no hiding it; their situation was dire.
"Uncle Yuan, we've been running for so long. Shouldn't we have shaken off those beastly birds by now? Can we take a brief rest?"
A young man with clear eyes and sharp brows spoke up. As a late Foundation Establishment cultivator, his complexion was still good, but the few apprentices behind him were much weaker, panting heavily as if they could barely hold on.
"Ah..."
The middle-aged man hesitated slightly before a heart-stirring cry echoed in their ears. A black light emerged from the sky, and an ominous cloud appeared.
No, it wasn't a cloud; it was a large bird with black feathers, resembling a crow but much larger—over ten feet long—and its eyes were sharper than ordinary crows. As its wings flapped, a faint grayish-white flame seemed to flicker around them.
More terrifyingly, a third eye appeared on the center of its head.
Three-Eyed Corpse Crow!
These beastly birds often lived in groups and posed no threat to high-ranking cultivators, but for those below the婴 stage, it was a matter of life and death.
A mere Condensation Core cultivator leading several Foundation Establishment apprentices who managed to escape so far were indeed fortunate. Perhaps they had some treasure that could counter such beasts; otherwise, they would have already perished.
The cries of the beastly birds echoed in their ears, causing even the middle-aged man to react with shock.
"It's impossible! How could these monsters catch up so quickly?"
"Uncle, use the talisman bestowed by our ancestor. It should buy us some time."
The young man turned his head back, though his cultivation was negligible, he displayed remarkable composure in such a dire situation.
However, upon hearing this, the middle-aged man's face showed deep sorrow: "It’s gone."
"Gone?" The young man with clear eyes and sharp brows seemed taken aback, not fully comprehending the gravity of the situation.
"We were given three talismans by our master during this excursion. They have all been used up."
The despairing voice of the middle-aged man reverberated in their ears. Without these talismans, how could they possibly escape from the beastly birds' relentless pursuit?
He never imagined that a Three-Eyed Corpse Crow would be so formidable, managing to break free of the talismans and catch up within such a short time.
With no more talismans provided by their master, it was understandable why the middle-aged man felt utterly hopeless.
Even for an婴 cultivator, survival was far from certain. As for these others, what awaited them?
"Uncle, what should we do?"
The other Foundation Establishment apprentices looked panic-stricken, even the young man with clear eyes and sharp brows no longer showed his earlier composure but fear and trepidation.
One could not remain composed in such a situation; he couldn't think of any chance to escape.
"We must fight!"
The middle-aged man gritted his teeth, reaching out and striking his chest. A magical artifact shot out from his mouth.
"Uncle, you're mad! We have no chance!" The young man with clear eyes and sharp brows cried out in shock, his face showing disapproval.
"I know, but what else can we do? Running isn't an option; should we just wait to die here?" The middle-aged man's eyes bulged as he said this.
Before the words were fully out of his mouth, a Three-Eyed Corpse Crow flew close. With a flap of its wings, a blade of corpse fire was launched at them. The middle-aged man didn't have time to speak; he waved his hands, and the magical artifact in front of him emitted a burst of light as it clashed with the beastly bird.
The other Foundation Establishment cultivators looked terrified but had no choice but to grit their teeth and summon their own treasure weapons.
The battle was about to erupt, but there was no suspense. The disparity in power made it clear that these mere Condensation Core and Foundation Establishment cultivators were no match for a Three-Eyed Corpse Crow.
But then, something unexpected happened.
A "sizzle" sound echoed, and the bright sky suddenly darkened as if night had fallen instantly.
Spatial fluctuations surged, and within a ten-mile radius, the primordial energy of heaven and earth became chaotic.
"What is this..."
The sudden change left the cultivators in shock but also with hope; their current situation was already dire beyond measure. Any additional changes could only be beneficial, possibly offering them a chance to survive.
Under these strange spatial fluctuations, the beastly birds seemed uneasy, hovering uncertainly without attacking the human cultivators nearby.
After about a cup of tea's time, the spatial force in the vicinity became even more chaotic.
"Sizzle..."
A lightning bolt like a sharp blade struck down. A crack appeared in the void and rapidly spread outwards, causing nearby space to shatter into a dozen-foot-wide rift.
Then, black light flashed, and the crack began to spin. After several breaths, a black ball of light emerged from within.