"Hold them back! Go hold them back quickly! Even if it costs your lives, buy me time! This is our mission — protecting the two young ladies is our mission! Even at the cost of your own lives, you must buy them time to escape!"
At that moment, the Three Thousand Temple Master was working together with two Imperial-cloak Spirit World Masters, struggling to break the formation, while shouting at the top of his lungs, urging his subordinates to buy him time with their lives.
However, apart from the three of them, the rest of the people from Three Thousand Temple were far too weak to be any match for the sea beast. Regardless of whether the sea beast was conjured by the formation, it was still a sixth-grade half-emperor.
Watching his subordinates being wiped out in the blink of an eye, the Three Thousand Temple Master grabbed an Imperial-cloak Spirit World Master beside him, flung him toward the sea beast, and shouted, "Hold the line!"
"You go too." Then the Three Thousand Temple Master turned to the other Imperial-cloak Spirit World Master.
"Temple... Temple Master, even if I go, I won't be a match for that sea beast. Rather than throwing my life away, wouldn't it be better to help you break the formation faster?" The man faltered, because everyone who had fought the sea beast was already dead — and they had died miserably. He didn't want to die, and certainly not like that.
"What do you know? This is an order! Protecting the two young ladies is our mission — a mission more important than our own lives!" As he spoke, the Three Thousand Temple Master seized the man and flung him toward the sea beast just like the first one.
Once they landed beside the sea beast, there was no chance of escape. Their only option was to fight desperately.
"Hurry! They can't hold on much longer! If you don't hurry, they'll all be dead!" Nangong Baihe pulled Nangong Moli along, standing beside the Three Thousand Temple Master and urging him ceaselessly.
She was drowning in regret. She regretted not heeding Chu Feng's words and instead following the Three Thousand Temple Master here, only to end up on a road from which there was no return.
And watching those people from Three Thousand Temple lose their lives for their sake — she couldn't bear it. Guilt consumed her.
"What are you yelling for?" But who could have expected that at that very moment, the Three Thousand Temple Master's eyes would suddenly flash with murderous intent as he seized both Nangong Baihe and Nangong Moli.
The instant he grabbed them, a barrier laced with martial force enveloped them from head to toe, surged into their bodies, sealed their Dantians, and left them completely immobilized — as though bound tight.
"What are you doing?! How dare you restrain us with a barrier!" Nangong Baihe erupted in fury.
"Brat, did you really think I was going to protect you? Your lives aren't worth as much as mine."
"Go on — use your lives to buy me some time. If I manage to escape, then your deaths won't be in vain." The Three Thousand Temple Master let out a cold laugh.
"You bastard! How dare you treat us this way! I will never forgive you!" Nangong Baihe roared in rage, struggling with all her might, but the barrier was far too strong — with her strength, she couldn't break free.
"You talk too much. You die first." With those words, the Three Thousand Temple Master hurled Nangong Baihe away.
When Nangong Baihe hit the ground, she found that she was still some distance from the sea beast and outside its attack range. But she couldn't move an inch, let alone flee.
She watched helplessly as the remaining people from Three Thousand Temple were cut down one by one beneath the demon beast's fangs and claws. And the sea beast, eyes gleaming with vicious light and carrying a torrent of killing intent, was slowly advancing toward Chu Feng. Tears streamed down Nangong Baihe's cheeks.
She refused to accept this — not just because she was about to die, but because she couldn't bear that her little sister would die here too.
"Little sister, I'm sorry. I failed to protect you."
"Mother, I'm sorry. I didn't keep my promise to you." Nangong Baihe closed her eyes tight, having already steeled herself to die.
BOOM—
ROOOAR—