The Grand Priestess saw that the warriors of the Gu Nuo barbarian tribe had visibly increased in number, and those charging forward were far fiercer than before. Anxiety gnawed at her heart.
"A little more — we're almost through! Give it everything you have, for my sake!"
The Grand Priestess clearly had no desire to become a captive of the Kuman barbarians. That fate, without even thinking about it, would surely be absolutely miserable.
"Wahahaha, this woman's got some fire in her! I love women with a little fight in them. Brothers, charge! Take one alive — if the Prince is pleased, he might just reward her to us!"
A Kuman chieftain swung his long blade and slashed viciously toward the Grand Priestess.
In an instant, seven or eight half-step Emperor-realm Kuman warriors burst from the ranks and surrounded the three Grand Priestesses.
The Kuman barbarians' greatest trait was their utter fearlessness in death. Their fighting style was savage and ruthless.
This kind of reckless, do-or-die combat was exactly what the Moon God Cult liked least and was least prepared for.
After all, the Moon God Cult was composed of female cultivators. Their martial path had always emphasized elegance and composure — they could never match the barbarians' savage, brute-force approach.
As a result, despite the three Grand Priestesses clearly holding the advantage in strength, being besieged by these half-step Emperor-realm chieftains left them flustered and struggling.
Seizing this opportunity, the Kuman encirclement tightened further. The gap they had torn open was slowly being sealed.
Seeing this, a trace of bitterness crept into the Grand Priestess's eyes. "Is this truly the end? Are we really unable to escape this fate today?"
"Shan-er, keep your eyes open. When the time comes, we will stake our lives to cover your escape. If a gap appears, you must leave without hesitation — do you understand? Whether you make it or not, you must do everything in your power to break through. Do you understand?"
The Grand Priestess transmitted this voice message to Xu Shan beside her. She had clearly already begun looking for a way out.
Saintess Xu Shan grew anxious. "Master, Shan-er may have entered your sect later than the others, but she understands the principle that a teacher for a day is a father for life. If it comes to it, Shan-er will follow you to the very end. The Moon God Cult will surely rise again one day."
"Foolish! If you all die, who will lead the Moon God Cult's revival? Shan-er, you possess a special constitution — a talent even Young Master Jiang Chen admires. Do you not understand the weight on your shoulders?" The Grand Priestess was furious. She was usually dignified and composed, rarely losing her temper.
But now, she was angry.
If Xu Shan could not understand her earnest intentions, then even their sacrifice would be meaningless.
While exchanging words with Xu Shan, the Grand Priestess was also fighting, and naturally her attention wavered. A Kuman warrior's blade nearly struck her shoulder.
Though she dodged quickly, the blade's edge still grazed her, leaving a long bloody gash across her arm that instantly soaked half her white robes in red.
"Master!"
"Grand Priestess!"
But the Grand Priestess's clear eyes only grew calmer. She let out a sharp cry: "Second, Third — perhaps today is the day we give our lives for the Moon God Cult. Are you ready?"
The Second Priestess replied without hesitation: "To fight to the death — I've long been prepared! Kill a few more of those barbarian savages, and I'll have gotten my money's worth!"
"Awooo! Awooo!"
The Kuman barbarians could clearly see that the Moon God Cult was on its last legs. They let out beast-like howls, intending to intimidate the Moon God Cult members and grind away their last shred of fighting spirit.
Following these howls, several half-step Emperor-realm Kuman warriors charged forward with even greater frenzy, their attacks growing more urgent and more savage by the second.
In moments, the Grand Priestess's position had become dire.
"Shan-er, get ready. Once your master unleashes her final technique, it will be your only chance to break through. Remember — do not let your master's sacrifice be in vain!"
The Grand Priestess had made up her mind. Her tone was resolute.
Tears blurred Xu Shan's eyes. She knew, of course, that her master intended to use a forbidden technique — and might even choose self-detonation to blast open an escape route!
On the Grand Priestess's face, a serene smile appeared instead — the kind of release that comes from transcendence, the liberation of one who has seen through everything.
It was at this moment of extreme peril, when a single hair could tip the scales.
The void suddenly trembled violently. The Grand Priestess, preparing her ultimate technique, sensed the shift and looked outward.
From beyond the encirclement, four enormous figures — bodies several times the size of normal humans, massive as small mountains — were plowing inward, sweeping through everything in their path.
These four figures tore into the crowd like tigers plunging into a flock of sheep, their destructive power immense. Everywhere they went, they carved through swathes of enemies.
The Grand Priestess, who had been on the verge of despair, felt a ripple of hope — a flicker of joy flashed through her sea of consciousness.
"Reinforcements? Is it really reinforcements?"
"Fellow Daoists of the Moon God Cult, break out toward the perimeter — quickly!"
This voice was familiar to everyone in the Moon God Cult. Deep, warm, and brimming with masculine vitality, it instantly instilled a sense of security.
It was Jiang Chen!
Everyone's heart jolted, and then wild joy surged through them.
At this moment, Jiang Chen's voice was more beautiful and soothing than any celestial melody.