Scattered groups of Blue Hawk Guards had clustered together, each drawing crossbows from their waists. Clearly, they intended to leverage the power of their ranged weapons against this sudden, powerful enemy — to help Commander Yan break free from his predicament.
Unfortunately, their little plans were completely futile.
Countless crossbow bolts swarmed toward Jiang Chen like locusts, yet not a single one could so much as touch his dharma body. Within several feet of his person, they were repelled by the astral energy of his Divine Demon Golden Body.
However, this display of hostility from the Blue Hawk Guards managed to provoke both the Vermilion Bird divine bird and Little Xuan the Dragon, who had been observing from the shadows.
Neither of them had even made a move yet, and already these insignificant Blue Hawk Guard insects were attacking first. It was practically a provocation against them.
Little Xuan let out a low growl. Without even manifesting his dharma body, he caused the void to fill with countless wisps of black mist that began to churn and roil across the empty space.
This was one of Little Xuan's Divine Abilities — the Black Cage.
The moment the Black Cage activated, it swept up every last Blue Hawk Guard cultivator, trapping them within its confines.
In an instant, the void was filled with wails and shrieks.
The sight left Commander Yan utterly dumbfounded. The opponent was clearly still engaged with him, locked in stalemate combat.
How had the other Blue Hawk Guards suddenly come under attack? The young man's female companion didn't seem to have moved either.
Could it be that this young man had still more allies?
The thought sent a chill racing through Commander Yan's heart. An unprecedented wave of terror finally crashed over him. The reason he'd felt no fear before was that he'd believed even if he couldn't defeat this young man, even if he couldn't take him down, there was absolutely no danger to his own life.
After all, with his ninth-level Heavenly Seat cultivation firmly in place, the notion that his opponent could threaten his life was practically impossible.
But now it seemed he'd been far too optimistic. His assessment of the enemy had been far from comprehensive.
All around his ears, he could hear the Blue Hawk Guards' agonized howls. The elite soldiers he'd brought were shrouded in countless layers of black mist, completely invisible — only the endless churning of dark clouds where they stood.
"Not good!"
Commander Yan's heart lurched. He knew today was a total defeat. If he didn't flee now, even he — a Grand Commander — might not get the chance to escape with his life.
With that thought, Commander Yan's twin sabers whirled into motion, conjuring two cascading arcs of frost-edged blade force that swept toward Jiang Chen. At the same time, his dharma body flickered as he rocketed backward.
Jiang Chen let out a cold laugh and tossed something into the void. A massive golden bell rang out with a deep, resonant hum, materializing overhead in an instant.
The moment the bell appeared, it produced a solemn, majestic sound reminiscent of sacred chanting. Along its surface, all manner of strange and ancient patterns blazed to life, as if the golden radiance had awakened the bell's many secrets. Its hidden Divine Abilities stirred one after another.
The bell shot down countless beams of auspicious light, locking Commander Yan tight within their radiance.
The moment the beams pinned him, Commander Yan's movements became sluggish. This time, he truly broke out in a cold sweat from head to toe.
He had never imagined that the restraining power of this bell could be so terrifying. Even for a ninth-level Heavenly Seat cultivator like himself, he felt powerless to break free.
Before making his move, Jiang Chen had already resolved that he would not let Commander Yan escape under any circumstances.
Now that Commander Yan had lost his will to fight and was trying to retreat, Jiang Chen naturally refused to allow it. This golden bell was something Jiang Chen had seized from Golden Bell Ancestor.
Through his continuous refinement, Jiang Chen had come to discover that this bell was far from ordinary — far more complex than he had initially estimated.
Now, Jiang Chen could almost certainly confirm that this bell was a divine artifact. As for what grade of divine artifact it was, he had yet to determine.