Chapter 545 Moon Shadow Clan Are Imprisoned
The battle raged with unyielding ferocity. The Moon Shadow Clan, fueled by Mu Xuanyin's righteous fury, unleashed a barrage of devastating attacks.
Captain Liara, a whirlwind of silver hair and flashing blades, danced through the battlefield with the "Moonlight Storm" technique.
Each of her enchanted daggers spun like a crescent moon, carving bloody paths through the ranks of the Earth Lunar Devil Temple followers.
Elder Kai, however, proved to be a formidable opponent.
With each swing of his massive warhammer, imbued with the "Burning Bull Charge," he cleared a swathe of space around him. The ground trembled with every impact, leaving smoldering craters in its wake.
Across the battlefield, other battles raged with similar intensity.
A Moon Shadow warrior, his body glowing faintly with the energy of the "Lunar Blade Dance," pirouetted through a group of devil mercenaries. His crimson blade, a blur of lethal grace, left a trail of fallen foes in his wake.
Meanwhile, a devil priest of the Earth Lunar Devil Temple unleashed the "Entangling Darkness" technique.
Tendrils of dark energy surged forward, ensnaring a group of Moon Shadow warriors and binding them in a suffocating grasp.
The battlefield resounded with the clash of steel, the roar of demonic beasts, and the anguished screams of the wounded. But despite the initial ferocity of the Moon Shadow Clan's assault, the tide of battle gradually began to shift.
The Earth Lunar Devil Temple, bolstered by Bishop Cang's reinforcements, held their ground.
Bishop Cang himself, a towering figure wreathed in dark energy, unleashed the "Crimson Fang Barrage."
Razor-sharp crimson blades materialized in mid-air, raining down upon the Moon Shadow Clan like a deadly hailstorm.
Several Moon Shadow warriors, caught off guard by the sudden attack, fell with sickening thuds, their bodies skewered by the flying blades.
The initial shock of the Moon Shadow Clan's offensive had begun to wear off, and fatigue began to set in.
While the battle raged on, a drama unfolded within the Moon Shadow Clan itself. Captain Zale, a man with eyes that held a cunning glint, had hatched a plan. He had secretly pledged his allegiance to Bishop Cang, tempted by promises of power and wealth.
With a prearranged signal, Zale and his band of traitors suddenly shifted their focus. Instead of engaging with their assigned opponents, they turned their blades with shocking speed towards Mu Xuanyin.
Caught completely off guard, Mu Xuanyin found herself facing a barrage of coordinated attacks. A wave of desperate fury surged through her, but it was too late.
A "Crescent Moon Slash" from Zale ripped through her shoulder, drawing a cry of pain from her lips.
Before she could react further, another traitor tackled her from behind, pinning her arms and rendering her helpless. The other traitors closed in, their blades glinting maliciously in the blood-soaked sunlight.
The betrayal was as sudden as it was devastating. The remaining Moon Shadow Clan warriors watched in stunned disbelief as their leader was captured before their very eyes. Any notion of attacking Zale and his band was quickly extinguished.
Mu Xuanyin, her crimson armor stained with blood, glared at Zale with a mixture of fury and betrayal.
"You… traitor!" she choked out, her voice raw with pain and rage.
Bishop Cang, his laughter echoing across the battlefield, bellowed, "You should have spent some time weeding out your loyalties, High Priestess! Seems your own clan harbors a few… admirers of the Earth Lunar Devil Temple!"
The battle came to an abrupt standstill. The Moon Shadow Clan, their leader incapacitated, and their morale shattered, were no longer in a position to fight. Their attacks faltered, replaced by a tense silence.
The followers of the Earth Lunar Devil Temple, battered and bruised, watched the scene unfold with a mixture of relief and renewed vigor. Their victory, purchased with a heavy toll of blood, was secured.
The once proud Moon Shadow Clan, brought low by the treachery within their own ranks, were forced to stand down.
The streets choked with the stench of death and the weight of betrayal. The battle for the Earth Lunar Devil Temple had been decided, albeit at a terrible cost.
The once-proud warriors of the Moon Shadow Clan stood defeated, their faces etched with a mix of disbelief and despair. Bishop Cang's laughter, a cruel rasp that echoed through the blood-soaked battlefield, sent shivers down their spines.
The captured devils, both male and female, were swiftly subdued. Powerful shackles, imbued with energy that suppressed their cultivation, were clamped onto their wrists and ankles. The chains, crafted from a dark, otherworldly metal, emitted a faint hum that dulled their senses and sapped their strength.
Bishop Cang, his eyes gleaming with a depraved hunger for power, addressed his followers.
"Separate them!" he boomed, his voice dripping with venom. "The men to the mines! Let them work themselves to the bone for the glory of the Earth Lunar Devil Temple!"
A group of hulking, heavily-armored devil guards stepped forward, shoving and prodding the male Moon Shadow Clan members towards a waiting line.
Faces contorted in anger and frustration, the men were forced to their knees, their once-proud stance reduced to a posture of utter humiliation.
Bishop Cang continued, his voice laced with a chilling cruelty.
"Any who show weakness… any who fail to meet their quota… will be offered to the Earth Lunar Devil God! No mercy will be shown!"
A wave of terror washed over the captured devils.
They knew the fate that awaited those deemed "weak."
The Earth Lunar Devil God, a malevolent entity with an insatiable thirst for blood, was appeased only through constant sacrifice. The very thought of being offered as a mere offering sent shivers down their spines.
Meanwhile, the female Moon Shadow Clan members were shuffled towards a different direction. Here, Bishop Cang's gaze turned predatory.
His eyes, gleaming with a sickening desire, swept over the captured women, lingering on their figures with a hunger that sent a wave of unease through them.
"As for the women," Bishop Cang's voice turned oily, a smirk playing on his lips, "they will be… baptized in the Blood Pool of our most revered God. After that… we will ensure their… 'well-being.'"
He gestured towards a group of devil priests from other temples, each with a glint of avarice in their eyes, and a contingent of devilish-looking mercenaries.
These men, drawn by the promise of spoils, rubbed their hands together in anticipation, leering at the defenseless women.
"They will be distributed amongst you," Bishop Cang continued, his voice laced with a cruel amusement, "based on your contributions to this glorious victory. Of course," his gaze turned possessive as he landed on Mu Xuanyin, who was being held captive by Zale, "the High Priestess herself… will remain under my personal care."
A low murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd.
Bishop Cang's followers, their faces twisted with a mix of anticipation and depravity, readily accepted his decree. They knew the fate of the captured women – a fate worse than death for many.
Fear and despair painted the faces of the captured Moon Shadow Clan women. They were no longer warriors, but mere objects to be bartered and abused.
The once-proud leader, Mu Xuanyin, now bore the mark of betrayal, her crimson eyes burning with a silent vow of vengeance.
As the defeated Moon Shadow Clan members were led away, their spirits broken, a sense of unease settled over the battlefield.
The stench of blood mingled with the heavy air, a stark reminder of the brutality that had unfolded.
Bishop Cang, his silhouette outlined against the setting sun, stood tall, a victor reveling in his cruelty.
A considerable distance away, shrouded in the shadows of a crumbling watchtower, Wang Jian and Yin Lian watched the aftermath of the battle unfold. The air crackled with a tension that went beyond the usual post-war silence. The screams of the captured Moon Shadow Clan members, both male and female, echoed through the deserted streets, a grim soundtrack to Bishop Cang's grotesque victory speech.
Yin Lian, her brow furrowed in worry, turned to Wang Jian. "What now?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. The weight of the situation, the betrayal within the Moon Shadow Clan, and the fate of the captured devils hung heavy in the air.
Wang Jian, however, offered a smirk that seemed out of place amidst the desolation. "Follow them," he said, gesturing towards the group of female Moon Shadow Clan members being herded towards a specific direction.
Yin Lian's confusion deepened. "Follow them? Why? Where are they taking them?"
"To the Blood Pool," Wang Jian replied, his voice devoid of any emotion. "Bishop Cang's little 'baptism' ceremony."
Yin Lian's eyes widened in understanding. "You wouldn't be suggesting…"
Wang Jian cut her off with a nod. "That's right. We're going after them."
Yin Lian arched an eyebrow. "To save them?"
A slow, sly smile spread across Wang Jian's face. "Save them? Not exactly. But it's a good opportunity nonetheless."
Yin Lian felt a pang of unease. She knew Wang Jian wasn't one for altruistic acts. "What opportunity?" she pressed. "And what makes you think you can go anywhere near the Blood Pool with Bishop Cang basking in his victory?"
Wang Jian leaned closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "See, that's where things get interesting. While they're busy 'baptizing,'" his voice took on a suggestive tone, "I plan on having a little chat with our dear High Priestess."
Yin Lian's eyes narrowed. "A chat? What kind of chat?"
"A chat about survival," Wang Jian continued, his eyes gleaming with a mischievous glint. "And, perhaps, a change in leadership within the Moon Shadow Clan."
Yin Lian scoffed. "Are you delusional? You expect Mu Xuanyin to just… bend the knee to you?"
Wang Jian chuckled, a low rumble that echoed in the stillness. "Not exactly bend the knee, more like… spread them," he said with a wink, sending a shiver down Yin Lian's spine.
"You're impossible," Yin Lian sighed, shaking her head in disbelief. "You're willing to save those women just for a chance with Mu Xuanyin?"
"Hey," Wang Jian defended himself with a playful grin, "saving innocent lives is a noble act. And who knows, maybe they'll be eternally grateful. Besides," he added, slapping Yin Lian playfully on her butt, "a little reward for a good deed never hurt anyone, right?"
Yin Lian couldn't help but let out a small laugh, despite herself. "You truly are a depraved one," she admitted, a smile playing on her lips.
Wang Jian threw his head back and laughed aloud, the sound echoing through the ruined tower. "Guilty as charged," he conceded, wiping a tear from his eye. "Now, come on. Let's see how this little baptism plays out."
With a final glance at the scene unfolding below, their forms blurred as they melded into the shadows, following the captured Moon Shadow Clan women towards the ominous location known as the Blood Pool.
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