Beast God
Chapter 34: Horde of Shituos

Under the tidal wave-like assault of Shituos, the group was quickly scattered. 

No one could look out for anyone else anymore—everyone was desperately fighting through the horde, where the slightest lapse in attention would immediately result in being overwhelmed by the Shituos.

Before the Shituo horde could fully swarm them, Chen Guan had already summoned Rouge while recalling Warring States. 

At only level eight, Warring States stood no chance of survival in such a battle—letting him out would only mean certain death. 

Even with the Cheerleader's Soul buff, Warring States' natural combat talent and abilities were too weak, and his clever canine mind had no room to maneuver or strategize in this situation.

Rouge's massive rabbit form stood as a bulwark in front, cleaving through every approaching foe with her butcher knife, barely managing to hold back the first wave of Shituos. 

Chen Guan positioned himself behind her, dealing with the ordinary Shituos encircling them from behind. 

Within moments, agonized screams rang out nearby—the voice unmistakably belonged to Gongsun Zhuo, likely already beyond saving. 

Chen Guan had neither the time nor energy to spare worrying about others' situations. Originally, his combat prowess had been inferior to Gongsun Zhuo's. That he'd lasted this long was solely due to Rouge bearing the brunt of the initial assault and the effectiveness of his Stealth Kill Art.

At his current level and strength, resisting the endless tide of Shituos would have been impossible without employing his secret skill, Blood Palm. Only by using this technique could he barely manage to kill ordinary Shituos. 

Normally, after using a secret skill, one's Primordial Energy would deplete too rapidly, requiring recovery time before reuse. 

Under these circumstances, most wouldn't live long enough for their energy to replenish before the Shituo horde overwhelmed them.

But the Stealth Kill Art allowed Chen Guan to sustain himself through combat. Each time he killed a Shituo with Blood Palm, the stolen energy instantly replenished his reserves—even leaving him with surplus, enabling near-limitless use of his signature technique as he barely withstood the onslaught.

Chen Guan's hands glowed crimson, swollen larger than normal as he continuously unleashed Blood Palms. Every strike left a sunken, bloody imprint on a Shituo's skull, killing them instantly. 

Any other cultivator of similar level, even with Rouge's protection, would have perished long ago under these circumstances. 

Engulfed in frenzied combat, Chen Guan lost count of how many Shituos he'd slain while feeling torrents of energy continuously flooding his body. In this brief span, he actually leveled up to rank six. 

Unable to concern himself with others, Chen Guan ordered Rouge to charge forward, attempting to break through the encirclement. But the Shituos were simply too numerous—no matter how devastating Rouge's slaughter, their progress remained bogged down as if trapped in quicksand.

Ji Nanhong and her elite squad were similarly locked in desperate combat. Fortunately, as the academy's top fighters, their skills were exceptional—Ji Nanhong herself proving no less formidable than Rouge, perhaps even more so. 

Yet even they couldn't fight their way free from the endless horde.

Astride her Ghost-Headed Horse, Ji Nanhong whirled her spear with lethal grace, cutting down Shituos like a war goddess incarnate. 

While fighting, her gaze swept the battlefield—initially just checking her team's status (all still holding their own for now)—until spotting Rouge and Qin Ziyu. A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes. 

Qin Ziyu's Purple-Green Dual Qi Profound Skill was far too distinctive—Ji Nanhong instantly recognized its origin while marveling at the newcomer's prowess. 

All recruits had arrived the same day barely ten days prior, yet this rookie already displayed shocking strength. 

Rouge's combat capabilities also drew Ji Nanhong's attention. 

As for Chen Guan? A mere glance sufficed before dismissing him. 

In her assessment, his abilities paled next to Rouge and Qin Ziyu—only surviving this long through the rabbit's protection. His death seemed inevitable; not worth noting a soon-to-be corpse.

Refocusing, Ji Nanhong strategized their escape. 

Their original mission—to slay the King of Shituos in the forest's depths—had seemed feasible for her elite team, who could retreat if overmatched. 

But mid-battle, the Shituo King somehow summoned hordes of ordinary and mutated Shituos from the earth, including even the Master of Shituo Forest. 

With retreat paths now blocked by endless Shituos, they were trapped between impossible odds and an unseen Shituo King undoubtedly observing from the shadows—the only explanation for the horde's coordinated containment. 

"We must force out the Shituo King first to determine our breakout direction," Ji Nanhong resolved, killing intent flaring as her spear pulsed with crimson energy, her already formidable aura intensifying further. 

Her spear moved like a dragon as woman and horse carved a bloody path through the horde, felling Shituos like wheat before a scythe as she charged toward a specific direction.

"What an incredible woman!" Chen Guan marveled, witnessing how Ji Nanhong's solo rampage actually disrupted the battlefield's flow. 

Seeing her charge toward one flank, he realized: "Even elites can't survive this. She's using her strength to escape alone." 

Facing annihilation, every man for himself seemed reasonable—better some survive than total wipeout. 

"Her chosen path must offer the best escape route," Chen Guan reasoned, immediately redirecting Rouge to follow Ji Nanhong's wake. 

With her drawing away most elite Shituos, this was his only chance. 

Little did he know Ji Nanhong wasn't fleeing—but baiting out the Shituo King.

"Chen Guan, endure! You're the toughest, most resilient man alive—you WILL survive this horde!" He attempted self-encouragement through Cheerleader's Soul, hoping to prolong his stamina. 

While Stealth Kill Art replenished his energy, physical exhaustion kept accumulating—once completely drained, even infinite energy wouldn't save him.