The time shifts slightly forward, just as Xie Chujun is being called by Samikina, a battle is about to commence outside the tent. Sensing the imposing aura emanating from the two elders before them, Buck House and Friedrich felt a tremendous pressure.

Upon receiving the information sent by Sifuer, they initially thought they could achieve miraculous feats with the strength at hand and this opportunity, aiming to exchange future achievements in the Holy City for a higher status. Therefore, they only brought elite confidants to subdue Sifuer and her so-called allies, forcing them to submit and serve under their command.

However, who would have thought the opponents would strike first and prepare countermeasures. Long accustomed to hunting eagles, they were blinded by one. Ultimately, it was their carelessness; they underestimated the cruel tactics of a young girl and the strength of the people from the Foundation Plane.

Now, their hearts bled, but they had no time to care about the life and death of their subordinates. They swore they would not let it go if they managed to escape today!

Bailang, who could easily guess the opponent's intentions, naturally wouldn't let the tiger return to the mountain. The situation was under control, eliminating these two troublesome guys, and the dawn of the Kataraga Autonomous Territory's rise was in sight, otherwise all efforts would go to waste, leading to catastrophic disaster.

"Bailang, do you think that by eliminating the two of us, you'd truly be able to command the elite troops under us?" Buck House, clutching at the last shred of fantasy, continued to beguile, "Don't be blinded by the immediate gain; things haven't reached a dead end yet. If the two of us die, and the sanctuary loses its head and control, you might not be able to take advantage either!"

"Buck House, don't make yourself seem so important. Others might not know, but don't I? How much influence do you really have within your sanctuary? Don't forget, you're a rank lower than the Kataraga Autonomous Territory! You merely flattered your superiors upon retreat to grab a large sanctuary and thrive by gathering scattered soldiers." Bailang drew his longsword and said in a grave tone, "Killed you, and we have ways of controlling your sanctuary; those who don't obey can be eliminated just like you."

"Don't you see? Samikina is their trump card; if the two of us die, with that old guy's influence, it would be much easier to gather the army." Friedrich sighed deeply, knowing today's battle was a life and death struggle, and drew his sword towards Bailang, shouting sternly, "Want our lives? On what basis? You? Or relying on these two old men from the Foundation Plane, why not call Samikina to join?"

"Cough, cough! Finished talking? Can Mr. Bailang make a move?" Zuo Huaxian, who had been standing with his eyes closed, sensed Friedrich's killing intent directed at him and coughed lightly to inquire.

"Please, it's up to you, sirs!" Bailang bowed deeply and said respectfully.

"Betraying the Demon God's faith and harming your kin, what a traitor to the Demon Race!" Buck House couldn't care less about his usual decorum, brushed his goatee aside, spat on the ground, drew his longsword and charged towards Bailang.

"Zhuang Zhou Dreams of Butterfly!" Zuo Huaxian raised his hand and traced a circle in the air. Buck House only felt his vision blur, and the surroundings rapidly dissolved into haze. In no time, the appearance of Napas Valley completely changed. Looking up, the sky transformed into the guise of a red disaster, and countless thralls, driven by Red Armored Warriors, surged towards him like mountains and seas. Struggling to breathe, he felt as if his powers were truly suppressed, and an inexplicable sense of fear rose within him.

"An illusion?" He knocked away a thrall lunging towards him with his sword, feeling the blood spurt from the ruptured body splash onto his face. How real it felt!

After a silent praise in his heart, Buck House laid down his longsword, closed his eyes, and stopped resisting, allowing thralls to pounce on him one after another. Just as he was knocked to the ground, and his entire body was about to be dissolved by the thralls' acidic spit, his eyes suddenly opened wide, and boundless demonic Qi burst forth from his body. Instantly, the surrounding thralls vanished with wails, and the scene around him radically changed.

"Did you really think you could trap me with an illusion! How naive!" Re-emerging into reality, Buck House ignored his still faintly aching head, and in his wrath, thrust his longsword straight at Zuo Huaxian, who had approached him.

The longsword easily passed through, and watching the opponent's body turn into fragments of a butterfly, Buck House's eyes widened. Was he still in an illusion? Just then, he felt a gust of wind from behind. Behind him! Without thinking, Buck House twisted his body in mid-air, exchanging his sword between his hands, a beam of lightning shot from his palm in a brilliant light.

But there was nothing behind him! Fooled! In the midst of a series of attacks, Buck House glimpsed from the corner of his eye as the butterflies he attacked began to coalesce back into a human form. Zuo Huaxian's fingers lightly grazed towards his throat, whispering softly, "Butcher carves the ox!"

Seeing the gleam of cold light between his fingers, knowing it was merely a tiny blade, Buck House nevertheless felt a chill in his heart and quickly dodged the strike with continuous leaps.

Glancing at the old man's disappointed expression, the narrowly-escaped Buck House gripped his sword hilt and shouted, "Friedrich, be careful! These guys have strange abilities!"

Bang! A muffled collision sounded from beside him, and Friedrich, who was also retreating rapidly, landed next to him, looking at his limp, hanging right arm, wiped his forehead and said, "I noticed it without you telling!"

Aiming his gaze around, he said gravely, "This place can't be lingered on. Even if we defeat these two old men, the opponents still have Bailang and Samikina to act. By then, if we're weakened, escaping would be nearly impossible. Don't entangle with them, flee this place quickly!"

Finished with this remark, he turned his head to see Elder Lin advancing slowly towards him, rubbed his right arm that had regained sensation, lifted both arms, and shot a blinding black light. Taking advantage of the time as the opponent dodged his attack, he roared, "Go!"

As soon as the words fell, the two dashed off in different directions, and Buck House felt a blazing light nearing him. With the side of his vision, he glimpsed a red ribbon curling towards his waist like a flexible giant snake.

Meanwhile, Friedrich, running in another direction, also felt a crisis. His advancing footsteps abruptly stopped and his body rapidly retreated, and a swiftly approaching lightning streaked past him; despite this, the fierce impact still grazed his nose, bright red blood flowed down his cheek, staining half of his face.

"Mr. Friedrich, leaving the banquet without saying farewell to the host is rather impolite, don't you think?" Pei Yan, mechanized entirely, blocked Friedrich's escape route, spread his hands, and said with a genial smile.