Chapter 857: Chapter 857: Fight to the Death

"Dong... Dong... Dong..."

The deep and robust sound of the Ancient Bell resonated throughout the Nangong Family’s valley, clear in every corner. Upon hearing the bell, every skilled member of the Nangong Clan’s face changed. They knew too well what the bell signified, and without a moment’s hesitation, they swiftly rushed from all directions toward the Nangong Family’s martial arts field.

Before long, everyone had assembled. Standing in the vast, thousand-square-yard martial arts field were over a hundred individuals—the core strength of the Nangong Family, all top-tier cultivators of AA grade or above. As for the A-grade cultivators, there was no need for them here. Facing the Li Family with such a lineup, A-grade cultivators were no different from ordinary people. All A-grade cultivators had already been dispatched elsewhere, as Nangong Mingyue had arranged long ago.

Seeing that everyone had arrived, Nangong He and Nangong Mingyue stepped onto a platform. Looking down at these hundred-odd people, the ultimate power of the Nangong Family, their hearts were filled with a bitter chill. They didn’t know how many would remain after this decisive battle.

"Men of the Nangong Family, today is an extraordinary day because today concerns the very survival of the Nangong Family. Just a short while ago, the Li Family was spotted on their way here. Facing them, as members of the Nangong Family, I believe we all know what we must do."

"You all are also aware of the Li Family’s wolfish ambitions—they aim to completely erase our Nangong Family from existence. But can they succeed? Our Nangong Clan has been a cultivating family for nearly a thousand years. Faced with this situation, tell me, how should we treat our enemies!"

Nangong He had thought through much, but when the words reached his lips, he truly didn’t know what to say. After much consideration, it seemed only the words deep in his heart could express his feelings and resonate with every disciple of the Nangong Family.

"Kill!"

...

Chants of killing rang out, a cold chill piercing through the valley, each voice declaring the resolute hearts of the Nangong Family’s disciples!

The disciples stared at their ancestor, their hearts surging with excitement. After this battle, it was uncertain how many would survive; it was possible that none of those present could live. They all knew the scale of the Li Family’s power, and thus, they had all come to this battle prepared to die.

The Nangong Clan had been passed down for almost a thousand years. As disciples of such a prominent family, under no circumstances would they allow the humiliation of being subsumed by the Li Family. From the beginning, they had chosen, like their ancestor, to fight the Li Family to their last breath. They supported their ancestor’s decision, determined to protect the millennium-long legacy of the Nangong Clan from extinction under the Li Family’s hands, even if it meant defending their honor with blood.

Moreover, they now had no concerns for the safety of their families, as the Family Head Nangong Mingyue had already secured them in a very safe place that no one could find. What they needed to do today was to defeat the Li Family at all costs, even if it meant fighting to the very last person!

"Good! Very well, true sons of the Nangong Family. Let us, as the pride of the Nangong Family, eternally engrave our names in the annals of the Nangong Clan. This is the honor of every disciple of the Nangong Family. Open the gates, meet the enemy!"

Upon hearing the resolute voices of the Nangong Family’s disciples, Nangong He too was filled with excitement. This was the pride of the Nangong Family; these were the true disciples of the Nangong Family. Although unsure how many would survive the battle, everyone in the Nangong Family, including him, had to do this!

After saying this, Nangong He’s aura unfurled. As the ancestor of the Nangong Family, he naturally walked at the forefront, leading all the elite of the Nangong Family with the soul of the Nangong Family against the incoming Li Family attack.

Step by step, he descended the staircase, moving toward the Nangong Family’s main gate.

The disciples in the martial arts field spontaneously cleared a path for the ancestor to pass through, each feeling his absolute confidence. The same surging tide flowed silently behind him as they all stepped out of the gate.

Outside the main gate of the Nangong Family, led by Nangong He, all the Nangong Family elites formed a triangular formation to face the enemy. The air was filled with a decisive aura, a kind of murderous intent that disregarded life and death, even the birds in the nearby trees were startled into flight...

Over a hundred Nangong Family disciples surrounded their ancestor, their eyes only showing thick strands of blood, already prepared to die in battle. This was the Nangong Family...

...

When Li Deming led more than two hundred experts from the Li Family to appear at the vast, empty space in front of the Nangong Clan’s gate, he was surprised to see the Nangong Family already arrayed in formation. He clearly saw Nangong He at the front and couldn’t help but smile faintly.

"The Nangong Family is indeed the Nangong Family. No one has left yet; it seems the Nangong Family is truly ready to fight to the death with the Li Family?" Li Deming said indifferently, but he wasn’t really concerned about the current strength of the Nangong Family. Although the Nangong Family had six S-level masters, this time he had brought all six S-level masters from the Li Family, besides himself. Furthermore, he was a late-stage S-level master, so there was really no possibility for the Nangong Family to match the Li Family now.

Watching Nangong He lead his people in formation, observing the ferocious killing intent emanating from each of them, even Li Deming had to admit one thing— that the Nangong Family was indeed the Nangong Family. Worthy of a Cultivation family that had lasted nearly a thousand years, they could still gather all their elite and resolve to fight to the end in such an unfavorably matched battle; this was something the other two Prominent Families couldn’t compare to. If it weren’t for the future of the Li Family, he would genuinely be reluctant to let these experts die here.

"Li Deming, as you can see, all of us in the Nangong Family are united. It’s impossible for you to annex us. Even if everyone in the Nangong Family dies in battle, we will never let that happen," Nangong He retorted faintly as he stepped forward from the crowd, no longer able to consider much under the current circumstances. The Li Family’s aggressive approach this time was formidable. If they could not stop the Li Family now, the Nangong Family would truly be erased from the Cultivation World. Just now, he had consumed one of the five Xuantian Pills of the Nangong Family, hoping to buy time for Lin Feng, hoping Lin Feng could hurry over. Only then would the Nangong Family have a sliver of hope.

Watching the more than two hundred cultivators from the Li Family, Nangong He suddenly felt a sense of a hero in his twilight years, which left him quite helpless. He had not expected the Li Family to mobilize all their power for this conflict, which was quite astonishing. Frankly speaking, the Nangong Family’s strength was significantly less than that of the Li Family, but regardless of perspective, this conflict was inevitable. Even if it meant annihilation, the Nangong Family would absolutely not accept the disgrace of being annexed. This was the spirit of the Nangong Family.

"Don’t you see? I brought all the elites of the Li Family here. With just this handful of people from the Nangong Family, are you deluding yourselves into thinking you can stop us? Nangong He, it would be wise to recognize the situation. So many elite cultivators dying here would be a loss for the entire Cultivation World. Surrender, and I guarantee the safety of everyone in the Nangong Family."

Li Deming dismissively responded to Nangong He’s words. He was still making one final attempt because he was genuinely covetous when he saw the appearance of about a hundred cultivators from the Nangong Family. The Li Family had always been the leader among the four Prominent Families, with a longer history than the Nangong Family. Nonetheless, currently, the Li Family could only muster no more than one hundred seventy elites in their own right, with others being reinforcements from the Yu Family and Kong Family. The fact that the Nangong Family could bring out around a hundred people all at once proved their deep-rooted strength.

Li Deming stated this not out of fear of the Nangong Family, but because it would be a real pity if these many masters died in battle. Thus, he was still trying, attempting in the end to win without a fight, the most preferable outcome. Moreover, Lin Feng, the one he truly cared about eliminating, had yet to appear.

"It’s impossible. We of the Nangong Family standing here have already made our position clear. There’s no need for you to say anything more. Persuasion to surrender will not work on the disciples of the Nangong Clan. Nangong Family disciples, tell the Li Family what we are going to do today!"

Nangong He immediately rejected Li Deming’s offer upon hearing him. Persuading the Nangong Clan to surrender was simply an impossibility. If they hadn’t been prepared to stake all, how could the Nangong Family face their enemy like this? Having reached this stage was enough to demonstrate the Nangong Family’s resolve. Even if they all died honorably, they would never accept the Li Family’s persuasion to surrender. With that, Nangong He waved his hand to the Nangong Family disciples behind him, signaling them to roar at the Li Family with their choice.

"Fight to the death!"

...

The many elite warriors of the Nangong Family had already been prepared. Upon hearing their ancestor proclaim, they all shouted from their hearts. They wanted to show the Li Family what the Nangong Family’s stance truly was. For the honor of the Nangong Family, even if they all perished, it mattered not.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com