After the blinding flash of light subsided, the entire valley fell into a deathly silence. As the dust began to settle, it was a surprise to find that Xu Tiancai and his companions had not perished as they had feared.
At the critical moment, Thousand-Face Man had cast a powerful protective spell, shielding them from the blast. Although they sustained some injuries from the shockwave, their lives were spared. The leader of the dark forces and his elite troops, however, suffered heavy losses, with most of them obliterated by the impact of the mysterious power.
Xu Tiancai and the others stood up slowly, surveying the scene of devastation around them with a sense of gravity. They knew this victory was only temporary; the greater, darker force had not been fully destroyed.
Chapter 20