Turns Out, I’m In A Villain Clan! Chapter 386 Li-Zhao Clan Vs Demonic Cultivators!
Previously on Turns Out, I’m In A Villain Clan!...
In the distance, the other sectors of the battlefield were in a state of total chaos, unlike anything seen before.
The Zhao Clan!
As the swarm of Demonic Cultivators descended, they distributed their numbers across the front lines almost uniformly.
However, it appeared that a greater effort was being directed toward the destruction of the Bai Clan, as the demonic presence there was noticeably more concentrated than elsewhere.
This observation did not go unnoticed, and both the Li and Zhao Clans felt a surge of secret satisfaction.
"Ha! It seems the Bai Clan has truly provoked their greatest wrath."
"Excellent! This could very well signal the beginning of the Bai Clan's decline."
"They will be the ones to endure the brunt of the casualties. Our only task is to maintain our own position."
They believed they possessed the strength to eliminate the Demonic Cultivators but chose not to. Instead, they planned to feign a difficult struggle, providing them with an excuse not to send reinforcements to the Bai Clan.
Their intention was to hold their ground just long enough for the Bai Clan to be decimated by heavy losses.
At least... that was their assumption.
The Zhao Clan was far from foolish. In fact, their ranks included some of the most brilliant tactical minds available.
They had arrived fully prepared for such a turn of events.
Despite having a general strategy in place, the Zhao Clan did not rely on it solely; they had formulated a specific countermeasure for the moment the Demonic Cultivators entered the fray.
Their Formation Masters immediately began the construction of a Grade-6 Defensive Formation Barrier to encapsulate their entire flank.
A shimmering blue dome of hexagonal Qi began to rise from the earth, with intricate patterns flowing across its surface like sentient runes.
A Grade-6 Formation was a formidable defense, especially when anchored by multiple Formation Masters simultaneously.
Short of a direct intervention from an Immortal Realm expert, this shield was capable of enduring the relentless assault of thousands for several hours.
With this protection, the Zhao Clan felt invincible.
Their plan was straightforward:
Maintain the barrier.
Eradicate the remaining Demonic Beasts.
Await the arrival of their Reserve Unit.
Then, methodically dismantle the Demonic Cultivators at their own pace.
They were entirely convinced they could neutralize both the Demonic Beasts and the Demonic Cultivators without taking any significant damage.
Meanwhile, they fully expected the Bai Clan to be the ones drowning in a sea of blood.
The morale of the Zhao Clan soared.
"The situation is under control."
"Once the beasts are cleared, that demonic trash will be next. By then, some less fortunate clan might already be wiped out."
But suddenly—
The entire plan shattered.
Just as the final runes of the Grade-6 Formation clicked into place—
Just as the shimmering dome reached completion—
Just as the Zhao Clan felt their safety was guaranteed—
SLASH!
"Ahhhhh!"
A piercing shriek erupted from within their own ranks.
For a single heartbeat, there was a chilling silence.
The Formation Masters froze in place, their eyes bulging in terror.
"Wha—?"
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
One after another, the Formation Masters were decapitated, their heads rolling across the dirt.
The killer?
A disciple of the Zhao Clan.
No—it was an infiltrator, an assassin wearing the guise of a Zhao disciple.
His eyes burned with a crimson light.
The entire unit was thrown into a state of pure shock.
"AN INTRUDER—!?"
"ASSASSINS?! HOW COULD THEY POSSIBLY—!!"
But the damage was irreversible.
The Formation Masters responsible for the barrier had been slaughtered, and with no one left to provide the necessary Qi—
CRRRRACK!
CRACK!
The Grade-6 Formation Barrier splintered like fragile glass.
The protective dome vanished instantly.
Outside, thousands of Demonic Cultivators who had been waiting for this moment surged forward, their killing intent raging like an inferno.
"At last, the shield has fallen!!"
"Hehe... did they really think we hadn't anticipated such a move?"
"Cowering like dogs, typical of these so-called righteous Cultivators."
The Zhao Clan was caught completely off-guard.
They had planned for hours of safety.
Instead, they were given only seconds.
To make matters worse...
They were still entangled with the Demonic Beasts. Now, they were squeezed from both sides—Demonic Beasts in front and Demonic Cultivators behind.
The Zhao Clan’s defensive lines disintegrated in an instant.
Cultivators were cut down before they could even raise their weapons. Those who turned to face the Demonic Cultivators were immediately mauled by the Demonic Beasts, who seized the opening.
Blood began to flow across the plains like a rising tide.
The bodies of Zhao disciples piled up one by one, their dying screams lost beneath the thunderous roars of the demonic legion.
What was intended to be a calculated, stalling maneuver had turned into a gruesome massacre.
The Zhao Clan, who had previously mocked the Bai Clan’s misfortune, was now paying a bloody price for their hubris.
The Li Clan fared no better.
On their side of the field, the battle was progressing according to their design—or so they imagined.
Unlike the Zhao, the Li Clan placed great pride in their raw martial power.
They had executed a simple, aggressive strategy:
First, wipe out the Demonic Beasts.
Ignoring the depletion of their Qi, they went all out to slaughter the beasts as quickly as possible.
Second, regroup into a defensive formation to halt the Demonic Cultivators.
There was no need for a high-intensity fight—nor could they afford one, having spent most of their Qi on the beasts. They only needed to hold the line.
They believed stalling would be a simple task once the beasts were cleared.
Third, wait for the arrival of the Reserve Unit.
Once their reinforcements arrived, they would easily overwhelm the Demonic Cultivators.
Initially, everything went perfectly.
Their elites cut through the Demonic Beasts with efficiency. Swords gleamed, Qi explosions shook the trees, and the corpses of monsters fell like autumn leaves.
Naturally, this required a massive expenditure of their Qi reserves.
But they weren't worried.
They didn't plan on an immediate offensive. Stalling merely required discipline and solid defensive stances.
Thus, the Li Clan stood upon the bloody earth, panting heavily but maintaining their ranks as the wave of Demonic Cultivators approached. "We only have to hold them back. Don't overextend."
"Once our reserves are here, these Demonic Cultivators will be nothing more than a memory."
However, that confidence vanished the moment the first Demonic Cultivator made contact.
The Cultivator let out a crazed howl and threw himself directly onto the Li Clan’s spears. He allowed a spear to pierce his stomach just to get close enough to swing a black blade, killing three Li disciples behind the front line.
"W-What?!"
Another Demonic Cultivator crashed into a sword formation, letting his arm be hacked off just to drive a fist through an Elder’s chest, pulverizing his heart.
More of them poured in, eyes bloodshot and veins pulsing with dark demonic sigils.
"Why are they not defending?!"
"They aren't even trying to dodge!!"
A cold sense of dread washed over the Elders.
Demonic Cultivators were known for brutality, but this level of self-destruction was unheard of.
They were focused entirely on the kill, completely ignoring their own safety.
This wasn't just mindless rage; it was a specific suicide tactic designed to break the Li Clan.
They didn't flinch. They didn't back down.
They accepted every wound just to return a blow that was twice as lethal.
Because the Li Clan had depleted so much Qi on the Demonic Beasts, their strikes lacked the necessary lethality.
Even when a Li member landed a perfect hit, their weakened Qi wasn't enough to instantly kill the Demonic Cultivators.
Conversely, the Demonic Cultivators were striking with everything they had, resulting in the instant death of many Li Clan warriors.
Clang! BOOM! SLASH!
Li Clan disciples were tossed aside like broken dolls, spitting up blood.
"How can they possess such strength after taking those hits?!"
"Why are they fighting like possessed madmen?!"
An Elder roared in a mix of fury and shock as he blocked another suicidal charge. "DAMMIT! These freaks aren't worried about their Qi reserves at all!! They should be pacing themselves—do they intend to burn out from the very start?"
But the harsh truth was clear:
The Demonic Cultivators had no interest in a long battle. They knew that time was their enemy and that delay would lead to failure.
They were exploiting their sudden ambush to the fullest, slaughtering as many Cultivators as possible before the reinforcements could arrive. Their goal was to shatter the Li Clan right then and there.
Their suicidal ferocity tore through the Li Clan’s defensive lines instantly.
The front lines collapsed.
Disciples screamed as the red wave flooded into their formation.
The Li Clan, who had planned to wait, was now fighting desperately just to survive the next minute.
A massacre of Cultivators had begun, fueled by the Demonic Cultivators going all out from the first second.
It was only when the Reserve Unit finally appeared on the horizon that the survivors could breathe a sigh of relief.
With the arrival of reinforcements, the Demonic Cultivators finally ceased their insane, relentless assault.
"Damn! They finally backed off!"
Only now did the remnants of the Li and Zhao forces have a moment to survey the area, finding the ground littered with corpses.
It was obvious that the Desolate Heaven Empire’s forces had taken far more damage than anyone had predicted.
The only comforting thought for the Li and Zhao members was that if they had suffered this much, the Bai Clan—who faced an even larger horde—must have been completely annihilated.
But when the Li and Zhao Clans finally turned their gaze toward the Bai sector...
They saw something impossible.
The Bai Clan stood firm, having suffered almost zero casualties.
The shock of the sight was beyond words.
"...They... they're fine?"
A Li elder whispered, his voice trembling. "...How...?"
A Zhao disciple stammered in disbelief.
"...We have lost so many, yet they... they look as if they haven't even faced the Demonic Cultivators."
Comparing their own decimated forces, which had lost nearly a quarter of their strength, the Bai Clan appeared untouched by the catastrophe.
How could this possibly be happening?