Chi Yan let out a low growl, the crimson flame patterns across its body suddenly brightening in the night.

Its massive body twisted and expanded amidst the firelight, transforming in an instant into a majestic giant lion with a mane like dancing flames.

Bai Cheng, Yu Nian, and Leng Ningxue leaped lightly onto its back.

Chi Yan pushed off with its four limbs, silent yet fast as lightning. Carrying the three, it streaked like a crimson meteor across the wasteland shrouded in volcanic ash and moonlight, heading straight for the brightly lit Infinite City atop the distant mountain peak.

Qing Niao had already turned into a cyan shadow that almost merged with the night, arriving ahead of them at an even greater speed.

Pulling in its wings and aura like a top-tier assassin, it landed silently in the shadow of the tallest tower in the city, its sharp gaze overlooking the entire town.

The sight within the city caused even Qing Niao's cold heart to experience a rare ripple of emotion.

The streets were bustling, but most of those walking through them were Infinite Marauders with heavy shackles around their necks, hands, and feet.

"Just as the Young Miss guessed, those gathered in the city are indeed Infinite Marauders..."

Dressed in rags with numb or fearful expressions, they carried massive stones and timber or cleared the streets amidst the sound of whips and shouting.

Driving and supervising them was a group of burly, half-human, half-wolf creatures covered in thick fur.

"Those are... werewolves?"

Qing Niao had fought them before during the final Promotion Mission, which took place at the peak of the mountains on the edge of the Infinite Realm—the headquarters of the Werewolf Church.

Thus, Qing Niao recognized them at a glance.

Furthermore, their numbers in Infinite City were far higher than back then.

These werewolves were arrogant, holding barbed whips or crude weapons. Their eyes glinted with a wild and cruel light, and low, threatening growls occasionally rumbled from their throats.

In the center of the city, the original square had been completely transformed.

A massive altar built from rough black stone rose from the ground. Its design was ancient and eerie, covered in twisted runes that looked as if they were dripping blood.

Under the light of the pale full moon, it emitted a faint, ominous dark-red glow.

Around the altar, dozens of werewolves with noticeably stronger auras, clad in crude bone armor or pelts, stood in a circle. They tilted their heads back toward the full moon and let out synchronized, long-drawn howls.

Their howling contained a strange rhythm that resonated with the altar's glow, and the air filled with an intensifying scent of wild energy and blood.

Even more werewolves stood guard around the perimeter of the altar.

The Infinite Marauder slaves were driven to the outermost areas, kneeling and trembling. They seemed to be both spectators and, in a sense, prepared 'sacrifices'.

Watching the scene, Qing Niao's figure flashed in the high sky and vanished again in the blink of an eye.

On the plains, Bai Cheng and the others were still riding Chi Yan, charging toward Infinite City.

Qing Niao suddenly appeared and immediately reported the situation inside the city.

"The Werewolf Church?" Leng Ningxue asked, puzzled. "Why would they be here?"

Bai Cheng fell into thought upon hearing this.

After clashing with them several times in the past, she had naturally tried to learn more about them.

They were originally transformed from victims like the Infinite Marauders. Later, they identified as a new race, claiming to be their own species but remaining unrecognized.

As time passed, the drawbacks of this transformation gradually became apparent.

After turning into werewolves, they would slowly lose their humanity and degenerate into beasts.

But these fellows clearly wanted to retain some of their original human advantages... In the end, they all became a race that worshiped the full moon and the wilderness, acting savagely and tribalistically. Their lair was gathered at the mountain peaks on the edge of the Infinite Realm.

Individual werewolves had decent combat strength, especially in fighting under the moonlight, but their overall level of civilization was low, lacking top-tier technology or heritage.

Bai Cheng remembered her previous encounters with them; although they were somewhat troublesome, she hadn't met any truly powerful experts.

After all, they were just a transformed race with no real foundation.

Bai Cheng's eyes flashed. "The Werewolf Church... It really is them. Migrated here from the border mountains? Controlling the marauders of the entire city as slaves... and holding a ceremony."

She analyzed quickly. "An altar, a full moon... it looks like they’re performing some kind of group empowerment or summoning ritual. We can't let them finish."

She immediately gave orders to Qing Niao: "Qing Niao, go ahead and strike first. We’ll be right behind you!"

Even if there were King-class entities in Infinite City, Bai Cheng wasn't worried at all.

Because she was certain that they would definitely not have any existence beyond the King-class.

In that case, they were no match for her side.

"Yes, Young Miss," Qing Niao’s response was brief and cold.

Then his figure flashed, turning once more into a streak of light that vanished into the dark night.

In the shadow of the tower, Qing Niao lowered his body slightly. Fine, almost invisible cyan electrical sparks began to flow around him as he locked onto the point of highest energy concentration at the center of the altar below.

At the same time, Bai Cheng patted the burning mane on the side of Chi Yan's neck. "Chi Yan, no need to hide anymore. Full speed ahead, direct breakthrough!"

"Roar—!" Receiving the command, Chi Yan let out a world-shaking roar, completely ceasing to hide its presence and aura.

Crimson flames erupted violently from its entire body, as if a miniature sun had been ignited in the night sky, lighting up the surrounding area as bright as day.

It stretched its limbs, its speed surging once again.

Then, it transformed into a scorching firestorm, carrying terrifying heat and pressure as it charged boldly toward the steel gates of Infinite City, which had just been blasted open by Qing Niao and had not yet fully closed!

The heavy footsteps were like war drums, shattering the ceremonial howls of the werewolves inside the city.

The werewolves patrolling the city walls were the first to be alerted. They let out warning howls and grabbed their weapons in an attempt to intercept.

But Chi Yan was too fast and its power too fierce; it smashed directly through several crudely shot crossbow bolts and scattered elemental attacks.

It slammed into the gate area like a meteorite!

BOOM!!!

The already damaged city gate, along with a large section of the wall, completely collapsed under Chi Yan's brutal impact and the searing heat of its flames!

Debris mixed with twisted metal flew in all directions, as smoke and fire soared into the sky.

"Enemy attack!!!" Shrill wolf howls echoed throughout the city.

At almost the same moment, directly above the altar, the night sky was suddenly torn apart by a blinding flash of cyan lightning!

A deafening thunderclap rang out.

A bolt of cyan lightning, as thick as a barrel and condensed to the extreme, descended from the sky with unerring precision.

Carrying a destructive aura that purified everything, it struck the dark-red energy source that was steadily expanding at the very center of the altar!

The angry and shocked roars of the Werewolf Priests were drowned out by the thunder.

The runes on the altar flashed frantically, attempting to gather the power of moonlight to form a shield.

But under Qing Niao's long-prepared full-power strike, that protective layer was torn apart like paper!