It had been two months since the failed assassination attempt on Li Tian's life. The Li and Zhang clans vehemently denied any involvement in the incident, and the matter wasn't thoroughly investigated due to the imminent threat of the approaching beast tide.
During this time, Li Tian's cultivation had skyrocketed at a terrifying pace. He had already reached the late stage of the Foundation Realm, thanks to the abundant cultivation resources provided by the system. As his cultivation progressed, Li Tian noticed that his interactions with the system became less frequent. The rewards that were once given daily had transitioned to weekly, and now, as a Foundation Realm cultivator, they were provided on a monthly basis.
With his rapid rise in cultivation, Li Tian's confidence grew as well. He now possessed the combat strength of a Core Cultivator, making him more capable of facing threats. Within his dantian, a sea of Qi roared, with a pagoda floating above it, emanating a brilliant red light. Over time, the pagoda grew more unfathomable, while the golden dragon coiled beneath the sea, its presence exuding immense power.
On this particular day, while Li Tian was engrossed in cultivation, an alarm suddenly blared throughout the city. The citizens were well-informed about the meaning of this alarm and swiftly sought refuge in shelters. Li Tian emerged from his cultivation room and spotted Shi Ruo within his line of sight.
"Is the beast tide beginning?" he inquired.
"Yes, sir," Shi Ruo confirmed.
Nodding, Li Tian extended his spiritual sense to observe the surroundings. He witnessed numerous movements and people flying towards the outskirts of the city. Like everyone else, he took to the air and headed towards the western wall—the area he was assigned to defend. Neglecting his duty would mean losing his support and leaving himself vulnerable to the attacks from the two clans.
Li Tian considered himself fortunate, realizing that in his previous world, the rules that bound the three clans would be completely disregarded. He reached the wall swiftly, finding his subordinates already in position, demonstrating their well-practiced routines.
Sensing powerful auras within the city, Li Tian's gaze turned to a central tower. He had a fleeting sensation of being observed just moments ago. Shi Ruo, who had reached the peak of the Xiantian Realm, also arrived. The environment around the wall remained silent, but in the distance, the battle had already commenced.
Inside a spacious conference room atop the tower, many individuals sat, attentively observing the situation. Among them stood Captain Ironblood, positioned behind a white-haired old man, displaying great respect towards him. It was evident that the old man held a position of high authority, as other captains in the room also showed deference.
This old man was General Silverthorn, a high-ranking military officer. In this world, positions within the military hierarchy were determined by strength, and attaining the rank of general required breaking through to the Rebirth Realm. Breaking through to the Core Realm marked the peak of combat strength, as the world's heavens couldn't contain power of a higher level.
General Silverthorn had noticed Li Tian gazing in his direction. He found the young cultivator's sharp senses impressive and sensed that Li Tian was no ordinary individual. However, while he held some interest in Li Tian, it hadn't reached a level where he would divert his full attention. His focus remained fixed on the ongoing battle, as his primary task was to deal with the silverback titanoape.
The battle at the frontlines grew increasingly intense by the minute, resulting in significant casualties within just a few hours. Previous beast tides had never reached this magnitude. The demonic beasts seemed to have lost their minds, displaying a suicidal fervor. This abnormal behavior puzzled everyone, as demonic beasts' intelligence grew alongside their cultivation and they were not ignorant of the situation.
General Silverthorn furrowed his brow as he observed the dire circumstances. "Have we discovered the cause behind this beast tide?" he inquired, prompting peculiar glances among those behind him. Captain Ironblood stepped forward to provide a report.
According to him, among the casualties left behind by the Core Realm cultivators from the Li and Zhang clans was a descendant of the titanoape. This had enraged the ape, setting it on a path of vengeance.
Hearing this, General Silverthorn took out a communication device and spoke to someone. Upon setting it down, anger was etched on his face. The delicate balance between humans and beasts had been maintained for a long time, and while they knew it might erupt one day, they had tried to delay that moment for as long as possible. But now, if the situation wasn't handled carefully, it could escalate into a full-scale war.
The general's dissatisfaction was evident, and no one dared interrupt his train of thought at that moment.
In the headquarters, another general's face turned solemn as he dropped his communication device. He had just spoken to General Silverthorn and realized that the situation was much worse than they had initially thought. Determination settled on his face as he quickly penned a letter addressed to the Li and Zhang clans.
When the letter reached the homes of the two clans, shock spread among their members. The letter reprimanded them for their actions, which had endangered humanity, and ordered that all cultivators of the Foundation and Core Realms report to the battlefield at City E within three hours. The teleportation arrays were already prepared and waiting for them.
The activation of the teleportation array was a serious matter, as it incurred great expenditure. Under normal circumstances, they avoided using it as much as possible. Its activation now indicated the severity of the situation. They had truly messed up.
With no other choice, they had to comply. Everyone, including their clan leaders, was forcefully conscripted for the battle. Within the three-hour timeframe, they arrived and were swiftly sent to the frontlines. It had been decided that the battle should be kept far away from the city to prevent its destruction, so even Li Tian and his subordinates were sent to the frontlines.
At present, the battle involved only Houtian and Xiantian cultivators. Li Tian and the other Foundation cultivators were observing a specific area within the forest, sensing terrifying auras emanating from it. Members of the three clans, upon seeing Li Tian, were filled with anger. They blamed him for all the misfortune that had befallen them thus far.
However, Li Tian paid them no mind. He looked down on them, considering them unworthy of his attention. He could already match some of their Core Realm elders and knew it was only a matter of time before he surpassed them. Was there any reason to exchange words with people who were as good as dead in his eyes?
Unbeknownst to Li Tian, orders had been given for them to find opportunities to kill him amidst the chaos of battle. And they were all plotting to do just that.
Suddenly, a resounding boom echoed through the air as numerous demonic beasts emerged from the forest. Their power surged, and their combined might seemed to pierce the sky. Auras rose from the human side as they flew into the air, preparing to engage the beasts.