Hun Yu and Yun Xiu rushed out of the forest.
"Something seems wrong," Yun Xiu muttered, her attention shifting to a specific direction.
She noticed many prana beasts running toward the city where they had Stayed.
"A beast tide?" she thought.
"Targeted on that city. There doesn't seem to be any cultivator who could stand against or stop the beast tide. Their fate should be death."
"Let's go, fast!" she said. In the next second, she grabbed Hun Yu and flew at high speed into the sky.
As they were rushing, Hun Yu was confused. She had not told him why they were going so fast or why they were heading towards that city. He pondered the reason.
In just a few minutes, they arrived and landed at the front gate of the city. Hun Yu stood behind her.
"Miss Yun, why are we here?" he asked in a low voice.
Instead of answering She looked at the guards on the city wall and said, "There is a beast tide approaching this city."
The city lord, standing atop the city wall, noticed the figures of Hun Yu and Yun Xiu. His mouth went dry at the sight of a woman who could fly. If she could fly, she must be a High Lord Profound Cultivator.
"Good, good," he thought. "It seems the gods want to help this city. If this cultivator is willing to take action, then this city might be saved."
"Dear High Lord, please save us!" the city lord shouted, jumping from the city wall and falling at Yun Xiu's feet.
Everyone present heard the title "High Lord" and was stunned. This is a common title used to address a High Lord Profound Realm cultivator.
The air crackled with tension as everyone scrambled to their knees. All except one.
Suddenly, a shout pierced the silence. "Wait! You're that scum who assaulted the guard and captain!" A lone, unassuming guard stood his ground, pointing accusatorily at Hun Yu.
Even the city lord froze. He recognized Hun Yu, but seeing him alongside this powerful woman sent a wave of panic through him. Before Yun Xiu could react, the city lord jumped into action.
"SHUT UP!" he roared. "Take this insolent guard who disrespects the High Lord's companion and lock him away for his impertinence!"
The guard, stunned by the city lord's sudden shift in stance, sputtered a protest. But his words were drowned out as other guards seized him and began dragging him away.
"WAIT!" he bellowed, but his pleas fell on deaf ears.
Hun Yu chuckled softly. Having Yun Xiu by his side was proving to be quite advantageous. Her mere presence commanded respect.
"Lord High, I beg you, please save this city," the city lord pleaded, showing no shame. If the city was not saved, he would be dead, and then what use was shame?
"Hmm," Yun Xiu gave a hum, which was obviously a yes.
Relief appeared on the face of the city lord. They might be saved, he thought.
"Please come inside. It is not good for you to stand outside,"
The city gate opened, and as they walked in, a seat was prepared for them. Yun Xiu sat slowly, and Hun Yu sat beside her.
"Stay here while I take care of the beast tide," Yun Xiu commanded Hun Yu before propelling herself skyward with a burst of power.
As she soared, the monstrous horde came into view—a tide of fur, claws, and gnashing teeth surging towards the city walls.
Although the beasts were still two kilometers away, their sheer number sent shivers down the spines of those on the ground.
Reaching a strategic position, Yun Xiu drew her blade. The seemingly ordinary sword pulsed with an otherworldly energy as she channeled her Qi.
In a fluid motion, she swung the weapon, unleashing a devastating crescent of pure energy that cleaved through the beast tide.
Below, The low-tier beasts, barely comprehending the attack, were obliterated instantly. The earth rumbled as their lifeless bodies hit the ground.
A collective gasp rose from the city walls, a mixture of awe and relief.
"So this," a voice cracked, "is the power of a High Lord?"
Yun Xiu pressed on, her movements a whirlwind of steel and light. With each swing of her sword, the tide thinned noticeably.
Just as she readied another devastating attack, a shift in the enemy ranks caught her eye.
A colossal creature, unlike anything she had encountered in the initial swarm, emerged from the back. Standing on its hind legs, easily twice the size of the city walls, a Tier 6 beast roared a challenge.
To Yun Xiu's surprise, it wasn't alone. Six more figures, each radiating the same potent aura of a Tier 6 beast, emerged behind it.
A flicker of concern crossed her face, but it was quickly replaced by steely resolve.
Yun Xiu's energy blast dissipated harmlessly against their thick hides. The air crackled with raw power as the alpha, a monstrous bear with obsidian fur and glowing red eyes, charged.
Its massive paw swiped, shattering the very air where it passed. Yun Xiu barely managed to dodge.
Landing gracefully, she surveyed the situation. The other Tier 6 beasts, a motley crew of creatures including a serpentine moster with glowing scales and a pair of griffins with razor-sharp talons, were circling, waiting for an opening. She knew a head-on fight against seven such creatures was foolish, even for a High Lord.
Thinking fast, Yun Xiu channeled her profound energy, not into her sword, but outwards.
The air around her shimmered as she wove a complex Technique. Vines of pure energy erupted from the ground, thick and resilient, wrapping around the legs of several nearby Tier 3 and 4 beasts, effectively taking them out of the fight.
Simultaneously, she unleashed a blinding flash of light, a technique meant to disorient.
The beasts roared in outrage, momentarily stunned. This was her only chance.
With a burst of speed, Yun Xiu launched herself toward the serpentine beast, a creature vulnerable due to its long, twisting body.
Her blade, now crackling with wind energy, arced through the air. The beast reacted swiftly, twisting in midair to meet the attack.
Steel met scales in a loud clang. Sparks flew as Yun Xiu pushed through the beast's defense, leaving a gash across its side.
The beast shrieked in pain, thrashing wildly. Yun Xiu used this opportunity to propel herself back, narrowly avoiding a counterattack from the enraged alpha bear.
Taking a deep breath, she activated a hidden technique reserved for emergencies. A surge of power. Her white robes fluttered wildly, and a corona of light materialized around her.
For a brief moment, she transcended her mortal form, becoming a force of pure elemental power. The beasts cowered before her, sensing the overwhelming power emanating from her.
This was her gamble, a temporary state that would amplify her strength but drain her reserves at an alarming rate.
With a thunderous boom, Yun Xiu thrust her sword into the beasts, moving swiftly with incredible speed.
One by one, their bodies fell, the once formidable tide reduced to lifeless forms on the ground. The more powerful beasts, those with a glimmer of awareness, and even those without, began to flee in terror.
She chose not to chase them. As the beasts retreated, all that remained were the dead and the injured Tier 6 beasts.
Just as she was about to finish them off, a sudden roar echoed across the battlefield, instantly putting her on high alert.
A massive shadow emerged—a gigantic lion, far larger than the Tier 6 beasts, with a snake for a tail, two wings, and a horn atop its head.
"You, human woman, will not die an easy death. I will make you suffer and feel the wrath of this king," the Poison Lion King growled, its voice dripping with menace as it floated in the sky.
This woman had not only stolen a precious treasure but also injured him. His expression was ferocious, ready to tear her apart at any moment. He glanced at the injured Tier 6 beasts.
"Get lost, weaklings. You are of no use."
On the city wall, everyone was numb. It was the first time they had seen a Prana beast talk. "This... THIS!" someone stammered.
"It can talk! It must be a Tier 7 Prana beast," another cried out.
"Oh god, what crimes have we committed?" Some soldiers began to break down, thinking they wouldn't survive.
Yun Xiu said nothing, though she had not anticipated encountering the lion here. If she had known, she might have come better prepared.
She was not at full strength, having only recovered about 94 or 95% of her power.
Though she could hold this beast off for a while, defeating it seemed unlikely. Even her ultimate technique had failed to kill it, indicating its strength surpassed her own from a large margin.
...
Realms:
Tempered Body
-
Elementary Realm
-
Spirit Manifestation
- Family heads in Small City
Nascent Profound Realm
-
Profound Realm
- Elders or Family heads in big cities
Lord Profound Realm
- Head of main Family in the empire
High Lord Profound Realm = Tier 7 Beast
- Top Powerhouse in the empire (only 6)
King Realm
Emperor Realm
Sovereign Realm