Hun Yu heard the roar and hurriedly stood up, looking towards its source.
Isn't that the roar of the Poison Lion King? he thought, worried. That beast is much more powerful than Yun Xiu, and she hasn't even fully recovered her strength.
He fell silent, thinking of what could be done. he's not strong enough to intervene in this battle. If this continues, her defeat is inevitable.
Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. It might not be a good idea, but it's the only way out. I'll have to think of a good story once this is over.
He rushed towards the city wall. No one dared to stop him since he was with Yun Xiu.
As soon as he arrived, he saw Yun Xiu and the lion fighting in the sky. She was being pushed back; the beast had the upper hand due to its superior physical power.
"System, can you directly give an item to Yun Xiu?" he asked.
{Since the range is not too far, it can be done.}
"Good," he muttered.
As time passed, the beast seemed uninjured, pushing Yun Xiu further back, playing with her.
Desperate, Hun Yu took a deep breath and shouted, loud enough for everyone in the city to hear. Yun Xiu's attention snapped towards him, her expression one of confusion.
"What?" she called out.
He pointed towards the sky. She looked up, and a chain fell from above, directly into her hands. The chains were heavy, unlike any weapon she had held before.
"Did you see that chain appear out of nowhere?" the onlookers chattered.
Hun Yu gestured to Yun Xiu, signaling her to use the chain against the beast. The lion roared in anger, "Woman, do you think you can defeat me with those chains?!"
Ignoring the lion, Yun Xiu channeled her qi into the chains. They glowed gold, floating around her hand. She could tell they were no ordinary chains.
The lion, seeing her focus on the chains, got serious. He had been playing with her, giving her hope only to crush it.
Yun Xiu launched the chains towards the lion as Hun Yu had instructed. Although puzzled by how Hun Yu could make the chains appear, she decided to ask him later.
The lion, underestimating the chains, didn't dodge, believing he could break them with a little force. As the chains wrapped around him, he didn't resist, drowning in his arrogance.
But suddenly, he felt a draining sensation.
As the chains wrapped around him, the lion felt disdain, thinking he could easily break free with his strength. He was confident and dismissive as he let himself be captured, waiting for the right moment.
But as the chains tightened, he began to feel a strange drain on his energy, his life force. At first, it was barely noticeable, just a whisper of discomfort among the growing pressure.
Then, the pain surged.
The lion roared in defiance and frustration as his muscles tensed, trying to break free. Yet, each moment made his movements slower, his strength fading under the relentless draining effect.
Panic flickered in the lion's eyes as he realized the chains were not just physical restraints. They were sapping his vitality, disrupting the flow of his energy. In that moment, he understood the seriousness of his situation.
His earlier arrogance vanished, replaced by a desperate struggle against the growing weakness. With his remaining strength, he fought against the chains.
Yun Xiu looked at the struggling lion, her mouth wide open in shock.
"What... these chains easily restrained a Tier 7 prana beast," she muttered, amazed. "A beast that powerful is like a high-rank profound cultivator."
The lion thrashed and roared, "Human woman, let me go! You use despicable means against this king!"
Just then, a figure appeared in the sky, his eyes widening as he saw Yun Xiu casually binding the powerful beast like a dog.
The man, sent by the emperor to handle the beast tide, was speechless at first. Yun Xiu recognized him and asked, "You?"
The old man quickly bowed. "Sect Master Yun, I am Elder She of the Imperial Family," he introduced himself, feeling a chill as he looked at her holding the prana beast.
His eyes widened as he realized, This is the Poison Lion King! He knew this beast was the king of the prana beast forest, a creature only the guardian of the imperial family could match in strength.
"Sect Master Yun, I was here for the beast tide, but it seems you've taken care of it," he stammered. "So I will take my leave."
As he turned to leave, Yun Xiu called out, "Wait." A chill ran down his spine. Fearing she might kill him for witnessing her power, he fled at full speed without looking back.
Yun Xiu was dumbfounded; she just wanted to ask him to clear some remaining beasts. She turned her attention to the lion, which had fallen due to its destabilized prana.
"Human woman, I won't admit defeat," the lion growled weakly.
She took the chains back. "You can leave. I'm not killing you because it was I who stole your treasure," she said, turning to leave.
The lion, barely able to stand, glared at her back, vowing to repay this shame one day. Just then, the city lord arrived.
"Lord High, why do you let this beast go? Its core would be extremely valuable," he said, but Yun Xiu's cold gaze silenced him. He felt as if he was about to die and did not dare speak again.
With a subtle gesture, Yun Xiu dismissed the notion of capturing the lion for its valuable resources.
Her actions spoke volumes, showing her principles and compassion even in the face of potential gain. The city lord, chastened, dared not protest further, recognizing her wisdom.
Yun Xiu looked at Hun Yu standing in the crowd. She wanted to ask how he got such a powerful item, but now was not the time.
She grabbed his collar and flew towards the sect, leaving everyone in awe.
"Lord, should we chase down that beast and kill it?" a close aide of the city lord asked. "Its core or even its corpse would greatly benefit our city."
"Do you want to die? That beast, even weakened, is stronger than everyone here," the city lord retorted.
The soldiers murmured among themselves, wondering about the woman who had saved them.
"It must be the Sect Master of Sky Wind. She's the only high lord profound female cultivator in the empire," they agreed, though few had seen her face.
In the Imperial City, Elder She arrived, finally breathing a sigh of relief. He had narrowly escaped death, only because Yun Xiu had subdued the beast.
He reported everything to the emperor, who listened with concern.
"I thought after the previous sect master died, the sect would decline. But it's the opposite," the emperor mused. "Very good, Sect Master Yun. You've brought this on yourself."
He seethed at the thought of a sect becoming stronger than the imperial family, fearing they might join another empire.
He decided to wait for the perfect time to break the backbone of the Sky Wind Sect.