798: Beast Tide Arrives

Time flowed quietly amidst a surface of calm that hid surging undercurrents.

From the direction of the Great Desolate Forest, several seventh-rank avian Yao Beasts with wingspans of dozens of feet, shaped like vultures with crimson eyes, occasionally rose like ghosts from the depths of the dense forest, attempting to scout the defenses of Bhikkhu City and its surrounding subordinate towns.

But Bhikkhu City was already heavily guarded!

"Left sky! Red-Eyed Vultures! Three of them! Fire!"

"Right wing! Cloud-Piercing Eagles! Lock on! Don't let them get close!"

On the city wall's watchtower, Han Tianzheng's steady and powerful commands spread in all directions through an amplification Formation!

"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh—!"

Dozens of specially refined Yao-breaking Crossbow Bolts tore through the air, carrying sharp, piercing whistles as they shot toward the high sky with unerring precision!

"Skree—!"

Several shrill wails pierced the long sky!

Two Red-Eyed Vultures were impaled by the massive bolts, falling like kites with broken strings!

One Cloud-Piercing Eagle was extremely fast and narrowly avoided its vitals, only having its wing pierced. Trailing a streak of blood, it fled back into the depths of the forest in a panic!

Scattered scouting could not shake Bhikkhu City, this war behemoth that had already awakened!

The peace was completely shattered on the morning of the third day of Yao Delong's closed-door Cultivation!

"Boom—! Boom—! Boom—!"

Heavy, urgent drumbeats, like exploding thunder, suddenly rang out from all four city gates of Bhikkhu City simultaneously! The sound shook for a hundred miles, instantly tearing apart the tranquility of dawn!

The earth began to tremble!

In the quiet room, the cross-legged Yao Delong suddenly snapped his deep eyes open! Two beams of essence light, seemingly solid, pierced through the dim light of the room!

In the adjacent room, that massive ice-blue light cocoon suddenly erupted with brilliant, dazzling radiance! Qiong Shuang overflowed, coating the entire room in a layer of ice! Han Ruyi's aura reached the peak of transformation, like the final accumulation before a volcanic eruption!

The final accumulation before the eruption reached the peak of transformation!

"Beast tide! The beast tide is coming!"

"Quick! To the city walls!"

"All units in position! Prepare to meet the enemy!"

The entire Bhikkhu City was like a drop of water thrown into a boiling pot of oil, instantly seething! The well-trained City Guard surged toward the city walls like a black torrent from every street! The Cultivators sent as reinforcements from various Sects had already turned into streaks of brilliant light, landing on the city walls a step ahead!

Yao Delong stepped out of the quiet room.

In the courtyard, Qiong Shuang was sitting idly on a stone stool, her hands cupping a fist-sized, strange gemstone shimmering with seven-colored light. Her small face was full of intoxication, as if she were admiring the most beautiful artwork in the world.

"Qiong Shuang!" Yao Delong's voice was steady and brooked no argument.

"Hmm?" Qiong Shuang reluctantly moved her gaze away from the gemstone and looked at Yao Delong.

"When the great battle begins in a moment, you stay here and guard Miss Han while she breaks through! Do not let any suspicious person get within three feet of this room!" Yao Delong instructed solemnly.

"Ah?!" Qiong Shuang's small mouth immediately pouted high. She stuffed the gemstone into her bosom and jumped up abruptly!

"Big Brother!" She waved her small fists, her face full of grievance and indignation. "I finally managed to come out for once, and my bones are almost rusting!"

She bared her teeth, revealing two cute little Dragon teeth, and made a fierce gesture. "These claws of mine haven't had their Seal undone in a long time! My hands are itching!"

Looking at the girl's rascally behavior, Yao Delong shook his head helplessly.

There was always only one most effective way to deal with Qiong Shuang!

"Be good, Qiong Shuang," Yao Delong said coaxingly. "When this battle is over, Big Brother will give you a..." He intentionally drew out his tone, his eyes meaningful, "true 'good treasure'! It will definitely be ten times brighter and ten times bigger than the one in your hand!"

"Whoosh—!"

Qiong Shuang's small face, which had been filled with grievance, instantly brightened like clouds parting to reveal the sun, blooming with extremely brilliant light!

"Really?!" Her eyes widened into circles, and her breathing grew rapid!

"Truer than real gold!" Yao Delong said decisively.

"Good! It's a deal!" Qiong Shuang clapped her small hands and instantly hopped to the door of Han Ruyi's room. Her small back straightened, and she stood with hands on her hips, striking a standard defensive posture of 'one man guarding the pass against ten thousand'!

"Big Brother! You can go with ten thousand points of ease!" Her voice was crisp and loud as she patted her small chest in guarantee. "With me here, whoever dares to step within thirty feet of this house, I'll scratch his face and bash his head!"

That little appearance was as cute and comical as it was serious!

The corner of Yao Delong's mouth twitched imperceptibly.

This girl... her money-grubbing nature was truly ingrained in her marrow; there was no saving her!

He delayed no longer. His figure flickered, turning into a streak of golden light that tore through the sky, shooting toward the city gate where the cries of battle shook the heavens and Demonic Qi soared to the clouds!

At the Bhikkhu City walls.

By now, it was a sea of people, with Killing Intent filling the sky!

Ji Yanshuang, in a fiery red Daoist robe like a burning flame, stood at the very front. She was rapidly and intensely discussing tactical coordination with Han Gang, the Vice Sect Master of the Tyrant Blade Sect, Fairy Yunmiao of the Heavenly Sound Pavilion, and other Sect Leaders.

"Sect Master Han, your Tyrant Blade Sect Disciples will primarily guard the eastern gap. The terrain there is slightly gentler, and the Yao Beast impact will be the fiercest!"

"Fairy Yunmiao, please have the Heavenly Sound Pavilion use melodies to disturb the minds of the Yao Beasts and suppress their Demonic Power!"

"Elder Sun, have the Medicine King Valley Disciples ready to treat the wounded at any time! Medicinal Pills will be supplied without limit!"

She spoke rapidly and clearly, her flame-like eyes scanning the crowd with an unquestionable authority!

"Delong!" Ji Yanshuang was the first to notice him. Her beautiful eyes lit up, and her tense expression relaxed slightly as a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "At the critical moment, we still have to rely on you to hold down the fort!"

"Greetings, Daoist Yao!"

"Daoist Yao's cultivation has become increasingly unfathomable!"

"Not having seen you for several months, the Daoist's elegance is even greater than before!"

The leaders of the other Sects all bowed in greeting, their attitudes extremely respectful! The man before them was the Daoist of the Yin Yang Sect, the true leader of the younger generation in the Eastern Region, and his cultivation far exceeded theirs! Even Han Gang, the normally haughty and hot-tempered Vice Sect Master of the Tyrant Blade Sect, bowed slightly at this moment, his eyes filled with deep awe.

Yao Delong's expression was calm as he nodded slightly. His gaze swept over everyone, and his voice was steady and powerful:

"I appreciate your efforts!"

"The key to this battle lies in..." He pointed at the beast swarm outside the city that was surging like a black tide, "doing our best to kill the high-level Demon Marshals and Demon Generals commanding the swarm! Cut off their heads, and the beast tide will collapse on its own!"

"Rest assured, Daoist Yao!" Han Gang's voice was like a great bell, and the door-sized giant blade on his back hummed. "We'll make sure those furred and horned beasts never return!"

"My Heavenly Sound Pavilion will surely do its utmost!" Fairy Yunmiao's voice was ethereal as she held a jade zither, her expression solemn.

The crowd was impassioned, their Battle Intent completely ignited!

And at this time!

Outside the city!

Rumble—!

Like rolling thunder, or the sound of ten thousand galloping horses, a terrifying wave of sound swept over from far to near, overwhelming everything like a mountain toppling into the sea!

Looking up!

From the edge of that endless Great Desolate Forest, which crouched like a primordial beast, tens of thousands of Yao Beasts of various shapes and hideous countenances gathered into a boundless black tide, frantically surging toward Bhikkhu City!