90: Urgent mission, hunt the Star Devourer

The sky was just beginning to brighten.

Lu Ming awoke from his meditation, exuding a terrifying pressure from within.

He slowly opened his eyes, a flicker of golden light passing through their depths before instantly receding, leaving only tranquility.

Just how strong was he now?

Aside from not possessing a domain,

his attacks, speed, and physical strength far surpassed those of a Fifth Realm Transcendent.

He was a true hexagonal warrior.

But where his limits lay, he himself was unsure.

It still required a thrilling battle to test it.

He had just stood up and stretched when a piercing alarm blared throughout the entire Jiangcheng city area.

"This is..."

Lu Ming's brows furrowed instantly. He pulled open his door, coincidentally encountering Zhao Qingge and Bai Qiuyue, both of whom hadn't even had time to change out of their pajamas.

"Auntie, what's going on?"

Zhao Qingge's black lace pajamas were still open at the collar, revealing half of her fair neck.

Her normally neatly combed long hair was messy and clung to her cheeks, losing a bit of her usual allure and gaining a touch of gravity.

"Linyuan City is in trouble!"

Bai Qiuyue wasn't in much better shape; her white silk pajamas hung loosely on her shoulders, and when she raised her hand, half of it accidentally slipped, revealing the delicate skin of her shoulder.

Noticing Lu Ming's gaze, her heart skipped a beat.

She then calmly pulled her clothes back up.

"It's not that Linyuan City is in trouble; it's that Linyuan City is gone!"

...Soon, the news spread, and the entire Great Xia erupted.

Linyuan City, which guarded the Great Xia's southern passage, was destroyed. Commander Gao Mo and Director Chen Weimin of the Vermilion Bird Bureau both died in battle.

Great Xia lost two Venerables overnight.

But they didn't even have time to grieve, because Linyuan City had fallen.

This meant that the entire southern gate of Great Xia was wide open.

A torrent of tens of thousands of other races could sweep across the entire south at any moment.

Especially the images that were transmitted back, that indescribable giant creature, caused an uproar throughout Great Xia.

Two Seventh Realm Venerables couldn't even last a single round against it.

They couldn't even imagine what kind of hell it would be if this thing entered human cities.

The news spread like wildfire through every inch of Great Xia, from the imperial capital to small border villages, gripping the hearts of everyone with this dreadful news.

And as the city closest to Linyuan City, Jiangcheng once again became the center of the storm.

Fear and despair spread through everyone's hearts.

Linyuan City and Jiangcheng were only separated by the Youhai Mist Zone. If that giant beast truly headed north, Jiangcheng would be the first city to face it.

Such a terrifying existence, even Seventh Realm Venerables couldn't stop it. Most of them were ordinary Transcendent of the Second or Third Realm; how could they resist?

Soon, the entire city declared a state of emergency.

The garrison officially took over the city.

Everyone in Great Xia, from top to bottom, clearly understood that the immediate priority was to block the passage.

As for recapturing Linyuan City, that was for later.

But who would block it?

The authorities decisively ordered.

The entire Jianghai Garrison was to fill the gap, even if it meant sacrificing everyone, they had to hold for one day.

Subsequently, the official also issued a joint defense mission at the Transcendent Association.

High rewards instantly attracted many Transcendent to join... The sudden, earth-shattering change naturally disrupted Zhao Qingge's plan to go to the Demon Capital.

As the Director of the local Night Watch Division, it was even more impossible for her to flee in the face of battle.

The duties of their Night Watch Division also changed from managing public order to coordinating with the garrison's actions.

Bai Qiuyue naturally stayed behind as well.

She knew that if this torrent of other races were to spread, Great Xia would have to face far more than just these.

The other races in other passages were already stirring, in addition to the strange creatures suppressed in the forbidden zones.

Once the southern defense line completely collapsed, they would inevitably take the opportunity to break through the seals, and then Great Xia would fall into a desperate situation, without even a chance to breathe.

Moreover, she held a secret that no one else knew.

When the Great Xia Empress took that step, she suffered a backlash, and her strength was less than one-tenth of what it once was.

Her purpose in acquiring the bluestone ox on this trip was to help the Empress find a way to heal her injuries.

"The Nether race chose their timing for the attack too perfectly!"

A cloud of gloom flashed in Bai Qiuyue's heart... Twenty minutes later.

Bai Qiuyue and Zhao Qingge, as high-ranking officials of the Night Watch Division, were urgently summoned by several mysterious military officers.

Lu Ming guessed that it should be related to that indescribable giant beast.

And he, as a Fourth Realm small fry, boarded the transport plane heading to the Southern Border Passage alone.

On the plane, many Transcendent were already seated.

Among them were quite a few old acquaintances.

Ouyang Zhi and Monk Ming Kong from the Hidden Dragon Ranking were also prominently present.

Lu Ming was somewhat surprised. He thought Ouyang Zhi and Monk Ming Kong would leave Jiangcheng after the Immortal Corpse Relic incident ended, but he didn't expect them to still be here.

It seemed they were also going to participate in the battle.

Lu Ming then somewhat understood why the authorities allowed these various factions to go unchecked.

In the face of great right and wrong, they were still very clear-headed.

Ouyang Zhi was still dressed in a striking red close-fitting outfit, her long hair tied high. However, her usually slightly arrogant face now carried a hint of solemnity.

She was standing in a corner, flipping through a map of the Youhai Mist Zone. Noticing Lu Ming's gaze, a flicker of surprise crossed her eyes, then she nodded in acknowledgment.

Monk Ming Kong, on the other hand, was wearing a gray monk's robe, twirling a string of prayer beads in his hand, a peaceful smile on his face, forming a stark contrast with the panicked rogue cultivators around him.

When he saw Lu Ming, the prayer beads in his hand trembled slightly.

Lu Ming's original aura was sharp, an undisguised edge, like a drawn sword that made people dare not look directly at him.

But now, when he sensed it again, that sharpness had completely receded, replaced by a profound depth.

It was like a calm deep sea, tranquil on the surface, but hiding a power that could devour everything beneath.

Monk Ming Kong's fingers, which were twirling the prayer beads, trembled, and a hint of awe flashed in his eyes.

When they met last time in Thousand Caves, although Lu Ming's strength was great, he could still vaguely sense its limits.

But it had only been one day since they last met.

He was completely unable to fathom Lu Ming's depth, only feeling that the other person was like a towering mountain, completely imperceptible.

This child, improving a realm a day, had completely subverted his understanding.

Ming Kong's Dao heart almost collapsed.

Fortunately, the Buddha said not to compare yourself with those who are better than you, otherwise, the more you compare, the more distressed you will be.

Monk Ming Kong put his palms together and silently chanted "Amitabha" three times in his heart before he managed to calm the ripples within him.

Just as the plane was about to take off,

a middle-aged man with a square face, dressed in a green military uniform, walked in.

He first saluted everyone.

"Everyone, thank you for your hard work!"

The man's voice was loud, carrying an undeniable authority.

"I am Li Zheng Guo of the Jiangcheng Garrison. I believe everyone already knows the situation in Linyuan City. Now, Jiangcheng and even the entire Great Xia South are in imminent danger."

"According to the requirements of the Operations Department, we must defend outside the passage for one day! After one day, the main reinforcements of the Demon Suppression Army will definitely arrive!"

"However, dying on the battlefield, wrapped in horsehide, is the glory of us soldiers. You are all the best of the Transcendent world, and there is a more important mission entrusted to you by the higher-ups."

"That is, please do your best to find and hunt the Star Devouring Beast within the alien army!"

...