49: Another beast tide

The valley was spacious, large enough to accommodate two or three hundred Xuan Gang Realm Cloud-Treading Beasts.

When Lu Yuan summoned the nine thousand ghost puppet soldiers, the valley became densely packed with figures, causing the Cloud-Treading Beasts' fur to stand on end!

The battle immediately began, or more accurately, it was a one-sided massacre!

Red threads filled the sky, shooting out from Lu Yuan's fingers and dancing in the wind, making Jiang Tianxia and the others exclaim how elegant it was.

“Brother Yuan can really control tens of thousands of Puppet Corps simultaneously!”

Yin Zeyao's eyes widened.

Tens of thousands of Profound Gang Realm Three-Star monsters—who could possibly withstand that!

Recalling how he had just hunted a Xuan Gang Realm Peak Crimson Flame Sky Bear, he felt a bit conceited, claiming their team could defeat Lu Yuan if they worked together... Yin Zeyao was utterly ashamed.

Judging by Lu Yuan's strength, even if their entire team collectively broke through to the Xuan Gang Realm, they probably still couldn't beat him!

The black-haired, straight-haired Fan Shuiyao's beautiful eyes flickered.

“Is this the strength of the national martial arts examination first place?” Fan Shuiyao's expression was complex.

When Lu Yuan proposed dealing with the Cloud-Treading Beasts in the valley alone, Fan Shuiyao's initial reaction was that it was impossible.

There were two or three hundred of them here, and their cultivation was at the Profound Gang Realm Three-Star or Four-Star!

In her view, no matter how strong the Profound Gang Realm Three-Star Lu Yuan was, he could at most face thirty or forty Cloud-Treading Beasts.

“The Captain is going to fight a match against this kind of monster in half a month?” Thinking of this, Fan Shuiyao couldn't help but feel sorry for Jiang Tianxia.

The slaughter continued!

Bang bang bang—

Deafening hoofbeats rushed forward. Facing this group of Cloud-Treading Beasts, the Ten Thousand Bone Legion, riding Skeleton Warhorses, launched a charge!

In an instant, screams echoed throughout the valley, and the Cloud-Treading Beasts were trampled into bloody messes, suffering heavy casualties!

The Golden Spear Legion held long swords, and every strike precisely pierced the Cloud-Treading Beasts' vital points.

Their Sword Technique was exquisite, their aura fully unleashed, and each one possessed the courage to face ten thousand men!

The Heavens Punishment Legion, the Blood Slaughter Legion, the Eternal Drowning Legion... Each legion performed its duties and utilized its strengths, while the seven great calamities stood in seven different positions to prevent the Cloud-Treading Beasts from escaping.

A rain of blood fell across the sky!

Watching the Cloud-Treading Beasts, who knew they were outmatched and attempted to flee, Lu Yuan's fingers twitched.

“Trying to run?”

The valley was shrouded in shadow as thousands of Wind-Splitting Soldiers coldly watched the fleeing Cloud-Treading Beasts.

The Cloud-Treading Beasts were fast, but they were even faster!

Compared to the other Puppet Corps, the Wind Splitting Legion's fighting style was cruel; just like Wind Calamity Feng Chi, they loved to disembowel enemies or twist off their necks and kick their heads around like balls!

“Done.”

Lu Yuan turned around to look at Jiang Tianxia and the others.

From the start of the battle to the finish, only five minutes had passed. Not a single one of the two or three hundred Xuan Gang Realm Cloud-Treading Beasts escaped; they all perished at the hands of the Puppet Corps!

The Blood Slaughter Legion was currently collecting the Cloud-Treading Beasts' heads, piling them up beside Jiang Tianxia.

“No... no need to trouble Brother Yuan, we can collect them ourselves,” said Fan Shuiyao, having recovered her wits.

It was too brutal!

Lu Yuan had turned battle into an art form—the art of slaughter!

Two or three hundred Cloud-Treading Beasts couldn't even last five minutes against Lu Yuan's Puppet Corps—can you believe it!

If their team members had done the killing, it would have taken at least over a week, and they would have had to hunt them batch by batch.

“I didn't expect it to be completed so easily.” Yin Zeyao scratched his head, having thought they would have to stay in the No Mans Land for three or four days.

Meanwhile, the team members looked at Lu Yuan with eyes full of reverence!

Jiang Tianxia's heart was filled with mixed emotions.

“Lu Yuan, you're so fierce, how am I supposed to fight you in half a month?” Jiang Tianxia pouted.

The reason she sought out Lu Yuan and offered a Transcendent Realm Demonic Core as payment was twofold.

One, she wanted to take the opportunity to see how much Lu Yuan's strength had improved, and two, that Transcendent Realm Demonic Core was given to her by her father.

Jiang Zhantian, as the patriarch of a top Huaxia family, greatly admired Lu Yuan.

Jiang Zhantian knew that winning over a genius of Lu Yuan's caliber required a gradual approach, and he couldn't rush things.

Therefore, he instructed his daughter Jiang Tianxia to build a good relationship with Lu Yuan and interact with him more often when she had time.

“Aren't you about to forge a high-grade spirit tool?” Lu Yuan asked.

Forging a custom-made high-grade spirit tool was extremely expensive, and only Jiang Tianxia, who came from a top family, could afford to commission one.

“I still won't be able to beat you.” Jiang Tianxia shook her head, though she was glad she finally had a handy high-grade spirit tool.

“When Brother Yuan beats up the Captain, I'm definitely going to record the whole thing and watch it repeatedly.”

Yin Zeyao's tone was expectant.

“Heh heh, do you believe I'll beat you up first?” Jiang Tianxia sneered.

“Captain, I was wrong.”

Yin Zeyao shrank his head back.

Having successfully completed the mission to hunt the Cloud-Treading Beasts, the group rested briefly and decided to return to Red Leaf City.

On the way, they encountered two groups of bandits, the highest cultivation among them being profound gang realm four-star.

This time, Lu Yuan didn't need to step in; Jiang Tianxia patted her chest.

“I'll handle it!”

At four in the afternoon, Fan Shuiyao checked the map and found they were still two kilometers away from Red Leaf City.

Bang—

Bang bang—

The ground vibrated rhythmically, and a monstrous demonic aura shot straight into the clouds!

“Bea... Bea...”

Yin Zeyao, who possessed the Wind Attribute and was responsible for scouting for fierce beasts, hurried back.

His face was pale, his legs were weak, and he stammered when he spoke.

“A Beast Tide!” Lu Yuan's expression turned serious. Hundreds of Wind-Splitting Soldiers circled in the sky.

Hearing those two words, Jiang Tianxia's expression changed instantly!

A Beast Tide is attacking Red Leaf City?

A Beast Tide of this scale wasn't a minor skirmish like during the Martial Examination; it involved tens of thousands, or even more, fierce beasts!

More critically, if Red Leaf City was under attack by a Beast Tide, how would they return to Huaxia?

If they had to detour, it meant traveling hundreds of kilometers further to reach another frontier city that possessed a Teleportation Array.

Red Leaf City, the city gates were wide open.

“Hold fast! Do not let the fierce beasts rush in!”

Kang Zhenbang, the highest general of Red Leaf City, who possessed the Thunder Attribute and was at the Divine Ability Realm Peak, commanded the soldiers in a hoarse voice to resist the Beast Tide.

Black clouds enveloped the area; before them was a dense, dark mass of fierce beasts!

profound gang realm four-star Rhinoceros Horn Beasts, Xuan Gang Realm Six-Star White-Nosed Elephants, Xuan Gang Realm Peak Divine Wind Bears... Their pupils were covered in blood-red light, and they let out furious roars, charging madly toward Red Leaf City's walls!

“Holy crap, so many fierce beasts.”

From a kilometer away from the Beast Tide, Lu Yuan witnessed the battle of offense and defense.

The fierce beasts attacked, and the Huaxia official soldiers stationed in Red Leaf City defended!

Seeing this scene, Yin Zeyao wiped the sweat from his forehead. Luckily, he could fly and had discovered the Beast Tide in advance.

Otherwise, if they had walked any further, the team would have been torn to shreds by the Beast Tide!

“What should we do now? Should we take the long route to another frontier city, or wait for the Beast Tide to end?” Yin Zeyao asked.

“Wha... What if Red Leaf City falls? Even if the Beast Tide ends, we won't be able to use the Teleportation Array.”

The black-haired, straight-haired Fan Shuiyao's voice trembled.

Only Huaxia official soldiers were stationed in Red Leaf City, but the city behind Red Leaf City housed over four million residents.

If Red Leaf City fell, it meant the Beast Tide would surge toward the rear city, wantonly slaughtering the unarmed residents!

“Why aren't they activating the Defensive Array and waiting for rescue?” one team member wondered.

Every frontier city was equipped with a Defensive Array to resist the fierce beasts' attacks.

In contrast, Red Leaf City's gates were wide open, and the highest general was commanding the soldiers to actively engage in battle!

“There is only one possibility.”

Lu Yuan, who had been silent for a long time, looked toward the dense, dark mass ahead.

“They are actively engaging because this is only the first wave of the Beast Tide; there will be a second wave, or even a third, afterward.” Lu Yuan squinted slightly.

“Therefore, Red Leaf City's highest general doesn't want to activate the Defensive Array prematurely; he's saving it to be opened at the moment of life and death!”