Chapter 676 - The Beginning of the Disaster?

Lu Zhou stopped what he was doing. He stroked his beard as he said, “High-rank beasts?”

“Ordinary cultivators can’t do anything to them. These beasts are wreaking havoc in Mo City. Fortunately, the city is protected by the best Formation. Otherwise, who knows what would’ve happened?” Si Wuya said.

“Jiang Wenxu is already dead. Why did the beasts appear in Mo City?”

Si Wuya explained, “Ever since the manmans appeared near Heaven’s Moat, I’ve tasked some men to keep an eye on the activities outside of human settlements. The manmans eventually went away. My theory is that after Jiang Wenxu unleashed his Nine-leaf power, he attracted the attention of the beasts. The manmans did not find what they were looking for so they left.”

“Someone in Mo City has reached the Nine-leaf stage?” Lu Zhou asked.

“It’s possible. According to Jiang Wenxu’s words, the disaster brought forth by the Nine-leaf stage is the beasts. However, from what my sources in Mo City told me, there aren’t any Nine-leaf cultivators in the city,” Si Wuya said.

Lu Zhou stroked his beard as he pondered over the matter.

Si Wuya looked at his master and said, “I suspect that these beasts are here… because of you.”

Lu Zhou did not reply. He was not a real Nine-leaf cultivator. Even if the Nine-leaf stage truly brought with it a disaster, it would not be because of him. In that case, what was the reason for this?

This was not merely the rule of the jungle; this was also the rule of the dark forest. Every man was a hunter in the dark forest where danger lurked in every corner. It was possible for the hunter to encounter other hunters while they explored the forest. When it was impossible to determine if the other person was a friend or foe, how would the hunter ensure his own safety? The answer was to open fire and kill the other person. If a hunter encountered an ant, would he care about it? No, he would not. He would choose to leave and might not even notice the ant in the first place. What if the hunter encountered a primordial beast? His gun would become meaningless. In that case, the only thing he could do was to run.

“I’ll go take a look,” Lu Zhou said.

Si Wuya was slightly taken aback by this. He did not expect his master to personally make a move. He intended to remind his master of his current state. Yet, his master did not speak in defense of himself and was going out in search of the beasts instead. When he recalled, his master was even capable of killing Chi Yao, he was no longer worried. “Safe journey, master.”

“Don’t tell anyone else about this.”

“Understood.”

Lu Zhou glanced at the system dashboard. Whitzard was still resting. Bi An was too rocky of a ride. Therefore, he summoned Ji Liang and left along a deserted route.

…

In the past, Lu Zhou needed to bring a few of his disciples during his travels to protect him. Leave the Deadly Strike Cards aside, now that he had returned to the Eight-leaf stage, coupled with the item cards and the Heavenly Writing power, even if he was up against a Nine-leaf cultivator, he could still put up a fight.

Of his ten disciples, apart from Old First, Old Second, and Old Sixth who were making preparations to attempt the Nine-leaf stage, his other disciples had great room for improvement in terms of their cultivation bases. Bringing them along would only slow him down.

As he continued to travel, he felt his speed was too slow. Therefore, he urged his mount on. “Ji Liang, faster.”

Neigh!

Ji Liang neighed unenthusiastically, but it picked up speed. However, it was not enough.

Lu Zhou said in a deep voice. “You livestock. How dare you defy my order?”

When Ji Liang heard Lu Zhou speaking in a low voice, it neighed a few times before it picked up speed.

Lu Zhou stroked his beard and wondered if the horse was worried.

Apart from him, Mingshi Yin and Yu Shangrong were the only ones who had ridden Ji Liang before.

Ji Liang was rather special, after all, since it was his only mount that came to him on its own accord after he obtained it.

However, Lu Zhou did not spare it any other thoughts

…

Mo City was the northernmost human settlement among Liang Province’s ten cities.

In less than two hours, Mo City appeared in his sight.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Above Mo City, bat-like creatures flew in the sky. Their claws glinted with faint light. They were clearly deadly.

The sky curtain barrier kept the beasts at bay.

“Manmans?” Lu Zhou stood on Ji Liang’s back and looked at the manmans.

The birds above were small. They rammed against the barrier, sending ripples across its surface as the sounds of their collision boomed in the air.

Lu Zhou got off Ji Liang’s back and entered the city. He could see the people had shuttered themselves in their houses.

Ballistae were occasionally fired from the city walls. Alas, it was like trying to put out a huge fire with a cup of water. It was not very effective.

Lu Zhou walked along the path.

Dozens of cultivators shot past him in the city.

Someone shouted, “Did anyone go to the main city? Please ask the Evil Sky Pavilion’s Patriarch to send help! Things are getting tough. If this goes on, Mo City will be done for!”

“Look up.”

Lu Zhou looked at the sky in the direction that they pointed.

A group of manmans was approaching from the north. They were led by a gargantuan bird.

“Not again! I don’t think the barrier is going to last!”

The cultivators in the city took flight.

Energy sabers and swords shot out of the barrier and killed the little manmans.

However, the largest bird did not seem to be affected. It dove toward the barrier.

Boom!

A huge ripple spread on the surface of the barrier.

The recoil of the energy struck the nearby cultivators out of the air.

The gargantuan manman had a wingspan of dozens of meters. Its head alone was several meters wide. With its wings extended, it seemed as large as the sky curtains itself.

The cultivators hovering above the roofs retreated.

When one of the cultivators noticed Lu Zhou, he called out, “Old mister, take cover! Don’t come out!”

The cultivators here were kind enough.

Lu Zhou did not respond. He kept looking at the huge bird.

Boom!

The huge manman rammed into the barrier again.

A ripple spread.

Crack!

A crisp sound rang in the sky, indicating the barrier was on its last leg and was about to break.

“Get ready!”

Lu Zhou was surprised to see the dozens of cultivators working together to fight the huge beast.

Boom!

Crack!

As the huge manman charged again, its talons glinted with a strange light.

As the ripple spread, the sky curtain finally reached its limits and shattered like glass. The energy from the sky curtain scattered in the air like starlight.

“Now!”

Every cultivator in Mo City shot up to the heavens.

The cultivators below the Divine Court realm charged at the little manmans and took out one each.

Manman corpses dropped down from the sky.

Meanwhile, about five Nascent Divinity realm elites attacked the huge manman. The five of them unleashed their energy sabers and swords at the same time.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The energy sabers and swords struck at the faintly glowing talons of the manman. Alas, they were… ineffective!

“Attack its body!”

“Alright!”

The five of them parted as they launched energies and their blades from all directions.

They seemed to have agitated the huge manman as it began to wildly flap its wings.

Swoosh!Fuh!

It stirred up a wild tempest.

It swatted the three cultivators on the left.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The three cultivators were sent flying. Fortunately, they were protected by their protective energies. After a while, they managed to stabilize themselves.

“Again!”

The huge beast did not seem interested in them. It flew low and at a high speed. It flapped its wings again.

Boom!

Two buildings were destroyed by its wings. Its destructive power was shocking. The five cultivators were no match for it.

Lu Zhou decided that he had seen enough. He could not allow the livestock to continue wreaking havoc here. He pushed away from the ground. With a gruff voice, he said, “Livestock.”

At this moment, an individual moved toward him at great speed. He appeared in front of Lu Zhou with his grand technique, shielding him. “Old mister, stand down. I’ll deal with this!”

Lu Zhou regarded the old man’s back skeptically and said, “You’re no match for the beast. Allow me.”

The old man ignored Lu Zhou. He looked at the five Nascent Divinity realm elites and said, “I’m the Luo Sect’s Chu Nan. Everyone, stand back.”

‘Chu Nan? The Grand Elder of the Luo Sect?’ Lu Zhou stroked his beard and wondered. He had visited the Luo Sect’s holy land twice. The only person he knew was the Second Elder, Godly Archer Shan Yun Zheng. He never paid any attention to this grand elder.

‘Aren’t you going to turn around and see who I am? I should reveal my identity so he doesn’t throw away his life needlessly…’

“Chu Nan?” Lu Zhou’s voice was imposing.

Chu Nan did not turn around. He said, “Old Mister, blades do not have eyes. This huge beast is inhumane. I’m worried you might be caught in the crossfire. Time waits for no man, but please give me some time.”

“…”

After saying this, Chu Nan shot toward the huge beast like a fired arrow. He moved at lightning speed.

The cultivators cried out, in awe of his speed. As expected from an elite of the Luo Sect.

“Hang in there, everyone. When the people of the Evil Sky Pavilion arrive, we’ll all be safe!”

“The Luo Sect isn’t weak either!”

Sparks of hope were ignited in their hearts.