Beast Tide

Three days later.

Royce Family territory.

The Royce Family had been established in a valley, surrounded by several small hills.

These hills were usually quiet, but now they were exceptionally lively.

Every tribe that had migrated here for refuge had settled their elderly, children, and women on the hills, while the young and able-bodied warriors set up defensive lines below to prepare for the coming beast tide.

Because of the planetary-level demonic beast attacks before the beast tide, many people feared that this tide would be more dangerous than previous ones. They put more effort into building the defenses, making them sturdier than before.

In the past, every beast tide arrived ten days to half a month after Zhaoguang City issued its warning. This time was no exception.

The beast tide arriving on schedule reassured those who had worried that it might be unusual.

Li Qi rode his Bone Shield through the air. Below him was the defensive zone he was responsible for, where dozens of people stood behind a trench.

This was also the defensive zone assigned for his first beast-tide trial, located in the relatively safe rear.

Thus, thirty to forty percent of the people in this zone were facing their first beast tide. Most of the rest were defending against one for the second time, and only a few were experienced middle-aged or elderly veterans.

The nearby defensive zones were much the same.

Seeing Li Qi flying through the sky on his shield, most of the people below looked at him enviously. They were all young—who wouldn't want to fly?

A boy of twelve or thirteen wore leather armor and carried a sword and shield on his back. Looking up at Li Qi in the sky, his face was full of defiance.

Looking down, Li Qi spotted the boy whose face practically screamed defiance.

"Tsk! That brat Thirteen..."

He clicked his tongue, too lazy to bother with the rebellious little rascal, and turned his gaze toward the sky behind them.

In the azure sky, many black dots moved and circled.

Those moving black dots were Corpse-Eating Birds, avian demonic beasts and famous scavengers of the grasslands. Wherever there was death, they would be there.

"There are more and more Corpse-Eating Birds. The beast tide will arrive within the next couple of days."

Having defended against a beast tide once before, along with what Yakesi had taught him, Li Qi had gained some experience.

About two hours later, dense black dots slowly appeared on the horizon, rolling in like dark clouds, accompanied by waves of avian cries!

Then the earth began to tremble, as though powerful vicious beasts were rolling beneath the ground!

The green grassland was covered and trampled beneath a black mass of demonic beasts. Unbroken hoofbeats thundered through the air, mixed with one beastly roar after another!

The sky was filled with countless flying beasts, while the earth shook beneath a Myriad Beasts Charge!

Witnessing the massive beast tide charging toward them, Li Qi shouted at the people in the defensive zone below, "The beast tide is here!"

Hearing Li Qi's shout, the newcomers hurriedly readied their weapons and armor, looking as if they faced a great enemy.

But instead of the beast tide, what greeted them was the veterans' scolding.

People's energy was limited. Their defensive zone was in the rear, and the demonic beasts would not reach them so quickly. If they focused too intensely now, they would easily make mistakes once battle began!

And mistakes in battle meant serious injury at best and death at worst!

Under the veterans' scolding and instruction, the newcomers relaxed considerably and waited for the beast horde to reach their defensive zone.

As the beast tide arrived, the human side began to move. First, two dazzling lights shot up from the valley, followed by dozens of streaks of light flying in from all directions.

Several dozen planetary-level experts flew above the valley and joined the Royce Family's two stellar-level powerhouses.

Soon, several streaks of light departed, landing along the various defensive lines to guard their respective areas!

As the vast flock of avian demonic beasts drew near, several more streaks of light flew out and charged straight into the densely packed flock.

The moment they entered the flock, the multicolored lights were instantly swallowed up, without even the faintest glimmer escaping!

Although several planetary-level experts had been surrounded, the avian demonic beasts were also suffering heavy losses, judging from the birds constantly falling from the sky!

Before long, a gap appeared in the black mass of flying beasts. The streaks of light burst out through it and returned above the valley to join the other experts.

After those streaks returned, several more flew out and charged into the flock.

Repeating this over and over kept the avian demonic beasts from reaching the skies above the defensive zones.

Watching the planetary-level experts repeatedly crash into the flock overhead, Li Qi could not help sighing. "Force battle suits really are incredible. They've gone in and out of that beast horde seven times already."

While the planetary-level experts attacked the avian beasts, the ground-based demonic beasts had also clashed with the front-line defensive zones.

From the air, Li Qi could see the black mass of land beasts meeting fierce resistance at the front before their flanks curved around, encircling the entire Royce Family territory.

"They're here."

Muttering inwardly, Li Qi controlled the Bone Shield and descended, maintaining a suitable height.

The ground shook as a horde of demonic beasts, a mixture of carnivores and herbivores, charged in!

"Don't panic!"

"Hold steady! Don't rush!"

"Relax! With the trenches here, the beast horde can't charge through!"

The experienced veterans kept calling out reminders to the newcomers around them.

Just as the veterans had said, the broad, long trenches prevented the beasts from forming a large-scale rapid charge. Faced with trench after trench, they had no choice but to slow down.

Bang! Bang! Bang...

Collisions rang out without end. Many beasts in the rear could not slow down in time and crashed into those ahead, causing considerable chaos.

"They're here! Prepare to engage!"

Seeing a few beasts cross the trenches and approach the defensive line, one veteran shouted loudly and rushed forward first.

Thud!

Slash!

An experienced veteran first rammed the beast that had crossed the trench with his Bone Shield, knocking it off balance, then swung his blade and severed its head!

Though few veterans had attacked first, they killed the beasts quickly. Every beast that crossed the trenches first was slain.

The semi-newcomers participating in the beast tide for the second time knew what to do from their previous experience. They quickly followed the veterans' example and killed the beasts as well.

With veterans demonstrating first and the second-time defenders setting an example, the newcomers facing their first beast-tide trial gradually understood what they needed to do.

After all, everyone standing here was a warrior who had trained for years. Some had even fought demonic beasts before, so they adapted before long.

The defensive zone below was locked in fierce battle, while Li Qi swept his gaze across the beast horde from the air, searching for any planetary-level demonic beasts that might appear. At the same time, he kept an eye on the battle and used bone spikes to save people.

Of course, his main concern was his younger brothers, Twelve and Thirteen.

"Hmm!"

Li Qi's gaze stopped when he spotted a Unicorn Wolf hidden among the beast horde.

That Unicorn Wolf was enormous, far larger than the apprentice rank nine Unicorn Wolf he had killed ten or so days earlier!

"A planetary-level demonic beast!"

With a thought from Li Qi, the bone spikes he had sent out earlier returned and were stored in the animal-hide pouch at his waist.

Then twenty silver-white blades flew out and, with a clang, combined into a silver-white short sword.

"Sky-Breaking Sword, go!"

With Li Qi's low shout, the Sky-Breaking Sword glowed faint white and transformed into a streak of light, shooting directly toward the planetary-level Unicorn Wolf!

Whoosh!

Amid a faint whistle through the air, the silver-white streak darted forward with unstoppable force!

Every demonic beast that dared block its path was pierced through like paper, blood spraying from their bodies!

The planetary-level Unicorn Wolf moved swiftly. Seeing how powerful the streak formed by the Sky-Breaking Sword was, it kept dodging.

Unfortunately, its huge body made it too cumbersome. After dodging three attacks, it was still pierced by the Sky-Breaking Sword.

Because the Sky-Breaking Sword was small, it pierced through the wolf's waist but did not inflict much damage. Its movements remained unaffected.

"Run!"

Seeing its tough fur pierced so easily by the silver-white streak, the Unicorn Wolf rammed away a beast blocking its path and turned to flee without hesitation!

Watching the planetary-level Unicorn Wolf flee the instant it saw trouble, Li Qi was surprised. It's running already? It won't even try to fight back?

Though he thought that, he had no intention of letting the Unicorn Wolf go. He controlled the Sky-Breaking Sword and pursued it relentlessly.

Compared with the Sky-Breaking Sword's flight speed, the Unicorn Wolf's escape speed was clearly insufficient. However, it was clever, constantly changing direction and occasionally feinting a turn.

In this way, Li Qi's Sky-Breaking Sword chased the planetary-level Unicorn Wolf everywhere through the beast horde, throwing the entire horde into utter chaos.

"Got you!"

The Unicorn Wolf collided with another demonic beast during another change of direction, giving Li Qi his chance.

Whoosh!

The silver-white streak entered through the Unicorn Wolf's hind leg and passed unobstructed into its internal organs!

Now, split!

With a thought from Li Qi, the Sky-Breaking Sword broke apart into twenty blades and wreaked havoc inside the Unicorn Wolf's body.

Awooo—!

Its hind leg wounded and its internal organs under constant attack, the Unicorn Wolf let out a pained howl and rolled wildly across the ground!

The roar of a planetary-level demonic beast was deafening, stunning the weaker demonic beasts around it unconscious.

A veteran in the defensive zone looked at the Unicorn Wolf roaring in agony in the distance and exclaimed, "That's a planetary-level demonic beast!"

A newcomer said uncertainly, "It looks like it's in a lot of pain."

Combine!

Li Qi moved his thoughts again. The twenty blades reassembled into the Sky-Breaking Sword inside the Unicorn Wolf's body, transforming into a silver-white streak that pierced through its heart and head!

Awoo!

After the Sky-Breaking Sword drilled out, the Unicorn Wolf let out one final agonized roar and collapsed, unable to rise again.

Because Li Qi had used the Sky-Breaking Sword to chase the Unicorn Wolf and thrown the beast horde into chaos, many demonic beasts took the opportunity to flee. This greatly reduced the pressure on the people in the defensive zone.

"That planetary-level demonic beast is dead!"

A free newcomer saw the Unicorn Wolf die and cried out excitedly. It was his first time witnessing the death of a planetary-level demonic beast.

Someone pointed at the silver-white streak formed by the Sky-Breaking Sword and shouted, "That light killed the planetary-level demonic beast!"

Whoosh!

The silver-white streak pierced through several demonic beasts and returned to Li Qi's side.

When a veteran saw that the silver-white streak which had killed the Unicorn Wolf had returned to Li Qi, he immediately understood. "It was the commander! He killed the planetary-level demonic beast!"

Then voices of amazement, admiration, and praise rose one after another.

"What? The commander did it?"

"The commander actually killed a planetary-level demonic beast at apprentice rank nine!"

"Killing a planetary-level demonic beast at the apprentice level! That's truly incredible!"

"I know who the commander is! He killed a planetary-level demonic beast during the previous migration!"

After killing the planetary-level Unicorn Wolf, Li Qi looked at the people in the defensive zone and saw the admiration and praise in their eyes plainly displayed.

"Hmm?"

Li Qi spotted a familiar figure, and that person's eyes were actually just like everyone else's!

He was somewhat astonished. Thirteen? How could he...? Did killing a planetary-level demonic beast win Thirteen over too?

How is that possible!

Not believing it, he checked that Twelve and Thirteen were safe before turning his gaze toward the distance!

At this time, the first wave of the beast tide had retreated, but the second wave was already gathering momentum and would launch its attack before long.