Monster Riot

Lu Xuan changed his clothes.

It was a combat suit he'd pulled off a corpse by the roadside.

Cheap and common.

The wilderness was dangerous, and people died all the time.

Someone who might have been laughing with you one second could be lying in a pool of blood the next.

Companions would crouch down to loot bodies, but they'd never take the corpse itself.

Over time, the wilderness became a treasure hunter's paradise.

If you were lucky, you might find good equipment, weapons, or even cultivation techniques and Martial Skills.

If you were unlucky, like Lu Xuan, you'd end up with a combat suit.

"It would be great if I could find a Martial Skill or cultivation technique."

Standing on top of a ruined building, Lu Xuan, wearing a Ghost-faced Monkey mask, gazed at the distant smoke of battle and gripped his long saber, pondering in his heart.

He currently possessed one cultivation technique, but it only cultivated Mental Power, not Spiritual Energy.

To improve his vitality and Spiritual Energy, he needed to cultivate a dedicated technique. Of course, he could create one himself, but that would be a waste of time.

Having a ready-made cultivation technique and then wasting time creating one was foolish.

As for Martial Skills, Martial Artists could occasionally create them with a flash of inspiration, but it depended on the right time and place.

However, these weren't problems.

As long as a Martial Artist joined a faction, they would naturally acquire them.

"Forget it, getting money is more important right now."

Regarding cultivation techniques and Martial Skills.

Lu Xuan believed that as long as he had money, he could definitely buy them.

What he needed to do now was hunt monsters and earn enough money.

To save his parents.

To help his sister.

"There are no future messages appearing, so this trip won't be life-threatening."

With that thought, Lu Xuan pushed off with his feet.

Whoosh--!

His figure flickered, shooting out like an arrow straight toward the smoke of battle a hundred meters away.

At this moment.

Amidst the smoke, the sounds of clashing swords and sabers rang out incessantly.

"Roar--!"

From within the dust and smoke, several strangely shaped monsters let out roars to the sky. There were mutated boars, scorpions, rats... They were three meters tall, their bodies like small mountains, fierce and brutal.

And on the periphery of these monsters, a group of Martial Artists were engaged in a fierce battle.

The two sides had been fighting for over two hours.

They still hadn't managed to defeat their opponents.

Xu Xin was among them. She had unleashed a barrage with her firearm first, but it had dealt negligible damage to the monsters.

"Damn it, why are these monsters suddenly acting so violently?!"

"Are they about to launch a beast tide?"

She dodged attacks while retreating towards the outer perimeter.

From afar, the squad leader of Class 5, standing on the rooftop, had a grave expression. "The school is investigating the cause. It's probably nothing good. We need to be prepared to retreat at any moment."

Compared to Xu Xin, the handsome face of the Class 5 squad leader was much calmer.

Bang! Another figure landed between the two of them.

She was tall and powerfully built, covered in muscle.

At first glance, she looked like a fitness enthusiast, but upon closer inspection, one could tell she was a girl.

Lu Ya, the squad leader of Class 4 at Jiangnan Martial University.

"What's the situation?"

Lu Ya asked as soon as she landed.

In her field of vision, behind the group of low-level monsters, a monster as tall as a mountain, with horns like a lion, let out a roar.

It was directing the monster horde.

Xu Xin replied while firing her weapon:

"The Monster Riot is abnormal. No High-level Monsters have appeared yet, but there's a Blazing Horned Lion at the peak of Intermediate level. The three of us need to team up to deal with it."

Intermediate Monsters correspond to Intermediate Martial Artists.

Although their strengths seemed equal, the three class leaders were only Tier 4 Martial Artists.

That is to say, they were in the early stage of Intermediate Martial Artists.

This Intermediate Monster, however, was already at its peak and could evolve into a High-level Monster at any moment.

"Are you sure there are no other companies' Martial Artists around?"

The large-built Lu Ya looked at the class leader of Class 5.

"No."

"Then what are we waiting for? We'll split the spoils evenly after this!"

"Alright!"

The three of them put away their thermal weapons and took out their specialized weapons.

Intermediate Monsters were no longer afraid of ordinary thermal weapons.

Besides the Martial Artist's vitality and Spiritual Energy, it was extremely difficult to inflict fatal damage on them.

Unless you brought out missile-grade thermal weapons.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Xu Xin, holding a long spear, unleashed the surging vitality within her body and transformed into a dragon, charging at the Blazing Horned Lion. The Class 5 class leader drew his longbow, leaping and firing several arrows in succession. Lu Ya's fists were encased in gauntlets as she smashed down like a meteor on the Blazing Horned Lion.

The three of them attacked together, unstoppable.

However, the Horned Lion was prepared for this. Its fur bristled, and flames surged like waves, rolling towards them.

Slowing their attacks, it exerted force with its four limbs, crushing the ruins of buildings. It leaped into the air, opening its bloody maw, its claws slashing towards Xu Xin.

"Good one!"

Xu Xin's spear tip collided with the beast's palm.

Boom~ A massive wave of vitality energy swept out, pushing back the surrounding low-level Martial Artists and Low-level Monsters several meters. They looked on in fear.

Flames billowed, and the surrounding temperature rose.

While one person and one beast were locked in opposition, Lu Ya gathered scorching vitality in her fists and smashed down fiercely.

"Mountain Shaking Peak!"

"Roar!"

The Horned Lion roared, its scorpion-like tail whipping out a fiery tail.

Bang! Lu Ya was pushed back, and at the same time, the Horned Lion retreated.

After this initial probing, both the Monsters and the Martial Artists felt that they had the advantage. They immediately stopped holding back and attacked together.

The spear was like a dragon, coiling around the Horned Lion;

Iron fists shook the void, making it resonate;

Arrows streaked across the sky, turning into stardust falling from the heavens.

The three cooperated excellently.

But the Horned Lion was not to be underestimated. Its dispersed fur turned into wisps of starlight, transforming the surrounding area into a sea of fire. It unleashed its domain completely. Despite its mountain-like size, it moved with lightning speed.

After dozens of rounds, neither side could gain the upper hand.

"As expected of an Intermediate Martial Artist..."

Lu Xuan stood on the periphery, gripping his long saber, itching to join the fray.

Currently, Low-level Monsters held little temptation for him. His targets were Intermediate Monsters, and even High-level Monsters.

This was for two reasons: to earn money and to improve his strength.

"Roar--!"

Almost as Lu Xuan was briefly contemplating, the Horned Lion within the battlefield let out a sky-shattering roar.

Boom!

The sea of flames surged, covering hundreds of meters.

A more ferocious aura rose from within its body, sweeping across the wilderness.

"Not good!!!"

Instantly, Everyone present was terrified.

The class monitor of Class 5 was the first to react, shouting, "This damned beast is using us as a whetstone to break through to a higher level!"

After monsters mutated, their intelligence increased accordingly.

Martial Artists would use battles with monsters to break through to higher levels, and monsters were no exception.

Hum! The surrounding temperature began to rise rapidly.

The terrifying heat scorched everything around them. The monsters became even more ferocious, biting at other Martial Artists relentlessly.

Like mindless killing machines!

"Damn it!"

"All low-level Martial Artists, retreat to the safe zone!"

"Xu Xin, Lu Ya, you two hold it off, I'll cover the others as they retreat!"

The class monitor of Class 5 drew his bow and swept down, firing at the horde of low-level monsters below.

Covering his classmates as they retreated.

Xu Xin and Lu Ya felt the sudden surge in temperature, their faces grave. The two exchanged a look, unleashed the power within their bodies, and charged back towards the Blazing Horned Lion.

"Roar!"

Breaking through to a lower realm was different from breaking through to a higher one; there was no period of weakness.

The moment the Horned Lion broke through, its flame power underwent a qualitative change. It opened its bloody maw and spewed flames, catching Xu Xin and Lu Ya completely off guard and engulfing them.

"Cough cough!"

The flames left them with burns all over their bodies.

If they hadn't had a contingency plan, they would likely have died on the spot in regret.

"Run!"

Xu Xin shouted, turning and fleeing.

Even though the Blazing Horned Lion had already expended over half its strength in the recent battle, with its power as a newly advanced high-level monster, killing them would be as easy as killing chickens.

Lu Ya knew this too and didn't dare to hesitate, turning and fleeing.

But how could the Blazing Horned Lion, having just broken through, let them go so easily? It roared, leaving a fiery afterimage in its place, and in the blink of an eye, it appeared behind Xu Xin and Lu Ya.

"Not good!"

Xu Xin and Lu Ya's faces changed drastically.

The speed of a high-level monster was far superior to theirs.

The two hurriedly circulated their vitality to defend themselves, but in front of the Horned Lion after its breakthrough, their resistance was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

Bang! The Horned Lion swiped with its claw.

The two were sent flying dozens of feet, crashing through rows of ruined buildings.

"Vermin!"

The class monitor of Class 5 shot his long bow, blocking the Blazing Horned Lion.

"You can still get up?!"

He asked the two disheveled figures in the dust, "I've already sent our teacher your location, he'll be here soon."

"Cough cough~ Ptoo!"

Xu Xin spat out a mouthful of blood and propped herself up with her spear.

Lu Ya spat out a phlegm ball, her face grave, "It will take at least twenty minutes for the teacher to get here. Can we last that long?"

The difference between a high-level monster and an intermediate monster was worlds apart in terms of combat power.

One could take on all of them present.

Not to mention the countless low-level monsters on the battlefield.

What should they do?

For a moment, everyone present fell into a stalemate.

"Roar!"

The Horned Lion wouldn't give them time to figure out a solution. After a brief respite, it immediately launched an even fiercer assault.

The horde of low-level monsters on the field, infected by the flame power leaking from its body, ferociously pounced on the retreating students.

Meanwhile, the Blazing Horned Lion charged towards Xu Xin and the other two.

"This beast isn't planning on letting us go!"

The class monitor of Class 5 switched his bow to a blade and met the Horned Lion. Xu Xin and Lu Ya, ignoring their injuries, immediately joined the fight, but the three of them were, after all, only intermediate Martial Artists.

Roar!

The Horned Lion roared, and scorching flames erupted from its body.

Waves of fire surged, sweeping through a hundred-meter radius like a hurricane.

Almost simultaneously, the three were engulfed in flames, their skin cracking and charring inch by inch. They were sent flying backward in unison, crashing into the ruins, blood spraying everywhere.

"Roar!" The Unicorn Lion, understanding that it should strike when the enemy is weak, immediately lunged at Xu Xin, who was at the forefront.

"Xu Xin!"

Lu Ya and the class monitor of Class 5 cried out in alarm.

With that claw strike, without any defense, she would be crippled at best, dead at worst.

"Cough! Cough! Is this how I fall..."

Blood gurgled from Xu Xin's throat as she let out a weak, mournful sound. Watching the sharp claws descend, she was completely powerless to resist and could only await the arrival of death.

At this critical moment of life and death—

"Big guy, it's not honorable to take advantage of someone's weakness!"

A mocking voice rang out, accompanied by a cold glint that sliced through the air, heading straight for the Unicorn Lion.