Mutant Beasts Attack the City, Fourth Shackle, Broken!

And it was precisely during Lu Yuan's focused refinement process.

Half an hour later.

Inside Qingyang City.

Suddenly, a piercing alarm blared.

Countless citizens, upon hearing it, didn't hesitate for a moment and bolted straight out of their homes.

Just now, a major piece of news had arrived: before long, a Beast Tide would strike from the east. The Qingyang City authorities had already issued a disaster warning, ordering all residents to leave their homes as quickly as possible and head to relatively safe locations.

The news came so suddenly that the people barely had any time to react.

It was supposed to be a time for rest.

But now, every road heading west in the city was in chaos.

Every street was packed with people and vehicles.

Car horns blared, children wailed—sounds rising and falling in waves. Everyone knew a disaster was about to strike.

There was no helping it. Ever since the global mutation, wild beasts had evolved into Mutant Beasts, gaining a measure of intelligence and a massive boost in strength. Almost every so often, they would charge into human cities to wreak havoc.

And incidents like this appeared on the news every day.

Now it was Qingyang City's turn.

The citizens were naturally thrown into panic, but the more frantic they became, the slower the evacuation proceeded.

"Qingyu, this won't work. Time's too tight. Forget whether the Beast Tide has shown up yet—just looking at this, if a stampede happens, plenty of people will die anyway."

On a high building somewhere in the city, Qin Lan watched the scene below, her heart burning with anxiety.

They had already contacted the city authorities.

Asking for help to evacuate the people.

But this was their first time handling a Beast Tide attack on the city, and without an effective organization in place, the chaos inside was only getting worse.

"There's no helping it. We had no advance preparation, and we've done what we can. For now, I just hope the Beast Tide comes a little later." Senior Brother Wu shook his head, understanding that a stampede was still better than facing the Beast Tide head-on, wasn't it?

Their abilities were far too limited, their strength too weak. They really had done their best.

"What did Qingyang Town's authorities say?"

At that moment, Zhu Qingyu spoke, her brows tightly furrowed.

They had the backing of Zhendan Academy, so even the local authorities had to show them respect. When necessary, they could even temporarily take control of a certain area.

"We've already requested help from the Rescue Force, but the nearest unit will still need five hours to get here."

Another person spoke, laying out the situation. With the land stretched and distances expanded, that speed was already quite impressive.

But given the current circumstances, they clearly wouldn't make it in time.

And even if they did.

It would only be a drop in the bucket.

After all, that was just a rescue team, not a real force armed with heavy weapons.

"Is that so?"

Zhu Qingyu took a deep breath upon hearing this, as if she had made some kind of decision. She looked at the others and said.

"Everyone, the evacuation has already begun. What we need to do now is buy time for the withdrawal. I'm planning to head to the East City to hold off the Beast Tide. If any of you don't want to come, I won't force you."

Watching those panicked people, she simply couldn't bear it. Even if one person's strength was limited.

At this moment, she still chose to go without hesitation, heading straight for the place where the Beast Tide was coming from.

"Qingyu, what are you saying? If you're going, we're all going together."

Qin Lan stepped forward, choosing to go with her.

"That's right. If we're going, we go together." The others chimed in one after another.

If the Beast Tide struck and they did nothing, hundreds of thousands of citizens would suffer a massive catastrophe.

They were human too. Faced with this situation, they couldn't just stand by and do nothing, even if it cost them their lives in the end.

"Good. As expected of students from our Zhendan Academy."

And just then.

A deep, resonant voice suddenly rang out.

Everyone turned their heads, and their eyes lit up at once.

Not far away, several dozen figures were rapidly approaching.

When they drew closer, it became clear that among them were five or six middle-aged people, while the rest were around ten to twenty years old, both male and female.

And the middle-aged man at the lead had an exceptionally heavy aura. He held a long spear in his hand, his expression dignified.

"Teacher Zhao!"

Zhu Qingyu and the others immediately called out, joy spreading across their faces.

The one who arrived was none other than a teacher from Zhendan Academy, known as the Divine Spear Zhao Wuji. Before the global mutation, he was already a renowned inheritor of the Ancient Spear Technique in the country. After the mutation, he awakened a trace of his ancestral bloodline, becoming an Awakened, and later joined Zhendan Academy as a teacher, with strength at the seventh level of the Initial Realm.

As for the others, they were also teachers and students from Zhendan Academy patrolling nearby.

Upon learning of the Beast Tide, they rushed over as fast as they could.

Now.

Zhao Wuji looked at Zhu Qingyu and the others, his expression gratified.

"Zhendan is the ancient name the West used for my Huaxia during the Han and Tang dynasties, meaning 'sunrise in the east, shining upon the world,' symbolizing hope and light. So, when Zhendan Academy was first established, its purpose was to resist the crises of the new era."

"Qingyu, all of you faced danger without retreating, holding great righteousness in your hearts. You are worthy of the name Zhendan."

At these words.

The teachers and students of Zhendan Academy present each took a deep breath.

Joining the academy, aside from wanting to evolve to a higher level, wasn't it also to contribute more effort?

"Teacher Zhao, we understand." Zhu Qingyu nodded in response.

"Alright."

Zhao Wuji spoke: "Right now, the most important thing is to buy more time."

"I've already reported to the academy and contacted the troops stationed in Chang'an. They will bring thermal weapons to support us."

"Moreover, the teachers from the Chang'an Academy branch, along with a few vice deans, set off a few minutes ago!"

Troop support?

When Qin Lan and the others heard this, they were immediately invigorated.

The Beast Tide was terrifying, no doubt, but most couldn't withstand thermal weapons—unless they were especially strong. Otherwise, with so many beast attacks on cities happening across the country, relying solely on the Awakened from Zhendan Academy would never be enough to resolve them.

More importantly, several vice deans from Chang'an Academy were coming too.

So now.

All they needed to do was buy time.

Once the troops arrived, the pressure would ease, and with the backup coming, this Beast Tide would surely be quelled.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

But just as they were getting excited, the ground beneath Qingyang City suddenly rumbled like muffled thunder.

And from the forest to the east, a peculiar aura slowly began to emerge.

The Beast Tide was coming!

"Let's go! Follow me to face the enemy!"

Now.

Zhao Wuji spoke.

He gave the order, then took the lead, leaping straight off the rooftop toward the east of the city.

Because there were still many civilians in the city who hadn't been evacuated, they had to minimize casualties while buying time.

Ordinary people had no resistance against Mutant Beasts.

Only Awakened had a fighting chance.

Even though there were fewer than twenty of them now, they still set out, following behind Zhao Wuji to the east of the city, standing still and waiting.

At the same time, each person drew their weapons and activated their abilities.

Some grew scales on their bodies.

Others had eyes that emitted a hypnotic glow.

Still others swelled in size, their bodies reaching several meters tall.

With everything prepared, they silently stared at the forest not far away.

But even with their resolve set, aside from a few teachers, the students present were all nervous, their palms sweating.

In the distance, within the dense forest east of Qingyang City, heavy footsteps drew closer, their momentum terrifying, stirring up massive clouds of dust in the air. Clearly, there were many Mutant Beasts—at least a hundred.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Closer!

Everyone snapped to full alertness.

In the distance, vague shapes flickered.

One creature after another emerged, accompanied by terrifying roars, charging forward at breakneck speed.

And Zhu Qingyu and the others finally saw the Mutant Beasts clearly.

Monkeys covered in golden fur, boars the size of armored vehicles, white snakes as thick as water barrels, birds with wingspans of tens of meters—all exuded a dangerous, bloodthirsty aura. Though their species differed, they now shared a single goal, numbering in the hundreds or thousands.

They were mostly Mutant Beasts, having embarked on the path of evolution, and were not to be trifled with.

The only saving grace was this.

These Mutant Beasts weren't particularly strong, mostly around the first or second tier of the Initial Realm.

Some hadn't even started their evolution, merely stronger than ordinary wild beasts.

After all.

Outside Qingyang City, there were no famous mountains or great rivers.

Even if Mutant Beasts appeared, they weren't formidable.

If it were places like the Qinling or Taihang Mountains, there would be almost nothing left but to await death.

Still, the sheer numbers were indeed overwhelming.

Ten times their own.

Was it about to begin?

Everyone swallowed hard, their bodies slightly tensed, ready for battle.

But soon.

All the Mutant Beasts stopped about a thousand meters from Qingyang City, standing still, not advancing further.

"Teacher Zhao, what's going on?" Qin Lan spoke, confusion clear in her eyes.

"Don't speak."

Zhao Wuji stared intently ahead.

The next moment, everyone saw it—within the forest, one giant tree after another toppled and snapped.

At the same time, a blue Unicorn Giant Wolf stepped out from within, its body reaching thirty meters in height, eyes as large as washbasins, glowing with a deep blue light as it coldly watched everyone.

As it appeared, all the Mutant Beasts actively made way.

The Wolf King!

The beast king of that mountain forest.

And the instigator of this Beast Tide.

"Roar!"

The Wolf King fixed its gaze on Zhao Wuji and the others, letting out a deafening howl.

Below, the thousand Mutant Beasts bared their fangs one by one.

Their eyes brimming with bloodlust and murderous intent.

As if with a single command, they would charge forth and tear everyone apart.

"Esteemed Wolf King, would you hear a word from me?"

At that moment.

Zhao Wuji stepped forward and spoke loudly.

Though he knew this battle might be unavoidable, he still wanted to try.

If he could make the Beast Tide retreat for now, that would be the best outcome.

Even if not.

It might buy a little time.

And a being like the Wolf King could definitely understand human speech.

"Roar~"

But it seemed the creature had no interest in wasting words.

It let out a howl, directly issuing the order to attack!

Roar, roar, roar~

The next instant.

Hundreds of Mutant Beasts, without any hesitation, charged straight toward Qingyang City.

"No choice then—kill!" Zhao Wuji reacted instantly.

He gripped his long spear tightly, and in that moment, a powerful aura erupted from his entire body.

He leaped high, appearing dozens of meters in the air, then slammed his spear down onto the ground with the force of a Mountain-Splitting Strike!

Boom!

The earth quaked, fissures spreading in every direction.

Under that immense power, the internal organs of dozens of nearby Mutant Beasts were instantly shattered.

Zhao Wuji, inheritor of the Ancient Chinese Spear Technique, stood at the seventh tier of the Initial Realm, and had awakened his Ancestral Bloodline.

With this single blow, no Mutant Beast below the sixth tier could withstand it.

And his spear—

It was specially forged to bear tremendous force.

Behind him, the other teachers from Zhendan Academy charged out as well. They weren't as strong as Zhao Wuji, but they were around the fifth or sixth tier themselves. Plunging into the horde of Mutant Beasts, each strike felled several of them.

When beings walked the path of evolution, even a slight gap in power made it nearly impossible to stand on the same level in combat.

Unless one possessed an exceptionally powerful bloodline, lower tiers would always be suppressed by higher ones.

"We go in too, but stay together and don't separate. Keep close to the teachers."

Zhu Qingyu spoke, leading the students beside her forward.

They weren't strong—only at the first or second tier.

So they had to center themselves around the teachers, doing everything possible to protect themselves.

The great battle began.

Though Zhendan Academy had few people, they had enough courage, bolstered by several powerful teachers.

For a short time, they managed to hold back the Mutant Beasts' assault.

But—

The numbers were simply too overwhelming. They struggled to cope.

Especially the students. Some had only just begun their path of evolution and lacked combat experience entirely. They were wounded quickly, allowing some Mutant Beasts to charge straight into the city and begin wreaking havoc.

In an instant, houses collapsed one after another, kicking up massive clouds of dust.

A golden monkey ripped a utility pole from the ground and swung it like a club.

A three-story building was flattened under its destruction.

Other Mutant Beasts

smashed public facilities to pieces, unleashing their most primal savagery.

And as time passed, these unblocked Mutant Beasts drew steadily closer to the western side of Qingyang City.

There, tens of thousands of civilians had yet to fully evacuate.

If the Mutant Beasts got near them...

It would be a massacre of unspeakable horror.

"This can't go on."

Zhao Wuji's face darkened at the sight. In the end, their side was simply too few to hold back so many Mutant Beasts.

He fixed his gaze on the Blue Giant Wolf King and called out to two other teachers: "Old Liu, Old Zhang—let's join forces. If we can kill that Giant Wolf King, we can stop this Beast Tide."

If the Giant Wolf King, as the leader, died, the other Mutant Beasts, leaderless, would naturally retreat.

"Roar~"

At that moment, the Giant Wolf King seemed to understand Zhao Wuji's intent and let out a great howl.

Instantly, all the Mutant Beasts stopped and began moving back toward the mountain forest.

Even those inside the city ceased their destruction, running out of the city walls to gather before the Giant Wolf King.

"What's going on?"

Zhu Qingyu and the others, finding the Mutant Beasts around them retreating, looked puzzled.

Could it be...

Was the battle about to end?

But it had only just begun.

Soon, however, everyone understood—it wasn't over!

Because, after the Mutant Beasts withdrew, the Giant Wolf King stepped forward one pace at a time. Its blue pupils held a look of keen interest as it gazed at Zhao Wuji and the others, as if waiting for something.

"Is it... is it going to fight Teacher Zhao and the others?" Senior Brother Wu asked upon seeing this.

"That's right,"

Zhu Qingyu said. "So, the Giant Wolf King deliberately called back the beast horde."

At this point, her expression turned extremely grave.

Because she had heard before.

That some cunning Mutant Beasts, upon entering human cities, deliberately refrained from harming people but instead caused massive destruction.

Their goal was to display their strength, to make humanity despair, and once they had toyed with their prey enough, they would go on a killing spree.

Like a hunter who, upon catching prey, would do everything to torment it.

In the past.

This was how humans treated beasts.

But now, the tables had turned.

"Fine, you want a fight, then a fight it is!"

As a teacher, Zhao Wuji naturally understood the Giant Wolf King's intent.

Without hesitation, he gripped his bloodstained spear and charged straight out.

At the same time, several other teachers followed, each wielding their own weapons.

They were all at the Fifth Order of the Initial Realm, with powerful physiques, and in an instant, they closed in on the Wolf King. Led by Zhao Wuji, they leaped high and began their assault.

"Roar~"

The Giant Wolf King saw this.

Bared its teeth in a grin, let out a mighty roar, raised its sharp claws, and swatted down directly.

Boom boom boom!

Its strength was immense. With one claw strike.

All the teachers except Zhao Wuji plummeted to the ground like meteors, smashing huge craters into the earth. Their bodies cracked, and they lay unconscious, clearly suffering severe injuries.

Even the strongest, Zhao Wuji, fared no better. Though his spear blocked the blow.

After a few exchanges in the clash, he could no longer hold on. His body fell rapidly from the sky, crashing straight through a building.

"This..."

Zhu Qingyu and the others watched this scene, their faces twisting in despair.

One was at the Seventh Order.

The other at the Ninth Order, nearly approaching the Awakening Realm.

And on top of that, in terms of physique, Mutant Beasts were naturally far superior to humans.

The gap was truly too great.

They were on completely different levels.

"Roar!"

Seeing this, the Giant Wolf King's eyes revealed disappointment.

It had thought these humans were supposed to be strong.

They couldn't even withstand a single claw.

Finding it all too dull, it immediately prepared to give the order to attack Qingyang City.

"It's not over yet!"

But at that moment, Zhao Wuji leaped up again.

Spear in hand, he stood atop a building, pointing it at the Giant Wolf King. "The real battle has only just begun!"

With that.

He gripped his spear with both hands, his entire body radiating a powerful aura.

Wave after wave of immense strength erupted from within him.

Boom!

The next moment, Zhao Wuji bent his legs slightly. With a single stomp, he crushed the concrete rooftop beneath him and launched himself into the air again.

His speed was like a cannonball, closing in on the Giant Wolf King in an instant.

On his spear.

Streaks of light radiated forth, carrying a hint of spear intent.

This was Zhao Wuji's most powerful technique, and he was pouring all his strength into it.

"Teacher Zhao..."

Zhu Qingyu and the others watched, their fists clenched tightly.

They prayed inwardly that even if he couldn't defeat the Giant Wolf King, at least... he could make some difference?

But the Giant Wolf King's eyes now only showed a slight increase in seriousness.

Then it raised its claws again and engaged in battle.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Zhao Wuji barely held out—not even ten minutes passed.

Soon, blood sprayed from his mouth, both arms cracked, and he retreated rapidly.

But he didn't fall. He thrust his spear once more, pouring in every ounce of strength, and stubbornly blocked the attack again.

"Teacher Zhao!" Zhu Qingyu and the others shouted, faces full of worry.

They knew that if this continued, he would die.

Initial Realm, seventh tier.

He had already done more than enough.

Tears welled up in everyone's eyes at the same time.

And at that moment, in a hidden corner of Qingyang City, Lu Yuan slowly opened his eyes. Feeling another surge of powerful energy rising within him, a smile crept onto his face.

Good. The Fourth Shackle.

Successfully broken!

But the next moment, he frowned slightly.

Something was wrong. In the distance, he sensed the auras of many Mutant Beasts.