Cruel

The Water Origin Turtle opened its mouth, revealing two rows of razor-sharp teeth—no one doubted they could easily snap the iron chains.

But the Water Origin Turtle did not do that. Instead, it opened its mouth and inhaled.

In an instant, with it at the center, all the water vapor in the surrounding heaven and earth seemed to erupt into chaos. A massive Water Dragon rose violently from the White Wave River, charging straight at the Chain Bridge.

"Boom!"

A thunderous crash rang out as almost all the wooden planks in the middle of the Chain Bridge were sent flying. Along with them went the crowded people on top, their screams tearing through the air as their bodies uncontrollably plunged into the river.

At that very moment, countless dark shadows surfaced in the river—some half a meter long, others two or three meters.

These shadows, dense and countless, were all Water Origin Turtles.

They watched the people falling before them and charged forward in excitement.

Soon, the river surface was stained red with blood.

Those still on the bridge, and the lucky ones who had escaped to the shore, stared blankly at the scene.

In the end, it was the survivors on the bridge who reacted first, scrambling desperately toward the shore. To save their lives, they abandoned almost all their bundles, keeping only the Spirit Stones tucked against their bodies.

Yu Dashan even saw someone, in a bid to escape, shove a companion blocking their path off the bridge.

After destroying a section of the bridge, the Water Origin Turtle did not attack again. It merely watched quietly as its offspring and descendants fed.

Even the Qi Refining Realm cultivator on the shore seemed beneath its notice.

To it, everything was as if done on a whim.

Humans hunted Demonic Beasts, and vice versa.

At its core, it was simply the law of the jungle.

And the cruelty of this world extended far beyond this one corner.

As for the Qi Refining Realm cultivator tasked with guarding the Ox Ridge Settlement, he never made a move from start to finish—not even shifting his posture—as he watched the tragedy unfold.

Only when the river fell silent did that Qi Refining Realm Water Origin Turtle lazily sink back down, casting one last 'provocative' glance at the cultivator on the shore before disappearing.

Once all the Water Origin Turtles had vanished, weeping gradually rose from the survivors on both banks.

That single strike from the Water Origin Turtle, combined with the pushing and shoving, had sent seventy or eighty people into the river—roughly a tenth of the entire group.

Worse still, most of those lost were able-bodied laborers.

For the already sparse population of Ox Ridge Settlement, this was a crippling blow.

Some families had fallen entirely into the river; others had one or two lucky survivors.

The weeping on the shore now came mostly from those who had lost their loved ones.

But more people had quietly turned their gazes toward the Qi Refining Realm cultivator, as if silently blaming him for not intervening.

The latter clearly sensed these looks. Frowning, he raised his hand and slashed out a blade-like energy, cleaving a man hiding in the crowd cleanly in two.

Blood splattered, dousing like a bucket of cold water any anger rising in their hearts, leaving only fear.

The man just slain had some small renown in Ox Ridge Settlement—he was a Fetal Movement Major Accomplishment.

Yet even a Fetal Movement Major Accomplishment, facing a Qi Refining Realm cultivator from over ten meters away, had no power to resist.

Everyone now clearly understood the difference between this Qi Refining Realm cultivator and ordinary people like themselves.

After killing the man, the cultivator flickered and returned to his carriage.

Then, a middle-aged man standing beside the carriage stepped forward and announced loudly, "Sun Hai, in his flight for life, deliberately pushed others into the river. He deserved death!"

Sun Hai was the Fetal Movement Major Accomplishment just cleaved in two.

He was also the man Yu Dashan had seen earlier, shoving the companion blocking his path off the bridge.

Clearly, Yu Dashan was not the only one who had witnessed that, so no one spoke up for him now.

Seeing this, the middle-aged man continued, "That Water Origin Turtle just now was equivalent to a mid-stage Qi Refining Realm. In the White Wave River, even a late-stage Qi Refining Realm would struggle to kill it.

The reason the lord did not act was his fear that, once battle began, it would enrage the Water Origin Turtle. Of those present, perhaps not even half would survive.

Moreover, the Chain Bridge would surely be destroyed, cutting off this route. How would the people on the other side cross? When you return to the settlement next year, do you plan to swim back?

Furthermore, if not for the lord's presence deterring it, do you think that Water Origin Turtle would have let you off so easily?

And you dare resent the lord for not saving you?

Fools!"

"I beg the lord's forgiveness—we harbor no such thoughts. To thank the lord for his life-saving grace, my Zhou Family offers five hundred Spirit Stones."

An old man, dressed noticeably differently from those around him, stepped out from the crowd and bowed respectfully toward the carriage.

This man was the head of the Zhou Family, the Insect Hunter Team.

He was also the uncle of the Zhou Family's Qi Refining Realm cultivator, who was cultivating in a Blessed Land.

Unless there was a special need—such as being sent to guard a settlement—most Qi Refining Realm cultivators stayed within the Blessed Land.

In the Blessed Land, both the cultivation environment and the variety of resources were far beyond what any settlement could offer.

Once one reached the Qi Refining Realm, the main task was cultivation. Mundane family affairs were usually handled by the family head.

"You flatter us, Zhou Family Head. Ensuring the safety of the gathering grounds is simply my lord's duty."

The middle-aged man who had called out earlier nodded lightly.

Then, the other families with some measure of strength—whether openly or covertly backed by Qi Refining Realm cultivators—one by one expressed their 'gratitude.'

They had been walking at the very front of the group, crossing the bridge early, and suffered no losses from the attack.

But people like Zhao Kun and Yu Dashan, ordinary folk, didn't even have the chance to step forward and thank them.

Though the other party had explained why that lord hadn't intervened, and on the surface no one voiced further objections, only they themselves knew what they truly felt.

The weak—even their anger was so powerless.

A single glance could bring disaster upon them.

Afterward, under the other party's direction, they dismantled the undamaged planks from the bridge's edges and laid out a narrow path, allowing those who had fled to the opposite bank and those who hadn't yet boarded to cross.

With what had just happened, those stepping onto the bridge again trembled with fear, yet dared not pause, nearly jogging all the way across.

As for fully replanking the Chain Bridge, that would have to wait until next year.

Otherwise, even if the Water Origin Turtle hadn't destroyed them now, once the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster arrived, the planks wouldn't survive anyway.

Once everyone had crossed and regrouped, they continued their advance toward the Blessed Land.

But the atmosphere was no longer what it had been.

Among Zhao Kun's group, even Zhao Jiadong trudged along with his head down.

Clearly, what had happened earlier had shaken him deeply.

Compared to him, Zhao Cuilian had shouldered her own pack again and struggled not to fall behind.

Tiezhu's Wife, leading her two children, wore only relief on her face.

If she and her children hadn't been following the Yu Family's three brothers, they wouldn't have had the right to squeeze into the middle of the procession.

Then, those who had been knocked into the river might have included them.

But if anyone was hit hardest by this incident, it was undoubtedly the Yu Family's three brothers.

Because they were different!