Capital City

Paris's pupils constricted, and she retreated rapidly. She hadn't expected the native, who was already under attack by Bailie and Willow, to still have the strength to strike at her. By the time she reacted, it was too late. The slash grazed her abdomen, leaving a massive bloody wound. Blood dripped onto the ground along her clothes. The searing pain shot through her nerves, and Paris involuntarily knelt on one knee, cold sweat beading on her forehead.

One man, one saber, suppressing the Capital City. First among the Seven Saints, Mad Blade Hua Sheng. At this moment, Bailie and the other two deeply understood what it meant to be the First of the Seven Saints. This person was perhaps the strongest on Earth.

They couldn't comprehend how Earth could produce such a terrifying figure after only half a year of evolution. Even the Great Yu Empire would struggle to produce a cross-realm expert.

The so-called cross-realm meant an expert who could display the combat power of a higher realm with their current cultivation. Personal terminals had strict settings; even if one reached the peak of their current realm's combat power, they might not be able to display a higher realm's combat value even with Battle Skills.

Take Bailie, for example. His combat value was three thousand, the peak of the Probe Realm. Yet, even if he used Battle Skills and possessed the strength to fight Integrating Realm beings, his combat value could never reach three thousand and one. It was like a wall, separating the Probe Realm from the Integrating Realm.

Only one type of person could shatter this wall: a cross-realm expert. Despite having the strength of the Probe Realm, they could display the combat power of the Integrating Realm. Such individuals were called prodigies. The moment Zhang Ding Tian raised his saber just now, his combat value was—three thousand two hundred, the combat value of the Integrating Realm.

"Go," Bailie grunted, soaring into the sky and heading towards the outskirts of the Capital City.

Willow and Paris, enduring their injuries, left simultaneously.

Zhang Ding Tian did not pursue. He calmly watched the three depart. These three were not weak. Not long ago, alien students had come to the Capital City to cause trouble, but none had survived his saber. He had already killed five students. These three, however, could withstand his strike. They possessed the combat power of the Upper Three Saints.

Especially that short one, he was evenly matched with him in a single strike, incredibly formidable.

"Hua Sheng," armored vehicles appeared one after another. From one of them emerged a beautiful young woman in professional attire. She came to Zhang Ding Tian's side, her voice laced with concern.

Zhang Ding Tian said calmly, "Pass down the order: rigorously investigate unknown Evolvers. Report any Evolvers resembling students immediately, but do not engage them proactively."

"Were those students from the Starry Sky you just fought?" the woman asked.

Zhang Ding Tian looked at the woman. "Don't overthink it. No one is my match."

The woman's gaze was filled with reverence. She nodded and issued orders to the army, acting with swift efficiency.

Outside the Capital City, the three landed. Paris let out an enraged roar, "A native! He injured me, he actually injured me! I want him dead, I want him dead immediately!"

Willow wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. "A cross-realm expert among the natives, unbelievable."

Bailie said solemnly, "Don't worry about it. Combat values are the most unreliable detection method. Victory still depends on the individual and Battle Skills."

Willow frowned, looking towards the Capital City. Unreliable? That was true. Generally speaking, combat values were indeed unreliable. Many strong individuals had no intention of increasing their combat values, focusing entirely on Battle Skills. Such people were quite powerful. However, surpassing the combat value of one's current realm was different.

The Great Yu Empire had even issued an order that cross-realm experts could directly join the Imperial Court's Thirteenth Team, the empire's highest authority. Cross-realm experts, like talents, were highly revered. He had just experienced the terror of a cross-realm expert. That native didn't seem to have used any Battle Skills; a single saber strike had left him struggling to cope. This was the power of a cross-realm expert.

Although Bailie spoke casually, the envy and jealousy in his tone were undeniable. He was strong, hailing from a third gravity planet, with a combat power of three thousand, the peak of the Probe Realm. He had even defeated Integrating Realm beings using Battle Skills, but what of it? He still couldn't break through that barrier, unable to increase his combat power to three thousand and one. That single digit had trapped countless geniuses, and now he saw it in a native.

"I won't let him go. A native dared to injure me," Paris was consumed by hatred, her eyes flashing with deep-seated animosity. "I will trigger a beast tide."

Bailie's gaze sharpened, and he remained silent. Willow, beside him, agreed, "The fugitive's clues must be hidden in the Capital City. That Zhang Ding Tian might know. A direct confrontation is unwise. Paris, immediately trigger the beast tide and keep Zhang Ding Tian occupied outside the city. Bailie and I will search for clues."

Paris nodded, licked her lips, and rushed into the distance.

A day later, when Lu Yin arrived in Hebei with Granny, he heard that the Capital City was being attacked by a beast tide. The entire area outside the Capital City was filled with Mutant Beasts and Zombies.

"There are nearly ten million zombies outside the Capital City. There shouldn't be a beast tide. I remember Ye Ge saying that their academy's strongest, Paris, also came to the Capital City. Could it be her?" Lu Yin speculated.

Granny said, "It's possible. Students from Blue Mountain Academy know some beast taming techniques to varying degrees. As the academy's strongest, Paris's techniques must be extraordinary."

Lu Yin's gaze turned cold. If it was indeed this person who made the move, she couldn't be allowed to live.

"Actually, this is a good thing. The beast tide and the zombie tide clashing. As long as the people inside the Capital City don't come out, they should be safe," Granny said.

Lu Yin pondered. If Granny could think of this, couldn't Paris also think of it? Why did she still drive the beast tide?

Inside the Capital City, countless soldiers ran on patrol. The beast tide and zombie tide clashed, impacting the Capital City to some extent. Occasionally, a Sky-Flying Level Mutant Beast would soar by, eliciting gasps.

On top of a tall building, two figures gazed at the area outside the city. In the distance, a saber slash streaked across the sky, severing a flying mutant beast. Blood sprayed into the sky.

"That's the First of the Seven Saints, Zhang Ding Tian. Truly formidable," Gu Les exclaimed.

Beside him, Balaro said grimly, "This person's strength is above mine."

"Nonsense, he's a cross-realm expert. Even if you and I combined, we might not be enough for him to fight," Gu Les retorted.

Balaro was unconvinced. He clenched his green fist. "I don't need to fight him head-on. I can wear him down to death."

"This beast tide was likely triggered by that woman, Paris. That woman is incredibly venomous. It seems she suffered a loss under Zhang Ding Tian, otherwise, she wouldn't be going mad like this, triggering such a massive beast tide. The price she paid is not small," Gu Les mused.

"The beast tide is to attract Zhang Ding Tian. With no one inside the city, Bailie and Willow might be searching for the fugitive's clues within the city," Balaro said.

Gu Les immediately opened his personal terminal and exclaimed, "Wow, five Probe Realm experts! One of them, reaching Integrating Realm combat power, is Zhang Ding Tian. The other four should be Bailie, Willow, and also Ede and Heidian. They actually managed to sneak in. This is going to be interesting."

Balaro's expression turned grim. "Ede is here too? That's troublesome. That person is incredibly strong."

Gu Les said, "He was granted special entry into Yu Tang and defeated the strongest individuals from thirty academies. That's Ede's record. It's a bit troublesome, but it's okay. What do you think would happen if we leaked this information to Zhang Ding Tian?"

Balaro frowned. "Betray our own people?"

Gu Les rolled his eyes. "What own people? We are competitors. And in the empire's eyes, we and the Earthlings are all trial participants. There's no such thing as betrayal."

Balaro nodded. "I can use plants to help hold back the beast tide, freeing up Zhang Ding Tian."

"It's a deal then!" Gu Les exclaimed joyfully.

On the other side, two figures wrapped in black robes stood in an abandoned hotel.

"Ede, I can sense Balaro's aura. His plant aura is very strong," one of the black-robed figures said, a cruel smile curving his lips.

The other black-robed figure, Ede, said solemnly, "Including us, there are seven Probe Realm cultivators in the city, plus Paris outside the city. Eight Probe Realm experts gathered here. It's troublesome, but not too difficult to kill. The only problem is Zhang Ding Tian. A cross-realm expert among the natives, unbelievable."

"Zhang Ding Tian is mine. I want to test what this so-called cross-realm expert is truly like," the black-robed figure said excitedly, looking up, his eyes flashing with green light.

On the steel city walls, Zhang Ding Tian's expression was grave. The vast zombie and beast tides clashed in the distance, like a grinding mill of flesh and blood. Creatures died every second, and the scent of blood filled the sky.

Zombies were weak, easily torn apart by the claws of mutant beasts, but their poison was potent, causing significant losses to the mutant beasts as well.

About ten kilometers to the east, Paris's face was pale, and she watched the distance with excitement. "Go, more, more! I will bury this city with the beast tide! A mere native dared to injure me, I will make you pay!"

Paris didn't notice that, at some point, a cold air had begun to emanate from beneath her feet. Despite the warm temperature, white, icy frost appeared in the air.

Paris continued to stare at the battlefield in the distance. She pulled her clothes tighter. Why was it getting a bit cold?