Old Rules

"All members of the Forest Goddess Temple, do your utmost to rescue local army soldiers. Rescuing and covering a hundred retreating soldiers earns one contribution point, but prioritize your own safety—don't take reckless risks. Those who are weak, return directly to Dinghai City and keep an eye on my messages."

Just as Guen was locked in fierce battle, the East Guardian finally sent word, while continuously updating everyone on the latest movements of the sea beasts.

The entire Eastsea Province was seeing sea beasts landing ashore!

The situation was dire this time. The East Guardian of the Forest Goddess Temple, one of the four grand marshals of the Imperial Council, senior elders of the Council of Elders—every powerful Fighter suppressing the Eastsea Province from each Faction had been deployed.

Humanity's final line of defense was Dinghai City, the only large city in Eastsea Province, built from the start for defense.

Historically, the times Eastsea Province had been forced to retreat and hold Dinghai City were exceedingly rare.

"Has it really come to this?"

Guen's mind stirred. Seeing that the main force had already withdrawn, he dared not linger. Besides the Four-Claw Red Crab, other sea beasts were also closing in, encircling Guen.

Guen's expression shifted.

One Four-Claw Red Crab, Guen could barely handle. If he were caught in a full encirclement, no matter how agile his Body Movement Technique, he'd have no room to maneuver.

"Guen, forget about them!"

Cal urged anxiously too.

With so many fierce beasts attacking, even the East Guardian would need some effort to break free.

Fierce beasts had too much vitality!

Even the East Guardian couldn't kill one in a single blow.

Guen turned into a bolt of lightning, soaring into the sky. The fierce beasts also rose into the air, trying to block him. Guen twisted and dodged, enduring several attacks, coughing up blood under his Flame God Armor, before narrowly escaping the encirclement. Thankfully, these beasts' flight speed was mediocre, and Guen, as a Fighter with the ability "Lightning," held the speed advantage.

Putting distance between them, Guen and Cal stood at a distance, looking back with lingering fear.

The fierce beasts roared and taunted the two—their massive bodies crashed into the crowd, each charge claiming several fresh lives, with even more human soldiers injured or crippled.

"These beasts are despicable," Cal fumed, then added consolingly, "Guen, at least we held them off for a while. The main force scattered, or the casualties would've been worse. How many escape depends on their luck."

Guen nodded coldly. "But so far, not a single person from the Council of Elders or the Imperial Council has shown up. Those bastards..."

Guen's gaze swept into the distance, laced with resentment.

Eastsea Province was an imperial province. Neither the Forest Goddess Temple nor the Crimson Moon Society could directly govern it. Only the Council of Elders and the Imperial Council, as the empire's masters, bore responsibility for the entire defense line of Eastsea Province.

Otherwise, Planetary Level Fighters like Guen, running around freely, couldn't serve as the army's anchor.

On the defense line, Fighters from the Council of Elders or the Imperial Council patrolled at set times to counter any sudden sea beast appearances. But now, Guen and Cal had been here so long without seeing a single imperial Fighter.

Just one more Planetary Level Fighter could hold off one more sea beast, saving at least hundreds of soldiers.

"Those scumbags definitely saw you here and deliberately stayed hidden," Cal said bitterly.

This wasn't the first time. Ever since Guen killed an Imperial Council Fighter, the Imperial Council had been especially hostile toward him. In any defense zone the Imperial Council was responsible for, Guen basically never ran into the patrolling Fighters, leaving the line to Guen and Cal.

The Forest Goddess Temple had Smart Watches; the Imperial Council had its own ways of passing messages.

The previous encounters with fierce beasts hadn't been severe, so Guen hadn't taken it too seriously—he and Cal were enough. But this time was different.

Just as Guen and Cal were about to withdraw, two Fighters flew over from a distance, their entire bodies except their faces wrapped in Flame God Armor.

The yellow capes on their backs were very conspicuous.

The yellow capes were embroidered with a lion king pattern, mouth slightly open as if about to roar at Heaven and Earth—the emblem of the Imperial Council.

"Sorry, brothers, we're late," one Imperial Council Fighter said with a hint of apology.

Guen and Cal only gave them a cold glance before flying straight off.

The two Imperial Council men felt a surge of silent anger, but seeing the sea beasts take notice of them, they quickly flew away too.

"That Guen, he didn't die even like this. Terrifying."

"It's just that these sea beasts are useless, couldn't kill him after all this time."

"Forget it, let's go. Just pity those poor souls."

The two Imperial Council men casually glanced at the soldiers being chased and scattered by the sea beasts, shook their heads, deliberately kept their distance, and flew toward Dinghai City in another direction.

In Dinghai City, countless soldiers covered the entire city wall like ants. In the sky, Fighters constantly flew in and out, every face grim and hurried.

Everyone looked busy, except in front of one palace, where two guards leisurely watched the distant soldiers and Fighters rushing about, completely at ease.

Just then, a gust of wind swept past the two. They immediately straightened their backs.

They were already at Apprentice Level 9 peak. Anyone they couldn't even see clearly, only feeling a gust of wind, had to be a Planetary Level Fighter—and a strong one at that.

"Oh, the East Guardian is here too." A gaunt old man glanced at the newcomer.

The East Guardian didn't even look at him, instead addressing the others present: "In the southeast, all sea beasts above Planetary Level 5, except for a few slippery ones, have been killed by me. You can send ordinary soldiers and some Planetary Level Fighters to support."

"Haha, as expected of the East Guardian. Someone, send the remaining battalions of the Second Legion, along with five battalions of the First Reserve, to the southeast to relieve the routed garrison soldiers. I'll arrange for Planetary Level Fighters to catch up with you later. Every three battalions will have at least two Planetary Level Fighters backing them up," the lord of Dinghai City announced loudly.

The lord of Dinghai City was tall, over two meters, and currently bare-chested, revealing hideous, shocking scars.

The lord walked to the center and surveyed the crowd. Everyone here was a representative of the major Factions in Eastsea Province.

The one who had spoken first was Master Hulu of the Imperial Council, a highly respected old master who was among the empire's earliest Planetary Level Fighters. A third of the Imperial Council's Planetary Level Fighters had been trained by him, including the one Guen had killed. Naturally, Master Hulu held a grudge against the East Guardian.

Besides these, the spokespeople of the Demon Hunters, Crimson Moon Society, Council of Elders, Forest Goddess Temple, and other Factions were all present. The lowest realm among them was a member of the Crimson Moon Society, only at Planetary Level 6, yet no one dared underestimate him—a Spirit Reader could be regarded as Planetary Level 7 or 8 without any issue.

"Everyone has resolved the areas under their responsibility. Only the sea beasts at the Xiang River Outlet remain unsettled. There are two peak Planetary Level sea beasts, along with a large number of high-level ones. Who will go?" the Lord of Dinghai City asked.

The East Guardian smiled and said, "City Lord, just say it directly. How we handle this, we'll accept. Those who don't go will just have to bleed some resources."

As soon as the words fell, the Demon Hunter Representative spoke in a deep voice: "I won't go. Our Demon Hunters' main base is right here, and I need to guard against a sneak attack by the sea beasts. So, I'll offer a hundred low-level beast materials, three million five hundred thousand jin of Sea Gel, and a third of the post-disaster reconstruction materials. How about that?"

The Lord of Dinghai City glanced at the Demon Hunter Representative and said in a tone that brooked no refusal, "Survey the sea charts and dive to the seabed. Your Demon Hunters must send at least one more person. After this is done, I can agree to expand your recruitment range in Eastsea Province by another twenty percent."

The Demon Hunter Representative frowned, then relaxed. "Fine. Within five days, the sea charts will be delivered."

With that, he turned and walked out.

Master Hulu said with ill intent, "Every time the sea beast tide surges, someone needs to dive down to investigate the living conditions of the seabed beasts, so we can deploy accordingly and prevent surprises. The best choice is a genius with low rank but strong combat power—less likely to alert the sea beasts, yet able to gather enough intel. Truly difficult."

"Old man, if you have something to say, just say it." The East Guardian had a vague guess.

Master Hulu chuckled coldly, staring at the East Guardian. "That little one from your Goddess Temple—at Planet First Order, he could kill another Fighter through the Flame God Armor. His strength is at least Planet Fifth Order. Isn't he the perfect candidate to dive and scout the seabed?"

The East Guardian gave a half-smile. "Indeed. Since my Goddess Temple has such talent, we should contribute our modest strength. But as per the old rule, whoever recommends must provide the reward. Diving into the sea... that's risking one's life."

The others nodded in agreement.

Low rank, strong power—only a genius could achieve cross-realm combat. Sending such a genius to scout the seabed meant that if anything went wrong, he would surely fall, with no chance of rescue.

Over time, this rule had been established: whoever recommends must offer a treasure tempting enough to make the other party willingly dive.

The Lord of Dinghai City's condition was to expand the Demon Hunters' recruitment range. The quality of warriors in Eastsea Province was the best in the empire. Even a slight expansion would be an immense boost for any Faction. Who wouldn't want the chance to recruit in Eastsea Province?

But the Demon Hunter Guild had earned this special privilege through countless blood and geniuses, holding the line in Eastsea Province for many years. Though others envied it, they could only accept.

Diving into the sea was both a danger and an opportunity for the warrior who went.

Master Hulu, however, fell silent with a frown.

The East Guardian sneered, "You want to use the sea beasts to eliminate my Goddess Temple's genius, but you're afraid he'll return safely and gain even greater rewards to soar to the sky. You think too well, Hulu!"

With the East Guardian tearing off all pretense, Master Hulu snorted in dissatisfaction before slowly saying, "Call that kid to Dinghai City. If he's willing, do you think I can't afford the price?"