"The Divine Statue's threshold drift won't worsen now that Zhao Ji is dead. But the portion that has already drifted can't be repaired in the short term. If these Demonic Beasts reach the city walls, the statue's response will still be sluggish."
Ye Changqing said nothing. Zhou Xuan sensed that he was running calculations at lightning speed.
"What's the situation inside the city?" Zhou Xuan asked.
"Old Master Yang and Qin Keqing joined forces and cleared out most of the thirty Hideous Demons Zhao Ji detonated by crushing that Jade Slip. They're still chasing a few smaller ones."
Second Brother interjected.
"There hasn't been much unrest in the city. Lin Qingzhu reacted quickly and declared martial law across the city as soon as the Demonic Beasts exploded. All the mortals stayed huddled inside their houses."
Zhou Xuan nodded slightly.
"Ye Changqing," Zhou Xuan called again, "how much longer can the defenses outside the city hold?"
"If they're just scattered stragglers, Yang Wudi alone will be enough. But you said forty or fifty threatening ones..." Ye Changqing paused. "That depends on whether any of them are at the Spirit Transformation level."
"I already dismantled the Spirit Transformation remains down below. There won't be a second set. But there are plenty of Demonic Beasts at the Golden Core to Nascent Soul levels. Zhao Ji fed these things the resentful qi of the entire ruins for so long that their fighting strength can't be judged by normal standards."
"Understood." Ye Changqing's voice deepened. "Then you mean..."
Zhou Xuan stood atop a shattered wall in the ruins, the north wind whipping the blood-soaked half of his robe.
Everyone had been holding back these past few days.
Qin Keqing had watched the Hidden Sentry disciples bleed from their wounds and held her forces in place.