For the residents of Tian'an City, this had been an ordinary day.
Yet at that moment, a melodious flute drifted over from afar.
The flute seemed to possess some strange magic, both lingering and low.
No one knew who was playing it.
Not long after the flute began, an inexplicable rumbling sound followed.
At first, the rumbling was faint, like the beating of drums.
But as time passed, it grew louder and louder, until at last it was like thunder crashing down from the heavens.
Not only did the sound resound, but even the earth seemed to tremble and shake.
The morning breeze blew gently past. For the residents of Tian'an City,
this place was far from the imperial capital, and life moved at a terrifyingly slow pace.
At this hour, aside from a scattered few who had risen, most of the residents were still asleep.
But as the commotion outside grew louder and louder, everyone lost any desire to sleep.
Xu Zimo was among them. He walked out of his room, wanting to see what exactly had happened.
"What's going on outside? Why is it so loud?"
"I don't know. It seems like the disturbance is coming from the fortress.
The people who emerged from the inn alongside Xu Zimo all began chattering at once.
"The fortress? Could something have happened over at Phoenix Perch Demonic Forest?"
"Don't talk nonsense. Ever since the fortress's defensive formation was built, how long has it been since anything went wrong?"
Countless townsfolk climbed the city wall and gazed toward the north.
To the north, dust billowed into the sky like rolling wolf-smoke.
Because of the distance, no one could see clearly.
But then, several people came running over in a panic from nearby, seemingly residents of Tian'an City.
Before the people on