Despair Descends? A Thunderous Arrow, the Beast King Falls!

Just a moment ago, Lu Yuan had been fully focused on refining the energy within the Three-Leaf Purple Rhyme. With his senses closed off, he had been oblivious to anything happening in the outside world. Now that the refinement was complete and his fourth shackle had been broken, he noticed that the city seemed completely different from before. There were mutant beasts—and quite a lot of them, at that. *What happened?* After a brief moment of thought, Lu Yuan pieced it together. He immediately steadied the surging power within his body and rose to his feet. With a single leap, he sprang onto a nearby high-rise and tracked the aura of the beasts, speeding ahead. Though Qingyang City was small, hundreds of thousands of people lived here. Lu Yuan had been cultivating on the western edge of the city. Even with his current speed, crossing the distance took some time. Along the way, he passed numerous collapsed buildings and houses, and much of the municipal infrastructure had been utterly destroyed. He also saw hordes of panicked civilians fleeing in terror toward the western part of the city. This confirmed his suspicion. Mutant beasts were attacking the city. In fact, it was very likely a full-blown beast tide. "All that happened in just the time it took to refine some Three-Leaf Purple Rhyme?" Frowning, Lu Yuan wasted no time pondering and pressed forward. Before long, he spotted a colossal blue, one-horned wolf towering in the distance. It looked strikingly similar to the one he had killed earlier. *** On the other side of the battlefield, Zhao Wuji, an instructor from Zhendan Academy, was still holding on with bitter determination. He was indeed formidable; both his physique and combat strength far surpassed ordinary Seventh Order Initial Realm cultivators. Yet the creature before him was a Ninth Order wolf king, perched on the very brink of the Awakening Realm. Combined with the innate, monstrous constitution of a mutant beast, it was a foe that even an Awakened of equal cultivation would struggle to withstand. *Boom!* Another massive paw crashed down. Even though Zhao Wuji had awakened a sliver of ancestral bloodline, he could no longer endure the sheer force and was slammed violently into the ground. The concrete roadway instantly caved into a massive crater. The surrounding buildings groaned under the immense shockwave, spiderweb cracks spreading rapidly across their facades as they threatened to collapse. His body had reached its absolute limit. "Instructor Zhao!" Zhu Qingyu and the others cried out, rushing forward to help him up. At this moment, Zhao Wuji was drenched in blood. Even the spear in his hands was warped and bent to the verge of snapping. Had his physique not been extraordinarily robust, his body would have broken in two during that clash. "No... this won't do," Zhao Wuji muttered, weakly shaking his head. "The reinforcements haven't arrived yet. I can't fall here." Tears welled in the eyes of the students. They opened their mouths, wanting to say something, but the words caught in their throats. Did holding out make any sense? It did. At the very least, it bought precious time. Yet what would the final outcome be? People were going to die! *Roar—!* By now, the blue One-Horned Giant Wolf King seemed to have grown bored of playing with its prey. It let out another deafening roar. All around it, the surrounding beasts stirred restlessly. With just a single command, hundreds of mutant beasts would regroup and tear into the heart of the city. And this time, unlike before, countless people would perish. "Not good." Sensing the danger, Zhao Wuji tried to force himself up, but his severe injuries stripped him of his strength, and he collapsed back to the ground. In that moment, he despised his own weakness. Why wasn't he stronger? Why hadn't he undergone one more evolution? If only he possessed greater might, their dire predicament would be so much better. "Instructor Zhao!" Qin Lan and the others cried, their eyes brimming with anguish. That Giant Wolf King was simply too terrifying. If he kept fighting, he would surely die. "Instructor Zhao, I'll fight alongside you." Zhu Qingyu suddenly spoke up, her gaze steady and resolute. "I know I'm weak, but I can still lend a hand. Even if it's only to stall for a single minute." At this critical juncture, she chose once again to step forward. "Me too!" Qin Lan and the others voiced their agreement one after another. If they had harbored any hesitation before, seeing their teacher risk everything—prepared to lay down his very life to protect the civilians—had touched them to their core. What was death? At least they would go down fighting. The remaining instructors who could still battle nodded solemnly, choosing to stand with them as well. "Good... good..." Looking at his students, all fearless in the face of death and willing to fight by his side, Zhao Wuji felt deeply moved. The beasts had besieged the city, and the situation was dire. Someone had to step forward to protect the ordinary people. Summoning the last dregs of his strength, he slowly pushed himself upright, gripped his bent spear, and looked at everyone. "Then we shall fight together, and fall together!" "Fight together, and fall together!" The crowd echoed in unison, their faces etched with fierce determination. So what if the Giant Wolf King was terrifyingly strong? So what if stepping forward only bought one more minute? Behind them lay hundreds of thousands of lives—their own compatriots. At that moment, the instructors rallied behind Zhao Wuji, while the students gathered behind Zhu Qingyu. Facing east, they stood before the vast beast tide and that towering Giant Wolf King. In comparison, they seemed infinitesimal, like specks of sand or mere ants. Yet they stood firm and unyielding, channeling every ounce of power within their bodies. *When the clash begins, I must find a way to protect them. At the very least, I must get Qingyu out safely,* Zhao Wuji thought grimly, glancing back at Zhu Qingyu. He knew very well how much the academy's upper echelon valued her. They knew a special bloodline flowed within her. Once it was fully awakened, her potential would be staggering, allowing her to embark on an even higher evolutionary path. Humanity and Huaxia would face countless crises in the days to come. It would be a catastrophic loss if she died here, so he had to ensure her survival at all costs—even if it meant sacrificing his own life. With that resolve, he exhaled a long breath of turbid air and led his students slowly forward. None of them realized, however, that from the roof of a half-ruined high-rise nearby, a pair of bright eyes was watching them closely. "People from Zhendan Academy? As steadfast as ever, I see." Lu Yuan stood atop the ruined building, a faint luminescence shimmering in his eyes. Despite the distance, he could see everything with crystal clarity and even hear every word they spoke. In his past life, when the global mutation erupted and humanity waged all-out war against the mutant beasts, there was always a group of people charging on the front lines, risking their lives without hesitation. Throughout history, Huaxia had never lacked those willing to stand tall whenever catastrophe struck. Although the authorities had not yet adapted fully to the seismic shifts of the New Era, it did not mean they were sitting idly by. Establishing Zhendan Academy to recruit and nurture the nation's Awakened was done precisely to safeguard more ordinary lives in the crises that lay ahead. Granted, the academy had only just been founded, and its foundation was not yet formidable—it couldn't even match the likes of the Wuzhou Group or Longevity Genetics. Yet Lu Yuan knew all too well that as the world shifted, Zhendan Academy would gradually step into the governing role, commanding the bulk of Huaxia's strength and housing legions of Awakened. It was for this very reason that Huaxia would manage to preserve its lineage through the unfolding disasters, standing as one of the few surviving nations in the post-mutation world. Even now, when the academy was barely a few months old, its teachers and students chose to stand in harm's way, fully aware of their shortcomings, all to make a difference. "Zhendan Academy seems to possess several rather impressive visualization and breathing methods, doesn't it? Perhaps I should pay them a visit in the future," Lu Yuan murmured to himself. This nation's history was ancient and profoundly deep. The bloodlines of ancient ancestors and the divine artifacts handed down through antiquity ensured that Huaxia would thrive in this New Era. Moreover, he knew that legendary old monsters would emerge in the future. Those figures had built up terrifying accumulations of martial skill and inner power long before the mutation. Once their ancestral bloodlines awakened, they became monstrously powerful. Inheriting ancient martial arts, they took flight like dragons in this New Era—figures like the Old Celestial Master of Mount Longhu, among others. Of course, now was not the time to ponder such things. The immediate crisis had to be handled first. Lu Yuan raised his head and locked his gaze on the blue One-Horned Giant Wolf King. Having observed for this long, how could he fail to understand what had transpired? His killing of the red giant wolf had clearly provoked this beast's fury, driving it to summon a beast tide and butcher a human city to vent its wrath. "To think an offhand action of mine would bring about such a consequence. In the future, whenever I strike, I might as well finish the job entirely," Lu Yuan muttered, rubbing his nose. He knew that even if he had done nothing, a beast tide would eventually have struck. Still, since the current rampage was connected to him, how could he simply stand by and watch? "Heaven-Shaking!" With a soft call, an ancient, primitive bow inscribed with profound, mystical patterns materialized in his grasp. It was clearly extraordinary, carved with the sun and moon at either tip and radiating faint wisps of divine light. Without hesitation, Lu Yuan grasped it firmly, fixing his gaze squarely upon the blue Giant Wolf King. He had chosen not to engage in close combat because he wanted to test the power of the Heaven-Shaking Bow. That way, he would have a better grasp of its capabilities for future battles. Of course, even against a Giant Wolf King perched on the brink of the Awakening Realm, drawing the Heaven-Shaking Bow was somewhat like using an ox cleaver to kill a chicken. "Right, I need to be careful not to unleash too much force," Lu Yuan reminded himself. If the strike proved too devastating, it might catch the people from Zhendan Academy in the crossfire. Gripping the riser with his left hand, he hooked his right fingers onto the bowstring and drew it back. *Whoosh—!* In an instant, the surrounding energy of heaven and earth converged in a wild rush, bursting into radiant flares of luminescence. The light coalesced in shimmering layers, condensing at last into a brilliant golden arrow. The Heaven-Shaking Bow: drawn, it gathered the ambient energy of heaven and earth to manifest an arrow of pure power. The arrow's destructive might was governed by the wielder's cultivation—the stronger the user, the deadlier the arrow. The moment that energy arrow took shape, an overwhelming aura radiated from Lu Yuan, causing the compromised concrete of the rooftop beneath his feet to splinter and crack once more. "Might as well add a touch of lightning to increase its piercing power and guarantee a clean kill." Reflecting that he had drawn the bow with less than twenty percent of his strength, Lu Yuan decided this extra measure would ensure absolute success. With a flick of his mind, he channeled his art. *Jade Emperor Orthodox Heavenly Thunder Art, activate!* *Rumble!* A new aura surged forth, utterly distinct from the first—this power carried the pure essence of destruction. When it came to offensive reach and explosive power, lightning was second to none. Now, Lu Yuan infused a sliver of the Heavenly Thunder Art's might into the arrow. Muffled thunder rumbled across the sky. Dark clouds began to gather, and a subtle shift rippled through the surrounding atmosphere. Naturally, Zhao Wuji, Zhu Qingyu, and the others down below failed to notice. Their focus was locked entirely onto the blue Giant Wolf King, completely oblivious to anything else in their surroundings. Every single one of them was advancing step by step, fully resigned to meeting their end. *Roar—!* Across from them, the Giant Wolf King let out a guttural roar that sounded almost like mocking laughter. In its eyes, these humans were no different from crawling ants. For such insignificant creatures to stand before it was pure suicide. Since they sought death, why shouldn't it grant their wish? The Giant Wolf King crouched slightly as azure light rippled through its dense blue fur, all converging toward the solitary horn atop its head. *Bzzzt—!* The sky-piercing horn crackled and flared with blinding light. Anyone could see that a cataclysmic attack was brewing within it. "It's completely enraged. We're done for!" Zhao Wuji's expression twisted in despair. *This is bad.* This was the Giant Wolf King's strongest attack. If it landed, none of them would survive the devastation. Beside him, Zhu Qingyu and the others felt it as well—a suffocating, terrifying force was swirling around that horn. The shadow of death loomed over everyone's heart. Faces turned pale; bodies trembled uncontrollably. No living being was immune to the fear of death. Some simply possessed the courage to overcome it. Yet when standing face-to-face with the end, mortal instinct still gripped them with raw terror. *Am I... going to die?* That single thought echoed through the minds of everyone present. Even so, none of them stepped back. Resolute, they pressed forward. *Roar—!* Feeling challenged, the Giant Wolf King roared once more, preparing to unleash its strike. *Boom—!* A shattering thunderclap suddenly split the heavens. To Zhu Qingyu and her companions, it was merely an unexpected sound. Yet the blue One-Horned Giant Wolf King violently jerked. Its fur bristled end to end, and its very soul shuddered. It felt as though it had been targeted by a presence capable of annihilating it in a single breath. Abruptly, the beast snapped its head toward the sound. Its predatory eyes dilated with unadulterated terror. *What's happening?* *Why did the Giant Wolf King stop its attack?* Down below, Zhu Qingyu and the others were dumbfounded. Just moments ago, they had steeled themselves to embrace the fatal blow, yet the beast had frozen mid-motion. Soon, they noticed the terror in the wolf king's eyes. What could possibly frighten a Beast King poised on the threshold of the Awakening Realm? Following its gaze, they turned and looked behind them toward the roof of a derelict building. There stood a young silhouette. He held a great bow in his hands, enveloped in wildly raging energy. Above his head, thunder roared as dozens of lightning bolts wove into a brilliant canopy. The glare of the lightning was so dazzling that none of them could keep their eyes open, leaving them unable to discern his features—they could tell only that he was a man. "That is... such formidable, terrifying power..." Zhao Wuji's eyes widened in sheer disbelief. The aura radiating from that figure was monstrous, far surpassing anything he had ever known. *Who is he?* The same question burned in every person's mind. Yet no answer came. Instead, the Giant Wolf King, overwhelmed by that dread presence, shuddered violently and whipped around to flee. It wanted to run. It wanted to retreat deep into the mountain forests. That human was far too terrifying—it stood no chance against him. If it stayed, it would die! "Trying to run? Too late." A faint smile touched Lu Yuan's lips atop the high-rise. Narrowing his eyes, he pulled the bowstring to its utmost limit and released his grip. *Rumble! Boom! Boom! Boom!* A colossal pillar of thunder descended from the heavens, illuminating the sky in blinding white. At the same instant, the thunderous arrow shattered the sound barrier at a speed unimaginable to mortal eyes. In a mere fraction of a second, it appeared before the Giant Wolf King and pierced cleanly through the beast's prized horn. *Bang—!* *Splatter!* A deafening explosion rang out. Before the eyes of Zhu Qingyu, Zhao Wuji, and the rest, the Giant Wolf King—the very monster that had reduced them to utter despair and helplessness—had its massive head blown apart, bursting into a shower of blood and gore. Its colossal carcass instantly ruptured, pulverized and eradicated completely by the raging storm of lightning until nothing remained. The sovereign of this entire domain, the One-Horned Giant Wolf King... Obliterated in a single shot!