Identity Doubts, Boiling Fervor, A King of Humanity!

Although the video only showed a silhouette, that very silhouette was strikingly similar to the one in her memory. That domineering posture, that unstoppable momentum, and the release of that single arrow—Zhu Qingyu was fairly certain she was not mistaken. And yet... That person was indeed strong, but could he truly possess the power to slaughter mutated beast kings? "Qingyu, what are you muttering about?" Dean Zheng, standing nearby, overheard her and could not help but ask. "Ah, Dean, I just thought that mysterious person looked rather familiar," Zhu Qingyu said, gathering herself and voicing her thoughts. Her words instantly caused everyone in the command post to turn their heads. Looks of astonishment spread across their faces as they gathered around her. "Familiar? You mean you know him? Who is it? Do you know his name?" "What's the story, Qingyu? Where have you ever seen an existence like that?" "That's the Shackle Realm! Are you sure you didn't mistake him for someone else, Qingyu?" Everyone spoke at once, desperate to learn the mysterious figure's identity. The reason was simple: this was an existence capable of wiping out eight mutated beast kings in a matter of moments. Such a person was absolutely worth paying attention to—a true powerhouse in every sense of the word. More importantly, his actions today had undoubtedly saved all of Chang'an. He was a hero. "It seems... like Lu Yuan, but I can't be sure," Zhu Qingyu ventured, offering her guess. She also recounted what had happened back in Qingyang City, where an arrow infused with lightning had likewise been fired. Of course, it was merely her speculation, and she could not guarantee it was true. There were still differences compared to the figure in her memory. Lu Yuan? Everyone froze, then exchanged bewildered glances. That name had indeed grown louder and louder lately. The moment he appeared, he had successively offended two major factions—Wu Zhou and Changsheng—and even slain key figures, including the Southern Sovereign. At the same time, his reputation had risen to rival the likes of Winged Celestial, and following the journey to Ancient Mount Shu, he was already showing signs of surpassing them. Yet the problem was that, in their eyes, Lu Yuan's cultivation should only be in the Awakening Realm. Could he have been concealing his strength all along? But even so, wasn't this far too exaggerated? This was the Shackle Realm! Among mutated beasts, such beings could reign as kings. Among humanity, one at that realm could also be crowned a king! Commander-in-Chief Xu turned toward Dean Zheng, his gaze filled with doubt. Dean Zheng had interacted with Lu Yuan longer and knew more about him, so Xu wanted to hear his thoughts. "Well..." Dean Zheng began to speak, but he was quickly cut off. "Look! He's moving again!" the soldier monitoring the video feed called out, drawing everyone's attention. The matter of identity could wait. The crucial issue right now was still the beast tide. Even though the eight mutated beast kings were dead, that did not mean everything was over. They were intensely curious to see how the mysterious figure would deal with the rest. Besides, once it was all finished, would he pay a visit to Chang'an? If so, wouldn't his identity become clear then? Meanwhile, on the battlefield... Lu Yuan reined in his aura. The Heaven-Shaking Bow was stowed back into the Ziwu Heaven-Mending Furnace. He glanced at the carcasses of the eight Shackle Realm mutated beasts, then turned his gaze toward the beast tide. A brilliant light welled up in his eyes. Compared to the massive beasts, his stature was minuscule, yet the oppressive aura he emanated was unimaginably heavy. Coupled with the invincible, unstoppable presence he had displayed just moments ago, the tens of thousands of mutated beasts grew restless, and some even began backing away. Their instincts for sensing danger were far sharper than humans', and the human before them was simply terrifying beyond measure. Their kings had been slaughtered without mounting the slightest resistance. The sight had been far too shocking. And so, at this moment, Lu Yuan held an immense beast tide at bay with nothing more than a single glance. Yet he did nothing further, remaining where he stood and simply waving a hand. The Golden-Winged Great Peng descended immediately. Without even circling, it lowered its head slightly. It had known its master was powerful, but it had never imagined he could reach such a level. It was truly terrifying. For a moment, it even wondered whether an immortal had descended to the mortal world. "Tell them that if they swear never to invade human cities or slaughter humans from this day forth, they may return safely," Lu Yuan said. He naturally had never intended to massacre all the beasts, as there was no need. After all, a war between humans and mutated beasts did not require the utter annihilation of one side to end. The beasts at the bottom of the hierarchy were merely pawns driven by the stronger ones. Slaughter could not resolve everything. Nor did he have the time and energy to waste on it. Furthermore, whether mutated beasts or humans, both were living beings of this world; there was no need to fight to the bitter end. In the future, they would have to face a common enemy, and perhaps the two sides might even need to join forces. "Understood." Receiving the command, the Golden-Winged Great Peng flapped its wings slightly. It appeared before the beast tide. *Skre-e-e—!* A long cry rang out, vibrating the surrounding air. The mutated beasts seemed to understand. Several of the stronger ones leading the pack lowered their heads toward the peng and Lu Yuan, mimicking human bows as though expressing their gratitude. Then, turning around, they retraced their steps, heading back toward the Qinling Mountains. Seeing this, a slight smile touched Lu Yuan's lips, and he crossed his arms over his chest. Why had the beast tide retreated, even displaying an attitude of gratitude? Were they thanking him for his mercy? Perhaps in part. However, the fundamental reason was that, to the beast tide, he wielded absolute power. Humans weighed pros and cons, and mutated beast kings like the White King did the same. Yet ordinary mutated beasts could never shed the nature of a beast. Only overwhelming strength could truly compel their obedience. "Let's get ready to leave as well," Lu Yuan said, putting the matter out of his mind as he watched the beast tide disperse. "Master, the blood of Shackle Realm mutated beasts is extraordinary. Refining it offers immense benefits. Are you not going to take any with you?" the Golden-Winged Great Peng asked. Ordinary beast blood was unremarkable, but mutated beast kings like the White King were different; after multiple transformations, their blood contained vast stores of energy. For certain living beings, its effects were comparable to spiritual fruits and rare herbs, capable of spurring their evolution. "This so-called beast king blood is of no use to me," Lu Yuan replied. His foundation was profound, and he had fused with multiple divine artifacts. In a sense, his bloodline power was already exceptionally formidable, rendering ordinary substances useless to him. Moreover, mutated beast blood inherently carried bestial nature. Consuming it carelessly could even yield adverse effects on his cultivation. Of course, for other Awakened, it would be a different story. Just as the peng had said, refining its essence would indeed offer tangible benefits. Unfortunately, to Lu Yuan, it was less useful than the meat, which could at least satisfy hunger. The Golden-Winged Great Peng understood and said no more. Its situation was somewhat similar; possessing a divine-grade bloodline itself, it naturally looked down on the blood of ordinary mutated beasts. "By the way, earlier the White King mentioned that the mutated beasts are working on a grand plan. Do you know anything about that?" Lu Yuan suddenly recalled the remark and inquired immediately. "I do not know. I am an outsider, inherently different from the kin native to this world," the Golden-Winged Great Peng said, shaking its head. Had that not been the case, it too would have joined the previous beast tide. An outsider? Those words caused Lu Yuan's eyes to narrow slightly. "You mean to say you are not a creature of this world?" This was of paramount importance and carried grave implications, for before long, invaders from beyond this realm would arrive. Yet he had never anticipated that such existences were already present here. Recalling the woman Chen Song had mentioned, countless thoughts raced through Lu Yuan's mind. "Indeed. However, my inherited memories are extremely jumbled, and I do not know when I arrived here. Yet deep within my bloodline, I feel a profound affinity for this world. In short, here I have far more opportunities to evolve, and I can do so much faster." The Golden-Winged Great Peng shared everything it knew, though the details remained hazy. Perhaps otherworldly beings had descended earlier than he had imagined. The reason he had known nothing about this in his previous life was simply that his tier had been too low back then; he had lacked the qualifications to touch upon such matters. *No wonder otherworldly figures suddenly established factions during a certain period back then,* Lu Yuan pondered, realizing he was beginning to brush against deeper secrets. Still, uncovering the full truth would take time. One thing, however, was certain: a day would come when he would cross paths with those existences. "My current strength is still not enough." Shaking his head, Lu Yuan pushed the thoughts aside. With a beckoning gesture, he leaped onto the back of the Golden-Winged Great Peng. "Let's head to Shennongjia. Your serendipity awaits there. But there's no need to rush; my Martial Dao Heavenly Eye has just opened, and I still need time to adapt to it." He had acquired many things recently, and his rate of evolution had been astonishingly rapid, so he naturally needed to properly assimilate it all. In any case, that serendipity was situated right there and would not run away. Moreover, he could use this opportunity to thoroughly master the three divine abilities in his possession. As for Chang'an, now that the crisis was averted, there was little point in lingering. "Yes, Master," the Golden-Winged Great Peng answered. Spreading its wings, it surged straight into the heights of the sky, vanishing from sight. Meanwhile, in the temporary forward command post outside Chang'an... The crowd stared at the screen before them and at the departed Lu Yuan, frozen in disbelief for a long while before exchanging stunned looks. "So... the beast tide retreated, and Chang'an's crisis is resolved? Just like that?" "It seems so... but from start to finish, we didn't have to do a single thing." "A single person turning back tens of thousands of mutated beasts..." Every high-ranking official of Chang'an present was utterly astounded. They knew all too well how long they had prepared for this beast tide. They had even requested reinforcements and mobilized every ounce of strength they could muster. Yet even with all of that, they still could not guarantee Chang'an's safety. At the final juncture, they had gathered the resolve to fight to the death and brace for a brutal, catastrophic battle. Yet in the end, none of it had been needed. It felt like an impossible dream, though above all, they felt profound relief. A disaster had ended before it could even begin, without a single casualty. For everyone involved, this was an undeniable blessing. Of course, what shocked them even more was that a human could actually become powerful to such an extent. Furthermore, that person possessed a raptor mount comparable to a mutated beast king, one resembling the mythical Golden-Winged Great Peng... "Commander-in-Chief Xu, what should we do next?" Dean Zheng asked first. The beast tide was over, but there was still a series of follow-up tasks to handle. The others turned their eyes toward Xu, awaiting his decision. "Spread the news. Announce that outside Chang'an, someone stood against the beast tide, slaughtered eight mutated beast kings alone, and resolved the crisis. Upload the video to the internet as well," Commander-in-Chief Xu said, his eyes glowing. The entire nation was watching, and the citizens within the city were consumed with dread. He felt it necessary to share this good news. More importantly, everyone needed to know that humanity had a true powerhouse. With the arrival of the New Era, many people felt lost and terrified, uncertain of what lay ahead. What he needed to do was rally their spirits, for the old era had passed. This news would undoubtedly serve as a potent shot in the arm. Establishing a hero would also allow the authorities and Zhendan Academy to carry out their subsequent plans far more effectively. "What about the mysterious figure's identity?" Dean Zheng pondered aloud. They had watched the battle from beginning to end, yet they still did not know who he was. Although Zhu Qingyu had a hunch, it remained merely a guess. Furthermore, the footage was blurry; they could only see the battle, not the person's face clearly. It felt as though an essential piece was missing. "I don't think that matters," an elder said after a moment's thought. "The most important thing is to instill confidence in the people. "As for his identity, perhaps before long, we will find out anyway." His words drew nods of agreement from several people, who found them reasonable. After all, with that person's strength, if he did not wish to reveal himself, there was nothing they could do about it anyway. Perhaps he simply preferred not to expose himself. What truly mattered was the victory, which held immense significance for the entire nation. "Very well." Dean Zheng was swayed. In truth, he had no better alternative. As for whether the mysterious figure was Lu Yuan, no one raised the topic for discussion. In their eyes, the disparity in strength between the two was simply too vast; it was difficult to connect them in their minds. Soon, Commander-in-Chief Xu issued orders announcing that the battle was over and instructing everyone to withdraw into Chang'an. Simultaneously, an announcement was broadcast to the outside world: [Outside Chang'an, an incoming beast tide was intercepted by a mysterious figure who single-handedly slaughtered eight mutated beast kings, resolving the crisis facing Chang'an.] The moment this news broke, it stirred a massive uproar within the city. Many had previously harbored bleak expectations, yet before the beast tide could even draw close, it had already been resolved. What was more, only a single person had taken action. This was utterly staggering. Had the announcement not come from official channels, it would have been nearly impossible to believe. Yet after the initial shock passed, the city erupted in cheers. Beast tides were terrifying. Once one breached the walls, no one would be spared; it would be a catastrophic disaster. But now, the disaster had ended before it could begin, without a single person injured. No longer having to live in fear was truly a cause for celebration. Upon hearing the news, some wept while embracing their loved ones, while others leaped for joy. Nothing was better than surviving. Beyond Chang'an, the news swept across the land like a hurricane. The other four supercities were equally shaken, drawing the attention of countless people. Online forums buzzed with heated discussions as everyone clamored to know what had happened. Since the dawn of the New Era, this was the very first time a beast tide had ended in such a manner. The revelation was nothing short of astonishing. Soon, however, they received their answer, for the high-ranking leadership of Chang'an released the battle footage online. Though blurry, everyone could see a figure descending from the sky, landing squarely before the beast tide. Then, with an invincible demeanor, he slaughtered eight mutated beast kings in mere moments. From beginning to end, it appeared effortless—an absolute, unmitigated sweep that showcased unmatched supremacy. "Too strong! Humanity can actually evolve to such an extent?!" "Eight mutated beast kings, taken on by one person alone!" "What Five Great Sovereigns? Looking back now, our vision was far too narrow!" "Exactly! This is what a true powerhouse looks like! I declare that he is the goal I will strive toward from now on!" "In the past, we were entirely helpless before mutated beast kings, but from this day on, everything changes! Because we humans—we in Huaxia—have our own king! A King of Humanity!"