Rain falls heavily over the ruined battlefield.
Lightning flickers and flashes across the beasts.
Instantly, a Beast King was vaporised, as well as a few dozen ordinary beasts.
The Deceptive Hawk Monarch blew away a dozen beasts with each whirlwind it kicked up.
Even a Mystical Beast King couldn't resist the force.
The Spirit continued to chase Silver Extreme, and the two of them ravaged the second tide from within.
Yet, the tide did nothing to obstruct them.
Silver Extreme whipped around to look at the beasts running past him.
Despite his dramatic entrance and the Spirit's domineering display of power, it didn't seem to bother any of the beasts.
Even for insane beasts, this behaviour was odd.
'If this doesn't work...'
Without hesitation, he abandoned his plan to attract the beast's attention.
Instead, lightning burst violently from his hands.
Pushing forth, sparks surged forth, colliding with the Spirit's body.
It screeched in pain, but charged forth nonetheless.
Strafing to the side, Silver Extreme dodged the Spirit's charge.
With its massive wingspan, it wasn't easy to manoeuvre; the Deceptive Hawk Monarch crashed into the beasts.
A dozen were crushed in an instant, chunks of meat and bone splattering across the ground.
It continued to charge through them all, rising to the sky and retreating quite a distance.
Silver Extreme chased after it like a flash of light.
Dao Art -- Duke's Call!
This Dao Art gave Silver Extreme a pale glow. Stepping on the crimson soil, he jumped high.
He took a step on the air; the sound of thunder was left behind as he shot forward.
Dao Art -- Duke's Spear!
The light surrounding his body surged forth.
Silver Extreme crashed into the Deceptive Hawk Monarch.
Light burst at the point of collision, and the sound of thunder drowned the Spirit's painful screech.
Immediately after, however, a tremendous aura rose within the Spirit.
'This is...!'
The Deceptive Hawk Monarch exploded with violent currents of wind.
They were quite high in the sky. Looking up, one would see pale whirlwinds cutting through the air.
The heavy rain was dispelled in a massive radius, only to fall after the winds had quelled.
Silver Extreme was knocked off the Spirit's massive body.
Activating his Dao Art, light covered his body, and he leapt off the air.
Again, winds were kicked up violently, pale streams charged forward.
Silver Extreme rebounded off the air time and time again.
He was agile as he dodged the streams.
The sky became their battlefield; it resembled a storm.
Intense winds and the occasional flicker of lightning, followed by loud roars and screeches.
...
Watching from afar, the Cultivators and mortal warriors were left in awe at this incredible battle.
They were merely Second Foundation and First Foundation Cultivators, as well as mortal warriors.
This display of power was something they had never seen before.
However, they couldn't afford to lose focus on their duty.
Below the storm, through the veil of rain, a dirt cloud was rushing towards them.
They could not see through the obscuration, but they received a notification from the Settlement Lord himself.
A mixed group of beasts. It was unnatural to see this in nature.
Even for insane beasts, one would expect them to ravage one another.
Regardless of their behaviour, it was clear that they were set on attacking the Settlement.
Spears and swords. Crossbows and shields. Dao Art mediums and Dao Arts.
The retaliatory forces prepared themselves for impact.
Unfortunately, due to the appearance of the Deceptive Hawk Monarch, they weren't able to follow their original plan.
Silver Extreme was supposed to take out the Beast Kings and Mystical Beast Kings.
The Spirit kept him distracted, even with the other two Third Foundation Cultivators; there were a few Beast Kings and even Mystical Beast Kings that slipped past.
One hundred meters. Fifty meters. Ten meters.
The first of the beasts reached the newly extended line of artificial obstructions.
Without sanity, some of the beasts absentmindedly charged into the trenches.
Larger beasts trampled those who couldn't move around the mounds in time.
The tightly packed soil burst apart as some of the larger beasts ran forth.
A soft, dull explosion was heard as a mound exploded.
Charging through was a Mystical Beast King, a Fire Spout Wolf.
Another collision was heard as a Beast King destroyed another mound.
A trenches were filled with writing beasts, and stepped over by the large ones.
Fierce beasts overcame the artificial obstructions, crossing them in a few mere moments.
Trepidation was building between the mortal warriors and even the Cultivators.
Stomping and the pitter-patter of the rain filled the air.
Suddenly, low drumming resounded.
The wall of ramparts began to beat with its own ferocity.
Dao Art mediums began to drum against the rain and beasts.
They were once used to discourage the sane beasts; now they serve merely to oppose the insanity.
Courage began to bloom in the hearts of the warriors, mortal and Cultivators alike.
As the first of the beasts traversed past the line of artificial obstructions, the humans did not falter.
Matching the second tide's ferocity, Warriors roared as they held their weapons and used their Dao Arts.
...
The winds never died down for a moment, nor did the lightning.
Silver Extreme fought a dozen battles with the Deceptive Hawk Monarch.
None had expressed their full power, which was odd for the Spirit.
Silver Extreme held back out of caution, but knew he couldn't drag this fight out for too long.
The people at the Settlement needed him.
He sent orders to the other two Third Foundation Cultivators to retreat and aid the retaliatory forces.
Standing still in the sky, Silver Extreme looked down upon the Spirit.
It circled the air below him, sending cautious glances.
The sudden behaviour change caused cold sweat to build on Silver Extreme's neck.
'So be it...'
Raising both of his fists, pale sparks spilt from his hands.
Heat began to build rapidly, the rain boiling around him, before vaporising entirely.
Dao Art -- Dukes...!
Before he could smash his fists down, a cold, bloody aura assaulted him from afar.
The Spirit began to retreat towards the direction of that terrifying aura.
Without the Deceptive Hawk Monarch's assault, the world stilled, and the storm cleared.
Looking down upon the source of the terrifying aura, green and black robes layered together.
Pale hair that was a white as marble. A pale complexion with markings reaching up his face.
A man stood calmly on the edge of the divot.
Silver Extreme's eyes widened as he saw this person.
"You are-!"
Suddenly, a second Spirit rose from behind the man.
Great Winged Eagle Monarch!