Paris's pupils constricted, and she swiftly retreated. She hadn't expected the native, who had just been attacked by Bailey and Willow in conjunction, to still have the strength to counter-attack her. By the time she reacted, it was too late. A slash tore across, leaving a massive bloody wound on Paris's abdomen. Blood trickled from her clothes onto the ground, and intense pain surged through her nerves. Paris unconsciously fell to one knee, cold sweat beading on her forehead.
One man, one saber, suppressing the capital. The first of the Seven Saints, the Mad Blade Flower Saint. At this moment, Bailey and the other two deeply understood what being the first of the Seven Saints meant. This person was perhaps the strongest on Earth.
They couldn't comprehend how, after just half a year of evolution, Earth could produce such a terrifying figure. Even across the Great Yu Empire, it was rare to see a Locked Realm powerhouse.
The so-called Locked Realm refers to a powerhouse who can display combat power of a significantly higher realm than their current one. The personal connection system is set up quite strictly; even reaching the peak combat power of the current realm, and utilizing combat skills, one might not be able to display a combat power numerical value of a higher realm.
Like Bailey, his combat value was 3000, the peak of the Explorer Realm. But even when he used combat skills and possessed the strength to fight Fusion Realm creatures, his combat value was unlikely to reach 3001. It was like a solid wall, separating the Explorer Realm and the Fusion Realm.
Only one type of person can break through this wall: a Locked Realm powerhouse. Despite being at the Explorer Realm, they can display Fusion Realm combat strength. Such individuals are called prodigies. The moment Zhang Ding Tian raised his saber, his combat value was -- 3200, a Fusion Realm combat value.
"Go!" Bailey shouted softly, directly soaring into the sky and flying out of the capital.
Willow and Paris endured their injuries and left simultaneously.
Zhang Ding Tian did not pursue. He calmly watched the three leave. These three were not weak. Some time ago, alien disciples also came to the capital to cause trouble, but none of them could survive a single saber strike from him. He had already killed five disciples. These three were clearly able to withstand one of his saber strikes, showing the combat power of the top Three Saints.
Especially that short fellow (Bailey), his saber strike was not inferior to his own; he was extremely powerful.
"Flower Saint!" Armored vehicles appeared one after another. From one of them emerged a beautiful young woman in professional attire, who walked to Zhang Ding Tian's side and said worriedly.
Zhang Ding Tian said calmly, "Pass down the order: strictly investigate unfamiliar evolved individuals. Report immediately upon encountering evolved individuals like these disciples, and do not proactively engage them."
"Were those Starry Sky disciples the ones you just fought?" the woman asked.
Zhang Ding Tian looked at the woman, "No need to think too much. No one is my match."
The woman's eyes were filled with reverence. She nodded and gave orders to the military, acting decisively and swiftly.
Outside the capital, the three landed. Paris roared in anger, "A native! He wounded me! He actually wounded me! I want him dead, I want him dead now!"
Willow wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, "There's actually a Locked Realm powerhouse among the natives, unbelievable."
Bailey said in a deep voice, "Don't mind it. Combat value is the most unreliable means of detection. Victory and defeat still depend on the individual and combat skills."
Willow frowned, looking at the capital. Unreliable? Yes, generally speaking, combat value is indeed unreliable. Many powerhouses simply don't bother to increase their combat value, focusing entirely on combat skills. Such people are quite powerful. But breaking through the current realm's combat value is different.
The Great Yu Empire even once ordered that Locked Realm powerhouses could directly join the Thirteenth Imperial Guard, which is the empire's highest power structure. Locked Realm powerhouses, like innate talent, are highly revered. Just now, he felt the terror of a Locked Realm powerhouse. That native didn't seem to use combat skills, yet just one saber strike made it difficult for him to resist. This was a Locked Realm powerhouse.
Although Bailey spoke lightly, he couldn't hide the envy and jealousy in his voice. He was very strong, originating from a third-gravity planet, with a combat value of 3000, peak Explorer Realm. Utilizing combat skills, he had even defeated Fusion Realm creatures. But what of it? He still couldn't break through that barrier, unable to raise his combat power to 3001. That "one" had trapped countless geniuses, and now it was clearly seen on a native.
"I won't let him off! A mere native dared to injure me!" Paris was consumed by hatred, her eyes flashing with deep-seated resentment. "I'll unleash a beast tide."
Bailey's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. Beside him, Willow agreed, "The fugitive's clues must be hidden in the capital. That Zhang Ding Tian probably knows. A direct confrontation is unwise. Paris, immediately trigger a beast tide to contain Zhang Ding Tian outside the city. Bailey and I will go look for clues."
Paris nodded, licked the corner of her mouth, and rushed into the distance.
A day later, as Lu Yin and Granny arrived in Hebei, they heard that the capital had been struck by a beast tide. The entire area outside the capital was filled with mutated beasts and Zombies.
"There are nearly ten million Zombies outside the capital; a beast tide shouldn't appear. I remember Yego once said that Paris, the strongest person from Lanhshan Academy, also came to the capital. Could it be her doing?" Lu Yin speculated.
Granny said, "It's possible. Lanhshan Academy disciples more or less have some beast-controlling methods. Paris, as the strongest in the Academy, her methods are certainly not ordinary."
Lu Yin's eyes were cold. If this person was indeed responsible, she couldn't be allowed to live.
"Actually, this is a good thing. The beast tide and the corpse tide will clash. As long as the people inside the capital don't come out, they should be fine," Granny said.
Lu Yin pondered. Granny could think of this, so Paris could too. Why then would she still instigate a beast tide?
Inside the capital, countless soldiers rotated shifts. The impact of the beast tide and corpse tide had already caused some damage to the capital. Occasionally, a Sky-Flying mutated beast streaked by, causing cries of alarm.
On a high-rise building, two figures looked out over the city. In the distance, a slash streaked across the sky, severing a flying mutated beast, blood spraying in mid-air.
"That's Zhang Ding Tian, the first of the Seven Saints. Truly formidable," Gules said in surprise.
Beside him, Ballaro said solemnly, "This person's strength is above mine."
"Nonsense! He's a Locked Realm powerhouse. You and I together might not even be enough to fight him," Gules said.
Ballaro was unconvinced. He clenched his green fist, "I don't need to fight him head-on. I can wear him down to death."
"This beast tide must have been triggered by that woman, Paris. That woman is vicious. It seems she suffered a loss at Zhang Ding Tian's hands, otherwise she wouldn't go so crazy and instigate a beast tide of this scale. The price she paid must not be light," Gules mused.
"The beast tide will attract Zhang Ding Tian, leaving the city unprotected. Bailey and Willow are probably looking for clues about the fugitive inside the city," Ballaro said.
Gules immediately opened his personal communicator and exclaimed, "Wow, five Explorer Realm powerhouses! One of them, Zhang Ding Tian, has Fusion Realm combat power. The other four must be Bailey, Willow, Erde, and Heidi Ann. They've all managed to sneak in. This is going to be lively!"
Ballaro's expression grew serious, "Erde is here too. That's troublesome. This person is incredibly strong."
Gules said, "Especially after entering the Martial Hall, he once defeated the strongest individuals from 30 different Academies. That's Erde's record. It's a bit troublesome, but it's fine. What do you think would happen if we leaked this information to Zhang Ding Tian?"
Ballaro frowned and said, "Betray our own kind?"
Gules rolled his eyes, "What 'our own kind'? We're competitors. Moreover, from the Empire's perspective, we and the people of Earth are all trial participants. There's no such thing as betrayal."
Ballaro nodded, "I can control plants to help withstand the beast tide, freeing up Zhang Ding Tian."
"It's decided then, happily!" Gules was overjoyed.
On the other side, two figures shrouded in black cloaks stood in an abandoned hotel.
"Erde, I sense Ballaro's aura. His plant aura is very strong," one of the cloaked figures said, a cruel curve forming at the corner of his mouth.
The other cloaked figure, Erde, said in a deep voice, "There are a total of seven Explorer Realm cultivators inside the city, plus Paris outside. This brings the total to eight Explorer Realm cultivators. It's a bit troublesome, but not too difficult to kill. The only real trouble is Zhang Ding Tian. There's actually a Locked Realm powerhouse among the natives, unbelievable."
"Leave Zhang Ding Tian to me. I want to test what a so-called Locked Realm powerhouse is truly like," the cloaked figure said excitedly, raising his head, his eyes flashing with green light.
On the steel city wall, Zhang Ding Tian's expression was grim. In the distance, the vast corpse tide and beast tide clashed, like a meat grinder. Every second, creatures died, and blood energy surged to the heavens.
Zombies were weak; they could be easily torn apart by mutated beasts' claws. However, the Zombies' toxicity was very strong, causing significant losses to the mutated beasts as well.
More than ten kilometers to the east, Paris's face was pale, and she looked into the distance with excitement. "Go, more, more! I want to bury this city with a beast tide! A mere native dared to injure me! I will make you pay a heavy price!"
Paris did not notice that cold air had appeared beneath her feet at some point. The temperature was clearly not low, but white, icy frost had appeared in the air.
Paris continued to stare at the distant battlefield, pulling her clothes tighter. Why was it a little cold?