Eastern Capital

Parris' pupils contracted, and she quickly retreated. She hadn't expected the native who had been attacked by both Baire and Willow to still have the strength to strike at her. By the time she reacted, it was too late. The slash left a massive wound on her abdomen, with blood dripping down to the ground. The searing pain swept through her nerves, causing her to kneel on one knee involuntarily, cold sweat dripping from her forehead.

One person, one blade, suppressing the Eastern Capital. The number one among the Seven Saints, the Mad Blade Hua Saint. At this moment, Baire and his companions deeply realized what it meant to be the top of the Seven Saints. This man might very well be the strongest on Earth.

They couldn't understand how, in just half a year of evolution, Earth could produce such a terrifying individual. Even in the Great Universe Empire, it was rare to see a cross-realm powerhouse.

The so-called cross-realm refers to those who, despite their current realm, could exhibit combat power of a higher realm. The personal terminal settings are very strict; even reaching the peak combat power of the current realm with the aid of combat skills would not necessarily display combat values of the next higher realm.

Take Baire, for example. His combat value was 3000, the peak of the Exploration Realm. Even if he used combat skills to fight against creatures of the Fusion Realm, his combat value would not exceed 3001. It was like a wall, separating the Exploration Realm from the Fusion Realm.

Only one type of person could break through this wall: a cross-realm powerhouse. Although still in the Exploration Realm, they could exhibit combat power of the Fusion Realm. Such people were called monsters. Just now, when Hua Saint raised his blade, his combat value was - 3200, the value of the Fusion Realm.

"Let's go," Baire said in a low voice, immediately soaring into the air and flying out of the Eastern Capital.

Willow and Parris, enduring their injuries, left simultaneously.

Hua Saint did not pursue them. He calmly watched as the three left. These three were not weak. Recently, other extraterrestrial students had also come to the Eastern Capital to cause trouble, but none had survived a single blow from him. He had already killed five students, yet these three managed to withstand one strike. They had the combat power of the top three saints.

Especially the short one, who was on par with him in a single strike, very impressive.

"Hua Saint," several armored vehicles appeared, one of which saw a young woman in professional attire and beautiful looks stepping out. She approached Hua Saint with concern.

Hua Saint calmly said, "Send out the order to strictly check for any unfamiliar evolutionaries. Report immediately if they look like students, but do not engage them."

"Were those you fought just now the starry sky students?" the woman asked.

Hua Saint looked at her, "Don't overthink it; no one can defeat me."

The woman, her eyes filled with admiration, nodded and promptly issued the orders to the military, executing tasks efficiently.

Outside the Eastern Capital, the three landed. Parris growled in anger, "A native! He actually hurt me! I want him dead, immediately!"

Willow wiped the blood from his mouth, "A cross-realm powerhouse among the natives, unbelievable."

Baire spoke solemnly, "Don't dwell on it. Combat values are the least reliable detection method. Victory depends on the individual and their skills."

Willow frowned, looking towards the Eastern Capital. Unreliable? Indeed, combat values were generally unreliable. Many powerful individuals didn't focus on enhancing their combat values, instead honing their skills, making them formidable. However, surpassing the current realm's combat values was different.

The Great Universe Empire had even decreed that cross-realm powerhouses could directly join the Royal Thirteen Teams, the empire's highest authority. Cross-realm powerhouses were revered, just like those with extraordinary talent. Willow had just experienced the terror of a cross-realm powerhouse; the native seemed not to have used any combat skills, just a single slash was hard for him to withstand. This was a cross-realm powerhouse.

Though Baire spoke lightly, there was an unmistakable tone of envy and jealousy. He was strong, from the Third Gravity Planet, with a combat value of 3000, the peak of the Exploration Realm. He had even defeated Fusion Realm creatures using combat skills, but it didn't matter; he still couldn't break through that barrier. The value of 3001 eluded him, trapping countless geniuses. And now, he saw it in a native.

"I won't let him go. A native dared to hurt me!" Parris was engulfed in hatred, her eyes flashing with deep resentment. "I will trigger a beast tide."

Baire's eyes narrowed but he didn't speak. Beside him, Willow agreed, "The fugitive's clues are probably hidden in the Eastern Capital. That Zhang Dingtian might know. Direct confrontation is unwise. Parris, trigger the beast tide to keep Zhang Dingtian busy outside the city. Baire and I will search for clues."

Parris nodded, licking her lips, and dashed away.

A day later, when Lu Yin and Granny arrived in Hebei, they heard that the Eastern Capital was besieged by a beast tide, with the outskirts teeming with mutant beasts and zombies.

"There are nearly ten million zombies outside the Eastern Capital. There shouldn't be a beast tide. I remember Ego mentioning that their academy's strongest, Parris, also came to the capital. Could it be her doing?" Lu Yin speculated.

Granny said, "It's possible. Blue Mountain Academy students more or less have some beast-taming techniques. As the academy's strongest, Parris must have extraordinary methods."

Lu Yin's eyes turned cold. If it was indeed her doing, she could not be spared.

"Actually, this is a good thing. A clash between the beast tide and zombie tide should leave the people inside the Eastern Capital unharmed," Granny said.

Lu Yin pondered. If Granny could think of this, Parris likely did too. Why then did she still trigger the beast tide?

Inside the Eastern Capital, soldiers ran back and forth, changing defenses. The beast and zombie tides impacted the city, causing some disruptions. Occasionally, flying mutant beasts would swoop by, eliciting gasps of alarm.

On a tall building, two figures looked out over the city. In the distance, a slash tore through the sky, severing a flying mutant beast, its blood spraying high in the air.

"That's the number one of the Seven Saints, Zhang Dingtian. Truly formidable," Gres marveled.

Beside him, Balaro said gravely, "This man's strength is above mine."

"No kidding. He's a cross-realm powerhouse. Even together, we might not be a match for him," Gres said.

Balaro clenched his green fists, "I don't need to fight him head-on. I can wear him down."

"This beast tide should have been triggered by that woman, Parris. She's vicious. She must have suffered under Zhang Dingtian's hand, or she wouldn't be this crazy, triggering such a large-scale beast tide at great cost," Gres mused.

"The beast tide will attract Zhang Dingtian, leaving the city empty. Baire and Willow might be searching for clues about the fugitive in the city," Balaro said.

Gres immediately opened his personal terminal, exclaiming, "Wow, five Exploration Realm powerhouses, one with the combat power of the Fusion Realm is Zhang Dingtian. The other four must be Baire, Willow, Urde, and Hedian. They're all here, this is going to be interesting."

Balaro's face turned serious, "Urde is here too. That's trouble. He's very strong."

Gres said, "Breaking into the Royal Court, having defeated the strongest from thirty academies, that's Urde's record. He's a bit of trouble, but no worries. What if we tip off Zhang Dingtian? What would happen?"

Balaro frowned, "Betraying our own?"

Gres rolled his eyes, "What own? We're competitors. To the Empire, we're all trial participants along with the Earthlings. There's no betrayal."

Balaro nodded, "I can manipulate plants to help hold off the beast tide, freeing Zhang Dingtian to act."

"It's settled then," Gres said happily.

Elsewhere, two figures in black robes stood in an abandoned hotel.

"Urde, I sense Balaro's presence. His plant aura is strong," one black-robed figure said, a cruel smile curling his lips.

The other black-robed figure, Urde, said solemnly, "There are seven Exploration Realm cultivators in the city, plus Parris outside. Eight in total. It's a bit troublesome but not too hard to kill. The only real problem is Zhang Dingtian. A cross-realm powerhouse among the natives, unbelievable."

"I'll handle Zhang Dingtian. I want to test this so-called cross-realm powerhouse," the black-robed figure said excitedly, lifting his head, his eyes glowing green.

On the steel city walls, Zhang Dingtian's face was stern. In the distance, the vast tide of zombies and beasts clashed like a bloody grinder, with creatures dying every second and blood energy soaring into the sky.

Zombies were weak and could be easily torn apart by mutant beasts, but their poison was potent, causing significant losses to the beasts.

Ten kilometers to the east, Parris' face was pale. She excitedly looked into the distance, "Go on, more, more. I will bury this city with the beast tide. A mere native dared to hurt me. I'll make you pay."

Parris didn't notice the cold air at her feet,

 a frosty chill spreading despite the warm weather. Still fixated on the distant battlefield, she pulled her clothes tighter. Why did it feel so cold?