Glory City's recovery was swift but cautious.
Days passed in relative peace—streets bustling again, walls reinforced, and the Sacred Family's name officially struck from the records. Yet beneath the surface, unease simmered.
Ling Tian felt it first—an itch at the back of his mind. Something wasn't right.
He stood in the Hall of Records, poring over ancient scrolls, piecing together scattered intelligence from the recent battle.
A courier rushed in, breathless. "Ling Tian—urgent report!"
Ling Tian's eyes snapped up, sharp. "What is it?"
"A Dark Guild envoy was spotted… near the northern forests. With a demon beast army."
Ling Tian's stomach dropped. "How many?"
"Too many," the courier whispered. "And something… else. A masked figure—powerful. Different from anything we've seen."
Ling Tian's fist clenched, his thoughts racing. The Dark Guild is moving faster than I thought… and that masked figure… could it be one of the Deity Ranked Beasts?
That evening, he met Xiao Ning'er at their quiet spot. Her eyes met his, instantly reading his tension.
"What's wrong?" she asked softly.
He laid it out—every detail.
Her gaze hardened, hand gripping her spear. "We need to scout it ourselves."
"I thought the same," Ling Tian said grimly. "We can't afford to wait until they're at the gates."
She stepped closer, resting a hand on his chest. "We'll face it. Together."
He covered her hand with his, eyes dark with resolve. "Always."
The next morning, they set out—moving silently through the forests north of Glory City.
Hours passed in tense quiet… until Xiao Ning'er's hand shot out, stopping Ling Tian mid-step.
"There," she whispered, pointing through the trees.
Ling Tian followed her gaze—and froze.
Across a ridge, a massive demon beast camp sprawled like a living nightmare: armored beasts, Dark Guild soldiers… and at its heart, a tall figure in a black mask, radiating a terrifying, suffocating aura.
Ling Tian's blood ran cold. "That's no ordinary leader…"
As they crouched low, the masked figure suddenly turned—its piercing gaze locking onto their hiding spot from impossibly far away.
Ling Tian's heart thudded. "We've been seen—run!"
They bolted, shadows tearing after them—demon beasts crashing through the undergrowth, shrieks filling the forest.
This was no longer a scouting mission.
It was the beginning of a new war.