The city seemed to have plunged into silence for an instant, only the sound of the desperate breathing of the survivors echoing among the broken streets.

But soon the gazes rose.

In the center of the destruction, a woman in dark green robes was cutting the beasts into pieces.

Her sword traced the air in fluid movements like the wind, sharp, each strike lethal and precise.

The beasts that minutes before had crushed the wall and cultivators were now being slaughtered as if they were mere insects.

The sharp green Qi flowed around her like living wind, her presence dominating the entire city.

"She… she is from the Verdant Sword Sect." A cultivator shouted, eyes wide.

Everyone looked again at her robes, recognizing the sect's emblem on her chest.

The heart of all seemed to gain new breath.

"Her cultivation… it must be in the Core Formation realm. She is probably an elder." Another whispered, feeling the invisible pressure spreading across the battlefield.

"Then… we are safe. If she weren't nearby, we would truly all be dead."

Relief swept through the crowd. The cultivators who still resisted steadied themselves once more, attacking the smaller beasts with renewed hope.

Mai Ran, however, did not look at them. Her expression was cold, without emotion.

The gleam of her swords continued, only tearing apart the beasts, blood staining the air, the ground, and the rubble. Yet it did not even touch her clothes.

Nothing could stop her.

For many watching, she was their salvation. But for the beasts… a nightmare.

Meanwhile, not far from there, Kyrian stood before the unconscious body of the young man who had once carried the black mass.

He breathed deeply, cold sweat dripping down his forehead.

The silence did not last long.

Suddenly, a roar echoed behind Kyrian. And then, another and another.

Kyrian raised his eyes, furrowing his brows.

With the end of the black mass of hostility, the chaos had grown larger. The beasts were running everywhere without aim.

The beasts that before had focused only on one point were now spreading to all sides, free, wild, and attacking anything. Including in the direction where Kyrian stood.

He sighed.

'It has been some time since I last fought, hasn't it?' Kyrian said to himself in his mind.

Two beasts appeared, running down the shattered street, each enormous, the size of half a small house.

The pressure they emanated was oppressive, both with strength at the early stage of the Qi Liberation realm.

Their eyes burned with fury.

With roars, both opened their mouths, spitting blasts of energy that flew straight at Kyrian, destroying stone in their path.

Kyrian merely blinked.

His eyes glowed with an intense green. A great amount of Qi exploded from his dantian.

Condensing a visible slash before him of pure sword intent.

The air was torn. The attack of the two beasts was cut apart, dissolving into the air.

The slash continued its path without losing strength, slicing the bodies of the beasts in half in a single movement.

The green blade did not stop, it passed through the creatures and struck a house in the distance, which was already destroyed, collapsing into ruins.

Kyrian breathed, his eyes still glowing faintly.

"Definitely… in terms of offensive power, the Sword Eyes, together with sword intent, are the best I have."

He looked at the beasts fallen on the ground.

"For defense… there is no doubt. The Ice Eyes surpass everything, freezing attacks or creating barriers to stop anything that tries to reach me."

Then a smile escaped his lips. A bit bitter.

"And finally, the Blood Eyes… these are the most flexible. Situational. Perhaps the most dangerous…"

Kyrian clenched his fists, reflecting on himself. But before he could delve deeper, he heard soft footsteps approaching.

Kyrian turned his head.

A figure walked in his direction, passing through the blood of the dead beasts without caring.

It was Mei Ran.

She approached unhurriedly, sheathing her swords.

Her gaze first fell upon the fallen, motionless youth and then upon Kyrian.

"I have already dealt with the most powerful beasts. Now the rest is up to them." Her voice came, firm and serene.

Kyrian only nodded, keeping silent.

Mei Ran looked again at the youth fallen on the ground.

"He is the one?" She asked.

Kyrian gave a brief nod.

She thought for a moment, evaluating, and then spoke.

"Alright. Everything is done here. We will take him with us."

Kyrian did not argue, he would have done that anyway. So he slid his arm beneath the youth's body, lifting him effortlessly, and carried him to the spot where the eagle already circled down from the skies.

A whistle from Mei Ran was enough for the beast to descend, beating its heavy wings before landing.

Kyrian placed the youth on the eagle's back. Then he climbed up himself. Mei Ran did the same.

When the eagle rose into the skies again, the eyes of the city lifted to follow them.

"Thank you…!" Shouted one of the local cultivators while kneeling on the bloodstained ground.

Others also bowed in Mei Ran's direction, even without words.

They knew if that woman in green robes whose name they did not even know had not appeared, they would all be dead.

Their battle was not yet over, many smaller beasts still roamed the streets. But now there was hope. The weight of the fiercest beasts had already been lifted from their shoulders.

*************************************************

In the Verdant Sword Sect, Wu Jian had already returned, bringing with him the unconscious body of Long Xue.

Now, in the interior of the sect's central area, a group of figures gathered in a lit room.

On the bed, Long Xue remained motionless, her face pale, her hair scattered over the pillow.

Beside her, sitting on a low stool, was one of the sect elders, his eyes half-closed as his hand rested on her wrist.

The sect leader, Feng Yuan, watched in silence. His expression was grave, his arms crossed behind his back. Two other elders were present, exchanging serious looks.

For long minutes, only the sound of the wind outside filled the room.

At last, the elder examining Long Xue sighed, slowly withdrawing his hand.

"Her body… there is nothing wrong with it." He began speaking quietly.

"Her meridians are intact, her bones without fractures, and the circulation of Qi and blood is weak, but not blocked or interrupted."

He then looked at Feng Yuan, hesitating before continuing.

"She will not die."

The sect leader slightly furrowed his brows.

"But?"

The elder drew a deep breath.

"But… it seems she has suffered damage to her soul."

The instant the words left the elder's mouth, a heavy silence fell over the room.

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