Thousands of miles away from Zhenyang City.

Zhenlian City.

This is the second largest underground city under the jurisdiction of Zhenyang Sect.

However, unlike the prosperous and bustling Zhenyang City with its flourishing flowers, it was only the hour of Hai now and the streets in Zhenlian City were already deserted. Every house had its doors closed and there was not even a candlelight.

It's like a dead city.

Only in a guest house of the City Lord's Mansion could the sounds of whipping and cursing be heard from time to time.

The whipping was severe and the cursing was loud, and could be heard from far away.

It could be heard even in the houses next to the City Lord's Mansion.

In a room, a woman held her child in her arms. The little girl looked terrified and whispered:

"Mom, the noise is so loud, will it attract monsters?"

The woman's body trembled slightly, but she still smiled at the child and said softly:

"Don't worry, the city lord and guards are here, so the monsters won't dare to come."

Having said that, the woman couldn't help but show worry and fear on her face as she listened to the constant sounds of whipping and cursing.

It has been a month, and the once bustling Zhenlian City now falls into silence every midnight.

Otherwise, it would attract the terrifying monsters that have never been seen before.

However, those people from the Western Dynasty who just moved into the City Lord's Mansion today are extremely arrogant and rude. They even dared to abuse prisoners after the hour of Hai. What should we do if they implicate us?

At this time, in the guest house of the City Lord's Mansion, the whipping and cursing were still going on.

There was blood all over the floor of a guest room.

A man in black clothes with a golden snake pattern was holding a divine whip and whipping a woman whose limbs were tied to the wall in shackles, cursing:

"Si Minglan, you are quite strong-willed, aren't you? Bite me, come on!"

He had been whipping her for nearly half an hour. There was almost no intact skin or flesh left on the woman's body. Her whole body was covered in blood, but there was no sign of pain on her face. Her charming almond-shaped eyes looked at the man coldly.

"Si Mingcheng, you are so afraid of me, but you dare not kill me. Haha, how pitiful."

Si Mingcheng was furious and whipped her again, leaving her skin torn and flesh exposed. However, Si Minglan remained expressionless and even had a sarcastic smile on her lips.

Si Mingcheng stepped forward and slapped Si Minglan in the face, causing blood to flow from the corner of her mouth and half of her face to swell up.

"Si Minglan, do you really think I dare not kill you? When we get to Zhenyang Sect, the Queen and the Sixth Prince of Zhenyang have convicted you, I will personally send you off! Don't worry, I won't let you die so easily!"

Si Minglan suddenly giggled.

Si Mingcheng grabbed her chin and said, "Don't laugh! If you laugh again, I'll cut off your tongue!"

When Si Minglan was a child, she liked to smile like this in front of him. Si Mingcheng hated seeing her so arrogant the most.

Si Minglan suddenly grew sharp teeth in her mouth and pretended to bite. Si Mingcheng was startled and quickly stepped back. Si Minglan continued to laugh:

"Si Mingcheng, do you know why I have liked to laugh at you since childhood? Because no one in the Si family has ever looked down on you, but you look down on yourself. You think everyone treats you badly, but in fact, the only one who treats you badly is you!"

"From the beginning to the end, it was you and your mother who were all self-deprecating and shameless. Tell me, if I don't laugh at people like you, who else should I laugh at?"

“Shut up!!” Veins popped out on Si Mingcheng’s forehead and he drew out his long sword with a clang.

"That's enough."

At this time, a deep and magnetic voice came from outside. Si Mingcheng had to put away his long sword, went to open the door angrily, and bowed to the middle-aged man standing outside the door:

"City Lord Xu, I'm questioning prisoners from the Western Dynasty. Is there anything wrong with that?"

This middle-aged man has a handsome appearance. Upon closer inspection, he looks somewhat like Xu Caihe. He is none other than the mayor of Zhenlian City, Xu Jiangxing.

The Western Dynasty and the Eastern Cultivation Dynasty are on par with each other. Although Si Mingcheng is only a captain of the Golden Snake Guard of the Western Palace, in terms of status, he is only half a level lower than Xu Jiangxing. Therefore, he is not afraid of the city lord.

Xu Jiangxing looked past him and looked at Si Minglan, who was covered in blood. A trace of regret and admiration flashed in his eyes, and he said to Si Mingcheng:

"Captain of the Imperial Guard, you may not know that recently Zhenlian City has been frequently harassed by monsters. These monsters move when they hear a sound and will only go to where the sound is louder. That is why Zhenlian City is now completely silent."

"Monster?"

Si Mingcheng was startled, then smiled and said:

"I've heard for a long time that City Lord Xu has good governance and that the Zhenlian City guards are very powerful. This mere monster shouldn't be so cautious, right?"

General Xu said: "Ordinary monsters are indeed not to be feared, but this monster... is of the sixth rank."

"A sixth-grade demon beast?!" Si Mingcheng's pupils shrank and his voice suddenly became much softer.

Most of the monsters are below the fifth level. When they reach the fifth level, they are at the level of beast kings and can command hundreds of low-level monsters.

If one reaches the sixth level, he can control thousands of monsters, and his own strength is also extremely terrifying, with the strength of the Golden Core Realm.

In addition, he controls many monsters. Although a sixth-grade beast king is not enough to destroy Zhenlian City, it is still easy to kill Simingcheng, who is just at the peak of the foundation building stage.

"City Lord Xu, please don't exaggerate. Ever since the beast tide 20 years ago, Hongzhou Continent has never seen a demon beast above the fifth rank!"

Si Mingcheng still found it hard to believe.

Xu Jiangxing sighed: "The beast tide occurs every few decades, and each time it is shortened by a few years. By this calculation, this year should be another beast tide."

"What?!"

Si Mingcheng was horrified that the fight between cultivators was even an internal fight within the same clan.

But the beast tide is different. It is a life-and-death battle between races, and the losing side may face the desperate situation of genocide.

Even if they are not exterminated, they can only hide in the dark and survive, and give away countless resources.

Just like the monsters that have failed time and time again over the past few hundred years, the high-level beast kings were killed or hidden, and the low-level monsters became food and pets for humans.

But no matter what the outcome, every beast tide is a test of life and death for every human cultivator.

"City Lord Xu, please stop exaggerating!"

Si Mingcheng's face turned pale and his voice became even softer.

General Xu said, "This is my guess about the time of the beast tide. It may not be accurate, but it is always better to be cautious. It is late at night, why don't you go to bed early, Chief of the Guards?"

Si Mingcheng's expression changed, and he finally nodded: "Thank you, City Lord Xu, for your reminder."

After saying that, he bowed, walked out of the room and went towards his room.

Si Minglan's limbs were tied up with immortal chains that restricted her cultivation, and she was covered in wounds, so there was no need to worry about her escaping.

After Si Mingcheng left, Xu Jiangxing looked at Si Minglan in the room and instructed the attendant behind him:

"Give her something to eat and find a doctor."

After saying this, he walked out of the guest house. The attendant said behind him:

"City Lord, I just received news that the young city lord lost to a physical cultivator named He Zhiqiu in the outer sect competition."

"Young City Lord used ten swords, one of which reached the second level of the Golden Core, but failed to injure the opponent at all."

Xu Jiangxing was silent for a moment, then asked, "How did Caihe react after losing?"

"The young city lord didn't cry or make a fuss. He just quietly leaned on his sword and left Danxia Peak."

Xu Jiangxing nodded: "Finally I have grown up."

"City Lord, do you want to check on He Zhiqiu?"

"No need. Right now, dealing with the sixth-grade monster is the most important thing. I have sent a message to Zhenyangshan, instructing him to be on alert throughout the city. Don't take it lightly."

"yes!"