The sky went silent for a fraction of a second.
Then chaos erupted.
Emergency signals flared across the city. Alarm formations activated. Bells rang from watchtowers. Messages shot through jade slips as word spread faster than wildfire.
"Enemy intrusion!"
"Unknown powerhouse entering the city!"
"The lockdown has been breached!"
Lin Mu continued forward, unhurried. Shrubby padded through the air beside him, flames licking at his mane. The twins coiled protectively near Lin Mu's shoulders, their weapons still in hand, their eyes sharp and alert.
From every direction, cultivators began to gather. Some were city guards. Some were mercenaries. Some were clearly sect members already wearing their insignias openly. None of them dared to approach too close, not after witnessing what had just happened.
Elyon scanned the surroundings, his senses stretched to their limits. "They are mobilizing quickly," he said. "Too quickly."
