The Crisis Is Coming

A breeze stirred, causing Jiang Wan's hair to flutter. She pressed her red lips together, about to speak when suddenly, the heavens and earth trembled violently.

A terrifying tearing force formed in the sky above.

Jiang Wan looked up, her eyes narrowing in concern. Mr. Wei and Mr. Qiao rushed out of the villa, their faces etched with worry.

"Could a spatial rift be about to appear?" Lin Zixuan blurted out.

Jiang Wan frowned. "In the past, when space rifts appeared, there were always signs at least a day in advance. Why is this one happening so suddenly?"

The impending rift above Linzhou would be the fourth of its kind in Xia. Mr. Wei took a deep breath, his voice grave. "The situation is dire! We can't pinpoint where exactly the rift will manifest. Are we just supposed to stand by and watch Linzhou be destroyed?"

The ground shook more violently as the sky darkened.

Tang Yuxin and Wang Menglu emerged from the villa, puzzled. They had just visited Horn's room and found him sitting motionless, eyes closed, seemingly deep in cultivation. Not wanting to disturb him, they came outside to investigate the disturbance.

Suddenly, a deafening "boom" resounded from above.

Glass windows shattered, the shards scattering in the cold wind.

Horn remained unmoved on his bed, his mind focused on a trace of spiritual power he had left behind in the Immortal World. A sharp pain in his head signaled that something had gone wrong with this power, but now was a critical moment. He couldn't afford any distractions.

Meanwhile, cracks began to form on the floor of the villa.

Minutes later, a massive hole ripped open in the sky above Linzhou Immortal Martial Academy with a loud "pop."

The villa, being nearby, allowed Lin Zixuan and Mr. Wei to witness the event clearly.

"A space rift has appeared! The fourth rift in Xia is right above the academy!" Lin Zixuan exclaimed, urgency in her voice. "I have to get back to the academy immediately."

Without another word, she unleashed her half-step creation aura, leaping into the sky and speeding towards the academy.

"Zixuan, wait for me!" Jiang Wan shouted, quickly following her.

Mr. Wei and Mr. Qiao exchanged a glance before surging with energy and rushing after them.

Tang Yuxin turned to Wang Menglu. "Once Horn finishes his cultivation, with his power, he'll definitely sense what's happening at the academy. Let's get there first. We're students of Linzhou Immortal Martial Academy; we can't just stand by while it's destroyed by creatures from the rift. We need to do our part!"

Wang Menglu nodded, and the two women hurried towards the academy.

The streets were in chaos, panic spreading like wildfire.

As they arrived at the academy, they witnessed a massive dragon's head emerging from the rift. The creature's scales shimmered with a cold, dark light as it fully revealed itself—a colossal black dragon, nearly two hundred meters long.

The dragon's terrifying aura spread, pressing down on everyone below.

All the academy's cultivators who had not surpassed the Sky Control Realm were forced to their knees, unable to withstand the pressure.

Tang Yuxin and Wang Menglu gritted their teeth as they struggled to remain standing. Fortunately, Lin Zixuan and Mr. Wei arrived in time to shield them from the worst of the dragon's power.

Among them, Lin Zixuan, Mr. Wei, and Mr. Qiao were all at the half-step creation level, while Jiang Wan, despite being only at the Great Perfection of the Sky Control Realm, had combat power that rivaled a half-step creation cultivator. She resisted the dragon's pressure on her own.

Wang Menglu swallowed hard. "Dean Lin, is that a black dragon coming from the rift?"

Lin Zixuan clenched her fists. "Yes, this dragon must be from another world, just like the other beings that emerge from these rifts."

Before she could say more, the black dragon spoke in a deep, resonant voice. "Insignificant ants. You are all nothing more than food on my plate. I will devour your entire city!"

Its massive, green eyes surveyed the academy with disdain, and its oppressive aura intensified.

Pained groans echoed as most of the academy's inhabitants coughed up blood under the immense pressure.

Lin Zixuan and Mr. Wei struggled valiantly, using all their strength to protect Tang Yuxin and Wang Menglu. But even they were no match for the black dragon's might.

With a sickening sound, Jiang Wan was the first to cough up blood, quickly followed by Lin Zixuan, Mr. Wei, and Mr. Qiao.

The black dragon's power was overwhelming, far surpassing the realm of creation.

Desperation began to set in. "Is this the end for us?" Lin Zixuan thought bitterly. "Are we just waiting to die?"

In the face of this sudden crisis, it seemed no one in Linzhou could prevent their doom.

The black dragon's eyes glinted with cruel amusement. "It is an honor for you to become my meal," it sneered, preparing to swallow the lives below.

But then, a cold voice echoed in its mind. "Just a tiny insect, daring to wreak havoc on Earth? You are asking for death!"

The black dragon paused, its gaze snapping to Lin Zixuan's villa. With its extraordinary eyesight, it spotted a young man standing at a second-floor window, his expression indifferent.

It was Horn.

The voice that had just reverberated in the dragon's mind belonged to him.

Unaware of this, Lin Zixuan and the others remained trapped in despair, convinced that their end was near.

But Horn, now finished with his business, was growing impatient. A black dragon daring to cause trouble outside his home was more than he could tolerate. With a flick of his right palm, he retrieved a blue sword from his storage ring.

"This world is not for you," Horn declared coldly.

With those words, the sword in his hand transformed into a streak of blue light, hurtling through the air towards the black dragon at a speed invisible even to a Creation Realm master.