In comparison, they finally realized how wise He Qingwei and Yan Yuchu’s earlier decisions were, and how fortunate they were to follow Han Yan.

"Do you still think it’s unlucky to follow the Young Master? If you want, you can go now," Mu Renda quietly said to Mu Chengqi.

Mu Chengqi’s face turned beet red with embarrassment, wishing he could dig a hole and hide.

"Afraid now, aren’t you? I bet on your way over here, you didn’t encounter a single noteworthy Exotic Beast," Dan Tai Xuan mocked, seeing their strange expressions, assuming that their journey had been uneventful, with no Exotic Beasts encountered.

However, he felt a bit annoyed, wondering why others had such good luck for a smooth journey, while his path was fraught with peril, as if he had forgotten to check the almanac before setting out and ended up on such a treacherous road.

"Lord Tantai, just a few hours ago we left Beiguan Town and were attacked by Exotic Beasts at night, numbering in the thousands. But do you know what the strongest Exotic Beast among them was?" He Qingzong was now wholeheartedly with Han Yan, seeing Dan Tai Xuan repeatedly mock and show no respect to Han Yan, he couldn’t help but share a sense of camaraderie and smiled as he asked.

"What Exotic Beast?" Dan Tai Xuan asked.

"Red Cloud Gold Armored Elephant," He Qingzong said proudly.

"What, Red Cloud Gold Armored Elephant, impossible!" Upon hearing that, not just Dan Tai Xuan, but the disciples of the Changsun Family and the Mo Family from the other Great Families all showed signs of disbelief.

Having battled Exotic Beasts many times along the way, they naturally understood the advantage of city defense—so long as the gates remain unbreached and the walls uncollapsed, anyone with slightly higher strength could fend off hundreds. However, the most feared enemies for the defenders are Exotic Beasts like the Red Cloud Golden Armored Beast with Innate Divine Strength that cause massive destruction to the city and also have exceedingly strong defenses. Against the destructive power of the Red Cloud Golden Armored Beast, the defending soldiers are left powerless.

Han Yan and others encountered the Red Cloud Gold Armored Elephant and managed to retreat safely, without losing a single person, and appeared unharmed—this was simply impossible.

"Why would we deceive you with such a story? I’m telling you, the Young Master not only repelled those Exotic Beasts, but also..." Although the previous achievements had nothing to do with them, they were still Han Yan’s subordinates, enduring hardships if not earning merits, and He Qingzong felt secretly proud, seeing their disbelief, he continued.

Before finishing his sentence, a desolate sound of a horn wafted in with the mountain wind, interspersed faintly with shouts of battle.

The sound seemed to be tens of miles away, and if it weren’t carried by the mountain wind, they probably wouldn’t have heard it.

From the map, it was clear that this place was still tens of miles away from Lu’an City, and evidently, Lu’an City was erupting in a fierce battle.

"Quick, head to Lu’an City immediately," Han Yan made a decisive command to He Qingzong and others. Although He Qingzong’s words were interrupted halfway, leaving some lingering thoughts, they quickly organized the troops to hasten towards Lu’an City.

Dan Tai Xuan and others also quickly set out; the task of defending Lu’an City not only affects Dan Tai Xuan’s status in the Holy Court but also the ranking of the various aristocratic families, so they dared not let Han Yan seize the advantage.

In any case, they didn’t trust He Qingzong’s words, regarding the mention of Han Yan instead of themselves as irrelevant.

The last tens of miles through the mountain was more rugged, yet everyone sprinted with all their might, and in no time, a majestic city appeared in sight.

This was Lu’an City, the vital fortress in the southwestern border of Anyun.

At this time, war flags fluttered atop the city walls, and the sound of horns echoed as Exotic Beasts had already invaded the city; about two to three thousand soldiers were locked in mortal combat with a similar number of Exotic Beasts.

Corpses lay scattered below the city; both Exotic Beasts and humans, even standing at the foot of the hill, Han Yan could smell the heavy scent of blood in the air.

It seems the battle was nearing its end, just now the horn was the call for the final showdown.

On the open land in front of the city gate, those human soldiers were fiercely guarding the entrances to the streets, blocking the invading Exotic Beasts, preventing them from advancing into the inner city.

However, though their skills were not bad and they wore solid armor, compared to Exotic Beasts with naturally strong defenses and abundant vitality, such armor was clearly inadequate.

Under the frenzied attack of the Exotic Beasts, human soldiers fell one after another, and their formation slowly retreated, seemingly unable to hold out for much longer.

Han Yan didn’t know the situation inside the city, but judging from the bodies scattered below the city, it seemed those able to fight had mostly perished; the remaining were probably the old, weak, sick, and disabled. If this continued, within an hour, Lu’an City would likely fall.

"Charge!" Han Yan was the first to leap towards Lu’an City, Huayue and Zhang Chihua naturally following unwaveringly beside him; He Qingzong and Yan Yi, now wholly convinced by Han Yan, led the various aristocratic family members close behind without hesitation.

Dan Tai Xuan and the young elites from the other Five Great Families were also invigorated, launching into action simultaneously.

Though the battle inside the city was extremely fierce, they could tell that whether it was the human defenders or the Exotic Beasts, both had reached their limits, and although they had recently been through a battle themselves, they had timely taken Elixirs and mostly recovered along the way, dealing with these exhausted Exotic Beasts certainly wouldn’t be a problem. This was also a prime opportunity to earn merits and achievements—letting Han Yan’s group seize the initiative would not do.

Lu’an City had a total of four gates, two of which had been completely sealed since the Exotic Beasts’ initial attack on the city, leaving only one facing the Longyan Mountains and the other facing Anyun Country.

Seeing the dust rising in the distance, forming a rushing tide, some injured soldiers guarding the gate were first taken aback, but upon realizing it was human swordsmen and not Exotic Beasts, and seeing the flags waving above them, they erupted in joy and promptly opened the gate.

They had received news of reinforcements sent by the Eight Great Families of the Capital, eagerly awaiting day and night, finally coming in the most perilous moment.

Han Yan and his group didn’t waste time on words; once inside the city, they charged directly towards another gate.

On the open ground before the other gate, blood had long stained the earth a vivid red.

The clashes of battle resounded continuously, like a storm; the defense of the Exotic Beasts was so formidable that even the War Sword forged from Refined Steel showed jagged scars after successive strikes and finally snapped under one full-force slash, scattering frost all around.

Yet no one retreated because of this; without a Longsword, they still had fists to unleash Qi, heads, teeth, or any body part to attack the enemy. With their lives, they composed the most magnificent and tragic battle song.

But war is so cruel, and even risking their lives couldn’t stop the Exotic Beasts also trapped in madness, as sturdy figures fell, blood spreading like a spring.

The expressions in all soldiers’ eyes remained steadfast, yet despair tinged their gaze.