That was just a dream—completely unrealistic. If something like that ever happened, it would only be when he had truly reached a certain level of strength, status, and influence, something ordinary people couldn't even imagine. Only then would true talents come forward to pledge their allegiance, because he would finally be someone worth investing in—someone who could bring them power, fame, and the position they desired.
All under heaven scramble for profit.
Right now, Yi Tianxing had no capital to make others pledge loyalty to him.Why would anyone choose to serve him?
If someone were to suddenly fall to their knees and swear loyalty, he would immediately question their motives—whether their intentions were genuine or if they harbored ulterior motives.
Of course, people like Wang Dahu, Yi Tianxing would accept without hesitation.
The ancients were not like modern people. Their thoughts weren't as complicated. What they needed was simple: to survive, and to live with dignity.
This difference stemmed from the environment they were raised in. For ancient commoners, such loyalty came naturally. But if a modern person were to suddenly kneel and pledge allegiance, Yi Tianxing would never believe it without a binding contract.
Li Zhilin had not signed a contract—so he would never be trusted.
"If Elder Huang truly wishes to pledge allegiance, I actually have something that would be immensely attractive to him."Yi Tianxing took a deep breath, a flash of light passing through his eyes. He silently pondered.
After all, the thousand-plus mystical treasures he had just acquired were no joke. Even he felt like laughing out loud when he thought about them.
He took one last glance at the Luck Pool, then with a thought, his body reappeared in the hall, once again seated calmly on his chair.
Suddenly—
"Ah!! Monster bird! Run, hide!"
"That bird is huge! Get down, don't move!"
"Little Hua got taken! Quick, go find the village chief—call Mister Yi!"
"Use the bows! Shoot it! Er Gou was grabbed—hurry!!"
Screams and chaos erupted outside.
A soldier burst into the hall, panting as he said, "My lord! It's bad! A monstrous bird has descended into the valley—it's snatching people into the sky! Someone was torn apart midair!"
"No time to lose. Let's go!"Yi Tianxing's heart skipped a beat.
This was no joke. The world outside was full of dangers. No one knew what kinds of monsters roamed the area, nor what fearsome beasts were lurking. But clearly, the early stage of this apocalypse was the most dangerous—full of disasters. With the fusion of myriad worlds, beasts from other realms would find themselves in unfamiliar territory—confused, terrified, and thus far more aggressive.
It was a brutal era.
Yi Tianxing rushed out of his residence without hesitation. As soon as he stepped outside, cries of panic rang out everywhere. Civilians were lying flat on the ground, trembling.
Looking up—
A massive bird-like monster was circling the sky. Each one had wingspans stretching dozens of meters, and from beneath their fleshy wings extended deadly claws. With a single flap, they could tear a person to pieces. Their gaping maws devoured flesh and blood midair.
Yi Tianxing stepped out just in time to witness a woman being carried into the sky—only to be ripped apart midair, her blood raining down.
Hot blood on his face.A frozen heart.
Soldiers loosed arrows into the sky, but even when they reached the beasts, a single flap of those mighty wings sent out gale-force winds that knocked the arrows from the air like feathers. The attacks were utterly ineffective.
"We're too weak…" someone murmured in despair.
"Quetzalcoatlus!!"Yi Tianxing's eyes widened in shock as he cried out.
This was a prehistoric creature long extinct in the modern era—a Quetzalcoatlus, the sky's apex predator. To a human, it was the ultimate hunter. The sheer pressure from its body, the crushing wind it generated with each flap, made it nearly impossible to open one's eyes. It was a living apex of the food chain.
Even Yi Tianxing felt a headache coming on. But that quickly turned to rage.
This beast was slaughtering the villagers of Xuanhuang Village.His people.
He had just vowed to build a new home and lead them through this catastrophe. If he let this beast rampage unchecked, the unity he had just formed would collapse instantly.
Fight!!
He had to slay this creature. Right here, right now.
"It's coming back! Look out!!" someone screamed.
"Kill it!!"
Yi Tianxing quickly retrieved his collapsible composite bow from the Spirit Orb Space. With one fluid motion, he drew an arrow and pulled the string to full draw.
The arrow: made of refined steel, gleamed coldly in the light. He infused it with true qi, turning it into a deadly projectile. It screamed through the air like a thunderbolt, heading straight for the Quetzalcoatlus's chest.
As the beast dove, it nearly impaled itself on the arrow.
An apex predator like this had razor-sharp instincts. The moment Yi Tianxing released his arrow, it sensed a mortal threat. With a violent flap of its wings, it generated a gale that attempted to knock the arrow off course.
The wind slowed the arrow—but couldn't stop it. Though slightly off, the arrow still grazed its chest, slicing a bloody gash.
The Quetzalcoatlus shrieked, furious.Its eyes locked on Yi Tianxing, burning with hatred.
It flapped its wings once more—and this time, a green light shimmered across them.
New Technique: Wind Blade GaleA combination of powerful gales and razor-sharp wind blades. Over a dozen deadly wind blades shot out, shimmering with lethal light, fast as lightning.
"Everyone, scatter!!"Yi Tianxing shouted, his expression grim.
The villagers didn't need to be told twice. They fled in all directions. But the wind blades were too fast—ordinary people had no chance.
Screams erupted.Four villagers were sliced in half by the flying blades. Blood painted the dirt red.
"Damn it. Yin-Yang Eyes—Yin-Yang Locks—Suppress it!!"Yi Tianxing's eyes turned black and white, releasing divine light.
New Technique: Yin-Yang LockEight black-and-white chains emerged, glowing with spiritual energy. The sound they made as they rattled through the air struck directly at the soul.
The chains flew toward the Quetzalcoatlus as Yi Tianxing stowed away his bow and drew his war spear and Tang saber. The Divine Dragon Scripture surged through his meridians, flooding his weapons with true qi, enhancing their strength and sharpness.
"Die!!"
He caught the incoming wind blades midair. His spear clashed against them, each one sharp enough to sever steel. Without the true qi infusion, his weapons would have been cleaved in half.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
He danced with his weapons, deflecting blade after blade—but two slipped through:One cut into his thigh.One slashed across his shoulder, taking a chunk of flesh.
Even so, he endured. And then—
The Yin-Yang Locks struck.
Each chain lashed around the beast—its neck, wings, legs. Their soul-impacting rattle made the creature freeze for just an instant.
But that was all Yi Tianxing needed.
The locks snapped shut.The beast's body crashed into the earth, creating a massive crater.
"DIE!!"
Yi Tianxing flashed forward, flooding his spear with true qi. He plunged it into the Quetzalcoatlus's neck—impaling it clean through.
Blood gushed.The beast shrieked in agony.
With death approaching, it lashed out in a final frenzy. Its sharp beak darted for Yi Tianxing's head.
Even dying—It wanted to take him with it.