Martial arts have become extinct worldwide, yet I am forced to have a large family.

Southsea City, a refuge.

"Mom, when can we go out?"

A little girl tugged at the hem of the woman's clothes and asked in a low voice.

The woman hugged her daughter tightly, forcing a smile: "Nuan Nuan, don't be afraid, we'll be out soon."

"Once those uncles and aunties outside have chased away all the monsters, Mommy will take you to buy your favorite strawberry cake, okay?"

Boom!

A loud bang came from overhead, and the entire shelter shook violently, with dust falling in a flurry.

Suppressed screams erupted from the crowd.

"Monster! The monster has broken through the gate!"

The heavy alloy door was ripped open by a tremendous force, and several ferocious-looking monsters squeezed in, greedily scanning the crowd of people huddled together.

"Everyone, evacuate to the rear passage! Quickly!"

The leading warrior shouted and charged forward with his straight sword.

He was an adopted son of the Jiang family, and had once gone to a secret realm with Yang Xian. His name was Jiang Hai.

The martial artists around him quickly formed a defensive line, keeping the demons firmly at bay.

"roar!"

Even so, a clawed monster broke through the defenses and pounced on the crowd.

Panic spread instantly, and screams erupted.

"Don't panic! Follow instructions!"

"Children and women first!"

"I'll hold them off!"

Just then, several ordinary men without any cultivation roared and rushed forward.

They were carrying fire axes, crowbars, or even just simple iron pipes.

They had no cultivation, no sophisticated equipment, only a heart dedicated to protecting their families.

With their not-so-broad shoulders, they formed a fragile human wall in front of the women, children, and the elderly.

"For my wife and kids! I'll fight these beasts to the death!"

"Come on, you son of a bitch!"

His courage is commendable, but it cannot bridge the insurmountable gap in strength.

"Pfft!"

Before the sharp claws could even utter a scream, the man at the front had his chest easily pierced by the monster's claws.

His body was lifted high, and then, amidst screams, it was cruelly torn in two.

"Jiang Yan! We can't hold this place any longer!" Jiang Hai cleaved the head of a demon with a single stroke, his eyes resolute. "I'll hold them off with the men. You take the rest of the others and escape through the backup passage at the back!"

"But you..." Jiang Yan wanted to say something more.

"Hurry!" Jiang Hai couldn't help but shout.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yan nodded with tears in her eyes, knowing that now was not the time to hesitate.

She turned around and shouted to the crowd behind her, "Everyone, follow me! Don't panic, don't fall behind!"

Jiang Hai watched as Jiang Yan led the crowd to retreat, a bloodstained smile spreading across his face.

He led the remaining Jiang family warriors, fighting and retreating, risking his life to buy every precious second for the civilians to evacuate.

Having finally escaped the shelter, they were met with a stench of rotting blood and gunpowder.

Before everyone could catch their breath, another wave of monstrous creatures surged out from the street corner, completely blocking their path.

Pursuers were in front, and ambushes were behind.

Finished!

Despair once again gripped everyone's hearts.

Just at this critical moment, a calm, low shout came.

"Form ranks!"

A well-equipped squad of city defense troops emerged from around the street corner, and the captain, leading the squad, slew a monster with a single spear thrust.

When Jiang Hai and Jiang Yan saw who it was, their faces lit up with the joy of surviving a disaster.

"Captain Mo!"

The newcomer was Mo Chou, who had also gone down into the secret realm with Yang Xian.

"So it's you." Mo Chou's face was covered in blood. He waved his hand and said, "Quick, follow us to the temporary safe point in the east!"

With this additional support, the pressure on everyone was greatly reduced.

"Jiang Hai...you're bleeding a lot." Jiang Yan supported the swaying Jiang Hai.

Jiang Hai's body trembled uncontrollably from the excruciating pain, but he still managed to stand up straight.

"I'm fine! I can manage!"

Even if you can't hold on, you have to hold on!

As long as it's not the final moment, there's always hope!

Ten years ago, Star City finally welcomed the God of War at the last moment.

Today, the same can be done in Nanhai City!

"Hurry up, more and more monsters are coming this way!" Mo Chou urged loudly.

However, the monsters are endless.

Jiang Hai's movements became slower and slower, his vision began to blur, and his body, having lost too much blood, had reached its limit.

He looked at the running crowd, then glanced at the endless tide of monsters.

He suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"Jiang Yan... I'm not leaving!"

"What nonsense are you talking about! Hurry up and follow me!" Jiang Yan anxiously turned around and pulled him.

Jiang Hai pulled a small red syringe from his pocket and plunged it into his neck without hesitation.

Blood-burning agent.

They sacrificed their lives for a brief period of peak combat power.

"Jiang Hai!" Jiang Yan screamed in disbelief.

Jiang Hai glanced at her, then charged towards the monster horde, shouting, "Survive!"

This was his last sentence to everyone.

A burst of blood-red light and crisscrossing blade energy—Jiang Hai, single-handedly, tore a gap open in the horde of demons.

But that brilliance only lasted for a fleeting moment.

After the survivors rushed across the path paved with their lives, Jiang Hai's figure completely disappeared among the monsters.

"Captain Mo, I'm counting on you from now on." Jiang Yan also took out a blood-burning serum. "That's the path Jiang Hai paved with his life; don't let it get blocked again!"

No words are needed.

The Jiang family martial artists around him exchanged glances and then took out the same potion.

At this moment, they had no other choice.

There are elderly people and children here, but they can't run fast.

The city wall has collapsed, and the Martial Saint is entangled. If they don't fight desperately, who will protect these people?

"I, Mo Chou, hereby swear that as long as I have a breath left, I will deliver them safely!" Mo Chou solemnly saluted the group.

The woman, holding her daughter Nuannuan, continued running with the crowd.

Nuan Nuan turned around and watched as Jiang Yan and the others were completely engulfed by the dark mass of demons.

Tears blurred her vision.

"Go, martial arts uncles and aunties!

------

Deep within the Jiang family compound.

The ground was trembling slightly, and the faint roars of monsters could be heard from outside.

Jiang Xingtian lay quietly on the hospital bed.

Suddenly, his fingers twitched slightly.

Jiang Hong, who was standing nearby, immediately noticed this subtle change.

He rushed to the bedside excitedly, calling out, "Dad! Dad!! Are you awake?"

The data on the instrument began to show a slight but steady fluctuation.

Jiang Xingtian's eyelids, which had been tightly closed for years, began to tremble slowly, and finally, with difficulty, he opened them a crack.

His eyes were initially somewhat dazed, as if he had not yet fully awakened from his slumber.

"Ahong..."

"Where am I...?"

Immediately afterwards, he seemed to sense something, and a sharp light suddenly shot out from his originally cloudy eyes, and an aura of power belonging to an eighth-realm Martial Saint spread out uncontrollably.

"Why is there...the aura of an eighth-level demon nearby?!"