Ms. Diviner: The Prodigal Daughter's Return Chapter 1418: Everyone Is Shocked

Mu Hanyan understood his good intentions. Observing the Beiguan Town troops and citizens competently managing the situation, she dismissed the thought of interfering. Just as she was about to lead her people back to the City Lord’s Mansion, a deafening beast roar erupted from nearby.

Several immensely large Exotic Beasts bellowed furiously, charging towards the town’s gate. These creatures stood ten feet tall and measured twenty feet in length, their bodies protected by thick, armored plates that gleamed with a faint red-gold hue in the dimness. Though arrows imbued with qi struck their hides, they merely produced sparks and inflicted no real damage. Their heavy footfalls sent tremors through the ground, making it feel as though the entire earth was in constant upheaval.

"Red Cloud Gold Armored Elephants!" The City Lord’s face turned ashen with alarm as he identified the rapidly approaching monstrosities.

Mu Hanyan was also slightly surprised. Typically, Red Cloud Gold Armored Elephants were not considered particularly savage Exotic Beasts, nor were they notorious enough to instill widespread panic. However, this did not negate their inherent power. They resided deep within the Dragon Vein Mountain Range, seldom engaging in conflict with humans or other creatures.

In truth, with their exceptionally large physiques, innate divine strength, and the unexpected golden heavy armor for elephant-type beasts, the Red Cloud Gold Armored Elephants possessed offensive and defensive capabilities almost on par with beasts like the Fierce Stone Demons and Angry Dragon Beasts.

As the thunderous footsteps grew nearer, Mu Hanyan and her entourage finally got a clear view of the Red Cloud Gold Armored Elephants. Their long trunks, coiled around rocks the size of a person, were being swung with considerable force as they ran, directly aimed at the city gate.

"Quickly, secure the gate, hold the gate!" Amidst the palpable fear, the City Lord managed to issue loud commands to the soldiers behind him.

Swiftly, approximately a hundred soldiers converged on the city gate, with numerous civilians also joining their ranks.

Mu Hanyan’s brow furrowed. While Beiguan Town’s defenses were robust enough to fend off assaults from ordinary Exotic Beasts, they stood no chance against the charging Red Cloud Gold Armored Elephants.

"Young Master Mu, should the town eventually fall, do not concern yourself with us. Head directly for Lu’an City," the City Lord stated to Mu Hanyan, fully grasping the direness of the situation.

No sooner had he spoken than a dull thud echoed, and the entire city wall violently shuddered.

"Ah." A spray of blood accompanied the screams of several soldiers and civilians manning the wall as they tumbled down. A breach several feet wide tore through the solid fortifications.

It transpired that one of the Red Cloud Gold Armored Elephants had hurled a colossal stone towards the gate, but in doing so, had struck the wall and created the devastating opening.

Not only were the troops and civilians of Beiguan Town stunned, but even the scions of noble families from the Capital turned deathly pale. Despite having vanquished numerous beasts on their journey, encountering formidable creatures like the Red Cloud Gold Armored Elephants was an unprecedented experience.

The sheer power behind that projectile was comparable to that of a Ninth Rank Sword Master, or perhaps even a Great Sword Master. The thought of such a massive stone accidentally impacting them was simply unthinkable.

"It’s over, it’s truly over. Will we even reach Lu’an City before losing our lives?" Mu Chengqi, who had been conspicuously silent until now, voiced his despair, his face drained of color.

The others, still reeling from the initial shock, paid him little heed. Only Mu Renda shot him a disapproving glance, though he refrained from reprimanding him.

No one had anticipated facing such potent Exotic Beasts in Beiguan Town. Previously, the town's defenders had maintained an advantage primarily due to the formidable city defenses, but they were significantly outnumbered. Even with the mobilization of all capable civilians, the total number of defenders barely reached a thousand, perhaps two thousand including the civilians, while the beasts numbered in the thousands.

Once the Red Cloud Gold Armored Elephants managed to breach the city, they would be utterly overwhelmed by the sheer number of Exotic Beasts. Setting aside the civilians with their insufficient cultivation, even many among the more seasoned fighters would likely perish.

Mu Chengqi, with his Third Stage Sword Master capabilities, stood out significantly from ordinary individuals and could be considered a master. However, facing a horde of those bloodthirsty, fearless Exotic Beasts, even he would find survival an arduous challenge.

"I told you we shouldn’t have offended Dan Tai Xuan. With them, we would have had two thousand people, and we could have at least mounted some form of resistance. What do we do now? What are we going to do now?" Witnessing the Red Cloud Gold Armored Elephants preparing to swing their trunks and launch more stones at the city, Mu Chengqi’s terror rendered his legs weak. On the verge of tears, he completely disregarded Mu Chengxuan’s prior warning, quivering as he lamented.

As it happened, Mu Hanxuan was also preoccupied, her gaze fixed on the Red Cloud Gold Armored Elephants massing beneath the city ramparts, rendering her oblivious to anything said, even if she had the capacity to hear or care.

The remaining Branch Family members, their faces equally ashen with dread, remained taciturn, a silent agreement with his assessment passing between them. If Dan Tai Xuan and the others had been present, perhaps they could have mounted some semblance of a defense against the onslaught of Exotic Beasts. As it stood, however, even a coordinated charge from all five hundred of them would barely make a dent.

Casting furtive glances at Mu Hanyan, a flicker of resentment sparked within their eyes.

Drawing nearer still, the earth-shattering cadence of the Red Cloud Gold Armored Elephants’ advance resonated directly in their ears. Beyond this deafening rumble, an unnerving silence had descended upon the town.

Each soul understood the grim fate that awaited them should the city gates falter, and they were acutely aware that the gates’ integrity was a fleeting hope against the sheer might of the Red Cloud Gold Armored Elephants.

"Young Master Mu, should the city fall, you must depart without delay and make your way to Lu’an City." The City Lord, his hand already gripping his longsword, prepared himself for a final, defiant stand against the approaching horde once the gates succumbed, intending to provide a crucial window for Mu Hanyan and the others to escape.

The act of defending a city inherently possesses advantages over an assault. The defensive fortifications of Lu’an City far surpass those of Beiguan City. Despite Mu Hanyan and her companions being few in number, their combined strength could significantly bolster the defense, allowing them to contend with a much larger enemy force. Beiguan Town, with a mere few hundred soldiers and civilians, had managed to hold out until this very moment, a testament to their resilience. Engaging directly with a numerically superior force of Exotic Beasts would be an act of suicidal futility, squandering precious lives.

Behind the formidable city gates, the soldiers and civilians drew their gleaming longswords, their gazes meeting Mu Hanyan and her companions with solemn nods. Having endured generations of border conflicts, they grasped the City Lord’s sacrificial decree without question or dissent.

A sheen of moisture welled in Mu Hanyan’s eyes. Though her acquaintance with these brave soldiers and civilians was brief, the profound hope reflected in their gazes struck her with its sheer weight.

Mu Hanyan’s gaze swept across the faces of Huayue and the others, and then, with a sudden burst of motion, she leaped from the city wall. A collective cry of alarm erupted from Huayue and the others as they swiftly followed her descent.

Five figures became fleeting streaks against the skyline, vanishing from sight.

"What, they've fled? They’ve actually abandoned us and made their escape!" A wave of stunned disbelief washed over everyone, followed by the frantic cry of Mu Chengqi.

"Silence!" The City Lord’s voice boomed, a roar of furious reprimand.

Mu Chengqi flinched violently at the outburst, only now registering that while he had been spewing his accusations, every eye on the wall was fixed below, their faces etched with disbelief.

Stretching his neck to peer downwards, he finally understood the depth of his misjudgment.