168: Chapter 168 The Strange Changes in Jianghai City

"Senior Brother, what happened?"

"How is the situation now?"

Lu Zheng, who had already returned to the base, acted as if nothing had happened. When no one was paying attention, he approached his Senior Brother, Cheng Lixuan, once again.

Upon hearing his Junior Brother's voice, Cheng Lixuan hurriedly turned his head and saw him standing right before him.

He could not help but breathe a sigh of relief.

He immediately told his Junior Brother about what had just occurred, including the appearance and disappearance of The Mysterious Person.

After listening, Lu Zheng felt a weight lifted off his shoulders and could not help but exclaim.

"That is truly wonderful."

"I never expected that Jianghai City would be protected by such a powerhouse. Now, we won't have to worry about the threat from that mountain for the next half year."

"At the very least, we are safe for the next six months."

Hearing his Junior Brother Lu Zheng's words, Cheng Lixuan nodded.

"Who is to say otherwise?"

"Who could have imagined that Jianghai City still had such a powerhouse here? I estimate that this powerhouse has already achieved a Breakthrough to the Fourth Tier; otherwise, dealing with that giant snake would not have been so easy."

"The mysterious force behind them, the Heavenly Palace, is clearly unimaginably powerful. I really don't know what kind of connection Jianghai City has with that mysterious Palace Master to have had such a powerhouse sent here."

"Regardless, this Heavenly Palace is a human force, and we humans now have a glimmer of hope."

"From now on, Jianghai City might become quite lively."

"If we could establish contact with that mysterious force, the Heavenly Palace, that would truly be immense luck."

Cheng Lixuan could not help but sigh. It would be wonderful if their Baji Sect could have a connection with this mysterious Heavenly Palace force. However, he knew that this was almost impossible; how could a powerhouse of that level have any connection with their Baji Sect?

It was just something nice to think about.

"By the way, Junior Brother, the crisis has been averted."

"And you have returned safely."

"You probably don't know yet, but by a stroke of Opportunity, the Essence of the Millennium Tree Core has been found, and our Master has escaped life-threatening danger."

"It is just that he is still in a coma."

"I will take you to see Master later, and then you shouldn't stay at the base. Go back to Jianghai City first."

"Your family must be worried sick by now."

Cheng Lixuan added. He had already spread the news of Lu Zheng's death, and now that Lu Zheng had returned, he should let him resolve this misunderstanding himself.

"After you meet with your family, Master should be awake, and that will be the time for you to learn the Third Realm technique of the Baji Fist."

"We don't have much time left."

"Alright, Senior Brother."

Lu Zheng nodded. He had considered using his phone to let his family know he was safe, but there was no signal here, so he had to give up on that idea.

"Old Cheng."

A voice rang out, and Lu Zheng and Cheng Lixuan looked in the direction of the sound.

General Liu Ying was slowly walking over.

Seeing that the person approaching was General Liu Ying, a trace of surprise flashed in Lu Zheng's eyes. Why was General Liu Ying here?

However, at this moment, General Liu Ying's eyes were full of unease and worry, and he seemed restless.

"Old Liu, what is wrong?"

Cheng Lixuan asked, puzzled.

General Liu Ying looked at Cheng Lixuan, then at the youth beside him—it was Lu Zheng.

"Uncle Liu."

Lu Zheng said.

General Liu Ying nodded slowly, not paying much attention to Lu Zheng, and turned his head to look at Cheng Lixuan.

But then, he suddenly reacted and turned his head to stare intently at Lu Zheng.

"A ghost!"

With an exclamation, General Liu Ying took a few steps back, a look of shock appearing in his eyes.

He then suddenly rushed in front of Lu Zheng, looked him over carefully, and even reached out to touch him, confirming that the person before him was real.

"Didn't Old Cheng say that you died on that mountain!"

General Liu Ying said in disbelief, and Cheng Lixuan, who was standing to the side, explained for him.

"You kid, you've been hiding your true strength well!"

"You apprenticed under a Grandmaster Jiquan and, without a word, became a Tier 3 Martial Artist, even stronger than me."

"I heard you died earlier, and I, your Uncle Liu, even burned paper money for you. After I die, remember to burn some back for me."

General Liu Ying looked at the Lu Zheng before him and could not help but be shocked. It was hard to believe that the Tier 3 Martial Artist in front of him was the same little brat who used to follow him around.

"Right, I almost forgot the important matter."

General Liu Ying immediately looked at Cheng Lixuan.

"Do you know what is happening in Jianghai City right now?"

"What is happening in Jianghai City?"

Cheng Lixuan was somewhat puzzled. During this period, both he and the City Lord had focused all their attention on the mountain, so he was not aware of the situation in Jianghai City.

"Recently, more and more people have been disappearing in Jianghai City."

"This matter has already caused panic, and everyone has fallen into a state of unease. If we don't find the cause of the disappearances and locate them soon, I fear this panic will turn into a riot."

"And that is not even the most important part."

"During this time, strange monsters have been appearing in Jianghai City from time to time. It is as if these monsters appeared out of thin air, and their strength is growing increasingly stronger, making it harder and harder for our people to deal with them."

"Now, the strength of one of those monsters is already approaching the Second Tier."

"I suspect that it won't be long before the strength of those monsters breaks through to the Second Tier."

When General Liu Ying said this, a trace of worry flashed in his eyes. The strength of those monsters that appeared for no reason was growing too fast. If things continued this way, once a Tier 3 monster appeared, the entire Jianghai City would fall into complete chaos.

"It's that serious!"

Cheng Lixuan could not help but exclaim, a look of shock flashing in his eyes. The crisis at the mountain had just ended, and now there were problems within Jianghai City.

What on earth was going on?

"What I am about to say, you must remain calm."

"Alright, tell me."

General Liu Ying slowly revealed the latest discovery he had been keeping to himself.

"Our people have discovered that the monsters appearing now are actually the citizens who previously disappeared in Jianghai City."

"The biological genes of those monsters have been completely destroyed, and they look nothing like humans, so we never thought in that direction."

"However, a First Tier Evolver disappeared, and three days later, on the skull of a monster we killed that was nearly Second Tier, we found a steel plate. This steel plate was exactly the one that had been placed on the Evolver's skull after he was injured."

"What!"

Upon hearing these words, Cheng Lixuan could not control his exclamation. Beside him, Lu Zheng's eyes also showed a grave expression. The citizens who had disappeared from Jianghai City had turned into monsters within just a few short days.

Where had they gone during those few days of disappearance?

"Shh..."

"This matter must not be spoken of, or the entire Jianghai City will collapse in an instant."

General Liu Ying said.

"I need to report this matter to the City Lord immediately."

"We cannot delay any longer; this matter has escalated to the point of Jianghai City's survival."

Cheng Lixuan nodded slowly; he understood the importance of this matter better than anyone.

"Alright, I will go with you."

Cheng Lixuan said. As they prepared to go find the City Lord, both felt a sense of helplessness in their hearts, having just gone through the mountain crisis only to have this new issue arise.

"Lu Zheng, wait for me here."

Cheng Lixuan said, while General Liu Ying looked at Lu Zheng with a flash of hesitation in his eyes, then slowly said.

"Lu Zheng, there is something you don't know yet."

"Yesterday, Yu Zhengyang also disappeared."