"Finally, I'm at the surface again!"

Rushing out from the tunnel through the trapdoor leading up to the small house on the surface, Xuan Hao only let out a short exclamation of happiness before he rushed over towards the capital located just a few seconds from his current location.

"Hmph!"

The demonic cultivator following after him from behind frowned angrily upon realizing that they had reached the surface before he turned to leave in the opposite direction of the capital. No longer chasing after Xuan Hao. At this point, he already knew that his chance of dealing with Xuan Hao had been lost the moment he reached the surface and was able to get the help of Yi Min.

Other than that, there was also the giant demonic rat that was currently in the process of digging its way back up to the surface.

No matter what, the demonic cultivator had no plan to end up sandwiched between the angry giant demonic rat and Yi Min before being beaten to death to death! He was not that stupid

"Maybe the demonic rat will be able to buy me enough time"

Narrowing his eyes as he muttered this to himself, the demonic cultivator flashed an evil smile before he disappeared into one of the nearby mines. Leaving behind only the elderly Domain Lord that had been guarding the underground base at the small house.

"Elder? What are you doing here? Who was that coming out before you just now?"

Standing beside the trapdoor leading down towards the underground base with a surprised expression on his face, the Nascent Soul Realm Expert who was just about to sit down on the trapdoor to guard the entrance after getting a snack to enjoy asked the elderly Domain Lord with a surprised expression on his face.

The only thing that passed through his mind as he asked this, was the thought of that someone had infiltrated their base once again

"We don't have time, get everyone to leave the area and relocate at-"

Rumble~

Just as the elderly Domain Lord was about to order the Nascent Soul Realm Expert to leave, a loud rumbling sound came from beneath as the elderly Domain Lord instantly grabbed the Nascent Soul Realm Expert before running away.

As for the Core Formation Guards standing around the small house? He simply had no time to help them

Boom!

"Roar!"

Barely making it far enough to not be in the way of the giant demonic rat, the elderly Domain Lord did not dare stop as he continued escaping with the Nascent Soul Realm Expert in hand.

"Elder! W-what is-"

"Quiet! Or I will throw you to the giant rat!"

Not wanting to be the slightest bit distracted during the escape, the elderly Domain Lord directly threatened the scared Nascent Soul Expert.

""

Understanding that it was best he didn't say anything, the Nascent Soul Realm Expert directly shut his mouth as he could only stare back towards the giant demonic rat burst out from the ground behind them. Instantly killing all the Core Formation guards located around the small house before they even had a chance to react to what was happening.

"W-what is that?"

"A giant rat?"

"It killed all those guards!"

At the same time that the giant demonic rat violently burst out from the ground beneath the small house and killed all the guards, the surrounding miners and guards patrolling around the area also noticed the giant demonic rat that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere and killed close to a dozen people in only a few seconds.

"Everyone! Get out of here before-"

A young man standing in the way of the giant demonic rat tried to wake up the other miners from their current dazed state and get them to escape before it was too late, but his warning did not manage to get across before he was directly stomped to death by the giant demonic rat.

"Eek! Run!"

The death of the young man instantly woke up the miners who had been staring at the giant demonic rat with a dazed expression, as everyone at the surface began running in all directions. Trying their best to get away from the giant demonic rat.

Soon enough, panic spread throughout the enormous mining sector located around the capital and before long, what was happening outside began to spread into the capital itself as fear of the unknown giant demonic rat gripped the citizen of the Iron Sky Kingdom.

At the same time that the miners were running all over the place and panicking due to the sudden appearance of the giant demonic rat, Xuan Hao soon arrived at the location where Yi Min and General Guan were still busy facing off with each other.

"Yi Min!"

"Hm? Did you find the demonic cultivator?"

Seeing Xuan Hao suddenly appear outside the capital as he came rushing over, Yi Min asked with a slightly excited expression on her face. After all, if the demonic cultivator was found, she would be able to deal with him herself and General Guan would have no reason to enter the capital!

"Who is-" General Guan had not expected for a new Domain Lord to suddenly show up on the side of Yi Min, as he called out in surprise.

"Guan!"

However, General Guan had barely managed to say one word before the elderly Domain Lord came flying with a Nascent Soul Realm Expert in hand and a fearful expression on his face.

Looks like they are indeed in the same boat

Seeing how the elderly Domain Lord ran over to General Guan, Xuan Hao slightly narrowed his eyes.

"Xuan Hao, come over here quickly!"

"Hm?"

Just as Xuan Hao was thinking about what General Guan and the elderly Domain Lord were planning, Yi Min suddenly called out to him through her divine sense in a hurried tone.

Rumble~

Along with the loud sound of something large moving over in their direction, Xuan Hao instantly understood why Yi Min had called out to him, as he quickly flew over to her side.

Whoosh!

Not even a second after he had made it to her side, Xuan Hao watched as countless small runes lit up along the wall that surrounded the capital. Followed by which an enormous golden barrier manifested around the capital itself. Blocking it from the outside world.

RUMBLE!

Hearing the loud sounds coming from the distance getting closer and closer, General Guan soon saw the appearance of the giant demonic rat approaching from afar as it charged over towards them filled with killing intent.

"Wait Why is that thing here!? Wasn't it sealed? And where on earth is your damnable senior brother?!" Looking towards the elderly Domain Lord as a panicked expression made its way onto his face, General Guan asked him with an increasingly fearful voice.

"I-I don't know, I already contacted my senior brother, but he seems to be in a dangerous situation at the moment and can't come As for the seal"

Shaking his head dispiritedly upon mentioning his senior brother, the elderly Domain Lord soon turned to angrily look towards Xuan Hao standing beside Yi Min on the other side of the barrier that had covered the entire capital city.

Seeing this, General Guan instantly understood that the Domain Lord on Yi Min's side seemed to have something to do with the fact that the giant demonic rat had broken free from its seal.

At the same time, General Guan also realized that Yi Min had already used the full strength of her formation to guard the entire capital.

""

It was also at this point in time that General Guan realized his current position.

On one side, a giant demonic rat was running over filled with killing intent, while at the other side had been blocked off by Yi Min's barrier

He couldn't escape?

Realizing that Yi Min was trying to force him and his two subordinates to fight against the giant demonic rat, General Guan felt depressed.

From the cold look she was currently giving him, General Guan also knew that there was no way he would be able to convince her to help out. After all, the elderly Domain Lord was one of her enemies and her enemy had just called out to him for help

There was no way Yi Min would lend her assistance under such circumstances. Even if he was a general of the Sky Empire!

On the other hand, he would have to watch his back in case Yi Min would attempt to create an 'accident' for him during his fight

"Ahhh!"

Feeling incredibly depressed over his current state of being forced to fight, General Guan angrily roared as he took the initiative to attack the giant demonic rat rushing over towards him.

The aura around him instantly changed and became stronger, as a giant halberd appeared in General Guan's hand before he swung it down towards the approaching giant demonic rat.

Bang!

Whoosh!

Followed by the halberd hitting the giant demonic rat that had charged over, a terrifying shockwave instantly swept through the surroundings as the few people that had yet to flee into the underground tunnels below the surface were blown to piece.

Even the barrier around the capital began gently shaking upon being hit by the terrifying shockwave!

Looks like General Guan is stronger than I first thought

Looking at the scene of General Guan wielding his halberd to face the giant demonic rat from behind the barrier, Xuan Hao could not help but sigh to himself in wonder at the awesome display of strength.

Sadly for General Guan

Roar!!

The giant demonic rat had the strength of a Half-Step Soul Ascension Realm cultivator