The mortal was shocked,
Why would this cultivator risk his life to save this guy. Even if he is family, how many others will suffer for his decision today?
He shook his head and looked at the Avian who was now beheaded at the center of the arena.
A warmth was felt within his chest, a feeling that had been ground out of him long ago by the slavers.
This was hope.
He gripped his spear tightly and walked next to Wu Tianmo ready to fight.
"I will stand with you"
Wu Tianmo looked at this mortal with interest, just as he was about to speak a voice echoed from above.
"Benefactors, guests, what do you think of our surprise!"
Manager Qiu smirked and looked down at them, they wouldn't allow The Black Tower to lose face. If the visitors knew that this wasn't planned, their image would be ruined and the higher ups would look to him for answers.
This was his only option, the nuclear option.
He attempted to gauge the cultivation of the one who entered but was unable.
Only a fear penetrated deep into his heart.
This intruder is at least in the Meridian Opening Realm, how dare he make a fool out of the Black Tower. Want to save them? Fine. Survive the flood or pay with your life!
Manager Qiu waved his hand and two more openings revealed themselves. This time not from the edge of the arena but from the floor.
Blackwood floorboards retracted and a multitude of beast sounds escaped.
The hair on the back of the mortal's neck stood up but he didn't take a step backwards.
"They're releasing the remaining tier one beasts.."
Wu Tianmo looked to him then back towards the openings.
Across the arena the wolf laid satisfied atop a large boulder watching as a hundred tier one beasts surfaced.
Manager Qiu amplified his voice once again,
"Our dear benefactors, in recognition of our first Slaughter Festival within Heimu Village. We present to you, the tide of blood."
There were cheers yet most of the cultivators were eerily quiet.
In time, they too would have to face the tide of beasts.
All the townspeople knew of the impending beast tide, in less than a year a wave of beasts led by a fierce bull leader was expected to attack their frontier village.
While this village offered an immense opportunity for new families to rise, it was also plagued by the danger of being torn to shreds by the beasts they forced from their homes.
The flood of beasts escaping from the floor of the arena simulated what they all feared the most.
A beast tide.
The released beasts were made up of various savage beasts, ranging from lesser beasts to a single mid tier two.
The leader in this simulation, was the mid tier two wolf.
Wu Tianmo felt a warmth burning from within him, his blood began to boil and his refined Qi began to churn.
A crimson moon symbol shone upon his forehead.
"Mortal."
The middle aged mortal man looked at him confused,
"Yes?.."
"Protect my clansmen, if you do I will make sure to take you with us once we leave."
He narrowed his eyes at him,
"If he dies, so do you."
The mortal man nodded and retreated back next to the unconscious Wu Tianfeng. Ripping his own shirt and using it to bandage up Wu Tianfeng's wounds.
Wu Tianmo nodded in approval.
A loud horn blew above them,
"Begin! Release the tide!"
A scent filled the arena and the beasts eyes glowed red.
They all locked onto the three remaining humanoids on the field and charged.
The only one to keep its composure was the leader of their mixed pack, the tier two wolf.
It sat there, watching, waiting.
The beasts flooded towards Wu Tianmo like a tsunami but were cut down, clean strikes that separated beasts the size of cars in half.
Wu Tianmo walked slowly.
With each step he struck, causing an arc of crimson to be released and leaving body parts of the beasts scattered.
His hair which was once snow white, was now covered in layers of red.
His attacks had no extra movements, it was as if he was performing a perfected dance.
A dance of death.
Manager Qiu looked down in dismay,
"How... how is he that strong."
Liu Qinglan however looked at the slaughter with great desire, her eyes trailed the streams of blood leaving the beasts with each swipe of Wu Tianmo's sword.
Slowly one of her hands disappeared below and her face flushed.
Manager Qiu was oblivious to what was happening next to him only able to keep his eyes fixed on one thing.
The sword.
Its crimson aura gave off a terrifying feeling.
Wu Tianmo cut through tens of beasts and noticed something, he had a seemingly endless vitality that flowed into him.
Is this what the Meridian Opening Realm is capable of?
The blade of his weapon which was originally coated in a large crimson outer blade was starting to thin. Each swing caused its size to shrink slightly and its color grew ever fainter.
His breathing grew heavier with every strike.
Wu Tianmo frowned, he had realized it too late, this vitality wasn't endless. He had fallen into the same trap many cultivators before him had.
Drunk on his new power he didn't see the signs of his refined Qi quickly depleting.
He was powerful compared to these weak tier one beasts, but that power came from the refined Qi, which he only had so much of.
He didn't have a core to store it yet. With only one opened meridian that carried minimal refined Qi he was quickly approaching a bad situation.
Standing atop a mountain of beast corpses, he propped himself up with his sword plunged into a beast's body.
Breathing frantically.
His blade lost its thick outer shine and he was only left with the crimson edge, the one thing he could rely on even when drained of all other power.
Was his sword intent.
The mortal was stunned, looking at the mountain of bodies created by this one man.
Is this... the difference between mortals and cultivators?
A loud howl rang out within the arena causing the few remaining beasts to retreat back from where they came.
*Thud Thud Thud*
Like a drum, each step echoed from the large black furred beast sending dust and blood scattering around it.
It stopped, its eyes fixed on Wu Tianmo who was standing upon the mountain of corpses.
His exhausted body steadied as his grip on the sword tightened.
*Howl*
The beast lunged towards him eyes wide and its large black paw swiping.