Swallowing the Stars: Starting with Panlong

Chapter 97 The Day of Destruction

April 1, 10000 (Yulan Calendar)

This day was the Magnolia Festival, a once-in-ten-thousand-years event on the Magnolia Continent. The entire continent was celebrating this grand festival, and Fenlai City was especially immersed in a sea of ​​joy.

Colorful flags and wreaths adorned the streets, and lanterns lit up the doors of every house. Children, dressed in new clothes, ran and played in the streets, while adults gathered to drink and make merry, discussing the past year's harvest and their hopes for the new year. The air was filled with the aroma of freshly baked bread and mead, and the clock tower's bells tolled every hour, their melodious chimes echoing throughout the city.

Meanwhile, at the Debus family mansion in the east of the city, a grand wedding is taking place.

The Debus family is one of the wealthiest merchant families in Fenlai City, with businesses spanning the entire Holy Alliance. Today, Bernard's eldest son, Kalan, is marrying two brides—one is his childhood sweetheart, Alice, and the other is Lorraine, the daughter of a nobleman from the Luo'ao Empire.

The mansion was brightly lit and decorated, and guests thronged the area. Nobles, wealthy merchants, and celebrities from Finlay City gathered together, clinking glasses and exchanging laughter. Waiters in magnificent formal attire moved among the crowd, their trays laden with fine wines and delicacies.

Kalan stood in the center of the hall, dressed in a white suit, a happy smile on his face. He had waited a long time for this day. Alice was the girl he had admired since childhood, and now she was finally going to be his wife. And Rowling's presence added the perfect finishing touch to the wedding.

"Young Master Kalan, congratulations!"

"Master Bernard, you are truly blessed!"

The guests' congratulations rose and fell. Bernard stood beside his son, his face beaming, unable to stop smiling.

In a corner of the hall, Lin Lei stood there expressionless, holding a glass of wine in his hand, but he didn't drink it.

He hadn't planned to come, but when he received the invitation, Yale, Reno, and George happened to be at his house. They were all so excited to hear that Alice was getting married that they insisted on dragging Linley along to join in the fun.

"Hey, second brother, let's go see what it's like when your first love gets married!" Yale said with a grin.

"Yeah, yeah, Fourth Brother's right!" Renault chimed in. "Let's go see for ourselves!"

Lin Lei had no choice but to bring them along after enduring their persistent pleading.

At that moment, Yale and Reno were hiding in a corner, drinking and whispering among themselves.

"Is that Alice? She's quite beautiful." Yale's gaze fell on the bride at the front of the hall.

"What a pity, such poor judgment." Renault shook his head. "He gave up the second son and chose Kalan instead. What's so great about Kalan? She's just got some money, isn't she?"

"They are indeed wealthy," Yale said. "The Debs family owns businesses throughout the Holy Alliance."

"Even if you're rich, can you be as rich as Dawson's Chamber of Commerce?" Renault rolled his eyes.

"No, not at all." Yale chuckled.

George stood to the side, adjusted his glasses, and remained silent. But his gaze swept across the entire wedding venue, a complex expression in his eyes.

Linley didn't speak. He just stood there quietly, watching Alice walk towards Caran in her white wedding dress, watching the two exchange vows before the priest, watching them kiss.

There was no sadness or anger in his heart, only a faint, relieved peace.

The dream has long since ended.

The wedding reached its climax, with guests raising their glasses in celebration.

Just then, a terrifying "boom" sound suddenly came from outside.

The sound was not thunder, nor the roar of cannons, but—the footsteps of a giant beast.

The earth trembled, and the houses shook. Wine glasses on the table tipped over, spilling wine all over the floor. The guests looked at each other, their faces filled with terror.

"What happened?"

"What happened?"

"What's going on outside?"

Kalan and Bernard exchanged a glance, then quickly walked towards the door, wanting to go out and check the situation.

"Father, you stay inside, I'll go check on things," Kalan said.

"Let's go together." Bernard followed his son without hesitation.

The two pushed open the gate and walked out of the mansion.

Then--

A giant foot descended from the sky.

Its foot was as large as a carriage, covered in golden fur, and its sharp claws, like scimitars, gleamed coldly in the sunlight. It fell slowly, but with an irresistible and terrifying force.

"ah--"

The screams abruptly stopped.

Bernard and Caran were crushed into a bloody pulp by that giant foot. Blood and bits of flesh splattered, staining the steps of the gate red.

A huge creature swept across the mansion.

It was a purple-eyed golden-haired ape, over ten meters tall, covered in golden fur, its purple eyes filled with savagery. It exuded a terrifying aura at the Saint-level, causing all creatures around it to tremble under its oppressive power.

"ah--!"

Screams echoed throughout the mansion. Guests scattered in terror, tables and chairs overturned, dishes shattered, and chaos reigned.

"Father! Kalan!" Rowling screamed and rushed toward the door, but was held back by the maid beside her.

Alice stood there, deathly pale, completely drained, her lips trembling, her eyes filled with disbelief.

One second she was a happy bride. The next second, her husband and father-in-law were turned into a pile of minced meat.

"Go! Go quickly!" someone shouted, and the crowd began to surge towards the backyard.

Linley's expression changed as well. He grabbed Yale and Reno and ran towards the backyard.

"Bebe, protect everyone!" Lin Lei shouted.

Beibei jumped off his shoulder, its body instantly growing larger, transforming into a shadow rat the size of a calf, its sharp claws and teeth gleaming coldly in the sunlight. It stood behind the group, warily watching the purple-eyed golden-haired apes soaring through the sky.

The sacred beast merely glanced at them before continuing its flight towards the city center. It wasn't there; it was just passing through.

But just passing by took two lives.

Finlay has completely fallen.

The streets were teeming with magical beasts—from low-level wind wolves and armored lizards to high-level level nine magical beasts, and even holy-level magical beasts. They ravaged the city, devouring all living things. Houses collapsed, flames soared into the sky, and cries and screams filled the air.

Chaos reigned in the royal palace as well.

King Clyde stood in the center of a secluded courtyard, his face ashen. Gathered around him were important members of the royal family—his wives, children, and the most elite Thunder Squadron.

"The entire city of Fenlai is teeming with magical beasts; we absolutely cannot allow large groups of people to gather together," Clyde said in a low, serious voice. "That would only attract some extremely powerful magical beasts."

Many people understand this principle. A group of a few dozen people is a common sight in Fenlai City and goes unnoticed. But a group of several hundred people would likely attract the attention of level nine magical beasts, or even holy-level magical beasts, and might attack.

At this moment, attracting the attention of the monsters is the most foolish thing to do.

"Kare, you and your mother, take a Thunder Squad and set off." Clyde took out five magic crystal cards from his pocket and handed them to his eldest son. "Here are five unclaimed magic crystal cards. Remember, this is the wealth accumulated by our royal family over thousands of years!"

There are too many members of the royal family, so they have to leave in batches. Clyde doesn't want the royal family to perish, so leaving in batches increases the chances of the royal family continuing its lineage.

"Yes, Father." Kare was overjoyed. Thousands of years of accumulation—what an enormous fortune that was.

"Shaq, you, your mother, and your sister will also set off with a Thunder Squad." Clyde took out five magic crystal cards and handed them to his second son.

Both princes were secretly excited.

"Our royal family's elite are divided into three groups," Clyde said solemnly. "Kare, Shak, and my group. Whoever survives in the end, at least we can ensure our family doesn't perish. Alright, let's set off!"

"You probably won't be able to go anywhere."

A voice suddenly rang out above the palace.

Everyone's expression changed.

"Who is it! Protect His Majesty!" Caesar, the captain of the Thunder Squadron and a level nine expert, quickly stepped in front of Clyde. He looked up at the sky, his expression extremely serious.

A young man hovered in the air, dressed in a gray robe, his face cold and his gaze calm. He emanated no aura, but Caesar's intuition told him—this man was extremely dangerous.

Sanctuary.

Caesar's heart sank to the bottom. He was only a level nine warrior; facing a Saint-level expert, he had no chance of winning.

"I'm only taking one person with me; I won't harm the others. So, you don't need to do this." The man in the air suddenly disappeared.

The next second, he appeared next to Clyde.

Clyde's eyes widened and his mouth opened, but before he could even shout, the man gently patted him, and he went limp like a chick and lost consciousness.

"Your Majesty!" Caesar exclaimed in alarm, his greatsword slashing at the youth with immense force.

The greatsword hung in the air, yet it couldn't move an inch. An invisible force had bound the sword, and no matter how hard Caesar tried, he couldn't budge it.

The young man didn't even glance at Caesar, but directly picked up Clyde and took the ten magic crystal cards from Kare and Shak as well.

"Your Majesty!" Caesar roared, but he was powerless to do anything.

"My magic crystal card!" Kare and Shak were so heartbroken they almost cried, but they dared not utter a single word of dissent.

The young man, carrying Clyde, vanished from the palace in a flash.

The streets of Fenlai City are teeming with monsters.

Lin Yun carried Clyde, moving quickly through the ruins. He dared not fly—the sky was filled with Saint-level magical beasts, and even the god-level magical beast Di Lin. Although he wasn't afraid of those Saint-level magical beasts, getting entangled with them would be troublesome. Moreover, he didn't want to provoke Di Lin.

His mental energy spread in all directions, searching for Lin Lei and the others.

The Marquis's mansion is now empty.

"My elder brother isn't in the manor." Lin Yun frowned. He continued to extend his spiritual power and quickly detected a familiar aura.

"Over there."

Lin Yun flashed and sped off in that direction.

The Debus family backyard.

At this moment, only a few dozen guests remained at Kalan's wedding. These included the Linley brothers, Alice, Rowling, and some servants. Other nobles had either been killed by magical beasts or had evacuated under the protection of their family's experts.

The backyard was surrounded by countless magical beasts. The lowest level among them were level four wind wolves. The walls, rooftops, and sky were densely packed with magical beasts. Several level eight pterosaurs circled in the air, occasionally swooping down to take a life.

"Second brother, we have to get out of here! We need to find my father!" Yale roared, his magical power nearly depleted, his face pale. "With the experts from the Dawson Merchant Guild here, we're sure we can escape!"

"We can't get out." Lin Lei slew a level six magical beast with a single sword strike, his voice low and deep. "There are too many."

His purple-blooded soft sword was stained with the blood of magical beasts, and his arm trembled slightly. He had already killed hundreds of magical beasts, but their numbers seemed not to be decreasing, but rather increasing.

Bebe stood beside him, transforming into a gray lightning bolt, tearing the approaching monsters to shreds one by one. Its claws and teeth were stained with blood, and its small eyes were filled with ferocity.

Reno and George stood back to back. Both were level four mages, and in the chaos, their magical power was quickly depleted. They could only barely defend themselves with their short swords, but fortunately, they were wearing the inner armor given to them by Lin Yun, so they were not injured.

"Brother Lin Lei..." A soft voice came from behind.

Linley turned around and saw Alice standing there, her face pale and her eyes filled with fear. Beside her was Lorraine; both of them had taken off their cumbersome wedding dresses and changed into ordinary long gowns.

"Brother Linley, please save me and Lorraine." Alice's voice trembled. "I know... I know I've wronged you... but please, for the sake of the past..."

Lin Lei glanced at her but didn't say anything.

He turned around, and with his purple-blooded soft sword, he took the head of another level-six magical beast.

"roar--"

A deafening roar echoed from outside the courtyard. A level-nine peak magical beast, a saber-toothed tiger the size of a calf, smashed through the courtyard wall and pounced on the group. Its body was covered in dark golden fur, its two enormous fangs gleamed like daggers, and its eyes were filled with savagery.

"You all retreat!" Lin Lei roared, his body instantly transforming into a dragon.

His entire body was covered in turquoise scales, dragon horns protruded from his forehead, and his tail swayed behind him. His aura surged, leaping directly from level eight to the peak of level nine. He faced the saber-toothed tiger head-on, his purple-blooded soft sword clashing with the tiger's sharp claws, sparks flying everywhere.

A level 9 peak Dragonblood Warrior is evenly matched with a level 9 peak magical beast, the Saber-toothed Tiger.

Bebe stayed by Yale and the others' side, tearing apart the low-level magical beasts that charged in one by one. Its speed was too fast for the naked eye to follow, and each attack took a life.

Yale, Reno, and George were clearing out some low-level magical beasts that had rushed in. Their magical power was almost depleted, and they could only barely hold on with their short swords.

Alice and Rowling huddled together in a corner, shivering.

Perhaps the great battle here has attracted the attention of other magical beasts. A colossal creature is walking towards them, its feet stomping on the ground, each step causing an earthquake-like tremor.

Everyone looked at the monster and fell into despair.

It was a massive earth-bursting bear, standing five or six meters tall, covered in yellowish-brown fur, with eyes like copper bells. It exuded a terrifying aura at the Saint-level, causing the surrounding low-level magical beasts to prostrate themselves on the ground, too afraid to move.

"Earth-bursting bear... Holy Domain magical beast..." Yale murmured, his face pale.

Lin Lei's heart sank to the bottom. His dragon form only allowed him to reach the peak of level nine, and he had no chance of winning against a Saint-level magical beast.

The Earth-Burning Bear raised its enormous paw and slammed it down towards the crowd. The paw was like a door panel, carrying terrifying power that blotted out the sky.

At this critical moment—

A chilling, icy domain suddenly enveloped the Earth Bear.

A cold, blue light poured down from the sky, enveloping the Earth Bear completely. It didn't even have time to struggle before it was instantly frozen inside. Through the thick layer of ice, its terrified eyes could even be clearly seen.

"Are you all alright?" A familiar voice came from behind the ice bear.

Yale and the others turned around abruptly, only to see Lin Yun standing behind Ice Bear, one hand holding the unconscious King Clyde, the other casually hanging at his side. He had a faint smile on his face, as if he had just done something insignificant.

"Third brother!" Yale exclaimed joyfully, "You've finally arrived!"

"Third Brother!" Renault was so excited he almost jumped up.

"Lin Yun." George pushed up his glasses and let out a long breath.

Lin Lei walked up to Lin Yun and looked at the Clyde he was carrying, his expression changing.

"Lin Yun, why did you bring His Majesty here?"

"Things are a bit complicated, we'll talk about it later." Lin Yun turned to look at the frozen Earth Explosion Bear.

He raised his right hand and flicked it lightly. An invisible force shattered the ice, and the Earthburst Bear's corpse crashed to the ground. Lin Yun stepped forward, took out its magic crystal core, and did so naturally, as if he were picking fruit in his own backyard.

Then, he approached the saber-toothed tiger that had been entangled with Lin Lei earlier. Seeing that even the Sacred Earth Bear had been instantly killed, the saber-toothed tiger turned to run. Lin Yun casually waved his hand, and a wind blade flew past, decapitating the saber-toothed tiger. He then took out a magic crystal core and stored it in his spatial ring.

The entire process was clean, efficient, and seamless.

Yale and the others watched in horror. Especially the few in the dormitory, who were most familiar with Lin Yun, realized at this moment that they still knew far too little about him.

"Third brother, you...you..." Yale pointed at Lin Yun, unsure of what to say.

"Alright, enough talk, come with me." Lin Yun picked up Clyde, turned and walked outside. "Big brother, you cover our retreat."

"Alright." Lin Lei drew his Purple Blood Soft Sword again and followed at the back of the group.

"Wait for us!" Alice and Rowling quickly followed.

Lin Yun took the lead, heading towards the city gates. Any magical beast that dared to stand in his way couldn't withstand a single blow. Whether they were level eight, level nine, or even Saint Realm, they were never seen to use a second move. With a casual wave of his hand, he unleashed a wind blade; with a flick of his wrist, an arc of lightning. The magical beasts didn't even have time to scream before they were reduced to corpses.

Of course, he didn't forget to take the magic crystal core along the way.

Yale, who was right behind him, wanted nothing more than to kick him—what kind of time is this to be so greedy for money!

The group had only walked a few blocks when they encountered another group of people.

Leading the group was none other than Yale's father—Dawson Debbs, the president of the Dawson Chamber of Commerce. He was accompanied by more than a dozen experts from the Dawson Chamber of Commerce, the lowest level being a level six warrior, and two level nine powerhouses.

"Father!" Yale exclaimed with joy and ran over.

"Yale!" Dawson breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his son was safe and sound. His gaze fell on the young man at the front of the line, a hint of shock flashing in his eyes.

The young man carried a man—King Clyde—in one hand, while casually wielding magic with the other, each wave claiming the life of a magical beast. Whether at level eight, level nine, or even the Saint Realm, he never used a second move.

"Father, that's Lin Yun, the third oldest in our dorm," Yale said softly. "A Saint-level expert."

Dawson's pupils contracted slightly. He had heard of Lin Yun—the second son of the Baruch family, a seventeen-year-old Saint-level Dragonblood Warrior, a peerless genius who had made a name for himself in the O'Brien Empire and the Arctic Ice Plains. But he never expected that this legendary genius would actually be so terrifyingly powerful.

"Incredible," Dawson murmured. "He's about your age, isn't he?"

"To be precise, he's a year younger than me," Yale said helplessly.

Dawson took a deep breath and said nothing more. He immediately ordered his best men to join the group, and the two groups merged and headed out of the city.

With the addition of experts from the Dawson Merchant Guild, the group's speed increased even further. Lin Yun remained at the forefront, clearing the way and removing obstacles; Lin Lei brought up the rear; and Bebe roamed the flanks, eliminating any magical beasts attempting to flank them.

Along the way, they encountered countless magical beasts. Some were low-level, some were high-level, and some were even from the Holy Realm. But in front of Lin Yun, these magical beasts were like paper. He wielded his seven elements of magic with ease, using wind blades, lightning spears, ice spikes, fireballs... each spell was precise and deadly.

The two level-nine experts from the Dawson Chamber of Commerce initially wanted to help, but after seeing Lin Yun's intervention, they silently stepped aside. They knew that going up would only get in the way.

"Lin Yun, where are we going?" Lin Lei called out from behind.

"Outside the city," Lin Yun said without turning his head, "Father is waiting for us there."

Lin Lei stopped talking and focused on covering the rear.

The walls of Fenlai City have come into view.

At the city gate, Hogg stood there, waiting anxiously. Beside him stood several elite warriors from Yellowstone City, the lowest level being level five, with Locke, the leader, already a level nine warrior.

"They're here!" Locke pointed inside the city gate.

Lin Yun led his team out of the city gate. His body was covered in the blood of magical beasts, but his breathing remained steady and even his breathing was normal.

"Father, everyone is here." Lin Yun walked up to Hogg.

Hogg nodded, his gaze falling on Clyde, who was being carried by Lin Yun, his pupils contracting slightly.

"This is..."

"Yes," Lin Yun said. "Father, once we're in a safe place, he'll be at your disposal."

Hogg's hands trembled, and his eyes reddened. He had waited for more than ten years, and this day had finally come.

"Let's go." Hogg turned around, his voice hoarse.

The group left Fenlai and headed north. Behind them, Fenlai burned in flames, black smoke billowing into the sky, and the cries and screams gradually faded into the distance.

Lin Yun glanced back at the city where he had lived for many years, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him.

"The day of destruction..." he murmured.

Then he turned around and disappeared into the northern plains with the group.