Global Awakening: I'm the Only One Ready

The Golden-Winged Great Peng froze. It tried hard to escape, but it couldn’t.

Across from it, Lu Yuan spread his five fingers, and his entire being radiated an aura of compassion. He was like an enlightened one bringing salvation to the world by creating a pure, blessed land for humanity to live in.

His palm became the skies, enveloping an area of hundreds of meters to completely suppress the Golden-Winged Great Peng.

It was the Buddhist divine art—Buddha’s Palm Domain!

”No way... how can a mere human being be this powerful?”

The Golden-Winged Great Peng was terrified, unable to believe the sight before it. It had a mythical bloodline and was a mutated beast, which meant it was far superior to humans in terms of evolution.

Despite that, it couldn’t even muster the strength to resist the human before it.

”Now, you can choose—either die or submit!”

Lu Yuan pressed his palm down slightly, carefully manipulating the force contained within his palm. After all, he wanted a mount, not a corpse.

The ground groaned and collapsed under the pressure. The Golden-Winged Great Peng’s formidable figure was crushed, and blood began to seep through its golden feathers. It knew the human before it was serious. If it were to remain stubborn, the human’s patience would run out, and death would be a certain outcome for it.

What good was a mythical bloodline to a dead creature?

A wave of powerlessness and despair washed over the Golden-Winged Great Peng. Then, it prostrated on the ground and wailed, ”Master!”

Pride was one thing; survival was another. Since it was as smart as a human being, it certainly knew which choice it had to make here to survive.

”Great.”

Lu Yuan withdrew his palm upon hearing that. The ancient temples vanished, and the scenery returned to normal. He looked down at the Golden-Winged Great Peng with deep interest shimmering in his eyes.

A long time ago, Buddha subdued the Great Peacock King beneath the Bodhi Tree. Today, I used my unparalleled might to subdue the Golden-Winged Great Peng, Lu Yuan thought, not bad at all.

When the immense pressure vanished, the Golden-Winged Great Peng’s first thought was to flee, but it froze upon recalling that terrifying bow. It knew it would be shot down before it could even get off the ground.

After a moment’s consideration, it dragged its battered figure over to the human.

After all, what else could it do? It couldn’t win and couldn’t escape...

”I know you’re still unwilling to submit, but it doesn’t matter,” Lu Yuan said, looking at the beast king. ”I remember there’s a certain contract out there, and I’m sure you’re aware of it. After all, you possess a mythical bloodline.”

He would never trust anyone so easily, especially a mutated beast. If he had to work with one, then he needed a leash—a leash that would give him absolute control over the other party.

”Yes,” the Golden-Winged Great Peng replied without daring to use any tricks. ”It’s called a Blood Bond.” The human before it was too powerful, and the former’s strength compelled it to obey. Though it felt reluctant, it had no choice.

It spat a single drop of blood essence, and it formed a unique pattern that resembled the great peng.

”Once the Blood Bond is signed, I’ll become your servant, and only you can release me from its grasp,” the Golden-Winged Great Peng said. In short, it was like putting one’s life in someone else’s hands. It was a bad idea, but its life was already in Lu Yuan’s hands, regardless of whether it would agree to a Blood Bond or not.

Lu Yuan was satisfied. The Golden-Winged Great Peng was a clever creature, proven by how it chose to submit over a pointless death. This was the reason mutated beasts were humanity’s greatest enemies.

Lu Yuan cut his finger and forced out a drop of his own blood essence. He then let it merge with the Golden-Winged Great Peng’s blood essence. As soon as the two drops of blood merged in midair, he felt something brand-new inside him.

It was a connection to the Golden-Winged Great Peng. More specifically, Lu Yuan now had control over its life or death.

”Master,” the Golden-Winged Great Peng said, lowering its head. This time, there was no hesitation. What was done was done, after all.

”Rest assured, if you do well in the future, I’ll release you. While you’re with me, you’ll receive some benefits. Just like I said earlier, becoming my mount will be your life’s greatest fortune.”

Lu Yuan knew that he had to offer some carrots instead of just sticks. That way, the Golden-Winged Great Peng would become more obedient to him in the future.

The Golden-Winged Great Peng remained silent, but it was clearly unconvinced.

Lu Yuan didn’t bother explaining as he added, ”Rest well and recover. Anyway, I remember there’s a place called the Valley of Fading Twilight in the northern part of Qinling. I want you to bring me there later.”

The Valley of Fading Twilight? I’ve heard of that place, but there’s nothing special about it, and there’s no existence as powerful as me there. What are we going there for? The Golden-Winged Great Peng was puzzled, but as a mount, it simply needed to bring its master wherever he wished.

It said nothing and simply moved aside to rest.

The battle just now had shattered many of its bones, and even its organs suffered injuries. If not for its special bloodline, such injuries could have been considered serious injuries. Even so, it would need at least a night’s rest.

Lu Yuan was just too strong!

Just like that, time trickled by bit by bit. The next morning, Lu Yuan mounted the Golden-Winged Great Peng, and it soared straight into the clouds.

Flight had always been humanity’s dream. Even after the Global Awakening, flight remained extremely difficult for human beings and was outright impossible, even if one were a Golden Body Realm expert.

Hence, flight was impossible unless one obtained the ability to do so or had reached the realm beyond the Golden Body Realm.

As Lu Yuan soared through the clouds, an indescribable emotion filled him. He felt like a bird flying freely through the boundless sky. He felt free and truly unfettered.

The Golden-Winged Great Peng streaked across the skies like a golden bolt of lightning.

The Valley of Fading Twilight was deep within Qinling and was incredibly far away, but the vast distance meant nothing thanks to its speedy wings. At most, it was a day’s journey away.

From today on, Lu Yuan could visit more places and save a ton of time traveling between A to Z, and it would be thanks to the Golden-Winged Great Peng.

Shortly after Lu Yuan’s departure, a massive clearing elsewhere in Qinling teemed with countless mutated beasts. It was an army that stretched beyond the horizon.

Their level of strength varied; there were mutated beasts with their strength at Foundation Realm I ; some had the strength of a Foundation Realm IX expert, and some were even comparable to Awakened Realm experts.

A select few had even reached the Unfettered Realm. One of the Unfettered Realm mutated beasts was a giant white python.

Its figure remained as big as a hill despite being coiled, and its head even resembled a moving house. Its tightly packed scales covered it like a shimmering silver armor, and even its breathing was strong enough to create a storm.

Having shattered ten genetic shackles, the giant white python was the undisputed ruler of this region!

”White King,” a black-furred gibbon reported, appearing at its side. Though not large, the gibbon was an Unfettered Realm creature and was one of the ten beast kings. ”The Brown Bear King and the Tiger-Leopard King have been notified, but they’re still missing.”

”They’re still not here?” The White King flicked its massive forked tongue. ”Then forget them. We don’t need those two. For countless years, humans have been hunting us down, and our numbers have been dwindling all this time.

”We’ve always been their prey; the enmity between us cannot be reconciled.”

”Now is the time for us to make them pay. We’re leaving Qinling, and we will force our way into their cities,” the White King said. Its massive eyes burned with an intense killing intent. In its youth, it had many fellow snakes, but many perished at the hands of human beings. Upon obtaining extraordinary power, its first priority was revenge.

The White King was strong enough to attack a human settlement by itself, but it was aware of how dangerous humanity’s weapons of mass destruction were.

A beast tide would be slower, taking several days to reach the city, but its destructive power would be far greater, and it could kill far more humans as well.

Hooowl!

Thousands upon thousands of mutated beasts roared at once, extremely excited by the order. Then, without any hesitation, they rushed in the direction of Chang’an.

The White King stood at the helm of the other beast kings and rushed forward.

Clouds of dust billowed, and the earth shook violently as the army of mutated beasts trudged forward, carving open a path within Qinling.

As soon as they made their move, Dean Zheng, Commander Xu, and the other higher-ups of Chang’an immediately noticed their move.

Knowing that the upcoming crisis was going to cost them a myriad of lives, they knew that they had to be fully prepared to face it. Upon discovering the movements of the mutated beasts, they immediately issued orders.

All Awakened within Chang’an gathered in one place, including Zhu Qingyu, the Northern Emperor, and students from the Aurora Academy. The defense forces mobilized as well.

Against a beast tide, it would be best to stop it outside the city. If even one mutated beast somehow managed to get inside the city, it would surely end up killing dozens of civilians.

The supercities were built with the goal of protecting the civilians.

Dean Zheng and the others proceeded without hesitation, understanding the gravity of the situation. Additionally, Awakened from other places also came to reinforce them, and the internet began closely following the upcoming battle.

It would be a great battle between humanity and mutated beasts.

A great battle was nigh, and supercity Chang’an stood at the forefront. Soon, the city would face an unprecedented crisis!