Starting as a Grandmaster, all of my cultivation techniques are at max level.

In Xuanyou Prefecture, one of the nine provinces of the Mirage Realm, a remote town remained as quiet as ever under the cover of night.

However, tonight, this tranquility was completely shattered.

Boom!!

After a loud bang, a violent tremor followed, striking the town directly from a distance.

The three-zhang-long (approximately 10 meters) bluestone in front of the town gate, engraved with "Lishui Town," was shaken and toppled over by this force.

The houses on both sides of the street shook violently, and many dilapidated mud walls cracked open on the spot.

The townspeople, still asleep, were awakened by the sudden earthquake. Some rushed out of their houses without even putting on their shoes, looking around in panic.

"What on earth is going on? Has a natural disaster struck?" A young woman carrying a girl of about three years old hurriedly ran out of the house, a hint of panic in her eyes.

"Sister!! Look over there!!" From the next room, a slightly immature young man ran out in a panic, only to discover a scene that shocked him beyond belief.

From the direction of the valley more than ten miles away from Lishui Town, flames were faintly seen shooting into the sky, turning the night sky crimson.

"Hurry!! A few days ago, someone from a sect specifically warned us that alien races would be invading the Mirage Cloud Realm in the coming days. Tonight's commotion is very likely that's what happened!"

"Brother! Quickly call Aunt Zhou and the others next door, let's go to the hiding place we prepared in advance!!" After her initial panic, the young woman quickly calmed down and instructed her brother to notify her neighbors to evacuate.

The same thing happened in almost every part of 'Lishui Town'.

Within ten breaths of the loud noise, many people carrying large and small bags could be seen on the street heading towards the nearby forest.

Meanwhile, in a slightly dilapidated courtyard in the east of the town, an elderly man with a limp in his right leg slowly walked out of the room, leaning on a cane.

He wore a gray cloth robe with several patches, and his hair was gray. He looked no different from an ordinary old man in the countryside.

But when his gaze passed over the courtyard wall and looked at the valley where flames were raging more than ten miles away, a sharp light suddenly flashed in his cloudy old eyes, and his whole demeanor underwent a subtle change in that instant, as if an old beast that had been sleeping for many years had been awakened.

A divine thought emanated from him and was withdrawn a few breaths later.

"An alien race!?"

"These bastards actually dare to invade my Mirage Cloud Realm?"

The old man's voice was low and deep, yet carried a chill.

However, after a moment of silence, he shook his head.

"Forget it, I'm just a lame old man now. I'll be content to spend the rest of my time here peacefully. Showing off? That's what other sects and forces do."

Just as he turned to go back to his room to pack his things, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the courtyard, accompanied by an anxious shout:

"Old Ye! Old Ye! Are you awake? Hurry up and get out of here! Hurry up!!"

With a bang, the simple wooden door to the courtyard was suddenly pushed open from the outside.

The person who came in clearly used a great deal of force; after the wooden door slammed against the wall, it actually came off and shattered into several pieces.

The person who rushed in was a young man in his early thirties, with a broad back and thick waist, but his face was full of anxiety.

He was barefoot, with one pant leg rolled up to his knee and the other hanging down, and his shirt was not yet tied up. He had obviously been awakened by the noise and had run over without even bothering to put his clothes on properly.

"Hey Tiger, why are you still so loud and boisterous? The sky in this Mirage Realm won't fall down. Don't tell me it's some kind of alien invasion. Even if it were, no one would care about our little town!" Old Ye frowned when he saw the newcomer.

"Hey Old Ye, aren't you scared at all?! A few days ago, news came that the extraterrestrial race is going to invade the Mirage Cloud Realm! That sudden earthquake and the fire on the mountaintop just now are definitely related to that!"

"If you don't leave soon, what if that alien race sees you?!" The young man known as Big Tiger was somewhat helpless when he saw that the old man didn't seem to be in any hurry.

"Alright, enough nonsense!! Come with me now, I'll take you to hide in that black pool! If nothing else happens tomorrow, we'll come out!"

Without waiting for the old man's reply, he rushed to the black donkey that was dozing in the corner of the yard, picked up the old man, and placed him steadily on the donkey's back.

"Old Ye, hold on tight!"

Big Tiger shouted, then grabbed the black donkey's reins and ran outside.

Although the black donkey looked old and usually walked slowly, it started to trot after being pulled and urged on by Da Hu.

"Hey!! Big Tiger! You little rascal, running like that will break my bones sooner or later!!" Old Ye on the donkey's back cursed loudly, but a hint of relief flashed in his eyes.

He chose to stay in Lishui Town because of its simple and honest people, free from scheming and intrigue. It was a rare place for recuperation in the Mirage Realm.

When the two of them left, the town was deserted.

The two men and their donkey walked through the familiar bluestone street. Some doorways still had pots and pans that they hadn't had time to take with them, all showing the haste of their retreat.

As he ran, Da Hu kept looking back to make sure there was no one behind him, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

The men, women, and children of the entire town of Lishui managed to retreat to the vicinity of the Black Pool in the back mountain.

Even if an alien race attacked their town, there would be no casualties. Things are gone, and homes can be rebuilt, but once people die, they can never be brought back to life.

But just as he was galloping along with the black donkey, he suddenly felt a suffocating atmosphere coming from ahead, and Da Hu abruptly stopped.

The sudden stop nearly caused the black donkey to fall over, and Old Ye almost tumbled off its neck. Luckily, Da Hu reacted quickly and caught him on the back.

Ahead, on the hillside outside the town, dozens of figures stood in a row.

"An alien...an alien race..."

Under the moonlight, after Da Hu clearly saw the faces of the group of people, his face turned pale.

"Old Ye...it looks like we're finished today..."