While the women in the city were going crazy about the golden lotus pavilion, the city lord's residence was in a grim atmosphere.

He received countless reports regarding spirit beasts going crazy and randomly attacking people who went out of the city. At first, he thought it was just random. However, he managed to see a pattern in their attacks and if he was not wrong the spirit beasts were slowly gathering around serene lake city.

For some reason, he couldn't sleep properly in fear that they might suddenly attack. He sends people out to investigate and his assumption was indeed correct. In exchange for this news, several of his men died or were injured in the process.

The news wasn't made public yet to avoid public panic. However, the nobles were already aware of it so they were currently gathering in the city lord's manor to aid in defending their city.

Serene lake city was united, they were located far from the capital city and near the peak mountain forest. Even though they were located in such a remote place they were thriving as they are the main distributor of natural resources in the entire southern moon empire.

The emperor put great importance on the serene lake city, southern moon empire would slowly fall if they lost this city, every ten years the city would face a beast tide and the emperor would exhaust military might to defend it.

The city lord couldn't understand it, they still have a month away before the beast tide and he could tell the spirit beasts this time were united and were far more stronger than the previous tides.

He already sends a request to the capital to send one of the empire guardians along with the troops. The emperor agreed and he even send the crown prince here to aid. If he wasn't wrong, they should be arriving next week.

There are only six empire guardians and they were all over the place to lend their aid.

...

The day before the empire guardian and the crown prince delegation arrived, howls of spirit beasts could be heard at the city border. 

Everyone was alarmed, their bodies instinctively shivered fearfully. They then just remember that it's beast tide, they were so busy talking about the golden lotus pavilion that they forgot about this matter for a moment.

"we are doomed" someone gulps nervously.

"steeled your nerves, we are soldiers" the general scolded while narrowing his eyes sharply. They were stationed here much earlier just in case, but he never thought the city lord's deduction would really come true.

"Haha, right. They were just spirit beasts we could deal with them" the soldier shrinks his neck and said it without confidence as he laughs drily. Sweat was already oozing out of his entire body.

The others also shivered and almost fainted at the sight, they couldn't help themselves from thinking pessimistically but they didn't dare to voice their doubts. The situation at present is clearly unfavorable for them even if the empire guardian came, unless if there are two or more of them.

"Quick, inform the city lord" the captain ordered solemnly.

The soldier then quickly scribbled a message and send it through the pigeon messenger.