207: I'll be on stage later, and you guys rush out (asking for monthly tickets)

“Dong!”

“Dong!”

“Dong!”

Urgent bell tolls continuously echoed in the sky, accompanied by the rustling wind and pouring rain, painting a scene of 肅殺 (solemn killing intent) over Guangan Prefecture.

A few miles outside the Sky Patrol Division, shouts of men and horses, hooves breaking through the rain, and figures drawing white streaks, blurred by the rain, revealed faces that were either anxious or cold.

Someone on horseback shouted, riding to meet the incoming group, dressed in green armor, and called out from afar to the approaching people.

“Commandant Qiu!”

“You’ve rushed over from Mogan County.”

The team of horses immediately stopped. The person in front, dressed in the regular uniform of a Commandant, was a Patrolling Mountain Commandant who had hurried over from Mogan County, a thousand miles away.

“Brother Liang, I received the message and immediately brought my men over. There’s also the County Army Garrison and dozens of elite men. How are things now?”

“The Yao Race army is still five hundred li away. There’s no need to go to the Sky Patrol Division; go directly to the West City Wall. The General is already there.”

Upon hearing this, the Patrolling Mountain Commandant from Mogan County tightened his expression.

“Brother Liang, where are you going?”

“To invite Ninth Zhonglang! That esteemed adult isn’t here, and the General is about to lose control of the situation.”

“No more talk, ride!”

With that, the Commandant surnamed Liang, with an anxious expression, spurred his horse towards the Sky Patrol Division.

And that Mogan County Commandant, not understanding the current situation at the Fu Gate, had a grave expression.

“To West City!”

Dozens of people and horses followed him west.

As they made their way to West City, more and more figures appeared in the wind and rain.

Between the eaves and tiled roofs, figures leaped from rooftop to rooftop, standing on high vantage points, scattered in all directions, gazing westward with tense expressions.

On the main street, people ran wildly in the rain, with swords and sabers strapped to their waists, splashing water, rushing towards West City.

In the homes of ordinary people in the main streets and alleys, some locked their doors and windows, picked up handy items, and gathered their entire families in one room.

They tightly held their tools, peering through the room’s window, staring intently outside.

Others pulled swords from the walls, and with swords in hand, went out.

At the Xiao Estate, Xiao Qingzhi pulled out a treasured green-edged sword hanging on a vermilion pillar in her room. With a “chi” sound, she drew it out; its cold light gleamed, and then she sheathed it, holding it in her hand.

“Young Miss, are you really going?”

The maid Xiao Jiu walked in quickly from outside the door, her round eyes, usually playful, now only held fear and anxiety.

“Did you tell the others what I said?” Xiao Qingzhi had changed her attire, now wearing a green martial arts uniform with her ponytail tied up. Her eyes, originally like a clear pond, now held a heroic spirit.

Upon hearing this, the maid Xiao Jiu’s face turned pale, and with a sobbing voice, she said, “Second Master and Third Master disagreed. They’re packing things and even ran to Master’s room to ransack it. This servant couldn’t stop them. Among our First Branch’s servants, only Uncle Wang is left. Everyone else has taken things and left.”

“Young Miss… is our family gone?”

“Are we… are we… all going to die?”

As the maid spoke, tears streamed down like broken pearls, and her sobs caught in her throat.

Xiao Qingzhi used her finger to wipe away the little maid’s tears and softly said, “No, you won’t.”

“If I don’t go, if you don’t go, then everyone will lose their lives. What’s more, the Xiao Family is still under accusation.”

After speaking, she patted the maid who had grown up with her.

“Don’t cry, let’s go!” With that, she took her sword and went out the door.

“Young Miss!”

A wail came from inside the room.

The maid Xiao Jiu rushed out, only to see the green figure flying away, stepping on the eaves. Then her gaze fell upon the Xiao Estate, seeing it as if struck by a disaster, people running about in panic, a chaotic scene, all fleeing.

And her vision followed the fleeing figures from the Xiao Estate, extending all the way to the South City Gate.

“Ah!”

A piercing scream echoed through the air.

Several heads flew up in the wind and rain, then fell onto the moss-covered stone path, rolling away. Blood spread into the accumulated rainwater on the road, revealing a shocking crimson.

“Bang, bang, bang!”

Several bodies fell one by one, splashing water.

In front, a green-armored soldier stood with a long saber. Crimson blood beads rolled down the blade, washed by the rain. The eyes beneath the helmet held grimness and majesty. He spoke word by word:

“Those who rush the city gate, beheaded!”

“Those who disrupt military morale, no mercy!”

Around him, there were already no fewer than forty or fifty corpses.

As soon as these words fell, in front of the tightly shut city gate, two teams of imposing heavy-armored mansion soldiers, holding long spears, shouted and strode forward.

And further in front of them was a crowd, in an uproar, retreating one after another.

This scene was also unfolding at the East and North City Gates.

With the Yao Race attacking the city, all kinds of people in Guangan Prefecture revealed their true colors.

Just as the wind howled and the rain poured, and the bells rang urgently, outside the West City Gate, where a killing Formation soared to the sky, amidst the vast rain, a cry pierced through the downpour.

“Report!”

“The Yao Race army has reached Mawang Mountain.”

“Still four hundred li away!”

The cry was urgent, accompanied by the sound of gongs.

On the wide city wall of the West City Gate, banners fluttered, and messengers on horseback galloped to relay orders.

“The Yao Race army is within four hundred li. Prepare for battle!”

“Prepare!”

The deep clatter of armor rose.

Then, shouts rang out, and streaks of spiritual light flew up from the city wall.

Over a hundred Disciples dressed in various Sect uniforms and hundreds of knowledgeable individuals who had rushed from within the prefecture, were the first to fly out of the city, disappearing into the mountains outside. They were not skilled in military Formations and combat, so they could only use their most suitable methods.

Subsequently,

“Boom, boom, boom!”

Teams of mansion soldiers exited the city, riding their horses towards the mountains outside, where Formations and traps had been laid, preparing for an ambush.

Cold, iron armor was swallowed by the wind and rain, a vast expanse, filled with solemn killing intent and the unknown.

At this moment, on the city gate tower, the Local General of the Guard, Gou Zhi, was pacing back and forth anxiously. He had done everything that needed to be done.

But according to the intelligence gathered, this time the Six Mountains Yao Race’s attack on Guangan Prefecture from Weiyuan Pass was certainly not simple.

“Why hasn’t Chen Yuan come out yet?”

He asked a burly figure beside him.

It was Zhonglang General Colonel Chang Shan, who had taken over from Chen Yuan to preside over the overall situation.

“Wait a little longer. The other Fellow Daoists should be aware.”

Colonel Chang Shan, with his unruly brows furrowed, was also waiting.

As soon as these words fell, several sharp piercing sounds broke through the air, tearing through the gloomy rain.

Then, a figure was the first to land on the city gate tower.

Chen Yuan’s figure appeared.

Closely following, the figures of the other seven Heavenly Gate experts landed beside him with whooshing sounds.

As these eight figures appeared, a powerful Qi pushed away the rain curtain in the heavens and earth.

The solemn killing intent and tense atmosphere on the city wall eased.

Chen Yuan stepped out of the 遁光 (escape light), his eyes gleaming as he looked at the vast rain curtain in the distance.

“What’s the situation now?”

“Still four hundred li away, plus the delay in sending messages, the Six Mountains Yao Race will probably arrive in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn! This time, I’m afraid…” Gou Zhi immediately went up to him, looked up at Chen Yuan’s face, and hesitated to speak.

Chen Yuan also guessed what he wanted to say, and his eyes narrowed.

“They’ve come at just the right time.”

“I’ll go first, then you all charge out.”

Gou Zhi’s eyes widened. “Brother, is this how you usually fight battles? Don’t you talk about military strategy?”

Twenty li west of Guangan Prefecture, under several days of continuous heavy rain, the mountains were filled with white mist and miasma, ethereal and unclear.

Just then, in a low-lying mountainous area, leaves rustled, and a young Night Fox, covered in white fur with green skin and sharp claws, appeared on a tree.

Then, another Ear Mouse, with a pointed snout and large ears, seven or eight feet long, appeared on the ground a dozen meters away, its crimson eyes staring forward, squeaking and running rapidly forward.

Immediately, a third, a fourth…

One demonic beast after another appeared in this low-lying mountain.

Just then, a sword light pierced through the mist, whooshing out from a certain rock. Following it, the sword light split into several streaks.

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!”

They shot towards several demonic beasts.

Several dull thuds.

Several demonic beasts were instantly decapitated.

The screams of the demonic beasts rang out, but this was like a drop of water falling into boiling oil.

Immediately, from the mist behind, earth-shattering roars like a tidal wave erupted, and the entire mountain forest began to stir.

Accompanying this was a blazing firelight that shot up from the mist.

“Chirp!”

“Bang!”

A loud bang, accompanied by dazzling sparks.

In the distance, on the city wall, as the firelight erupted, a loud piercing sound broke through the air. Chen Yuan stretched out his hand to the side, and a Three-Pointed, Double-Edged Spear appeared.

“Boom!”

With a violent explosion of air, Chen Yuan charged directly towards the distant roar, not concealing his Qi, surging towards the Yao Race army!