228: Damn the imperial court! (asking for monthly tickets)

Guangan Prefecture, West City’s city tower, the wind and rain were bleak, making the corner bells clang.

On the four-sided flying eaves, five figures stood, some meditating with closed eyes, others standing ramrod straight, gazing out at the city below, the surrounding wind and rain isolated from their bodies, making their silhouettes appear hazy in the mist.

Below the city tower, suspended in the air, was a massive striking bell, named the Heaven-Striking Bell. This was a specially made weapon; in times of extreme urgency, it could alert all the city’s residents.

In recent days, it had rung twice.

At this moment, the Heaven-Striking Bell was silent, but the city was in an uproar.

Troops and scribes scurried through the city, carriages were requisitioned, personnel were coordinated, and food supplies were dispatched. In the homes of ordinary people, chickens flew and dogs barked as everyone rushed about.

The news of the evacuation, spread through public notices, reached thousands of households.

Soon after, at the city gate tower, a sound pierced the air, followed by a figure appearing on the very tip of the tower.

The five people who had been meditating or gazing out either stood up or turned around, cupping their hands.

“Ninth Zhonglang!”

Chen Yuan nodded.

“Everyone is here!”

Saying this, his gaze fell upon the Sect Leader An of the Su Nu Sword Sect, and he asked, “How was Fellow Daoist An’s investigation?”

The other party seemed to let out a sigh of relief, “Five hundred li to the northwest of this city, I found my Disciples. They are currently leading the common folk on their journey, along with Disciples from several other sects. Fortunately, they are unharmed, and the common folk are mostly fine, with no signs of a Yao Race army invading.”

Chen Yuan hummed in acknowledgment, then his eyelids lifted, his voice pausing, “Is there any news of the city’s defending soldiers?”

The beautiful woman from the Su Nu Sword Sect hesitated upon hearing this, “The situation was too chaotic at the time; our Disciples from several families led people to evacuate first. Three fierce demons were wreaking havoc. The whereabouts of the two Zhonglang Generals are still unclear for now. We can only wait to meet with Fellow Daoists Qingyangzi and Fellow Daoist Yun; perhaps then we will know the situation.”

Chen Yuan nodded slightly, “That’s all we can do.”

Then he flicked his sleeve, and the Kuntian Flying Sleeve flew out, a stream of light igniting a sonic boom.

Then, a spiritual light expanded, and a ferocious demon, its tiger claws stomping in the Void Realm, shook its head and wagged its tail, emitting a drumming sound, “Boom boom boom.”

It was the Bo beast that Chen Yuan had subjugated!

At this moment, it had transformed into its complete true form, twenty zhang tall, its black scales shimmering with cold light, and its black and white pupils revealing an unusual gaze.

The Fu Army on the city wall did not panic. They had seen this Bo beast before; it was that Lord’s mount. At the time, it had even caused a commotion, striking the Heaven-Striking Bell.

But each of them looked up at the sky with eyes filled with awe and envy. Only that Lord could use a Heavenly Gate-level demon like this as a mount.

“Everyone, conserve your strength. Some of your injuries haven’t healed yet; you can quickly recover on the way.”

On the city tower, Chen Yuan spoke, and the others instantly flashed, whooshing onto the Bo beast’s back, which was as wide and flat as a plain.

Seeing this, Chen Yuan turned and looked back at the Fu City, his gaze sweeping over the “busyness” within Guangan Prefecture for a few seconds, then he turned, leaped, and landed on the Bo beast’s back.

“Depart!”

Beneath him, the Bo beast roared skyward, its urgent drumming sound exploding through the rain, then it burst forward, transforming into a black line that cut through the hazy world, shooting westward.

“Whoosh whoosh…”

On the western city wall, a mournful horn sounded.

Inside Guangan Prefecture, the bustling city seemed to briefly press a pause button at the moment the horn sounded.

The troops requisitioning supplies, the clamoring common folk, and the lone green silhouette in the desolate Xiao Family, upon hearing the horn, all looked up and gazed westward.

Many who knew the news could probably guess what this horn sound represented.

“May the Bodhisattva protect us!”

Meanwhile, over six thousand li away, in Jinguan City, Yunding Mountain.

A piercing shriek exploded, and a silver stream of light shot straight to Yunding Peak.

A terrified cry rang out.

“Commander!”

“Commander!”

Then, a messenger stumbled into the Xuntian Great Hall, tripping over the threshold with a thump, but then scrambling back up, his face filled with grief.

“Jiangchong Prefecture has also fallen!”

Jiangchong Prefecture was a Fu Gate behind Dingshan Pass.

At this moment, in front of this messenger, there were three other messengers, all kneeling on the ground, their suppressed sobs making the atmosphere in the hall heavy.

At the very front of the hall, Pei Yanhu slumped in a chair, his face contorted in pain, his eyes closed, breathing heavily, surrounded by scattered fragments on the floor.

“Commander!”

“Your subordinate is willing to fight!”

“Your subordinate too.”

Several cries rang out.

Inside the hall, the few remaining standing figures shouted in anger, dropping to one knee, their faces flushed with fury.

Within Jinguan City, all twelve Fa Shan Army units had been dispatched, and one piece of news after another arrived: the Fa Shan Army was in full retreat. Wucang Great Demons had been deployed, causing countless casualties, like a bolt from the blue.

And now, within Jinguan City, there were no more troops to deploy. If the remaining defending forces were sent out, there would be no one left to defend the city.

Pei Yanhu slowly opened his eyes, looking as if all his spirit had been drained, utterly exhausted.

“We have lost.”

“The imperial court’s response is clearly unconvincing.”

“The ten directions of the Yao Race have completely torn off their masks; even Wucang Great Demons have bared their fangs!”

“What use is it to send you out now!”

“Spread the news. Let those bastards who are sitting by and watching all this see it!” He cried, his eyes turning bloodshot, “If we’re going to die, everyone dies!”

Having said that, he violently kicked over the desk in front of him, like a madman.

“To hell with the imperial court, to hell with these beasts, to hell with them…”

“My brothers and subordinates, they died for nothing!”

Within Jinguan City, one piece of shocking news after another, like a violent storm, echoed through the streets and alleys.

“Dingshan Pass has fallen, a Wucang Great Demon has emerged, the Fa Shan Army has suffered a crushing defeat, the Dao Fu Division’s central Commander resisted the Wucang Great Demon with his life, and died…”

“Muchuan Prefecture has fallen; a Wucang Great Demon appeared at this pass, and almost all the Zhonglang Generals died in battle…”

“Jiangchong Prefecture has fallen, the Yao Race is heading north, directly threatening Jinguan City…”

Each of these messages was like a stone, thrown into a calm lake, causing a tremendous stir.

The entire Jinguan City plunged into immense panic. The streets and alleys, teahouses and taverns, were all filled with this news.

But mostly, the panic was among the wealthy and influential families who had managed to flee here.

For the common folk, what remained was grief.

As news of the defeat of the Fa Shan Army from various mountains and the deaths of the Zhonglang Generals arrived, many people’s sons, husbands, and lovers, in the distant lands beyond the pass, had turned into lonely spirits, never to return.

Cries of sorrow were suppressed in the corners that the bustling prosperity could not illuminate.

One by one, white mourning ribbons were hung, fluttering under the setting sun!