51: Never Let Adults Be Alone (Seeking Follow-up Reading)

Early morning.

In the distance, at the edge of the sky, golden light suddenly appeared, and the Nu River surged.

Qingshan County,

Urgent hoofbeats galloped out from the county yamen.

Clipping on the bluestone slabs, as rapid as a sudden downpour.

Some headed straight for the city gate.

Others rushed through the eight markets and four districts.

Loud shouts awakened the stirring city.

"The County Government has ordered that no one shall enter or leave the county town today!"

"The County Government has ordered that no one shall enter or leave..."

"..."

Startled cries echoed, spreading through the streets and alleys of Qingshan County with the sound of hooves.

Soon.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

"..."

The sounds of doors opening and windows being pushed open startled everyone.

Some pushed open their doors to look.

Some pushed open their windows and leaned out.

They saw horses galloping, and on top of them, yamen runners in green uniforms, holding county yamen documents, flew past their doors!

At the city gate, the heavy, two-zhang-tall city gate was slammed shut by armored guards in thin armor, making a rumbling sound.

They stood with their swords drawn, blocking the city gate exit.

For a time, this caused the common people to pour out into the streets, discussing animatedly, their expressions alarmed.

"What's going on?"

"Are they going to seal the city?"

"This has never happened before."

"When the demonic disaster occurred in the neighboring Yunlu County, wasn't the city sealed then?"

"Last night, demons caused trouble in the city..."

When the common people heard this, their faces turned pale, unsure of what to do.

Suddenly, they felt a rumbling vibration coming from the distant mountains.

It was as if something was surging out from the deep mountains to the west.

The faces of the people in the city turned pale.

Some brave individuals climbed onto the seven or eight zhang high city wall, looking into the distance.

They saw trees continuously collapsing in the nearby forest, creating lines of small waves.

It seemed as if something was crashing through the forest.

Moreover, there were several thin lines breaking through the dense forest, heading towards Qingshan County.

Soon, the distance grew shorter and shorter.

The thing finally appeared!

It was a black ox, over a zhang tall and nearly two zhang long, with two curved black horns that gleamed with a metallic cold light.

The black ox's scarlet eyes, and its nostrils spewed white columns of Qi, as it let out a roar to the sky.

"Moo!"

The roar shook the forest.

As the sound spread, the forest rumbled.

The collapsing thin lines, which had been surging in all directions, all turned their direction and headed towards Qingshan County.

One,

Two,

Three,

...

Large ox demons, with scarlet eyes, appeared one after another in the forest.

Their hooves crushed the forest, causing the earth to tremble!

Clusters of Demonic Qi gathered, like a layer of black cloud pressing down on the sky.

"Demons are attacking the city!"

A shrill cry of alarm startled Qingshan City.

On the city wall, some common people who saw this scene had expressions of horror in their eyes.

The armored soldiers on the city wall looked at the demons, their hands, holding their swords and halberds, trembling slightly.

And this news quickly spread in all directions, causing the common people on the streets to panic and scatter.

Just then.

In the distance, from the deep mountains, a heaven-shaking tiger's roar resounded!

The demonic cloud that was originally rushing towards Qingshan County suddenly stopped at this moment.

Those scarlet ox eyes showed a hint of stagnation.

Then, they turned around and retreated into the forest like a tide.

They turned and rushed in the direction from which the tiger's roar came.

And this scene left the panicked common people of Qingshan County on the city wall bewildered.

The demons came, and then they left?

Many people cried tears of joy, thinking it was a false alarm.

They did not associate it with the tiger's roar from the deep mountains.

However, some people were worried about this.

In front of the county yamen gate, a yamen runner in uniform dismounted quickly and rushed into the public hall.

He knelt on one knee before a man with a mustache, dressed in a green official uniform with a flying bird pattern, who was pacing back and forth, and bowed with his hand on his saber, saying urgently:

"Your Excellency's foresight is truly divine; indeed, demons appeared and intended to attack the city!"

"It's just, what's strange is that those demons retreated."

"Tell me the details. How did the demons retreat?" County Magistrate Zhang Cheng asked hurriedly.

The yamen runner also found it strange, recalled for a moment, and then quickly said:

"It seems there was a tiger's roar from the deep mountains, and then those demons left, changing their direction."

When County Magistrate Zhang Cheng heard this, he recalled the words of the Patrolling Mountain Commandant last night and quickly walked to the side of the public hall.

On that pillar, a precious sword hung!

"Clang!"

County Magistrate Zhang Cheng swiftly drew the precious sword, its cold light reflecting on him.

The yamen runner saw this and quickly got up to stop him: "Your Excellency, what are you doing?"

Zhang Cheng shook him off and said in a deep voice:

"To kill demons!"

His subordinate yamen runner was startled,

"Your Excellency, the demons have already retreated, what are you doing?"

Zhang Cheng saw the strange expression on his subordinate yamen runner's face, and his own expression became somewhat complex,

"Do you know that the tiger's roar was made by the Patrolling Mountain Commandant of this place?"

"He alone attracted those demons away."

"How can this official feel at ease knowing this, yet hiding in this county town?"

"I must go, no matter what!"

When the subordinate yamen runner heard the County Magistrate's words, his expression changed in surprise. The rumored Patrolling Mountain Commandant, who not long ago rescued the people of Yunlu County, was widely spoken of.

He often heard the common people mention him.

They also held him in great admiration.

But then, he showed a difficult expression, hesitating to speak: "But Your Excellency, the demons came with great momentum, and our Martial Dao is shallow, let alone you, you have no Martial Dao cultivation..."

As a head constable on duty, he only had the skill of Body Forging Major Achievement. On the city wall, he personally witnessed the demons' formidable momentum and astonishing Aura.

It was simply not something they could get involved in.

Zhang Cheng's face changed upon hearing this,

"Nonsense! The Patrolling Mountain Commandant is fighting alone for the peace of our Qingshan County, yet you are here retreating before the battle. This official did not teach you this way normally."

"Although this official is a scholar, I am not without the courage of a common man."

Saying that, he walked out the door, holding his sword with one hand, his sword raised in anger, and shouted loudly.

"Prepare the horses!"

The head constable behind him was reprimanded by Zhang Cheng, as if struck by a heavy blow, his face flushed with shame.

That's right, even His Excellency, who has no Martial Dao cultivation, is like this, so what about us?

His chest swelled for a moment, and he quickly stepped forward,

"I will prepare the horses for Your Excellency!"

"This subordinate is willing to follow Your Excellency."

Saying that, shouts rose all around.

Soon after, several swift horses galloped out from the county yamen.

Along the central street of the county town.

As rapid as a sudden downpour, straight for the city gate!

On the way, many common people saw them, their faces showing surprise.

Wasn't the one leading them the local County Magistrate?

At this moment, in an inn near the city gate, an old man with a goatee watched from a second-floor window as the horses galloped rapidly towards the city gate, a strange look in his eyes.

Demons just appeared, and now the local County Magistrate is personally going out of the city with a sword?

Where to?

He stroked his beard, his cloudy eyes flickering.

And very quickly, County Magistrate Zhang Cheng reached the city gate.

He ordered the city gate to be opened!

Then, the city gate opened with a rumbling sound.

Only a sound was heard,

"Gee!"

"Gee!"

"..."

Zhang Cheng led the way, taking several yamen runners, with swords at their waists and horses galloping, raising a cloud of dust as they exited the city gate!

(PS: The first few chapters are a prelude, the excitement is coming soon, please give your monthly votes and continued reading! Thank you)