188: Bewitching the Earth God
"Your Highness."
The Gray-robed Old Man, who had been following Zhao Ming, stepped forward and whispered, "I have also heard rumors of this matter. A few days ago, there was a great drought in Yunzhou, but the area near Fengyang County alone enjoyed favorable weather. It is said that the beast used its Divine Ability to bring rain privately."
The Fengyang City God and a group of underworld deities went to stop it, but they were killed by that beast. Currently, the position of Fengyang City God is still vacant."
"Oh?"
Zhao Ming's brows twitched slightly.
"What is this Fengxian Division even doing?"
"A mere mountain Essence Spirit killed an underworld City God registered in our Great Gan, and it has been allowed to remain at large until now?"
"The officials in several of our Great Gan's border provinces are just drawing their salaries while doing nothing. It is time for a thorough cleanup."
The Gray-robed Old Man, who hailed from the Fengxian Division, heard this and said, "Your Highness, they cannot be entirely blamed. With the Northern Barbarians invading, their energy has been focused on resisting foreign enemies."
"Furthermore, the Yunzhou Immortal Conferring Department once dispatched the East River Dragon King to slay the Prodigy."
"But for some unknown reason, that East River Dragon King actually led the entire Dragon Palace and its Water Demons to defect to the mountains..."
"There's even such a thing?" Zhao Ming was somewhat surprised, then smiled. "Interesting. It seems that on this trip into the mountains, there are quite a few things to be done."
He glanced at Zhu Gang and waved his hand. "Scram."
"Yes, yes, yes! Thank you for your mercy, Your Highness!"
As if granted a grand amnesty, Zhu Gang scrambled and crawled back into the earth, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
He didn't dare stay for a single moment longer. He had made up his mind: he would avoid showing his face as much as possible lately to keep from getting caught up in the struggle.
"Smash it. It's truly an eyesore."
Zhao Ming did not make things difficult for the Hunters of Dongshu Village; he simply ordered his attendants to destroy the divine statue.
A moment later.
"Into the mountains."
With Zhao Ming's command, the group charged straight into the Taihang Mountain Range.
"This Prince wants to see exactly how much weight this Snake Demon carries."
...Underground residence.
Zhu Gang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his wrinkled old face filled with lingering fear.
"Good heavens, this is no way to live!"
Zhu Gang muttered incessantly.
"First there's the Malevolent God in the mountains, then there's the royalty of Great Gan. Every one of them treats the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains like their own back garden."
"With my meager Cultivation Level, being caught in the middle will be the death of me sooner or later!"
"No, this place is not fit to stay for long!"
"I'm afraid this territory is about to fall into chaos. I must hide for half a year or a year, and wait until the storm passes!"
The Old Earth God made up his mind and did not dare delay for a second.
He applied several Restrictions to isolate his aura, preparing to completely seal off his Immortal Cave.
However.
Right at that moment.
A strange, fragrant breeze drifted through the cracks in the soil and leisurely entered his nostrils.
The scent was not the powdery smell of worldly flowers, but an extremely elegant fragrance that seemed to seep into the very marrow of his bones.
With just one breath.
Zhu Gang's body went limp for no reason, as if he were drunk, and his consciousness became somewhat blurred.
Immediately following.
A soft voice sounded in his ear.
"Earth God Grandfather."
The Restrictions Zhu Gang had just set up instantly dissolved and collapsed.
His body uncontrollably tunneled out of the ground on its own, appearing once again at the entrance of Dongshu Village.
No Soul Seizing or ghost-binding Spell had been used, yet it was more effective than Zhao Ming's previous methods.
In shock, he raised his head and looked toward the village entrance.
Unlike Prince Ning Zhao Ming's massive entourage, this group was small in number, but they gave off an even more eerie and unpredictable feeling.
There was a scholar holding a folding fan with a fake smile, a dhuta with a necklace of human bone prayer beads and a fleshy face, and a burly man carrying a broadsword who was as silent as an iron tower... At their head was a woman dressed in a plain white gown.
She stepped barefoot on the dusty ground, yet not a speck of dust touched her, as if lotuses were blooming with every step.
Her figure was graceful, and her face was holy and dignified, like a Bodhisattva descending to the world to save people from suffering.
Yet, when those eyes shifted, they rippled with a charm capable of turning even a heart of stone into soft silk.
With just one look, Zhu Gang felt as if his soul was being sucked in.
It made one unable to resist wanting to kneel at her feet and carve out one's heart and liver to offer to her.
"This... what kind of demonic Spell is this?!"
Zhu Gang was terrified. He bit the tip of his tongue hard, the sharp pain bringing him a bit of clarity.
The group before him was absolutely another set of masters he couldn't afford to provoke!
Had the Taihang Mountains stirred up a hornet's nest lately?
Why were all sorts of ghosts and gods running here!
"This... This humble god is the Earth God of Dongshu Village. Greet... greetings to the Immortals."
Zhu Gang wanted to cry but had no tears. He skillfully knelt on the ground again, inwardly lamenting his fate.
Su Qingqian moved with light steps and gave a slight bow, a smile like a spring breeze on her face.
"Earth God Grandfather, why such panic?"
She said in a soft, charming voice, "I am merely passing through. Seeing you in such a hurry, do you have some urgent business?"
Zhu Gang didn't dare meet the demoness's gaze and said tremulously, "No... no urgent business. Just... just wanted to go on a patrol of the territory."
"Is that so?"
Su Qingqian gave a light laugh and said slowly, "The group that just passed by—did you happen to see them, Earth God Grandfather?"
Zhu Gang's body stiffened.
They were looking for Prince Ning?
Thoughts raced through his mind as he wondered whether to hide the truth.
After all, revealing the whereabouts of a noble was a capital offense.
But when he raised his head and met Su Qingqian's eyes, all his psychological defenses instantly crumbled.
At this moment, he only felt that the woman before him was so kind and so trustworthy. It was as if if she said a single word, he would be willing to die for her.
It was like an invisible hand was gently scratching his internal organs, making him itch to tear out his heart to show her.
"I... I have seen them."
Zhu Gang's head was spinning, and like beans spilling from a bamboo tube, he poured out everything that had happened before without the slightest reservation.