parentshiftbook Chapter 45: Demons Besiege Lingchuan County
Chapter 45: Demons Besiege Lingchuan County
The inner hall of Sitong Martial Arts School.
A figure, still possessing a certain charm but with an undeniable weariness in her brows, leaned wearily against the chair in the main seat. It was Fu Huiying. She looked at the core disciples standing before her, who also wore worried expressions: Wang Dashan, Wang Li, and others.
"How is the situation outside?" Her voice was slightly hoarse.
Wang Dashan stepped forward, bowing his head deeply, his voice heavy: "Reporting to Master's wife, the Demon Extermination Bureau has been patrolling and hunting demons in the city day and night... but..." He swallowed hard, then continued with difficulty, "the effect is minimal. There are too many demons that have infiltrated the city, and the Demon Extermination Bureau is stretched thin; they simply cannot eliminate them all!"
Wang Li chimed in, her voice trembling with fear: "Master's wife, people are dying everywhere in the city! Especially in the west and east, I heard... I heard that nine out of ten houses are empty, it's a horrific sight! The streets and alleys reek of blood, and no one dares to go near them..."
Fu Huiying's heart sank further: "Master... there's still no news from them?"
Wang Li shook her head, her face pale: "According to the agreed time, it has been...it has been more than three days, and there has been no news at all."
Hearing these terrible news reports, which sounded like death knells, Fu Huiying felt a heavy sense of powerlessness wash over her. She raised her hand and rubbed her throbbing temples.
She never dreamed that Lingchuan, which had been peaceful for decades, would suddenly be besieged by demons! What was even more fatal was that the timing of this siege was exactly right after Chongxin escorted the goods out of the city and took away most of the martial arts school's elites!
Having lost its only Refining Realm martial artist to oversee things, the martial arts school had virtually no say in the face of such a calamity. The Demon Extermination Bureau was struggling to survive and had no time to attend to other matters, leaving the martial arts school to rely solely on its remaining strength to barely hold on.
In just three days, the martial arts school has lost more than ten students!
Panic spread like a plague within the martial arts school.
Fu Huiying herself had no cultivation, and at this critical juncture, her prestige was rapidly eroding, gradually failing to suppress the panicked hearts within the martial arts school. If it weren't for Senior Brother Wang Dashan's considerable strength, who was doing his best to help maintain a semblance of order, the martial arts school would probably have already fallen apart and descended into chaos.
Even so, the situation is already precarious, with undercurrents surging beneath the barely maintained calm.
"Continue to gather information from outside and keep the disciples in the martial arts school calm."
"Tell them that with your master's abilities, nothing will happen. He'll be back in half a month at most."
Fu Huiying waved her hand, signaling them to leave.
"yes!"
The last male disciple to leave stole a glance at his still-attractive mistress before responding and making his way away.
As soon as the door closed, Fu Huiying's face instantly drained of all color.
The gaze that had lingered on her sent a chill down her spine. Perhaps nothing was wrong now, but what if Chongxin didn't return soon…
Demons roam the city, and the stench of blood grows stronger each day. The tension in people's hearts grows ever tighter, and sooner or later, they will be unable to suppress the restless greed that tempts them.
"You little brat, where are you...?"
Zhang Ping's image suddenly flashed into her mind, and her lips moved silently.
……
Lingchuan, the Demon Exorcism Bureau.
Inside the secret chamber, martial artists at the Body Refining Realm and above were gathered. Chu Hanwei, seated at the head of the table, swept his gaze across them, his chill seemingly capable of cracking bones.
"Have you found out anything? What's covering up the activities of those demons?"
The heads of everyone present bowed in unison.
"waste!"
The force of Chu Han's palm shattered the table, his suppressed anger striking everyone present. No one dared to move, each one frozen in their chair to receive his scolding.
The entire Lingchuan area was surrounded by demons like an iron barrel. Let alone finding the hidden evil spirits, it was questionable whether they themselves could survive!
Demons besieged and slaughtered the city—a sight unseen for a century! It happened so suddenly, without a single warning. By the time they awoke, the city was already teeming with monsters. The Demon-Slaying Bureau's demon-detecting mirrors all malfunctioned, the reason for which remains unknown.
After a long, deathly silence, someone finally spoke in a hoarse voice:
"Director... let's retreat."
As soon as he finished speaking, several pairs of eyes suddenly turned to the speaker.
"Ling Qi! What did you say? Abandon the entire city's inhabitants?" someone demanded sharply.
Ling Qi glanced at the other person and sighed deeply: "At a time like this, don't speak in official jargon."
He turned to Chu Hanwei: "Chief, it's not that I'm afraid of death. Lingchuan can't be defended! The city has long been hollowed out by termites, and powerful demons of the Refining Realm are lurking outside. Even if we wipe out all the scum in the city, it won't stop one kick from that Ten Thousand Refining Demon..."
He paused, his face drained of color: "And... these past few days I've been watching them kill, those killings... like some kind of ritual! A targeted harvest!"
"A sacrificial ceremony?!"
The others had fear written all over their faces.
Demonic rituals...that's something only a Great Demon of the Bone Forging Realm could pull off! Anyone below that level isn't even qualified to set up a bloody altar!
This means... Ling Chuan has been targeted by a monster at the Bone Forging Realm! If that's the case, staying here will only mean certain death for them!
The secret room erupted in chaos. Some grabbed the old man, demanding details, while others leaped up and pounced on the ancient texts. After confirming the information, all eyes were fixed on Chu Hanwei.
"Director! This is truly the Bone Forging Realm... We must break through!"
Chu Hanwei's icy face cracked, a struggle churning within her eyes. Less than half a year after being transferred from the prefectural city, she had stumbled into a desperate situation! To abandon the city... she was unwilling! But to stay... if there truly were Bone Forging Realm demons, it would only add a few more souls to the list of the dead.
"Director! We can't delay any longer!" Ling Qi said urgently. "If we make a decision sooner, we might still be able to get some men out!"
"…good."
A single word drained all of Chu Hanwei's strength. She slumped back in her chair, her usual coldness and ruthlessness completely gone, leaving only an unfathomable weariness.
That night, news exploded from within the high walls of the Demon Extermination Bureau—
The demons are too powerful, so the Demon Extermination Bureau will lead a portion of the people to break through the siege and abandon Lingchuan!
A giant boulder crashed into the stagnant water! The entire city instantly erupted in chaos!
Who would have thought that the Demon Extermination Bureau, whose duty is to slay demons and monsters, would actually retreat? What will happen to the rest of us if they leave?
Within half an hour of the news spreading, Lingchuan had been completely transformed into a hellish landscape. Apart from the southern part of the city, the rest of the area resembled a post-apocalyptic carnival, with rampant burning, killing, looting, and heinous acts. Even the martial arts schools and wealthy households in the southern city were shaking violently in panic.
Upon hearing the news, Fu Huiying's heart sank. She immediately summoned all the disciples of the martial arts school.
"Just received word! Your master is already on his way back!" Her voice was resolute. "He's retreating with the Demon Extermination Division; we'll meet him halfway there!"
With the sect leader's wife speaking, the disciples finally felt relieved. The siege by demons was terrifying, but the loss of their leader was even more frightening. The brief commotion subsided, and all eyes turned to Fu Huiying.
She took a deep breath: "Go back and pack! We'll assemble at the Demon Extermination Division tomorrow morning!"
After saying that, she turned and left.
He hurried back to the backyard, unlocked the door, went inside, and soon carried out an iron box the size of a human head from Chongxin's meditation room.
"Old man, what exactly are you hiding... The Reincarnation Divine Skill should be inside..." She frowned deeply. Although their relationship had cooled after many years of marriage, she had uncovered quite a few of his unsavory secrets.
The Revolving Divine Skill is one of them. Chongxin was able to reach the threshold of the Bone Forging stage entirely thanks to this skill.
"Master's wife! People from Tianxing Martial Arts School have arrived!" A disciple scrambled in.
"Tianxing Martial Arts School? Coming at this time?" Fu Huiying's expression changed drastically, her mood shifting between anger and uncertainty. "Let Dashan handle them!"
The disciple hurriedly retreated. Fu Huiying stood alone in the courtyard, worry creeping onto her brow. The Tianxing Martial Arts School's visit at this moment could not be good news... She could only hope that Dashan could hold out.
"Damn old man...did he really die out there?" she cursed inwardly, her fingertips unconsciously digging into her palm, Zhang Ping's image flashing before her eyes again.