parentshiftbook 45. A great change has occurred in Cangwu; a storm is brewing.
45. A great change has occurred in Cangwu; a storm is brewing.
As Lu Feng walked toward the Daoist temple, he saw the figures of nobles from the inner city fleeing in panic. No matter how high their status was in Cangwu, in the face of ghosts, mortals were just mortals, and their status would not change when they died.
Walking along the long street, the road was full of cavalrymen in plate armor, at least thirty of them. On the main road, there were also armored soldiers with spears running in formation, heading somewhere unknown.
This time, the scale of the operation was much larger than before, and it could be described as a city-wide mobilization. The county government also dispatched an unknown number of county soldiers to maintain order in the city.
The previous night's sealing of the Night Demons did not result in this situation. Last time, only experts from Yunxia Dao Academy and Fuyi Division went there, and no one else was alerted.
Judging from the current situation, the entire city is under lockdown, which gives people a bad feeling, a very bad feeling.
Ignoring the hurried footsteps of pedestrians around him, Lu Feng looked up at the dark clouds overhead, which looked like they were about to rain.
The weather was already rather gloomy today, and the oppressive feeling of the dark clouds looming over the city, combined with the actions of the soldiers in the county, was indeed enough to make people panic.
After another right-angle turn, the gate of the Taoist temple came into view.
This time, all the guards who were originally there to protect the surrounding passageways had disappeared. The gates of the courtyard were open, with only two guards dressed in yellow standing on either side.
Lu Feng strode in through the door, somewhat bewildered by the surroundings. His immediate impression was one of chaos and utter confusion.
Soon, he arrived at the main hall where his master was, and with just a glance, he saw a large number of people gathered outside the hall.
Master Xuan Kong of Shangong Hall, Ming Yunzi whom I met some time ago, and many other familiar faces, as well as most unfamiliar faces.
The number of people he encountered in total was greater than the total number he had met during this period; it could be said that most of the people from the Yunxia Dao Academy had come.
When he arrived, he was neither the first nor the last; two more disciples from the Taoist academy followed closely behind.
Clearly, the incident was sudden and the news was released urgently, catching everyone off guard. It was unrealistic to gather everyone from Yunxia Daoyuan immediately by manpower alone; they could only wait for everyone to come and assemble.
Lu Feng glanced at the group of people and decisively walked into the line of people he knew.
Inside the main hall, Xuan Yin's aged face showed neither joy nor sorrow. After a short while, he walked out of the main hall and onto the flat ground outside. When he stopped, he spoke, and his voice reached the ears of many people from the Taoist academy.
"The Night Demon broke the seal. We were unaware of this news, yet it spread throughout Cangwu overnight. This is one anomaly. Investigate thoroughly! Someone broke the seal. This is the work of an evil person. This is the second anomaly. Investigate thoroughly!"
All the Taoist priests responded in unison, their voices clear and resonant: "As the Abbot commands!"
Xuan Yin continued, "Yunxia is currently at the Lin Shen realm and needs to guard the four directions at night. To prevent the massacre of Cangwu, she may sacrifice herself if necessary!"
Why has the cloud and mist been guarding Cangwu for eight hundred years, and why is it so deeply rooted?
Is it really just because of their superior strength?
Not necessarily.
The long years will wash everything away, but only by winning the hearts of the people of Cangwu can one truly take root here.
Humans are the foundation of everything; an empty city without people is utterly meaningless.
"Your Excellency commands the Lord of the Academy!" came the unanimous response.
As soon as the conversation ended, someone stepped forward. It was Xuan Kong. This middle-aged Taoist was dressed completely differently from his usual self. He wore a tight-fitting armor to protect his vitals, covered by a layer of purple clothes, and had a three-foot-long green sword on his back.
His voice carried a carefree air: "Cangwu City has endured seven calamities that threatened to destroy the city. Each time, it was the Yunxia Sect who turned the tide. This time, there will be no exceptions!"
After saying that, his expression changed instantly, and his aura surged, making people afraid to look directly at him.
"Yunxia, the thirty-first generation of the Xuan generation, Xuan Kong requests the command to use this body to suppress Cangwu!"
Xuan Yin nodded, his voice devoid of much passion, as if he were witnessing a common occurrence. He simply replied, "Alright! Take a hundred protectors, equipped with heavy armor and Xuan weapons, and go discuss the matter with the county officials."
Xuan Kong immediately turned and left without the slightest hesitation.
His departure was just a signal.
"The Xuan generation, the Xuan Cave... use this body to protect Cangwu..."
"...Xuan Cheng... protects Cangwu"
"...Xuan Lang...will not retreat even in the face of death!"
One after another, no fewer than ten masters of the Xuan generation stepped forward, leading a thousand protectors out of the Taoist academy and heading towards the four directions of the city.
After the transfer order was issued, only the 32nd generation disciples and the Xuan generation elders who were too old to move remained in front of the main hall.
Looking at these people, Xuan Yin only gave one instruction: "You juniors, if you are below the Bloodline Integration realm, don't go. Those above that realm, follow behind Ming Chenzi, Ming Yunzi, and Ming Yuezi. Remember, your safety is the most important thing!"
As soon as he finished speaking, three young Taoist priests in purple robes, each with a different demeanor but all possessing an elegant bearing, stepped forward. The three immediately bowed in response.
"I will obey the abbot's orders."
After saying this, before the three left the main hall, the Daoists of the Ming generation who had reached the required level responded and followed. Among them was Ke Xing, who, as he passed Lu Feng, left a message saying that something was amiss and that they needed to be extremely careful.
They then left the main hall with the group.
Looking again, there were only about twenty young disciples left. These were the lowest-level combatants in the academy, but they were still far superior to ordinary people. However, they were unable to fight against the ghosts.
Xuan Yin stroked his white beard, his breathing steady: "You all go first. You can assist the government office before dark, or you can continue your cultivation. Ming Xu, you stay here. The rest of you, disperse."
The last sentence drew the attention of the remaining people, especially those of the Ming generation, who all looked at Lu Feng, wondering what the headmaster meant.
But they could not stay; they could only leave the main hall step by step and go outside the Taoist temple. As for what they did, no one knew.
When only Lu Feng remained, Xuan Yin braved the strong wind and came to Lu Feng. Looking at Lu Feng, his eyes, which were not cloudy but rather incredibly bright, held an expectant expression.
This expression made Lu Feng's heart tighten.
Something's not right. My master is probably preparing a big move!
You should know that not everyone of the Ming generation is qualified to be accepted as a disciple by the academy's headmaster. Only those with excellent aptitude are eligible, and excellent aptitude is extremely rare.
"Don't be nervous." As if sensing Lu Feng's thoughts, Xuan Yin smiled for the first time and continued, "You are too weak. In this world, weakness is the original sin. This applies to people and to forces."
Just as Lu Feng was still trying to understand what this meant, the aged voice, filled with endless emotion, spoke, and the wind around them picked up again, blowing Lu Feng's clothes and his tied-up hair.
"My life is coming to an end."
These four large characters stunned Lu Feng, leaving him rooted to the spot.
In his heart, his master, as the strongest in the Cloud Realm, possessed an unfathomable depth, comparable to a deep pool. But at this moment, that feeling was rapidly disappearing.
Instead, there was an indescribable drama.