Chapter 69: Chapter 66 Friendship
Cangyu City.
Apart from the Monster Suppression Department and the city lord’s mansion, three major families had established their presence there, among which the Liu Family took the lead, having rooted themselves in Cangyu City for over a hundred years.
The other two families, the Qi Family and the Zhao Family, rose later. The Qi Family was a branch that migrated from another city, managing to build a considerable business within just a few decades in this location.
At this moment, news of the demons attacking the city had already reached the hands of the three families’ patriarchs.
Upon receiving the message, all three families were somewhat shocked; it had been nearly a hundred years since Cangyu City last saw a demon attack.
The most sensational episode had been thirty years ago when a few Great Demons entered the city causing trouble, leading to countless deaths and injuries and creating quite a stir at that time.
But now, only some old people still remembered it.
“Army reports can’t be false; Old Zhang, go and take a look quickly.”
The patriarch of the Liu Family, Liu Shunqing, immediately dispatched a devoted retainer from the family to investigate the truth.
The other two families also sent people out to probe, quickly bringing back one piece of confirmed news after another.
A large number of demons were appearing from the north, sweeping in with an estimated number of at least forty to fifty thousand.
All sorts of mountain goblins and ghostly creatures were among them, clearly led by a Great Demon.
These demons had occupied the official roads and also blocked a few other paths; it was said that on the southern trade routes, two escort agencies were raided and killed, and jewels hidden in grains meant for transportation were found on the road.
The demons blocking the road, with the Great Demon pressing on, indicated a momentum to attack the city!
“The north? Could it be the group of demons from the Black Wind Mountain Range?”
“Have these demons gone mad, with such audacity to indeed attempt an invasion? Aren’t they afraid that the Xia Family will descend in fury and wipe them all out?”
“Damn it, what is Yue Shuhong doing? Could it be he has offended the Demon King?”
“Has anyone seen the Xia Family’s people?”
The three major families were somewhat panicked; the mere concept of forty to fifty thousand demons—what did that mean? The entire defense capability of Cangyu City’s military only amounted to just over twenty thousand soldiers.
That the number of demons exceeded that of the soldiers by more than twice was secondary; these demons were planning to attack the city and naturally had the utmost confidence that they were fully prepared.
And for a Great Demon capable of commanding such a multitude, it had to be at least of the Divine Travel Realm, if not fifteen li!
At the same time, to the north, dark demonic clouds were already closing in.
The mountain rain was about to arrive, and the entire city was on high alert.
As the purple smoke signals rose, igniting the skies, all four city gates were sealed. Soldiers from the City Defense Army, now clad in battle armor, gathered atop the city walls.
At this moment, looking toward the north from the city walls, the faces of many soldiers changed.
They could see the thick demonic clouds, a mix of black with a streak of red, swirling in the northern sky and approaching with alarming speed.
“Have these demons gone mad, daring to attack the city?’
Many from the City Defense Army could hardly believe it. This was Dayu, and even though it was a remote city, it was not the outermost city on the border. Had the attackers really dared to cross the border and provoke the wrath of the Royal Family, risking a military expedition against them?
Throughout the decades of their service in the City Defense Army, aside from occasional disturbances in the outskirts, these demons were seldom seen, let alone in such massive force.
The news of the demons attacking the city spread throughout. With the city gates sealed and the City Defense Army scurrying all over the place, the news was impossible to hide.
Every household was ordered not to leave their homes, and the streets echoed only with the rapid sound of horse hooves.
Many inns, taverns, tea houses, and shops had also closed their doors.
Some were worried about demons breaking through the city defenses, anxious and fearful; others complained about the damnable demons affecting their business, and some had already instructed their families to pack their valuables, sending servants to prepare carriages and horses, ready to flee the city at a moment’s notice.
However, some wealthy households in the city sent messages through their connections to the City Defense generals, inquiring if they needed help, willingly offering to donate funds and supplies to jointly resist the demonic onslaught.
In the face of disaster, the true nature of all beings was fully revealed.
At this time, within the city lord’s mansion.
In the lofty backyard of the grand mansion, there was a gloomy underground chamber resembling a dungeon.
Yue Shuhong was standing here, staring at a painting before him.
He was tall and slender, dressed in a Confucian robe, exuding the air of a scholar; however, half of his face was obscured in the shadow of an oil lamp, making it impossible to see clearly.
The painting depicted a woman in a light green Luo dress, looking alluring and graceful. With exquisite craftsmanship, the figure looked lifelike.
Suddenly, a wisp of black smoke appeared from the shadows behind him, slightly twisting before transforming into a burly and towering figure of an imposing man.
This man had a broad face and large eyes, a thick mustache around his mouth, and his eyes emitted a faint red glow in the darkness.
“Yue, there you go thinking about your little sister again.”
The broad-faced man barely cracked a smile, his expression ambiguous.
Yue Shuhong did not turn his head; his expression seemed slightly stirred, coming out of his reverie.
He sighed softly and said, “Tiger Robe, how long have we known each other?”
“It has been over twenty years,” the broad-faced man replied.
“Twenty years…”
Yue Shuhong murmured to himself, “This year I am fifty-three. At thirty, I entered the Divine Travel Realm, full of youthful vigor, assigned here as the city’s defender. In the blink of an eye, it has been twenty years.”
Once a man of thirty, with a sword at his waist, he now had nothing there.
The broad-faced man nodded slightly, his eyes filled with a mix of sighs, envy, and jealousy:
“Your Human Race is born intelligent, standing above all races. In just a few decades, you can cultivate to the Divine Travel Realm. Whereas we Demons need hundreds of years to absorb the essence of the sun and moon to reach this stage. I truly envy you!”
Yue Shuhong’s mouth twitched slightly as he said, “But Tiger Robe, you have seen how few in our Human Race live to be several hundred years old.”
The broad-faced man shook his head, a hint of disdain in his eyes:
“Reaching the Divine Travel Realm, one can live nearly a thousand years, yet your Human Race insists on seeking death. Look at those folks from the Divine General Mansion. Clearly, they could live comfortably for a long time, yet they choose to fight to the death against our Demon Race on the borders. In the end, they all die young.”
Yue Shuhong couldn’t help but laugh:
“Indeed, that may be the difference between our Human Race and your Demon race. For the billions of children of Dayu and the vast lands of the nineteen provinces, every inch of soil has been a witness to the blood of those heroic souls.”
“Because some have died, many more can live!”
The broad-faced man squinted slightly and asked, “Yue, surely you are not going to be as foolish as those idiots?”
Yue Shuhong turned around, his previously half-gentlemanly face under the warm glow of the oil lamp now obscured in darkness.
“For the last twenty years, I have provided you with human flesh, trying my best to meet your needs. Why must it come to this in the end?”
His voice was very light, as if talking to himself.
The broad-faced man gazed at him deeply, sighed, and said, “I am not willing to do this either, but the Red Eyebrow Taoist has awakened from his seclusion, starving. Moreover, the purpose of this trip isn’t solely to fill our stomachs. The real target for attacking Cangyu City is the Xia Family.”
“The Xia Family?”
“Correct. You sought help from the Xia Family, but they dare not come because they are facing even more troublesome issues and can’t afford to be distracted. If Cangyu City falls while their back is unguarded, the entire city’s obliteration will certainly impact them. If that emperor sitting on the throne in the palace becomes angered and punishes the Xia Family because of it, that would be even better.”
The broad-faced man said softly, “So, Cangyu City… you can’t save it.”
Yue Shuhong took a deep breath, eyes closed for a moment.
So, the Demons were playing this game.
“Yue, my visit here is to have you open the city’s northern gate. The fall of Cangyu City is inevitable. If you open the gate, I can say a few good words for you in front of the Red Eyebrow Taoist and give you a way out,” the broad-faced man said.
Yue Shuhong opened his eyes, a hint of a smile on his face: “Thank you, Tiger Robe.”
“Get on with it immediately,” the broad-faced man said. “I will certainly keep you safe.”
“Hm.”
Yue Shuhong nodded and turned to walk to one side, not toward the desk but the weapons rack instead.
“Yue?”
“Tiger Robe.”
“I see.”
The red light in the broad-faced man’s eyes intensified and his mouth slightly curled open: “Yue, you truly break my heart by doing this!”
“I am sad too, sad for you.”
Yue Shuhong chuckled, “Tiger Robe, I will surely use your tiger head to brew the finest wine from our twenty years of friendship.”
“Thank you.”
The broad-faced man’s teeth began to extend, becoming sharp and pointed: “I will also savor yours slowly.”
As their auras grew more intense, their Divine Souls began to emerge. Yue Shuhong’s Divine Soul gathered above his head, while behind the broad-faced man, a fierce and gigantic tiger faintly appeared.
“So it’s here.”
Suddenly, a voice arose beside them.
Then, a crack abruptly opened above the cellar, and a figure floated down slowly, standing in the midst of their confrontation.
Clothed in dark attire, wielding a broken black saber, it was Li Hao, who had rushed back to the city.