Chapter 66: Connections
Cangyu City.
Aside from the Demon Subduing Division and the City Lord’s Mansion, three major families had long held power here, with the Liu Family standing at the forefront, deeply rooted in Cangyu City for over a century.
The Qi and Zhao families, on the other hand, rose to prominence later on. The Qi Family was a branch of another family from a neighboring city, and within a single generation, they managed to establish a solid foundation in this city within just a few decades.
At this moment, the news of a demon horde attacking the city had reached the heads of the three families.
Upon hearing the report, all three were astonished. It had been nearly a century since Cangyu City had seen such a large-scale demon assault. The last significant incident was thirty years ago, when a few great demons invaded, causing countless deaths and injuries, leaving a lasting impression on the survivors.
Only a few of the older generation still remembered it clearly.
“The military report can’t be wrong. Lao Zhang, go investigate immediately.”
The Liu Family’s head, Liu Shunqing, swiftly dispatched the family’s enshrined expert to verify the situation.
The other two families also sent people to investigate, and soon, they each received undeniable news.
A massive horde of demons was approaching from the north, sweeping across the land. A rough estimate put their numbers at around forty to fifty thousand.
Various mountain spirits and ghosts were among them, all clearly led by a powerful great demon.
These demons had seized control of the main road and blocked several other routes. It was reported that on the southern trade route, two security escorts had been ambushed and killed, with jewels hidden in grain sacks discovered along the way.
The demons blocking the roads, the great demon threatening the borders—this was a clear sign of an impending siege!
“The north? Could it be the demons from the Blackwind Mountains?”
“Are these demons insane? To be so bold as to invade—aren’t they afraid of the Xia Family’s wrath, wiping them out entirely?”
“Damn it! What is Yue Shuhong doing? Could he have provoked the Demon King?”
“Have there been any sightings of the Xia Family?”
...
The three families were growing increasingly anxious. What did forty to fifty thousand demons mean? The entire defense force of Cangyu City was only around twenty thousand soldiers.
The fact that the demon horde doubled their numbers was only part of the problem. The demons clearly wouldn’t attempt a siege unless they were highly confident and had prepared thoroughly.
And to lead such a vast force, the great demon had to be at least at the Spiritual Wandering Realm, or possibly even as high as Fifteen Li!
...
Meanwhile, in the north, the dark demon clouds were fast approaching.
The atmosphere was tense, and the entire city was on high alert.
As the violet signal smoke rose into the sky, all four gates of the city were sealed. The city defense soldiers on duty, clad in full armor, gathered on the city walls.
Looking northward from the city walls, the soldiers’ faces began to pale.
In the distance, they could see the dense demon clouds—a dark mass interlaced with streaks of red—swirling in the northern skies, advancing at a terrifying speed.
“These demons have gone mad! How dare they attack the city!”
...
Many of the city defense soldiers found it hard to believe. This was, after all, the Great Yu Dynasty. Although Cangyu was a border city, it wasn’t the outermost stronghold. Yet the demons had dared to cross the border and provoke the royal family—were they not afraid of an imperial army being dispatched to crush them?
For decades, these soldiers had only ever encountered small skirmishes with demons in the outskirts. Never had they witnessed such a formidable force.
News of the demon attack spread throughout the city. With the gates sealed and the city defense troops mobilized, it was impossible to keep it a secret.
Each household was ordered to stay indoors, leaving the streets empty except for the clatter of galloping hooves.
Many inns, taverns, teahouses, and shops closed their doors.
Some worried that the demons would breach the city defenses, their hearts filled with dread. Others cursed the “damned demons” for disrupting their business. Some were even preparing to flee, instructing their servants to pack valuables and ready horses and carriages, prepared to abandon the city at any moment.
However, a few wealthy households reached out through connections, offering assistance to the defense forces, willing to contribute funds and supplies to help fend off the demons.
In the face of disaster, the full spectrum of human nature emerged.
At this moment, within the City Lord’s Mansion...
In a dimly lit basement that resembled a dungeon, Yue Shuhong stood alone, gazing at a painting in front of him.
He was tall and dressed in a scholar’s robe, exuding an air of refinement. Yet, half of his face was hidden in the shadows cast by an oil lamp, making it impossible to discern his expression.
The painting depicted a woman in a delicate green silk dress, her eyes lively and her posture graceful. The craftsmanship was exquisite, and the figure in the painting looked lifelike.
Suddenly, a wisp of black smoke appeared behind him, twisting slightly before transforming into a towering, broad-shouldered man.
The newcomer had a wide face, thick eyebrows, and a full beard, with eyes that glowed faintly red in the darkness.
“Brother Yue, thinking of your wife again, I see,” the broad-faced man remarked, his expression hovering between a smile and a sneer.
Yue Shuhong didn’t turn around. His face revealed a faint trace of emotion, as if he had just returned to reality from a distant memory.
He sighed softly. “Tiger Robe, how long have we known each other?”
“Over twenty years,” replied the broad-faced man.
“Twenty years…”
Yue Shuhong murmured, “I’m fifty-three now. I reached the Spiritual Wandering Realm at thirty, full of ambition, and was assigned here as City Guardian. Yet in the blink of an eye, twenty years have passed.”
The man who had once been a thirty-year-old with a sword at his side now stood there with an empty waist.
The broad-faced man nodded slightly, a hint of wistfulness in his eyes mixed with envy and jealousy.
“You humans are naturally gifted, reaching heights of cultivation in mere decades, whereas we demons need centuries to absorb the essence of the sun and moon to reach the same level. It really makes me jealous!”
Yue Shuhong’s lips curled into a faint smile. “But have you ever seen a human live for centuries?”
The broad-faced man shook his head, with a hint of disdain in his eyes.
“Once you reach the Spiritual Wandering Realm, you can live nearly a thousand years. Yet, you humans seem to seek your own deaths. Look at those fools in the Divine General Mansion—they could have lived comfortably, yet they choose to fight to the death at the borders with us demons. And what’s the result? They die young, every one of them.”
Yue Shuhong chuckled.
“Perhaps that’s the difference between us humans and you demons. The Great Yu Dynasty, with its countless citizens and vast lands, has been soaked with the blood of heroes who died young.”
“Because some die, others get to live.”
The broad-faced man narrowed his eyes slightly. “Brother Yue, I trust you’re not as foolish as those others?”
Yue Shuhong turned to face him, the scholarly half of his face now obscured in shadow.
“For twenty years, I’ve provided you with human meat, doing my best to meet your demands. So why…why must it come to this?”
His voice was soft, almost as if talking to himself.
The broad-faced man looked at him deeply, then sighed. “This isn’t my choice. That Red-Browed Daoist has just emerged from seclusion, famished. And, this mission isn’t purely to satisfy hunger—Cangyu City is just a pawn. The true target is the Xia Family.”
“The Xia Family?”
“Yes. Even if you seek aid from them, the Xia Family won’t come. They’re facing bigger troubles and don’t dare to divide their forces. If Cangyu City falls, it could impact their situation. And if your emperor in the palace grows enraged and punishes the Xia Family, all the better.”
The broad-faced man spoke softly, “So, Cangyu City…you won’t be able to protect it.”
Yue Shuhong inhaled deeply, closing his eyes briefly.
So, the demons had set up such an elaborate scheme.
“Brother Yue, I’m here to ask you to open the northern gate. Cangyu City’s fall is inevitable. Open the gate, and I’ll speak on your behalf to the Red-Browed Daoist, and perhaps secure you a way out,” the broad-faced man offered.
Yue Shuhong opened his eyes, a hint of a smile appearing on his face. “Thank you, Brother Tiger Robe.”
“Do it now,” the broad-faced man urged. “Our friendship ends here, but I’ll do my best to protect you.”
“Mm.”
Yue Shuhong nodded and turned, but instead of heading to the desk, he walked toward a rack of weapons.
“Brother Yue?”
“Brother Tiger Robe.”
...
The red glow in the broad-faced man’s eyes intensified as he bared his teeth slightly. “Brother Yue, this really pains me!”
“I’m saddened too, for you,” Yue Shuhong chuckled. “Brother Tiger Robe, I’ll honor our twenty-year friendship with your head, crafting the finest wine.”
“Thank you.”
The broad-faced man’s teeth lengthened and sharpened. “And I’ll savor you slowly.”
As the aura around both of them grew stronger, their souls became visible—Yue Shuhong’s soul gathering above his head, while a massive, ferocious tiger loomed behind the broad-faced man.
“Ah, there you are.”
Suddenly, a voice echoed around them.
Above, a rift appeared in the basement ceiling, and a figure descended, standing between the two.
Dressed in dark robes and wielding a battered black saber, it was none other than Li Hao, who had just returned to the city.