Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 265 Entering the County City, Sacrificing Souls

Where there is sorrow, there is also joy.

In stark contrast to the gloomy atmosphere at Tinglanxuan and Xie Family Merchant Guild, the residence of Grand Tutor Zhou Xuanqing was filled with laughter and joy.

Inside the study, after several rounds of drinks...

Grand Tutor Zhou Xuanqing, Grand Protector Lin Hai, and several key figures from the old faction were sitting together, their faces glowing with smug satisfaction.

"Hahaha! That's great! That's really great!"

A portly official picked up his wine cup, downed it in one gulp, and exclaimed excitedly, "That Chen family brat, relying on His Majesty's favor, was so arrogant all the time! Now he's finally going to die out there!"

"That's right!" Lin Hai stroked his beard, smiling smugly. "With this boy gone, that little bitch Chen Wan'er will lose an arm in the court! We can take this opportunity to wipe out those new elites in the Tuntian Division!"

"Brother Zhou is truly brilliant!" another person flattered Zhou Xuanqing, raising his cup. "If Brother Zhou hadn't passed this hot potato to Chen Ye back then, we really wouldn't know how to deal with the mess in Nanhe County. Now, not only have we gotten rid of the trouble, but we've also eliminated a major threat. It's truly a brilliant plan to kill two birds with one stone!"

Zhou Xuanqing held his wine cup, a knowing smile on his face, and said calmly, "A mere child, relying only on a few clever tricks and His Majesty's favor, how could he possibly fight against us? I predicted back then that his trip to Nanhe County would be a death sentence, and now it has just come true."

"well said!"

"Come, come, let us drink this cup together, and wish that Chen family brat will soon be reduced to ashes!"

"Hahaha……."

The study was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

These high-ranking officials of the Great Chen Dynasty, the pillars of the state, were now like a bunch of rats in a sewer, celebrating the death of a young man.

Unbeknownst to them, a petite figure was huddled in a dark secret passage hidden in the wall of the study.

It's Zhou Yuru.

She covered her mouth to keep herself from making a sound, but tears had already silently streamed down her face like a burst dam.

Hearing the vicious curses and gleeful laughter outside, she felt as if her heart was being slowly tortured by a dull knife.

Among these people were her father and his colleagues.

They were all elders she had once respected.

But now she only found them repulsive, more disgusting than the most wicked devils.

Chen Ye's image involuntarily surfaced in Zhou Yuru's mind.

At the Jade Mud Temple, he broke down all her defenses with just one look, making her willingly acknowledge him as her master.

He was someone who was like a god in her heart.

He is now fighting for his country on that most dangerous land, while his father curses his death with the most vicious words behind his back.

This immense pain and inner conflict nearly tore Zhou Yuru's reason apart. She could only curl up in the darkness and weep silently, feeling as if she had been abandoned by the entire world.

……

The ups and downs of Yunzhou City did not deter others from their journeys.

Pingyang City.

Under Feng Xiao's governance, this once lifeless city is recovering its vitality at an astonishing pace.

The soup kitchen is still distributing soup, and the epidemic prevention work is proceeding in an orderly manner.

After the rescued disaster victims were fed and clothed, they were organized to repair the city walls and clean the streets.

The whole city exuded a vibrant energy, as if it had survived a catastrophe.

On that very day, a group of people arrived outside the city gate.

The leader was a woman dressed in a moon-white scholar's robe, carrying an ancient sword on her back, with a cool and aloof demeanor.

It was Jing Zhaoning who had sped all the way from Yunzhou.

When she and the great scholars of the academy saw the people on the street who, though pale and thin, had a renewed flame of hope in their eyes, and heard their praise for Chen Qingtian, they couldn't help but show surprise on their faces.

Jing Zhaoning, in particular, originally thought that with Chen Ye's dissolute nature, even if he was entrusted with important responsibilities, he would only use some cruel methods to suppress the situation.

Unexpectedly, he was able to govern a city mired in famine so well and win the hearts of the people.

It seems that my previous judgment of him was somewhat biased.

Soon Jing Zhaoning arrived at the prefectural government office and found Feng Xiao, who was busy at work.

"Are you... the great scholars of the academy?"

Upon seeing these distinguished men and women before him, Feng Xiao's face showed a look of shock.

"I am Jing Zhaoning from the Academy." Jing Zhaoning got straight to the point. "I have come to Nanhe County on the orders of the Academy to investigate the matter of demons. May I ask where Imperial Envoy Chen Ye is now?"

"Lord Chen?" Feng Xiao was taken aback, then his face showed a mixture of respect and worry. "Lord Chen left Pingyang three days ago and went to the county seat."

"He's headed to the county seat?" Jing Zhaoning frowned slightly. "How many men did he take with him?"

"Just...just the two young masters Hou En and Qian Yi, and five hundred elite soldiers from the Beijing Garrison."

Upon hearing this answer, Jing Zhaoning's heart sank.

Five hundred people?
Five hundred people dare to venture into this hellish place?

An unprecedented sense of anxiety and worry welled up in her heart.

Not only her, but also the other Confucian scholars of the academy showed solemn expressions.

After all, they knew the situation in Nanhe County better than anyone else. When they heard that Chen Ye dared to venture deep into enemy territory with only 500 men, risking his life, they naturally understood the danger involved.

Jing Zhaoning said no more, cupped his hands in greeting to Feng Xiao, and then led everyone away from the government office.

Without pausing for a moment, the group transformed into streaks of light, bursting out of Pingyang City and speeding along the official road toward the prefectural city.

What they saw next shook even the most unwavering Daoist hearts of the students in the academy.

A thousand miles of barren land lay exposed, with white bones lying in the wilderness.

When they arrived at Yong'an City, they were utterly shocked to see the vast ruins that had been burned to ashes by the fire, leaving only broken walls.

People could clearly sense that a trace of resentment and death still lingered above the ruins.

Jing Zhaoning could even imagine the horrific tragedy that had occurred here before it was burned down.

She could imagine the feelings of that young imperial envoy when he issued the order to burn the city, a city littered with corpses and blood.

"Using swift and decisive measures, yet possessing the compassion of a Bodhisattva..."

Jing Zhaoning murmured to herself, the words Chen Ye had said to her back in Tinglanxuan echoing in her mind once again.

She always thought it was just the sophistry of a libertine.

But now it seems that he is truly living by his own principles.

Thinking of this, an unprecedentedly complex emotion quietly grew in her heart.

Then Jing Zhaoning took a deep breath, suppressed the distracting thoughts in her mind, and turned her gaze to the distance ahead.

She could feel that the overwhelming resentment that permeated the heavens and earth was becoming increasingly intense and violent.

And the very center of that resentment was...the direction of the county town!

"Chen Ye..."

Jing Zhaoning gripped the hilt of the sword behind her back, her eyes becoming incredibly sharp.

"You...you must hold on!"

As soon as she finished speaking, her speed increased again. She seemed to merge with the sword light in her hand, transforming into a rainbow that tore through the sky and rushed headlong into the center of the storm without hesitation...

After the caravan left the ruins of Yong'an City, it traveled eastward for about a day, and the surrounding scenery began to become increasingly bizarre.

The sky was always gray, as if covered with a layer of dust that could never be wiped clean, and even the sun's rays seemed weak and powerless.

The sense of despair and death in the air did not diminish but instead grew stronger, even beginning to carry a faint, sweet, and metallic scent, as if even the wind had taken on a bloody hue.

Most disturbingly, the fog was gradually appearing.

It is a thick, grayish-black fog that rises up from the cracked earth without warning.

At first, it was just a thin layer, wrapped around the wheels and the horses' legs, but soon the fog became thicker, like a surging tide, engulfing the entire caravan.

"Ugh... What kind of weather is this?!"

Hou En, riding at the head of the caravan, couldn't help but shiver, feeling a chill creep in through the gaps in his armor.

He looked around, and all he could see was gray and black. Even the figure of Qian Yi, a few steps away, became blurry.

Visibility was now less than three feet, and a sense of direction was practically useless in this environment. "Stay alert, keep formation! Don't fall behind!"

Qian Yi's voice came from ahead, carrying a hint of solemnity.

He drew his long sword from his waist, warily observing the thick fog around him, a strong sense of unease rising within him.

Because this fog was so abnormal, it contained a chilling power, as if countless eyes were secretly watching them.

The convoy had to slow down. All five hundred elite soldiers of the Beijing Garrison drew their weapons, stood back to back, and formed a tight defensive formation, carefully groping their way forward in the thick fog.

The atmosphere inside the carriage was completely different from the tense atmosphere outside.

Chen Ye remained leaning against the soft cushion, eyes closed, seemingly unaffected by the suffocating fog outside.

Bai Yingluo and Xia Lingshuang sat on either side of him, their bodies close together.

Bai Yingluo's expression was somewhat solemn. She could clearly sense the dense resentment and death energy within the mist.

As the Holy Maiden of the Nine Nether Sect, she was no stranger to this kind of negative energy, but such pure and enormous resentment still made her feel a bit of pressure.

This indicates that the Li Hun Sect's plan has progressed to a fairly advanced stage.

Xia Ling Shuang, on the other hand, appeared much calmer. She simply leaned quietly against Chen Ye, her bright eyes fixed on him, as if as long as she stayed by her brother's side, even if the sky fell, it wouldn't concern her.

Suddenly, a short cry of surprise came from outside the carriage, followed by the sound of clashing weapons.

"what!"

"Protect your lord!"

The soldiers outside stirred.

Bai Yingluo's eyes sharpened instantly, her body tensed slightly, and a chilling aura emanated from her uncontrollably.

“Brother.” Xia Lingshuang sat up straight and looked at Chen Ye with a questioning look in her eyes.

Chen Ye slowly opened his eyes.

In his vision of the Throne of Desire, many strange shadows were rapidly moving through the thick fog surrounding the convoy.

These things have no fixed shape; some resemble twisted human figures, while others resemble deformed beasts. Their bodies are composed entirely of gray-black resentment, with only pairs of blood-red eyes appearing and disappearing in the mist.

A faint but pure fire of desire burned within them, a crimson flame mixed with hunger, tyranny, and an intense craving for the flesh and blood of living beings.

These things are strange creatures formed by the overwhelming resentment and unwillingness of the countless victims on this land, combined with the deathly aura of heaven and earth.

They have no reason, only the most primal instincts of killing and devouring.

At that moment, more than a dozen of these monsters were being slashed by the soldiers' swords, but they quickly reformed in the mist not far away and charged forward again without fear of death.

Although a single monster is not strong and can be easily cleaved in two by an ordinary soldier, their numbers are numerous and they are relentless in killing, constantly draining the soldiers' physical and mental strength.

"Brother Chen! We can't kill all these monsters!" Hou En's voice was tinged with anxiety.

Chen Ye ignored him and simply pointed a finger out the window.

The next moment, an invisible wave spread out from the carriage.

The monsters that were frantically attacking the convoy suddenly stiffened, a look of bewilderment flashing in their blood-red eyes.

Chen Ye's Throne of Desire bypassed the chaotic killing instincts of these monsters and precisely located the trace of their desire for life at the core of their desires.

He then ignited that desire and twisted it into a new command—fear.

Om-!
The crimson flames on all the monsters were instantly swallowed up by a dark terror.

As if they had seen the most terrifying being in the world, they let out a silent shriek, turned and ran, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.

The previously chaotic and noisy convoy instantly returned to deathly silence.

"Uh, they... just got away?"

Hou En stared blankly at the empty surroundings, still somewhat bewildered.

Qian Yi also looked surprised and uncertain. He seemed to have felt a strange palpitation just now, but the feeling was so fleeting that he thought it was an illusion.

"Alright, let's continue on our way."

Chen Ye's voice broke the silence, then he closed his eyes again, as if he had just done something insignificant.

The convoy started again, the thick fog remained, but no more monsters dared to approach the convoy.

The convoy traveled through the thick fog for about half an hour before the fog finally began to thin, and the outline of a dim, yellowish sun reappeared on the horizon.

"Brother Chen! It seems we've made it out of that ghostly fog!" Hou En's excited voice came through the fog.

Sure enough, the convoy soon drove out of the fog-shrouded area, and everyone felt a sense of sudden clarity.

However, the sight before them made everyone gasp in shock.

Not far ahead, the outline of a magnificent city stood silently beneath the twilight sky.

That is Nanhe County City.

At this moment, visible streams of black and red resentment are gathering from all directions, continuously merging into the city and making its color even deeper.

Gudong.

Hou En swallowed hard. His warhorse pawed restlessly and snorted, seemingly filled with fear of the city ahead.

"Brother Chen... this... this is the county town?" His voice was dry, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor.

Qian Yi's palms were also covered in cold sweat as he gripped the hilt of his sword. He even felt that Yong'an City, which was piled high with heads, seemed much more benign than the city before him.

At least in Yong'an City there are still corpses, crows, and the stench of blood that will make you vomit.

There's nothing here.

There was only a vast emptiness and deathly silence that froze one's soul.

Chen Ye did not answer Hou En's question, but instead lifted the carriage curtain and looked at the city shrouded in black and red resentment.

In his view, the city presented a completely different picture.

It is not empty; quite the opposite, it is full.

Countless gray-white specks of desire, representing confusion and numbness, swarmed like sardines in a can, densely packed into every corner of the city.

These points of light felt no hunger, fear, joy, or sorrow.

They are like a stagnant pool, quietly suspended in place, maintaining an eerie balance.

Above these grayish-white specks of light, a massive black net woven from pure resentment and death enveloped the entire city.

Each node of this network is connected to thousands of gray-white light dots below, as if it is extracting something.

So this is not a dead land, but a huge pasture, with the entire city as a cage and hundreds of thousands of souls as livestock.

Then Chen Ye lowered the carriage curtain and said calmly, "Let's go into the city."

"Enter...enter the city?" Hou En and Qian Yi were both stunned, wondering if they had misheard.

“That’s right, into the city!” Chen Ye said coldly.

"Yes!"

Qian Yi and Hou En dared not hesitate any longer. They immediately reorganized their formation, gritted their teeth, and escorted the carriage slowly toward the city gate, which resembled the mouth of a giant beast.

The moment the convoy stepped through the city gate, everyone felt as if they had passed through a layer of cold, viscous water.

Then the surrounding light suddenly dimmed, and the temperature seemed to drop by more than ten degrees out of nowhere.

The streets were deserted, and the shops on both sides had their doors wide open. The tables and chairs inside were still in their original state, and some tables even had unfinished food on them, though they were covered with a thick layer of dust.

It was as if time had been paused.

However, just as the elite soldiers of the Beijing garrison breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that this was just an empty city, a strange scene unfolded.

In a steamed bun shop that was originally empty, a semi-transparent figure appeared out of thin air.

It was a man wearing an apron. He had a blank expression and empty eyes, mechanically repeating the kneading motion, as if he was completely unaware of everything around him.

Immediately afterwards, one after another, semi-transparent figures appeared on the street, in the shops, and under the eaves.

There were peddlers carrying loads of goods and hawking their wares, old women sitting at doorways mending clothes, children chasing and playing in the street, and scholars sitting in teahouses drinking tea and chatting...

They were all like the steamed bun shop owner, with numb expressions and empty eyes, repeating a certain action from their lives over and over again, but without making a sound.

The entire long street seemed to be staging a silent mime, which was extremely eerie.

(End of this chapter)