Zhongshan Shenzhu Chi

Chapter 85 Chaos

Cheyenne, night.

The first snowfall in Yongningzhou after the onset of winter came exceptionally early and was exceptionally heavy.

White covered the mountains and rivers, as if the earth was covered by a thick layer of cotton, and had been sleeping for a long time.

Despite the falling snow, Li Zhengyuan stood on the city wall, gazing towards the main city of Yongning in the west.

He cupped his hands in front of his mouth, exhaled warm breath, and rubbed them back and forth a couple of times.

"Big brother—" Li Zhengming walked up the city wall and stood beside him.

He neither handed over the intelligence report he was holding nor spoke.

Li Zhengyuan frowned and pointed to the city gate tower.

The two went inside and walked to a secluded corner.

"See?"

Li Zhengyuan took the latest intelligence report from the sentry and opened it.

An extremely simple vertical character.

"The Mist Demons are rampaging and have already spread a hundred miles beyond the main city."

"Tsk—" Li Zhengyuan immediately crumpled the note into a ball, just like his chaotic and confused state of mind.

"Brother, I'm not trying to be pessimistic—" Meeting his brother's gaze, Li Zhengming opened his mouth, but swallowed back what he was about to say, and changed his words to, "The great building is about to collapse, and monsters are everywhere."

"I understand, I understand," Li Zhengyuan said helplessly.

"Brother, including Zhao Ying and Tu Die, we only have two fourth-realm cultivators—" Li Zhengming added again.

"Zhao Ying has been working very hard in training, but our soldiers still need to practice their formations—it's only been less than three months."

He is also a man of action.

But unlike Li Zhengyuan, he valued his life more.

Just like when the Crimson Immortal Sect entered Xia'an City, Li Zhengming's first reaction was to be patient and not to cause any unnecessary trouble.

He will wait until the conflict between the Xuan Snake God and the Crimson Immortal Sect erupts before making a move.

Unexpectedly, instead of a conflict erupting between the two sides, a mythical serpent was born in Zhongshan.

"Brother, according to Master Die, the Zhongshan God will not come down the mountain to help us deal with the Mist Demons."

Li Zhengming spoke again.

"What He needs to deal with is the great drought that will soon befall Yongning Continent."

"I know, I know," Li Zhengyuan said, patting his head in anguish.

Zhongshan God is not Yongning God. The fact that He was able to take action to unite the city of Yongning and lead Zhongshan in fighting the drought already shows that He has taken on an extremely heavy responsibility.

"Did Master Die say when he would be coming?" he asked again.

"Master Butterfly said that if we really want to march into the main city, she will appear on the battlefield. However, she will not send out the soldiers from the autumn and winter cities."

"The main city is too close to Winter City; if we're not careful, the Mist Ghosts will breach it."

Li Zhengming followed Li Zhengyuan out of the city gate tower and looked westward toward the main city of Yongning.

Since arriving in Yongning Prefecture, the two brothers have spent decades figuring out how to become the city lords of the main city.

Unfortunately, due to his lack of ability and his position within the imperial court, he never rose to power.

In hindsight, it wasn't such a bad thing.

At least the person is still alive.

"Big Brother"

"I want to go to Zhongshan and ask the Zhongshan God for help." Before he could finish speaking, Li Zhengyuan suddenly interrupted him.

"The Mist Demons are rampant, the human race in Yongning Continent is dwindling, and the water conservancy facilities are left unmaintained—this will affect the drought relief plan."

"Brother, you probably can't even get into the mountain," Li Zhengming replied helplessly.

"We have to give it a try. What if the Zhongshan God, who cares about the world, is willing to come out of the mountains?" Li Zhengyuan turned his head and looked at the mountain range that stretched from north to south in the east, between Yongning and Yunxi.

Amidst the wind and snow, the mountains stood majestic and dark, resembling a giant dragon prostrate on the earth, serene and awe-inspiring.

But why is that mountain moving?

"Be on guard—!" A deafening roar echoed across the city walls of Xia'an City facing Zhongshan Mountain.

All the crossbows in the city were drawn simultaneously, their bowstrings taut.

The giant spiritual cannon clicked and slowly turned, its muzzle and the tips of the spears in the soldiers' hands both aimed at the dark figure slowly approaching in the distance.

The dark shadow, like a continuous mountain range, slowly pressed down.

The air seemed to freeze under the heavy pressure, making it difficult to breathe.

The guards immediately surrounded and protected the two city lords.

The commander stepped forward, bowed, and clasped his hands in greeting.

"My lords, please return to your main camp to take command."

"No." Li Zhengyuan stared intently at the shadow slowly rolling in from afar, a glimmer of hope burning in his eyes.

"Pass on my order: everyone be on high alert, no attack! Remove the shells from all the crossbows and cannons!"

"This—" the commander exclaimed in surprise.

"Hasn't your Xia'an City not experienced any monster attacks for hundreds of years? Why are you worried now?"

Li Zhengyuan turned to look at Li Zhengming.

"At this critical juncture, we absolutely cannot go to war with Zhongshan."

"You all stay on guard. I'll go alone and see what their intentions are."

"Give the order," Li Zhengming said helplessly, waving his hand.

"Yes, sir." The commander hesitated for a moment, then turned around, took out a horn, and blew out the city lord's command.

The soldiers looked on in surprise, but due to the strict military orders, they all put down their weapons.

"Get a hanging basket, put me down, and I'll go talk to them." Li Zhengyuan turned around, only to see Zhao Ying in front of him.

"No need to go down," the woman's voice was clear and melodious, like a silver bell. "They're not here to attack the city."

Zhao Ying stepped forward and patted Li Zhengyuan on the shoulder approvingly.

She had a very high opinion of this city lord.

Unlike those important figures in Zhongzhou, he was a good official.

"You know him?" Li Zhengyuan breathed a sigh of relief, and the flame of hope in his eyes burned even brighter.

"I know one—but it doesn't seem to be it." Zhao Ying's eyes were sharp as a hawk's, her gaze piercing through the wind and snow, and her voice sounded somewhat unsure.

A woman's intuition told her that it was Lord Qinghu.

As a cultivator at the fourth level, she was unable to sense any demonic energy from the woman dressed as a man.

The shadows in the wind and snow are drawing near.

The earth began to tremble noticeably, and the snowflakes and pebbles seemed to be startled and jumped up.

Heavy, thunderous breathing enveloped the entire city.

Visible to the naked eye, plumes of blazing white mist spewed from the black shadow's mouth.

Wherever they went, the snow on the ground melted.

That's strange.

Zhao Ying jumped off the city wall and moved forward step by step.

Seeing their leader at the front, the soldiers finally dared to breathe a sigh of relief.

Until those ferocious beasts slowly stepped into the light-filled area of ​​Xia'an City, one or two extremely strong forearms, like large shields, were raised in front of them, their muscles bulging like giant pythons, wildly seemingly capable of tearing the earth apart.

Its scarlet eyes gleamed with a savage and bloodthirsty light, and its ferocious beastly face twisted in the wind and snow, cracking open—

"Don't yell, we're not here to fight." A tall, slender figure stomped his foot on the Golden Ape King's head.

The force was very light, almost nonexistent.

However, this completely shattered the intimidation that the Golden Ape King had accumulated in his throat.

The tigress on its head was also somewhat resentful.

But after defeating that giant alligator—you still have to back down.

The Golden Ape King turned and smacked his descendants on the head twice.

Just consider it a way to vent.

"Lingyi?" Zhao Ying asked.

"Yes, it's me."

The mountain king nodded.

"By order of the mountain god, I, the Golden Ape King, and some of its descendants have come down the mountain to help you."