Chapter 302 The Eye of the Storm (Part 4) "Awooo!"

Below the demon capital, the firelight shone brightly, illuminating all the demons who had gathered there. There were quite a few tribes that had come, but far fewer than the number that had previously occupied the area outside the city.

They arrived in the Demon Capital one after another over two days, but were unable to enter the city. They thought they had to wait for the three-day period that Ru Xian had mentioned, but the time had come and the city gates remained tightly closed.

At this moment, Ru Xian again uttered the word "surrender," causing everyone to feel uneasy.

Everyone knew that Lin Feiran was at odds with the Secret Sect, and Ru Xian's relationship with her had already spread throughout the demon realm in those three months. Naturally, he was on Lin Feiran's side. Now, he said these words simply to force the people of the demon realm to take sides.

For a moment, there was complete silence; no one dared to speak rashly.

On the city wall, Xuanzhen looked around and said with some worry, "Master, where is Brother Zhu? He hasn't left his room for several days since he went back to his room last time. I went to call him today, but no one answered."

Ru Xian glanced sideways, paused for a few moments, and then said, "He's gone."

Xuanzhen was still puzzled and scratched his head, asking, "Where did he go?"

As if clasping his arms, he tapped his fingertips lightly on the armband: "I don't know where he went either."

"How is that possible?"

Xuanzhen spoke up instinctively.

Now that the Demon Capital is under lockdown, entry and exit are entirely controlled by Ru Xian. Without his permission, Qing Zhu cannot leave the city.

Ru Xian looked down and said softly, "He came to me, saying he wanted to go back to where he belonged. We've had some relationship over the years, so I naturally couldn't force him to stay here. Therefore, I allowed him to leave."

Upon hearing this, Ping An pondered the matter and couldn't help but discern a different meaning. His face showed a hint of understanding, while Xuan Zhen was somewhat incredulous. Her dog-like eyes widened, and she froze slightly in place, showing a bit of helplessness.

"How could he leave... Right now, the Demon Capital is in grave danger. Brother Fei even asked if we wanted to come back. How could Qingzhu, Qingzhu, leave?"

Ping An hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "Everyone has their own path to walk. He is simply returning to where he belongs. The identity of an envoy should not be his final destination."

Xuanzhen was still somewhat dazed. Even if he was slow-witted, he could still understand the unspoken meaning in Ping An's words.

"But……"

He didn't know how to say it, but Qingzhu was a very gentle person who was very kind to him and Biqing and had never done anything out of line. They had always liked him.

But his goodness is not contrary to his position.

Xuanzhen is not a stubborn person. He is aware of this, but he also feels frustrated and sad because of it.

Ru Xian lowered her eyes to look down at the city. Hearing his hurried pause, her light tapping hand paused slightly. She glanced at him and remained silent for a moment before speaking.

"There is a saying among humans: 'A gentleman judges by his actions, not his intentions.' Qingzhu has been in the Demon Capital for many years and has never done anything evil or harmed you or me. So to us, he is just Qingzhu."

Xuanzhen's eyes were already red. Ignoring the many people standing below the city, he quickly approached Ruxian's side, but still remembered to maintain an appropriate distance.

"Your Excellency, do you mean you don't blame him?"

Ru Xian turned to look, her eyes shimmering with emerald light: "He didn't do anything wrong, and he's been quite devoted to us. That's enough. If I were to blame him, I wouldn't have let him leave yesterday."

Xuan Zhen lowered his head, speechless. Ru Xian's words were clearly reasonable and had convinced him, but he was still holding back a feeling of anger, not resentment, but annoyance.

Ru Xian may seem cold and indifferent, but he is actually quite protective of his own. He is very kind to his own people and has a great capacity for tolerance. The envoys came from all over the world, with different backgrounds and ambitions, but he was able to accept them all.

Just like Xun Feifei and Ping An.

He has always been loyal to the human race. If the two worlds were to go to war, he would definitely stand on the side of the human race. His position is very different from theirs.

Another person is shrouded in many secrets, often appearing only briefly before disappearing without a trace, their whereabouts shrouded in mystery.

The two never concealed it, and the others knew it in their hearts. No one ever said anything. So what if he had another identity in the Tantric sect? At least many years ago, the Tantric sect was just an obscure sect. Why hide it for so many years?

Even if he said it, they wouldn't be angry.

As he thought about it, Xuanzhen felt a bit more relaxed. He thought that if his identity had been exposed long ago, Qingzhu might not have been able to leave so gracefully today.

And he really did nothing to them.

Thinking of this, Xuan Zhen felt a pang of sadness. Since he had enough to eat and wear in the Demon Capital, he rarely thought about the time he spent wandering outside. But lately, he couldn't help but think about it.

If only I could stay a puppy forever, like his brothers and sisters, born whimpering, only needing to find food, and then barking away.

Unlike him, who, even as an adult, still has to ponder these troublesome matters—maybe neither absolutely good nor absolutely bad, but always there before him, causing him distress.

Xuanzhen looked worried, slowly squatted down with her knees drawn up to her chest, and fell into deep thought.

He paused for a few moments before speaking again: "My lord, why did he choose to reveal his identity when the city was in peril? If he was an undercover agent for the secret sect, why didn't he wait until he discovered our plans before leaving?"

Was he... also doing this for us?

Ru Xian glanced sideways and chuckled, "Whether it's for our sake or not, I don't know, but what does it mean to be in danger?"

He looked down and said, "They were all summoned by me."

He raised his hand, and points of spiritual light rose from his palm, like fireflies scattered in the night, swaying in the wind above the city wall.

"Gentlemen, it has been a quarter of an hour. Have you made up your minds about surrendering?"

No one answered from below the city walls. Qiu Tong's gaze was also hesitant. She hadn't expected Ru Xian to be so straightforward, putting the matter of choosing sides on the table for people to choose from.

If she were the only one who came here today, she would naturally choose to surrender without much thought. But she came here for the Fox Clan, and in the current situation, choosing sides means a life-or-death decision.

The fox clan was originally neutral, but today they have placed their chips in her hands; how heavy that burden must be.

She wanted to send this message back to Qingqiu, but was blocked by a powerful spiritual force. Many people were like her, their secret messages vanished in mid-air, and the jade talismans used for communication also broke in two.

Someone, exasperated, couldn't help but speak up: "We thought that the Lord had suddenly changed his ways, no longer being as indifferent as before, and had begun to worry about the life and death of the demon realm. That's why we came to discuss this matter. We never expected that it was still for that human race!"

In his haste to say these words, he broke out in a cold sweat and immediately looked up, fearing that the man would attack him.

Ke Ruxian simply stood on the city wall, his golden and white robes fluttering in the wind, just as he had stood silently in the night wind when he held up the head of the demon king.

Ru Shan rolled her eyes, looked down, and said with a half-smile, "The demon race has always respected the strong and relied on bloodlines. It is not as strict as the human world. I didn't know that you all started to talk about morality like humans."

When the demon realm is at peace, it's best for me to hide in the Xingzhi Palace, not disturbing you in the slightest, and remain a symbol of someone who doesn't know their own mortality.

The demon realm is in trouble, and I have once again become its leader, obliged to protect everyone.

"Is there really such a good thing in the world?"

The area below the city was even quieter. If Zhou Shushu were here, he would definitely confide in him, beat his chest, and shout: Don't argue with this guy, you'll be driven half to death!

Ru Xian was usually lazy and didn't like to talk much, but he was intelligent. People with quick minds also have sharp tongues. When he was young and impetuous, he often made people angry and embarrassed.

As a boy, Ru Xian had thin, red lips, but with just a slight parting, they could poison a whole crowd.

Although he has matured and his sharpness has been greatly tempered, his charm remains as strong as ever, and no one below the city wall dares to refute him.

Ru Xian looked on with satisfaction, then with a slight raise of his left hand, the heavy object transformed into a high stool, which he quickly moved behind him. He sat down, crossed his right leg, and gazed into the silent night.

Outside the city of the Demon Capital, many disciples of the Secret Sect lay in wait, awaiting his next move.

He smiled and continued, "I'll give you another quarter of an hour."

...

In the human realm, in the Great Swamp Prefecture.

Lin Feiran and Wei Changzai hurried through the yellow sand. Noon was approaching, and Ruxie would be setting off soon, so she couldn't fall behind.

The two crossed the vast yellow sand and arrived at the west side of the main city of Daze Prefecture, where they finally met Zhou Shushu and his group who were waiting there.

This time, he personally led his disciples to meet Lin Fei. Then, he handed over what he was holding and said, "Zhang Siwo and the others have sent word that everything is ready and they are just waiting to make their move."

"Alright." Lin Feiran nodded, took the purple-gold gourd handed to him, and took out the communication token. He said, "It's 15 noon now. Everyone, please rest for a while. We'll start in 15 minutes."

Zhang Siwo's voice came from the jade tablet: "Alright, I will send out the message."

After the communication ended, Lin Feiran weighed the purple-gold gourd in her hand, then turned to look at Wei Changzai.

"You'll be working with me from now on. Whatever I do, you do too."

Wei Changzai's dark eyes were clear. After looking at him quietly for a moment, he nodded naturally: "I will always follow behind you."

Fifteen minutes is neither long nor short, but it was enough for people to discover her secret meeting with Zhou Shushu. After all, she had never stayed in one place for such a long time in the past few days.

Lin Feiran's whereabouts were a mystery, but now he has suddenly appeared. The disciples of the Secret Sect immediately reported this and then sent dozens of cultivators to intercept him!

The saintess had a secret forest prepared; whatever she wanted to do, she would be stopped!

Fearing that Lin Feiran might escape again, they pursued him at an extremely fast speed, the wind they stirred up howling through the air, almost overturning the medical tents in the city. Many patients suffering from cold-related illnesses peered out from below, and the people crowded in front of the esoteric Buddhist temple also looked up in confusion.

Disaster is about to break out, the night wind howls.

The three leading esoteric disciples had just crossed the city gate when they were suddenly struck back by a tremendous force. The seven people behind them barely managed to catch them. Looking over in shock and anger, they saw that the wind blowing in from outside the city carried glistening glitter and a few grains of sand and snow.

The snow fell into the city lights and melted with a sizzle.

A frost-covered figure flew in from the sky outside the city. After stepping onto the city wall, he stood silently with his sword in hand, as if waiting for something.

Upon witnessing this strange turn of events, the people in the city no longer cared about watching the spectacle and hurriedly sought places to hide. Those suffering from the cold, however, were unable to walk and could only huddle under the medical tent, looking towards the city gate with some despair.

With a loud bang, the tightly closed city gate was knocked on. The disciples of the secret sect immediately looked over. With another loud bang, the heavy city gate made a loud noise as it was pushed open by half an inch. Behind the crack was a figure that blended into the night.

Then a flash of sword light appeared, the huge iron bolt was split in two, the city gate was completely opened, and the person behind the gate was fully exposed.

This time, Lin Feiran no longer wore a bamboo hat to cover her eyes and eyebrows, but openly revealed her identity, allowing everyone present to see it clearly.

Behind her were several disciples of the Langhuan Sect, each holding a jade bottle.

"Lin Feiran, what... what exactly do you want to do!"

Several esoteric monks slowly retreated, both to question her and to buy time so that the other members of the sect in the hall could come to her aid.

Bi Sheng and the others had long been aware of Lin Feiran's unusual behavior, but their plan was too secretive and detailed, and the information they could gather was very fragmented.

For example, Lin Feiran was about to enter the city to set up an array, many sect disciples went out to pick Bizhu grass, and they lay in ambush near various secret sects, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

These messages may seem valid, but in reality, they are simply absurd.

Lin Feiran stepped forward with her sword, offering no explanation. Her act of breaking into the city was, in itself, a delaying tactic.

The secret sect's stronghold in Daze Prefecture was located to the east of here. The few minutes they had spent knocking and talking were enough for them to send reinforcements. She looked up and finally spoke, but unfortunately, it wasn't the answer they wanted.

"Let's do it."

As soon as he finished speaking, a snowstorm raged in mid-air, and a pale blue figure descended from above into the disciples of the secret sect. Cold frost and snow spread out beneath his feet, and his sword intent swept across the land. Wherever the blade passed, people fell to the ground with choked voices, without even a trace of blood mist. The blood that had not yet gushed out was forever frozen beneath his severed throat.

He glanced sideways, and only looked away when he was sure Lin Feiran was still making a move and had nothing else to do.

A sword's cry rang out, and Lin Feiran turned around with his sword, brushing aside two disciples of the secret sect. He then swiftly struck, the crimson light falling like a drizzle onto the broken medical tent, making a soft, dripping sound.

A head quickly peeked out from inside the shed. It was a child who had recently contracted a cold illness. Still retaining a trace of curiosity, he secretly looked in this direction and happened to meet Lin Feiran's gaze as he sheathed his sword.

After a moment of silence, she remembered her purpose for being there, and suddenly put on a classic villainous expression, licked the blood from her lips evilly, and then let out a threatening sound: "Awooo!"

"!" The child turned pale and scurried into the medical tent, not daring to come out again. Only then did Lin Feiran leave, satisfied.

"..." Wei Changzai withdrew his gaze, pursed his lips, pretended not to see, and drew his sword to push aside the attacking Secret Sect cultivators, clearing a path for the Langhuan Sect disciples behind him.

Even the most obtuse person could sense the direction Lin Feiran was heading. The esoteric sect members who had not yet arrived immediately turned back. On the east side, the tall building with the inscription "Boundless Tao" shattered into several pieces in an instant, as neatly as tofu cut by a sharp blade.

Many disciples of the Langhuan Sect leaped to the side, their fingers suspending silk threads that intertwined and cut the remaining high-rise buildings into pieces, causing them to collapse with a crash.

The street was already in chaos. Lin Feiran and Wei Changzai alone were almost able to stop the large number of Tantric cultivators who were attacking. After the Tantric temple was divided up, the two of them stopped fighting and advancing.

Lin Feiran leaped up, with Wei Changzai immediately following. Her movements were unpredictable, dodging several attacks and floating like a duckweed to the front of the palace, looking directly at the plaque that read "Boundless Daoist Power".

The vermilion pupil in the lower right corner seemed to move slightly, looking at her.

She didn't look back, but instead looked into the hall. Because of the fight just now, all the people who had been crowding inside to petition had rushed out. At this moment, even the plaque was cut in half and fell into the scattered rubble.

Amidst the billowing smoke and dust, and as everyone gasped in astonishment, Lin Feiran took out the purple-gold gourd and turned to look at them.

"Qi may seem useless, but it is indispensable. If it is lost, one will suffer from cold-related illnesses. Esoteric Buddhism takes it away, which is the culprit that leads people to their doom."

Whether you believe it or not, anyone who dares to go to esoteric Buddhism and offer up their vital energy will suffer this fate.

The next moment, she took out the purple-gold gourd, turned it upside down, formed a hand seal, and pointed the gourd mouth at the dozen or so mortal believers who had come to petition. In the blink of an eye, the dozen or so people disappeared without a trace, leaving everyone speechless!

The scene was too bizarre, and the onlookers not far away cried out in alarm. Lin Feiran did not let it go either. She glanced at the person beside her, and the Langhuan Sect disciple suddenly came to his senses. He subconsciously raised the jade bottle in his hand and formed a hand seal as usual. As if sucking the person into it, the person disappeared without a trace, and the screams also vanished in an instant!

What kind of magical artifact is this? My master didn't mention its wondrous uses before giving it to him!

The disciple put away the jade bottle, but unable to resist his curiosity, he tilted the bottle and carefully peered inside, wanting to see if those people had really been sucked into the bottle.

No matter how much you shake it, there's only a tiny bit of water in the bottle, not a single person in sight.

He stammered, "Fellow Daoist Lin, were they... melted inside the bottle?"

Lin Feiran did not answer, but her words were interpreted in a completely different way by others.

They looked at the dark figure with different expressions, and fell silent for a moment. This action undoubtedly meant that anyone who offered their vital energy to the esoteric sect would suffer the same fate as these people, being melted into those treasure bottles and leaving no trace of their bodies.

This is undoubtedly a deterrent, but also a risky move.

A risky move that completely thrust Lin Feiran into the eye of the storm.

The disciples of Langhuan Sect are not good at combat, which is why she chose to come here last, to assist Langhuan Sect in completing the second step.

At this moment, not only in Daze Prefecture where she was located, but also in Zhongzhou, Beiyuan, Nanpingzhou, and Dongyuzhou, it was the same.

The leaders of each sect led their disciples to the main halls of each prefecture. After revealing the truth about the cold disease, they tried to "swallow" as many ordinary people who were petitioning in the secret sect or were in the process of joining the sect, thus deterring most of those who wanted to test the waters.

She looked down at the purple-gold gourd, where water sloshed about. Who would have thought that this was not some rare and precious treasure, but simply rainwater that had accumulated little by little from a spiritual herb?

The eternal night has arrived, the sunlight is weak, and even the rain has become much less frequent. Now, rain can only be seen near the Jade Pearl Grass, which is why she asked everyone to pick the spiritual herbs.

To sever the vital energy desired by esoteric Buddhism, it is simpler to directly intimidate rather than to painstakingly persuade them.

The only place that can accommodate so many people and is secluded enough is Rainfall City.

She exhaled softly, looked at the terrified faces, and turned to reveal the broken walls and ruins behind her.

“We will remain here. Xixiang is far away, and reinforcements may not arrive for a long time. If any of you wish to offer your Qi to the Dao Lord, please step forward. I will absorb one of each of you.”

Author's Note: The great villain Lin Feiran has arrived! Ouch, everyone get out of the way!

[Heart emoji]