201 Dalong Prefecture 9

The lands of the Gao family, the Wu family, and the Liu family all have several grand gates, with white jade floors, marble railings and paintings, and calligraphy by scholars—a truly leisurely and carefree place.

It was the perfect time to sleep, but the events of last night were urgent and couldn't be publicized. Therefore, neither the Wu family nor the Liu family were visited by Magistrate Gao.

After all, these underlings weren't as reliable as his own family's troops; their hearts were unpredictable. Prefect Gao, that old fox, understood this very well.

At this moment, the head of the Wu family, embracing his thirteen concubines, was having a wonderful dream, sleeping soundly and comfortably, having experienced thunder and rumbling sounds last night.

Clearly, things haven't calmed down yet, disturbing my grand dream. However, this is Dalong Prefecture, Gao family territory. The Gao family's Martial King is not just a figurehead; anyone who wants to disturb him should think twice.

So, although the noise was loud, Master Wu didn't take it to heart. "I have connections," he said, "and that's not just talk; it's real backing."

I was suddenly startled awake by a hurried sound. A heavy, murderous aura, like the clanging of swords and the thunder of horses, rushed in.

Before they could react, hurried footsteps, the rapid clanging of metal, and the sound of horses' hooves came from all directions.

The door was flung open instantly, and squads of armored soldiers rushed in, shouting, "Take him down! If he resists, kill him on sight!"

Some were taken away quietly, while others were caught in a flurry of swordplay, the mournful cries of demons piercing the bright daylight, and some people found evil spirits lurking in their homes.

Another three-zhang-tall demon beast soared into the sky. It looked like a monkey demon. It instantly devoured several people, its mouth full of blood and filth, its body severed in half, and its eyes looked down on the approaching soldiers.

A cold shout suddenly rang out, "Harboring evil spirits and colluding with demons, you deserve to die!"

A large sword descended from the sky, its blade radiating a powerful aura that seemed to solidify the air itself.

The monster remained calm and unhurried, throwing a punch. Its fist was enveloped in true energy, accompanied by a whooshing sound.

With a deafening roar, the opposing forces clashed, creating a gale-force wind that ripped off rooftops. The sheer power of the impact was awe-inspiring throughout the entire city.

The bow was nocked an arrow, its strings taut. The demon monkey, undaunted, threw another punch. Knife and fist clashed, and for a time, the battle was fierce and evenly matched.

Suddenly, the demon monkey unleashed a powerful punch, fist and blade clashing. With a scream, it used the momentum to instantly escape the city's boundaries, landing in the surrounding area and quickly fleeing into the Great Wilderness, disappearing from sight.

Drops of demonic blood fell from the sky. The man wielding the sword was filled with displeasure, his beard bristling with anger, but at this moment, battles were raging in more than one place within the city.

Unexpectedly, the vast Dalong Prefecture harbored so many demons and monsters; otherwise, the few of us who intercepted them would surely have been able to kill the demon monkey.

Enraged, he leaped forward instantly. As a demon slayer, he naturally had to slay these evil spirits.

Inside the Gao family mansion, several elders of the Gao family were red-faced and incredulous. One of them, dressed in purple and gold robes, had a ruddy complexion, sharp lips, and fierce eyes.

Holding two golden balls in his hands, he remained calm and unhurried, his eyes filled with disdain.

He shouted, "Guan, you little brat, have you lost your mind? How dare you interfere in local affairs!"

I must submit a proper report to Vice Minister Wang.

This is treason!

Let me tell you, if you act like this, even the old general can't protect you. You'd better leave immediately.

Otherwise, I will immediately accuse you of treason and exterminate your entire family.

And all of you, why don't you lay down your weapons and leave? Do you want to die with him?

Captain Guan shouted, "The Gao family has arbitrarily seized fertile land and colluded with evil spirits. Their crimes are unforgivable and they deserve to be executed. All their property is confiscated. Why don't you lay down your weapons and surrender?"

Otherwise, they would be met with a hail of arrows, and he shouted, "Put down your weapons and surrender!"

However, no one laid down their weapons. The servants guarded the gate tightly, holding their weapons firmly in their hands, looking at the newcomers with disdain, showing no fear whatsoever.

This Dalong Prefecture belongs to the Gao family. These servants are not afraid at all. Inside, there are two rows of archers, their bows drawn and arrows nocked, their targets clear. At this moment, silence speaks louder than words; even their breathing can be clearly heard.

At this moment, they were completely focused and fearless. Right and wrong no longer mattered. They were eating the emperor's food, serving the emperor loyally, and bearing the emperor's worries. What was there to fear?

The Gao family of the Great Dragon Mansion are their rulers. They usually indulge in fine wine and meat, beautiful women, armor, precious swords, and weapons, considering themselves superior and acting arrogantly. But now, they are fighting for themselves.

Moreover, the Gao family of Dalong Prefecture enjoys a very high reputation. Over the years, this has been the result of generations of hard work. They own vast tracts of fertile land, have accumulated considerable power, and maintain a large army, all of which are bottomless pits in terms of financial resources.

The two sides were on the verge of war, ready to clash at any moment. The battle would be fierce and the outcome would be a matter of life and death.

The elder of the Gao family gradually escalated his aura, like surging waves. The two golden balls in his hands were no longer visible. He took a Green Dragon Crescent Blade from his attendant.

He was like a general wielding a sword, exuding an imposing aura, as majestic as a mountain, and unparalleled in might, not at all like an old man. His body was surging with blood energy, and a strange black pattern flashed across his forehead.

Upon seeing this, Captain Guan's eyes widened in fury, his breath booming like thunder. His brows exuded authority and domineering power, his killing intent palpable as he roared, "You heretic, you dare to refine blood pills!"

The Gao family patriarch sneered coldly, "Don't talk nonsense without evidence. When have I ever refined Blood Pills? These pills are all from evil and unorthodox methods. My Gao family is a prestigious and renowned family in Dalong Prefecture."

"If you want to condemn someone, you can always find a pretext. My men, we've raised an army for a thousand days to use it in this one moment. Today, we cannot allow them to set foot on our own territory."

With an aura of dominance and an arrogant tone, their momentum was overwhelming, sweeping away everything in their path. They were the only ones worthy of respect, invincible. The Gao family was unparalleled in their domineering presence, utterly fearless. This was their true strength.

The other three elders also had surging blood energy, their robes fluttering even without wind, and their strange, cold swords trembling violently, their blades sharp and gleaming with a chilling light, as if they were about to suck blood. With a single strike, they could devour all living beings under heaven.

Captain Guan, burning with rage, his face flushed crimson. His fury was uncontrollable, like a raging storm. With a wave of his hand, the military formation instantly activated. A boundless power, an unparalleled aura. His bronze hammer was raised high, its force immense. It seemed about to crash down, shaking the earth. Who could contend with him? With a single blow, the strange, eerie atmosphere was swept away.

His anger had reached its peak, no wonder that beggars and refugees throughout Dalong Prefecture were occasionally spotted, but they quickly disappeared as well.

Merchants, children, and women frequently disappear, all clearly located in remote areas nearby. Occasionally, entire villages vanish without a trace.

What I see before me today, though I had anticipated it, fills me with grief and indignation.

Success breeds discord, anger calls for the insertion of halberds; today, under the copper hammer, no one will be spared!