340 The Rise and Fall of the Royal City (Sixty-Eight Chapters)

A gentle night breeze rustled the leaves, making a sound like ghostly whispers. The silence of the night amplified the eeriness of the surroundings, instilling a sense of foreboding.

An unknown fear arose spontaneously. The person holding the shield in front paused slightly, raising their hand gently, as if to say, 'There's movement.'

In the distance, a handsome and refined man, dressed as a scholar, slowly approached like the wind. He wore a smile, a scholar's cap, and a dark blue robe embroidered with bamboo patterns. He exuded a clean and elegant aura.

A jade belt was tied around her waist, with a crystal-clear jade stone inlaid on the buckle, making her look even more luxurious. She wore a pair of black leather boots, which were clean and neat, without a speck of dust.

There wasn't a speck of dust on it, except for being slightly old. He held a bamboo folding fan in his hand, with a landscape painting on the fan surface. He was gently fanning himself, as if he were feeling hot, and he exuded the elegance of a scholar.

Her features were delicate, her eyes bright, and there was a hint of longing and helplessness in them.

At that moment, as if noticing a torch in front of him, his eyes suddenly brightened, his face became anxious, his complexion turned rosy, and he quickened his pace and began to run.

He ran toward the crowd in front of him, getting closer and closer. As he drew nearer, he saw that each of them was clad in heavy armor, and their spears or broadswords gleamed in their hands.

The closer one gets, the clearer it becomes. Perhaps it's because one's eyesight has deteriorated from studying for so long, but what appears before one is a troop of soldiers. Moonlight shines down, illuminating the soldiers and creating streaks of silver light.

Seeing the gleaming spears and broadswords, a flicker of struggle crossed his eyes, and then, as if he had encountered something terrifying, he charged forward.

Terrified, he cried out, "My lords, help! My companions are surrounded by demonic beasts! I risked my life to escape! Please, sirs, save them!"

"Halt!" A shout exploded in his ears, abruptly stopping the approaching scholar. He pointed his spear, aimed his bow and arrow, and stepped forward to slash with his broadsword.

The shield-bearing soldier, wary and alert, growled, "Where do you come from, and where are you going? How many of you are with you?"

The scholar quickly said, "Sir, saving lives is the priority! My companions are in the dilapidated temple ahead, surrounded by monsters. Please, sir, hurry and save them! If we're too late, they'll probably be eaten by the monsters."

The man with the shield quickly made a gesture for help. His eyes sent a chill down the spines of the rest of the squad, but they were also eager to fight. For soldiers, the battlefield was their destiny.

There are no dilapidated temples left in this area; I've never even heard of one. Moreover, the terrain here has been thoroughly explored in the past few days, and the nearby villages have all been relocated to the market area.

Unless it's a very special place, the people living nearby are at least in designated areas outside the city walls, and there are also security patrols.

Although it can't compare to the environment inside the city, it's much safer than before.

Tonight, everyone knew in their hearts that they had encountered a monster. Looking at this person, although his face was somewhat red, it did not look like he had any color in his skin; it looked more like he had applied rouge and powder to his face.

Her hands were also tucked inside her oversized clothes. Her face was thin, and the clothes were a bit too big for her. Her shoes were also a bit ill-fitting, as if they had been picked up and were worn by someone else.

At this moment, Yun Heiyi sat quietly atop the city wall, a pot of hot tea beside him. Below, soldiers huddled around a campfire to warm themselves; it was midnight, a time when the air was turning cool. It was the transition between two days.

A figure flew over quickly, and the soldiers who were resting immediately got up, their swords and spears at their sides.

"General, there's news. The third squad has sent a message that they're just five miles ahead. The support squad has already set off." The messenger reported crisply and efficiently, without even breaking a sweat.

"Alright, everyone be careful. I'll go check it out. You go and inform the white-robed general to come here," Yun Heiyi had just given the order.

Two figures appeared in mid-air. Zhang Dazhuang was burly and had an undisguised look of joy on his face, while Yun Baiyi had a calm expression.

Zhang Dazhuang spoke first, "General in black, we all heard it. You've finally arrived. I knew it. How could these people possibly watch us live a peaceful life?"

"Watch my big sword! I'll chop them all down. Let them know we're not the same as before. No matter how many come, we'll cut them all down."

His first words were a string of complaints, followed by, "That bastard! If I ever become a Martial Emperor, I'll beat those bookish old fogies to a pulp!"

Yun Heiyi and Yun Baiyi shook their heads as they listened, but in their hearts they wholeheartedly agreed.

Yun Heiyi nodded slightly and said softly, "Dazhuang and I will go first. Baiyi, you lead five hundred soldiers and follow shortly. Act according to the situation."

Her eyes flickered slightly as she glanced at the man in white. The man in white understood immediately and whispered, "Alright."

Zhang Dazhuang, dressed in black, swiftly flew away, while the man in white whispered instructions, "Teams one through five, assemble. All others, keep your weapons and armor on, and remain vigilant."

"Yes!" came the firm and resounding reply.

As Yun Baiyi and Zhang Dazhuang arrived, the shield-wielding captain had already figured out the scholar's origins—he was not from this dynasty, but from the previous one.

He was resolute in his heart, but did not act rashly. Such a scholar would be easy to kill.

However, at this moment, the son-in-law has just killed the corpse demon, and the news has spread. Unless it is someone hiding deep in the mountains, they must have come to this place and know about this matter.

They were either wandering ghosts, oblivious to their fate, or monsters or demons lurking in the deep mountains. And I just happened to run into one today.

Regardless of the reason, the person before me is nothing more than a pawn. Whether to go or not, all I can do now is wait quietly.

Upon seeing this, the scholar's eyes turned fierce, flashing briefly before his voice became somewhat impolite, "Sirs, you cannot stand by and watch someone die!"

I'm going to the city to take the imperial examination. With my excellent knowledge, I'll soon pass with flying colors. My companions are the same; they are all excellent students and I'm sure they'll pass with flying colors too.

We beg you, sir, to lend a helping hand and rescue them; we would be eternally grateful.

Yun, dressed in black, landed silently, waved his hand to interrupt the soldiers' preparations for salute, and said softly, "Where are your companions? We're going to rescue them."

Looking at the scholar now, a hint of pity and helplessness flickered in his eyes. He couldn't save the dead; they were now repeating their dying wish: to avenge their grievances.

Only then can one resolve the slight anger and helplessness in one's heart.

The scholar was extremely grateful.