In just a day or two, the city had transformed into a scene of utter devastation. Even after taking the pills, the scorching heat still burned every inch of their skin, as if trying to drain all the moisture from their bodies. When the disaster struck, fleeing people were swallowed by the black clouds, their shriveled corpses frozen in place, their twisted, dry skin revealing the utter terror on their faces. Black winds swept through the city, whipping up sand and gravel.
Having just survived a escape, even though she was safe now, Zhang Xu's heart still trembled. Looking at the frozen, desiccated corpses, she could almost hear the wails of the crowd from yesterday. These people, just a few days ago, were still alive and well, surrounded by family and friends, and in an instant, they had vanished into nothingness.
Looking at these lifeless, mummified corpses, Rong Yue seemed to recall the tragic fate of her parents, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
"My father and mother are both at the royal altar. Are they both gone?"
"Princess, cheer up." Zhang Xu patted Rong Yue's hand to comfort her.
"Senior brother, is this situation related to Yong County?" Xue Feng carefully examined the surroundings but couldn't figure it out.
Lu Qinglan casually picked up a piece of black gravel. The city seemed to be stained with ink; everything was black, even the stone she picked up was black, yet it was scalding hot to the touch. Everything was dry, as if some moisture had been absorbed.
"High temperatures, dark clouds, it's hard to say. Princess, could you please take us to the royal altar?"
Rong Yue wiped away her tears and leaned against Zhang Xu: "It's possible, it's located in the center of the city."
Lu Qinglan made a mark on the spot and prepared to head towards the center. Just then, Yan Chenghuan, who had been quiet all along, suddenly spoke up: "No, listen, there's a noise."
Lu Qinglan and Xue Feng immediately shielded the group behind them, drawing their swords in preparation.
The once silent capital city was suddenly filled with whispers, dense voices, and huge roars.
"Look, what's that?"
Following the direction Zhang Xu was pointing, everyone saw a black cloud, resembling a tornado, rushing towards them at an almost imperceptible speed. It was a dark mass, and it seemed to contain quite a few dried corpses.
"Not good! Quickly open the barrier!" Lu Qinglan exclaimed, and several people who knew magic immediately formed hand seals.
But it was too late. The thing was too fast. Before the barrier could even open, everyone was swept up by the black cloud. With a few screams, the black cloud disappeared into the dark sky and vanished without a trace.
Beside the circular altar, the Imperial Preceptor and his disciples still appeared as if they were praying for rain. Their energetic dance, filled with extreme piety, contrasted sharply with the fear on their faces as the final moment approached. On the royal platform, the concubines and princes who hadn't had time to leave, whether standing, sitting, or lying down, all turned their heads back as if looking at something.
The frozen poses of these people at the very heart of the disaster seem to be conveying some kind of message.
Among the group of withered, black corpses, a black cloak swayed among the bodies, seemingly searching for something. Upon hearing a sound in the distance, it waved something in its hand.
"Meddlesome! Since you're here, you might as well not go back!"
After speaking, the man in the black cloak covered his head, as if arguing with something.
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