Her swordsmanship was skillful and fierce; each flash of her sword was accompanied by the screams of monsters.
Her figure moved swiftly through the night, like a streak of blue lightning piercing the dark sky.
Her swordsmanship was not only swift but also precise; each swing accurately severed the monsters' attacks, delivering a fatal blow. With each slash, the monsters' blood splattered, staining her blue robes crimson.
While wielding her sword to kill enemies, Tang Nian kept an eye on her surroundings.
She noticed that some monsters were taking the opportunity to rush towards the villagers, so she immediately changed direction and charged towards the monsters.
Her swordsmanship became even more ferocious, and each swing of her sword could kill multiple monsters.
"This... Master is that amazing?"
Chu Roujia forgot all about her physical discomfort and stared blankly at the scene before her with wide eyes.
Lou Mu shook his head and sighed, "Can I lean against this tree?"
Seeing Chu Roujia leaning against the tree, Lou Mu casually picked up a twig, drew a circle around the tree, and with a light tap of his feet, flew into the monster horde.
Unlike Tang Nian, who was like a tiger entering a flock of sheep and showing off her skills among the monsters, Lou Mu was more like her Taoist disciple, silently following behind and elegantly dealing with the monsters that had escaped Tang Nian's first round of elimination.
"Oh? Did I let you get away?"
Lou Mu chuckled and pointed two fingers forward, instantly piercing the chest of a fleeing tiger demon, which then collapsed limply to the ground.
In no time, with the combined efforts of the two, the group of monsters that had been wreaking havoc in the village was wiped out, not a single one left.
"Phew~"
Tang Nian wiped the sweat from her forehead, while Lou Mu stood silently behind her.
The two seemed to have forgotten that they themselves were demons, yet they were attacking their own kind.
In fact, they all knew very well that keeping such a demon, which was controlled by humans, alive would only bring trouble.
"Are there any survivors?"
Several of the villagers they rescued escaped into the woods to take refuge while they weren't looking.
The village is now like a ghost town.
Lou Mu nodded and pointed to a dilapidated hut. The door of the hut was about to fall off. Behind the door, a middle-aged couple was squatting, embracing each other, with three blond children in their arms.
"Thank you both, thank you both!"
Upon seeing the two men approaching him, the middle-aged man shakily stood up, then immediately knelt down and kowtowed to them.
Tang Nian quickly helped the two of them up.
"What happened? Why is a village being massacred by monsters so close to Yingzhou City?"
The middle-aged man wiped the snot and tears from his face.
"My lord, you are unaware of this. A few days ago, that scoundrel Da Gan found some sorcerers who could command monsters and has been leading them to slaughter villagers near Yingzhou City."
"I originally thought that even if there were more, it would only be in remote and mountainous areas, so I didn't move my whole family into Yingzhou City. Who would have thought that even our village would suffer tonight?"
"Alas, my poor old mother! Mother, your unfilial son is so sorry!"
As the man spoke, he began to cry, and his wife and children behind him looked equally miserable.
Lou Mu stepped forward, leaned down, and whispered in Tang Nian's ear.
"This place is near Yingzhou City, and with such a big commotion, no city guards have come here."
Although it is said that monsters are causing trouble, human strength is not enough to stop them.
However, Chu Yanjun had already given the order that in every city of the Great Chu, if any monsters were found to be causing trouble, the army must protect the people without reservation.
Not to mention that there are so many Taoist priests and monks within the Great Chu territory, which can also ensure the Great Chu's temporary peace.
But now...
Tang Nian was startled: "You mean?"
"I'm afraid something has happened in Yingzhou City."
After settling the family in, the three of them did not hesitate and immediately headed towards Yingzhou City.
They rescued all the villagers they could and shared the dry rations they had prepared with them.
Throughout the journey, Chu Roujia became increasingly silent.
She had seen many refugees, but Yingzhou now seemed like a living hell, constantly shocking her.
She always thought she could overcome natural disasters, but she never expected that she could only watch helplessly as man-made disasters struck.
And all of this was caused by the Chu family.
"This is Yingzhou City."
Lou Mu pointed ahead, and Tang Nian looked over. Yingzhou City truly lived up to its reputation as a border region of the Great Chu, with its extremely high city walls.
The gray city walls are covered with traces of various historical stories.
The numerous ravines and furrows remaining on it are the best proof of every battle with Da Gan.
"Look, those soldiers seem to be carrying something."
Tang Nian pointed to the long column of soldiers in dark blue armor at the city gate.
"It looks like they're moving... people?"
Lou Mu strained his eyes and couldn't help but be somewhat surprised.
The three of them soon arrived at the city gate, and Tang Nian stepped forward and stopped a soldier.
"What are you doing here? Why are you moving the bodies of these dead villagers?"
The soldier remained silent, staring blankly at Tang Nian.
Lou Mu took out a token. The soldier who had been stopped by Tang Nian looked at the token blankly, but then lowered his head and walked mechanically past the three of them into the city.
Something's not right.
Even Chu Roujia sensed something was wrong, and Lou Mu and Tang Nian naturally understood as well.
The three men then stopped other soldiers to ask questions, approaching three or five soldiers in a row, but none of them answered their questions.
In fact, it seemed that every soldier only wanted to, or rather, only knew how to, move those broken limbs.
Chu Roujia had encountered many cold shoulders during her travels, but this was the first time she had ever been treated coldly for revealing the waist badge of an imperial official.
Is Yingzhou City planning a rebellion?
Just as she was about to explode in anger, a man dressed in general's armor suddenly appeared beside the three of them.
"Please don't be offended, gentlemen!"
Tang Nian and Lou Mu looked at the man in front of them. He was a burly man with a long, narrow scar on his face and a menacing aura. He must be a general guarding the border.
They subtly shielded Chu Roujia behind their backs.
Chu Roujia understood, took the veil that Tang Nian quietly handed her, and put it on her face.
"My name is Lin Zhenming, and I am the garrison general of Yingzhou City. May I ask what brings you two here?"
Lin Zhenming didn't want to come down from the city wall. He had already noticed Tang Nian and Lou Mu from up there.
However, upon seeing Lou Mu showing his token to each soldier he stopped, Lin Zhenming worried that the three men were not ordinary, which is why he appeared just as they were about to lose their temper.
"Oh, we two are just visiting relatives and friends in Yingzhou City."
Lou Mu returned the greeting with a cupped hand and calmly put away the token.
However, Lin Zhenming still noticed Lou Mu's actions and frowned slightly.
"What is that you're holding in your hand?"
"What I showed these officials just now was nothing more than a family heirloom."
Lou Mu gently brushed his hand across the surface of the jade pendant, and the original engraving symbolizing his identity instantly changed to a different pattern.
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