Inside the residence of the Grand Preceptor of the Yan Kingdom, the flame on the bronze lampstand suddenly flickered violently, illuminating the serpentine reliefs coiled on the wall, making them appear as if they were alive and writhing.
Dark gauze curtains hung from the towering dome, and bronze bells adorning the corners of the curtains tinkled softly in the airflow.
In an instant, the bronze lamp flame on the jade table went out.
"What's going on?" The Imperial Advisor suddenly stood up, the dark gold Taotie pattern on his black brocade robe seemed to come alive in the dim blue candlelight.
His long, slender fingers traced the extinguished bronze lamp, a chilling sensation emanating from his fingertips.
In a mysterious way, the Grand Preceptor had already sensed that some of his followers had lost their lives.
Hurried footsteps sounded outside the hall, and the one-eyed believer staggered in, his indigo robe soaked with sweat, and the copper bells at his waist made a jumbled, tinkling sound.
"Your Excellency! An urgent report has arrived from Liang Kingdom! Those Soul-Devouring Demon Trees, those trees..."
The small, green-scaled snake from the Grand Preceptor's sleeve darted out like lightning and coiled around the believer's neck: "Explain yourself."
The believer, his face pale and trembling, recounted the events that had transpired within the Liang Kingdom. "The deity of the desolate mountain, using some unknown method, transformed all the demonic trees into divine trees capable of bearing fruit! The people not only harbor no resentment, but are instead filled with gratitude for the mountain god's benevolence day and night!"
The Imperial Advisor's pupils contracted sharply, and his serpentine vertical pupils emitted a terrifying green light in the darkness.
He suddenly crushed the lamp on his body, the flying shards scraping sharply against the jade floor.
"The Soul-Devouring Demon Tree is an evil tree, how could it possibly become a treasure tree, and be full of treasures? It's laughable, a demon is a demon, destined to be despised by people!"
The snake chain in the Grand Preceptor's sleeve moved automatically without wind, emitting a chilling metallic scraping sound.
His meticulously planned Soul-Devouring Demon Tree scheme was meant to cause the Liang Kingdom's farmland to crack and the people to despair, so that he could finally become the "savior."
But now...
Another believer stumbled in, "The spies on the border of Liang Kingdom have reported that the believers sent out by the desolate mountains have traveled to seven prefectures and counties, and all the land that was drained by the demon tree has been restored to life!"
The Imperial Advisor's face was so gloomy it could drip water.
He should have realized it sooner. That so-called mountain goddess was incredibly powerful, able to manifest herself in the capital of Liang and even eliminate the Liang emperor. She was certainly not a threat!
The most pressing issue now is not their personal grudges, but the hearts of the people! The farmers are filled with heartfelt gratitude, and every prayer they utter is sending pure faith power to the mountain god!
"Immediately mobilize..." The Grand Preceptor's words were suddenly interrupted by a violent, earth-shaking tremor.
The beaded curtain hanging from the ceiling swayed violently, and the glass beads collided with each other, making a crisp sound.
Screams rose and fell outside the mansion, while a muffled rumble like thunder echoed from the distant mountains.
The artificial rockery in the garden of the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion collapsed with a crash, startling a flock of sparrows perched on the eaves.
The one-eyed believer rushed to the window, his eyes suddenly widening: "Grand Preceptor! Water is rushing down from the mountain range!"
The people of Yan are very special; they are a race born to fight, and the Yan emperor is determined to annex the nearby Liang state.
With the help of the imperial advisor, the Yan emperor quickly made up his mind to move the capital to a location near the Hengshan Mountains.
This was so that troops could be deployed in a timely manner to target the Liang Kingdom.
The golden roofs of the palace gleamed in the morning light, and the vermilion walls stretched for miles. But at this very moment, the raging floodwaters, like roaring dragons, surged down the mountainside.
At this moment, even the Grand Preceptor of Yan felt an overwhelming sense of crisis. He quickly flew out and, upon seeing this scene, his eyes nearly bled.
If a natural disaster of this magnitude were to strike, the entire capital of the Yan Kingdom would be wiped out!
"Imperial Advisor, Imperial Advisor, please think of a solution!"
"The sky has fallen! The sky has fallen!" Emperor Yan rushed out wearing a bright yellow nightgown, his bare feet stepping on the white marble steps, his golden crown crooked, and a few strands of loose hair stuck to his forehead, which was covered in cold sweat.
Behind him, several palace maids frantically chased after him, carrying the dragon robe, its hem embroidered with the twelve symbols fluttering in the wind.
The palace servants around were also extremely anxious, and some eunuchs even collapsed to the ground, their legs going weak.
"Your Majesty, abandon the capital. I will take you and several important princes and ministers away!"
The Yan State's Grand Preceptor hardened his heart.
That's all we can do now!
The believers following behind him looked shocked.
God, don't you want them anymore?
…
The capital of the Yan state.
"Run! A great flood is coming!"
The gongs in the street were pounding loudly, but it was too late.
The raging floodwaters surged from the towering mountains and swept away the city walls in the blink of an eye.
The capital of the Yan Kingdom was located in a low-lying area, and in the blink of an eye, it became an isolated island in the vast ocean.
The Henglong Mountain Range, not far from the State of Yan, was covered in ice and snow all year round. No one expected that the ice and snow would suddenly melt and bring a devastating flood.
The red lanterns hanging on the city gate tower bobbed up and down in the torrent, like strings of blood droplets.
Just as Zhao Laosan, the owner of the pharmacy, carried the last bag of medicinal herbs up to the second floor, he turned around and saw that the floodwaters had already overflowed the threshold.
He desperately tried to pull the door panel, but a huge wave slammed him against the wall. The golden signboard of "Jishetang" on the door panel was washed away and spun around in the whirlpool.
Salty, muddy water filled his mouth and nose. He struggled to grab onto a piece of driftwood and watched helplessly as his pharmacy, which he had run for half his life, crumbled in the flood.
The numerous small drawers on the medicine cabinet were washed open, and various medicinal herbs were scattered in the water.
"Grand Preceptor... save us..." Zhao Laosan prayed weakly, but only the sound of the raging flood answered him.
More and more people are praying in the Yan Kingdom. They look in the direction of the Grand Preceptor's Mansion, and even in the mud, they always have hope on their faces.
Women knelt on the roof holding their children, their coarse cloth dresses dripping with water; old people clung to the door frame, their white hair sticking to their wrinkled faces.
However, the imperial advisor they had hoped for never appeared.
…
Liang Kingdom.
The great flood that struck the Yan Kingdom naturally affected the Liang Kingdom as well. The border markers leaned in the floodwaters, and the red paint on the character "Liang" was washed away and became indistinct.
However, the people of Liang were very lucky. The people of Chongzhou and Wanzhou, which were relatively close to the mountain range, looked back in shock as the raging floodwaters rushed down like a ferocious beast, roaring fiercely.
On the official road, the constables wearing straw raincoats became even more anxious. They hurriedly shouted, urging all the people to run and move to higher ground.
The overwhelming floodwaters drowned out all sound, so they banged the gongs at their waists as loudly as possible to guide the people.
The people who are being evacuated are doing well, after all, they have already left the foot of the mountain.
However, the Zhou family, the Wan family, and some people who disobeyed the government's orders and remained at the foot of the mountain were not so lucky. They were like roosters with their necks being choked.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com