Chapter 124: Nantong City Attacked by Demons
Qiányuán Continent.
Jūhé Village, under the jurisdiction of the Sound Sect.
Ning Xiaoxiao stared blankly at the severed limbs and broken bodies scattered throughout the village, her face pale. She took half a step back, and the little sand rat on her shoulder covered its eyes, let out a soft cry.
“These people died so tragically!”
Beside her, her teammate Liuli was already leaning against a wall, vomiting uncontrollably.
Zhuang Yusheng’s expression was also very grim. He knelt beside a woman who had survived by hiding in a cellar and asked her, “Miss, did you see who did this?”
Overnight, hundreds of people in Jūhé Village had lost their lives. The four major sects believed it to be the work of Demons and had dispatched this demon-slaying squad.
This squad was missing Lou Yunxiao, Ning Ke, and Wugou, so several others had been added to form a team of eight. While the pill cultivators went to clear the bodies, Zhuang Yusheng wanted to obtain some clues from the woman.
“The Yao Venerable… it was the Yao Venerable Ning Ke…” The woman clutched her head as if recalling an utterly terrifying image, sobbing as she spoke. “I’ve seen his portrait before. He killed everyone. He even transformed into a Nine-Tailed Fox and ate many people! He sucked the villagers’ blood and snapped their bones! So the rumors about his cruelty were true after all…”
Seeing her emotional collapse, Zhuang Yusheng hurriedly took out his Anshén Flute and softly played a soothing melody. Only after calming her did he turn toward Ning Xiaoxiao, who had overheard everything.
“Do you think her words are credible?”
Ning Xiaoxiao pursed her lips and looked toward Zeng Xi, a pill cultivator.
Zeng Xi was crouching by a corpse. She said, “The bodies were indeed bitten and crushed by the teeth of a beast. Furthermore, there are traces of fox claws on the walls. But at the same time…”
“There is also residual demonic qi.”
She held up a piece of white crystal and placed it against a villager’s wound. The crystal turned black.
“This is a small spiritual tool refined by my Senior Brother, called a Jiànmò Stone. It turns black when it touches demonic qi. We plan to refine them in bulk soon to distribute to every demon-slaying squad.”
Dealing with Demons long-term meant that if they couldn’t distinguish between man and Demon, they would sooner or later be incited into internal strife by them.
Zeng Xi’s Senior Brother was a rare genius of artifact refining. Refining these Jiànmò Stones was akin to providing charcoal in a snowstorm for the cultivators’ future demon-slaying efforts.
Ning Xiaoxiao frowned slightly and said, “Then there are only two possibilities. The first is that the Yao Venerable has been possessed by a Demon and turned into a beast that only knows slaughter, thus committing these murders. The second is that a Great Mo has taken on the Yao Venerable’s appearance and killed these villagers.”
The little sand rat spoke up from beside her, “But a Great Mo can only take on the appearance of a living being after devouring it…”
At this point, its small eyes widened. “Could it be that a Great Mo killed the Yao Venerable? And is now using his identity to stir up trouble?” But soon, it voiced its doubt, “But that Nine-Tailed Fox lord is so powerful, how could he be killed so easily?”
Zeng Xi said, “Regardless, we must quickly inform the Yao Realm of what has happened here.”
“We cannot allow that Demon to use the Yao Venerable’s identity to continue harming the Yao Race.”
Ning Xiaoxiao remained silent, her expression heavy.
She was considering what kind of Demon could defeat that incredibly powerful Yao Venerable.
Or rather, perhaps they had overlooked some other detail.
After all, she did not believe that the Yao Venerable, Ning Ke, was someone who could be so easily controlled or killed.
But even if she had her doubts, she couldn’t stop her companions from spreading this conjecture.
This was a major matter concerning the safety of both the Human and Yao Races.
If that Great Mo truly had killed the Yao Venerable, it would show just how powerful the Demons had become. If they didn’t remain vigilant, many more humans and Yao would die.
As she was thinking this, the communication spirit stone at her side suddenly rang.
Simultaneously, the communication stones of everyone else in the squad rang as well.
“A Great Mo has appeared in Nantong City. All demon-slaying squads near Nantong City, please go to provide support immediately!”
Zhuang Yusheng was stunned.
Nantong City was his home!
He scrambled to his feet and summoned his spiritual tool, but he was so nervous that he dropped it.
Ning Xiaoxiao grabbed his hand and pulled him onto her Jīnglán Sword.
She turned to the other teammates and said, “I’ll take Fellow Daoist Zhuang to provide support first. You all finish up here before coming over.”
During this time, Ning Xiaoxiao had gradually developed the aura of a leader, and the others nodded one after another.
Liuli waved a pale hand. “Senior Brother, Xiaoxiao, you must be careful.”
“Mm.”
The Jīnglán Sword sped forward.
Zhuang Yusheng’s hand, which was gripping the hem of Ning Xiaoxiao’s robe, was still trembling slightly.
Even if one was used to seeing life and death, no one could remain calm when it concerned their own close family.
“Fellow Daoist Zhuang, your family will be fine.”
Ning Xiaoxiao’s voice had a strangely soothing effect, allowing Zhuang Yusheng to relax slightly.
Both of them had recently encountered a spirit pool opportunity and had now reached the early Huàshén stage. Their flying speed was naturally several times faster than before.
In less than two hours, they arrived at Nantong City.
From a distance, they could smell a heavy scent of blood.
Both Ning Xiaoxiao and Zhuang Yusheng stiffened.
They rushed forward and looked down upon the city from mid-air.
Their gazes locked onto the Great Mo standing on the ground.
Gripped in the Demon’s hand was Zhuang Yusheng’s father, the City Lord of Nantong City, Zhuang Haiming.
Haiming, who had reached the Hétǐ stage, was like a helpless infant in the Demon’s grasp. His eyes were closed, and his body hung limp, his fate unknown.
“Father!!”
Zhuang Yusheng’s eyes were bloodshot. His guqin appeared in his hands, releasing waves of sonic blades.
Ning Xiaoxiao also moved with lightning speed, drawing a Fēngmò Talisman in the air to attack the Great Mo!
“Where did these little insects come from?” Nan Shier sneered, his other hand forming a claw as he swung it toward the air.
Terrifying demonic qi blades instantly shattered the sonic blades, then were blocked and weakened by the Fēngmò Talisman.
The Jīnglán Sword left its scabbard.
Under the force of the clash, Ning Xiaoxiao retreated awkwardly, blood seeping from the corner of her lips.
Yet, she was smiling.
Nan Shier, who had finally been released after ten thousand years of imprisonment, found her smile strange. But in the next moment, a flash of sword light crossed his vision.
The arm he used to choke Zhuang Haiming suddenly flew into the air, blood spraying as it was severed from his body!
Looking again, it was actually Cui Xuecheng, who had just been knocked down by him. Using the opening created by Zhuang Yusheng and Ning Xiaoxiao, he had launched a successful sneak attack and rescued Zhuang Haiming!
The members of Cui Xuecheng’s demon-slaying squad also crawled out from the rubble, gathering around him and shielding the unconscious Zhuang Haiming behind them.
Though they were already covered in wounds, not a single person retreated.
The gazes they directed at the Great Mo were filled with hatred and killing intent.
Cui Xuecheng wiped the blood from his face and spoke to Nan Shier.
“Never underestimate us humans.”
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