Chapter 93

The atmosphere outside was very tense, but it wasn't yet chaotic.

There were very few pedestrians on the street, and the few who were out were carrying large bamboo baskets or packages, clearly stocking up on supplies.

Ping Luan Shan and the others, influenced by the atmosphere, had very serious expressions. Jiang Feng, walking at the front, thought for a moment and said decisively, "Let's head south first!"

The south of Taicang City was where martial cultivators gathered, and the Jiezi Pavilion had always been steadfast in resisting the demon race. Naturally, there would be more information there.

Since coming here, Ping Luan Shan and the others had been diligently practicing and hadn't gone out much. Now, they naturally followed whatever Jiang Feng said.

The four of them quickly walked south. Just as they reached the Changchuan River, they saw that the bridge ahead had been sealed off. Armored soldiers were lined up neatly, patrolling back and forth, making the atmosphere even more tense.

Jiang Feng frowned and muttered, "Such a strong demonic aura..."

He took a deep breath, turned to Ping Luan Shan and the others, and said in a low voice, "It seems the situation is gradually worsening. We might soon have to fight the demon race on the battlefield! To know the enemy and know yourself, we need to be more familiar with the demon race."

He quickly recounted the knowledge he had gained from Wen Liang Ji, emphasizing the characteristics of the demon race.

He said seriously, "Many demons are very skilled at hiding and ambushing from behind. Therefore, it's best to keep your Bright Force senses open, familiarize yourself with, and guard against demonic aura."

He paused and added, "Keeping your Bright Force senses open for a long time also helps with Bright Force cultivation!"

In fact, that's what he did.

Since leaving the courtyard, he had kept his Bright Force vision open. All the people around him were shrouded in a thin layer of Bright Force light in his eyes.

The Bright Force gathered in his eyes, constantly being consumed, but at the same time, the weather seed and primordial branches formed a subtle cycle with the Bright Force in the air, gradually replenishing it.

He looked around, his gaze fixed on the Changchuan River.

About a hundred meters from the bridge, there was no fluctuation of Bright Force, as if a part of the world was empty.

At this moment, the four of them standing there caught the attention of a nearby squad of soldiers.

Two city guards quickly walked over and shouted, "Who are you? Don't loiter here, go back quickly!"

Jiang Feng pointed south and said, "I have an appointment with Pavilion Master Wen of the Jiezi Pavilion today. How do I cross the bridge now? Do I need to go through any procedures?"

The city guard frowned, "Pavilion Master Wen? He's very busy, how could he have time to see you!"

Jiang Feng insisted, "He told me to come today."

The city guards exchanged glances. Wen Liang Ji was a figure they could hardly reach, and in principle, they shouldn't obstruct his requests.

However, the situation was special now. Taicang City was under martial law, and no one was allowed to move around freely. Moreover, this young man didn't seem particularly special. How could they be sure that what Jiang Feng said was true?

Seeing their doubtful expressions, Jiang Feng immediately added, "You can send two people with me to the Jiezi Pavilion. Once there, you'll know if what I said is true!"

The city guards hesitated for a moment. A voice came from behind them, asking sternly, "Who is causing trouble here... Oh, it's you?"

Jiang Feng looked up and saw the Hu Xueguan from the Mingxin Academy walking over. He immediately smiled, bowed, and introduced him to Ping Luan Shan and the others, "This is Hu Xueguan from the Mingxin Academy."

Mingxin Academy... Ping Luan Shan and the others understood at the same time. This person was likely here for the major exam, meaning he might be their future examiner.

Hu Xueguan frowned and asked, "The entire area is under martial law, and random movement is strictly prohibited. Go back quickly and don't come out again."

Jiang Feng insisted, "I have some matters to discuss with Pavilion Master Wen at the Jiezi Pavilion."

Hu Xueguan immediately recalled the scene he had seen at the Jiezi Pavilion a few days ago. Jiang Feng had been personally escorted out by Wen Liang Ji, indicating a prior connection between them.

He pondered and said, "Pavilion Master Wen is not at the Jiezi Pavilion right now. He has been summoned to the prefectural office..."

Before he could finish, a cry of alarm came from the bridge.

They all looked over and saw a huge black vortex appear in the river about a hundred meters from the bridge. A large number of dark shadows flew out of the vortex, densely heading towards them!

Jiang Feng shouted, "The demon hole has opened!"

Hu Xueguan's face darkened. Hearing this, he gave him a second look, "You know quite a bit."

That black vortex was indeed a demon hole, and what flew out were various kinds of demons. They were not very powerful and mostly lacked human form, but their numbers were vast. In an instant, they surged over like a black cloud!

At such a time, it was no longer appropriate to let Jiang Feng and the others move freely. Hu Xueguan shouted, "Follow me!"

At the same time, a horse galloped out from the bridge. The rider on the galloping horse shouted, "The city guard is taking action. Team A and Team B, head to the left bank. Team C and Team D, head to the right bank. Team E and Team F, form a line on the bridge..."

A series of commands were issued one after another, like a flowing stream. The city guard immediately sprang into action, marching in neat rows to their designated positions.

They held steel spears and long lances, their expressions extremely serious. The sound of their footsteps and the clinking of their armor was exhilarating!

Ping Luan Shan and the others were young, their hearts filled with passion. Seeing this scene, their emotions were quickly stirred. Ping Luan Shan whispered, "I wonder if we'll have the chance to go to the battlefield..."

Jiang Feng sternly stopped him, "Don't talk nonsense! If we don't have that chance, it's for the best!"

They were all young men who had just come of age, here to take the major exam. They would only be sent to the battlefield if the situation became extremely dire. And no one would wish for the situation to reach that point!

Hearing their conversation, Hu Xueguan turned around, his gaze sweeping over them with satisfaction.

Ping Luan Shan was rash, but Jiang Feng was calm. However, the courage of the young was the most important.

He asked, "Are you afraid of death?"

The young men exchanged glances and said in unison, "Yes!"

The unexpected answer made Hu Xueguan laugh. "If you're afraid, why are you still here?"

Teng Zhi's words were brief but firm, "Afraid of death, but not afraid to face it!"

The young men all nodded.

Being afraid and being fearful sounded the same, but the meanings were entirely different.

Hu Xueguan quickly understood the difference and laughed heartily, "Good, good! Afraid of death, but not afraid to face it! Well said!"

At this moment, the first batch of demons had flown near the stone bridge. They let out sharp, strange cries and charged at the crowd on the bridge.

Hu Xueguan shouted, "Release!"

The stone bridge had countless piers, each carved with a small lion, some fierce, some gentle, each with a unique form. This bridge, known as the Thousand Lions Bridge, was a scenic spot in Taicang City.

Now, on the Thousand Lions Bridge, each stone lion came to life!

They began to move on the piers, roaring in unison. Then, a golden shadow flew out of the grayish-white stone, transforming into the same form as the stone lions and charging at the demons!

Ping Luan Shan looked up and exclaimed, "Treasure!"

Hu Xueguan stroked his beard and laughed, "That's right, the county-level treasure, the Thousand Lions Bridge, will show these guys what it's made of!"

The first batch of demons from the demon hole were relatively weak, but they were numerous. The Thousand Lions Bridge, as its name suggested, had more than a thousand lions. When they clashed, the lions opened their mouths and crushed the demons to pieces!

For a moment, not a single demon could breach the Thousand Lions Bridge.

On the other side, the city guard also began to act. They drew their bows and shot arrows at the Changchuan River. The demons fell under the rain of arrows, and the few that managed to reach the shore were quickly slain by melee weapons.

"Seems pretty easy..." Ping Luan Shan muttered.

Jiang Feng squinted and looked ahead, recalling what Hua Su had said not long ago, "This is Taicang City. It's the first time a demon hole has appeared in such a large city, directly confronting the city guard. Think about it, if a small village or town we used to live in encountered such a demon hole..."

Thinking about this, Ping Luan Shan's face changed.

Jiang Feng gazed at the location of the demon hole, with an unspoken thought in his mind.

The fox demon Huang Gui had spent seven years hiding in the back streets of Taicang, and he had never been discovered. Could such a calculated plan be just to open a demon hole of this level?

Impossible!

Before his thoughts were complete, he suddenly looked down at the Changchuan River and shouted, "A big one is coming!"

His loud voice quickly spread around. Thanks to his warning, people noticed a huge dark shadow slowly moving in the river!

Its color was only slightly darker than the river water, and the rippling waves concealed its movement. More importantly, compared to its size, its demonic aura was extremely faint.

This either meant the creature was a weakling that didn't match its appearance, or it was a powerful monster!

The demon was about twenty meters long and five meters wide. When Jiang Feng noticed it, it was already close to the Thousand Lions Bridge. As if responding to his voice, the giant monster lunged forward, viciously colliding with the Thousand Lions Bridge!

Such a large creature, even without demonic aura, would inevitably damage this crucial treasure if it collided with the Thousand Lions Bridge!

Ping Luan Shan and the others instinctively assumed an attack stance, but many around them were faster.

Hu Xueguan rolled up his sleeves and pulled out a large brush from somewhere, the tip half-covered in ink, and pointed it at the sky!

With a slight exertion of force, the ink turned pure gold. He pointed the brush at the sky, and Bright Force quickly spread out. In an instant, a huge golden dragon appeared in the air, swatting the monster down with its tail before it could collide with the Thousand Lions Bridge!

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