Chapter 444: Chapter 252: None Above the Mortal Body May Enter
"What are you waiting for? Let’s go," Wu Kun said excitedly. "I can’t believe Mr. Gu has already reached the King’s Body. It feels like only yesterday we were on that mission to the south together."
"Don’t call him Mr. Gu anymore. Remember to address him as Gu King!"
Zhang Boshong said in a low voice.
"Knowing Gu King, I think he’d be happier if we called him Mr. Gu," Zhang Ning mused, rubbing his chin.
"Oh, really?" An Xiaoxue was skeptical.
"Once we get to Qingshi, we can try it out and see, can’t we?" Zhang Ning grinned.
"Alright. Since we’ve all decided, we’ll use an off-site mission as a pretext to head to Qingshi tomorrow morning!" Tao Liu said gravely.
"Understood!"
"Right."
...
「The next day.」
Tao Liu, An Xiaoxue, and their group accepted a mission, left the Demon Slayer Bureau headquarters, and rode out of the State City.
The moment they were outside the city walls, they urged their horses to a gallop.
The mission was supposed to take them south, but the group instead headed west, riding relentlessly toward Nanyun Prefecture and then on to Qingshi County.
Upon entering Nanyun Prefecture, the roads became more crowded. Of course, everyone traveled in groups, carrying spears and bows, remaining vigilant of their surroundings.
From time to time, groups of Soldiers could be seen on the move. The air was thick with the aura of Demon Fiends, though none made an appearance.
After leaving the State City’s territory, Zhang Ning, Tao Liu, and the others changed their clothes.
They kept their Half-Demon Qilin Horses, but everything else was different. They blended into the crowds, though they still stood out slightly.
They galloped onward, reaching the great river outside Qingshi County and crossing it by the stone bridge.
After cresting a mountain and passing through a small forest, a vast, open field appeared before them.
In the center of the field, which was overgrown with wild grass, a gravel road stretched into the distance.
Tao Liu, An Xiaoxue, and their group continued along the road.
Suddenly...
THUD—THUD—THUD!
The entire group, including the Half-Demon Qilin Horses beneath them, was flung backward and thrown to the ground.
Of course, in the instant before impact, Tao Liu, An Xiaoxue, and the others swiftly adjusted their postures and landed steadily on their feet.
"What’s going on? Are we under attack?" Wu Kun asked, looking around nervously.
"No one is attacking us." Zhang Ning frowned, his gaze fixed on the far end of the field—or rather, on the empty space that had just repelled them. "There’s an invisible wall blocking our path," he said gravely.
"What? A Domain Wall?" An Xiaoxue exclaimed. "Has Qingshi County formed another Domain?"
"It’s not a Domain Wall." Tao Liu stepped forward, reaching out his hand.
There was clearly nothing there, yet his palm met an invisible film.
This film hadn’t so much as rippled when they, men and horses alike, had slammed into it.
"This isn’t a Domain Wall," Tao Liu said with a frown as he felt its surface. "For now, I can’t tell what it is."
"It’s not a Domain Wall, but we can’t get in. Has Qingshi County sealed itself off?" Zhang Ning wondered aloud.
"This couldn’t be something Gu King did, could it?" Wu Kun glanced from side to side, then looked up.
SWOOSH!
Tao Liu launched himself into the air, kicking off his own feet to propel himself a hundred meters high before charging forward.
THUD!
With a muffled thud, Tao Liu collided with the invisible film again and plummeted toward the ground.
He frantically adjusted his posture in mid-air to regain control, finally landing with a stagger. He had to execute a series of footwork maneuvers before he was steady again.
"It’s sealed up high, too."
Taking a deep breath, Tao Liu said with a frown, "It’s highly likely that Gu King has sealed Qingshi County to prevent outsiders from entering."
"..."
Hearing this, Zhang Ning, Wu Kun, and the others fell silent.
It was understandable why Gu Zheng would do such a thing.
Although they hadn’t completely torn all pretenses aside, the conflict between Gu Zheng and the Zhong Family was known to the whole world.
Sealing Qingshi County at a time like this was primarily a precaution against the Zhong Family’s Scouts.
These Scouts might not be powerful, but that wouldn’t stop them from wreaking havoc, stirring up trouble, and gathering intelligence.
This way, Qingshi County could remain much more peaceful.
At this thought, An Xiaoxue sighed. "Well, that’s just great. Now no one can get in."
Just as she finished speaking, the CLIPPETY-CLOP of hooves echoed from behind them.
A party of over thirty people approached and entered the open field.
With six skinny horses and three carriages, the group traveled along the side of the gravel road, warily eyeing An Xiaoxue, Wu Kun, and their companions.
"Wait, you can’t get through up ahe— How is that possible!"
Tao Liu’s eyes flew wide with astonishment. He watched as the six skinny horses and three carriages passed straight through the invisible film without any resistance, continuing along the road into the distance.
"What..." Zhang Ning’s eyes widened too, and he bolted forward.
THUD—
With a dull thud, Zhang Ning was once again flung backward.
An Xiaoxue ran up to the barrier and reached out. She could still feel the invisible film!
"What... What is going on?" Wu Kun was utterly baffled. "Why can they get through, but we can’t? Don’t tell me Gu King is deliberately keeping us out? He doesn’t want to..."
He trailed off, but Zhang Ning, Tao Liu, and the others all knew what he meant.
Their faces turned grim, their spirits sinking.
But their expressions quickly changed again.
A second group arriving from behind was also blocked, unable to enter the latter half of the field.
Then, an old man and a youth—two gaunt commoners carrying a spear and a rusty saber—eyed them warily as they walked right through the invisible film.
A short while later, a group of four rode up on horseback. The riders were all flung backward, but the four sturdy horses they rode passed through with ease, unimpeded.
’What is happening?’
’Why can some people, and even horses, get in, while others are blocked from passing through the film?’
Tao Liu, Wu Kun, and the others were dumbfounded.
The people who had been repelled stood on the ground, shouting curses.
The invisible wall remained, indifferent to their tirades, an impassable chasm blocking their path.
"It’s the Divine Wondrous."
Zhang Boshong, who had been silent all this time, watched the cursing crowd and the two beggars who had just passed through the film. "Anyone or anything that possesses the Divine Wondrous cannot pass," he said gravely.
’The Divine Wondrous?’
Tao Liu, Wu Kun, An Xiaoxue, and Zhang Ning all stiffened at his words.
The four of them thought back. He was right!
Ordinary people and horses passed through the film without issue, but they, and the others who had cultivated the Divine Wondrous, were barred from entry.
This wasn’t Gu Zheng intentionally targeting them. He had simply drawn a line.
Only those with a Mortal Body could enter Qingshi!
The realization hit Tao Liu. His mouth fell open, and he spoke, his voice raspy, "Only those with a Mortal Body can enter... To get in, would we have to... cripple our own Cultivation?"
’If we cripple our Cultivation, what use would we be to Gu Zheng?’
’As servants to pour tea, sweep floors, and wash dishes?!’
For a moment, the five of them stood in stunned silence.
...
Only those with a Mortal Body could enter Qingshi!
This was the invisible yet powerful defensive line Gu Zheng had established for Qingshi County, taking advantage of the Three Domains Unification.
It was an automatic filter that treated everyone equally.
Gu Zheng had no interest in the Dragon Struggle, nor would he deliberately recruit followers. However, if commoners from all over who could no longer survive traveled thousands of miles to Qingshi in search of a new life, he would not turn them away.
With the Three Domains Unification, he now controlled the very wind and rain in Qingshi County.
The seeds were sown, ready to be harvested crop after crop.
This was how he cared for the people, a way to further unify their hearts and minds to aid his push toward the Emperor Body!
As for those who had cultivated the Divine Wondrous, it was better not to accept them.
More powerful people simply meant more trouble.
Even someone at the Alien Body Realm could cause widespread destruction.
Therefore, with the exception of those already inside, all outsiders were to be blocked.
Gu Zheng had seen An Xiaoxue, Zhang Ning, and the other three rushing to Qingshi to join him, but he didn’t let them in.
The Zhong Family certainly knew that Wu Kun, Tao Liu, and the others had once followed him.
’Knowing the connection between An Xiaoxue’s group and me, is it possible the Zhong Family bought them off?’
Gu Zheng didn’t want to know, nor did he care to find out.
’If I were to discover that one of Tao Liu’s group had been turned by the Zhong Family to infiltrate Qingshi, I would have no choice but to execute them.’
’Rather than let it come to that, it’s better to pretend they were never here.’
’Zhong Duxiu can’t stand to lose. If he’s going after Master Meng and Master Xie, then he can’t blame me for striking back!’
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