Chapter 225: Chapter 213: Bloody Battle at Luoshui River (Part 1)
Nie Yun had the three great Demon Beasts leave Luoshui City for the time being. He then put on a disguise, which allowed him to finally escape the adoring gazes of the crowd and return to the Nie Mansion.
The Nie Mansion looked no different than before. After a quick look around, he went straight to the City Lord’s Mansion.
’Hm? These are definitely the signs of a Demon!’
Upon entering the City Lord’s Mansion and seeing the wreckage everywhere, Nie Yun’s eyes narrowed.
’The traces on the ground indeed look like they were left by a battle between humans and a Demon. Could Yangg Yan and Feng Xiao really have been killed by one?’
’In my past life, Yangg Yan lost an arm for my sake. As a result, he couldn’t escape when the Demons attacked, which became my lifelong regret. I wanted to make it up to him in this life, but I never thought...’
’Whether they’re truly dead or not, I must find them—or their bodies!’
’Whoever killed them, I’ll make them—and their family, and their faction—pay it back a hundred, a thousand times over!’
He slowly searched the entire City Lord’s Mansion, but aside from some signs of a battle, nothing had been left behind.
"Who’s there?"
Just as Nie Yun’s search proved fruitless and he was about to leave, a sudden, harsh shout came from nearby as a squad of soldiers threw open the main gate and marched inside.
"Who are you? This is the City Lord’s Mansion. Trespassing here is a crime punishable by death!"
The captain at the front was clad in jet-black armor and carried himself with an imperious air. He stared coldly at Nie Yun.
’Black armor?’ Nie Yun’s eyes narrowed. "And who might you be?"
’I know the Luoshui City guard uniform very well. It’s nothing like this black armor. One look and it’s obvious they aren’t from Luoshui City.’
"Insolence! You’ve committed a capital crime by trespassing. Our captain asked you a question, and you dare to not answer immediately? Who gave you such nerve?"
A soldier bellowed.
Nie Yun’s appearance was disguised, and his power was immense. These ordinary soldiers couldn’t gauge his true strength at all and mistook him for some nobody.
"Hmph!"
With a cold snort, Nie Yun’s body blurred, creating several afterimages in the air. In an instant, he had seized the soldier who had just spoken by the neck and lifted him off the ground.
"I’ll ask you again. Where are the original soldiers of the City Lord’s Mansion? And who are you?"
Nie Yun’s face was devoid of expression as his hand tightened around the soldier’s throat.
"Using a Demon Technique right in front of me... He must be a Demon! Everyone, attack together! Kill this Demon for me!"
The captain was startled to see the man instantly grab his subordinate’s neck. Thinking his opponent had used some kind of Demon Technique, he anxiously roared the command.
Before his roar could even end, a sharp pain shot through his neck, and his feet left the ground. The man had seized him with his other hand.
"Aargh..."
"Everyone, don’t move!"
By now, even the dimmest of the guards realized this man’s strength was anything but ordinary. Their faces paled with fright as they scrambled backward.
"Answer my question!" Nie Yun tightened his grip, and the two men’s necks made a sickening CRACKLING sound.
"Yes! Yes!"
The soldier and his captain had never been in a situation like this. Trembling from head to toe, they hastily agreed.
"We’re soldiers from Luonan City! We were ordered by our City Lord to come guard the City Lord’s Mansion and prevent the men from Xiashang City, Jibei City, and the others from getting here first..."
The captain, terrified of being too slow to answer, spoke in a nonstop torrent.
"Luonan City? Xiashang City? Jibei City? What in the world is going on?"
Nie Yun was stunned.
"The City Lord of Luoshui City suddenly disappeared! So the eight major towns, including ours, Luonan City and Jibei City, are planning to carve up the territory. We all sent troops. We’re just nobodies, sir, please have mercy..."
The captain pleaded for his life.
’The eight major towns are carving up the territory?’ The coldness in Nie Yun’s expression intensified.
’Before I left, I asked Yangg Yan and Feng Xiao to manage Luoshui City. I never thought it would attract the covetous gaze of eight other towns. If I’d known this would happen, I should have left the Wind Wolf King or Hei Yan behind!’
"It was our City Lord who ordered us to do this! It has nothing to do with me! I’m just a grunt, please let me go!"
The captain’s voice held a sob.
These were soldiers who had faced life and death. This man’s immense power alone wouldn’t have been enough to make them beg for their lives. The crucial factor was the chilling indifference in his eyes.
’It’s the kind of gaze that shows no regard for human life. If I dare to utter a single lie, death will surely be my reward.’
"Where is your City Lord?"
Nie Yun knew he wouldn’t get much more out of these nobodies and snorted.
"Reporting, my lord! Our City Lord is on the large vessel on the Luoshui River, meeting with the leaders of the eight major towns..." the captain shouted hastily.
"The Luoshui River? Hmph!" With a flick of his wrist, Nie Yun hurled the captain away. There was a sickening THUD as the man’s bones shattered. He was clearly dead.
"Carving up other towns is one thing, but you dare to lay a hand on Luoshui City? Die!"
These soldiers would burn, pillage, and murder wherever they went, committing every atrocity imaginable. They were no different from the Demon Race. Nie Yun naturally wouldn’t show any mercy. With a forward push of his hand, a series of sickening CRACKS echoed out, and the surrounding soldiers were all reduced to a bloody pulp.
’Time to go!’
Having killed them all in a single move, Nie Yun kicked off the ground. With a BOOM, he transformed into a long, streaming gust of air and shot toward the Luoshui River.
’Regardless of whether those people from Luonan City were involved in Yangg Yan and Feng Xiao’s deaths, the mere act of targeting Luoshui City was an unforgivable crime punishable by death!’
....................................
The Luoshui River flows from north to south through the Divine Wind Empire. Its banks, lined with magnificent buildings veiled in mist and rain and shaded by weeping willows shedding their catkins, were a picture of bustling prosperity.
All manner of ships plied its waters—vessels for commerce, for tourism, for simply passing through. The sound of soft songs and the music of zithers and drums drifted over the surface, lending Luoshui City a poetic and picturesque atmosphere.
On the largest, most ornate barge in the middle of the river, vibrant paintings adorned the beautiful hull. Dozens of soldiers at the Body Emergence Realm stood guard at the bow and stern, a clear sign of the owner’s high status.
Normally, a vessel of this class would be filled with lively music and dancing, the sounds of song and zither drifting out from within. Yet now, for some unknown reason, it was as silent as the grave, like a ghost ship.
"I’m sure you’ve all heard the news. Nie Yun fought a great battle in the Imperial Capital and has been ennobled as King Yun. The entire territory where our eight towns are located has been granted to him as his domain!"
Inside the ship’s cabin, a middle-aged man sat in the seat of honor. He looked around at the assembled group, his expression dark and grave.
"Luoshui City is King Yun’s home base. We took advantage of his absence to seize his foundation. Once he learns of this, he will certainly not spare us. We’re all in the same boat now, so if anyone has a good idea, speak up!"
"That’s right. We’re all in this together now. We must present a united front!"
"Even the Imperial Family had to bow to him. What good will it do for us to unite?"
As the others thought about the news they’d received, their expressions all turned grim.
’Even the Imperial Family doesn’t dare to provoke him. What chance do people like us have?’ (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to come to Qidian.com to vote for it with recommendation tickets and monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
