manynovel Chapter 184 Slaying! Escape!
Chapter 184 Slaying! Escape!
Chapter 184 Slaying! Escape!
Just as Chu Yang said before, Li Gexiao revealing her identity at this time would only strengthen Magistrate Xu's determination to kill.
Impersonating a member of the Imperial Guard is a serious crime, and impersonating a prince is an even more heinous crime that could implicate nine generations of one's family. Magistrate Xu killing them would actually be a meritorious act. On the other hand, if Chu Yang really is a prince, what good would come of offending a prince? He would die anyway.
With no other option but to face the consequences, Magistrate Xu had no choice but to accept the fate of being stabbed.
The constables formed a defensive formation and pressed forward step by step, compressing the space for the group to move as much as possible. Li Gexiao could naturally see their intentions and launched a preemptive strike, otherwise they would have surrounded them.
His self-created sword technique, "Uneven Heaven and Earth," is extremely effective in group battles. With the added enhancement of Yan Nantian's divine sword technique, each move unleashes sword energy. Amidst the crisscrossing swords, he actually manages to carve a bloody path through the enemy lines.
Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou stood on either side, trying their best to maintain the space that Li Gexiao had created.
However, neither Lu Xiaofeng's Lingxi Finger nor Hua Manlou's Flowing Cloud Flying Sleeves are martial arts known for their killing power. They may be superior in one-on-one combat, but they become somewhat inadequate in battle.
As time went on, facing fierce attacks from all sides, the two of them were already doing their best just to protect themselves.
Chu Yang protected the seriously injured and unconscious soldier, coldly watching the constables who wanted to kill him, his heart filled with murderous intent.
"Your Highness, if you kill them all, there will be no one left to defend the city later."
"When the demon army attacks a city, it is not something that one person can defend. No matter how skilled you are, you are nothing but a mirage under the charge of the iron cavalry."
"Moreover, not all of these yamen runners are evildoers; many of them must have been coerced by Magistrate Xu into this situation."
"Give them a way out, Your Highness!"
As a blind man, Hua Manlou had extremely keen senses. When he noticed that Chu Yang's killing intent was rising, he quietly retreated to his side and whispered words of advice.
He already knew that Chu Yang was a top-notch expert back in the Blissful Pavilion.
Lu Xiaofeng didn't get to see Chu Yang defeat the Red Powder Skull, but Hua Manlou "listened" to the whole thing, though he never said anything about it.
Chu Yang shook his head and said, "If this fighting continues, you will be the first to give up. Don't gamble with your lives."
Hua Manlou still couldn't bear it and didn't want to hurt too many innocent people, so he pleaded, "I only hope that Your Highness will delay your actions and give them a chance."
"The yamen runners are not like Qi Jiguang's army; they don't have that high level of cohesion. If their casualties exceed about 10%, they will definitely collapse on their own."
There are thousands of yamen runners in Jinling City, which means they would have to cause at least several hundred casualties. How easy is that?
"Don't delay the opportunity to defend the city."
Chu Yang didn't think they could hold out that long, but since Hua Manlou insisted, he was willing to cover for him; it was just a small favor for him.
Seeing that Chu Yang agreed, Hua Manlou breathed a sigh of relief and charged back into the crowd to fight alongside Lu Xiaofeng and Li Gexiao.
With a flourish of his sleeves, Liu Yunfei repelled the dozen or so men surrounding Lu Xiaofeng. Hua Manlou landed behind him, and Lu Xiaofeng, who was locked in a fierce battle, felt a sudden relief from the pressure.
"What were you saying to Young Master Chu—the Prince?"
"I told him to delay his actions and kill fewer people."
"I think you've got a screw loose. The situation is so dangerous, and you're still telling him not to intervene?"
"If the prince takes action, how many of the yamen runners present will survive? When the demons attack the city, who will we rely on to defend it?"
"What you said is true, but I think you're overthinking it. I've known him for many years, and he's not the kind of ruthless person!"
"Young Master Chu is Young Master Chu, and Prince Xian is Prince Xian. If you can't understand this, you'll suffer for it later!"
"Stop yelling! I already regret it!"
"There are some things that even the prince himself may not have realized. When he acts as a wise prince, he can become domineering without realizing it. He already has the awareness of a superior."
"Stop talking. You may dare to say what you're about to say, but I don't dare to listen."
Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou both shut up at the same time, suppressing their chaotic thoughts and focusing on dealing with the enemy in front of them.
Li Ge laughed so hard he forgot himself, and saw everyone as a stab in the face.
The wedding dress divine skill that Yan Nantian left in his body that day was not fully digested. A portion of its power remained hidden in his acupoints. As the current battle was activated, it transformed into a continuous stream of true essence, filling his dantian.
His skills have fully recovered to their peak and are still continuously improving, reaching the pinnacle of martial arts!
The terrifying blade strike chilled the yamen runners to the bone, and terrified Magistrate Xu. If this continued, he would be finished!
"Don't panic, my lord, I'm here!"
Just when the situation was turning against them, the county magistrate, who was supposed to be guarding the city gate, suddenly appeared and brought out all the yamen runners who were guarding the city.
With reinforcements, the battle returned to its original state.
"You've arrived, what about the city gates?" Magistrate Xu hurriedly scolded.
"Sir, what's the point of defending the city? Do you think we can hold Jinling with so few men?" The county magistrate looked at Magistrate Xu as if he were a fool. "Even Qi Jiguang's army is trapped. The south is bound to fall. If we don't take our brothers and run now, are we just going to stay here and wait to die?"
Magistrate Xu stared blankly. He had been an official for many years and had never thought of abandoning the city, because with Qi Jiguang's army there, he never considered this issue.
The current situation seems to have left no other choice but to take this action.
But what will happen to the people of the city if I leave?
"My lord, you've never seen how demons eat people, have you?"
"Just like you eat lychees, you peel the skin, and suck the flesh in!"
The last shred of conscience that Magistrate Xu had left vanished instantly in fear of the County Magistrate's assistant. He reached out and grabbed the assistant tightly, trembling as he said, "I have always treated you well; you can't abandon me."
The county magistrate chuckled and said, "I've come to pick you up. Don't worry, as long as we kill these people, we'll find a place to hide. Once the demons leave, we'll go back to Jinling City to clean up the mess. Anyone who dares to talk nonsense will be killed on the spot. I guarantee no one will know what happened here."
Magistrate Xu closed his eyes in anguish.
"Guards, escort this master out of here!"
At the county magistrate's command, several yamen runners helped Magistrate Xu walk out.
Hearing the conversation between the two, Hua Manlou trembled with anger, and an overwhelming sadness welled up in his heart. What should ordinary people do when they encounter such officials?
A hand patted him on the shoulder.
"If you always have unrealistic expectations of things, then it's only natural to be disappointed."
"I've already given them a chance out of respect for you."
"Don't worry, I won't kill too many people."
"Li Gexiao, come back!"
With just a simple "Come back," Li Gexiao immediately stopped his murderous intent, leaped back to Chu Yang's side, and without saying another word, naturally took the unconscious soldier from Chu Yang's hands.
Chu Yang took a step forward, and a shrine rose from the ground. He stood on the shrine and looked down at everyone.
This moment.
A boundless killing intent, accompanied by an overbearing aura, poured out like a torrent!
All the yamen runners were overwhelmed by an indescribable force, and their spirits were instantly subjected to a tremendous shock.
They did not immediately faint, but stared in horror at Chu Yang, who resembled a god, their bodies frozen in place.
The same applies to Magistrate Xu and his assistant magistrate.
Chu Yang formed a hand seal and coldly shouted, "Slay!"
A terrifying slash followed, like a meat grinder, turning everything in front of it into dust.
The encirclement formed by thousands of yamen runners was ripped open by the slashing storm, and blood and flesh were spread on the ground. From a distance, it looked like a giant whose skin and flesh had been ripped off, covered in blood.
The county magistrate and his henchmen had turned into minced meat, becoming one with the bluestone slabs beneath their feet.
Magistrate Xu's lower body disappeared, and he lay on the ground with a blank stare. He was in so much pain that he didn't even have the strength to howl. He could only silently feel death approaching.
Chu Yang didn't know whether he was lucky or unlucky to have survived.
Those yamen runners who acted as accomplices to the tyrant were either missing arms or legs, and some of the unluckiest had their heads chopped off.
Having promised Hua Manlou to hold back, Chu Yang naturally did not kill them all. Not many constables died; most were injured or disabled. They would be the first wave of casualties when defending the city. If they survived, their past misdeeds would be forgiven.
Extreme pain triggers adrenaline, putting them in a state of illusion where they don't feel much pain until they can feel the real pain after a while.
The other uninjured constables were stunned by the carnage before them, until belated shouts brought them back to reality.
"Aaaaaaah!!!"
"My legs, my hands!"
"My eyes! I can't see anything!"
Under the relentless onslaught, each of them lost some organs; some lost their eyes and noses, others their hands and feet. They lay on the ground, writhing pitifully, like a pile of broken rag dolls.
The more the injured constables shouted, the more terrified the remaining people became.
Clang!
It's unclear who was the first to drop the water-and-fire stick, but a few breaths later, the sound of heavy objects hitting the ground could be heard repeatedly.
The yamen runners, who had been so aggressive just moments before, were now trembling and kneeling on the ground, hoping that Chu Yang would spare their lives.
Not only were they afraid, but even Li Gexiao, who had pledged his loyalty to Chu Yang, was afraid. At the moment the attack erupted, he could not sense any humanity in Chu Yang, as if the other party had become a cold and heartless demon god.
Having traveled all over the country and boasted of having seen countless scenes, Lu Xiaofeng vomited. Looking at the pile of minced meat on the ground, he almost vomited up his bile.
Hua Manlou, who couldn't see the bloody scene, vomited even more severely than Lu Xiaofeng. His hearing and sense of smell were extremely developed, several times that of an ordinary person. The smell of the blood and flesh that covered the entire street was probably enough to suffocate his brain.
Li Gexiao, carrying the unconscious soldiers, saw them surrender and shouted, "Magistrate Xu and his assistant were planning to abandon the city, but they have been executed. The ringleader is dead. You will serve the Prince and defend Jinling City, which will be considered an act of atonement. Otherwise, even if you survive today, you will be executed at the execution ground in the future!"
The constables were trembling with fear and all expressed their willingness to follow Chu Yang's lead.
"I don't know anything about military operations, you make the arrangements, I'll go sit on the wall for a while."
Chu Yang handed over command to Li Gexiao, who, as the Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, had no problem with this.
"Alright, Your Highness, please go ahead. I'll come over as soon as I've arranged everything."
The situation is extremely urgent. Li Gexiao didn't mince words and didn't say anything like "Your Highness, step back and let us hold the line."
Whether Jinling City can be defended or not depends on Chu Yang. Just as the county magistrate said before, how can thousands of yamen runners possibly stop the demon army?
After Chu Yang left, Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou approached Li Gexiao and asked him what he planned to do.
"I am quite familiar with General Qi and know his temperament. Since he dared to lead the Qi Family Army away from Jinling City, there must be something in the city that can help defend it."
"For example, the Qi Family Army's specially made demon-slaying heavy crossbow can kill a spirit demon with just one bolt. Its power is terrifying. Even great demons dare not confront its sharp edge head-on."
"I need to stay and coordinate these yamen runners. Could you please go to the General's Mansion for me and see if you can find the Demon-Slaying Crossbow?"
Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou nodded and left together. Li Ge watched their backs with a smile, silently praying that the two could find the Demon-Slaying Crossbow.
With the death of Magistrate Xu, news of the great demon's attack on the city spread throughout the city in an instant. The high-ranking officials and nobles in Jinling City began to pack their bags and prepare to flee this town that was about to be ravaged by war.
Taking advantage of the chaos, the rich people's carriages rushed towards the city gate, while servants and maids followed behind, carrying large and small bags and crying out, afraid of being left behind.
The city guards tried to stop them, but were smashed to pieces by the carriage, each one covered in wounds. Those horses were hybrids of demonic beasts, and their strength was far greater than that of ordinary martial artists. The guards couldn't stop them at all!
"Let them go!"
Chu Yang stood on the city wall, looking down indifferently at these people. They were just trying to survive, and it was understandable that they would leave, but they chose the most foolish way.
Given the urgency of the situation, Chu Yang was too lazy to persuade them; they had chosen their own path, so they had to bear the consequences.
"Yes, sir!"
The constables responded respectfully, then stood guard on both sides of the city gate like statues, no longer preventing the wealthy merchants from leaving.
Among those leaving the city, besides those in horse-drawn carriages, there were even those in sedan chairs, surrounded by a large group of servants, making quite a spectacle.
Chu Yang asked, "Who is the person inside the sedan chair?"
A yamen runner nimbly climbed up the city wall and whispered, "Your Highness, that's the son of Grand Secretary Yan, the head of the cabinet. He came to Jinling a few days ago for sightseeing, and I heard he brought many other sons of important families with him."
Chu Yang smiled knowingly, "You mean that legendary 'Young Grand Secretary' Yan Shifan, right?"
The constable chuckled twice but didn't dare to reply.
The reason why Yan Shifan was called the "Little Grand Secretary" was not only because his father, Yan Song, was the Grand Secretary of the court and the head of the civil officials, wielding immense power, but also because Yan Song entrusted most of the cabinet's affairs to Yan Shifan, always saying, "Let me discuss it with Donglou before making a decision."
He was not quite like a Grand Secretary, but even more so, hence the nickname "Little Grand Secretary".
"The death of Yan Shifan should bring Li Gexiao some solace, even if it's just collecting some interest in advance."
Chu Yang's lips curled up slightly as he looked at Yan Shifan, who was still putting on a show while fleeing, as if he were looking at a dead man.
"Go and tell Li Gexiao what happened here. Tell him that if he wants to take revenge himself, he can leave the city now. I can defend Jinling City by myself."
The constable broke out in a cold sweat after hearing this, and quickly left the city wall and disappeared into the street.
The city gates were bustling with activity, with people constantly heading out. High-ranking officials and dignitaries went first, followed by shopkeepers and owners who stood hesitantly at the city gates.
Inns and restaurants, cosmetics, silks and satins, carriage and boat services, brokerage and porter services, blacksmiths and butchers.
Compared to wealthy merchants who possess mountains of gold and silver, these people are giving up businesses that provide them with a livelihood. If their lives were not in danger, why would they give them up?
"The rest of you are not allowed to leave!"
Just as they were gritting their teeth and preparing to leave, Chu Yang waved his hand, and a gust of wind appeared out of nowhere, blowing people this way and that, in fact, it tightly closed the huge city gate!
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