Chapter 66: Friendship

Cangyu City.

Beyond the Demon-Subduing Bureau and the City Governor’s Mansion, three major clans held sway—led by the Liu Clan, whose roots ran deep in the city for over a century. The Qi Clan and Zhao Clan, by contrast, were relative newcomers. The Qi Clan had originated from another city, having migrated generations ago, and within a single lifetime had built a formidable foundation in just a few decades.

Now, the news of a Demon Invasion had reached all three clan leaders.

Upon reading the report, each was stunned. Cangyu City had not suffered a full-scale Demon Invasion in nearly a hundred years. The last major incident—thirty years prior—had involved several Great Demons storming the city, resulting in massive casualties and widespread devastation. Though it had once caused a national uproar, that memory now lingered only in the minds of the elderly.

“Military reports don’t lie. Old Zhang, go check this out immediately,” Liu Clan’s patriarch, Liu Shunqing, swiftly dispatched one of his clan’s elders to verify the truth.

The other two clans acted in kind, sending their own scouts. Soon, confirmation poured in.

A vast horde of Spirit Beasts was advancing from the north, sweeping forward in waves. Estimates placed their numbers at least forty to fifty thousand. Mixed among them were Mountain Spirits and Ghosts—clearly under the command of a Great Demon. These creatures had seized the main roads and blocked off several others. Reports from the southern trade routes told of two armory companies ambushed and slaughtered, with precious jewels discovered hidden inside grain sacks.

Spirit Beasts sealing the roads. Great Demons pressing the border. This was unmistakably the prelude to a siege.

“Northern front? Could it be the same pack from the Black Wind Mountain Range?”

“Are these beasts insane? How dare they attack? Don’t they fear the wrath of the Xia Family?”

“Damn it—what’s Yue Shuhong doing? Did he provoke the Demon King?”

“Have you seen any Xia Family troops?”

The three clans were thrown into turmoil. Forty to fifty thousand Spirit Beasts—what kind of force was that? The entire city’s military garrison totaled barely over twenty thousand soldiers.

Even worse, the sheer number wasn’t the only threat. If these beasts were preparing to storm the city, they must have planned meticulously. And to command such a vast army, the Great Demon leading them had to be at least in the Divine Travel Realm—possibly even a Fifteen Li powerhouse.

...

Meanwhile, far to the north, a dark cloud of Spirit Beasts loomed ever closer.

Storm clouds gathered. The city was on full alert.

As the Purple Wolf Smoke flared into the sky, all four city gates slammed shut. The rotating guard units on the walls donned their armor and took their posts.

From the northern wall, the soldiers’ faces turned pale.

There, in the heavens, a thick, ink-black storm of Spirit Beasts churned, streaked with crimson. It advanced with terrifying speed, swallowing the horizon.

“Are these beasts mad? How dare they attack the city?”

Many of the city guards were stunned. This was Emperor Yu’s domain—true, it was a frontier city, but far from the most remote. How could these beasts dare cross the border and provoke the Imperial Court? Did they not fear a full-scale military reprisal?

For decades, the guards had only known the Spirit Beasts to cause minor disturbances in the countryside. They had never witnessed anything like this.

The news of the Demon Invasion spread like wildfire. With gates sealed and soldiers sprinting through the streets, silence was impossible.

Households were ordered to stay inside. The streets echoed only with the thunder of galloping hooves.

Inns, taverns, teahouses, and shops all shuttered their doors.

Some citizens trembled with fear, dreading the moment the walls would fall. Others grumbled—damned Spirit Beasts, ruining their livelihoods. Still others had already packed their valuables, sent servants to ready carriages, preparing to flee at a moment’s notice.

Yet among the wealthy families, some reached out through connections, offering to donate gold, supplies, and provisions to the city’s defense, hoping to help in the hour of crisis.

In disaster, humanity’s true nature revealed itself in all its forms.

At that moment, deep within the Governor’s Mansion.

In the secluded, dimly lit basement beneath the grand estate—dark as a dungeon—Yue Shuhong stood before a painting.

Tall and lean, clad in scholar’s robes, he carried an air of quiet intellect. Yet his face was half-shrouded in shadow, lit only by the flickering light of an oil lamp.

The painting depicted a woman in a light green silk dress, her eyes alive with grace, her posture poised. The brushwork was exquisite—the figure seemed to breathe.

Suddenly, a wisp of black smoke rose from behind him, writhing and twisting before taking shape—a towering, muscular man.

Broad-faced, thick-lipped, with a wild beard and eyes that glowed faintly red in the darkness.

“Brother Yue,” the figure grinned, voice low and amused. “Still thinking about your sister-in-law?”

Yue Shuhong didn’t turn. But his expression flickered—just slightly—as if pulled from deep thought.

He exhaled softly. “Hupao… how long have we known each other?”

“Over twenty years,” the man replied.

“Twenty years…” Yue Shuhong murmured. “I’m fifty-three now. I entered the Divine Travel Realm at thirty, assigned here as City Guardian. In the blink of an eye… it’s been two decades.”

Once, a man of thirty, proud and sword-wielding, now his waist was bare—no blade at his side.

The man—Hupao—nodded, his eyes dimming with a mix of sorrow, envy, and something darker.

“Humanity is blessed. You rise to the Divine Travel Realm in mere decades. But us Spirit Beasts? We must endure centuries, consuming sun and moon, just to reach such a stage. It pains me… to watch you ascend so easily.”

Yue Shuhong’s lips twitched. “But have you ever seen a human live to be hundreds of years old?”

Hupao shook his head, disdain flickering in his gaze. “A Divine Travel Realm cultivator lives nearly a thousand years. Yet you humans—so clever, yet so reckless. Look at those fools in the Divine General’s Residences. They could have enjoyed eternal comfort, yet they choose to fight us on the frontiers. What happened? They all died young.”

Yue Shuhong let out a quiet, restrained laugh. “Perhaps that’s the difference between us. Emperor Yu’s millions of subjects. The vast nineteen provinces. Every inch of soil soaked with the blood of our prodigies.”

“Because some die… others live.”

Hupao narrowed his eyes. “Brother Yue… you wouldn’t make the same mistake, would you?”

Yue Shuhong turned slowly. The warm glow of the oil lamp now vanished entirely, swallowed by darkness.

“For twenty years, I’ve supplied you with human flesh. I’ve met your demands. Why… must this happen?”

His voice was soft—almost a whisper.

Hupao studied him, then sighed deeply. “This isn’t my will. The Chimei Daoist has awakened from his cultivation retreat. He’s starving. And this mission… it’s not just about food. The true target is the Xia Family.”

“The Xia Family?”

“Yes. You called for their aid. But they won’t come. They’re too preoccupied with their own troubles. They can’t afford to be distracted. If Cangyu City falls—its entire population wiped out—it will destabilize their position. And if the Emperor, seated in the imperial court, takes offense and punishes the Xia Family… well, that would be even better.”

He spoke calmly. “So, Brother Yue… Cangyu City… you can’t save it.”

Yue Shuhong inhaled deeply, eyes closing.

So this was the Spirit Beast clan’s plan all along.

“Brother Yue,” Hupao said, “I’ve come to ask you to open the northern gate. The city’s fall is inevitable. Open it, and I’ll speak for you before the Chimei Daoist. I’ll see you given a chance to live.”

Yue Shuhong opened his eyes. A faint smile touched his lips.

“Thank you, Brother Hupao.”

“Do it now,” Hupao urged. “Our friendship means something. I’ll protect you.”

“Hmm.” Yue Shuhong nodded, then turned—not toward the desk, but to the weapon rack beside the wall.

“Brother Yue?”

“Hupao,” he replied softly.

“I see.” Hupao’s red eyes flared brighter, his grin widening. “Brother Yue… you truly break my heart.”

“Likewise,” Yue Shuhong said, smiling. “I’ll use your tiger head to brew the finest wine.”

“Thank you,” Hupao said, his teeth lengthening into sharp fangs. “And I’ll savor you… slowly.”

As their auras surged, their true Spirit Souls revealed themselves. Yue Shuhong’s soul coalesced above his head—pure and serene. But behind Hupao, a monstrous, jagged tiger form loomed, its shadow stretching across the walls.

“Ah… I see.”

Suddenly, a voice echoed through the chamber.

Then, the ceiling split open with a thunderous crack.

A figure descended silently, landing between the two.

Cloaked in dark robes, wielding a broken black blade—Li Hao had returned.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end