Chapter 108: City Lord and the Crimson Mother
Sanxiang Ancient City.
"Warrior Zhou!"
"You’ve finally returned!"
"We thought sothing had happened to you!"
As soon as Zhou Ji stepped into the city, several officers recognized him. The Wo Niu Mountain region was only so large, with a peak population of just over a hundred thousand. As one of the most renowned warriors of the area, he was quite well-known even in Sanxiang City.
Zhou Ji imdiately felt that the city was lifeless.
The streets were covered with dead vines and weeds, with various debris and trash seemingly left uncleaned for months.
Every soldier looked utterly exhausted, while the civilians in the city were gaunt and skeletal, their eyes nearly lifeless and numb.
A heavy, even eerie atmosphere perated the entire city.
Sothing didn’t feel right.
But he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
"Brother Zhou!"
At that mont, a young man dressed like a general walked over.
He looked to be in his thirties, though in truth he was likely younger.
He wore a heavily worn suit of armor, with a ring-handled saber hanging from his waist. His eyes were red from emotion.
Feng Yi.
One of the defending generals of Sanxiang City.
Soone who had shared life-and-death experiences with Zhou Ji.
"That’s great. I knew that with your martial skills, you wouldn’t so easily fall to those foreign tribes outside the city. But your left arm…"
"I attempted to assassinate the Dragon-Lizard leader, but unfortunately I was no match for him and failed. The fact that I made it back alive is already very lucky." Zhou Ji brushed past his ordeal lightly. "How has the city been during this ti?"
Feng Yi sighed. "Because the foreign tribes harass us every other day, all the city’s soldiers are completely worn out. The city’s provisions are nearly exhausted. And the City Lord is preparing to hold a grand Crimson Sacrificial Ritual…"
"What did you say? Crimson Sacrificial Ritual?"
Over the past decade, City Lord Wang Zhi had beco obsessed with sorcery and dark arts.
Many of his special techniques and array constructs required monthly sacrifices of blood from humans and animals — sotis even live human sacrifices — in order to function.
Though these thods were cruel, most of those chosen for the sacrifices in the past were criminals guilty of heinous acts. Harsh as it was, it was still considered acceptable.
But why hold a ritual now?
It wasn’t even the ti for a sacrifice yet!
Feng Yi explained with a grim expression, "In order to gain power capable of withstanding the foreign tribes, the City Lord selected a hundred children from across the city to sacrifice to the Crimson Mother."
Zhou Ji was furious. "Has Wang Zhi gone insane?!"
No wonder things had felt off since he returned.
He finally realized — the children were gone.
Feng Yi quickly said, "Brother, be careful with your words!"
Zhou Ji was seething with rage. "Be careful? Over the years, he’s beco more and more extre in pursuit of his dark arts. And now he’s even laying hands on children — how is that any different from a beast?"
Feng Yi sighed. "Though the City Lord’s thods are too extre, the city’s situation is dire. If this continues, everyone will starve to death…"
"If survival ans sacrificing children, then what man would cling to life?"
Zhou Ji turned on his heel. "I want to see Wang Zhi!"
Feng Yi tried to dissuade him. "Brother Zhou, don’t do anything foolish. Over the past two years, the City Lord has grown more and more unpredictable. Not only will you fail to convince him — you might enrage him instead."
"So what? If I turn a blind eye to this, I’d be ashad to face my foster father’s teachings!"
Zhou Ji had returned to the city early precisely to make an attempt.
If he could persuade the City Lord peacefully, without violence or bloodshed, and have the city surrender to Hang Yu — that would undoubtedly be the ideal outco.
In other words.
Whether or not this situation had occurred.
Zhou Ji would have still sought a eting with Wang Zhi to test his stance.
Because Wang Zhi had secluded himself in pursuit of dark cultivation techniques, no one really knew his current condition.
Of course.
Before eting Wang Zhi.
Zhou Ji hadn’t forgotten about the players.
He told Feng Yi everything about Lord Hang Yu, and had him arrange to bring the twelve Calamity Legion soldiers into the city as soon as possible.
In the event that his negotiation failed or he didn’t return at all, these twelve Calamity Legion soldiers could act as insiders — assisting Lord Hang Yu in taking the city by force.
After making all the necessary arrangents,
Zhou Ji headed directly to the City Lord’s Mansion.
The City Lord’s Mansion had been converted from the forr county office.
It spanned over a hundred zhang from north to south and fifty zhang from east to west, with over forty rooms, all roofed with tiles and adorned with ceramic beast decorations on the ridges, surrounded by several-ter-high walls.
At this mont, the entire City Lord’s Mansion was shrouded in a layer of red mist.
From the outside, it was impossible to see what was happening inside.
After so consideration, Zhou Ji chose not to report his presence and instead scaled the wall and entered directly.
At the center of the mansion was a large courtyard that had been expanded.
There floated a crystal about the size of a chicken egg above the central altar.
This was the Fate Crystal Stone nurtured by Sanxiang County.
It not only ford a barrier near Sanxiang County to resist the invasion of abyssal nightmares, but also gathered spiritual energy from heaven and earth.
The entire altar radiated a sinister aura.
Though Zhou Ji couldn’t see it with the naked eye, he could feel that so dark and hidden formation spread from the altar and covered the whole courtyard.
Within the area stood over a hundred large jar-like containers.
Zhou Ji approached and was instantly filled with rage.
Inside each jar was a child.
Most were still breathing, but barely.
They had fallen into a coma, on the brink of death.
A mysterious force was continuously draining their vitality and souls — they would be dead within a day or two.
Zhou Ji imdiately turned around and drew his warblade.
With a roar like a raging tiger, a burning blade wave shaped like a tiger blasted the altar, instantly destroying a corner of it with overwhelming force.
The altar was damaged.
The ground trembled.
The formation collapsed.
This, of course, drew attention.
Nearly twenty burly, masked guards arrived upon hearing the noise.
These guards were Wang Zhi’s personally trained inner circle, created by unknown ans.
Though mute and unable to speak, they were fiercely powerful and utterly loyal, carrying out orders without question.
Despite being surrounded, Zhou Ji was not afraid.
Instead, he raised his blade and shouted loudly, “Wang Zhi, you old bastard, get out here!”
“How dare you!”
A red-robed man stepped forward from among the guards.
Though he looked younger than Zhou Ji, he was at least seventy years old.
He had a sinister and cold deanor.
This was none other than the forr Sanxiang County Captain and current City Lord — Wang Zhi.
“Zhou Ji, you dare ruin my grand plan!”
“Wang Zhi, you were once a loyal and righteous man. Why have you fallen so far, committing such vile acts?”
Wang Zhi replied indifferently, “Fool. What do you know? Only by summoning more of the Crimson Mother’s power can this city be protected. Compared to everyone dying and our bloodline being extinguished, what’s a little sacrifice?”
Zhou Ji retorted angrily, “Don’t deceive yourself! This isn’t about protecting anyone. It’s about feeding your own greed and ambition. You’re no longer worthy of your position!”
Wang Zhi suddenly burst into a maniacal laugh, high-pitched and piercing.
Zhou Ji asked, “What’s so funny?”
“Of course I’m laughing at your stupidity. Who do you think you are, barking orders at ? But you’re right about one thing — everything I do, I do for myself!”
Wang Zhi’s expression grew increasingly crazed. “Everyone in this city is nothing more than livestock raised for slaughter. Their only purpose is to please the Crimson Mother. And you’re no exception!”
Beyond redemption!
This man had gone completely insane!
Zhou Ji’s face darkened.
He realized Wang Zhi’s mind had utterly rotted.
He had beco a monster willing to do anything for gain.
There was no point in further negotiations.
Wang Zhi would never hand over the city peacefully.
But if Zhou Ji could take this chance to slay him,
Then Lord Hang Yu could seize the mont to enter and beco the new ruler of this land.
“Old traitor, prepare to die!”
Zhou Ji struck first.
He channeled fiery energy into his blade and unleashed a Fierce Tiger Slash toward Wang Zhi.
But four or five guards threw themselves in front, sacrificing their bodies to block the blow.
The remaining guards charged in with weapons raised.
Zhou Ji could no longer afford to hold back.
He used his Fierce Tiger Blade Technique and engaged them in close combat.
Though they were strong, they weren’t unbeatable.
After a fierce and bloody fight,
Zhou Ji, despite suffering over ten wounds, managed to kill all twenty guards.
What puzzled him was that Wang Zhi had just stood there watching the entire ti.
He hadn’t moved, simply letting his loyal followers be cut down.
It was disturbingly odd.
Wang Zhi sneered coldly. “You’ve grown weaker.”
Zhou Ji replied grimly, “I’m still strong enough to kill you.”
“Heh, you know nothing of the Outer Gods’ power. Very well. Today I’ll show you what it ans!”
At so point, a dark red bone fragnt appeared in Wang Zhi’s hand.
It looked ordinary — like a broken piece of skull from so creature —
But anyone who sensed it closely would feel an imnse oppressive force emanating from it.
As he spoke,
Wang Zhi raised the skull fragnt and activated so kind of dark spell.
The corpses of the twenty guards began to change.
Their flesh and blood rapidly shriveled and vanished.
Masses of crimson energy evaporated from their remains.
The red mist quickly gathered before Wang Zhi, forming four blood-colored giants.
Each giant stood about four ters tall, made of viscous, waxy flesh.
They emitted a foul, nauseating stench.
Their forms were grotesque — thick limbs, bulging muscles like bodybuilders,
But atop each neck grew five irregular heads, each with a different twisted expression.
Zhou Ji had never seen such a terrifying technique before.
It was now clear that Wang Zhi’s guards had never been living humans —
They were puppets made by dark magic,
Which was why Wang Zhi had been so unconcerned watching them die.
Before he could think further,
The four blood giants attacked first.
They looked clumsy, but their speed was astonishing.
Their arms could morph into deadly weapons — warhamrs, battleaxes, razor-sharp blades.
Even with Zhou Ji’s skill, facing all four was overwhelming.
He narrowly dodged attack after attack,
And finally caught an opening, striking one with his blade.
The weapon passed through easily —
As if slicing through water.
The giant was completely unhard.
With a backhand swing of its hamr, it smashed Zhou Ji into the wall.
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