Chapter 337

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Main Character:

Shen Yao

A woman's laughter, clear as silver bells, rang out from the study and dispersed into the quiet night.

The small courtyard was located in the center of East City; although the nightlife here wasn't as lively as South City, being the residence of high officials and nobles, entertainment was naturally not lacking.

In contrast were the misery and hardship of West City and North City.

Those living there were all commoners or riffraff; daily life alone exhausted their minds and strength, leaving them utterly incapable of generating any other thoughts.

"Mother, things have come to this, and you're still protecting him!" The youth's sharp voice tore through the night sky, also startling the flying insects and walking beasts hiding in the dark.

This was a very common slum in North City, surrounded entirely by low buildings.

The youth had originally enjoyed a wealthy childhood, but because the family elders made a wrong move, their family of three had fallen to their current state.

"Huai'er, he is your father, he didn't mean it," the woman's voice was gentle, only that deep weariness couldn't be concealed at all, let alone the fact that her words made the youth even more furious.

"What do you mean 'didn't mean it'? Ruyi Building was clearly the property Grandfather's side left to Mother, yet wasn't it taken by him and lost in a gambling den?" The youth looked at the middle-aged woman with utter disbelief, his heart turning completely cold, "Mother, you're not stupid!"

Slap—

A red swollen mark appeared on his face, and it also brought the youth's words to an abrupt halt.

The middle-aged woman's eyes were lifeless; she was clearly a blind person, yet she could easily locate the youth and slap him hard.

Perhaps because she did this sort of thing often, the middle-aged woman not only didn't panic, but even carried a lecturing air, telling the youth to understand reason and propriety toward elders.

Youth: ……

The youth was cold; he glanced at the man soft as mud, then at the woman obstinately unrepentant, turned his head, and ran away.

In such a dark night, with not a shred of light around, where could the youth go.

"Anyway I won't stay," he wouldn't go looking for suffering again; clearly that man was both stupid and rotten, why should he be dragged down into misfortune together.

Without stopping his steps, walking around the empty streets, the youth soon saw a tall embroidery tower in the distance.

The embroidery tower moved without wind; though it had no signboard, its entire body's fiery red appearance was eye-catching.

The youth wasn't afraid, but plunged straight in, like a moth flying into fire, fearless and undaunted.

On the cold, quiet street the red embroidery tower was eerie and sinister, twisting and agile, seeming like a living creature.

…………

The night faded completely, the sun rose as usual.

After Shen Yao woke up, she learned Liu Jingyan was not in the mansion; the two had stayed too long last night, so even now she still wasn't fully clear-headed.

She took the Nurturing Body Pill every day; Shen Yao rubbed her sore, swollen eyebrows and eyes, and summoned the steward to ask if there were any arrangements for today.

Arrangements? Nothing arranged.

"Does Miss Shen want those shops to come to the door, or should this lowly one send people to follow Miss Shen out?" The steward was very perceptive, respectful to an excessive degree.

Shen Yao touched her chin, "I'll bring people out, will arrange for shops to send things back," saving herself from personally carrying them, they're too heavy.

The steward smiled obsequiously and nodded, called a few clever, sensible servants to follow Shen Yao, instructing them they must take good care of her; if anything happened, he would hold them accountable.

Shen Yao didn't care what the steward arranged; she changed into a crow-blue long skirt, paired with a pale white inner layer, hair pinned up and fixed with a pearl hairpin, a few loose strands falling at her temples, making her bearing appear even more ethereal, as if she might ascend to immortality.

Because she would leave Songyang tomorrow, Shen Yao planned to walk through all the shops she hadn't visited yesterday. Moreover, Liu Jingyan had given her a lot of silver money, so now there wasn't a single shop in Songyang City, big or small, that she couldn't enter.

Only today's shops were a bit strange; compared to yesterday's liveliness, they seemed slightly deserted.

Where are the people?

Shen Yao stood inside a jewelry shop, looking at the several trays brought out, signaling the shopkeeper to quickly bring out the shop's treasure.

"My time is precious, could it be the shopkeeper doesn't want to do business?"

An attitude this perfunctory, worlds apart from yesterday, and the person hasn't even changed.

The shopkeeper was a woman in her twenties, pretty features, capable in action.

Right now she was like an ant on a hot pan, waving her hand to let the several shop assistants leave first.

"Miss Shen, not hiding it from you, the reason business isn't being done now isn't unwillingness, but inability."

The shopkeeper's face was full of bitterness, her gaze constantly sweeping toward the position behind Shen Yao.

Shen Yao was even more baffled by this, wearing an expression of willing to hear the details, but the servants beside her grew nervous along with her, as if infected.

"Last night at Zi Hour, that, red, red embroidery tower appeared in Songyang!"

The shopkeeper spoke in a low voice, matched with the dim light all around, terrifying and scary.

Shen Yao wasn't frightened, only felt it odd and strange; so what if the red embroidery tower appeared? The embroidery tower and jewelry shop, could there still be some hidden connection?

Don't say it, there really is one; the true owner of this jewelry shop, traced to the present, has already changed hands several times; every time the red embroidery tower manifests, a batch of merchants and shopkeepers here die.

The shopkeeper is just a worker; ever since hearing the red embroidery tower manifested, she's been distraught, afraid her luck would be bad and she'd lose her life.

Shen Yao's timing was bad; the shopkeeper had already submitted her resignation to the master's house, about to take her family and flee to seek refuge, so shop business and such, the shopkeeper truly didn't want to do.

Shen Yao: ……

Shen Yao had never heard such an outrageous rumor; leaving aside whether the red embroidery tower tale is true or false, but the fact it spread to everyone's ears in just one night shows there's definitely a conspiracy inside.

Not meaning to make things difficult for the worker; since things were spoken so bluntly, Shen Yao stood up and left the jewelry shop empty-handed.

The servants beside her asked tremblingly whether they should still go shopping.

"Forget it, let's go back."

Shen Yao waved her hand; she had already lost the interest, besides external possessions can be bought anywhere, no need to make herself unhappy.

A group of people hurried back to the small courtyard; on the way Shen Yao also discovered many high officials and nobles living in East City were running outward, the crowd dense, carriages stuck on the road, delaying them a good long while.

"Yao Yao, we also need to set off and depart, leave Songyang as soon as possible."

Liu Jingyan was at home; seeing Shen Yao enter, he hurriedly pulled her along to finish what he was saying.

Shen Yao recalled the situation on the street and hurriedly asked whether it was related to the Red Embroidery Tower.

"Rumors about the Red Embroidery Tower speak of strange phenomena, and there are records; once it manifests, it will surely stir up a storm of blood and slaughter."

From ancient times to the present, Songyang City has suffered attacks by the Red Embroidery Tower several times, each ending with the loss of a large number of people.

"Survivors who escaped disaster say that Red Embroidery Tower is a living thing."

The Embroidery Tower possesses a spirit, can actively devour life, and acts without scruple; he is not a person of the Exorcism Office, and has no reason to stay behind.

Liu Jingyan sighed, instructing the Steward to organize the items to be brought onto the carriage as soon as possible; they had to leave the city before the Shen hour today.

"A Yan, didn't they say the Red Embroidery Tower was already sealed? How can there still be talk of it manifesting?" Could someone be taking advantage of the chaos to muddy the waters and profit from the disorder?

Liu Jingyan frowned. "Imperial Court records state the Red Embroidery Tower was originally not just one tower; what was sealed is the Red Embroidery Tower, and what manifests is still the Red Embroidery Tower."

Shen Yao:...

Once the items were organized, Shen Yao and Liu Jingyan boarded the carriage and merged into the stream of people leaving, surging toward the city outside.

On the road, Shen Yao asked how this matter had spread so widely as to implicate the whole of Songyang City.

Liu Jingyan propped his forehead with one hand. "The Exorcism Office has specialized monitoring methods; for famous strange phenomena like these, the slightest leak of breath can be detected."

They are also afraid; the Exorcism Office deals with these strange things year-round and knows their killing power well, especially those passed down from ancient times — they can casually take an entire city's people away as burial companions; even though Wei State does not lack population, it cannot withstand dying like this.

Liu Jingyan spoke more about the Exorcism Office, conveniently filling in Shen Yao's knowledge gaps; not to mention Songyang, even if it were Luojing, last night they would likely have had to depart overnight.

Shen Yao nodded with a thoughtful expression, then lifted the curtain to look outside.

Besides the crowds there were only crowds, packed shoulder to shoulder moving outward, terrified that being one step late would mean losing their lives here.

Shen Yao raised her head to look toward the rear; besides the crowds there was also a towering aura of resentment.

Unlike yesterday, if yesterday this aura stayed in one place unmoving, right now they have come alive and are spreading toward the crowds.

It was also at this moment that Shen Yao discovered her difference from others.

During the Secret Realm Shen Yao did not know; after coming out she saw nothing either.

Until yesterday's dispute in front of Ruyi Building, which let her inadvertently capture the aura of resentment that can hook the source of evil in people's hearts.

So this is connected to the manifested Red Embroidery Tower; turns out she can see strange phenomena? Mm, saying 'see' isn't right either — she can sense them.

"What's wrong?" Liu Jingyan's voice sounded from behind Shen Yao.

Shen Yao looked up. "Nothing, just wanted to see," exactly how severe this Red Embroidery Tower disaster really is.

The curtain in her hand was lowered; Shen Yao sat back in the carriage, with Liu Jingyan beside her.

Because there were many people, the carriage moved very slowly, occasionally having to deal with arguments arising from collisions.

By the time the carriage truly exited Songyang City, it was already the tail end of the Shen hour.

Recently the weather has cooled a bit; the sun sets early, and when the light dimmed, that tall city tower behind them appeared very ghostly and sinister.

Like a tall monster devouring something, the resentment aura grew ever more condensed and solid.

The carriage had already stopped at an empty space outside the city; all around were crowds who had run out.

Night travel is bad, and most Songyang people do not want to leave their homes; their purpose in coming out was to avoid this disaster, not to settle in other towns.

Find a random sheltered spot outside the city to stay, wait for Songyang City to return to normal — that is what most who came out are thinking.

Shen Yao stood beside the lit bonfire, gaze fixed on the distant city tower without blinking.

A thick cape slowly settled on Shen Yao's shoulders; Liu Jingyan reached out and pulled her into his embrace.

"Don't look; we depart tomorrow morning, return to Luojing as soon as possible."

Compared to the relatively safe Luojing, other towns in Wei State have no small possibility of encountering strange phenomena.

Liu Jingyan did not want to waste time; mainly, encountering this kind of strange phenomenon he alone can still preserve himself, but protecting others would be beyond his strength.

Even a Third Rank Cultivator — once a strange phenomenon reaches the Pin level, it cannot be resisted by human power.

Liu Jingyan is never blindly confident; even the Exorcism Office cannot handle some things — if he sees them, he only has the option to hide.

"Will Songyang City return to normal?" Shen Yao gazed at the constantly expanding danger, uncertain in her heart.

This is her first time facing a strange phenomenon; although she heard of them in the Secret Realm, hearing a hundred times is not as good as seeing once — only when things truly happen can one feel that wordless shock.

Liu Jingyan does not know either; since there are records, the Imperial Court must have other methods.

This night, many who fled the city did not rest well.

Everyone stared tensely toward the direction of Songyang City behind them, hoping this calamity would pass soon.

Shen Yao slept in the carriage compartment, startled awake several times by terrifying scenes in her dreams, and even at dawn still felt dizzy and blurred.

Mournful crying reached her ears; packages filled the space around her body.

Liu Jingyan did not call her to get up; instead the crying grew louder and louder, already reaching a disturbing-the-people level.

Shen Yao could not tolerate this; she propped herself on the bedding, got up, got down from the carriage, and was shocked by the scene before her eyes.

Songyang City is gone!

The originally tall and obvious city tower is shrouded in a dense black mist; the distance between them and the black mist is not far.

This, this is — Shen Yao opened her mouth for a long while unable to speak; still it was Liu Jingyan who saw her come out and pulled her back.

"Don't look; that is Ghost Mist," looking at it too long will affect a person's state of mind.

Liu Jingyan exhaled; he had not slept all night, his spirit somewhat listless.

But compared to the other people around, Liu Jingyan is still a stand-out-from-the-crowd existence.

A Third Rank Cultivator is not something one can cultivate casually; in a small city like Songyang, only the Director of the Bureau of Exorcising Anomalies of the Exorcism Office reaches this rank.

"I'm going to the Temporary Government Office; you stay here and don't walk around."

Liu Jingyan's expression was serious; his usual smile was gone, replaced by more cold composure.

Shen Yao gave an "Mm." "A Yan, are we leaving today?"

Liu Jingyan nodded, expression firm. "The matters here have nothing to do with us; not in one's position, not plan its governance."

Call him cold-blooded or call him selfish, for things he cannot handle, Liu Jingyan will not easily agree.

Going to the Temporary Government Office counts as normal socializing; other matters have nothing to do with him.

Shen Yao simply ate breakfast, then spent the rest of the time sitting in the carriage observing the black mist that enveloped Songyang outside.

During this period there were those bold enough to approach, but without exception all were swallowed by the black mist, never to come out again.

The black mist is not transparent; people who walk into it are like stones thrown into water, no sound, no ripple.

Faced with such a strange phenomenon, those who only wanted to take refuge had no choice but to make more preparations.

Perhaps they really have to leave their hometown behind? The family business is all in Songyang City, where else can they go?

The atmosphere around the camp was oppressive; occasionally some would rally and choose to set out, but most still stayed in place, wishfully expecting a turn for the better.

Shen Yao rested her chin on her hand; by the time noon arrived, Liu Jingyan returned.

His complexion looked very bad, as if someone had given him a hard time.

Shen Yao raised an eyebrow, expressed a couple words of concern, only to hear Liu Jingyan say they temporarily still cannot leave.

"They wouldn't want A Yan to go in, would they?" Shen Yao clenched both hands around Liu Jingyan's sleeve; that black mist is not something that can be easily dealt with.

Liu Jingyan shook his head, "They need me to help receive and coordinate," and incidentally protect these ordinary commoners.

Those entering Songyang are the Exorcism Office; Liu Jingyan currently holds no post in the Imperial Court, at most he counts as obligatory assistance personnel, dangerous matters will not fall to him.

"But staying is very dangerous," especially since the black mist's range is very wide and spreads fast; if they keep not leaving, in the end they most likely won't be able to leave at all.