Chapter 62: Dao Soldiers

These three corpses are like three sacrificial animals; no matter how they are used as offerings, they must ultimately die.

“Brother Chu, if you kill these three corpses, you’ve already offered the three sacrifices,” Guo Ming said, flicking the reins and making the horses pull the cart even faster.

Fortunately, it was night—otherwise, Guo Ming could never have galloped through the streets.

Chu Danqing and Cheng Wei clung tightly inside the cart, afraid they’d be thrown out.

He finally understood: Guo Ming’s driving skill was truly on par with his archery.

“I understand the logic, but Yangxian County has a curfew—aren’t you afraid of getting caught speeding like this?” Chu Danqing asked.

As for the refugees, the government would of course assign them lodging; otherwise, sleeping on the streets in this cold weather would be an invitation to more deaths.

The curfew was also meant to prevent greater chaos.

As Chu Danqing finished speaking, a patrol unit of soldiers came into view ahead.

Guo Ming yanked the reins, bringing the cart to a smooth, graceful stop—pure veteran driver.

“You?” The lead soldier’s bushy eyebrows lifted as his gaze landed on Guo Ming, then shifted backward to see Chu Danqing: “What? Are you running from the Human Demon’s pursuit?”

Xiongquan had anticipated meeting Chu Danqing, but never imagined it would be here.

His mission’s target was the Lu household—he knew the Human Demon had targeted Chu Danqing.

“The Human Demon is dead; no need for you to worry, Captain Xiongquan,” Guo Ming said at once. “But there’s another matter of greater importance that requires your assistance.”

Upon hearing the Human Demon was dead, Xiongquan paused slightly—but upon learning he was needed again, his expression immediately brightened.

“Talk while we move!” Xiongquan said at once; seeing these three racing at night, he knew it was urgent.

Guo Ming instantly flicked the reins, and the cart surged forward again. Xiongquan leapt aboard and ordered his men to continue patrolling.

Government patrol duties were the same type of fixed task as the Lu clan’s crowd control at the porridge distribution, or the Taiping Dao’s application of talisman water.

On the way, Guo Ming gave Xiongquan a general summary of the situation.

Cheng Wei ignored Xiongquan—he still had no fondness for him.

As for Xiongquan, he had long forgotten Cheng Wei; to him, he was just an insignificant nobody.

“Didn’t kill the Human Demon, but this trip wasn’t a loss,” Xiongquan smiled, looking at Chu Danqing: “Perfect—we’re officially cooperating now.”

“Actually, you’re cooperating with Dabao—we three are just cheering you two on,” Chu Danqing said.

His plan’s combat portion ended with the Human Demon—there was no next step.

Now he was being dragged along against his will.

The Life Link and Energy Link couldn't even handle a vengeful infant, let alone a Son of Huangtian who sounded incredibly powerful.

Using them against what might be a boss-level opponent was no different from Chu Danqing walking straight into death—he’d decide his next move as events unfolded.

Xiongquan glanced sidelong at Dabao; he hadn't used his Perception technique, yet Dabao still exerted a faint pressure on him.

But his current strength was vastly different from before—he could kill the other without issue.

The cart raced through the streets, encountering several more patrols; with Captain Xiongquan present, all were smoothly resolved.

Until they reached the northern gate.

But when they arrived, the northern district was eerily silent—not a single sound.

“Dead,” Dabao said simply, two words.

Chu Danqing instantly ducked behind Dabao; Guo Ming and Cheng Wei, unwilling to be outdone, followed suit.

“We’ll act together,” Xiongquan began, intending to coordinate an attack—but seeing this, he fell silent, then muttered: “Just protect yourselves.”

As he spoke, the end of the street swarmed with heads.

One by one, refugees with yellowish skin and lifeless eyes moved like puppets.

Upon spotting their target, they surged forward like arrows loosed from bows, far faster than normal human running.

“Too many? Right now, I fear group fights the least,” Xiongquan grinned, blood seeping from his shadow.

In the next instant, fifty blood shadows erupted from it, becoming fifty Blood Shadow Dao Soldiers.

The Blood Shadow Dao Soldiers resembled the Human Demon, but bore numerous physical traits mirroring Xiongquan himself.

Xiongquan activated the Blood Strike Formation centered on himself; thick crimson energy surged into a mysterious military array that manifested over the Blood Shadow Dao Soldiers.

The Blood Strike Formation slammed into the puppet refugees; with Xiongquan leading, all fifty Blood Shadow Dao Soldiers simultaneously unleashed the Arhat’s Bell Strike from the Golden Fist technique.

Fists of shadow appeared, and the Blood Killing Art activated as well, forming blood blades—just one strike shattered the leading refugee puppets.

Any damage taken was evenly distributed among all fifty Blood Shadow Dao Soldiers, reducing the already low damage to near nothing.

“The Blood Shadow Chapter of the Soldier’s Martial Scripture,” Guo Ming said, instantly grave.

Cheng Wei said nothing, his brow furrowed: “Where did he get this? Even my grandpa rarely taught it to others—”

He knew this lineage originated from the imperial palace and was never lightly granted.

While other chapters of the Soldier’s Martial Scripture were held by many martial masters, this one was not.

Combined with Xiongquan’s suspicious rise to power, Guo Ming and Cheng Wei both suspected he was here to clean up loose ends.

Especially Cheng Wei—he was even more disturbed. Only one person could bypass his grandpa.

And that person might be the mastermind behind this entire event.

This meant unforeseen developments had occurred, even beyond the knowledge of his grandpa in the imperial palace.

On the other side, Chu Danqing, upon hearing this, realized Xiongquan must have exchanged for an Elite-level inheritance skill from the government faction's shop.

He casually cast a Perception technique—not on Xiongquan, but on the summoned entities.

[Blood Shadow Dao Soldier]

[Attributes]

[HP: 50%]

[MP: 50]

[Strength: 5]

[Agility: 5]

[Vitality: 5]

[Spirit: 5]

[Perception: 5]

[Talent]

[Blood Shadow Rebirth LV.MAX]

[Skills]

[.]

The data panel stunned Chu Danqing—the Blood Shadow prefix meant each was only LV.1, but their sheer number and perfect synergy made them formidable.

Yet their stats were merely human-level, even their maximum HP capped at only 50%.

“Mind explaining? I’m quite curious about this Blood Shadow Chapter,” Chu Danqing asked.

He hadn’t probed Xiongquan’s stats—Xiongquan could sense it—and the Blood Shadow Dao Soldiers clearly weren’t intelligent summons.

Even if they sensed it, they likely wouldn’t react, especially mid-battle.

“The Blood Shadow Chapter is an obscure lineage within the Soldier’s Martial Scripture, stored deep in the imperial palace—very few practice it,” Cheng Wei spoke up.

(End of Chapter)