Chapter 34

Hu Li cried at the academy gate for who knows how long, almost crying her tears dry, and even her crying voice became hoarse.

Finally, she slowly raised her head and wiped the tear stains on her face with her sleeve.

She tried to stand up, wanting to lift the stretcher alone and take her brother home.

But how could her thin body carry the weight of an adult man.

The stretcher had just left the ground when it fell back heavily; she stumbled and nearly fell, so miserable that it was unbearable to look at.

Just then, a figure stepped forward quickly, silently bent down, and helped her lift the other end of the stretcher.

"I'll help you."

It was none other than Shi Lei.

"Tha... thank you..."

Hu Li's voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible, and she could only nod repeatedly, her eye sockets red again.

Liu Qingshi walked over slowly and handed a bag of broken silver to her.

Hu Li looked at the bag of silver, ashamed beyond measure.

Her brother betrayed the academy, but in his most difficult time, Liu Qingshi was actually still willing to provide help.

Hu Li refused to accept the silver no matter what.

"Times are hard, accept it."

Liu Qingshi sighed slightly, looked at Hu Tian, who was soft as mud, and said softly: "In the future, you'll always need to buy a lot of medicinal soup."

Hearing this, Hu Li was slightly stunned.

She looked down at her unconscious brother on the stretcher, then looked up at Liu Qingshi's calm but weary face.

After a long silence, Hu Li, ignoring Liu Qingshi's persuasion, knelt down and kowtowed to him several times, and repeatedly promised that she would definitely pay back the silver... only then did she take the bag of silver.

Finally, with Shi Lei's help, she carried Hu Tian home.

Anxi County, inside a quiet courtyard.

County Magistrate Gao He sat alone on a stone stool, his expression uncertain.

His gaze occasionally cast toward the quiet room deep in the courtyard with its doors and windows tightly closed, his fingers tapping on the stone table unconsciously, making a fine "dud-dud" sound.

About half an hour later.

BOOM!

A muffled roar suddenly came from the direction of the quiet room, like a sudden gale, and like thunder rolling underground.

The surrounding grass and trees trembled violently, and fallen leaves flew everywhere.

After a moment, everything returned to calm.

The door of the quiet room slowly opened, and a burly figure in black armor stepped out.

Every step he took, the ground seemed to tremble slightly, and his whole body exuded a daunting aura, like a beast waking from a deep sleep.

Seeing the visitor, Gao He immediately stood up, his expression respectful as he bowed slightly to him: "Commander Wang, have you finished your practice?"

This middle-aged man in black armor was the Commander who controlled the military power of Anxi County, Wang Ling.

In the Zhou Kingdom, ordinary people always thought the County Magistrate was the master of a county.

Jiang Ye let out a muffled grunt, a flash of brightness crossing his aged eyes.

The Zhou Kingdom had nine states, and except for Jingzhou, the imperial family had long lost control over the other states.

The current pattern was the joint rule of the imperial family and the sects.

Within a county, the County Magistrate was just a title, and the one who truly held the knife was these Commanders appointed personally by the sects.

And the Tianqing Sect behind Wang Ling was the heaven of the eighteen counties in the prefecture city.

"Hmm." Wang Ling walked unhurriedly to the stone table, sat down, and looked at Gao He, "In such a hurry to come over, what happened?"

Gao He took a deep breath, his expression solemn to the extreme: "Commander Wang, I just received a secret report—Lushan County... has fallen."

He paused, his voice lowering involuntarily.

"It is said that the situation inside... is unbearable to look at..."

"The entire county, the number of people who survived might not even be thirty percent..."

"Too miserable... truly too miserable..."

Hearing this, Wang Ling raised his brows, a flash of sharp cold light in his eyes: "The remnants of the Qisha Sect actually acted so inhumanely; they will definitely be punished by heaven!"

"Commander Wang, the most difficult problem now is, once Lushan County falls, I'm afraid we are the next target... I don't know if you have already..."

Gao He said what he was most worried about.

"Don't worry, I already sent a request for help to the sect a few days ago, and the reply says reinforcements are on the way."

Wang Ling said in a deep voice: "Calculating the time, they should arrive in these two days."

Hearing this, Gao He finally felt a bit relieved, let out a long breath and said: "Good, good, good, since the Tianqing Sect has sent reinforcements, then I can rest assured."

"By the way." Wang Ling changed the subject, his gaze falling on Gao He's face, carrying a bit of solemnity: "There is one more thing you must pay attention to."

"Commander Wang, please speak!"

Gao He responded solemnly.

"I also received a secret report that the reason those remnants of the Qisha Sect were able to attack Lushan County so smoothly was because of the cooperation of insiders."

Wang Ling said lightly.

"Insiders?!"

A flash of astonishment appeared on Gao He's face, then he said seriously: "Commander Wang, don't worry, I will investigate strictly next, and I will never let Anxi County repeat the same mistakes."

"Hmm, you handle it."

Commander Wang nodded slightly and said no more.

The next day, the sky just brightened.

The news of Lushan County's fall swept through the entire Anxi County like a plague.

Nine out of ten houses were empty.

Blood flowed like a river.

Tragic and inhuman.

Every word was like a blunt knife, cutting into the heart of everyone who heard the news.

Panic was like an invisible black fog, seeping out from every street and every door crack, permeating every corner of the county.

Inside the academy, the usually boisterous martial arts arena was dead silent.

Outer academy disciples had no heart to practice fists, gathering together to discuss in low voices, their expressions terrified.

Inner academy disciples also lost their usual spirit, each frowning, their eyes flickering, as if disaster were imminent at any time.

An unprecedented oppression hung over everyone's hearts.

In the afternoon, Liu Qingshi gathered all the disciples and only said a few words.

"From today on, the academy is closed. All disciples, return home, and be sure to be careful."

The disciples dispersed one after another, and the academy gradually emptied.

Night fell.

Jiang Ye sat cross-legged in the gatehouse, without lighting a lamp.

Suddenly, a faint fragrance drifted over.

Immediately after, extremely slight footsteps came from outside the door.

"Old Jiang."

A cold female voice sounded outside the door.

It was Liu Yiyi.

"My father asked me to invite you; there is something important to discuss."

The girl's crisp voice sounded again.