I Killed Gods and Demons in Song Dynasty

Chapter 285: Heroes of Troubled Times
It was just daybreak, but the city of Bianjing was already crowded with people. Soldiers in armor and holding weapons, as well as refugees with their families, could be seen everywhere in the streets.

The dim lanterns cast a vague shadow on the high wall, like a huge net curtain, covering all the noise and panic.

In the palace hall, the prime minister and several veteran generals looked at each other with worried expressions.

Zhao Zhen sat on the dragon throne with a dazed look in his eyes.

He had just heard an urgent report: Although the bone demon had retreated temporarily, the rift had not closed, and it was estimated that the next wave of invasion could break out at any time.

Worse still, the Yuxu Palace still set up an altar in the palace, claiming that it would use immortal laws to put an end to the chaos, which made everyone in the court even more nervous.

The eunuch reported quietly that Li Qingyun, Mu Guiying, Yang Paifeng and other former generals were already waiting outside the palace.

Zhao Zhen sighed and called out repeatedly, "Hurry up and announce it."

There were clanging footsteps outside the door. Li Qingyun, Mu Guiying, and Yang Paifeng led a group of rebel leaders into the room. Behind them followed many dark-skinned, resolute-looking warriors, all of whom were elite soldiers who had survived wars in various places.

As soon as this group of people appeared, the atmosphere in the hall changed slightly. There was a glimmer of light in the prime minister's eyes, as if he saw the long-lost vitality.

"Your Majesty, although we are alone and weak, we are willing to gather our troops again to resist this chaotic world of gods and demons."

Mu Guiying clasped her hands together, exuding a fierce aura that showed that a woman is no less capable than a man.

The dozens of volunteer representatives behind her responded in unison, and their strong voices seemed to echo in the hall.

Zhao Zhen stood up slowly, a hint of excitement appearing on his tired face.

"Generals, you are all my pillars... but right now, demons are in power, and there are constant disagreements inside and outside the court..."

Having said this, he looked at Li Qingyun, seeming to want to say something but stopping himself.

Since returning from the last fierce battle, Li Qingyun's aura has become deeper and his face has an imperceptible solemnity.

He looked at the ministers in the hall and said slowly: "Your Majesty, don't worry. Whether there are bone demons wreaking havoc outside or Yuxu Palace forcing us, we are willing to do our best to protect the Song Dynasty."

An old general choked up and said, "Since the gods came, our dynasty has been in chaos and the people have been displaced. Now we can still gather so many loyal and righteous people. It is really a blessing for our dynasty."

Li Qingyun nodded and replied: "Although natural disasters and man-made disasters are terrible, only the indestructible human heart can save the world."

These words excited the crowd, and the rebels drew their swords and clapped their hands in response, like thunder.

Zhao Zhen was infected by this momentum and hope was rekindled in his heart. He hurriedly ordered the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War to speed up the preparation of military pay and weapons.

However, he couldn't help but think of the group of Taoist priests in fluttering robes in the palace, and his heart suddenly became a little uneasy, wondering whether there would be a bigger conflict between Li Qingyun and Yuxu Palace.

Outside the hall, the sky was slightly bright, a few rays of morning glow jumped onto the eaves, and a cool morning breeze blew by, making everyone feel a little comfortable.

But before they walked out of the palace, the sound of low Dharma drums seemed to echo in the deep palace behind them, carrying some kind of eerie resonance.

Li Qingyun stopped and looked back at the towering palace. He seemed to see the dark shadow being wrapped in a colorful halo, like a huge devouring eye spying on everything.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, and an inexplicable sense of depression surged in his chest.

Mu Guiying and Yang Paifeng, who were standing side by side with him, also noticed it and their faces tightened at the same time.

"Is it the altar of Yuxu Palace?"

Mu Guiying asked with a frown.

Yang Paifeng pursed his lips and answered in a low voice: "It is rumored that they want to gather the luck of the human world and open up the so-called 'Heavenly Palace'. There is no guarantee that they will not regard us as obstacles."

Li Qingyun's expression remained unchanged, and he said in a deep voice: "Let's first consolidate the people's hearts and gather volunteers from all over the country. The matter of Yuxu Palace...will be resolved in due time."

Everyone nodded in tacit understanding, then walked out of the palace one after another and headed straight for the training ground outside the city.

The parade ground was originally a place for military exercises in Bian Jing, but now it is bustling with people, both military and civilians.

The rebels who came from the south of the Yangtze River, the brave militia who came from the east of the Yellow River, and the veterans who retired from the frontier all crowded here.

Many people were ragged and covered with scars, but they still held up machetes and blunt swords, declaring their hatred for the invaders and their obsession with their homeland.

As soon as Li Qingyun, Mu Guiying and Yang Paifeng appeared, the entire training ground was in an uproar.

"Master Li is here!"

"General Mu! No one has forgotten her glory when she conquered the West!"

The shouts were mixed with hope and excitement, like a spark falling into dry wood, instantly igniting people's hearts.

Li Qingyun faced many gazes and scanned them quietly. He felt that those faces were either young or old, but all were filled with generous and tragic expressions.

He couldn't help but sigh in his heart: The chaotic world of gods and demons may be terrifying, but it can also make the most tenacious brilliance in human nature burst out.

Mu Guiying was also deeply moved by the scene and said loudly: "Everyone, if you are willing to follow us to the battlefield, we will not let your blood and sweat go in vain! I only hope that we can drive away the demons and bring peace to my homeland!"

The words were like a blow of steel, inspiring the common people and the rebels present to respond one after another, and morale reached its peak.

Yang Paifeng arranged the formation and directed everyone to practice in groups in preparation for another attack from the Bone Demon.

On the parade ground, the sounds of swords and guns clashing and shouting merged into one, like a storm about to break out.

When the breeze blows, it brings up dust all over the ground, as well as an indescribable sense of fate.

Li Qingyun stood on a high place, silently circulating his internal energy, feeling the power of the palace lingering in his body.

He seemed to hear a very light sigh coming from the depths of the gray fog, carrying an ancient whisper that even he could not decipher.

The voice seemed to be mocking this world. No matter how much blood and sacrifice there were, it could not shake the foundation of theocracy and the heaven and earth.

Li Qingyun quietly collected his mind and stared at the soldiers who were training silently, thinking: No matter what, this is the most valuable strength of the human race, and we must never give up easily.

At nightfall, the pitch-black sky was dotted with sporadic flames, and the hurried footsteps of scouts could be heard from the camp.

"Report! There is new dark energy stirring over there in the crack of the spirit world. It seems that the army of bone demons is gathering in secret!"

The generals in the tent had heavy expressions on their faces, but no one flinched. Instead, they picked up their weapons and were ready to fight at any time.

Li Qingyun slowly stood up and looked at the city wall in the distance with a resolute look: "Okay, since they are coming, let us fight with the fire of human hearts. The more desperate the situation, the more we must fight to the death."

Outside the tent, Mu Guiying and Yang Paifeng were checking the troops. The sky was dark and the night wind was howling, making the light of the torches shake like ghostly shadows.

In mid-air, one could still see the colorful light pillars of the Yuxu Palace altar and the roof of the imperial palace shining against each other, mixed with the faint sound of chanting, as if another unexpected event was brewing.

Occasionally, the sound of birds crying shrilly could be heard in the distance, and to my ears it sounded like some creature hidden in another world was sneering in a low voice.

Li Qingyun stood silently with concentration, alarm bells ringing in his heart.

He knew that the troubled times had just begun, the spiritual world outside was ready to make a comeback at any time, and the Taoists inside were sharpening their knives.

Even if the rebel forces gather together, they are still unable to defeat the power of the Three Realms.

But if ordinary people do not lack courage, why should they be afraid of the mountains of swords and the seas of fire ahead?
That night, the military camp in Bianjing was ablaze with fire, and the sounds of running and giving orders were endless.

The roar of the human world and the whisper of the unknown darkness overlap into a tragic melody, which will usher in an even more fierce confrontation in the next moment.

In the distant sky, colorful divine light appears and disappears, like a giant eye overlooking the earth.

And in the dark crevices of the wilderness outside the city, countless nether fires flickered quietly, foreshadowing that another sea of ​​blood and corpses was about to begin.

……

The earth was gloomy and a gray haze filled the air outside the city of Bianjing, as if dark clouds were pressing on every corner.

The faint light of dawn shone through the fog, revealing only a faint blood color.

Someone stood on the city wall, holding a sword, looking towards the end of the wilderness.

A terrifying omen was gathering there. The hoarse roar of the Bone Demon mixed with the screams of the Hades Beast came from afar, like a chorus of tens of millions of wild wolves in the dark night.

Inside the city, there was another scene of tension and bustle.

Soldiers, rebels, and civilians ran around, transporting rations, preparing kerosene, and spreading piles of talismans and elixirs, trying to defend the last pure land on earth in this critical moment.

Last night, the city gate was attacked by the spirit world. People have not yet recovered from the endless killing and haze, but they have to take up arms again.

Li Qingyun sat on a temporary wooden platform on one side of the battlement, his eyes slightly closed and his expression solemn.

He heard the footsteps of the soldiers running back and forth, but his heart was calm. Since he stepped into the "Taiyi Immortal", the war tonight was destined to burn out all the remaining breaths on this land of the Song Dynasty. Whether it was humans or gods and demons, they would usher in a fierce battle.

In the distance, a horn suddenly sounded through the sky, like a heavy hammer hitting the city gate.

Mu Guiying quickly ran up to the top of the city wall, her face glowing with a stern light. She said in a loud voice: "The main force of the bone demons has approached five miles outside the north gate. At the same time, underworld beasts have been found in the western suburbs. There may be a small surprise attack."

Li Qingyun nodded, stood up and looked around, only to see that the sky was gloomy, as if the day was reluctant to come.

"Order Yang Paifeng to lead the rebels to guard the western suburbs and intercept that surprise attack." He spoke slowly but with a decisive momentum, "I will guard the north gate and meet their head-on attack."

Mu Guiying took the order and retreated quickly, shouting orders like thunder along the way, spreading to every section of the city wall.

Soon, the soldiers on the city wall had been deployed, with bows, crossbows and wooden poles ready.

On the side streets, there were teams of civilians transformed into militiamen, holding simple weapons. Although they looked terrified, they had no intention of retreating.

After all, this city is their last home.

A sharp howl came from the distant wilderness.

Suddenly, a large amount of ghost fire appeared in the dim light of the morning sun, like a sea of ​​flames from the underworld rising into the sky, carrying with it an endless army of bone demons.

Those bone demons had various shapes: some walked on all fours like ferocious beasts; some had wings on their backs and could glide in the air; some had blades protruding from their bodies, and the trees along the way were chopped into pieces by their sharp limbs.

There were also huge underworld beasts dragging their heavy bodies, like moving palaces. Wherever they passed, the earth and rocks collapsed, poisonous miasma spread, and the earth seemed to be whimpering.

The Song army on the city wall was shocked by this horrifying scene, but they had no way to retreat and could only try their best to stabilize their position.

Li Qingyun suddenly raised his knife, and the blade light condensed into a cold white light in the morning light, reflecting in his eyes.

He shouted: "Shoot--"

In an instant, thousands of arrows broke through the air, and the rain of arrows was like a waterfall, shooting densely towards the Bone Demon vanguard.

All that was heard was a howling. The Bone Demon team was torn apart by arrows and chaos ensued.

But in the blink of an eye, more bone demons squeezed forward and crushed the fallen corpse into pieces. Bone fragments flew in the air like a flurry of white, mournful snow.

Li Qingyun's breathing became slightly tense, and he secretly mobilized the true energy in his body to help the soldiers stabilize the situation.

At this moment, another strange gust of wind suddenly appeared in the sky.

The strong wind was mixed with a piercing whistle, revealing a sharp and cold demonic aura.

I saw a group of bone-winged cavalry swooping down from the sky, holding bone spears, surrounded by black mist, and heading straight for the weak point of the city wall.

Many archers defending the city were torn apart by the fierce attack before they could even prepare themselves, and the sound of misery was endless.

Li Qingyun's face suddenly darkened. He stomped his feet on the battlements, jumped up, and headed towards the place where the Bone Wing Cavalry was most concentrated.

His sword swirled, and in a flash, it chopped several charging Bone Wing Cavalry into pieces in mid-air, causing them to fall outside the city. The sound of their bones breaking was chilling.

But this is not the end.

While Li Qingyun was fighting fiercely with the defenders on the city wall, flames also rose into the sky in the western suburbs of Bianjing.

Yang Paifeng led the rebel army to fight against the underworld beasts that sneaked into the villages and towns. Waves of miserable howls filled the night, and the scene illuminated by the firelight was like Asura Purgatory: a underworld beast covered with bone spurs was running wildly at the entrance of the village, its horns rushing across the land, smashing houses, and blood and mud mixed into a picture of hell.

Yang Paifeng swung his spear with his inner strength as powerful as a dragon, piercing the throat of the Hades Beast, but he found that the other party's body was filled with corrosive venom, and before he could pull back the spear, it sprayed his face with a foul-smelling black liquid.

When the rebels saw their leader in danger, they immediately joined forces to encircle and attack him. Shouts and the crackling of weapons alternated. The Hades Beast let out a shrill roar before falling to the ground, and spurted out black blood again, making everyone nearby almost vomit, but they still struggled to block more monsters from coming behind them.

Several battle fronts were opened simultaneously inside and outside Bianliang.

In some places, bone demons piled up like mountains, dyeing the riverbanks dark black; in other places, underworld fires spread across the prairie, turning the fields into ashes.

It was like the god of death rising from the ground, ready to completely devour all life on earth.

There were flashes of swords and shadows of fire on the city wall, and Li Qingyun was still galloping back and forth. His true energy and sword energy burst out continuously, leaving a trail of afterimages behind him, like a tiger fighting in the chaos of army.

Occasionally he looked back at the city, and saw an old soldier being pierced in the waist and abdomen by the bone demon, but he still held the monster tightly, roaring and asking his companions to give it the final blow.

There was also a mother and daughter hiding behind the ruins, shivering in fear. Seeing the ghost fire about to come, they were blocked by the rebel soldiers who happened to arrive with their bodies, and blood splattered everywhere.

Such tragic and cruel scenes are being played out everywhere, and it is heartbreaking every time you watch them.

As the sky gradually brightened, the fighting intensified.

The corpses of bone demons were spread all over the ground, and the scattered bone fragments made the ground beneath feet slippery and sticky. The strong smell of blood mixed with the yin energy made people feel as if they were in a dark nightmare.

Mu Guiying led a group of reinforcements to support the guards on the city wall. She was wearing a fiery red battle armor, and the flames when she swung her sword were like the flapping wings of a vermilion bird. She killed several skull-winged monsters in a row and shuttled between the broken walls and piles of corpses without fear.

Suddenly, dark clouds gathered in the distant sky, and a cold wind seemed to be able to take people's minds away. Many soldiers on the city walls trembled all over, as if an evil voice was whispering in their ears, urging them to give up resistance.

The voice was deep and cold, carrying an indescribable temptation that made people's hearts tremble.

Li Qingyun suddenly sensed a familiar gray aura. He instantly grabbed the hilt of the knife, circulated his true energy, and forcibly dispelled the strange whispers that invaded his mind.

But I was still slightly shocked: The spiritual world could resonate with some deeper power, what exactly was that?
Before he had time to think about it, a giant bone demon with a blue-black glow all over its body suddenly appeared in the central battlefield.

It is several feet tall, with bone spurs on its shoulders, and a faint dark fire seems to be burning in its chest. The swaying flame flickers and dies, as if mocking the fragility of the human world.

The giant bone demon waved his big hand and grabbed the battlement of the city wall, crushing the bricks and stones and the people together like a piece of dry wood and rotten wood.

Seeing this sudden change, Li Qingyun immediately mobilized all his strength, exerted force on his feet, leaped up, and chopped the bone giant's arm with his sword.

With a loud bang, the knife cut off the arm abruptly. What flowed out from the broken part was no longer blood, but surging dark energy and bone powder.

The bone giant roared heart-wrenchingly, as if it was going to destroy the city walls. The eardrums of everyone present hurt, as if their brains were pierced by millions of sharp spikes.

Fortunately, Mu Guiying led the soldiers to provide cover in time, swarmed forward, and bombarded it with rolling logs, boulders, and fierce oil cannons, finally blowing its lower body to pieces.

The battlefield was temporarily stabilized, but the cost was extremely painful.

Li Qingyun stood on the edge of the broken pier, looking down at the broken limbs and bones scattered all over the ground. The blood of the Song Dynasty soldiers flowed like a river, mixed with the bone powder of the underworld monsters, making the world confused and dark, as if immersed in the bottom of the underworld.

At this moment, the fighting in the western suburbs and other directions continued to be stalemate.

The troops from all directions fought tooth and nail, and many generals had almost exhausted the strength to wield their weapons, but they still held their positions.

There is no way out and no intention to retreat.

Because if this city is lost, the human world will be completely defeated.

Until the sun set in the west, the outcome of these fierce battles was still unknown.

Under the command of the Hades General, the Bone Demon Army attacked repeatedly like waves, not giving the human race any breathing space.

Just before nightfall, a golden light suddenly rose from the sky south of the city.

That was the lightning light cast by the Heavenly Master of Yuxu Palace. It was like a colorful cylinder piercing the sky. Its vast power could be felt from afar.

The soldiers on the city wall could not be happy about this, because they knew very well that although Yuxu Palace claimed to protect the world, it had actually remained on hold, and no one knew why they were casting spells now.

Li Qingyun had mixed feelings, feeling that the city had reached its limit. If the spirit world had any new tricks up its sleeve at this moment, the situation would be hopeless.

He tightened the hilt of his knife and turned his eyes towards the gray battlefield. He heard endless shouts and screams in his ears, and a faint shadow emerged in his mind.

The ancient atmosphere in the palace was faintly awakening, making him feel hatred and fear, but there was nothing he could do.

Now the fighting in the world has reached its peak. Only by fighting to the death can we gain a glimmer of hope for survival in the abyss of blood and fire.

So he leaped forward and returned to the center of the killing array, his sword flashing like lightning as he faced the torrent of raging ghost fire and countless bone demons.

Above the dome, dark clouds rolled, and there seemed to be a low rumble of thunder.

Behind that terrifying curtain, it seemed that there was some unknown giant shadow hidden, coldly looking down on the life and death of the world.

In this way, the flames of war continued inside and outside Bianjing, and the sound of swords clashing blended into the howling of ghosts and wolves, like a tragic song of a deadly battle that made the heaven and earth pale in comparison.

And the real climax has just begun.

(End of this chapter)