Starting from the imperial palace guards, his clones spread all over the world.

Chapter 694 Thunderstorm Approaching
The night sky was torn apart by an even deeper darkness.

That wasn't a cloud, but a deathly cloud made up of countless soaring night owls.

They let out sharp, piercing cries, their flapping wings stirring up a foul wind, like messengers from the underworld, whistling across the sky above Yaoshui City.

On the back of each giant owl was a skilled owl warrior, their faces tattooed, their skin smeared with a mixture of black mud and beast blood, their bare chests and muscular legs bulging like gnarled tree roots, their eyes burning with a primal and fanatical desire to kill.

"Gah—wooa!"

A wild roar mixed with the owl's shrill cry ripped at people's eardrums!

As the flock of owls flew in, a dense rain of arrows poured down!

"Whoosh whoosh—!"

The sound of arrows piercing the air was incessant, like the whisper of death.

These warriors, from Xiaodong, the southernmost part of southern Xinjiang, were true barbarians, living a primitive life with little civilization and a severe lack of iron tools.

But they possess a powerful tool bestowed upon them by nature—obsidian.

The meticulously polished obsidian arrowheads, with razor-sharp edges and a chilling gleam, are even sharper than ordinary steel knives, capable of easily tearing through leather armor, piercing flesh, and taking lives.

What is most despairing is the Owl Army's unique three-dimensional combat method.

From their elevated position, free from the walls, they could attack the defenders on the walls, pedestrians on the streets, or even targets on the giant tree platform from any angle.

The entire city of Yaoshui has virtually no safe corners on the ground; every corner is exposed to the threat of owl warriors' arrows.

On the other hand, the defending troops on the ground were in an extremely passive situation.

The southern region was barren and undeveloped, with outdated technology, and lacked the heavy defensive weapons such as ballistae with long range and great power found in the Central Plains.

Ordinary arrows pose little threat to night owls flying at high speeds and in the high sky. The defenders often have to rely on shields and cover to hold out, and most of the arrows they occasionally shoot miss, making it difficult to inflict effective damage on the owl army.

The only exception is that towering giant tree.

Its enormous canopy, like a natural giant umbrella, covers a large part of the city.

Relying on the incredibly thick branches that resemble natural walkways, the Yaoshui Kingdom's garrison was able to extend its defenses into the tree canopy.

Standing on trembling tree branches, they used their height advantage to launch counterattacks against the approaching owl army with bows, darts, and javelins, which to some extent made up for the height difference and became the most solid aerial barrier for Yaoshui City.

This is why the Owl Army's legendary invincibility and unparalleled victories encountered obstacles in Yaoshui City.

Those cities that were said to be invincible fell one after another under the Owl Army's multi-dimensional attacks. Even the Yue Yi city-state, which was hailed as unconquerable by ground forces for the past five hundred years, was ultimately reduced to ashes under the Owl Army's protection.

The only obstacle on the Wuxu Demon Lord's southern expedition was Yaoshui City, which had a natural barrier of giant trees. It was regarded as a decisive battleground that had to be conquered with all efforts.

Liang Jin was originally focused on treating the madmen controlled by the Gu worms. The mist formed by the talisman water kept falling, awakening one fallen soul after another.

However, when the owl army joined the battle and arrows rained down from the sky, he was inevitably caught in the crossfire.

Dark arrows, accompanied by a piercing shriek, shot towards him from all directions.

However, Liang Jin didn't even flinch.

The obsidian arrows, imbued with deadly power, struck him as if hitting an invisible yet resilient wall of air when they were still a foot or so away from his body. They clanged and bounced off, falling helplessly to the ground.

Even if an arrow were to manage to pierce his incredibly thick protective aura, given that his physical body had been tempered and refined to a level far surpassing that of ordinary iron, such an arrow would likely not even be able to leave a white mark on his skin.

He maintained his previous rhythm, his figure flickering in the night sky like a ghost.

Wherever it went, talismanic water and sweet rain fell, driving away the poisonous insects and awakening the mind.

He was focused solely on saving lives, seemingly a cold-hearted bystander to the fierce battle raging over the city beneath his feet.

This war is a feud between the Yaoshui Kingdom and the Wuxu Demon Lord.

He had no connection with Liang Jin.

After treating most of the madmen in the area, Liang Jin landed lightly on the roof of a tall building and stopped for a moment.

He needed to survey the entire city, searching for those areas not yet covered by the talismanic water, still filled with madness and screams.

at this time--

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

A series of deep, violent explosions and the booming of clashing energies came from the direction of the small courtyard where he had previously landed.

The sounds were exceptionally clear in the night sky, indicating that the battle over there was extremely intense.

The warriors at the Demon Extermination Tournament were all highly skilled in martial arts and possessed profound inner strength.

When facing those madmen who were fearless of death but lacked any strategy, they displayed overwhelming strength. With flashing swords and whistling palms, they quickly stood out on the chaotic battlefield.

This powerful force naturally attracted the attention of the owl army circling in the air.

Several exceptionally magnificent owls immediately changed their flight path, circling continuously above the small courtyard. The owl warriors on their backs looked down and accurately unleashed a dense rain of arrows at the warriors in the courtyard, clearly regarding them as important experts of the Yaoshui Kingdom, and wanting to eliminate them as soon as possible.

The warriors of the Demon Extermination Tournament were already seething with anger from being trapped and fighting continuously, and now that they were attacked, their rage was even greater.

They are strong-willed; how could they sit idly by and wait to die?
They immediately displayed their unique skills, some striking with exquisite palm strikes, others deflecting arrows with hidden weapons, and still others attempting to leap up and counterattack using their superior lightness skills.

Their counterattack was very effective; they actually shot down two owl warriors and wounded a giant owl.

This really stirred up a hornet's nest.

More owl troops were drawn to the area, making the small courtyard one of the most eye-catching focal points in Yaoshui City tonight, besides the main battlefield.

"It seems we can't go back to that little courtyard."

Liang Jin gazed at the towering flames and the intense fighting from afar, and understood:
"The identities of Beikong and everyone at the Demon Extermination Conference have been completely exposed."

He knew very well that after such a remarkable performance by the demon-slaying assembly overnight, the high-ranking officials of Yaoshui Kingdom would inevitably pay close attention to them.

After all, in this time of crisis, any powerful force is worth winning over, but also worth being wary of.

Liang Jin raised his head and looked once again at the platform in front of the building at the top of the giant tree, which resembled a moon palace.

Even from a great distance, he could vaguely see the shadowy figures on the platform.

In fact, when he was rushing through the city to rescue people, he had already keenly noticed that a cold and focused gaze was trying to lock onto his figure from the high platform.

That gaze was not malicious, but it carried a sense of inquiry and scrutiny, like moonlight, silent yet impossible to hide from.

When Liang Jin focused his gaze using his Fire Eye ability, his vision pierced through the night, clearly revealing the owner of that gaze—a woman of breathtaking beauty.

Her beauty was unparalleled, like a moon goddess descended to earth.

Her waist was as supple as a willow, her figure slender and graceful, with captivating curves.

Her features were so exquisite that they seemed to have been meticulously sculpted by the Creator, without any flaws.

Her fair cheeks, smooth as jade, naturally radiated a hazy and holy glow under the cool moonlight. Even in the darkness, she remained radiant, becoming a unique sight in this chaotic and bloody night.

In his entire life, Liang Jin had only ever seen two women whose temperament was almost divine and whose appearance was unparalleled.

One is Yu Linglong from the Hualongmen Sect. She is ethereal and otherworldly, like a celestial maiden from the heavens who is untouched by worldly affairs, captivating all who behold her.

But the woman before me possessed a completely different kind of beauty.

Her beauty is grand and magnificent, elegant and noble, possessing an aura of regal dominance that looks down upon all living beings.

What surprised Liang Jin even more was that she was extremely tall, appearing to be a head taller than Liang Jin, who was nearly 1.8 meters tall, and at least 1.9 meters tall.

However, her height, combined with her perfect body proportions and impeccable face, does not appear out of place at all; on the contrary, it adds to her goddess-like majesty and sublimity.

"It seems that she is undoubtedly the Queen of Yaoshui."

Liang Jin was certain of it.

But at the same time, a question also arose in my mind:

"Why do all the top experts in this Southern Continent look so young?"

"Could it be... that they possess some kind of secret technique that can preserve youth and even slow down aging?"

This is not unfounded speculation.

Yu Linglong reached the second rank at a young age because she was a man-made expert "created" by the Hualong Sect with all its resources and daily training from many elders. Her strength did not fully match her age.

However, since Liang Jin entered Nanzhou, all the top experts he has encountered, whether it be the mysterious and eerie Wuling, the demonic Wuxu Demon Lord with double pupils, or the noble and peerless Yaoshui Queen in front of him, have all maintained their youthful and vigorous appearances. The men are exceptionally handsome, and the women are stunningly beautiful.

Furthermore, through the perception of [Thousand-Mile Tracking], he could confirm that these appearances were real, not disguises or illusions.

This, on the contrary, gave Liang Jin a feeling of absurdity and unreality.

It seems that this southern region, which was regarded as a barbaric land by the Central Plains, hides unknown secrets about life and power.

"My identity will inevitably be exposed soon."

Liang Jin withdrew his gaze and pondered:

"Once the high-ranking officials of Yaoshui Kingdom get involved in the Demon Extermination Conference, the news that the Great Master of the Way of Peace is in Yaoshui City will soon reach their ears."

At that time, various groups will inevitably come to search for, test, or even recruit or drive away those who are interested in them.

Liang Jin simply wanted to find a quiet place to wait for the next thunderstorm, and once the lightning-struck fruit was fully ripe, he would seize it and then disappear into the distance.

As for the conflict between Yaoshui Kingdom and Wuxu Demon Lord, he currently has no interest in getting involved.

"Fortunately, after this night, there will probably be quite a few more empty houses in the city."

Liang Jin's eyes flashed like lightning as he scanned the gradually calming chaos of the city below, quickly locking onto several relatively secluded courtyards and forming a general idea of ​​where to settle down.

It must be said that the massive Gu worm attack launched by the Demon Lord of Wuxu has indeed dealt a devastating blow to Yaoshui City.

Despite Liang Jin's best efforts to save lives, the casualties were still extremely high.

Often, entire households, or even entire streets, would be wiped out in a frenzied fight, resulting in utter devastation.

In the near future, Yaoshui Kingdom will not only have to deal with the menacing demon army outside the city, but also expend enormous energy clearing away the corpses scattered throughout the city, treating the wounded, and dealing with the risk of plague. It is beset by internal and external troubles and is in a state of utter chaos.

Under these circumstances, the probability of Liang Jin finding an empty, unclaimed room to stay in for a few days is extremely low.

“Ah! Help!”

Just then, from another alleyway in the distance, new screams and commotion came, clearly indicating that there were still some madmen who had escaped the net.

Without further delay, Liang Jin transformed into a faint shadow and once again threw himself into the rescue work.

Time passed little by little.

The screams and commotion in the city subsided and died down at a speed visible to the naked eye.

This is mainly due to Liang Jin's efficient and extensive use of talismanic water therapy.

Most of the madmen controlled by the Gu worms have been healed by the talisman water he sprinkled, and their minds have been restored.

Treating these madmen is actually much "easier" than treating ordinary patients.

Ordinary patients are weak and often bedridden, scattered in thousands of households, making them difficult to find and treat in a concentrated manner. Many even pass away quietly in unknown corners.

These madmen, with their immense strength, ran wildly, creating chaos and noise, but ironically, they acted as beacons of light in the darkness, guiding Liang Jin's treatment. As the "madness" was largely contained, order began to be rapidly restored in the city.

The soldiers of Yaoshui Kingdom were finally able to extricate themselves from the chaos, reorganize, occupy commanding heights and strategic locations throughout the city, and begin an organized and powerful counterattack against the owl warriors who were still raging in the sky.

Arrows, blowguns, and javelins whistled out from rooftops, windows, and treetops, clearly targeting the giant owls and warriors circling low in the sky.

The battle is no longer a one-sided massacre and pursuit.

The owl army began to suffer significant casualties, with giant owls frequently falling from the sky with mournful cries, or throwing off the warriors on their backs, kicking up clouds of dust.

At this moment, a faint glimmer of dawn finally appeared on the eastern horizon.

Dawn is approaching.

Night owls dislike bright light, as their vision is affected during the day, so they usually choose to return to their nests to rest.

Seeing that the chaos in the city was basically under control and the defenders' counterattacks were becoming more and more organized, the Owl Warriors realized that they would not gain any further advantage by continuing the fight.

Then, with a sharp whistle from the lead owl warrior, the owl flock, which blotted out the sky, began to recede like a tide, circling and disappearing into the gradually brightening dawn.

The sun finally broke free from the horizon, casting its warm rays upon the city, which had been ravaged overnight and was littered with blood and corpses.

The soldiers guarding the city wall had just breathed a sigh of relief because of the retreat of the owl army. Before their faces could even show the joy of surviving a disaster, they were stunned by the scene outside the city.

A deeper chill instantly gripped their hearts!

"Demon... Demon army! It's a large force of the demon army!"

"They're coming from the water! My God... so many boats! So many soldiers!"

"Look over there! They're all the banners of the Demon Army! They've surrounded us!"

……

The soldiers pointed at the Yao River outside the city and screamed in terror.

The once wide and calm Yaoshui River is now covered with a dense array of boats of all kinds!

Warships and transport ships of all sizes were lined up end to end, their sails forming a forest that almost blocked the waterway!
The main force of the Demon Kingdom is taking advantage of water transport and, under the cover of night, is continuously flowing downstream, heading straight for the outskirts of Yaoshui City!
At this time, the vanguard had already landed and was quickly setting up camp on the riverbank, erecting fences, and digging trenches. Their movements were skillful and efficient, clearly indicating their intention to establish a foothold here and carry out a long-term siege.

Even more chilling was the release of some enormous figures from specially made cages—these were ferocious beasts induced by Gu magic!

The giant elephant was nearly twice the size of an ordinary elephant, and its tusks were like giant scimitars; the rhinoceros had thick, rough skin, and its nostrils spewed out corrosive white vapor; the tigers and bears had fangs and claws that gleamed with an ominous black light, and their eyes were filled with nothing but ferocious crimson.

These ferocious beasts were clearly also controlled by the Gu worms, turning into incredibly strong, bloodthirsty, and violent monsters!
Behind these monsters were a large number of ragged, unkempt, and numb slaves who, like worker ants, numbly carried timber and stone to reinforce the camp under the whip and shouts.

The gaze moves beyond the riverbank to the flat land further away.

There, the main camp of the demon army had already taken shape, with countless tents stretching as far as the eye could see, resembling a gray-white ocean.

Banners fluttered and bugles sounded continuously in the camp. A large number of demon soldiers could be clearly seen conducting intense drills, their murderous aura soaring into the sky.

In the middle of that sea of ​​tents, an enormous tent, lavishly decorated, stood out like a crane among chickens, firmly attracting everyone's attention!
In such a barren place as Nanzhou, such a luxurious tent is simply unheard of.

The tent was made of at least four or five layers of the toughest rhinoceros hide, which were difficult to damage with ordinary swords and arrows.

The tent's surface was painted with intricate and bizarre patterns in gold paint, inlaid with tortoiseshell, pearls, various gemstones, and jade... Under the morning sunlight, it reflected a dazzling brilliance, and from a distance, it did not resemble a military tent, but rather a mobile, magnificent palace!

Just by looking at the layers upon layers of elite guards surrounding that tent, anyone could easily guess—

This must be the palace of the infamous and mysterious Wuxu Demon Lord!
It is widely known that the demon army under the command of the Demon Lord of Wuxu is swift and efficient, often reaching the city gates before the opponent can even react.

But who could have imagined that they could be so fast!

In just one night, not only did they launch an air raid and a worm infestation, but their main army also secretly used waterways to encircle Yaoshui City!
At this moment, a sense of oppression and fear far heavier and more suffocating than the previous night, like an invisible boulder, pressed heavily on the hearts of everyone in Yaoshui City, whether they were royalty, nobles, or ordinary soldiers and civilians.

Inside the main hall of the royal palace.

Having just experienced a terrifying night, the noble elders and tribal leaders had no time to catch their breath before they had to face an even harsher reality.

Heated arguments, even heated debates, immediately erupted.

Some advocated taking advantage of the fact that the demon army had come from afar, was not yet firmly established, was exhausted, and its camp was not yet secure, to immediately gather elite troops, go out of the city and launch a head-on attack to blunt their momentum.

Some argue that after last night's fierce fighting, the defending troops were also exhausted and demoralized. At this point, going out to fight in the open would be tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock. They should rely on the advantages of the city walls and giant trees to hold their ground and wear down the enemy.

Even now, a few still harbor illusions, believing that there might be a chance to negotiate peace with the Demon Lord of Wuxu, hoping to exchange compromise for a life of ease.

Not only were the higher-ups in chaos, but the city's residents were also gripped by extreme panic.

Yaoshui City has enjoyed peace for far too long; for at least two generations, it has not experienced such a crisis of being besieged by enemy forces.

Adding to this the nightmarish madness and carnage of last night, the public was already on edge.

Now, seeing the enemy troops and ferocious monsters covering the mountains and plains outside the city, a sense of despair spread through the city like a plague.

In stark contrast to the panic in the city, Liang Jin remained calm.

He had already quietly slipped into a secluded courtyard on the outskirts of the city, which was relatively intact and obviously unclaimed, and settled down there alone, as planned.

As for the fate of those people from the Demon Extermination Conference, he no longer cared about it.

As Liang Jin had predicted, things unfolded exactly as he had expected.

After demonstrating their formidable fighting prowess, the warriors of the Demon Extermination Tournament were quickly and "politely" invited into the royal palace atop the giant tree.

Immediately afterwards, notices issued by the kingdom were posted throughout the city, ordering all citizens to assist in the search for the "Great Teacher of the Way of Peace".

The notice was worded very politely, stating that Queen Yaoshui sincerely invited the Great Teacher to the palace for a chat as a sign of respect.

however.

Liang Jin keenly noticed that the entire notice made no mention of his heroic efforts last night to save thousands of people controlled by Gu worms with talismanic water, remaining completely silent on the matter.

Instead, the sorcerers of Yaoshui Kingdom began to spread rumors among the people, claiming that the reason the people were able to get rid of madness last night was entirely due to the protection of the sacred tree and the divine power bestowed by the Yaoshui Queen when she prayed to the gods.

Liang Jin was not at all surprised by this deliberate attempt to erase credit and seize the "miracle."

This is a common tactic in the arena of power.

Therefore, he continued to stay peacefully in his courtyard, stretching his limbs and adapting to the pressure of the [Zhenyuan Dragon-Slaying Lock], completely ignoring the invitation from the Queen of Yaoshui.

In the afternoon, the search efforts intensified, with soldiers even going door-to-door to conduct checks.

But with Liang Jin's martial arts skills and stealth abilities, how could these ordinary soldiers possibly discover him?
The search yielded no results and ended hastily, but Liang Jin continued to live a leisurely and carefree life.

In contrast to Liang Jin's quiet inaction, the atmosphere in the Yaoshui Royal Palace atop the giant tree was so heavy it was almost dripping with tension.

"His Majesty!"

The city defense officer knelt on one knee on the polished, jade-like floor, his voice filled with fear and helplessness:
"Today, I have ordered a city-wide search, turning over almost every corner, but still... still unable to find the whereabouts of that great and wise teacher."

He paused, then forced himself to voice his guess:
"I'm afraid... I'm afraid that the Great Teacher has already taken advantage of the extreme chaos in the city last night and quietly left Yaoshui City."

On the magnificent throne, Queen Yaoshui remained silent, her exquisite face revealing neither joy nor anger, only her deep, star-like eyes calmly gazing down below.

Inside the main hall, besides the country's noble elders and tribal leaders, Master Beikong was also among them.

At this moment, a deep sorrow shrouded Bei Kong's brows.

Last night, he had planned to lead everyone to escape, but first his madness broke out, and then the owl army launched a night attack, which not only prevented them from escaping, but also completely exposed their strength in the resistance.

With a single decree from Queen Yaoshui, they were "invited" to the palace.

Faced with this unfathomable queen, Bei Kong and the others dared not hide anything and gave a general account of the purpose of their trip, the composition of their group, their identities and backgrounds.

Queen Yaoshui then took the opportunity to suggest that everyone from the Demon Extermination Assembly stay and assist Yaoshui Kingdom in defending the city.

Circumstances dictate that people have no choice but to agree.

In addition, Queen Yaoshui was clearly very interested in the mysterious Great Teacher and immediately ordered a city-wide search.

Now that the search has yielded no results, Bei Kong couldn't help but feel uneasy, wondering if this seemingly peaceful but actually dignified queen would take her anger out on them.

If this were in the Central Plains, with the prestigious reputation of Wanfo Temple, no one would dare to make things difficult for them.

But this is a remote southern region, far from the reach of the emperor, and the reputation of Wanfo Temple may not be effective here.

"The strength of this Queen Yaoshui is truly unfathomable... Even I cannot fathom its depths at all."

Bei Kong lowered his head and closed his eyes, but his heart was filled with turbulent emotions.
"It seems that the endless mountains and forests of Nanzhou are also a place where hidden talents reside. I have underestimated them in the past."

He had never paid attention to Nanzhou before, and never imagined that one day he would venture deep into the endless mountains and forests of Nanzhou.

Now that he was facing the Queen of Yaoshui, he was immediately terrified.

Just as the atmosphere in the main hall was tense, and everyone was preoccupied with their own thoughts—

"Report——!"

A guard rushed into the hall, knelt on one knee, and his voice trembled slightly:
"Your Majesty! The demon army outside the city has sent an envoy with a huge wooden box, claiming it is... a 'gift' for Your Majesty!"

"We have carefully inspected the wooden crate and found that inside... inside is..."

The guard looked extremely embarrassed as he spoke, seemingly unsure how to describe it.

On the throne, Queen Yaoshui gently raised her hand, indicating that he could speak freely.

The guard gritted his teeth and said with difficulty:

"It's...it's a whole box full of human heads!"

As soon as he finished speaking, several guards carried a heavy and large wooden box into the main hall with heavy steps.

A strong, pungent smell of blood instantly filled the hall, making people nauseous.

The wooden crate was placed heavily on the ground, and the lid was suddenly flung open!

In an instant, a collective gasp filled the hall, followed by a deathly silence so profound you could hear a pin drop!
Inside the wooden box, layer upon layer, lay piled high human heads, their faces contorted in grotesque grimaces, their eyes wide with disbelief.

These heads belong to none other than the leaders of several major surrounding tribes who had previously agreed to jointly resist the demon army with the Yaoshui Kingdom, but had not yet led their troops to arrive!

No one expected that the demon army's actions would be so swift and ruthless. While the main force was besieging Yaoshui City, they also sent troops to wipe out all these potential reinforcements on the way!

This means that Yaoshui City's last hope of receiving external support has been completely extinguished!
"Wow——!"

After a brief silence, the entire hall erupted in chaos, filled with even greater panic and uproar!
Many people were pale, their bodies trembling uncontrollably, whispering among themselves, their voices filled with despair and helplessness.

Just as everyone was at a loss, the queen, who was sitting high on the throne, slowly stood up.

She stood tall and straight, holding the jade scepter that symbolized divine and royal power. Her beautiful face remained calm and composed, but a storm seemed to be brewing in her deep eyes.

Everyone instinctively shut their mouths, not daring to even breathe, their eyes all focused on her, awaiting her decision.

Under the watchful eyes of countless people, Queen Yaoshui slightly raised her head, her gaze seemingly piercing through the dome of the magnificent palace and gazing at the ever-changing sky outside.

Her lips parted slightly, and her voice, like a prophecy from the heavens, carried an undeniable certainty:

"A new thunderstorm is coming."

(End of this chapter)