Great Zhou Wensheng

Chapter 199, *Green Jade Table - Lantern Festival* [The east wind releases a thousand trees of flowers at night, and blows down stars like rain!]
"boom--!"

With a loud bang, the carved wooden door of Zhuangyuan Tower shattered.

Commander Tian Qian crashed into the building like a kite with a broken string, his body smashing several sandalwood tables, and a mouthful of blood splattered onto the vermilion beams and pillars, a shocking sight.

"Protect the commander!"

More than ten guards stood with spears in hand, their bodies covered in blood and their armor tattered.

They formed a battle formation back to back, tightly protecting Commander Tian Qian in the center, but the hand holding the halberd trembled uncontrollably—

"General Tian is still putting up a stubborn resistance!"

Outside the door, Snow Wolf Demon Lord slowly entered, stepping through a pool of blood. His silvery-white wolf fur was covered in bits of flesh, and his pair of eerie green wolf eyes glowed in the darkness.

Behind it, the wolf leaders and generals bared their teeth and growled.

"Wow! It's quite lively here?"

The rebellious scholar sneered, fanning himself with a folding fan, while the bone blades of the barbarian and demon assassins still dripped blood.
The entire Zhuangyuan Tower has become a battlefield!
Chaos erupted inside the Zhuangyuan Tower.

Tables and chairs overturned, cups and plates shattered, and terrified screams pierced the night sky.

The guests scattered like headless flies, some were pushed to the ground and trampled to the ground, howling in pain.

Behind the counter, the old shopkeeper held the waiter's shoulder tightly, and everyone huddled in the shadows under the counter, their breaths trembling.

The most desperate of all were the candidates who traveled to the capital for the imperial examinations and stayed at the Zhuangyuanlou (状元楼) building.

They came for fame and fortune, participating in the imperial examinations in Luoyang, burying themselves in their studies, their scholarly robes and turbans exuding the fragrance of books and ink, having hardly experienced any battlefield training.

Who would have thought that on the streets of Luoyang, we would encounter a prisoner's wagon hijacking and a wolf demon calamity?!
At this moment, they were forced to huddle in a corner of the Scholar's Pavilion, watching helplessly as the wolf demons' fangs dripped blood, the rebellious scholars gathered their talent and unleashed deadly moves, and the barbarian assassins' bone knives gleamed with a chilling light.
Some candidates collapsed to their knees, their legs giving way, while others clung tightly to their books.

In the midst of the chaos, they stared blankly at the menacing wolf army before them! — Decades of studying the classics had never taught them how to handle such a sudden situation.

Moreover, although they were scholars, they were a disorganized group with no one to lead them in fighting the troublesome wolf demon.

A series of steady footsteps came from the staircase.

Jiang Xingzhou, dressed in a blue robe, led the Niu Man delegation of several dozen people down the steps.

His expression was cold and aloof, and the jade pendant at his waist remained motionless amidst the chaos, like a lone boat in the eye of a storm.

"It's Jiang Jieyuan!"

Inside the Zhuangyuan Tower, the dozens of candidates who had been panicking suddenly brightened up. Like drowning people grabbing onto a piece of driftwood, they found their anchor and retreated towards him.

Someone pointed at the pack of wolf demons, their voice trembling: "Brother Jiang, these wolf demon beasts escaped from the prison cart."

"Where did this wolf cub come from, daring to disturb your grandpa's drinking pleasure?!"

The envoy from Niu Man was flushed with drunkenness, his large, round, bell-like eyes bulging.

With a clang, it drew a heavy hammer from its waist, the iron hammerhead smashing the floorboards and sending dust scattering from the beams inside the building.

"Ow—!"

Before the wolf howl had even faded, a wolf demon had already transformed into a blood-red afterimage, its fangs menacing, and charged straight at the crowd!

"court death!"

In a flash, a bare-chested member of the Niu Man delegation suddenly stepped forward.

As members of the delegation from the Bull Barbarian Kingdom, they were all brave warriors handpicked by the Bull Barbarian Kingdom, so what did they have to fear from the wolf demon general?

Its muscles were bulging like iron, and when it swung its twin hammers, they created a piercing whistling sound—

"boom--!!"

The heavy hammer struck like a thunderclap. Before the wolf demon could even let out a scream, he was sent flying like a broken sack, crashing through three wine tables before finally coming to a stop.

Wood chips mixed with blood splattered everywhere, leaving a shocking trail of blood on the ground.

"it is good!"

The candidates were thrilled.

Niu Manyong shook the blood off his hammer, and two puffs of white breath came out of his snot: "Wolf Demon General, do you even deserve to bare your teeth in front of your grandpa Niu?"

Snow Wolf Demon Lord's eerie green eyes suddenly narrowed, and his sharp claws carved several deep marks on the wooden floor.

This bull-headed barbarian general possesses terrifying strength and is fierce and valiant. Without the three-headed wolf demon general joining forces, it would be difficult to contend with him...

It was about to howl, commanding the pack of wolf demons to launch an attack.

But then the scholar in the blue robe swiftly unfolded his folding fan and said in a cold voice, "Gentlemen of the Bull Barbarian Kingdom, tonight's events have nothing to do with you—!"

The tip of the fan, sharp as a sword, pointed directly at Jiang Xingzhou. "Leave him here. The rest of you, get out!"

He knew full well the true purpose of the chaos in Luoyang—to take advantage of the confusion to kill Jiang Xingzhou, the Jiangnan Dao Jieyuan, the number one enemy of Wuxin Palace.

Of course, this uproar also had another purpose: to create chaos and severely damage the prestige of the Great Zhou Emperor!
"presumptuous!"

Princess Niu Man flew into a rage, and the silver bell at her waist jingled.

She kicked over the wine table, splashing amber-colored liquor like blood: "You? You dare to order my Bull Barbarian Mission around?!"

Jiang Xingzhou chuckled lightly, his fingertips brushing against the jade pen at his waist: "Want to kill me? Let Fei Wuxin come in person—" He suddenly stopped smiling, "You, an unknown nobody, are not worthy."

"court death!"

The scholar in the blue robe had a livid face, and he angrily waved his feather fan, from which a three-foot-long gleam of cold, scholarly talent suddenly burst forth.

"kill--!"

The Snow Wolf Demon Lord responded with a long howl, and dozens of wolf demon generals and commanders suddenly sprang up, their fangs reflecting the candlelight, pressing down like a mountain of knives and a forest of swords!

A hundred or so rebellious scholars and barbarian assassins attacked Jiang Xingzhou and his group together.

"boom--!"

The Third Princess of the Bull Barbarians swept her ten-foot-long halberd across the air, the blade tearing through the air with a piercing shriek.

A wolf demon was caught off guard and was instantly cut in half at the waist. Amidst the spray of blood, her boots crushed the wolf's head, and the tip of her halberd pointed directly at the Snow Wolf Demon Lord: "Come and fight!"

Behind him, the horde of fierce warriors roared like thunder, their heavy hammers and halberds whipping up a storm of blood and gore.

Their muscular bodies, with bulging veins, delivered blows that seemed to carry immense force, forcing the wolf demons, three times their size, into retreat.

However, on the other side were the Snow Wolf Demon Lord and the Wolf Demon General, whose strength far surpassed that of the Bull Barbarian Demon General.

"boom!"

A cold glint flashed in the Snow Wolf Demon Lord's eyes, and his giant claw, accompanied by a biting demonic wind, slammed down.

A fierce warrior raised his hammer to block, but the iron hammerhead was flattened, and he was sent flying more than ten feet away, crashing into half of the wall!

"Roar--!"

The wolf demon generals seized the opportunity to pounce and kill, their sharp claws tearing through the bull-man armor.

Blood gushed from the ruptured wound, staining the bluestone floor red.

The formation of the barbarian delegation blocking Jiang Xingzhou's way began to crumble. The Third Princess's battle halberd danced like a silver dragon, but she was still forced to retreat step by step by the wolf demon generals.

Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth as she shouted angrily, "Young Master Jiang! You should leave first, I can't hold on much longer!"

"Brothers!"

Li Pan shouted sharply, and the sword in his hand rang out with a clang, repelling an incoming demonic aura. The cold light of the sword blade reflected on his tense face.

"Retreat to the second floor! Form ranks and hold your ground!"

Before the words were even finished, dozens of scholars had already quickly formed a formation. Amidst the surging of their literary energy, some wielded their swords to slay demons, while others cast spells by making hand gestures. Their talent shone like a rainbow, and they managed to stick together amidst the demon tide.

"boom!"

A scholar's fingertips exploded with runes, golden light forming a net that forced the wolf demon that was attacking him back several steps.

On the other side, the swords intertwined to form an impenetrable sword curtain. Wherever the swords passed, the traitorous scholars screamed in agony, their ink and blood splattering everywhere.

"Hold on!

The Imperial Guards will arrive in no time!

Once the Imperial Guards arrive, these traitors and monsters will pay for their crimes in blood!

Li Pan gritted his teeth and shouted, veins bulging on his forehead. The sword in his hand once again burst forth with brilliant light, cleaving through the oncoming demonic wind.

"Ha! The Imperial Guards?"

The scholar in the blue robe waved his feather fan lightly, a mocking sneer playing on his lips, his gaze sharp as a knife, piercing Jiang Xingzhou behind the Niu Man delegation and the crowd of scholars.

"The granary in Luoyang is on fire, the treasury has been attacked, and barbarian assassins have been appearing near the palace and the residences of princes, but all have been restrained—"

They're too busy protecting themselves and guarding key locations; how could they possibly have the resources to care about your lives?

He slammed his feather fan shut, a cold glint of light flashing between the fan ribs, and his voice suddenly turned sharp:

"Jiang Jieyuan! You, a dignified Jieyuan of a prefecture, are now cowering in the shadows—are you perhaps afraid of death?!"

In the distance, from Luoyang, commotion could be faintly heard from various places, and the firelight illuminated half of the night sky.

—The Palace Master of Wuxin's plan in this situation is truly flawless!
They secretly colluded with the forces of the ten vassal kings of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and launched attacks in various parts of Luoyang, causing chaos and turmoil throughout the city.

The Imperial Guards defending the city were caught off guard and unable to discern the main direction of the attack, leaving them exhausted and constantly on the run.

By the time they react and arrive at this place... it will be at least half an hour later.

It seems the matter has already been settled!

As for the powerful and wealthy families in Luoyang?
The scholar in the blue robe sneered, his eyes full of mockery.

The powerful families, the scholars of the Imperial Academy, and the Hanlin Academy all had hundreds or thousands of retainers and servants in their mansions.
But the Heartless Palace Master had already anticipated their thoughts—

He unfolded his feather fan, and the fan surface gleamed with a cold light.

With chaos erupting in Luoyang, their first priority was to rush back to their own residences to protect their wives, concubines, and children from the wrath of the demons!
Alternatively, they would rush to the palace to "rescue" the emperor and demonstrate their loyalty!

As for the ordinary people on the streets?
As for Jiang Xingzhou?
The scholar in the blue robe stared at Jiang Xingzhou with eyes as sharp as a venomous snake.

By the time they finish these 'important matters,' it will take at least several hours... By then, the remains of the scholars in the Zhuangyuan Tower will probably be completely cold!

Jiang Xingzhou coldly swept his gaze over the scholar in blue robes, the rebellious scholar, the thirty-six wolf demons, and the eager barbarian assassins.

"This place is too cramped; we can't maneuver freely—"

"Let's go to the Heavenly Street!" Before he finished speaking, he leaped out of the window, his clothes fluttering as he landed steadily in the center of the Heavenly Street.

—The bustling Luoyang Tianjie Street on the night of the Lantern Festival!
now!

The streets were deserted, littered with devastation—overturned stalls, a wrecked sedan chair belonging to a wealthy young lady, and… corpses lying in disarray!

Numerous civilians and Tian Qian's guards lay dead in pools of blood, the blood seeping into the cracks of the bluestone slabs, a horrifying sight.

Gu Zhimian, Li Pan, and many other scholars, along with the delegation from the Niu Man Kingdom, followed closely behind, leaping down and standing beside Jiang Xingzhou, ready for battle.

"The Heartless Palace Master—Fei Wuxin!"

Jiang Xingzhou's gaze sharpened like lightning, piercing straight towards the gray-tiled restaurant across the street, and he shouted sternly:

"Weren't you coming for me? Why are you hiding and afraid to show yourself?!"

however--

The restaurant across the street was completely empty.

Fei Wuxin, the master of Wuxin Palace, has long since disappeared without a trace!
He was hiding in some dark corner, seemingly unwilling to face Jiang Xingzhou in person.

"boom--"

The scholar in green robes and the wolf demon lord led their men out to fight, and the rebellious scholars and barbarian assassins surged in like a tide, instantly arriving on the Heavenly Street.

"Your opponent is me—"

The scholar in the blue robe waved his feather fan, his face contorted in a ferocious expression, and was about to introduce himself as "Third Master of the Heartless Palace, Li..."

"Shut up!"

Jiang Xingzhou suddenly turned around, his gaze as sharp as ice blades, and coldly interrupted, "Why mention the name of a traitor waiting to die?"

Before he finished speaking, he closed his eyes and focused his mind, then addressed the assembled scholars in a deep voice:
"Buy me six breaths!"

Gu Zhimian, Li Pan, and the other scholars instantly understood and nodded without hesitation, drawing their swords and standing guard in front of Jiang Xingzhou!

—The release of literary and artistic talents requires time to build momentum!
The more powerful the literary technique, the longer it takes!

Although Jiang Xingzhou, the scholar, had mastered the "Rapid Cursive Script Techniques of the 'Jijiuzhang'" and could reduce the recitation time by tenfold, it still took him as long as six breaths...!
this means--

What he's about to unleash must be an ultra-large-scale literary technique!
"kill--!!!"

The scholar in the blue robe was taken aback at first, then flew into a rage!
How could he, the dignified third leader of the Heartless Palace, be so looked down upon?!
"roar--!
Tear them apart!

The Snow Wolf Demon Lord's eyes flashed with ferocity, and he let out a low roar that exploded, his demonic energy surging like frost and snow collapsing!
The wolf demon generals and commanders bared their fangs and instantly transformed into streaks of blood and gore, charging forward with frenzied fury!

"kill--!"

More than a hundred rebellious scholars and barbarian assassins suddenly rose up, unleashing their deadly moves!
—The battle situation instantly boiled over!
"Go away!"

Princess Niu Man roared angrily, and the halberd in her hand swept across the river like a black dragon overturning a river!

"Pfft!"

A wolf demon's head flew off, spraying blood three feet high!

"Zheng——!"

Dozens of flying swords pierced the air and arrived, their cold light intertwining into a net. The rebellious scholars joined forces to kill them, their sword energy tearing through the air and heading straight for Jiang Xingzhou in the crowd!
"Om-!"

Jiang Xingzhou rolled up his sleeves, and a pear-shaped longbow, as white as jade, suddenly appeared in his hand from a silk pouch!
His eyes were slightly closed, and a burst of blue light surged from his fingertips, drawing a dazzling trajectory of poetry and prose in the air—

"The Lantern Festival in the Green Jade Table!"
[The east wind at night releases a thousand trees of flowers,]
The wind blew down stars like rain!

Jiang Xingzhou closed his eyes and murmured softly, his divine sense rapidly expanding.

boom--!
Its body trembled, and thousands of branches danced wildly like dragons and snakes, instantly rising from the ground and transforming into a giant pear tree that blocked out the sky!

Standing tall in the center of the Sky Street!
"Zheng! Zheng! Zheng!"

Countless branches stretched taut like bowstrings.

On the branches, thousands of pear blossom buds burst open, each blossom's beauty swiftly transforming into a sharp, gleaming arrow—

"Shh-!"

A sudden night wind arose, and a thousand arrows were fired at once!

Flower buds bloom, and starlight falls continuously!
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!~"

Arrows rained down, like a brilliant galaxy or a streak of fire rising into the sky, hurtling towards the towering heavens of Luoyang!

"This is this?!"

The scholar in the blue robe, a member of the rebellious clan, suddenly looked up, his pupils shrinking sharply—

The countless arrows were not simply aimed at them, but transformed into a dazzling sky curtain, enveloping the entire Baili Divine Capital!

He couldn't help but show a hint of fear and swallowed hard.

Inside Luoyang City.

The Imperial Guards and the Golden Guards of the Northern Garrison were locked in battle with the arsonist barbarian demons when suddenly the night sky brightened abruptly—

"A shooting star! It's a shooting star!"

A soldier shouted hoarsely.

The entire sky was filled with a shower of meteors.

"Pfft!"

A meteor shower fell, swift as lightning!

The savage assassins who were burning the granary stopped laughing abruptly. Their claws were still gripping the torches when they saw a flower of blood suddenly bloom on their chests.

"puff--!"

Arrows rained down, piercing each demon's body with pinpoint accuracy.

The savage demons, still with expressions of horror, fell in droves like harvested wheat, their torches scattering sparks across the ground.

"boom--!"

A shower of stars falls upon the world, and divine punishment descends!
Arrows rained down like a silver river, carrying with them the sharp edge of talent, turning the entire Luoyang Heavenly Street into a death trap!

"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft~!"

One after another, the rebellious intellectuals coughed up blood as the star rain pierced through them, their chests exploding with blood, and they staggered to their knees.

"Ouch——!"

The wolf demon fell down with a mournful howl, its demonic blood soaking the long bluestone street.

A wolf demon general, his eyes bloodshot, wielded his demonic blade like a whirlwind, slashing down dozens of arrows in succession—

"Dang! Dang! Dang!"

Sparks are flying!

But the next moment——

"Pfft!"

An arrow pierced its heart!
"Puff! Puff! Puff!"

More than ten arrows rained down in succession, pinning it to the ground in a pool of blood. Its wolf eyes widened, filled with confusion!
When the pear tree's buds are exhausted, the last ray of starlight dissipates, and the pear blossoms fall from the sky.

—The flowers have all fallen, and the precious bow has been sheathed.

The towering pear tree, which blocked out the sky, had its thousands of branches and vines crumble inch by inch, and its vast talent receded like the tide.

hum-

With a soft thud, the pearwood bow returned to Jiang Xingzhou's hands.

He slowly opened his eyes, his five fingers clenched, and he bent over.

The wood of the bow is warm and still retains its warmth.

At this moment, the entire Sky Street,
It has been transformed into a blood-soaked hell!
Hundreds of corpses lay strewn about, some of the rebellious scholars staring wide-eyed in death, others of the wolf demon general whose claws were still bared in ferocity and anger, unwilling to accept their fate!

Some of the savage demon assassins, even in death, tightly gripped their blood-stained daggers. Almost all of them were killed!
The entire Heavenly Street was littered with corpses, and the bluestone was stained with blood.

Only two figures remained, staggering in the deathly silence after the rain of arrows.

The Seventh Prince of the Wolf Demon Kingdom—Snow Wolf Demon Marquis!
The third leader of Wuxin Palace—Li Wenshi, a nameless man in blue robes!

The two stood back to back, their robes torn, their demon blood and cold sweat mingling together.

"Is this the power of 'protecting the nation'?"

The Snow Wolf Demon Lord's silvery-white fur was soaked with blood, and its sharp claws dug deep into the ground, yet it couldn't stop trembling slightly.

The folding fan in the scholar's blue robe had already shattered while blocking the rain of stars, leaving only half of the fan rib tightly clenched in his palm, his knuckles white.

They looked at each other—

Deep within their pupils, a fear they had never felt before was reflected.

"This...this is impossible!"

A low growl rumbled from the Snow Wolf Demon Lord's throat, his demonic eyes trembling. "He's clearly just a scholar... how can he unleash such terrifying literary skills?!"

Its claws dug deep into the ground, and demonic blood dripped down its silvery-white fur.

—It is a demon lord!

His combat strength is comparable to that of a human scholar, and he is even better in close combat!
But at this moment, its demonic body was... trembling!
"[National Defense] Literary Arts... its power surpasses that of Hanlin Academicians!"

The scholar in blue robes let out a sharp cry, a resolute glint in his eyes, "Wolf Marquis! Let's join forces and kill him!"

Otherwise—you and I will surely die!
rush--!"

"it is good!"

Before he finished speaking, Snow Wolf Demon Lord was like a silver lightning bolt, tearing through the air and rushing straight at Jiang Xingzhou in the crowd!
however--

The scholar in the blue robe feinted with his spear, then suddenly turned and became a blur as he fled madly toward the north gate of Luoyang!

In an instant, they covered a hundred feet and fled frantically!
The palace master promised him that if the situation in the city turned against him and the assassination of Jiang Xingzhou failed, he would immediately evacuate and meet him outside the north city!

(End of this chapter)