I am the Ruler of the Kingdom of Mysterious-Chapter 300 - 264: Wind Demon
A curfew was also enforced in Pu’an County at night, and no one was allowed to go outside. It was still the latter half of the night and the streets were completely deserted.
Outside the South City Gate, chaos reigned. The continuous screams were accompanied by the howls of the wind, raising a storm of sand and dust, casting an ominous yellow hue everywhere.
Sang Que and Yao Zhen concealed their movements in the cover of night. When they arrived at the city gate, they saw the city guards quickly ascending the walls with torches in hand.
"Open the gate, let us in!"
"Please, let us in! There are evil spirits outside!"
"Help—" 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮
The heavy city gates were being pounded loudly by the hands of many fleeing refugees. More and more people covered their noses and mouths, trying to escape the eerie sandstorm outside and running towards the base of the city walls.
"No one is allowed to rush the city gates during curfew; violators will be killed without mercy!"
A squad leader shouted into the wind from atop the city wall, and the guards on both sides immediately drew their bows and aimed arrows at the refugees crowding below and pushing against the gates.
The strange sandstorm inexplicably stopped at the city gate. Inside the city, there was wind but no sand, making it very safe.
Outside, refugees were unprotected as the fierce wind tore apart their makeshift grass shelters. With nowhere to hide, the sandstorm wrapped around several people’s bodies like a snake, swiftly entering their bodies through their mouths and noses.
Those affected quickly became flushed and feverish, tearing at their clothes until their whole bodies dried out from the strange force, turning to sand in the wind.
The heart-wrenching screams and pleas echoed outside the city. The guards on the wall trembled as they watched the horror but dared not risk beheading by opening the gates secretly.
Sang Que and Yao Zhen stood on the rooftop, gazing into the distance.
"It’s the Wind Demon!" Yao Zhen identified the raging sandstorm outside.
[Wind Demon, formless and intangible, mixed with dust and raising chaos. Its attack leaves one despondent, burning from within and without, and can be repelled by a Dao Bell.]
Sang Que had heard of the Wind Demon but had never seen one. The climate in Qinzhou was suitable, so Wind Demons were rare. They mostly appeared in dry plains and deserts, especially common in deserts.
The Wind Demon kills quickly but is only of the Evil Level because it’s easy to avoid. As long as one stays in an enclosed room, the Wind Demon cannot harm them.
The sound of the Taoist Sect’s Dao Bell can drive away a Wind Demon. In desert areas, trading caravans would tie brass bells, requested from the Taoist Sect, to their camels. The jingling sound kept Wind Demons at bay.
"Let’s go save people!"
Without any hesitation, Yao Zhen sprinted across rooftops near the city wall. Her Qinggong skills were impressive, allowing her to leap onto the city wall and jump down outside before the guards could react.
Ring ring!
"Retreat to my side!"
The sound of the Dao Bell and Yao Zhen’s loud shout rang out. Sang Que followed closely, jumping down from the city wall.
The city wall had special bricks that blocked Sang Que from teleporting directly outside. From the start at the wall, Sang Que cloaked herself in the Ghost Realm, appearing only as a vague black shadow to others.
The sound of the Dao Bell spread out, creating a gap in the storm as if it was being pushed back by sound waves.
Upon seeing this, the stranded refugees rushed towards Yao Zhen’s direction.
Yao Zhen advanced step by step, attempting to drive the Wind Demon further away, but her Dao Bell wasn’t loud enough, being used for so long and rather old, its sound was dull.
Noticing this, Sang Que pulled out her Dao Bell from her bag.
"Catch this!"
Yao Zhen raised her hand, catching the delicate brass Dao Bell as it fell into her grasp.
Ring ring!
The moment Yao Zhen gripped the Dao Bell, it began resonating on its own, its old stains disappearing instantly, faintly glowing with a golden light. As Yao Zhen shook it, it emitted a clear and pleasant sound.
The sound waves created ripples in the sandstorm, swiftly spreading outward, clearing an area free of wind and sand to protect the gathering citizens.
Some refugees, already invaded by the Wind Demon, luckily fell within the sound wave’s coverage. The Wind Demon retreated from their bodies through their mouths and noses, saving a few lives.
But there were too many refugees, and the Dao Bell’s effect was limited. The Wind Demon didn’t completely dissipate, and several people still lost their way in the sandstorm. The elderly, weak, and women who couldn’t run were killed by the Wind Demon, whose power continued to grow, resisting the Dao Bell further.
Yao Zhen couldn’t keep shaking it all night.
Seeing this, Sang Que decisively used the power of Ghost Eye, scanning for the densest part of the sandstorm. Like the Fog Ghost, the Wind Demon, despite its vast range, always had a core.
Soon, Sang Que spotted an anomaly within that area of sandstorm.
Sang Que took down her Hunting Bow from her back, drew an arrow tipped with a Ten Victory Stone Arrowhead, and notched it on the bowstring.
Drawing the bow, aiming, releasing the arrow, all done in one fluid motion.
The arrow tore through the air, tracing a mark through the yellow sand. Upon reaching a certain point, it suddenly stopped in mid-air, the arrowhead sparking and spreading a fiery red web-like trace.
Boom!
The air blast erupted, the sandstorm ceased instantly, leaving everything in calm.
The frightened citizens all turned their heads towards Yao Zhen and the ethereal figure beside her, tall and striking, with a bow drawn.
But before anyone could get a clearer look, the figure vanished as if it had never existed, just like those legendary benevolent ghost gods who saved people from great perils.
"You finish up; I’m going back to sleep," Sang Que said, tossing out the words and leaving swiftly. Yao Zhen tried to call her back but couldn’t find her whereabouts.
"Thank you, Kun Dao, for saving our lives!"
Someone shouted and knelt, and the others realized, and in no time, hundreds of people knelt in waves, kowtowing and offering thanks to Yao Zhen.
"Thank you, Kun Dao, for saving our lives!"
The shout sent a shiver through Yao Zhen. She was very unaccustomed to such scenes and quickly slipped away.
By the time the people finished kowtowing and stood up, Yao Zhen was already gone. Looking around, they only saw a figure vaulting back over the city wall.
But Yao Zhen’s face and the shadow behind her were forever etched in their memories.
...
Inside the city, Yao Zhen quickly caught up with Sang Que.
"You sure run fast!"
Sang Que stopped and waited for Yao Zhen to catch up. "Those are offerings. Aren’t you going to collect them?"
Yao Zhen replied nonchalantly, "With Daoist Lord above, I don’t need the offerings of the people, nor did I save lives for offerings. What about you? Why not show your face?"
Sang Que gave Yao Zhen a look, implying that she asked a question she already knew the answer to. Now, she was a ’dead person.’ Using a Bow and Arrow would likely expose her identity, let alone showing her face. Was she afraid that the Evil Suppression Bureau and Ghost Opera Troupe wouldn’t find her?
The notice from the Evil Suppression Bureau about her heroic sacrifice had brought her enough incense to live on for a while.
Her next task was to develop quietly, gathering strength to survive in chaotic times, with no time to play games with the Evil Suppression Bureau and Ghost Opera Troupe.
Yao Zhen observed Sang Que for a moment, "You need a special mask, one that people can remember but can’t discern your appearance. I’ll introduce you to a vendor some other day. He surely has such items, only he trades by bartering, which is a bit tricky."
Sang Que’s brow slightly moved. Could it be the Ghost Vendor of Nine Songs that Yao Zhen was referring to? Was Yao Zhen a person from Nine Songs?
Sang Que hesitated, pondering whether to ask, but decided against it. She was once part of the Evil Suppression Bureau, which stood opposite Nine Songs. If Yao Zhen really had connections with Nine Songs, bringing it up might just drive Yao Zhen away, which would be bad.
It’d be better to bring it up when their rapport had improved.
