I am the Ruler of the Kingdom of Mysterious-Chapter 357 - 321: Sibling Reunion
At noon, on the Dongyang City Wall.
He Buning, clad in armor, walked back and forth on the wall, his expression as stern as water. Xiao Liu, also armored, with his hand resting on the sword at his waist, followed closely behind He Buning.
Soon, the Grain Officer, in charge of the city’s rations, hurried over.
"Captain He, the city’s rations have been exhausted. What should we do next?"
He Buning’s brows were tightly knitted. The defending general of Dongyang County, Nan Zhongyun, was also frowning deeply. However, the two Daoists beside him showed a calm demeanor.
The older Daoist, You Xuan, said slowly, "No need to worry. As long as Captain He’s men can locate the rations, I can command the Five Ghosts to transport them to Dongyang County’s granary in an instant."
The younger Daoist, Ling Feng, nodded, "That’s right. My martial uncle is highly skilled in the Five Ghost Transport Technique. You needn’t worry."
Everyone looked at He Buning, who never once glanced in their direction, keeping his gaze fixed towards Cuiyun Mountain.
In theory, Qin Ze and his party were supposed to travel by water to scout for the rations’ location and should have sent up signal smoke from Cuiyun Mountain before dawn to inform him whether the rations were indeed hidden in Black Mountain Village.
But now, it was already noon, and there was still no movement from the direction of Cuiyun Mountain, causing He Buning great concern.
Especially considering the Ming Mansion in Cuiyun Mountain, He Buning felt a bit uneasy.
The Ming Mansion had sunk from the present world into the Hidden Realm, inevitably affecting the surrounding environment. Previously, many passersby disappeared in Cuiyun Mountain because they accidentally entered the Hidden Realm.
"Xiao Liu, prepare my horse. I will go check personally."
He Buning instructed, and Xiao Liu immediately responded affirmatively.
"Wait, someone seems to be coming from that direction." The defending general, Nan Zhongyun, raised his hand and pointed ahead, his ears slightly twitching as he heard the sound of hoofbeats.
The trees originally dense around Dongyang County had been cleared within a ten-mile radius of the city gate due to the war, leaving the area open and clear.
He Buning walked to the edge of the city wall, took a monocular from Xiao Liu’s hand, and looked in the direction Nan Zhongyun pointed.
Horses burst forth from the distant woods, three horses, five people.
The lead horse carried Qin Ze with Qian Er on his back. Behind them was Qiao Ling wearing a bell doctor’s mask. Seeing her, He Buning’s pupils contracted, unsure why Qiao Ling was here when she was supposed to be taking Xia Chan to Jinzhou.
He Buning quickly looked at the last horse. Upon seeing clearly, his eyes widened, nearly dropping the telescope from his shaking hands.
A girl in black with a long bow on her back and a red headband fluttering in the wind rode with Xia Chan, galloping towards them.
He Buning’s heart pounded wildly, and as he set down the monocular, the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but lift. The people beside him were all puzzled, having never seen He Buning smile in the past few months when he always seemed like a grim reaper, leaving others breathless in his presence.
"Xiao Liu, come with me to greet them."
He Buning turned and hurried down the city wall, in such a rush that he seemed a bit uncomposed.
Nan Zhongyun remained expressionless, standing straight on the wall, while the two Daoists, unsure of what was happening, followed He Buning down.
The heavy city gates slowly opened. He Buning and Xiao Liu stepped out, standing in front of the gate, watching the three horses approaching from afar.
As they arrived, Qin Ze let Qian Er hold the reins himself, dismounting to report to He Buning with a clasped hand.
"Captain He, we have completed our mission..."
Before finishing, Qin Ze paused, realizing He Buning wasn’t looking at him at all, but rather staring sharply behind him. Qin Ze turned to look.
Sang Que held the reins, dismounted, and helped Xia Chan down. Xuan Yu was cradled in Xia Chan’s arms.
Meeting eyes, Sang Que slightly curled her lips into a small smile, nodding towards He Buning.
He Buning tried hard to suppress the upturn of his lips, straightening his back in an effort to maintain composure. He looked Sang Que up and down, noting not only was she unharmed, but her aura had grown considerably thicker, indicating she had likely advanced to Ghost Level.
Realizing this, the tension that had gnawed at He Buning’s heart for so long finally eased a bit, and he slowly redirected his gaze to Qin Ze.
Xiao Liu was also delighted to see Sang Que alive. Previously, he might have rushed over loudly to her side, heedless of He Buning.
But the present Xiao Liu merely smiled at Sang Que and nodded, consistently remaining steady behind He Buning.
The two Daoists and the Grain Officer also descended from the city wall. Surveying those present, they saw Qiao Ling with the bell doctor’s mask. The two Daoists urgently clasped their hands in greeting.
The court was hunting down Nine Songs, but the Taoist Sect had deep ties with Nine Songs and did not participate in the Evil Suppression Bureau’s campaign, maintaining neutrality. Taoist disciples must still show respect when they encounter members of Nine Songs.
Qiao Ling nodded slightly. The two Daoists’ gazes passed over Sang Que and Xia Chan, puzzlingly frowning.
Qin Ze began to report to He Buning again, attracting the two Daoists’ attention.
"Captain He, we found the rations and..."
Before Qin Ze could finish, the older Daoist, You Xuan, interrupted, "Are the rations indeed in that village at the foot of Da Heishan?"
Qin Ze scratched his head, where a patch of hair was still missing, "Yes and no. We found the rations in the Hidden Realm of Black Mountain Village, and there was also a Puppet Master from the Ghost Opera Troupe guarding it."
At his words, You Xuan, who was preparing to display his skills, was stunned, "Hidden Realm? The Qianshou Army has such experts capable of entering the Hidden Realm?"
Daoist Ling Feng was equally taken aback, "They actually managed to hide the rations in the Hidden Realm? This is going to be troublesome. Ordinary Five Ghosts cannot enter the Hidden Realm. Even the five major Ghost Generals under the Daoist Lord would find it difficult to move freely in and out, let alone transport large quantities of rations."
The two Daoists were both deep in thought, their brows furrowed.
Seeing this, He Buning patted Qin Ze on the shoulder, "Thank you for your efforts. I’ll figure out the ration situation. For now, take Qian Er and go rest."
"No, it’s not like that," Qin Ze hastened to explain, "Why won’t anyone let me finish? I was trying to say, we’ve not only found the rations, but also brought all of them back!"
Everyone was startled. The Grain Officer, who had been standing at the back, looked around, wondering where the rations were in this open field with just a few people and three horses. Not even a single straw was in sight.
Could it be that the convoy transporting the rations was behind?
The Grain Officer hurried forward a few steps, shading his eyes with his hand as he stood on tiptoe to peer into the forest, but saw no large contingent guarding the rations.
Qin Ze continued, "We owe thanks to Sang Er this time. The Puppet Master was defeated by her, although he escaped, and it was she who brought the rations back."
Qin Ze stepped aside slightly. Everyone followed his gaze to see Sang Que quietly standing next to Qiao Ling, expressionless like a guard, while Xia Chan grinned with pride.
Meow~
Even Xuan Yu, nestled in Xia Chan’s arms, lifted its head haughtily.
The two Daoists cast probing looks at Sang Que, eyes filled with surprise and curiosity, wondering how she, being so young, could achieve what they couldn’t.
Entering the Hidden Realm to transport rations and even driving off the trouble-some Puppet Master from the Ghost Opera Troupe?
But where are the rations, where are they?
He Buning couldn’t help but let his lips curl up again, feeling unexpectedly proud.
Qiao Ling squinted at He Buning’s odd expression, her gaze flickering between him and Sang Que, deep in thought.
Sang Que furrowed her brow, interrupting the strange atmosphere, "Captain He, could you find a quiet place for me, so I can retrieve the rations for you?"
Sang Que’s address of ’Captain He’ made He Buning’s heart ache, but he immediately understood. With members of Nine Songs, Taoist Sect, and the Evil Suppression Bureau present, Sang Que’s identity couldn’t be revealed. Captain He would have to suffice.
