I am the Ruler of the Kingdom of Mysterious-Chapter 394 - 358: The Army Approaches the City
Deng Shi reached into his armor and drew out a crumpled black talisman paper from his chest.
It looked like the Ghost Soldier Talisman that Sang Que used before, but the runes on it were different. Deng Shi took out his Night Traveling Envoy’s Official Seal, cut his palm intending to draw some blood, but what oozed out was yellow soil due to the severe ghost invasion.
Feeling the pressure from Sang Que, Deng Shi shrank his body and said, "Warrior, please wait, just a moment."
"Let me help you!"
Sang Que approached Deng Shi with an undeniable stance, placing one hand on his shoulder. The dual pressure of the Yin Child and the Deceitful Bride emanated from Sang Que, sending a chilling, bone-piercing aura through Deng Shi, making him shudder all over, as if an Evil Ghost was squeezing his throat, threatening death with the slightest movement.
But soon, the palm that was oozing yellow soil began to return to normal, and fresh blood once again surged from it.
Compliant!
The Grave Ghost within him shrank back, no longer retaliating against him, nor did it want the previously promised reward!
Sang Que withdrew her hand, and Deng Shi stared at her in shock, unable to comprehend how terrifying and powerful the Evil Ghost within her must be to intimidate his Grave Ghost into such submission.
With a slight lift of her chin, Sang Que prompted Deng Shi to remember the blood still flowing from his palm, hastily wiping it on the official seal before stamping it onto the talisman paper.
The talisman paper immediately ignited a cluster of black fire, flickering like fireflies, guiding the way for the two of them.
This was the agreed-upon means of communication prior to their departure on this mission. The talisman paper was specially crafted the day before they set out, ensuring it couldn’t be forged, guaranteeing safety.
In case of emergency, they could write eight characters in blood on the back of the talisman paper, and the talismanic fire would find its way in front of Qiu Wanjun.
Deng Shi hadn’t used it before because he knew that if they cried for help now, they weren’t qualified to warrant Qiu Wanjun’s intervention. On the Jingzhou side, they already mastered the method of artificially creating Yin Walkers, and he had seen successful examples.
Chasing the talismanic fire in the lead, Deng Shi didn’t care whether Sang Que had ulterior motives; he merely wanted to survive. If she indeed harbored other intentions, General Qiu, a sixth-level Yin Walking General and a pinnacle existence in the Xuan Dynasty, was unlikely to allow Sang Que any mischief.
The black talismanic fire snaked through the chaotic burial mound and vanished as it charged forward at a dead tree.
Deng Shi followed closely, disappearing behind the dead tree as well. Sang Que paused, observing the area around the dead tree; her Recovery was currently set to mark every six hours, and she had just used it, meaning that the next use was a long way off.
Hopefully, she wouldn’t encounter a battle immediately upon entering, allowing her a bit of a breather, or else she would have to flee back to the modern day for a respite.
As she was about to go in, Sang Que noticed a small shen kan appearing beneath the dead tree.
"An Earth Ghost’s shen kan?"
Earth Ghosts frequently appear near people making requests, enticing them to pray to it, requiring only a small amount of food to grant a wish, but fulfilling the wish later isn’t so simple, as an Earth Ghost ultimately wants a life.
Sang Que hadn’t seen an Earth Ghost in a long time. Its appearance here could be due to the worry she felt earlier, triggering the conditions for an Earth Ghost’s appearance, or it could be due to the environmental changes in Qinzhou, making all spectral entities more prone to appear and wreak havoc.
Sang Que ignored the shen kan and walked past the dead tree.
The mist blurred her vision briefly, and after a moment of disorientation, the view ahead transformed from an endless chaotic burial mound to a normal forest, devoid of any Evil Mist, with a bright moon hanging high, cloudless skies, and perfectly clear visibility.
It didn’t resemble a Ghost Realm at all, seeming even more normal than the real world, with Sang Que sensing no ghost qi whatsoever.
Deng Shi proceeded forward, pursuing the black talismanic fire, while Sang Que instantly teleported closer, following closely behind. No matter what, they first needed to find Qiu Wanjun.
...
Central Qinzhou, Jianshui City.
At the East City Gate, a woman in purple, half-hidden behind a pipa, occasionally let her red nails brush the strings, producing a jarring and halting sound.
The torches atop the city walls flickered in the wind, while the woman looked to the distance, where countless tents stretched into the horizon, like a colossal shadow covering the earth, instilling fear.
The news from the south had arrived, reporting the Qianshou Army’s defeat by the Jiangzhou military, with the Ghost Opera Troupe suffering significant losses and the Jiangzhou forces closing in for encirclement.
Currently facing them were a combined force of two hundred thousand from Jingzhou and Jinzhou, and if Jiangzhou’s side arrived, they would face over three hundred thousand soldiers under siege, led by a sixth-level Yin Walking General.
The Qianshou Army could muster a force of about two hundred thousand, but this would not be an easy battle...
The woman turned back, looking at a certain spot within the city.
In a teahouse not far from the city walls, a storyteller in white, Mo Yan Shu, coughed sickly while looking at Manager Luo from the Ghost Opera Troupe’s transport department across from him.
"You want my life, huh?"
Manager Luo smiled kindly. The upcoming battle would determine the life and death of the Ghost Opera Troupe.
If they won, the Ghost Opera Troupe could completely take over Qinzhou and implement ’new politics’ as guided by the Opera God, establishing the troupe’s own foundation, with hopes for further advancement in the future.
If they lost, the Ghost Opera Troupe would have exhausted everything, suffering great losses, with no strength to have another chance.
"Mr. Mo is joking. We’re not asking you to actually help us win this battle, just to slightly nudge things in our favor while ensuring your safety."
Mo Yan Shu bore a faint smile, pulling off the pure white mask at his waist and tossing it onto the table as he leaned back.
"Manager Luo, if you think it’s easy, then take my incense burner and find someone who can do it."
Manager Luo wasn’t foolish. The storyteller’s ability was highly unique, and without the capacity to wield total control within the narrative, it could easily result in the storyteller’s own defeat.
After all, the story itself wouldn’t spare anyone, and even the main character, for the sake of horror, would eventually die within it.
Moreover, the tale took an enormous toll on the writer. Mo Yan Shu had been a storyteller for more than twenty years, a testament to his capability.
"So, what does Mr. Mo want? For you to come here at this juncture, you must have your reasons."
Mo Yan Shu replied casually, "All along, I’ve just wanted to meet your Class Leader to verify a few things. Often, I only care about the story behind each individual. Everything else doesn’t matter. Don’t tell me your Class Leader isn’t here; the strange rain in Qinzhou couldn’t have arisen on such a scale without his direct involvement. "
Manager Luo laughed, "Since you’ve figured it out, there’s no point denying it. Indeed, the rain was summoned by the Class Leader seeking guidance from the Opera God, aiming to set a larger stage for a grand performance that would shock history. Our Class Leader will make a personal appearance."
"For this reason, the Class Leader must burn incense, bathe, and worship the Opera God. Before the grand show starts, it’s not convenient for him to receive guests, as it’s our troupe’s rule. Should Mr. Mo choose to lend us a helping hand, our Class Leader will definitely show appreciation personally."
Mo Yan Shu lowered his gaze, pondering briefly, "Fine, I’ll make an exception this time and help you, but I have one request, please pass it to your Class Leader: if you win this battle, I need you to help me kill one person and save another."
Manager Luo’s eyes lit up, "Who to kill? Who to save?"
Mo Yan Shu dipped his finger in tea, writing four characters on the table.
Prime Minister!
Gu Master!
