Creak—
The massive gates of Guixu Relay Station, cast from ten-thousand-year heavy iron, slowly slid open to either side.
The shriek of grinding hinges was sharp and piercing, like some metal behemoth wailing in despair. The Heavenly Prides of every realm, who had been huddled beneath the protective barrier with taut expressions, lowered their heads in unison. No one spoke. No one even dared breathe too loudly. The entire square was so silent that only heavy breathing remained.
Barefoot, Chu Qing stepped onto the cracked bluestone road.
He was not wearing that flamboyant Dark Gold robe, only a loose brown garment draped over himself. Yet every step he took sent a faint tremor through the ground, like a heavy hammer striking precisely upon everyone's hearts.
"Lord Chu..."
The relay station manager tumbled down the stone steps outside the main hall. His official cap hung crookedly to one side, while cold sweat streamed down from his brow, ran past the tip of his nose, and soaked the armor on his chest. Three zhang away from Chu Qing, the manager's legs gave out. With a thud, he dropped to his knees and raised a dark-purple wooden box high with both hands.
His fingertips shook violently, making the wooden box creak in his grasp.
"This... this is the 'River Source Essence' accumulated by the relay station over three Epochs." The manager swallowed hard, forcing down a mouthful of blood-streaked saliva. His voice had become shrill and thin from overwhelming terror. "Please... please accept it, my lord. It is a small token from the entire station, to thank you... for the grace of severing the calamity."
Chu Qing stopped.
He lowered his head, his bloodshot eyes sweeping over the wooden box.
(Motive): The manager wanted to buy their lives with the relay station's most