Great Black Heaven

"Whoosh." A faint breeze blew gently across the withered yellow grassland, rolling a few curled, dried blades of grass.

The sky was gloomy at this moment, clouds like slabs of lead hanging low, just like Li Huowang's mood.

After racing desperately for days, he had reached Qingqiu. But could what lay before him truly still be called Qingqiu?

The endless emerald carpet, once like green silk stretching to the horizon, was gone. In its place stood dry yellow grass, slanting every which way.

This was even worse than when he had come before. If the grass had merely yellowed then, now the prairie looked as though it were about to die. He could not help worrying about Sun Baolu.

But compared to Qingqiu, Li Huowang's own great trouble remained unresolved. He had no time to concern himself with what was happening here.

With a light squeeze of his legs against the horse's flanks, the fine horse covered in talismans carried him toward the distant city.

That was Qingqiu's capital. Li Huowang remembered someone telling him its name once, but he could not recall it now. The only thing he remembered was the roads, solidly paved with layered cow dung and sheep dung.

Though Qingqiu's Khan had gone personally to the battlefield, there were clearly still people in charge within this city, reeking of livestock.

The moment Li Huowang entered the city gates, several Qingqiu cavalrymen staring at his tall red hat blocked his path.

Their mouths did not move, yet a deep voice came from one cavalryman's belly. "Where are you from? Where are you going?"

Li Huowang took out the waist token of the Daliang Celestial Surveillance and tossed it over. Then he pointed toward the solemn temple towering in the distance. "I have something to discuss with the