Leaving Overnight

Magistrate Wang stared with a look of horror, his heart filled with shock and anger. He glared at Jiang Dao, "You... you're that Jiang Dao from the Jiang Family? You dare to break into the county office at night, and you even dare to kill the yamen runners? You... you're not afraid of death?"

Jiang Dao revealed a hint of mockery. "You're still putting on airs of authority here. If I crush you now, it'll be like crushing an ant. Do you believe it?"

Magistrate Wang shivered, trembling. "You... what exactly do you want?"

He instantly recalled what happened during the day.

During the day, he had sent people to intercept the Jiang brothers. Now it seemed Jiang Dao was here for revenge?

"Let our Jiang Family leave the city, and I'll spare your life. Otherwise, I'll crush you to death right now!"

Jiang Dao's tone was indifferent as he sat down on a chair, his legs spread wide.

"Let you leave the city?"

Magistrate Wang's eyes widened. "This is difficult for me too. The higher-ups have ordered that no one is allowed to leave the city!"

"But you let so many people leave before?"

Jiang Dao sneered, "Magistrate Wang, I'm giving you a chance now. If you don't do it, I'll kill you. Anyway, staying in Hengzhou City means death sooner or later!"

"You... fine, I'll find a way!"

Magistrate Wang's expression shifted as he spoke, "Then if you want to leave, you can only go at night. At night, you won't be noticed. If anyone sees you, I won't be able to explain. If you're few in number, you can go during the day, but if there are many of you, you must go at night."

"Alright, we'll leave tonight!"

Jiang Dao's tone was cold.

Hengzhou City was becoming more chaotic by the moment. Staying for another moment meant another moment of danger!

If they could leave now, it would be best.

"I'll get the travel permits for you right away!"

Magistrate Wang trembled and quickly took out the documents. He waved his brush and began writing rapidly.

"Magistrate Wang, I heard that your court is colluding with malevolent spirit organizations. Tell me, which organizations are they? And where did that Sacred Artifact appear?"

Jiang Dao suddenly asked.

Magistrate Wang was startled, and his brush almost fell.

"You... how do you know?"

"Answer my question."

Jiang Dao's tone was indifferent.

"Yes, I was only following orders. I wouldn't dare disobey the commands from above. So far, I only know of two factions: one is called the Spirit Child Palace, and the other is called the Corpse Dao Sect. The higher-ups only told us to seal the city and do nothing else. They said that after a while, the city would return to peace, but I don't know anything about that Sacred Artifact."

Magistrate Wang replied.

"Corpse Dao Sect..."

Jiang Dao frowned.

He suddenly thought of the strange malevolent spirit he encountered on his way here.

Could that have been a malevolent spirit from the Corpse Dao Sect?

"Did your court send anyone?"

"No. Facing such unknown, mysterious power, even the court is powerless."

Magistrate Wang gave a wry smile.

"So you're just letting them kill people and wreak havoc in Hengzhou City?"

Jiang Dao's face was filled with mockery.

Magistrate Wang broke out in a cold sweat, not daring to say more.

Soon, he finished writing the travel permits and handed them to Jiang Dao with both hands.

Jiang Dao looked at them carefully, confirmed they were correct, and then stared at Magistrate Wang. Suddenly, a cold glint flashed in his eyes, and he raised his hand, delivering a palm strike.

With a bang, Magistrate Wang was sent flying backward, crashing into the wall and turning into a pulp. He was as dead as dead could be.

Jiang Dao knew he absolutely could not let Magistrate Wang live.

Given how ruthless and cruel the man was, it wasn't hard to imagine that as soon as he left, the city might be surrounded by an army.

Therefore, killing him was the best option!

Jiang Dao swept up all the silver notes and ingots from Magistrate Wang's desk, scaled the wall under the cover of night, and quickly headed home.

Half an hour later.

Jiang Dao appeared at the Jiang Family residence with a large bag of silver notes.

"Dad, was everything alright earlier?"

"No, Dao'er, how did it go?"

Jiang Dalong asked.

"I got the travel permits. Let's go now!"

Jiang Dao spoke.

"Leave now?"

Jiang Dalong asked in surprise, "But we haven't packed anything!"

"Forget it, forget all of it. We'll buy new things when we get to Fengzhou. Hengzhou City has more and more Malevolent Spirits. The longer we stay, the greater the danger!"

Jiang Dao said.

"Alright, alright, I'll notify everyone right away!"

Jiang Dalong quickly nodded.

He immediately instructed Pang Lin and Fang Biao to call all his concubines and daughters, as well as all the household servants.

It was the middle of the night, and when these concubines heard they had to leave immediately, they were greatly startled and began packing their belongings.

Jiang Dalong stomped his foot in anger, roaring, "Stop packing! Throw it all away! Just bring the gold, silver, and small valuables!"

"But what about all this property?"

Second Wife Liu Hongyan asked in shock.

"No, forget all of it!"

Jiang Dalong roared.

The concubines, terrified, quickly packed valuables like gold and silver.

The remaining servants hitched the carts and led the horses.

Some people carried many silk quilts and stuffed them into the carriages.

Without exception, they were all top-grade silk, valuable enough that a single batch could sell for several thousand taels of silver. There were even many mink and fox furs, all priceless.

"Throw them away! Throw all of this away! Just bring gold, silver, small valuables, and food and water. Hurry, move faster!"

Jiang Dalong yelled.

Suddenly, he seemed to recall something, his expression changing. He quickly said, "Dao'er, the weapon you wanted to forge earlier isn't finished yet."

"Forget it for now. We'll find someone to reforge it when we get to Fengzhou!"

Jiang Dao said grimly.

After all, he had just obtained at least a million taels of silver from the county office.

Once they reached Fengzhou, he could buy anything he wanted.

While these silks, furs, and porcelain were expensive, they were nothing compared to these millions of taels of silver. It was only natural to abandon them.

Moreover, he had killed the Changbai Old Daoist, who also had hundreds of thousands of taels of silver.

After some packing, over an hour had passed.

Finally, everyone was ready.

Jiang Dao mounted a tall horse and rode at the forefront, heading out of the mansion.

Flanking the convoy were expert guards like Pang Lin, Fang Biao, and Wang Xing.

The entire Jiang Family, over two hundred people, set off through the night.

The night wind blew.

The streets whistled.

Trash flew about.

A faint smell of decay suddenly filled the air.

All the household servants felt their hearts leap into their throats, their hair standing on end, goosebumps rising, filled with terror.

Everyone knew that night was the most dangerous time to encounter Malevolent Spirits. Leaving under the cover of darkness increased the danger tenfold.

But they didn't know that leaving during the day would be even more difficult.

Because if they left during the day, others would undoubtedly follow suit, causing immediate chaos in the city, which would inevitably lead to a strong crackdown by the army.

As the convoy moved forward, the surroundings seemed to grow darker, and the smell of decay in the air became stronger.

Suddenly, a series of hoarse, ear-piercing eerie laughter echoed from a nearby alley.

"Giggle, giggle..."

Like the croaking of frogs, it made everyone's hearts pound.

Jiang Dao's eyes flashed like lightning as he scanned the alley.

Inside the alley, a Malevolent Spirit, emanating a stench of decay, with glowing green eyes, appeared terrifying and sinister. It let out a giggling sound, its body hidden in the darkness, revealing only two terrifying green eyes.

Jiang Dao's heart sank.

"Ignore it, keep moving!"

He reined in his horse, stopping as he stared intently at the Malevolent Spirit, preparing to cover their retreat.

The Jiang Family's convoy rushed past him at great speed.

Everyone trembled with fear.

Only Jiang Dao stood ready, mounted on his horse, his hand firmly on the steel saber at his waist.