City Defense Commander

The sun was sinking beyond the western mountains, and the setting sun was as red as blood.

Darkness was approaching, and the evening glow was gradually fading.

An uneasy air shrouded the walls, above and below.

The southern gate's defenses were overseen by one Grand Commander and three Deputy Commanders.

The city's defense commanders usually took turns standing watch day and night, but tonight, they would all hold their ground together in the darkness.

"Everyone here already knows that Willow Venerable has been silent for more than a month. Recently, within a hundred li of Gao Liu City, twelve exceptionally powerful demons and evil spirits have appeared, exceeding the limits Gao Liu City can withstand."

"If they are drawn by the vast vitality gathered from the city's inhabitants and attack the city all at once, the city may be destroyed."

"The Inner City has already begun preparations. Tonight, they will establish an altar and use Willow Venerable's divine body to transport the vast Power of Incense accumulated in the temple outside the city, sending away the unwelcome guests."

"As long as these powerful demons and evil spirits within a hundred li of Gao Liu City accept the incense, it will mean that afterward, they will leave the area beyond a hundred li."

Zhao Zhou, the Grand Commander of the southern gate, was already over seventy. His vital energy and blood had declined, but his eyes remained razor-sharp.

His gaze swept over the surroundings and turned toward the area outside the city. In a deep voice, he said, "But aside from those twelve great demons and evils, there are countless Wandering Souls and ghosts in the darkness, along with many spirits and monsters."

"They will inevitably be drawn by the altar's aura and converge here!"

"Once they enter the city, they will devour the residents!"

His tone was heavy as he slowly said, "Therefore, we must keep the demons and evil spirits outside the city!"

When his voice fell, he swept his gaze toward the three Deputy Commanders.

Commander Zhou, whom Lin Yan had seen the previous night, was among them. He immediately stepped forward.

"Personnel from every division have already been transferred here, including the Day Patrol and Night Patrol."

"According to past practice, one Willow Branch Night-Illuminating Lamp will be hung every thirty paces."

"Moreover, one person will be stationed every thirty paces to guard the Willow Branch Night-Illuminating Lamps. Each unit will also assign another six people to patrol the city within their jurisdiction, carrying lamps."

"In addition, each person will be given one packet of incense ash produced by the Temple of Lord Liu, one pair of incense candles, and three sticks of incense."

After hearing this, Zhao Zhou, his expression grave, finally gave a slight nod.

But then another Deputy Commander, one surnamed Gu, frowned slightly and stepped forward. In a low voice, he said, "The Lin Jiang Department may run into trouble."

Grand Commander Zhao Zhou frowned slightly and slowly said, "In the past, when the Lin Jiang Department stood vacant and Qing Shan Ward managed it on its behalf, things remained stable... I heard that the new Banner Bearer took over the Lin Jiang Department today. Why would there still be a problem?"

Deputy Commander Gu replied, "This new Banner Bearer abolished the original Twelve Junior Banners, and he has no old hands under him."

"What do you mean?"

Zhao Zhou's expression grew increasingly ugly. He said, "Are you saying that the Lin Jiang Department currently has only one Banner Bearer?"

"The rest are merely an administrative secretary, clerks, miscellaneous servants, cooks, and the like. None of them practice martial arts," Deputy Commander Gu said in a low voice.

Zhao Zhou did not answer. He merely drew his brows together even more tightly.

How could one man defend a city alone?

Was this not a child's game?

"I don't know what this person is thinking. To this day, he has neither sought helpers nor made any attempt to request aid."

Deputy Commander Gu replied, "The Outer Southern Department tacitly approved everything he did. Just now, this new Banner Bearer also accepted our city defense's emergency token."

Zhao Zhou mused, "I have heard of this person's reputation. He is extremely bloodthirsty, but his cultivation does not seem particularly high. He should have just entered the Second Gate, the Blood-Refining realm."

"With his cultivation, I'm afraid he cannot hold the position responsible for the entire Lin Jiang Department."

At this point, Zhao Zhou's expression turned solemn. He looked outside at the darkening sky and suppressed his urge to demand accountability.

His gaze swept over the others as he said in a deep voice, "The city's defenses cannot suffer any lapse. Do any of you have spare personnel who can be transferred there?"

The three Deputy Commanders' expressions all changed, but none answered.

This was no small favor!

Tonight was bound to be dangerous. Sending people to help would be tantamount to using human lives to fill the hole for this new Banner Bearer.

If their own forces were short-handed, gaps would appear, making things even more perilous without anyone realizing it.

"You should all be looking after that little patch of ground under your command..."

Zhao Zhou shook his head slightly and said, "You must understand that the greater situation comes first. If demons and evil spirits cross the city wall within the three hundred and sixty paces under the Lin Jiang Department's jurisdiction, what use is our bitter defense?"

The three Deputy Commanders fell silent for a moment. At last, Deputy Commander Gu spoke, his tone solemn.

"That is the Lin Jiang Department's responsibility."

"If he can hold it, that is his ability."

"If he cannot, he should be held accountable."

"The Commander Han of the Outer City's Southern District should be held accountable even more!"

At this point, he raised his head and spoke aloud, "The Prefectural Governor's Mansion intends to petition Phoenix Perch Prefecture City to abolish the Heavenly Supervision Department. This will serve perfectly as a major reason."

Hearing this, another Deputy Commander's expression also changed slightly. In a low voice, he said, "If that is the case, and the Lin Jiang Department makes a mistake tonight, thousands upon thousands of lives will be laid at the feet of the Heavenly Supervision Department... I imagine the Prefectural Governor will not only fail to become angry, but will instead be delighted."

Deputy Commander Zhou thought for a moment, then said, "In truth, if we do our utmost and hold the positions under our own command, we can still be considered to have fulfilled our duties."

Zhao Zhou's face turned livid, but he said nothing.

He was among the third batch of city guards recruited after Gao Liu City was built.

But now, among the first four batches of old soldiers in Gao Liu City, hardly any remained.

Even the current lord of the Prefectural Governor's Mansion was no longer the city's first governor.

The various forces within the city schemed against one another, using Gao Liu City as the chessboard and its people as chess pieces—or even as discarded pieces.

Back then, to build the city and win humanity a place to shelter in the darkness, he had lost count of how many old comrades had thrown themselves forward one after another, spilling their blood here.

In only a few short decades, the predecessors had not yet all died, yet the successors had already become so rotten?

"How are the people of this city guilty of anything?"

A sorrowful look appeared on Zhao Zhou's face. He sighed wistfully and was just about to speak when a voice came from outside.

A soldier had come to report.

"Half a quarter of an hour ago, the Lin Jiang Department's Banner Bearer, Impermanence, carried the Lin Jiang Banner to the storeroom and collected twelve Willow Branch Night-Illuminating Lamps, twelve packets of incense ash, twelve pairs of incense candles, but only three sticks of incense."

"He came alone?"

"Only one person came."

"Did he leave any message? For example, did he ask our city defense for personnel?"

"No."

"Arrogant!"

Zhao Zhou flew into a furious rage and shouted, "If the place under his command falls tonight, then even if he survives by sheer luck, this Old Man will not let him off!"

When his voice fell, he reached into his robes and took out a sheet of talisman paper and a willow branch.

"Deliver these to him immediately."

"And tell him this is a Haoyang Talisman from Phoenix Perch Prefecture City, produced by Wutong Temple. It can greatly increase one's yang energy and dispel the symptoms of evil yin entering the body!"

"As for the willow branch, it comes from Willow Venerable's own divine body. It can lash Wandering Souls and evil spirits and drive them away."

The three Deputy Commanders' expressions changed slightly upon hearing this.

These two items were only issued to Grand Commanders.

On ordinary days, the three Deputy Commanders took turns sharing a single branch from Willow Venerable's own body.

Wandering Souls and evil spirits had neither form nor substance. Blades and swords could not wound them, while fists and feet could not touch them. To any powerful martial artist, they posed an enormous threat.

Usually, one could only rely on the vigorous aura cultivated through Martial Arts to put on a show of strength and frighten these Wandering Souls and evil spirits away.

There were pitifully few objects that could allow a martial artist to threaten "Wandering Souls and evil spirits."

A branch from Willow Venerable's own body was one of them!

Grand Commander Zhao Zhou actually thought this highly of him?

Could it be that the reason this new Banner Bearer had not sought aid from outside and had merely waited in silence was that he knew Grand Commander Zhao Zhou would certainly lend him a hand?

The three Deputy Commanders exchanged glances. They even began to wonder whether this new Banner Bearer was the Grand Commander's illegitimate son.

But as their discussion continued, night fell before long. Then the little soldier from earlier hurried back, holding out Willow Venerable's own branch and the Haoyang Talisman with both hands.

"Fifth Master said that Grand Commander Zhao's duty lies here, and that both of these are life-saving items. Please keep them for your own use."

"He also said that as a martial artist at the peak of the Inner Viscera realm, you can drive away evil spirits even more effectively when holding this divine object."

"As for this Haoyang Talisman, it can enhance yang-filled vital energy. The Grand Commander is advanced in years, so you need it even more on a night like this."