Intercept the River! Sever the Flow! Quell Chaos! Demon Suppression!

It was deep into the night.

The aura of the ritual altar in the Inner City had reached its final moment.

As the demons and fiends ahead surged against the city like a tidal wave, the darkness that had lain dormant also seemed to have been stirred. Demons and fiends from even farther away were converging.

Perhaps some existence behind the scenes had fanned the flames.

Or perhaps the demons and fiends attacking the city in front had simply stirred wicked thoughts in those behind them as well—the desire to enter the city, plunder its incense offerings, and devour the living.

Meanwhile, in the southern sector of the Outer City, at the Heavenly Supervision Department branch.

The young man named Xu Qing wore a solemn expression, speaking at a rapid pace.

"The demons and fiends' assault is growing ever more violent."

"Across the entire city, the darkness has extinguished seventy-two Willow Branch Night-Illuminating Lamps, signifying that seventy-two positions have nearly fallen."

"Fortunately, additional city patrol teams were deployed. They are filling the gaps in squads of six, and every breach that was opened has now been sealed."

"As for the demons and fiends that crossed the walls and entered the city, the Banner Commanders of the various Heavenly Supervision Department branches have already dispatched men to eliminate them."

"Six breaches have also appeared in our southern Outer City defenses, but all were sealed in time. No demons or fiends broke through, so no cleanup is necessary."

As the young man reported this, Commander Han's expression eased slightly.

Then he looked into the distance and asked with a frown, "What about the Lin Jiang Department's position?"

He knew Lin Yan was quite capable and had already entered the Internal Vigor realm.

By all rights, with the Twelve Junior Banners under his command, guarding the city wall should have been safe and uneventful.

But at dusk today, he had received word that Lin Yan had thrown all Twelve Junior Banners out.

Alone, he was guarding three hundred and sixty paces of wall!

A martial artist who had only just entered the Internal Vigor realm could not possibly hold it!

The situation Lin Yan faced now was something he had never anticipated.

He had not expected that, before even gathering his own men, Lin Yan would directly purge the Twelve Junior Banners Liang Hu had installed.

Nor had he foreseen that the Inner City ritual altar would be activated so suddenly and hastily tonight.

At this moment, Commander Han was deeply regretful. Had I known about the Inner City ritual altar beforehand, I shouldn't have advised him this morning... His temperament is far too blunt. At the very least, he should have endured until tonight before replacing anyone!

With that thought, he looked at Xu Qing.

Yet Xu Qing's expression was complicated and strange.

"There has been no news at all from the Lin Jiang Department's defensive position."

"Hm?"

Commander Han's heart jolted as a bad premonition rose within him. "Before nightfall, didn't I send a letter asking Grand Commander Zhao Zhou for assistance?"

"Grand Commander Zhao Zhou ordered his adopted son, Zhao Jing, to bring twenty men to assist, but no word has returned so far."

"What about the city patrol teams?"

"Two squads before and after, twelve men in total—all vanished before entering the Lin Jiang Department's defensive perimeter."

Was this the ill omen born from trampling the rules of darkness?

Commander Han's heart sank. He immediately took a deep breath. "Send additional manpower along Lin Jiang Ward. As for the Lin Jiang Department's defensive position..."

He paused, then said in a deep voice, "In my name, go invite Duke Lu."

But Xu Qing hesitated and said softly, "Actually... for the moment, it does not seem quite so bad."

"Oh?"

"From what we can see so far, the Lin Jiang Department's defensive position has not fallen. At least for now, not a single demon or evil spirit has entered Lin Jiang Ward."

"It has not fallen?"

Commander Han froze.

For a moment, he was genuinely taken aback.

Yet he also felt that something about it was strange.

"Do we still need to invite Duke Lu?"

"Keep close watch on the Lin Jiang Department's defensive position. If anything changes, then invite Duke Lu."

As Commander Han spoke, his gaze gradually turned grave. Perhaps this boy's purge of the Twelve Junior Banners was not recklessness... Perhaps he truly possesses the ability to guard these three hundred and sixty paces alone?

"The lamp over there has gone out!"

After Lin Yan cut down an evil spirit, his heart suddenly trembled as he looked into the distance.

That area did not fall within the Lin Jiang Department's defensive range.

But there should have been a Willow Branch Night-Illuminating Lamp there.

But when he looked, there was only darkness—no lamplight in sight.

His expression shifted slightly. He strode forward, and the stench of blood rushed into his face.

A young man in the black robes of a Night Patrol Envoy lay on the ground, his face twisted in agony, blood streaming from all seven orifices.

Half a step farther on, Lin Yan saw that the young man's chest had been ripped open, his organs and intestines already eaten clean.

Lin Yan recognized the young man. His name was Zhou Ji, and he came from Lin Jiang Ward, three streets over from Lin Yan's home. They had played together a few times as children.

Two years ago, he had entered the Southern Prefecture Office in the Outer City and been transferred to Wang Jiang Ward as a Night Patrol Envoy. He could be said to have made something of himself.

Who would have thought he would meet his end here today?

Lin Yan merely swept his gaze over him, his face turning grave. When he looked back, he saw a small beast like a civet cat vault over the city wall and pounce into Lin Jiang Ward.

It was at least four hundred paces away.

"Don't chase it!"

Just then, another man hurried out of the darkness.

Clad in armor, he moved with urgent steps and spoke rapidly. "I'll take over this position. Return to your own city-defense post."

He relit the Willow Branch Night-Illuminating Lamp and called out loudly, "If you pursue it, you'll be abandoning the city-defense position under your charge. Who knows how many demons and evils might seize the chance to break in?"

"This isn't the defensive position of your city-defense district. Even if that demon broke in from here, any accountability would have nothing to do with you!"

"There are people in the city responsible for clearing them out. Get back at once—you must not leave your post without authorization!"

The man spoke hurriedly, his voice low. "By order of the Grand Commander, I was sent to assist you. I absolutely will not allow anything to go wrong on your side!"

Lin Yan's face remained expressionless, and he did not reply.

The Lesser Demon had already reached the nearest street.

If he did not pursue it, once this Lesser Demon entered Lin Jiang Ward, it would surely whip up a bloody storm.

Of course, so long as the breach was not at his own city-defense position, no one could hold him accountable afterward.

But at that moment—whoosh!

Lin Yan had already raised the Small Crossbow!

The specially made crossbow bolt from Phoenix Perch Prefecture City crossed four hundred paces and nailed the little beast to the ground.

It was no more than a single arrow to finish the matter!

What was this talk of abandoning his post to pursue it?

"You..."

Seeing this, the man could not help but freeze.

He was about to continue speaking, but then he saw this Impermanence Banner Bearer turn away without expression.

"Hold this position!"

Leaving those words behind, Lin Yan turned to return to the area under his own defense.

But at that instant, a strange sound suddenly rang out behind him.

It was the sound of a blade cleaving through the night sky!

This strike came far too swiftly!

The force behind it was savage, overwhelmingly powerful!

"This ends here!"

The man's expression was stern, muscles bulging as he brought his blade down in a fierce chop!

He considered himself among the upper ranks of the Internal Strength realm. With this blade unleashed in all its ferocity, no matter how formidable his opponent, they would be cleaved in two!

Even someone like Grand Commander Zhao Zhou, at the peak of Internal Strength, would be split into two so long as he was not wearing armor!

Yet all that rang out was a sharp clang!

The atmosphere seemed to fall silent.

The night wind swept past, its chill enough to make one shudder.

As that blade came down, the newly appointed Banner Bearer of Lin Jiang Ward neither turned his head nor moved his body.

He merely lifted the scabbard at his waist backward with his left hand.

With a casual motion, he raised the scabbard behind his back.

And then... it blocked the blade striking from behind.

With effortless ease, he had warded off that heavy, powerful strike!

"..."

In an instant, Zhao Jing's face turned deathly pale. Trembling, he said, "Essence Refining Realm?"

In the next moment, blade-light flashed!

His protective iron armor was as fragile as paper!

Blood sprayed, entrails spilling across the ground!

Lin Yan struck back with a slash, cutting him cleanly in two at the waist!

Zhao Jing let out a scream, his upper body clawing at the city wall as he fell.

The lower half of his body tumbled beneath the wall and was swallowed by the darkness.

Lin Yan glanced over, his expression growing ever more grim.

He had originally intended to capture the man alive and force his motive from him.

But he had thought of something.

So he had killed the man outright.

Because there was no time to interrogate him.

He looked in the direction Zhao Jing had come from.

The wind blew toward him, carrying the stench of blood from that direction as well.

Lin Yan's heart abruptly sank.

He was in the Essence Refining Realm, which was why his opponent had failed.

But along that entire route, how many others were in the Essence Refining Realm?

And how many had already fallen victim?

Wherever people had died, their defensive positions had surely been lost!

And within the city lay Lin Jiang Ward, where he had grown up since childhood—his old neighbors, kin, and friends all lived here.

It was also the Lin Jiang Ward currently within the bounds of his duty to protect.

He looked back over his shoulder. The three hundred and sixty paces defended by the Lin Jiang Department had already been secured by his twelve paper figures.

But ahead, who knew how many positions had already fallen!

If the range stretched beyond a thousand paces, then even with the physique of the Essence Refining Realm, running back and forth, slaying demons and defending the city, he would likely be exhausted before long and unable to hold on!

"Divine Ability! Demon Suppression!"

Blade in hand, Lin Yan strode forward.

Ahead lay boundless darkness, with no knowing how far it reached.

Every Willow Branch Night-Illuminating Lamp along the way had gone out without exception!

Darkness surged in like tidal waves and a sea-tsunami, sweeping over the city walls and flooding into the city!

Alone with a single blade, he walked straight into the darkness!

This journey: dam the river, sever the current, quell the chaos, suppress the demons!