Blocking the People

Zhou Hao's City Guards immediately tightened their grips on their spears, forming a defensive line to block the crowd.

"Everyone, please don't be impulsive. Impulsiveness won't solve anything. Once the situation stabilizes, the City Lord will naturally let everyone leave the city."

Zhou Hao tried his best to appease the crowd's emotions.

Just then, someone in the crowd suddenly shouted:

"Hmph, what unstable situation? I think the City Lord just wants to trap us all here and use us as sacrifices!"

This shout was like throwing a handful of salt into a hot oil pan, and the crowd instantly exploded.

"That's right, that must be it!"

"Let us out!"

The crowd clamored, starting to push hard against the City Guards' defensive line.

Zhou Hao felt anxious. He knew that he couldn't clash with these commoners.

But he couldn't let them leave the city either. Once the city gates were opened, the situation would be even more difficult to control.

Just at this critical moment, a figure swiftly descended from the city wall and landed next to Li Yang.

It was Butler Lin from the City Lord's Mansion.

Butler Lin looked around, cleared his throat, and said loudly, "Fellow villagers, please be quiet! Let me say a few words."

"The City Lord is doing this for everyone's safety. There are now a large number of anomalies wandering outside the city, which are very dangerous."

"Once everyone is allowed to leave the city, they are very likely to encounter misfortune. Please trust the City Lord and wait patiently for a few more days. Once the crisis is resolved, the city gates will definitely be opened."

After hearing Butler Lin's words, the crowd's emotions eased slightly, but some people still had doubts.

"Butler Lin, are you telling the truth? Don't lie to us," an old man said tremulously.

"Old Dai, how could I lie to you?"

Butler Lin stepped forward to comfort the old man.

"Don't act all nice here. I heard that this time, the anomalies are attacking to rescue the anomaly suppressed under Yunzhou City. If Yunzhou City is breached, won't we ordinary people become the anomaly's food?!"

At this moment, a burly man shouted loudly from the crowd.

"That's right, is this true?"

As soon as these words came out, the crowd immediately responded.

"Everyone, please listen to me."

Butler Lin raised his hand to suppress the crowd's noise.

"Since everyone says that Yunzhou City is unsafe, may I ask everyone, if Yunzhou City is unsafe, why haven't any anomalous events occurred in the city for so many years?"

"If it's really as everyone says, and the Fierce creature suppressed under Yunzhou City escapes, then where within hundreds of miles of Yunzhou City is safe?!"

The crowd looked at each other, speechless for a moment.

Butler Lin struck while the iron was hot and continued, "The City Lord works day and night for the peace of Yunzhou City. This time, he also sensed the danger outside the city, so he ordered the city gates to be temporarily closed."

"Think about it, if you are allowed to go out and encounter danger outside the city, what will happen? The City Lord is protecting everyone!"

Many people in the crowd began to waver, feeling that what Butler Lin said seemed to make sense.

However, at this moment, another voice sounded:

"Hmph, that sounds good! Maybe the City Lord is deliberately hiding the truth. Now that things are getting out of hand, he remembers to appease us. Why should we believe you?"

On the city wall, Zhou Yunxuan and several high-level members of the Demon Suppressing Division witnessed all of this.

"It seems that someone is deliberately instigating the people to cause trouble, attempting to disrupt our deployment,"

Zhao Ting said with a gloomy expression.

"Division Master Zhao doesn't need to worry. They are just ordinary people. It's only natural that they are worried about anomalies."

Zhou Yunxuan looked calm, his gaze sweeping over the gradually quieting crowd below the city.

"Next, I will step forward, otherwise, if everyone runs away, the power of this sealing formation will be reduced."

"Let's go, I'll go with you."

Zhao Ting closely followed behind Zhou Yunxuan.

The two of them flew up together and landed on the city gate tower.

Stepping onto a high platform, he stood tall and upright, with an extraordinary bearing, and said loudly:

"Elders and folks of Yunzhou City! I am Zhou Yunxuan, I believe everyone knows me."

"I deeply understand what happened today. But what everyone doesn't know is that the sealing formation of Yunzhou City needs the vital energy of everyone in the city as support, in order to exert its maximum power and completely suppress that Fierce creature."

"If everyone leaves at this time, the seal will weaken, and if the Fierce creature escapes, the entire Yunzhou and surrounding areas will be plunged into misery!"

"Then it will be useless for everyone to run anywhere, and the entire area within hundreds of miles of Yunzhou City will be turned into ruins!"

When everyone heard this, they couldn't help but look at each other. The crowd, which had been restless and wanted to cause trouble again, was now shocked by Zhou Yunxuan's words.

At this moment, an old man named Old Dai tremblingly stepped out from the crowd and asked, "Lord City Lord, is what you said true? Does this sealing formation really require our vital energy?"

"Yes, those among you who cultivate know that a martial artist's vital energy can harm anomalies. And suppressing the fierce creature relies on everyone's usual accumulation, subtly suppressing its Fierce aura."

Zhou Yunxuan looked at the crowd with a firm gaze.

"In normal times, the people of Yunzhou City live and work in peace, and everyone's vital energy contains a love for life and a desire to protect our home."

"These seemingly invisible forces, when gathered together, are the key to sealing the fierce creature. If everyone leaves now, this power that has been accumulated for many years will dissipate, and the seal will be in imminent danger."

Zhou Yunxuan nodded solemnly, looking at the old man with a firm gaze.

"Old sir, I, Zhou Yunxuan, swear in the name of the City Lord that everything I have said is true. Over the years, Yunzhou City has been safe and sound, thanks not only to the Demon Suppressing Division and the City Guards, but also to the perseverance of every fellow villager present. Now that the fierce creature is facing the crisis of being freed, we can only overcome this difficulty together if we work together."

There was silence in the crowd as everyone pondered Zhou Yunxuan's words. At this moment, a young man shouted loudly:

"Lord City Lord, we believe you! You have been protecting Yunzhou City for so many years, we are willing to listen to you!"

"Yes, we'll listen to the City Lord!"

More and more people responded, and their voices converged into a powerful force, echoing in the sky above the city gate square.

Zhou Yunxuan felt a warmth in his heart and said loudly:

"Good!

"With everyone's words, I, Zhou Yunxuan, am relieved."

"Please go home as soon as possible, close your doors and windows, and wait for the sealing ceremony to end. The City Guards and the Demon Suppressing Division will protect everyone's safety."

Upon hearing this, the old man nodded with a solemn expression and turned to the crowd, saying:

"Folks, the City Lord won't lie to us. We've lived peacefully in Yunzhou City for years, and now is the time when we need to contribute. Don't run around, listen to the City Lord!"

"Okay, we'll listen to the City Lord."

The crowd calmed down, and then left the city gate in a hubbub.