Changning City. The sun rose in the east, piercing the thin mist and bringing light.
At that moment, Outer Scenery Experts stood guard at various points along the city walls, each leading a contingent of Orifice Opening experts. The city's defensive formations were half activated, and the gates stood wide open to welcome the squads of riders returning from all directions. Their carts were loaded with farmers and grain. Though the atmosphere was tense and oppressive, there was no sign of a Demonic Tide approaching.
"Huh? How could this be? Wasn't the Demonic Tide supposed to happen everywhere at once?" Qin Shuanghua stared into the distance, her voice full of confusion.
Seeing that Meng Qi and the others were puzzled, Qin Shuanglian hurriedly explained, "In every previous Demonic Tide, the Demonic Army poured out of every rift at the same time, without exception. Yet Changning City shows no sign of a Demonic Tide. They've only recalled the farmers working outside the city and their guards because they heard that one had erupted elsewhere."
"When things go against the grain, there's bound to be something strange afoot." Meng Qi frowned. "Still, this is a good thing. We can skip dealing with the Demonic Tide and head straight to the rift to seal it. But we must be extremely careful. There may be something strange going on."
Fearing that the Demonic Tide would cause heavy casualties, Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei had chosen to save Changning City first. But the city was peaceful and orderly, hardly looking as though a Great Tribulation were upon it.
The Qin sisters said no more. They followed Meng Qi and the others toward the rift in this region, though they remained uneasy, glancing back at Changning City again and again.
In Changning City, Qi Zhengyan