Hengyang Prefecture.
A furious wind wailed.
Heng Mountain stood to the north, the Five Ridges lay to the south, and the Xiang River ran through the city.
In ordinary times, it should have been a splendid land, with snow-like sand before Huiyan Peak and a hook-shaped moon over the Xiaoxiang River.
But now—
Great banners fluttered atop the city walls, yet beneath the monstrous miasma filling the sky, they seemed powerless.
Whoosh—!
A strange wind suddenly sprang up across the flat ground.
It howled with a desolate, piercing force.
It blotted out the sky and sun, and shrouded the moon until not a glimmer of light remained.
"Demon attack! Demons are attacking—!!!"
The Demon Suppression Guards on the city wall had barely finished shouting when—
The black wind swept over the wall, plunging straight into the city's main street as if no one stood in its way.
"Ah—!!!"
"The demons are here! Run!"
"Help! Mother! Save me—"
Countless citizens were like stalks of rice caught in a gale, swept into the air.
"You vile beast! Don't you dare run wild!"
Dozens of Demon Suppression Guards in dark robes with red patterns drew their blades and charged, roaring.
Though they knew they were no match, not one of them backed down.
Yet—
From within the black wind, a huge palm covered in black fur reached out.
Smack—!
The dozens of Demon Suppression Guards spat blood as they were sent flying.
"Whoosh..."
The black wind dispersed.
A hulking figure, more than ten feet tall, came into view.
It had the head of an ox and the body of a man, with two curved horns jutting skyward like iron halberds.
It wiped the blood from the corner of its mouth, its face alight with delight.
"Exhilarating! Exhilarating!"
"This is how it should have