Zhou Wuji was itching to take revenge, but then he suddenly remembered Zhiyuan's instructions Zhiyuan he left.
Zhiyuan's final words, "Don't run around," were quite stern, clearly a warning against taking the opportunity to cause trouble.
Zhang Shiheng led a group of experts to Old Dragon Island. The Zhang Household was vulnerable; if something happened to Zhang Household, suspicion would definitely fall on him...
"We can't treat everyone else like fools..."
Zhou Wuji calmed down after thinking about this. Although he possessed the Heavenly Puppet Technique and the Yin Yang Dao Dharma Robe, making a move at this moment would inevitably arouse suspicion...
As Zhou Wuji weighed the pros and cons, Peng Yue arrived. He inquired about Zhou Wuji's situation and looked at the billowing smoke with a solemn expression.
Chief Constable Li Yuanqing also arrived.
Upon hearing that something had happened on Old Dragon Island, Prefect Peng Yue's expression became even more serious. He immediately ordered Li Yuanqing to summon all the yamen runners, constables, and clerks.
With such a major incident, Yunyang Prefecture must not be thrown into chaos. It is imperative to immediately mobilize militia and local guards to stand guard and patrol at night.
The prefect was the true chief official of Yunyang Prefecture and could directly command the garrison troops when necessary.
This overlapped with the jurisdiction of the Pacification Office, but the Prefect had greater power. Even Zhang Shiheng had to obey the Prefect's orders.
Peng Yue was experienced; the eerie smoke billowing into the sky was a strange phenomenon that could easily alarm some people and cause widespread panic.
Not only the Five Dragons Gang may take the opportunity to cause trouble, but also members of the Demonic Sect and local thugs may try to create trouble.
At this juncture, it is imperative to take strong and forceful action to appease public sentiment. As long as public morale remains stable, a small minority cannot cause any major upheaval.
Watching from the side, Zhou Wuji found that Peng Yue was capable and decisive, and quite competent.
Including Li Yuanqing, this Sixth Rank martial artist, although he had the slickness of an official, was still very capable.
The lights in the main hall of the government office stayed on all night, and Peng Yue also stayed up all night. Although some people in the prefectural city took the opportunity to steal, rob, and vandalize, they were all quickly suppressed.
Seeing that he couldn't escape, Zhou Wuji completely abandoned the idea of risking revenge.
With such a major incident, Zhang Shiheng is bound to be in trouble. Without this Fifth Rank expert, dealing with Zhang Yunfeng will be a piece of cake for him...
Peng Yue sat in the main hall of the government office, and the majestic and imposing aura within the office grew stronger, blocking the Sha Qi rippling in the void from entering.
This is not a magic array, nor does it require anyone to operate it; it is simply the inherent aura of the government office itself.
Zhou Wuji thought this was probably what was meant by official authority and aura, which could not only instill fear in ordinary people but also suppress evil spirits and foul air...
At dawn, the dark red smoke that shot into the sky gradually dissipated.
The distance was too great for Zhou Wuji to discern anything.
However, the dissipation of the dark red Qi of Earth Sha should be a good thing.
At dawn, Pacification Office was sent on horseback to report that the Gu worm altar on Old Dragon Island had been destroyed, but the island's residents suffered heavy casualties, and many others were corrupted by the Qi of Earth Sha and turned into zombies. The main culprit Chen Dalu, was nowhere to be found.
Upon hearing this news, Peng Yue managed to maintain his composure, but his face turned deathly pale.
There were at least several thousand people on Old Dragon Island; the heavy casualties demonstrate just how dire the situation was.
Such a major incident occurred because Zhang Shiheng allowed Chen Dalu to escape, and Zhang Shiheng should bear the primary responsibility. However, as the highest-ranking official in Yunyang City, he cannot escape the consequences either.
Chief Constable Li Yuanqing also looked unwell. His actual official position was Tongpan, a proper Sixth Rank official.
His main job was to maintain order and apprehend thieves; with so many deaths and injuries on Old Dragon Island, he was bound to be implicated...
Although Zhou Wuji was not familiar with officialdom, he could guess that with such a big incident, everyone from the prefect to Li Yuanqing would be in trouble.
He had no sympathy for the two men; they must have received a lot of benefits from the Five Dragons Gang to sit idly by while the Five Dragons Gang controlled thousands of boatmen and laborers, dominating the upper and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.
Now that things have gone wrong, it's fair that both of them take responsibility.
The one who's truly unlucky is the old Daoist priest Zhiyuan. He's always been at odds with the Five Dragons Gang and hasn't gained any benefits. Now that something's happened, he'll probably have to bear the responsibility...
At noon, Daoist Yizhen arrived at the government office with dozens of people.
Daoist Yizhen said to Zhou Wuji, "The abbot commands us to get to Old Dragon Island as soon as possible to exorcise the demon."
Zhou Wuji nodded in agreement.
Peng Yue was very sensible and immediately arranged for a speedboat.
Old Dragon Island is located dozens of miles downstream from the east side of Yunyang Prefecture, and it is very convenient to take a boat there.
The boatman was a member of the Five Dragons Gang and was very familiar with the waterways they used.
There were also Pacification Office, constables, and other officials on board.
All parties were eager to know the specifics, and these people set off with the ship.
The Clippers weren't very big; they were almost full after putting in a few dozen people.
Fortunately, Daoist Yizhen was of extraordinary status and had a private cabin.
Wuming came along this time, Zhou Wuji shamelessly entered the cabin as well.
Even the usually composed Daoist Yizhen sighed repeatedly, saying that this matter had already alarmed the academy and the Heavenly Master's Manor, and even if it was resolved smoothly, there would be accountability in the future.
Zhou Wuji remained silent; such important matters were not his concern.
Wuming, unaware of the gravity of the situation, asked with some concern, "Father, won't you be implicated?"
"I'll be fine, I'm just worried about the host..."
Daoist Yizhen shook his head. He was merely the temple master; he was not qualified to shoulder such a heavy responsibility, even if he wanted to.
His main concern was Zhiyuan. Although the old man was greedy, he was, after all, a member of the Heavenly Pivot Lineage and was able to manage the Lower Court very well.
If someone from another branch of the family were to preside over the Lower Court Representatives, who knows what kind of mess they would make of it.
Seeing Yizhen's worried expression, Zhou Wuji sighed inwardly. Yizhen used to be calm and composed, only when it didn't concern her.
When it comes to matters of personal interest, how many people can truly remain calm and composed?
Zhou Wuji thought for a moment and asked, "Uncle-Master, what's the situation with Old Dragon Island?"
"According to the host, many people were killed by the Qi of Earth Sha, but they had Gu worms implanted in their bodies early on, and the humans and Gu worms coexisted for several years."
"Now, people die but the insects don't; they've mutated into zombies."
Daoist Yizhen spoke of these things with a look of pity on his face. The Old Dragon Island was full of the families of the Five Dragons Gang, mainly the elderly, women and children.
Chen Dalu was utterly ruthless; he had already implanted Gu worms in everyone.
When combined with the Qi of Earth Sha, it created numerous mutated zombies.
Zhou Wuji could only sigh. It was one thing for Chen Dalu to harm outsiders, but he had even made arrangements for his own people long ago. He deserved to die.
It's a pity that Zhang Shiheng was incompetent, letting this person go and causing a great disaster!
As the sun began to set, casting a crimson glow over the sky and water, Zhou Wuji and his companions landed on Old Dragon Island.
The Zhou Wuji stepped onto the sandy soil of Old Dragon Island, he could "smell" the pervasive Qi of Earth Sha.
With his keen perception of aura, he could even feel the scorching heat emanating from the Qi of Earth Sha, making him feel as if he were next to a furnace, his mouth and throat parched, as if he were being roasted dry.
In reality, ordinary people cannot feel the invasion of the Qi of Earth Sha; they cannot even perceive the intense heat that penetrates their internal organs.
However, the permeation of the Qi of Earth Sha is real, and over time, it will inevitably cause illness.
The lowest-ranking members of the Lower Court who came this time were all at the Eighth-Rank Qi Ingestion, and they all felt the erosion of the Qi of Earth Sha, with many showing strong discomfort.
Daoist Yizhen was prepared for this; he took out stacks of Body-Cleansing Divine Talisman and distributed more than ten to each person.
" The Body-Cleansing Divine Talisman sufficient to maintain its effect for several hours, resisting the invasion of the Qi of Earth Sha."
"Your cultivation level is insufficient; you must pay attention to this aspect."
Daoist Yizhen returned the money to the accompanying guards and constables, but being proud of his status, he naturally wouldn't charge them.
The others traveling with them were extremely grateful. The talisman might not be worth much money, but in this situation, it could save their lives.
As soon as the group landed on the island, a foreigner came to guide them.
Before long, Zhou Wuji saw Zhiyuan, Zhang Shiheng, Xinjue, and others.
The group of people all looked exhausted, but Zhang Shiheng's eyes still shone with a sharp light, revealing the powerful strength of Fifth Rank martial artist.
Zhang Shiheng's gaze turned cold when he saw Zhou Wuji, but he didn't say anything more.
Zhiyuan sat wearily on a rock. He was already short and thin, and sitting hunched over made him look even shorter. His purple-gold robe was covered in dust and bloodstains, making him look even more wretched.
Zhiyuan said in a deep voice, "There are no living people left on the island. Just do your thing without any hesitation."
"As long as even one zombie survives, it could cause a major disaster."
The Daoist Yizhen solemnly agreed.
Zhiyuan further instructed, "The zombies are controlled by the Qi of Earth Sha and Gu worms, and some zombies may also harbor a wisp of the remnant soul of Yin Dragon, making them extremely difficult to deal with. You must be very careful."
"This matter can't be completed in a short time. Yixing for the reinforcements to arrive and set up the camp first. Yixing is good at setting up formations, so we'll set up the magic array after the camp is ready. Protect yourselves first, there's no need to rush into action..."
Although Zhiyuan was very tired, his mind was very clear, and he made arrangements in all aspects.
Yizhen was also prepared; many of them brought large bags of supplies and items.
Daoist priests, when traveling, inevitably need to camp in the wild. They have a wealth of experience in this regard.
Daoist Yizhen led his men to set up the camp, Zhiyuan left Zhou Wuji alone.
" Wuji, be careful of others plotting against you."
Zhiyuan glanced at Zhang Shiheng not far away. With his Divine Sense power, he could easily block outsiders from peeping, so he wasn't afraid that Zhang Shiheng would hear him.
"Even if this matter is resolved, the best outcome for Zhang Shiheng is a demotion or transfer. He hates you to the core. You must be extremely careful around him."
Zhou Wuji was puzzled. "The host is incompetent, why is he blaming me? That's unreasonable!"
Zhang Shiheng felt that you deliberately offered your advice in public yesterday. If he listened to you, he would be the one to take the credit if things went well. If he didn't listen to you, he would be the one to take responsibility if something went wrong.
" The Zhang Household has a deep conflict with you, so naturally they won't listen to you. Zhang Shiheng said he clearly wanted to send someone to Old Dragon Island to investigate the situation, but because of your words, he didn't..."
Zhou Wuji was speechless. How could Zhang Shiheng be so cunning? He was trying to shift the blame onto him now. It was utterly ridiculous!
Zhiyuan looked deeply at Zhou Wuji as she spoke, " Zhang Shiheng is convinced that all of this is your scheme. What do you have to say about that?"
Zhou Wuji calmly faced Zhiyuan's scrutinizing gaze. "What I say is not important; what's important is how the host views it."
"Although you are cunning, you wouldn't do such a thing."
Zhiyuan shook her head slightly and said, " Zhang Shiheng is judging others by his own standards; he's not worth mentioning."
The old Daoist sighed and said, " Zhang Shiheng can only be described as stubborn, self-willed, and selfish, but Chen Dalu is truly wicked."
"They dug a tunnel on Old Dragon Island to secretly draw in the Qi of Earth Sha, and even fed the dragon soul within the Sha Qi with Gu worms."
"Originally, the Dragon Soul wouldn't have amounted to much, but Chen Dalu opened the restrictions and released the Qi of Earth Sha, killing thousands of people. He used the Essence Blood of these people to feed the Gu worms and nourish the Dragon Soul, thus cultivating the Yin Dragon..."
Zhiyuan to achieve profound mastery of Law Technique, so that even without witnessing the process, I can deduce the result from the outcome.
He said, " Chen Dalu took part of the Yin Dragon's soul and ran away, while the remaining Yin Dragon's soul merged with the Gu worms and remained in the bodies of some zombies."
" The Qi of Earth Sha here is too strong. The zombies are nourished by this Qi of Earth Sha dragon souls will continue to grow stronger. Therefore, these zombies must be eliminated as soon as possible..."
Zhiyuan took Zhou Wuji very seriously, explaining the situation of the zombies and the Yin Dragon in detail so that Zhou Wuji would understand their power.
Zhou Wuji understood Zhiyuan's good intentions, and he said solemnly, "Rest assured, Master, I will definitely wipe out all the demons and leave no trace of trouble!"
"The younger generation in the Lower Court depends on you."
He said Zhiyuan, "Take good care of yourself, don't be impulsive, there's plenty of time..."
(Last day of the month, please vote with monthly tickets~)