The southern outskirts of Thousand Flower Valley were currently descending into chaos. However, at this moment, the rest of the city was still unaware of the impending dangers. People went about their day as if nothing was wrong. The streets were filled with pedestrians and horse carriages.
The busiest was the city center and the central plaza that housed the teleportation array. The array flashed frequently, bringing people in and out of the city. A large number of city guards stood here. It was natural to guard one of the most important areas of the city and maintain order.
"Welcome to Thousand Flower City. Please state your name, affiliation, and purpose of visit!"
A squad of ten city guards surrounded a small crowd of new arrivals. The guards were among the best. Each one was at the upper levels of the Spirit Initiate Realm. As they wore shiny armor and carried powerful weapons, they were a formidable force against the average cultivator that would arrive through the array.
"New visitors? Please take this token and head to the New Arrival Administration building across the plaza!"
"Next, heading out? Please state your destination and we will calculate the cost!"
People flowed in and out of the central plaza. Nobody paid much attention to others as each person was focused on their own matters. Because of this, few people paid any attention to a large group of green robes that headed toward the teleportation array. Nobody noticed that these people wearing green robes were strange, that their faces were red and their eyes bloodshot.
"Is that Herbal Master Tu Jing?"
"Herbal Master!"
"Where are you going?"
Once the group reached the crowd at the teleportation array, they were recognized by other people waiting for their turn. The One-Eyed Herbal Master Tu Jing of the One Eye Sunrise herbal shops was a famous person throughout the city. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that half the people in the city were his customers. They didn't expect to see such a big figure today and many tried to strike up a conversation or curry favor. Few noticed that Tu Jing's face was strange and that he ignored everything around him. He forcefully pushed through the crowd with his disciples until he arrived at the bottom steps of the array.
"Oh? Isn't this One-Eyed Tu Jing?" Someone stepped in his path and spoke.
This person was Zhou Weiyan. He was a distant cousin of Zhou Ziyun. His cultivation was not bad at the middle levels of the Mind Focusing Realm. Due to his diligence and hard work in the past few years, he was rewarded with a position in the city guard as a commander. Today, it was his duty to oversee the teleportation array.
Due to his position and his status as a member of the Zhou Clan, he naturally did not need to feel inferior in front of a random person like Tu Jing. Where other residents of the city would bow in front of Tu Jing, Tu Jing had to bow in front of someone like Zhou Weiyan.
That didn't happen. Tu Jing stayed upright with a serious expression. Zhou Weiyan was struck by a fit of indignance and wanted to educate this old geezer for being rude.
However, before Zhou Weiyan could say anything else, Tu Jing acted. His skinny figure moved like a flash. His bony hand with sharp fingernails shot out like a spear and thrust into Zhou Weiyan's chest, straight through his armor.
Pu!
Zhou Weiyan spat out a mouthful of blood and stumbled backward, "You… you…"
He died before he could utter another word.
Following their master's lead, the disciples of One Eye Sunrise exploded into action. They revealed their unsightly faces and sinister auras. Without a sound, they charged at the scores of city guards, some of whom were still unaware.
"Ahhh!"
"Murder!"
"Help!"
The crowd exploded in chaos. Amidst the confusion, Tu Jing charged at the teleportation array like a wild beast. His hands were like twin spears, punching straight through armor like tofu.
"Stop him!"
"Halt!"
Finally, a squad of the strongest city guards blocked the way. With them together, Tu Jing dared not to be careless. But as he slowed, his disciples continued their rampage. Enhanced by strange medicine, each one was like a bloodthirsty demon. They would tear their opponents apart with their bare hands or bite into their flesh.
"Ahh!"
"Kill them!"
The city guards were quickly being overwhelmed. The weaker ones could not withstand this onslaught while the stronger ones were preoccupied with Tu Jing.
"Tu Jing! You dare attack Thousand Flower City? You are tired of living!" One of the remaining guard commanders shouted.
"Hahaha!" Tu Jing laughed, his face contorting in an ugly visage like a ghost, "You don't say…"
"Tu Jing, you dare laugh? Lord Immortal Chen will return and wipe out your entire family for this. He might even destroy your hometown!"
"Haha, enough talking, time to die." Tu Jing stopped laughing and took in a deep breath.
He then exhaled long and slow. A strange purple mist came out of his mouth and quickly dispersed around the plaza. Around him, his disciples were also expelling the same purple mist even as their bodies transformed from flesh to dried-up husks.
"Don't breathe!"
"Run!"
"Run away!"
The guards tried to flee but it was too late. The purple mist was everywhere. Once they inhaled even a tiny bit of it, they were as good as dead. Even if they didn't breathe it in, it penetrated their eyes and left them blind.
"Commander, activate the formation!" Someone shouted with their dying breath.
The one remaining commander in the rear reached for a jade medallion that hung around his neck. However, before they could touch it, Tu Jing had arrived and poked five finger-sized holes into the man's forehead.
"Haha, that takes care of that." He straightened and looked around.
The plaza was in chaos with people fleeing in all directions. The area around the teleportation array had been cleared out by his disciples, of which only a handful remained.
"Go! Destroy the array!"
At his command, they rushed towards the vulnerable pillars that were now undefended. But as he said that, a powerful surge of spiritual energy rose from the ground. In a flash, it formed a semi-transparent blue shield that completely enclosed the teleportation array. The people caught inside this spiritual shield instantly turned to ash.
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