"What are you going there for?"
Gu Shuling asked subconsciously.
"To clean up your ex-husband's mess."
Xiao Cangqing spoke slowly, adjusting his suit.
Every crease was meticulously perfect, just like his personality—uncompromising and intolerant of any flaw.
His tone was as calm as still water, but the hostility and contempt within were a roiling undercurrent he couldn't hide.
"Chu He is no longer the National Guardian War God of the Great Jing Empire.
The Defender of the Demon Cave was replaced long ago.
What does it have to do with him that Evil Spirits have reappeared in the Great Jing Empire?"
Gu Shuling was confused, trying to understand the deeper meaning behind Xiao Cangqing's words.
"You seem quite concerned about your ex-husband."
A vicious glint suddenly appeared in Xiao Cangqing's eyes, a look that could devour a person whole.
Gu Shuling flinched at his piercing gaze. She subconsciously tugged at her pajamas, feeling a dull ache from the wound on her chest.
It was a scar from a cigarette burn, and every touch brought her pain.
This time, Xiao Cangqing didn't argue further with Gu Shuling. He turned and walked out of the villa.
Outside, a large crowd of reporters had already gathered.
They stared at Xiao Cangqing with excited faces, as if he were a hero come to save the world.
The moment Xiao Cangqing stepped out of the villa,
countless camera flashes lit up the scene. The endless CLICK, CLICK, CLICK of shutters was like a field of twinkling stars.
Xiao Cangqing stood in the spotlight, his eyes glinting with excitement.
He had finally stepped out from behind the scenes and into the limelight. The moment felt exhilarating.
Xiao Cangqing had been waiting for this chance to prove his strength to the entire Great Jing Empire, and indeed, to the Human Race of the entire planet.
He would prove that Chu He, hailed by all as the number one, was nothing but a pathetic clown. His ruin and disgrace were just the first step.
This was all deliberately arranged by Ji Shengyue.
She was using the incident of the Evil Spirits haunting Dalang City as an opportunity to forge a new spiritual pillar for the people of the Great Jing Empire.
And Xiao Cangqing was the one she had chosen.
"Wow, Xiao Cangqing is so handsome! That refined and gentle aura he has is exactly my dream type."
"And he's so young! With him, our Great Jing Empire will surely enter a new era of peace and prosperity. That parasite Chu He can't possibly shake the foundations of our Empire."
"Her Majesty Ji Shengyue's choice was right after all! She's shown us the power of women. We women can hold up half the sky too!"
"..."
The live stream's chat flooded the screen like a tidal wave, the dense text nearly obscuring the entire picture.
Viewers all expressed their adoration and reverence for Xiao Cangqing.
An official host holding a microphone hurried over to Xiao Cangqing. "Mr. Xiao Cangqing, Dalang City is currently under attack by Evil Spirits, and the casualties are heavy.
Are you confident you can quell this crisis?
Is there anything you'd like to say to the people of that city?"
Xiao Cangqing smiled faintly, his gaze confident. "As long as I make a move, the entire crisis will be resolved.
The people of Dalang City can rest assured."
...
「Dalang City.」
The once-bustling metropolis was now shrouded in a deathly silence.
The entrance to every street, large or small, was sealed tight with police tape. The flashing traffic lights seemed especially garish on the empty streets.
The red and blue lights of police cars intertwined, burning silently at the intersections like cold flames.
Fully armed Martial Artists stood guard, their shadows stretching long in the dim yellow sunset. Their faces were set with determination, ready to plunge into an unknown battle at any moment.
A grim atmosphere permeated the city's air. Even the wind felt heavy, carrying a biting chill.
Chu He stood in the distance, his gaze piercing through layers of gloom to rest upon the sky above Dalang City.
An evil energy coiled there like a dark cloud, a stark contrast to the clear sky surrounding it.
The weather forecast had clearly predicted a sunny day, yet the city was shrouded in an invisible haze that struggled to let any light through.
Chu He gently tapped Ye Lingyun's shoulder, and the two of them vanished from the spot without a trace.
When they reappeared, they were already in the heart of Dalang City.
The once-bustling streets were now deserted. Only the occasional gust of wind stirred the trash on the ground, creating a harsh scraping sound.
"Teacher, why did we come here?"
Ye Lingyun's voice was filled with confusion and curiosity.
Although Chu He had never formally accepted her as a disciple, Ye Lingyun already considered him her teacher.
Under Chu He's guidance, her strength had improved by leaps and bounds. This gratitude and admiration only strengthened her resolve to address him as such.
Chu He didn't answer. A profound light glinted in his eyes.
His Immortal Primordial Spirit began to spread out slowly, silently blanketing the entire city of Dalang like a flowing current.
Through the perception of this Spiritual Power, every corner of Dalang City appeared clearly in his mind.
The once-prosperous city had become a playground for Evil Spirits.
Streets, shops, residential buildings, office towers... every place bore the marks of the Evil Spirits' rampage.
Severed limbs and splattered blood spoke of the tragedy and despair that had unfolded here.
The survivors hid in temporarily safe places, trembling as they waited for rescue to arrive.
Suddenly, Chu He's focus locked onto an office building.
He could clearly sense a powerful, evil aura surging within it.
He took Ye Lingyun's hand, and they vanished once more.
The next moment, the two of them appeared inside the office building.
Several office workers were cowering in the corner of a restroom, their faces etched with terror and despair.
And at the restroom's entrance stood a Ghost Infant, its entire body a deathly, ashen blue.
Its eyes had turned blood-red, emitting a soul-stealing glow.
This was the very Ghost Infant that had killed Zhao Fen!
If Zong Yajuan were here, she would have recognized this Ghost Infant.
Back then, if that rotting, foul-smelling male Evil Spirit hadn't appeared, the members of the Time Girl Group would have joined forces and rewritten this Ghost Infant's fate.
They would have easily slain it and stopped its rampage.
However, the wheel of fate had quietly turned.
The Ghost Infant found a place to nourish itself in Dalang City, devouring countless humans.
Its aura grew ever more malevolent, threatening to shroud the entire city in darkness.
"Did you guys feel that? The temperature in the restroom just dropped like a rock. It's like being in an icehouse," a worker said, his voice trembling and his teeth chattering from the cold.
"And... and the lights are flickering!"
Another worker pointed at the ceiling in terror.
The restroom lights flickered on and off, accompanied by a CRACKLE, CRACKLE of electricity that heralded some ill omen.
"Could... could it be that horrifying Ghost Infant is getting closer?"
A slightly older worker's voice trembled, filled with fear and despair.
The workers huddled together in a bathroom stall, clinging to one another as if to draw some warmth from each other's bodies.
The frigid air seemed to pierce right through them, offering no escape from the chill.
Just then, a man's voice came from outside. "Your target is this Ghost Infant. Take care of it."
Immediately after, a powerful gust of air erupted in the hallway. A tremendous BOOM followed, shaking the entire restroom.
A sharp, piercing shriek from the Ghost Infant tore through the silent hallway, chilling everyone to the bone.
"Could... could it be that a Martial Artist has come to save us?"
one of the workers said with a spark of hope.
But that glimmer of hope was quickly swallowed by darkness.
The lightbulbs in the restroom suddenly burst one after another with a harsh shattering sound.
The workers quickly shut their mouths and held their breath, terrified of making the slightest sound.
They watched in horror as the surrounding walls began to rot at a visible rate, as if some evil power were corroding the building.
A thick, putrid stench spread rapidly, like a foul odor seeping up from the depths of Hell.
The workers' eyes went wide, unable to comprehend this sudden, bizarre phenomenon.
In their experience, this was completely beyond reason.
「Outside.」
The plaster on the walls was rapidly decaying and peeling away.
A rotting male Evil Spirit appeared in the darkness.