Chapter 819 – The Stamping of Hooves Disorders the Morning Light (2/2)
In sending someone to deliver this bottle overnight to Hanqiu City, he would be given plenty of opportunities to pull underhanded tricks, if he was willing to do it.
The archbishop's complexion incessantly shifted, one moment red and the next moment white, and then finally returning to serenity.
He took the small bottle without even the smallest tremble.
”I will not betray Your Holiness's trust.”
……
……
Zhexiu looked at Chen Changsheng's wan complexion and cautioned, ”Blood can replenish itself, but if you keep this up, it will have a large effect on your cultivation.”
Chen Changsheng replied, ”I eat a lot of spirit fruits and precious herbs every day. The problem shouldn't be too great.”
Zhexiu replied, ”If you want to be a Saint, it will be a massive problem.”
Chen Changsheng fell quiet, not responding.
Zhexiu stared into his eyes and said, ”Did she not stop you?”
Chen Changsheng knew that he was not referring to Xu Yourong or the writer of the letter, but the little Black Dragon.
He couldn't help but smile upon recalling that intense quarrel he had with her at the very start.
Zhexiu continued, ”Compared to saving those people, it's far more important to this world that you get stronger.”
Chen Changsheng's gaze paused on the pear tree outside the door as he said, ”II understand this reasoning, but… It would be fine if I had never thought about this method, but since I now know that as long as I use some of my blood every month, I can save several dozen lives, it's truly difficult for me to not do it.”
Guan Feibai, who had been quiet all this time, replied, ”That's reasonable. I would also find myself in a difficult position if I were you.”
Zhexiu had grown up in the harsh and cruel wastelands of the north and found it impossible to understand the thought processes of these disciples from the famous righteous sects of the south. Shaking his head, he said no more.
”When you were making medicine, the Daoist church announced your arrival to Wenshui.”
Guan Feibai turned to Chen Changsheng and asked, ”What I don't understand is that even though you've revealed your identity, making the Tang clan unable to touch you, how can you rescue Tang Tang? Even if you personally pay a visit, if they don't let you in, what can you do? Not even the Pope can force their way into the ancestral hall.”
”I also don't know. I'll look at the situation tomorrow.”
Chen Changsheng glanced at the night sky. Seeing the countless twinkling stars, he surmised that tomorrow would be a clear day.
The weather was warm and pleasant during the day, but a wind suddenly blew in over the night. A winter wind came down from the mountains of the north, entering the city through the Wenshui and lingering around the Daoist church.
The pear tree lightly swayed, once more shedding a few of its leaves. It looked rather dreary, apparently forecasting a possible change in weather.
……
……
The change came on the morning of the next day.
It was not a sudden sprinkling of snow, nor was it a blinding wind. It was countless claps of thunder.
The thunderous stamping of hooves shattered the morning light and made the earth quake, sending the plains into turmoil. Wenshui City rang with warning bells, and the city gates, which had not closed in several centuries, closed with unimaginable speed.
The various types of defensive divine crossbows mounted on the city walls turned to face the northern plains. Countless somber and powerful strands of Qi shot into the air, a sign that the countless arrays within the city gate, walls, and even underground were beginning to move.
Just by seeing the number of defensive divine crossbows, the density of the arrays, and the flying carriages streaking through the sky, one understood that Wenshui City's defenses were incredibly powerful, so far surpassing the norm that they were even comparable to Luoyang's defenses.
Even more awe-inspiring was the fact that, although they were visibly shocked at the thundering hooves, none of the soldiers by the city gate, the fast-reacting Tang clan guards, or even the ordinary peddlers and servants panicked. In a very orderly fashion, they quickly retreated into the city.
It was obvious that although Wenshui City had never once been sacked in these countless years, it had never forgotten how to fight.
Without even considering the unfathomable 'foundational resources' of the Tang clan, just the staunch defenses of the city and the well-trained soldiers and populace ensured that any attacker would have to pay a most miserable price. Even the most bloodthirsty, cruel, and ruthless demon wolf cavalry would not dare charge straight into the fray. They would assuredly pause outside the range of those several hundred divine crossbows.
As expected, the thundering hooves gradually halted, that black tide stopping on the plains a thousand zhang out from the city.