Chapter 800 - 558: Siege!
The next day, the sun hung high, the sky was dazzling.
Within Magistrate Zhang’s mansion, house servants, Xu Kun’s group of disciples, along with Wu County Magistrate’s strong servants, over a hundred people in total, all disguised, carrying coarse rice and mixed grains, wooden buckets of hot porridge, marching grandly towards the disaster sheds on the outskirts of the city, under the banner of "Followers of Xuanyang Daoist, here to comfort disaster victims".
Xu Kun walked at the forefront of the team, dressed in a neat short outfit, the long sword at his waist wrapped in coarse cloth, yet unable to hide its fierce cold gleam.
His face was hard and cold, eyes like hawks, scanning the road ahead, carrying a fierce aura cultivated over years of battling in the martial world.
Having practiced martial arts since childhood and immersed in Swordsmanship for decades, his swift sword technique was unmatched within the state mansion.
Below the Grandmaster level, rarely encountered a worthy opponent!
In his eyes, this trip to slay a deceitful demon Daoist was just using an ox cleaver to kill a chicken, a waste of talent.
...
Inside the disaster shed was a different scene.
Around the preaching platform, the followers were densely packed, either sitting cross-legged quietly or standing solemnly with heads bowed, lowly reciting "The Supreme Boundless", the sound of chanting rising and falling, clear and serene.
Upon the platform, Chen Sheng sat calmly on a cushion, his Moon White Daoist Robe spotless, faint True Strength circulating around him, emitting a gentle glow in the sunlight.
He held a nine-section staff, his voice warm yet extremely penetrating, each word entering the ear, every sentence reaching the heart.
Around the platform, twenty protective Warriors in Profound Black Martial Attire stood tall like pine trees, eyes sharp as eagles, guarding the platform tightly.
At this moment, Xu Kun and his group carrying food and porridge, faces full of sincerity, claimed ’Admiring the Daoist Master, specifically here to listen to teachings’, smoothly blended into the crowd, pressing closer to the platform.
Xu Kun slowed his steps, the long sword at his waist revealing only a cold edge, his eyes calmly assessing the crowd’s position, quickly calculating distances within his mind, having already set a ruthless plan of killing one every ten steps.
Ten steps... Nine steps... Eight steps...
The platform was now within reach.
"Zheng——!"
A clear and piercing sword cry, splitting the air!
Xu Kun’s figure suddenly shot out, like an eagle capturing a rabbit, directly targeting Chen Sheng atop the platform!
But in front of him, he abruptly collided with a figure like an iron tower.
The Warrior boldly blocked the way!
Xu Kun’s eyes flashed with disdain, his wrist shook fiercely, and the long sword swung horizontally.
Though this sword didn’t use full strength, it was still enough to cut through gold and iron, and an ordinary strong man would have been sliced in two.
"Dang——!"
Metal clashed, sparks flying.
The long sword struck the Warrior’s chest, as if hitting refined steel, not only unable to penetrate flesh a bit, but instead rebounded with tremendous force, shaking Xu Kun’s wrist, causing intense pain in his tiger’s mouth.
The Warrior’s body burst with golden light, making his face even more dignified.
Xu Kun withdrew his sword and retreated swiftly, his expression concentrated, shouted in a deep voice:
"Golden Bell Cover? What impressive hard-trained skill! State your name!"
But the Warrior didn’t bother to speak.
In his mind, Daoist Master Chen Sheng was the heaven, the god, the supreme existence that couldn’t be violated.
This person before him hiding a weapon, attempting to assassinate the Daoist Master, was already a heinous crime deserving death!
"Kill!"
The Warrior uttered a low shout, his feet unmoving, as his right fist smashed out!
The fist wind howled, like a thunderbolt, directly hitting Xu Kun’s face, the speed exceeding Xu Kun’s expectations.
Xu Kun felt a tightness in his chest, hurriedly dodged to the side.
The fist wind swept past his cheek, actually forcefully cutting his sideburns, the gust stabbing his skin, showing the terrifying force of the punch.
"Impressive!"
Xu Kun snorted coldly, all contempt gone, his expression as heavy as a mountain.
His blood surged, True Strength erupted violently, and the long sword thrust out again, directly aiming at the Warrior’s heart.
This sword, empowered by True Strength, could pierce through not only flesh but also iron pillars!
But the next scene, directly caused Xu Kun’s pupils to shrink, terrified beyond belief.
Facing this deadly sword, the Warrior didn’t dodge, instead reached out his right hand, forcefully grabbing towards the sword tip!
"Chi——"
The long sword pierced the skin, spilling a splash of crimson red.
But the Warrior’s face didn’t change, seemingly without any pain.
His wrist flipped fiercely, fingers like pliers, gripping the sword blade tightly!
Crack!
A crisp sound!
The blade capable of cutting hair was unbelievably snapped by his bare hand!
The Warrior’s body surged with profound light, blood and energy rolling like a furnace.
Xu Kun froze in place, his voice trembling:
"How is it possible... How could there be such a terrifying flesh body in the world!"
"Grandmaster of Hard Training?"
Before he could finish, heavy footsteps sounded all around.
Four or five protective Warriors surrounded him, bodies wrapped in golden light, eyes cold as knives, raging with anger, like moving mountains, pressing towards him.
These Warriors didn’t know martial arts techniques, but possessed immense strength and speed far beyond ordinary people, with their bodies protected by profound light, nearly impervious to blades and guns, truly lethal weapons on earth.
As the saying goes, chaotic fists kill master teachers!
No matter how high Xu Kun’s swordsmanship was, facing a group of fearless, immensely powerful monsters, he instantly fell into disadvantage.
The broken sword blocked, each collision shook his arm with giant force, joints creaking.
He tried to break out, but was tightly entangled by the Warriors, fists like storm continuously pounded on him, cracking sounds of bones ringing repeatedly.
"Impossible!"
"How could there be so many masters of Hard Training?"
Xu Kun howled, full of despair, having roamed the martial world for years, never so embarrassed.
In just a moment, he was pinned to the ground by several Warriors, a heavy punch hitting his chest.
Xu Kun spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, not knowing how many ribs were broken, the acute pain overwhelming him, his vision blackened, fainting on the spot.
On the other side, Xu Kun’s disciples and the house servants attacked simultaneously, wielding blades wildly, attempting to storm the platform and slay the master.
But as soon as they moved, they were promptly surrounded by the core disciples and protective Warriors already prepared.
The protective Warriors, like tigers among sheep, crashed and charged, knives and swords cutting on them as mere tickles.
Cries of agony filled the disaster shed!
"Impossible!"
"Monster!"
"All are monsters!"
The household servants were severely wounded and killed; some were so scared that they dropped their knives and knelt to beg for mercy, but the warriors and disciples had only killing intent in their eyes—continue the assault!
Anyone who dares to defy the Daoist Master deserves death and cannot be spared.
On the high platform, Chen Sheng’s gaze penetrated the chaos and landed on the unconscious Xu Kun, with a slight movement in his heart:
"A swordsman, martial arts?"
He lightly waved his hand, dispersing a gentle stream of True Qi. His voice was calm yet carried supreme authority, penetrating the uproar of the crowd:
"Halt."
As the word fell, all warriors and disciples instantly restrained themselves, bowing deeply with unparalleled respect; the previous bloodthirsty ferocity disappeared without a trace.
Chen Sheng glanced over the disorder, and instructed indifferently:
"Spare his life; bind the rest entirely, watch over them strictly; no one is to escape."
"Follow the Daoist Master’s decree!"
Li Shi accepted the order and immediately led his men forward to lock up the captives.
Chen Sheng looked no more, slowly rising to stand on the high platform.
His stature was as upright as a pine tree, holding a nine-section staff, his gaze sweeping over thousands of devotees. The Daoist Master’s pressure pervaded the scene, rendering it silent.
In the next instant, his voice was loud as a bell, directly piercing through people’s hearts:
"The Supreme is boundless, delivering humanity!"
"The government is ruthless, the powerful are unjust, to secretly dispatch assassins, attempt to harm me, slaughter my followers!"
"Today, I lead you all—to seize the city! Execute traitors! Secure the people!"
"Seize the city! Execute traitors! Secure the people!"
Followers instantly erupted, fervent like tidal waves, their cries shaking the heavens and earth.
Chen Sheng, holding the nine-section staff, strode at the forefront.
Dozens of warriors protected the Dao; hundreds of core disciples followed closely; thousands of migrant followers surged like tides.
The troop swept grandly towards Ning County City
The crowd gathered more and more, its momentum devouring the heavens!
...
Before long, the crowd had arrived beneath Ning City gates.
The city gates were tightly shut!
On the walls, hundreds of local militia were ready for battle, arrows nocked, swords unsheathed, rolling stones and wooden logs stood in a line; the official flag fluttered in the wind.
Chen Sheng raised his eyes to the city, a faint cold smile formed on his lips, thinking:
"The powerful officials indeed prepared for both ends."
"Unfortunately, it’s like a mantis trying to block a cart!"
At his thought, his True Qi suddenly surged, the Moon White Daoist Robe fluttered without wind, floating as if the Heavenly Immortal descended to earth, pressure radiating through the fields.
He spared no further words, pinching his fingers to form a technique, chanting spells low and profound, True Qi stirred.
At his fingertips, a touch of scarlet spirit light condensed, drawing runes in the air, brush strokes resembling dragons and snakes, runes complex, implicitly carrying the power of thunder, completed in one breath.
Having finished drawing the rune, Chen Sheng’s eyes slightly opened, voice like thunder, resounding throughout the heavens and earth:
"Wind, come!"
As the words fell, the world changed abruptly!
The previously clear daylight instantly engulfed by storm clouds, the blackened curtains surged.
Whirlwinds roared up, sweeping sand and stones fiercely against the walls, blowing the flags atop the walls into rags, the militia standing unsteady, their faces pale.
"Thunder, come!"
Another summon rang, lightning and thunder tearing the sky apart!
"Boom—!"
Blinding white lightning slashed across the black clouds, illuminating the entirety of Ning City, thunder deafening, as though heaven and earth were collapsing.
Within the storm clouds, thunder light rolled ragingly, divine might vast, striking dread into hearts.
Atop the walls, Ensign Wu, Magistrate Zhang, and Lu Zhao’s faces drained of color, bodies trembling, eyes only bearing extreme terror.
"Demon, demon magic... this is sorcery!"
Magistrate Zhang’s teeth chattered, remorse like a knife twisting in his heart.
He had thought it merely a trick of the martial world, but who knew it was true divine techniques summoning the winds and thunder!
Ensign Wu’s face was ashen, filled with despair.
He had warned everyone early on, this Daoist was no ordinary man, yet none listened. Now, as disaster loomed, it’s too late for regret!
Lu Zhao’s legs were weak, almost collapsed, having schemed momentarily, unwittingly provoking such an existence.
Beneath the walls, the believers witnessed the divine might, all knelt down, bowed their heads and shouted:
"The Supreme is boundless! Deliver humanity! Daoist Master’s divine might!"
Cry and thunder intertwined, rushing to the clouds.
Chen Sheng stood arrayed in the forefront, expression indifferent, as if this earthly phenomenon was merely a trivial gesture.
He gently pointed his finger, speaking calmly:
"Fall."
"Boom—!!!"
A purple celestial thunder, thick as a bucket, crashed down fiercely from the nine heavens storm cloud, carrying the force to destroy heavens and earth, striking precisely upon the city walls!
Bricks and stones splattered, dust soared skyward!
The solid city walls, under celestial thunder, were akin to paper paste, collapsed violently, blasting open a giant breach over ten yards wide.
On the walls, militia struck by thunder power, either dead or wounded, the survivors scrambled to throw down their gear and flee, with no intent to resist remaining.
Chen Sheng slowly breathed out, the Moon White Daoist Robe still spotless, True Qi swirling, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes:
"The celestial thunder rune’s power truly did not disappoint."
He waved his hand, voice authoritative, spreading through the fields:
"Enter the city!"
"Enter the city! Enter the city! Enter the city!"
The believers’ morale surged, like tigers descending mountains, swarming through the breach in the city walls.