This illusion, on the other hand, was extensive and continuous with a large variety of events, and moreover it had been constructed by the feathered tribe. Even Guyueye’s own sect leader might not be able to manifest it all. Mo Ran immediately thought of someone else. Could it be that fake Gouchen from Jincheng Lake?
Before he could think on it further, a strange sound burst forth from the skies above. The dozing people jolted awake like startled birds, looking around with wide eyes before they finally stared up.
For a moment, it was deathly silent. Then screams erupted like an explosion of water droplets in boiling oil.
The people tried to flee in every direction, only to discover there was nowhere to go, and screams came from all sides.
There was a fracture in the sky, and an enormous, bloodred ghost eye stared unnervingly down from directly above. The eye was so close that it was practically pressed against the barrier. A harsh, garbled voice boomed forth: “Chu Xun, how very bold of you, a mere mortal daring to deceive this venerable one.”
“The ghost king…” Mo Ran muttered.
There were nine kings of the ghost realm, and some were far stronger than others. The one before them now had yet to show himself, so there was no way to tell which one he was. That lone eyeball loomed in the sky, dripping with blood as it stared at the building below.
“Such arrogance. Absurd! You wish to save them, pathetic mortal? I might not have wiped out your city before, but since you wish to stand against me, I’ll kill every single one of you! None shall be spared!”
With a shrill shriek, a blinding red light shot from the ghost eye, aimed directly at the barrier.
Crimson clashed with gold, and for an instant all the other colors of the world ceased to be. The force of the impact sent debris flying into the howling gale and relentless rain. The tree branches in the courtyard snapped one after another. The citizens inside the barrier grew hysterical, wailing as they huddled together.
The Shangqing Barrier withstood the first hit, but another flash of red followed immediately after and struck the same spot. The barrier held out, but a crack appeared.
“How arrogant. Insufferable!”
The red light struck again and again, the impacts thundering and sparks flying. When the barrier was on the verge of collapse, Chu Wanning’s blood ran cold. Now that the illusion had been manifested, any attack that landed would be no different from one in the real world. If that attack were to hit them, both he and Mo Ran might die. Golden light gathered at his fingertips. This would surely blow his cover, but the situation being what it was, he had no choice.
He was about to summon Tianwen and get it over with when a resplendent bolt of light flew across the sky like an arrow and headed directly for the epicenter of the cracks in the barrier.
The crowd turned to see Chu Xun standing on a tall roof. He cradled a phoenix harp, and as his fingertips danced across its strings, they sent bolts of light sweeping forth to gather at the barrier. Each strum was as sharp and powerful as the rupturing of metal, and they instantly reinforced the Shangqing Barrier that had nearly failed.
“Gongzi is here!”
“Gongzi!”
The people below exclaimed one after another, some even crying with joy. Chu Xun held his own against the eye of the ghost king. The pair exchanged a hundred moves in an instant, and the ghost king was altogether unable to encroach past the barrier.
The cold voice rang again across the sky, even more menacingly. “Chu Xun, with your skills, you could have easily escaped by yourself. Why do you insist on meddling in affairs unrelated to you and making an enemy of the ghost realm?!”
“Your Majesty wishes harm upon my citizens. How could anything be less unrelated to me?”
“Ridiculous! We ghosts feed on the souls of the living. There is no difference between us eating souls and you eating meat! You will understand soon enough—once you’re dead!”
Chu Xun didn’t miss a beat, the notes of his harp never pausing. “Then we’ll just have to see if Your Majesty can take this head from my shoulders.”
As he spoke, the chords beneath his fingers rose to a crescendo, until a brilliant light pierced the heavens right into the bloody eye in the sky.
“Aughhh!”
The terrifying scream shook the very ground they stood on.
Fetid blood sprayed from where the eye had been burned by Chu Xun’s spell, and the crimson downpour mixed with his shrill shrieks. In his anger, the ghost king unleashed a blade of light many times stronger than those before it, striking out through the sanguine rain. Chu Xun moved to block, but this attack was unlike the others, and the force of the impact forced him back several steps. The notes of his harp stuttered.
“Gongzi!”
“Crack! There’s a crack! The barrier is going to break!”
“Mama! Mama—”
The crowd panicked; those with families huddled together and sobbed, while those without cowered in corners and quivered.
Chu Xun gritted his teeth, fire in his eyes, refusing to give up just like that. While he was locked in stalemate with the ghost king, lights flared to life on either side of him. He glanced to his periphery to see Mo Ran and Chu Wanning standing with him, their scarlet and golden light flowing steadily into his own, once again sealing the barrier.
A terrifying roar came from above. The ghost eye disappeared.
The three of them descended to the ground, and the sky rained rotten blood for a while longer before finally returning to clear water.
Chu Xun, face pale, bowed to Mo Ran and Chu Wanning. “Many thanks for your help.”
“Don’t mention it.” Mo Ran waved his hands. “Go get some rest, you look terrible.”
Chu Xun nodded. He had indeed burned through too much of his reserves, so Mo Ran supported him to the corridor. The people who had been in disarray only a moment ago saw that Chu-gongzi had repaired the barrier and saved them, so they gathered in gratitude, offering him water and draping clothing over his shoulders.
“Chu-gongzi,” one said, “you’re all drenched! Please go warm yourself by the fire.”
Chu Xun thanked them one by one, but he was too exhausted to move and so could only turn down that person’s invitation. Undaunted, the people carried over branches and made a bonfire beside him instead.
Things gradually quieted down, save for the crackling of the flames. Suddenly, someone asked, “Gongzi, we took so many precautions, but somehow the ghost king still saw through it all… Ai, what should we do?”
“Yeah, yeah…”
“How did they know we were going to leave? Gongzi said these ghosts couldn’t tell the difference between the puppets and real people, so how did this happen? Could it be…” The man’s voice faltered, and he snuck a glance at Chu Xun. He clearly wanted to say that perhaps Chu Xun had been wrong. That maybe somehow, somewhere, he’d messed up.
The white-clad guards saw that glance, and one of them swept in to rebuke the man with furrowed brows. “What are you trying to say?! It’s obviously because someone couldn’t keep their trap shut and leaked the plan to the ghost king!”
“Who would tattle to the ghosts though?” the person mumbled. “It’s not like there’s anything to be gained from that…” Then, seeing all the infuriated glares directed his way, he stopped talking, disgruntled.
A while passed in silence before someone else said, “Gongzi, that damn ghost definitely won’t leave it at that. What should we do?”
Chu Xun, exhausted, didn’t open his eyes, but his voice remained gentle. “We just have to hold out until dawn and then be on our way. They can do nothing in daylight.”
“We have so many people—the elderly, the young, and some injured too. Can we make it to Putuo Mountain in a single day?”
“Don’t worry about that,” Chu Xun said softly. “Get some rest. Just focus on the journey tomorrow and I’ll take care of the rest.”
Chu-gongzi had always protected his citizens. When he said this, everyone listened and did as they were told. A little kid came over holding a piece of sesame candy and offered it to Chu Xun. Chu Xun opened his eyes slightly and patted his head with a smile. He was about to say something when a shouting guard ran over in a panic.
“Gongzi! Gongzi, something terrible has happened!”
“What is it?”
“The little gongzi—the little gongzi! Xiaoman—outside the City God Temple—” The guard was too shocked to finish a sentence. He stammered some more, then fell to his knees and sobbed miserably.
Chu Xun shot to his feet, what little color that lingered on his face draining away as he rushed into the rain.