Mountain Patrol Military Officer
Chapter 86: Shoals Can’t Trap the Swimming Dragon (Request for Monthly Ticket)

Chapter 86: 86: Shoals Can’t Trap the Swimming Dragon (Request for Monthly Ticket)

Four hundred li to the southwest lies Yinshan County.

At dusk, with the sun setting like spilling blood.

Birds return to their nests, insects fall silent.

Merchants and peddlers shout one last time, packing up their stalls, as passersby on the road hasten home.

From the nooks of streets and alleys, calls of mothers summon their playful children for dinner.

Above the eaves of every household, wisps of cooking smoke gently rise.

The scene before me represents the rarity of tranquility in this spring day.

But suddenly, a rush of urgent hoofbeats shatters the calm.

A blood-soaked black horse, galloping from outside the city gates like a sudden downpour, bursts through and races down the main street, startling pedestrians and vendors who hastily clear the way amidst a chorus of shocked cries.

Halfway down the road, the black horse lets out a mournful whinny, its front legs buckle, and it tumbles to the ground, quickly followed by the figure it was carrying, who crashes to the earth.

This person, clad in black feathered garb and soaked in blood, bears a deep, bone-visible, ferocious claw mark on his back, the skin turned inside out, dripping with fresh blood – a horrific sight to behold.

The black horse, having collapsed, struggles a few times before letting out a mournful cry and breathing its last.

There’s a fearsome two-foot-long gash on its flank, exposing its intestines.

Seeing this, the townsfolk scream out,

"Oh heavens"

"Someone’s died"

"Quick, report to the authorities!"

Before long, shouts approach.

"Move aside, move aside!"

A group of governmental officials rushes forward, parting the crowd of onlookers who are pointing and talking, followed by a man in green feathered garb pushing through the crowd.

Upon recognizing the figure on the ground, his face changes in an instant, he strides forward, bellowing,

"Quick, save him!"

He crouches down in haste and props up the blood-covered figure lying with his face to the ground.

"Demon Extermination Envoy, you... what on earth happened?"

"Where is Lord Wei?"

The County Magistrate asks urgently, worry etched on his face.

Because the man before them is one of the Demon Extermination Envoys under the command of the Military Officer Captain who safeguards this place.

Judging by his state, he’s likely not going to make it.

What exactly happened?

The bloodied Demon Extermination Envoy seems to have a breath left in him, his chest heaving rapidly, opening his eyes crusted with dried blood, his hand suddenly extends out, desperately grasping the County Magistrate’s arm, his voice trembling, as if from a broken bellows,

"Military Officer Captain and... others have been killed in battle!"

"Feixian...uh... the Demon Cult has made a massive appearance."

With that, the man suddenly exerts all his strength, his eyes bulging with rage, and he practically screams at the County Magistrate,

"Hurry, evacuate the people, flee northward, flee!"

Having said this, the Demon Extermination Envoy, as if all his strength has been drained, loosens his grip, his body falls, and he is gone!

"Demon Extermination Envoy!" The County Magistrate, his face stricken with grief, shakes the body in his arms, calling out.

Meanwhile, the surrounding crowd of onlookers erupts into chaos.

The Demon Cult has made a massive appearance, and both the Mountain Patrol Military Officer and Demon Extermination Envoys tasked with watch over this place have fallen.

In a flash, the news spreads from one to ten, and ten to a hundred.

Following this, the drum beats atop the city walls sound out urgently.

Then, the governmental officials on horseback race to spread the news of the city-wide evacuation throughout every street and alley.

In an instant, the once-peaceful Yinshan County plunges into chaos.

"Demons are coming, run for it!"

"Mom, I’ll carry you."

"Mom’s old, child, you run quick!"

"Forget all this stuff, damn it, demons are nearly here, what’s more important – life or money? Just drop everything."

"..."

A cacophony of door slamming, furious curses, and crying filled the entirety of Yinshan County’s mountains and valleys.

The commoners hastily packed their belongings, taking their families with them as they rushed towards the city gates, subsequently fleeing into the northern woods.

But it was less than thirty minutes later when a loud boom sounded from the southern gate.

Following that, the city gate exploded with a loud bang.

A herd of fast horses neighed as they charged in.

One after another, figures wearing masks and cloaked in black robes rushed in; their pupils beneath the masks looked at the distant commoners fleeing in panic, letting out fierce, sinister laughs.

Then, galloping on their horses, they pursued those commoners.

And behind these figures, even further south, dozens of miles away, the earth trembled and mountains shook as a vast expanse of dark clouds moved northward.

Between the black clouds, flags fluttered in the wind.

A green face on a black background, embroidered with an Azure Dragon.

........

Meanwhile, in another place, Qingshan County, in Chen Yuan’s small courtyard.

Inside the room, Chen Yuan sat cross-legged on the bed.

After a moment, his body suddenly shook.

The next second, he abruptly opened his eyes, and a flash of golden light emanated from his pupils.

The golden light shot out more than three feet.

It quickly withdrew, and everything went back to normal.

However, at this time, his aura had undergone a change, becoming heavy and profound, immovable as a mountain.

This was because just now, within his Mud Ball, the thirty-six true mountain forms had completely solidified.

This also meant that Chen Yuan had fully stepped into the Fourth Heavenly Barrier and stabilized in this realm.

His progress, originally lacking somewhat, was unexpectedly accelerated by the undercover agents sent from the Feixian Sect, providing him with more than a hundred points of gain.

What timely assistance!

Now, his eyes flickering, he rose to his feet and opened the door.

As soon as he opened the door, two people were standing outside.

Seeing him come out of seclusion, Qin Hu immediately spoke up, eagerly volunteering,

"Brother Chen, I’ll follow you!"

"I really can’t rest easy if you go alone to face the Demon Cult’s army."

"Brother, Ni Chang also wishes to join you in fighting the enemy." Lian Nichang held her sword and saluted with her fist.

Chen Yuan saw the seriousness in their expressions and the determination in their aura, but he shook his head.

"I’ll go alone!"

With that, he cut off Qin Hu before he could speak and stared at them, "I must go fast and alone, taking advantage of the fact that these beasts haven’t realized that we’ve got a grasp on their movements, to strike them with thunder!"

"There’s only one chance."

"Once they react and set up a trap to lure me out, entangle me, and then split their forces to slaughter Qingshan County, if that happens, I dare not leave Qingshan again. So, this time, we must pin this group of people down outside, prevent them from encircling and trapping Qingshan County. Otherwise, Qingshan County will be doomed."

"Do you both understand what I’m saying?"

"Besides, to be on the safe side, if I were to leave, with you two here to defend, I’d feel somewhat more at ease."

After Chen Yuan said all this, he saw a change in their expressions, signifying they understood.

Qin Hu sighed,

"Brother Chen, Old Qin gets what you mean!"

"Brother, please be careful on your journey!" Lian Nichang advised.

They stepped aside as they spoke.

But Chen Yuan simply flickered, and his figure disappeared from the courtyard.

Qin Hu looked up at the sky and sighed, and then as if remembering something, he turned to Lian Nichang,

"Military Officer Lian, didn’t you say that when you first met Brother Chen, he had just broken through to the Profound Body realm?"

Hearing this, Lian Nichang nodded after a moment, "The day when Feixian caused chaos in Yunlu County, one of my governmental officials witnessed Brother Chen break through the Profound Body and then received a Divine Skill from him, which put an end to that Demon Chaos."

Qin Hu seemed somewhat astonished and admiring as he heard this, "It hasn’t been that long, and Brother Chen has now stepped into the Fourth Heavenly Barrier."

"Old Wu was right; our peerless talent cannot be confined to this remote place. Given time, he’ll go far beyond our reach."

"Let’s hope he returns safely!"