"Do not be afraid. You are just starting and not quite adapted yet. Participating personally will be okay. Haven't you been fine in the past few times?" Ning Hongli softly said.

During the previous massacres of towns, Zhang Ying didn't have such a strong reaction.

Why is the reaction so big this time?

She was slightly puzzled.

"Thank you, Senior Hongli." Zhang Rongfang nodded seriously.

"Remember, don't pay too much attention. This world is as it is. You and I are inherently different from those inferior commoners. Just like a butcher slaughters livestock, us harvesting inferior people is also right and proper.

You will see more of this in the future. Just like how we Great Spirit citizens harvest small foreign countries outside, it is the same. It's the natural order, survival of the fittest, as it should be."

Ning Hongli was afraid he would be troubled, so she comforted him again.

But she also had tasks, spoke a few more words, and was called away by others.

"Try it yourself, getting used to it is good."

She reminded again before leaving.

Zhang Rongfang watched her leave, soon only he and a few others were left.

They were the few who were unwilling to take action.

During the previous city massacres, it was always them who stayed behind.

But this time... Zhang Rongfang took a deep breath, stepped forward rapidly, and unfolded his body technique, rushing in the direction he encountered Xiao Qingying before.

No matter what, the master Zhang Xuan over there, he cannot let anything happen to him.

Given his identity and status, escorting a few people out of here is not a big deal after all.

But he must act quickly, otherwise...

*

*

*

The fire spread wantonly through the surrounding wooden houses.

Teams of soldiers violently broke through doors, rushed inside, looted property, and humiliated women.

Human vice was on full display at this moment.

Everyone tore off the mask of hypocrisy, venting everything recklessly.

Mianqiu County's hundreds of constables and officials were dealt with and massacred in the first moments.

A large number of spirit troops outside the city blocked the essential exit paths, forming formations with fire guns and crossbows. Anyone who tried to come out was shot dead.

The fire ignited the entire county, smoke rose into the clouds, and the fiery glow illuminated half the night sky completely.

At this time, at the edge of a block in the northern city district.

Xiao Qingying's pretty face turned pale as she watched the official troops wantonly burning, killing, and looting in the distance. She never expected the soldiers would arrive so quickly.

"What should we do now? We probably can't get out!?" She quickly abandoned her small barbecue cart and hid in a dark alley to avoid being discovered.

In the alley, Zhang Xuan led about ten people out as well, their faces equally dark and solemn.

"They came too quickly, we were not prepared to evacuate at all. None of the other points sent back any messages, it seems they are all finished!"

"What's the plan from above!?" Xiao Qingying asked in a low voice.

"Squad Leader Qiu hasn't appeared, I suspect...." Zhang Xuan shook his head slightly, "Regardless, let's evacuate from here first!"

"Outside might already be blocked, how do we evacuate?" Xiao Qingying gritted her teeth and asked.

"Through the waterway secret passage! Follow me! Xintai is waiting outside to support us at any time, gathering our people along the way, saving as many as we can!" Zhang Xuan quickly replied softly.

"Okay!"

Both stuck their heads out to look around the alley's entrance, quickly leading their group out, rushing toward the direction of the county's only small river.

The waterway secret passage was in a hidden spot by the riverside, to escape the city, they had to rush there quickly.

But just as they ran out not far, a squad of spirit troops suddenly spotted them from afar.

"There are a few beauties over here!" The leader of the spirit troop laughed loudly, rushing toward the group.

His gaze immediately landed on the few young women behind Xiao Qingying and Zhang Xuan.

"Get back! These are my people!" Zhang Xuan shouted fearlessly, threw his Great Dao Teaching waist badge from his belt.

The commanding officer caught it, recognized it as genuine, and understood immediately.

"Ah, good goods caught by the Daoist, alright, we won't disturb the Daoist then." He grinned, leading his men away, heading for a nearby two-story courtyard.

Before long, the courtyard gate broke, and shrill cries of women came from inside.

Zhang Xuan, Xiao Qingying, and the others heard from afar, sighing in their hearts.

"These vile bandits! Someday..." He said through gritted teeth, hatred in his voice.

The cold expression on Xiao Qingying's pretty face seemed to recall the day her father died.

At that time, the same chaos, the same despair.

"The forces of the Jade Void Palace are very strong here, the leader of them is supposedly the Grandmaster of the Twelve Sect Mansions, Shangguan Feihua!" Zhang Xuan's voice continued.

"Grandmaster...!" The anger within the group was instantly cooled by ice water.

Over the years, they've encountered divine warriors, knowing what kind of monsters they are.

Among them, a Grandmaster....

In the Righteous Alliance, even an external medicine super grade is considered a rare master among them, hearing a Grandmaster above super grade...

No one could imagine what kind of monster that would be.

No one had seen how powerful such a figure could be!

"Do not be afraid, our Righteous Alliance upper ranks have sent people to assist, even though he's a Grandmaster, such figures do not capture us personally, their opponents are the other sects!"

Zhang Xuan quickly encouraged, "Above already has an understanding with the Zhenyi Western Sect, with them restraining, our troubles here won't be too big!"

Although he's not in the upper ranks, he knows a little of the inside story.

At this moment, the group soon encountered two more squads of spirit troops.

But all were fooled by Zhang Xuan's genuine Great Dao Teaching waist badge.

His martial arts and body techniques were cultivated from Great Dao Teaching martial arts, others recognized from afar and didn't trouble them.

As they got closer to the small river.

The group's hearts tightened more and more.

Afrain that an accident would happen at this moment.

They had reached the riverside pedestrian path, sprinting along the riverbank toward the secret passage entrance.

Xiao Qingying was already somewhat out of breath, despite her years striving to practice martial arts now.

But due to limited talent and missing the optimal time to learn martial arts, she was only roughly at the second grade.

But considering she was still at muscle forging in Qinghe Palace, after five years, it was already quite good.

The road by the river they were sprinting along.

On the left side were warships of the Spirit Army slowly floating, intercepting any ships attempting to flee.

On the right side were wooden houses, most of them broken into, with blood and corpses scattered on the ground, and mangled limbs.

The explosion of flames and the piercing cries, like maddening demon sounds, incessantly刺激着一行人的情绪.

"Quick! We're there!!"

Finally, Zhang Xuan shouted abruptly with a hint of surprise and joy.

The group of about ten people instantly regained their spirits, running down towards a set of stairs along the riverbank.

Soon, they saw an indistinct symbol of the Righteous Alliance under a stone bridge on the wall.

If not examined closely, one might mistake it for random graffiti by a child.

But only members of the Righteous Alliance could recognize that it was their exclusive symbol.

And the meaning it represented was—escape door.

"Quick, watch the surroundings!" Zhang Xuan was the first to run down, reaching under the stone bridge. He tapped rhythmically around the symbol several times.

Soon, amidst a subtle rumbling, the stone wall with the symbol unexpectedly collapsed inwards, then moved to the side, revealing a round, dark tunnel entrance.

"Didn't expect there to be a tunnel leading outside here?" Xiao Qingying and the others rejoiced in their hearts, about to enter in a file.

Thud!

Suddenly, a sharp sound, a black arrow shot out abruptly, pinning precisely to the back of one's head.

That person fell to the ground, convulsing all over, falling silent.

"There's actually a tunnel here, interesting, interesting." A burly figure suddenly landed by the riverbank, smilingly looking at Zhang Xuan and his group.

This person was dressed in Spirit Army armor, equipped with a saber and a powerful crossbow, the previous arrow evidently shot by him.

Judging by his attire, he was clearly a skilled commander of the Spirit Army.

"Looks like today is destined for my Zhou Tianqi to gain merit and be promoted."

"Go now!" Zhang Xuan shouted fiercely, "I'll hold them off!" He lunged forward, slashing at that person with a blade.

Clang!

The two immediately fought into a brawl, blade against blade.

In a swift exchange of more than ten moves, though the opponent was slightly weaker than Zhang Xuan in strength, he seized the advantage by attacking without defending, thanks to the protection of armor.

Moreover, the key point was, the commotion here had already attracted other nearby Spirit Army.

A team of Spirit Army just emerged with jewelry, saw the fight here, exchanged glances, and quickly charged towards here under their leader's command.

Members of the Righteous Alliance rushed into the tunnel, soon leaving only Xiao Qingying anxiously waiting at the entrance, watching Zhang Xuan.

"Master! Quick, run!!" She shouted loudly.

"Run? Where are you planning to go?" Suddenly, a tall figure appeared behind her.

Xiao Qingying's whole body stiffened abruptly, turning her head.

Behind her, stood a burly Daoist wearing a Great Dao Teaching robe.

The Daoist looked at Xiao Qingying with a teasing expression.

In a flash, the Daoist extended his arms, like in an embrace, enveloping Xiao Qingying on both sides.

His speed was immensely fast, able to move along with the Jade Void Palace elites, the weakest being Ninth Grade spirit guards.

The so-called spirit guards, regardless of the level before bowing to gods, would directly rise to the spirit guard level once successfully bowing.

And spirit guards were equivalent to the peak physique of Ninth Grade.

So, Ninth Grade isn't necessarily a spirit guard, but a spirit guard is definitely Ninth Grade.

At this moment, Xiao Qingying's whole body stiffened, watching the other's arms embracing her, unable to react.

The difference in level was too large!

She could only see two arm shadows quickly approaching her body.

Dazed, terrified, at a loss, countless emotions surged madly, trying to sway her body, making it move.

But instinctively, her body seemed to fall into rigidity, like a wooden stake, standing motionlessly.

A strong gale accompanied the close-in from both sides.

Closer and closer.

Closer and closer.

Poof!!

Xiao Qingying's eyes suddenly widened, goosebumps erupting across her skin.

She saw....

Saw behind the assailant, there was an even taller and larger shadow.

His hand was gripping the assailant's neck tightly.

Amidst the crunching sound of bones shattering, the expression on the assailant Daoist's face remained unchanged, but his entire neck had been squeezed down to just one-third of its original size.

His arms also stiffened in mid-air, completely losing strength, dropping weakly.

"Quick, get moving." The taller shadow's deep voice spoke.

Xiao Qingying shuddered, coming back to her senses from the frozen terror.

"You!?"

Her vision suddenly blurred before she finished speaking, losing sight of the figure.

Suddenly, she turned around. Looking toward Zhang Xuan's direction.

Thud!

Just at that moment, the more than two-meter-high figure single-handedly pierced through the Spirit Army commander's left chest.

Blood flowed slowly down his left arm, dripping.

While Zhang Xuan stood beside, dumbfounded, gasping heavily without saying a word.

"While that spirit guard hasn't resurrected, you should leave." Zhang Rongfang withdrew his arm, turned to the approaching Spirit Army squad.

He couldn't let others find out he acted.

Because he couldn't let others discover his connection with Zhang Xuan and the group, so....

Everyone who spotted him had to die!

"Wait!! You're... Rongfang!?" Suddenly, Zhang Xuan's voice sounded behind.

Zhang Rongfang paused in his steps, waved a hand back, without replying.

Swish!

His silhouette vanished, and soon, the sound of snapping necks from Spirit Army soldiers echoed nearby.