"They truly went out." I silently mused to myself, smiling wryly as I unfurled another scroll.
After I'd successfully healed Tianqiu of his affliction, Liangqiu had hosted a grand feast in celebration. And what a grand feast it was; the chefs had prepared enough food to feed an entire family for a week at least. I struggled to eat even the small platter I'd been offered, but since this was their method of showing gratitude, I ate as much as I could.
Once I'd finished my portion, I felt truly weary. It felt like my stomach was seconds away from exploding, and I needed to do something else to get my mind away from eating. Thankfully Tianqiu was more than willing to continue touring me around their house, and I eagerly leapt at the chance.
Which was how I discovered that their family had a personal library. After we finished touring around the manor, I was offered a guest room to rest for the day. Since I was still fairly full I agreed. But I still had hours before sundown, and so I decided to read some of the scrolls in the library to pass the time.
There was a lot here. Too many, even. It took me quite a while to sift through their catalog to find something that interested me. In the end however, most the scrolls I picked out were ones that detailed the myths and stories regarding Guili's two gods. I wasn't really sure why Morax and Guizhong's pasts intrigued me so much—it was as if I was drawn to them in some way.
It was…interesting. For how close Morax and Guizhong were, their origins couldn't be any more different. Morax himself was thousands of years old, and was the one who formed the lands around us. Guizhong in comparison was young—a baby even. Barely a few hundred years old, she eventually met Morax, and together, they founded the Guili Assembly.
I pursed my lips. I worried for Guizhong, for while Morax was layered with countless lines regarding his divine martial prowess, there was little about Guizhong's. She was a gentle god of dust and innovation. I remembered the grim confidence she had during their last meeting, but I couldn't help but feel like she was just trying to convince herself.
I sighed as I put the scroll down. Everything felt rather calm now, with the horde of demons being kept at bay by Morax and the Guili militia, but it was a faux calm. At any moment a breach could occur, and Guili would be subjected to a horde of demons led by a group of demonic gods.
…I guess there's no point in worrying about it. There wasn't much I could do right now.
I glanced out the windows. It was still late afternoon; it'd be hours before night fell. But I'd gone through all the scrolls I picked out for myself, and there wasn't really much else to do. So I took the scrolls and returned them to the shelves I picked them out from, before I left for my guest room to sleep. The guard who'd been assigned to me was more than happy to shadow me all the way to the guest room, and he remained outside as I stepped in.
Just like the rest of the manor, the guest room was lavish and opulent in every way. With walls of marble outlined with carvings of amber and gold, dressers and desks carved from the finest wood, and a large bed that'd easily fit three people and still have some space.
I laid on the bed, and sighed joyfully as I sank into the bedding. It was leagues beyond the bed I often slept in, and practically felt like a cloud in comparison. It didn't take long before I drifted to a dreamless sleep.
.
.
.
But deep into the night, I was awoken by a terrible feeling. A torrent of malice so potent it physically made my skin crawl.
For a moment, I felt confused. Why was I feeling this way? What changed? But after contemplating on it for a little, I realized that it was connected to my [Freedom Song: Awakening]. There was a darkness out there that encroached on the Destiny of others. A lumbering void that consumed all.
I'd only felt it once before. It was the exact same feeling I felt as I cleaned Tianqiu of his karma.
"Demons…!" I hissed. But how? This was Guili! The militia stationed by the city gates were the cream of the top, and there were hundreds of soldiers patrolling the streets even at night. There was no way demons would somehow sneak their way into the city without being spotted.
…unless someone brought them in, that was.
I frowned. It was a thought I briefly had during the afternoon; though I didn't know how, I was certain that Guili's destruction was inevitable in some way. And during it Guizhong would fall. But considering all I've seen during my time staying here, it seemed almost impossible for a city such as this to fall, and though Guizhong wasn't a martial god, she was still a god. Some sort of foul play would easily explain why Guili could potentially fall.
I took a breath, and my eyes glowed bright blue as a green halo formed over my head. A surge of power filled me, and I then focused with all my might on the distant feeling of malice, trying to pinpoint where it was. This was the first time I was doing something like this, and it took me a while to get a rough estimate, but I eventually managed.
After I cross-referenced my feelings with my Minimap, I soon discovered that the source of this karma was most likely-
Inside a militia garrison?
I hummed. It'd make sense, I suppose. If there was one place the militia wouldn't think to oversee, it'd be their own homebase.
I left the guest room, and was surprised to find the guard still stationed outside the door. "Lady Venti? What reason might there be for you to be awake so late?" He asked.
I narrowed my eyes. "Apologies, good sir. But I'd felt a source of malice far away." And a soft whisper I added. "Similar to the corruption that'd taken hold of your young master."
The guard's eyes went wide, before he scowled. "Demons have breached the city gates!?"
I shook my head. "Nay. I believe some sort of foul play has occurred, and I intend on stopping it before it could lead to disaster." I smiled slightly. "I'm afraid I will have to leave this manor tonight."
The guard agreed to my leave, though he also asked if he could join me. I initially planned to go alone at first, but I suppose having a companion wasn't too bad. So I agreed to his request, and soon we came out to the streets of Guili. I maintained a calm expression as I walked towards the militia garrison, not wanting to worry anyone.
It didn't take long for us to reach the garrison, but we were soon stopped by a pair of soldiers asking why we were even there. The guard and I shared a glance, wondering what words we could say to convince the two soldiers to allow us entrance.
But then I felt another surge of that malice, and I didn't bother to wait.
My green halo formed above my head, power surged through my veins, and I shot past the two guards in a blast of wind. I quickly grabbed a young soldier who'd been chatting with his friend and pulled him aside, just in time to avoid a massive claw that suddenly erupted from the ground.
"Demon!" The soldiers screamed, and they quickly stood in position. Shield at the front, spears at the ready; a phalanx was formed in mere seconds. Meanwhile, the guard I just saved shakily gulped as he turned his gaze at me. Had I not pulled him away, he would've been skewered right through by the demon's claws.
Another claw tore through the floor, and soon the ground exploded as a hulking beast leapt out from the ground. It was a massive Geovishap, though one whose normally amber skin had turned a sickly purple. A deep miasma hung around it, and its eyes glowed a bright red as it glared at the soldiers.
It wouldn't be enough. My instincts told me that the geovishap would easily tear through the soldiers' defense. They weren't like the soldiers who patrolled the gates; they were just footsoldiers meant to patrol the streets. But it seemed they also knew that they couldn't let the geovishap pass, even at the cost of their own lives.
I refused to let that unnecessary sacrifice play out.
A sharp hiss sounded as I took a breath, and great winds bellowed around me as my power surged to new heights. I took a step forward, and the ground shattered as I leapt. I turned into a blur of cutting winds, and the geovishap had barely turned around by the time I came inches before it.
My hands flashed as my Sacrificial Sword came into my hands, and my winds turned a bright turquoise as I slashed at the geovishap's neck.
Swing!
An arc of light followed, and the geovishap's head went flying as my sword cleaved right through its thick hide. The decapitated corpse soon fell over, and seeing the demon dead, I quickly deactivated my Talents. I gasped as a great pain struck my chest then, but I quickly used [Sunlight Healing] to mend the pain. It left me even more tired, but at least it stopped me from collapsing.
Everything fell silent as the soldiers stared at the decapitated geovishap, then at me. None of them were blind; they'd all seen the lady all the nobles had been pining over kill a demon in a single slash. And the powerful winds that'd followed her every move—it was a power no mortal could ever wield.
Some of the soldiers fell to their knees in reverence, and I did my best to maintain my calm smile, knowing exactly what they were thinking.
But then I felt another burst of malice, this one even stronger than the last, and I barely managed to bring up my sword to defend what a massive cleaver slammed down on me. I grit my teeth as I struggled against the massive blade, all while the soldiers shouted and quickly moved to help.
"Don't!" I screamed, and my halo reappeared as I broke away and leapt back. The soldiers stopped their advance at my call, but they remained at my back, spears vigilantly held out towards the new enemy.
It was a towering, humanoid being, covered head to toe in armor that looked almost mechanical. A deep miasma hung around it as it hefted its sword; a blade that was easily taller than most men. The thing stared at us, seemingly watching.
Then, I heard one of the guards gasp. "Sir Longqu…?"
The moment he spoke, the other guards gasped as well. And though I didn't know who they were talking about, it didn't take much to realize what they were saying. The demon standing before me was probably someone influential before he became like this.
I furrowed my brows. Was this what karma did to a person if they weren't put down in time? It was no wonder those afflicted were often immediately put down at the first signs of corruption.
I grit my teeth. This was bad. With my enhanced senses I could feel that there was practically no one around us. Guizhong was at the other side of Guili, and Morax was likely out of the city. The stronger soldiers of the militia were all stationed by the city gates, and though late at night, there were still ordinary people walking the streets.
They couldn't let the corrupted Longqu escape onto the streets.
I made my decision.
"Run! Inform Lady Guizhong!" I shouted at the soldiers behind me. "Though I know not who this man was before he fell, he is far too strong for any of you to handle."
My Sacrificial Sword glowed as I held it forth.
"I will handle him!" My breath came out as a sharp hiss as winds bellowed all around me. "So go!"
I leapt forward, and both our swords clashed.