596 - The Blood in Flowing Light City

    Ye Qingyu was pensive in his heart.

    The changes that had occured on the Fragrance Plains had something to do with the battle between the Human Race and the Demon Race after the Sword Storm Duel gathering. He could not escape responsibility from the breakout of the battle that day where divine tools were used. And it was also him that had caused the explosion on the underground spirit veins.  

    The battle between such experts had shaken the mountains and cracked the earth, with even the air being shattered to pieces. Even if they had done their best to hold their powers back, the ripples from the battle had caused devastation to all lifeforms, with the result of howling ghosts being born everywhere.

    According to the rumours, the Divine Race and the Demon Race of the past were so powerful, that they could be called the rulers of this world. Ultimately, their constant battle had destroyed their own homes, causing them to walk towards the end of their race.

    Everything that had happened in Clear River Domain, was only caused by the battle between divine tools and experts at the Immortal Step boundary. What would happened if it was a battle between the Martial Emperors of legend with Emperor weapons?

    As he thought of this, Ye Qingyu's heart constricted.

    He knew that ripples from a battle of that level was enough to utterly annihilate the entire Clear River Domain!

    Ye Qingyu was filled with reflectiveness.

    He finally began to understand, why was it that when he was in Heaven Wasteland Domain, he received the divine thunder Heavenly Punishment as soon as he exhibited strength at the level of the Heaven Ascension stage.

    For such a young domain like Heaven Wasteland, it was extremely difficult for it to withstand such a powerful force. For Heavenly Punishment to fall down at the first instance was a type of natural reaction and self protective measure a domain had. 

    For a domain that had already matured like the Clear River Domain, after encountering the battle of experts at the Immortal Step stage with divine tools, there was already such an extreme transformation of climate. Furthermore, this terror was only the surface-level direct changes. The entire Spirit qi and fortune of the Clear River Domain had already began to transform and change in the background. This sort of transformation would take a very long time in the future before being discovered by others. 

    This was the first time Ye Qingyu realized the destructiveness a martial expert possessed towards this world.

    He withdrew from his pondering, rubbing the red snow off his shoulders. Exchanging a glance with Hu Bugui, they continued onwards to Flowing Light City.

    ……

    Three days later.

    Outside the gate of the Flowing Light City.

    Ye Qingyu and Hu Bugui traveled thousands of miles to come over here. Looking at the far off city, they could not help but display emotions of disappointment. Amidst the dim sun, they could see the far off huge rock barrier. Under the vast city walls, they let out a gentle sigh.

    The Flowing Light City of the past, was tens of thousands of meters high, buildings lined up like the tooth of a comb, as if it were a divine country. 

    But right now, the city walls had already collapsed. Smoke drifted everywhere, a bloody stench covering everything, as if it was a dead city.

    The Flowing Light fortress city that had once been impenetrable for thousands of years had now become dim and lifeless.  

    There was the sound of wind passing through the crevice and crack of the broken walls, as if it was crying in a low voice about it's tragic and sorrowful state.

    At the city gates, they could see the Demon Spider Race army traversing through, as well as some intermittent human figures.

    "En? The Demon Spider Race has occupied the Flowing Light City, but they did not completely butcher the city?" Seeing this, Hu Bugui was slightly taken aback. "The Demon Spider Race is famed for being brutal. In the previous human and demon great battles of the past, as long as they occupied a human city, they would butcher everyone inside. They would treat humans as their food source. From what it seemed like right now, they really had plans to rule over Flowing Light City?  

    Ye Qingyu looked at Flowing Light City far off in the distance, and heard Hu Bugui's words. Hearing his words, his heart relaxed slightly.

    No matter what, the city having not been butchered was definitely good news.

    At least it represented that the Flowing Light City in front of their eyes had not yet transformed into a sea of blood and a mountain of corpses.

    “Who knows what the Demon Spider Race is doing this time?" There was a trace of suspicion on Hu Bugui's face.

    Ye Qingyu let out a breath of relief, saying, "We can't care too much. Since they have not butchered the city, then we can pretend to be refugees and enter. We should act as the situation demands." 

    "Good." Hu Bugui nodded his head.

    The two came from the Greater One mountains, and had a long journey. They were originally tattered and dirty, so they did not have to assume any disguise. Hiding away their yuan qi fluctuation, their outer appearance was like two refugees. Following the path, they entered through the city gate, and entered into Flowing Light City.

    The soldiers of the Demon Spider Race army only gave them a glance without saying anything.

    "This is..." Not long after entering the city gate did they truly enter into the main interior of the city. Hu Bugui suddenly lifted his head and looked to the right, opening his eyes wide. 

    Ye Qingyu followed his gaze as he looked, and instantly froze where he stood.

    In the distance, there was a forest of flags. There were several hundred ten-meter-tall flag poles of all sorts of sizes that stood there.

    The last time he came to Flowing Light City, Ye Qingyu had seen this forest of flags. On every flag pole, there was the flag that represented one of the forces of the Human Race within Flowing Light City. They were like dragons dancing in the wind, and presented an awe inspiring sight.

    But right now, it was not flags that were on the flag poles.

    It was heads.

    It was the heads of humans that had their eyes wide open, having been chopped off when they were still alive.

    Ye Qingyu looked at the poles that originally held the city's flag, the originally dark flagpoles had already been covered with flesh blood. It's colour had long been transformed into a shocking dim red colour.  

    There were the heads of countless civilians surrounding this pillar. Within them, there were even some heads of old people, women as well as children.

    There was a nearly insupressible killing intent that flashed by Ye Qingyu's eyes.

    After all, there were people who had died.

    The Demon Spider Race had begun to butcher the city.

    As part of the Human Race, Ye Qingyu could not help but feel furious and sorrowful in his heart after witnessing this scene.

    The Hu Bugui by his side also had fire burning in his eyes.

    But the two still temporarily suppressed the urge to act. They decided to first assess the situation, and first gather some information.

    They followed along the main road.

    The originally bustling and luxurious main streets of Flowing Light City, could no longer revert to what it was like in the past.

    Under the brutal and primitive rule of the Demon Spider Race, all the families of the cities closed their doors and did not go out. There was basically no one selling any goods or items at either side of the road.

    The few humans that were actually walking about on the roads of the city were shivering and nervous. They had bent backs and lowered faces, not daring to lift their faces to walk. 

    Hu Bugui was familiar with the paths of the Flowing Light City, and brought Ye Qingyu through some familiar roads and streets.

    Everything they saw and heard caused complex feelings to be born in their hearts. They did not speak on the way.

    Everything that came into view was desolate and ruined. There were some famed and classic restaurants, guesthouses and tea houses... that were currently completely destroyed. Their signs and door frames were destroyed by the aftermaths of the battle, and scattered everywhere.

    “The fragrant rew that belongs to this store, was called the best in Flowing Light City....." Hu Bugui looked at the sign in his hand. There was only half of it left, the sign of the [Fragrant Brew Restaurant].

    There was a hard to describe expression in his eyes, as if mist was enwrapped around him. It caused others to not know his current emotions.

    Ye Qingyu looked at the back of the silent and down Hu Bugui, not sure how to react to this at this time.

    After all, he was a guest that came from Heaven Wasteland Domain. For Hu Bugui, this was the home and family where he was born and grew up. This powerful bandit drifted everywhere, and came to the Flowing Light City countless times. There was his friends and memories that were here.

    His home had suffered such heavy losses, and had been invaded by outsiders. His home had been taken over, and there were very little humans left. It was as if an apocalypse had descended. It was most likely that the inner heart of Hu Bugui was currently so painful it was hard to use words to describe.

    Ye Qingyu's eyes darkened. His half formed words could not be released from his mouth, he wanted to console this bandit-like man.

    At this time---

    "The daughter of the boss of Willow Alley, her beauty and charm can definitely be ranked in the top ten of Flowing Light City." Hu Bugui suddenly turned around, a colour flickering in his eyes. His eyebrows quirked up, giving a strange smile towards Ye Qingyu.

    Ye Qingyu was taken aback.

    Pok!Pok!

    Pok!Pok!

    it was as if time and space had suddenly stood still.

    At this instant, Ye Qingyu could only hear the piercing cries of the demon crows and vultures.

    He forcefully suppressed the urge to throw this person over. With a dark face, he turned around and left in large strides.

    It seemed like he had overthought it. This bandit-like person was so simple minded, he did not need his consoling at all. 

    Hu Bugui looked at the back of Ye Qingyu, his lips curving into a smile.

    He lifted his head to look at the sign of the "Willow Alley" that had been left over, and chased after.

    ……

    After passing through two streets.

    "Young masters, have a look..."

    A hoarse and old voice like it was beggar speaking sounded out.

    Ye Qingyu turned towards the direction of the voice.

    An extremely aged old man was covered with dust, his clothes filled with holes. He was sitting at some stone steps next to the road side.

    There was a piece of cloth next him with some scattered needlework on the cloth.

    "Elder, right now the Demon Spider Race has occupied the city. Why don't you return to your family, why are you outside." Hu Bugui went over, knelt down, and asked in a small voice.

    Ye Qingyu also squatted down. He picked up the scattered toys on the floor one after another from the cloth, and examined it extremely seriously...

    A bronze mirror the size of the palm, a shuttlecock made from pheasant feathers, a red rope hand string-like thing. These were all items made from rough items, toys of simple workmanship.

    "Ai... the food in my family has long been gone. The farm I had outside the city has also been ruined, it's now a piece of scorched and... my son and my daughter in law have been captured by the Demon Spider Race. It's unknown whether they are... There's only my wife and my newly born son that is still crying... it doesn't matter if we old people don't eat or drink, but my grandchild that has just reached one month old... has already not even had a drop of rice soup for the last two days..."

    The old man tried to sell something for a day. After finally being engaged in conversation, he could not help but unload all his troubles.

    Ye Qingyu and Hu Bugui exchanged a glance. The city gate had fallen, causing the citizens to all be plunged into chaos.

    If not for the fact that they assumed the role of a citizen, they really would not have felt that this apocalyptic battle and invasion of the Demon Race would cause the civilians to fall to such a bitter and tragic state.

    "Thankfully, my wife can still make some feminine works. I try to sell these during the days. Even if I cannot earn some coins, but getting some flour or rice is good..." The old man, seeing that the two had fallen silent, thought they did not want to buy his items anymore. He rushed to open his mouth, wanting to do his bet to persuade them to buy something.

    Ye Qingyu looked at the old man in front of him. Even someone as dejected as him, he hoped to use his own efforts to obtain some food. The stubbornness and unwillingness to give up contained in his bones could not help but make Ye Qingyu feel a shred of admiration for him. 

    It was a pity, that there was nothing that could be used as food on his body...

    He turned to look towards Hu Bugui.

    Hu Bugui took out a bag of flour from the interspatial pouch in his dantian...

    A bag of flour?!

    Ye Qingyu was dumbfounded.

    One of the famed eighteen greatest thieves of Clear River Domain had a bag of flour in his interspatial pouch?!

    "Hehehe..." Hu Bugui understood Ye Qingyu's glance, his mouths quierking in a smile, "An absolute hero like me that acts righteously is not always living in inns and guesthouses. There are also times where I am chased for vengeance by my enemies, and have to resort to staying in wild and desolate places. This is used for those times of need... times of need... haha"

    He winked, his facial features twisting together, giving Ye Qingyu a shifty meaningful expression.

    Ye Qingyu was also speechless.

    But being like so was also good. Even if they gave the old man money or Origin crystals, it would be most likely that he would not be able to exchange it for food. Perhaps they would encounter the Demon Spider Race warriors robbing them of their possessions, killing them because of their wealth.

    He was able to see the meticulous and cautious side of this bandit in front of him that seemed rough and coarse normally, and acted so sloppy most of the time.  He could not help but regard him in a new light.

    After sending away the eternally grateful old man, they continued walking around the main city.

    There was nothing in the city that was not destroyed heavily. The roads that were normally completely packed, right now only had cold wind blowing leaves silently past.

    Fro the humans of the Flowing Light City, it was as if the apocalypse had descended ----

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