Chapter 514: Chapter 509: Ghosts of Chang'an Chapter 514: Chapter 509: Ghosts of Chang'an Chang Le Alley was still enveloped in silence, the streets nearly empty. The only living beings were the wandering ghosts that seemed to render this market square akin to a ghostly corner.
Shen Luo didn't know about the peculiarity within the overcast sky, so he didn't rashly resort to sword flight. Instead, he cautiously navigated through the streets, trying as much as possible to avoid the Yin Sha ghosts. He would only take risks to attack when it was unavoidable, aiming for a sure-kill each time to reduce the ruckus as much as possible.
Thus, he intermittently made progress. Besides encountering numerous ghosts, he also bumped into a few human cultivators. However, as the line between friend and foe was blurred, Shen Luo decided against provocation and simply tucked away all the information gleaned from these encounters into his mind.
However, what puzzled him was the absence of the Great Tang Dynasty Government officials throughout his journey. After all, such a significant mess should call for the action of government officials to clean up.
After crossing three markets, Shen Luo reached the border of Yong Ye Alley. Upon hearing sporadic cries for battle from around him, he finally saw the government officials.
He happened upon a group of government soldiers in the street, engaging in battle with several ghosts. Thus, he stepped in to aid in their annihilation. A veteran soldier then led him straight to the entrance of the alley.
On the street outside the entrance of Yong Ye Alley, seven or eight camps had been set up, with numerous soldiers stationed around. Inside the camps, monks were present, prepared for what appeared like wartime defense.
Only after rigorous scrutiny, backed by the testimony of the old soldier, was Shen Luo allowed into the alley.
The moment he stepped into Yong Ye Alley, he was stunned by the sight. Tents were scattered all over the streets; they were rudimentary shelters housing the civilians who had fled from the southern part of the city. Their faces were all pale, evidently all still in shock.
“How can this be?” Shen Luo's brows furrowed as he sighed.
From the various signs, the severity of the calamity within Chang'an City had far exceeded his imagination.
“Alas, Immortal Master may not be aware, the ghosts struck too suddenly. Ghost disturbances arose in almost all the markets in the southern part of the city simultaneously, catching the city defense off guard. By the time they managed to react, it was already too late,” the veteran soldier heaved a long sigh.
“This ghost disturbance is clearly being controlled by someone. It is a planned attack against Chang'an City and is not easy to deal with,” Shen Luo said.
“Isn't that the truth. Last night, the government hastily united with some other cultivators in the city to eradicate the ghost disturbances. Although they did not gather all of the forces, the strength was nonetheless considerable. However, what was the outcome? They weren't able to eradicate all the ghosts, only managing to block them from Yong Ye Alley to Chong Fu Fang, the entire southern part of the city has already been lost,” the old soldier sighed and continued.
Upon hearing these words, Shen Luo didn't say anything. He started thinking about his previous encounter with Qian Tong and his team, feeling increasingly uneasy.
Noting Shen Luo's silence, the veteran soldier continued, “Immortal Master need not worry. The Great Tang Dynasty Government can't be trifled with; it's just that they haven't been able to consolidate their teams, hence the lack of a full-scale counterattack. Moreover, there is word that reinforcements have been sought from the Immortal Sects, such as Hua Sheng Temple. Once reinforcements arrive, we'll launch a two-pronged attack, ensuring not a single one of them escapes.”
His words exuded the pride of a Great Tang soldier, stoking a feeling in Shen Luo that made him chuckle, saying, “You're right. With Duke Cheng and the major sects around, these specters won't be able to cause much trouble for long.”
The veteran soldier, originally scheduled for a short break after his shift, parted ways with Shen Luo halfway through the alley.
Shen Luo continued alone toward the Imperial City. Just as he was about to leave Yong Ye Alley, he noticed a sudden brightness in the sky ahead. Looking up, he realized that the overcast cloud that shrouded everything around had been stopped in its tracks by the majestic aura emitted from the direction of the Imperial City.
Upon reaching Duke Cheng's mansion, the guards at the gate relayed his arrival swiftly. Soon, a figure hurried out from the mansion – it was Lu Huaming.
“Ah, Brother Shen, you've finally arrived,” Lu Huaming called out from afar.
“I encountered a large number of ghosts and ran into some trouble while pursuing them. I should have come here earlier,” Shen Luo explained.
“Oh? And what was the trouble?” asked Lu Huaming, his brow furrowed slightly.
Shen Luo then briefly recounted his encounter with the three people at the Refining Body Altar.
“You managed to escape unscathed from three Soul condensing cultivators, really impressive.” Lu Huaming looked Shen Luo up and down, seeing no obvious injuries on him, he laughed and patted him on the shoulder and said.
“What's the current situation, it seems like half of Chang'an City has fallen?” Shen Luo asked.
“The situation is a bit complicated, I can't explain it clearly to you in a short time. However, the upper management of the government already has a strategy. There's no need to worry too much, it's just that the time hasn't come yet, and it's been hard on the people,” Lu Huaming sighed.
With that, he led Shen Luo towards Cheng Manor.
“At present, we need manpower urgently. This morning, the court issued a notice calling all cultivators in the city, regardless of their sect affiliation or freelance status, to be temporarily recruited under the government, and jointly resist the ghost menace,” Lu Huaming explained as they walked.
“It's only natural to devote ourselves to the people of the Great Tang.” Shen Luo didn't hesitate and immediately responded.
“Haha, Brother Shen said it well. So, you and I can fight side by side again,” Lu Huaming laughed.
Just as his words fell, the badge hanging from his waist suddenly flickered.
“I was thinking of taking you to rest for a while, seems like that's not possible. The government is summoning me urgently, I have to go right now,” said Lu Huaming, his eyebrows furrowed slightly, sounding apologetic.
“No harm done. If I can be of help, I'll go with you,” Shen Luo waved his hand and said.
After a slight hesitation, Lu Huaming said, “It should not be about combat… well, how about I take you with me? This can be your recruitment spot, and the Weapon Storage Hall there is just where the cultivators are being recruited.”
“Alright,” Shen Luo nodded.
The two hurried towards the Great Tang Dynasty Government. On the way, Shen Luo recounted everything he had seen to Lu Huaming.
“Brother Shen, this information you provided is extremely important. It will be very helpful for our future battles. You've already made a great contribution,” Lu Huaming said with a smile.
Shen Luo didn't pay much attention to his words.
After escorting Shen Luo to the Weapon Storage Hall, Lu Huaming took his leave first.
Shen Luo stood in the somewhat open square outside the hall, looked up at the majestic red hall in front of him, and stepped in.
Inside the hall, there wasn't much furniture. Directly in front, there was a cabinet as tall as the ceiling, filled with various square slots, each marked with a tag bearing a name.
In front of the cabinet, there were three desks, each occupied by a government official in court attire, busily flipping through their documents. For a while, no one noticed Shen Luo's arrival.
Shen Luo lightly coughed, and the three people suddenly became aware and looked up simultaneously.
“You must be the cultivator here to register? May I ask your name?” The middle-aged man in the centre, roughly in his forties, of skinny build, and sharp facial features, stood up first, bowed to Shen Luo and asked.
The other two, who were much younger, also got up immediately, respectfully bowed, then sat down again and resumed their work.