Chapter 81: Arrival

 

A touch of fish belly white appeared on the horizon, and the hazy Qin Feng also regained consciousness.

 

A fragrance enveloped him, and the side against which his body leaned was very soft.

 

The scent of a woman, why would there be a woman? Where am I? Why is the rocking so intense? Could it be…

 

Qin Feng thought of something and slowly opened one eye slit, then the excitement in his heart vanished.

 

Oh, turns out he’s on a horse.

 

Wait, that woman’s scent, where does it come from?

 

He slightly turned his head and looked up. A black square scarf, an exquisite and flawless half-face, and those captivating blue eyes.

 

So, he was being carried on horseback by Cang Feilan with one arm!

 

If this is a dream, please don’t wake me up, Qin Feng closed his eyes again.

 

“Are you awake?” A faint voice echoed in his ears.

 

Oh no, he’s been found out. Qin Feng smirked but pretended not to hear, even starting to snore.

 

After a while, feeling the intense gaze of the other person, Qin Feng could no longer pretend. He could only rub his eyes, feigning surprise, “Oh? Miss Cang, where are we?”

 

“On the way to Qiyuan City, it shouldn’t take much longer.” Cang Feilan replied calmly.

 

Their group had already left the mountains and was now galloping across the plains.

 

Looking into the distance, the outline of the walls of Qiyuan City could be seen. The severely damaged city gate and the dilapidated city walls silently spoke of everything that had happened.

 

Hearing the sound, the people on the other horses all looked over. Yang He excitedly said, “You finally woke up.”

 

It seems he won’t get to enjoy any benefits. Qin Feng reluctantly sat up and asked, “How did we escape from that centipede? “

 

After using up his life-saving technique, he fell into a coma, and everything that happened afterward was a blank.

 

Yang He briefly recounted the general course of events, his tone filled with the joy of escaping death.

 

“The black-robed man with a pale face,” Qin Feng muttered to himself, thinking of Ya’an’s description. Presumably, that person was the mysterious big shot supporting Qiyuan City.

 

“Speaking of which, we were able to turn the tables this time, thanks to Brother Qin’s life-saving technique. If you hadn’t delayed the opponent for a moment, we wouldn’t have been able to wait for reinforcements.” Yang He sincerely expressed his gratitude.

 

Upon hearing this, Qin Feng immediately showed a pained expression.

 

Surviving a great danger was naturally excellent, but he had used up that snake scale. Such an amazing life-saving item, he wondered if Sister Mo still had any left?

 

“For the sake of you all being able to safely escort the Dragon Protection Monument back to Qiyuan City, I used up a life-saving technique. I wonder if the Demon Slaying Department could reimburse me?” Qin Feng tentatively asked.

 

As soon as the words fell, Yang He raised the reins in his hand and said, “Drive! Qiyuan City is just ahead, let’s speed up!”

 

Watching the two figures swiftly disappearing into the distance, Qin Feng cursed the person in his heart.

 

Beside him, Si Zheng laughed, “Kid, don’t worry. When we reach the Qiyuan City Demon Slayer Division, they won’t mistreat you. However, now that you’re awake, it’s not quite appropriate for you to ride on the same horse as the girl, both in terms of sentiment and reason. How about switching to mine?”

 

Qin Feng quickly touched his forehead and interrupted, “Oh no, my head is spinning. It must be because I activated my life-saving treasure last night, which consumed too much of my Literature Qi. Lord Si, what did you just say? I didn’t quite catch it.”

 

“.”

 

“It’s nothing. I don’t mind,” suddenly Cang Feilan said.

 

While Qin Feng was pleased, he also felt a bit disappointed. Miss Cang was so casual, it seemed like she didn’t care about the distinction between men and women at all. In this case, does that mean he has no chance?

 

However, he failed to notice the faint pink color on the delicate and fair tops of Cang Feilan’s ears.

 

When sitting behind Si Zheng, Qin Feng always hoped to reach Qiyuan City quickly. But when riding the same horse with Cang Feilan, he wished the horse would slow down.

 

Unfortunately, joyful moments are always short-lived.

 

After a stick of incense time, after experiencing twists and turns, the five people finally arrived at the entrance of the gate of Qiyuan City.

 

Qiyuan City deserved to be called a Heavenly city; it was indeed huge. Just by looking at the endless outer wall, one could tell that it occupied an extremely vast area.

 

Due to the chaos caused by the troublemaker earlier, there were several colleagues from the Demon Slayer Division guarding outside the city gate. Whenever someone wanted to enter the city, they had to undergo a rigorous inspection.

 

Yang He’s group was naturally stopped.

 

However, when the leader took out the green jade one-star Demon Slayer Token from his bosom, they smoothly entered the city.

 

As Qin Feng stepped into the city, he did not see a thriving scene but instead a desolate one—ruined houses and desolate streets.

 

The surroundings are filled with broken walls and ruins. The road paved with blue stones is uneven, with pits and dried green fluid and bloodstains. Occasionally, one can catch a glimpse of insect corpses.

 

The disaster in Heavenly City is truly a calamity. It has turned Heavenly City into this state. If it were Jinyang City facing such a catastrophe, it would probably become a pile of ruins. Qin Feng sighed in his heart.

 

“Isn’t Qiyuan a Heavenly City? Why are there so few people?” Qin Feng curiously asked. The pedestrians on the street are mostly in pairs, even in the face of a great disaster, the majestic Heavenly City shouldn’t have so few people.

 

Yang He frowned, “I don’t know either. Perhaps we need to inquire at the Demon Slaying Department to understand the reason.”

 

In the Qiyuan Governor’s Mansion, a group of people sat in the hall, all with gloomy faces.

 

“When will the imperial physicians and the Divine Workshop from the capital arrive?” The one speaking was a middle-aged man with a serious face, slightly gray at the temples. He wore a blue official robe with embroidered roosters, and he was the governor of Qiyuan City, Li Mingxuan.

 

The governor is the chief executive officer sent by the capital to various Heavenly Citys, holding the rank of second-grade official. Although they serve in local positions, they are officials dispatched by the central government.

 

An official replied respectfully, “Imperial City is too far from here. Even with the fastest horses, it will take several days at least.”

 

Li Mingxuan frowned, “Since it is known that the confusion of the people is caused by the Heart Devouring Gu, is there no one in Qiyuan City who can remove the Heart Devouring Gu and treat this illness?”

 

Another person answered, “We have tried inviting renowned doctors in the city to treat the people. However, whenever they attempt to remove the Heart Devouring Gu attached to the heart, the strange insects are highly likely to react violently, devouring the patient’s heart and causing their death. We have tried treating thirteen people in total, and only three have survived. The cost is too high, and soon no physician dared to attempt treatment.”

 

The unspoken words of this official were understood by everyone present.

 

If they continue in this manner, the people in the city will also revolt. After all, not treating at least holds onto a lifeline, while treating is likely to result in death. In that case, which family would be willing to risk their loved one’s life?

 

The people looked at each other, all sighing.

 

True renowned doctors were gathered in Heavenly City. It’s not something that can be found everywhere.

 

Li Mingxuan pinched his brow, “How are the people infected with the Heart Devouring Gu now?”

 

“They have been temporarily controlled by the methods of the Demon Slaying Department’s head.”

 

“Any news about the lost Dragon Protection Monument? Anything from the Demon Slaying Department?”

 

“Not yet.”

 

Li Mingxuan’s brow furrowed even tighter at the response.