Chapter 187 - 139: Escape
Hongg Ying glanced at the silver-haired elder at his side but didn’t blame him.
It was only natural to plan ahead when disaster was imminent.
"Take my wives and children with you and go."
"As for me... I’ve been in Jiangzhou for decades. I’ve become one with this city. I will remain in Jiangzhou City," Hongg Ying said, a flash of relief in his eyes.
The silver-haired elder opened his mouth, but seeing the resolute look in Hongg Ying’s eyes, he ultimately said nothing.
"Go. Leave today," Hongg Ying said.
The silver-haired elder cupped his hands in a farewell gesture and turned to leave.
In the vast hall of the Prefectural Yamen, only Hongg Ying remained, seated in the position of honor.
...
The mountain gate of the Broken Moon Sect.
The once-great sect, with a thousand years of simple, ancient history, was now desolate, its population decimated and white funeral banners fluttering in the wind.
In more than half a year of war, half of the Broken Moon Sect’s disciples had perished.
Worst of all, the Sect Leader of the Broken Moon Sect, Luo Tianhao—who once had a friendly relationship with Lu Changfeng—was also dead.
Luo Tianhao had voluntarily gone to the front lines about two months ago.
His luck was poor. He was targeted by a Rebirth Realm expert and killed on the spot.
The Supreme Elder of the Broken Moon Sect, the very same old man who once played chess with Luo Tianhao, had no choice but to emerge from seclusion to take control.
He had originally intended to seal the mountain.
But on second thought, the Daliang Alien Race was not like the internal factions of the Song Country.
The Daliang Alien Race enacted a policy of extermination against the common people; for a Martial Arts Power like the Broken Moon Sect, they would surely show no mercy and slaughter them to the last.
In the end, the Supreme Elder of the Broken Moon Sect made a momentous decision.
That day, the Supreme Elder of the Broken Moon Sect held a gathering in the sect’s main plaza.
He announced that the Broken Moon Sect was, from that moment on, disbanded!
All disciples and elders were to leave the mountain gate on their own!
Should the opportunity arise in the future, any of them could re-establish the banner of the Broken Moon Sect.
With the Sect Leader dead and their mountain stronghold about to fall into the hands of the Alien Race, disbanding the Broken Moon Sect was a truly desperate measure.
"Do you feel as if there’s no place left for you in this vast world?"
"In truth, in these chaotic times, the distinction between the Righteous Dao and the Demon Dao is no longer so clear. Anyone who can resist the Daliang Alien Race is one of us, the Song People."
These words from the Broken Moon Sect’s Supreme Elder actually represented a shift in thinking for most people in Jiangnan Prefecture, from the highest echelons to the lowest.
In the face of this brutal war, all of Jiangnan Prefecture had finally cast off the veil of the Righteous Dao.
"If you have nowhere else to go, then I can recommend a place."
"Qin City, in northern Jiangnan Prefecture. The master of the Land Demon Sect... was also once an Honored Guest Elder of our Broken Moon Sect."
"If you travel to Qin City, Elder Lu should, for old times’ sake, look after you."
As the Supreme Elder spoke, he couldn’t help but recall the scene from two years ago, when Lu Changfeng had grandly announced he was joining the Saint Demon Sect.
’Thinking back on it now, Lu Changfeng was the one with true foresight.’
’The Broken Moon Sect, in the end, was too shortsighted. They even revoked Lu Changfeng’s position as Honored Guest Elder.’
In truth, it was Jiangnan Prefecture itself, from top to bottom, that had pushed the Saint Demon Sect into opposition.
If all of Jiangnan Prefecture had been willing to bow its head and cooperate with the Saint Demon Sect, the Daliang Alien Race might have been driven back into the sea long ago.
In fact, this was also why Lu Changfeng had been content to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight.
Unless the Daliang were used to shatter the thousand-year-old ’arrogance’ of Jiangnan Prefecture, the prefecture would never submit to the rule of the Saint Demon Sect, a ’Demon Dao Influence’.
"Then... Supreme Elder, where will you go?" a disciple from the crowd below asked.
The Supreme Elder of the Broken Moon Sect sighed, gazing down at the ancient, thousand-year-old structures. "I will remain here and find my eternal rest with the ancestors of the Broken Moon Sect."
...
And it wasn’t just the Broken Moon Sect.
The Lan Family’s Ancestor had died in battle, leaving the family with no one in the Rebirth Realm.
The entire Lan Family vanished without a trace overnight, presumably having fled Jiangzhou Prefecture.
As for the Taihong Association, its High Priest had not died in battle.
However, nearly all of their Bone Refining Realm and Tendon Transformation Realm experts had been killed.
Unfortunately, despite such a heavy price, the front lines still couldn’t hold back the spearhead of the Daliang forces.
Jiangnan Prefecture was finished.
Left with no other choice, the High Priest of the Taihong Association personally led the sect’s remaining disciples away from their mountain gate.
The Pure Yang Sect, Fengqing Sect, Shadowless Sect, Ape Sect...
The Yani Family, the Mu Family, the Cui Family...
The Ten Great Sects and eight major Martial Arts Powers of Jiangnan Prefecture finally began to collapse like dominoes in this final hour.
Some disbanded.
Others evacuated.
Of course, some clung to wishful thinking and sealed their mountain gates.
Within a few days, the population of Jiangzhou Prefecture City had dwindled significantly.
Only then did the common folk realize something was amiss, and they began to flee Jiangzhou with their families in tow.
As for where they fled, their only options were north or west.
The fact that those were territories of the Demon Dao Influence was no longer important in the face of the Daliang Alien Race’s advance.
Compared to the Daliang Alien Race, who slaughtered entire cities, the Demon Dao Influence was clearly the lesser of two evils.
「Jiangzhou.」
「Fengqi Street.」
This street had once been lined with the offices of various sects, an exclusive thoroughfare for Martial Arts Powers.
Now, Fengqi Street was desolate and deserted.
The various Martial Arts Powers had already fled long ago.
Only a small building on the corner was still open for business.
This small building was the stronghold of the Thousand Knowledge Sect.
Lin Yuesheng was inside the stronghold, humming to himself as he read an ancient text.
"Brother Lin, you haven’t left yet?"
A voice called from outside the small building. Lin Yuesheng poked his head out, glanced over, and his face filled with astonishment. "Brother Lu? What are you doing here in Jiangzhou! Shouldn’t you be in Qin City?"
"I get it, you must be here to watch the show!" Lin Yuesheng declared.
Lu Changfeng smiled and shook his head, stroking Little Bai in his arms. "I’m not that petty."
"I just came to see if any old acquaintances needed my help."
"But it looks like everyone has already made their own arrangements."
Lin Yuesheng nodded. "Yes, a clever rabbit has three burrows. Besides, the Daliang Alien Race gave everyone plenty of time to retreat."
"Brother Lu, when do you think the Saint Demon Sect will march south?" Lin Yuesheng asked.
Lu Changfeng looked up at the sky over Jiangzhou City. "Perhaps when this last wall finally crumbles."
Lu Changfeng looked at Lin Yuesheng. "And what about you? The main bastion of the Righteous Dao in Jiangnan Prefecture has been shattered. Surely your Sect Leader can’t bear to let the Thousand Knowledge Sect’s ’traditional arts’ have no stage to perform on, can he?"
Lin Yuesheng shrugged. "What can I do? I’m just a nobody. Let the higher-ups get a headache over it."
"Hmm, I have a suggestion."
"Move the Thousand Knowledge Sect to Yunyang Prefecture."
"The Saint Demon Sect will grant your Thousand Knowledge Sect certain privileges. Go to Yunyang Prefecture and build up its news industry."
Lin Yuesheng looked at Lu Changfeng curiously. "Is this from your Law Enforcement Demon Sect, or from the Saint Demon Sect Master himself?"
Lu Changfeng replied, "This comes from the Saint Master, of course. He extends a sincere invitation for the Thousand Knowledge Sect to enter Yunyang Prefecture. You should relay the message to your Sect Leader."
Lin Yuesheng’s expression finally turned serious. "I will pass the message up."