Chapter 96: Devouring the Dragon

A surge of demonic energy shot forth from the Golden Throne Hall, spreading like a plague and sweeping across the entire capital in the blink of an eye.

Master Wen jerked his head up, a glimmer of light flashing in his eyes.

He saw it: the giant dragon circling above the capital let out a mournful wail, several furry violet tails swaying as they wrapped tightly around it, binding it inescapably.

Then, a savage phantom of a monstrous beast appeared, its gaping, blood-red jaws snapping shut around the dragon’s neck, biting it off and devouring the creature whole.

“Disaster! The nest has been usurped! A great demon has seized the throne!”

Master Wen’s face changed drastically. He hurried toward the Duke Protector’s residence.

“That great demon is devouring the fate of Great Zhou, replacing the emperor, and will use the vital essence and fate of countless citizens to achieve its own ascendancy! When that happens, countless corpses will litter the land, and the people will suffer unspeakably!”

“Damn it! Judging by this, it’s already succeeded. It must be in the imperial palace!”

“How did it manage this? Is there something wrong with the new emperor?”

Sweating profusely, Master Wen rushed onward.

Suddenly, his vision blurred; memories about the great demon in his mind began warping at lightning speed.

“An art of enchantment!”

“It’s trying to alter everyone’s memories and turn the capital into a demonic domain!”

“I must warn the master! I have to! He’s not a sorcerer—he can’t see the truth!”

Master Wen barreled into the Duke Protector’s residence, desperate enough to wish he could run on all fours toward Ji Junhong’s courtyard.

“I told them not to place the courtyard so deep inside; just walking here daily nearly breaks my legs! And now, at a critical moment, it’s wasting precious time!”

The purple haze before his eyes grew thicker; his memories were already slipping away. In a hurry, he bit his fingertip and wrote the character for “demon” in blood on his sleeve. The courtyard was now just ahead.

Ji Junhong stood with his hands behind his back, frowning at the sky. He felt an inexplicable sense of unease, as though something was wrong, but couldn’t pinpoint what. A moment ago, something seemed to brush past him, only to be devoured by his cultivation technique without even alerting the intruder.

“Master!”

Master Wen cried out hoarsely, snot and tears streaming down his face—not from fear, but from running too fast and being too agitated.

Ji Junhong turned, surprised. “Master Wen, did something happen just now?”

Master Wen was about to reply, but his eyes were now wholly veiled in purple; in the next instant, the violet light faded into his pupils until it was almost imperceptible.

“Huh?” He blinked, wiped his face absentmindedly, and said in confusion, “What was I about to say?”

Ji Junhong narrowed his eyes, his gaze suddenly intent. “Perhaps you could try to recall, Master.”

“I just now… just now…” Master Wen scratched his head, bewildered. “What was I coming to see you about?”

“What’s this?” Ji Junhong pointed at Master Wen’s robe, now stained with blood.

Master Wen looked down and saw a hasty, blood-written character for “demon” scrawled there.

“Demon?” He frowned, then glanced at his bleeding finger. He knew that bite mark well—he’d made it himself.

“When did I write this? Why can’t I remember?” he muttered softly, confusion clouding his eyes as a trace of violet flickered at the corner of his eye.

He burst out laughing. “Ha ha ha! Can’t remember! Well, never mind—it probably wasn’t anything important.”

Ji Junhong glanced once more at the bloody character, then at Master Wen’s unconcerned face. His gaze dropped, and he asked quietly, “Master, can you see how the fate of Great Zhou stands?”

“The nation’s fate? Let me see.” Master Wen looked up at the sky, then broke into a cheerful grin. “The nation is prosperous! The dragon’s energy is on the rise, and things look splendid—peace and security for all! It seems our new emperor is quite remarkable! I heard yesterday when General Fei Xiong marched to the frontier, His Majesty personally came to the city gate to bid him farewell with wine. A good emperor, indeed!”

“What did you say?” Ji Junhong snapped his head up.

Master Wen paused, then replied, “I said the new emperor is a good ruler.”

“The sentence before that.”

“He toasted General Fei Xiong at the city gate before his departure. Is something wrong, Master?”

Ji Junhong was silent for several seconds, then looked up again at the sky. Though he could not see the dragon’s aura, something still felt amiss.

“It’s nothing. Master, you’ve been working hard lately. You should rest in your quarters for a while—there’s no need to come by every day,” Ji Junhong said, casting another thoughtful look at him, then smiling.

“Very well, thank you, Master.” Master Wen bowed with a laugh, humming a little tune as he left.

Ji Junhong sat in silence beneath a tree for a long while, his gaze lowered.

“If someone truly wishes to strike at the capital and the dragon’s fate, my father is the one obstacle they cannot bypass. That’s why they chose to act right after he left.”

“There must be some change in the capital—even Master Wen can’t be trusted. If even he cannot be trusted, then perhaps the Grand Diviner…”

“But if my father returns, how will that person deal with it?”

“Unless…”

Ji Junhong’s eyes snapped open. He was about to call for someone, but suddenly remembered—even Master Wen had fallen victim; likely, no one else in the capital was spared.

In that instant, Ji Junhong realized he was completely alone.

He thought for two seconds, then suddenly stretched out his hand and barked, “Sword, come!”

A golden streak shot across the sky. As it neared the capital, a faint violet barrier shimmered overhead, but the golden line pierced through it without hindrance.

Purple mist churned. Someone seemed to notice, observing for a moment, but, seeing nothing, merely puzzled, repaired the barrier.

The Imperial Sword landed in Ji Junhong’s hand, the blade trembling gently, rippling with golden light, repelling the faintest trace of violet mist.

So there really is a problem… Ji Junhong stroked the sword, then took up a strip of cloth and quickly wrote:

[Father is in danger!]

He tied the strip to the hilt of the Imperial Sword and whispered, “Go. Deliver this message, no matter what.”

The sword let out a clear ring and transformed once more into a beam of golden light, flying away.

It pierced the purple barrier above the capital as easily as popping a balloon. Somewhere, faintly, someone seemed to roar in fury, sweeping their gaze across the city, but, finding nothing amiss, could only withdraw their attention and patch the barrier again.

“I hope it’s not too late…” Ji Junhong sighed, then decided to take a walk and see what the capital had become.

As expected—even the servants of the Duke Protector’s residence seemed unchanged on the surface, smiling as usual, yet they gave off an uncanny, unsettling feeling.

“I recall Master Wen once mentioned monsters in the capital.”

“Could it be that the monster is hiding in the palace?”

“At this point, I cannot act rashly and alert the enemy. I can only observe in secret.”

“There are still thirty thousand imperial guards stationed here, and the Fei Xiong Army is at the frontier…”

“There must be hidden experts among them as well.”

Ji Junhong pondered silently. Just then, he saw Little Red Sugar skipping happily toward him.

This girl, even under enchantment, still smiles so innocently—completely unlike the others’ forced grins. Ji Junhong couldn’t help but smile, his heavy mood lifting a little.

“So early, and you’re already home from school, Little Red Sugar?”

Little Red Sugar grinned proudly. “Big Brother, I don’t know if the teachers have all gone silly from reading books, but I skipped class right in front of them and nobody stopped me. You mustn’t tell Papa Xiong!”

Ji Junhong’s smile froze. He looked her up and down in astonishment. “You’re not affected?”

Little Red Sugar blinked at him, inwardly alarmed. She’d thought Big Brother had also changed, which was why she spoke so casually.

“Oh no, Little Red Sugar suddenly feels dizzy—something’s wrong! I must be ill! I’m not myself at all!” she cried, clutching her head and turning to run off.

Ji Junhong called after her irritably, “Enough pretending—I’ve figured it out.”