Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Slowly, the sound of the zither grew faster and louder. As the music became more resonant, it spread further, and more people began to hear it.
Needless to say, the number of those controlled by the zither's melody was also increasing.
At this moment, the music of the Demonic Zither had already echoed throughout the entire palace and was spreading outside. The palace maids, eunuchs, and others lost their minds and began to fight each other fiercely, throwing themselves into the chaos with reckless abandon.
With the people inside the palace engaged in battle, the animals were not far behind; cats and dogs began to wrestle with one another. When one fell, they quickly sought out another target, some even teaming up to attack a single opponent.
As these animals joined in, the bones that had been buried in various corners began to emerge, followed closely by those Souls who had perished unjustly within the palace.
Under normal circumstances, seeing those bones or the faintly visible Souls would have sent people screaming in terror.
However, at this moment, they were already lost in madness. Upon seeing the bones and Souls, instead of screaming in fear, they laughed joyfully as if they had spotted prey.
The palace maids and eunuchs were ordinary servants with no means of self-defense and quickly became Souls under the blades of the guards.
Yet, once they became Souls, being incorporeal meant they were invisible to others, allowing them to swiftly deal with those guards.
However, those with deep power and strong yang energy were exceptions.
Soon, the zither's melody spread throughout Jincheng. The citizens, merchants, and Martial Artists residing within Jincheng lost their minds upon hearing the music and began to fight amongst themselves.
Following that, the animals, along with the bones and Souls, also started to clash. However, adhering to the law of survival of the fittest, the outcome was similar to that within the palace.
When Dongfang Hao infused his inner strength to its fullest extent, the music of the Demonic Zither reached beyond the city walls. After that point, even if Dongfang Hao ceased to increase his power and maintained it at full capacity, the melody would continue to resonate outward on its own.
However, it could only reach a maximum distance of ten miles; beyond that range, it could not be heard.
Outside Jincheng was mostly mountainous terrain. Although sparsely populated, there were many wild beasts and bones within those mountains, as well as Souls. Thus, battles raged fiercely there as well.
When the sound of the Demonic Zither echoed here, the personnel from the Beggar Clan, Dark Gate, Demon Palace, Ghost Gate, and Tiger Legion had just evacuated.
It turned out that Luo Bingbing and the others had been continuously signaling for emergency evacuation for the Beggar Clan, Dark Gate, Demon Palace, Ghost Gate, and Tiger Legion as they left the Golden Sun Kingdom Palace.
Upon seeing the signals in the sky, those stationed in Jincheng immediately retreated, following the signals released by Luo Bingbing and the others.
As a result, they managed to escape beyond ten miles from the Golden Sun Palace, free from the control of the Demonic Zither's music.
At this moment, Luo Bingbing and her companions had arrived at a villa under the Tiger Legion's command, anxiously waiting for Dongfang Hao's return.
Inside the Golden Sun Palace, everyone except Murong Shang had perished, while all personnel in Jincheng were already dead, leaving only those Souls behind.
Dongfang Hao continued to play the Heartless Zither. Perhaps due to having killed too many people, his eyes had turned blood-red.
However, his mind remained clear and his thoughts sharp.
Although there were many Souls around Murong Shang, he was still able to handle them with ease; perhaps this was because he was the True Dragon Son.
Yet at this moment, he had long lost his sanity; his entire being was consumed by a frenzied battle mindset, with only one word echoing in his mind: "kill."
With so many people dead, blood flowed like rivers on the ground. Looking down at the blood from the rooftop, Dongfang Hao felt a surge of excitement within him.
Gradually, his heart began to lean towards darkness.
Suddenly, a single word "kill" surged up in his heart. Fortunately, he reacted quickly and expelled that thought from his mind.
However, in that fleeting moment, an Inner Demon seized control of his spirit, causing him to forget about playing the zither.
He stopped playing, and the music naturally ceased. Without the control of the music, Murong Shang and the Souls immediately awakened.
Upon waking, they were astonished to see the countless dead bodies and bones scattered everywhere, the ground stained with blood, and the palace that was now unrecognizable.
However, the most shocked of all was Murong Shang. He could never have imagined that the Heartless Zither would be in Dongfang Hao's hands, nor did he ever think his palace would become such a scene of carnage.
Unable to bear it, he let out a loud scream before collapsing.
When Dongfang Hao regained his senses, he heard someone below scream "Ah!" Following the sound, he saw that it came from Murong Shang.
Upon seeing Murong Shang lying motionless on the ground, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. At that moment, the Inner Demon surged into his heart once again.
He quickly steadied his mind and expelled the Inner Demon once more.
The second invasion of the Inner Demon made him realize he was in a very dangerous phase. Although he knew it was still not yet an hour, everyone in Jincheng was already dead, so there was no need for him to continue playing.
Moreover, if he kept playing, he might fall into demonic ways and lose himself.
After a brief contemplation, Dongfang Hao immediately put away the Heartless Zither. Once it was secured, he leaped down from the rooftop.
Although the zither had been put away, his eyes remained red. He hurried to Murong Shang's side and soon realized that Murong Shang had already lost his breath.
Seeing that Murong Shang was also dead reminded him of the word "kill," which brought forth the Inner Demon once again.
He gritted his teeth and repeatedly reminded himself that Luo Bingbing was still waiting for him to return; he could not become a murderer and could not let her down...
After a continuous struggle, he finally expelled the Inner Demon from his heart.
After gently wiping the sweat from his forehead, he slowly crouched down and took one of Murong Shang's hands to check his pulse.
After feeling the pulse, he was certain that Murong Shang was dead, but with Murong Shang's death, the motivation for his revenge also vanished.
Thus, the Inner Demon in his heart sought to invade his mind again and take control of him.
After keeping the Inner Demon at bay, he couldn't help but think that if the Inner Demon continued to invade so frequently, returning to Luo Bingbing's side could lead him to fall into madness, which would harm her.
Thinking of this made him furrow his brows tightly.
Suddenly, he came up with a good idea. He would first stabilize his heart outside, return his blood-red eyes to their normal black color, and then go back to Luo Bingbing's side.
Only by doing this would he not harm the Little One, and they would not fear or worry about him.
With this thought in mind, Dongfang Hao immediately left the palace and Jincheng, running in the opposite direction of where Luo Bingbing was.
Moreover, he avoided the official road and headed straight into the deep mountains and forests.
Although his intentions were good, he did not realize that his actions only made Luo Bingbing and the others more worried about him.
Indeed, when an hour had passed, Luo Bingbing and her companions immediately had a phoenix carry them to look for Dongfang Hao.
However, after flying for a long time on the phoenix, they still did not see any sign of Dongfang Hao. Instead, they encountered many dead beasts and people along the way, even bones.
Not seeing Dongfang Hao, they urged the phoenix to continue flying forward. Upon reaching Jincheng, they were even more shocked.
Everywhere they looked was filled with corpses, bones, and blood; a city that had been intact just an hour ago now had no place left unscathed.
The phoenix flew low over the city, and upon not seeing Dongfang Hao, it directly entered the palace. However, what they found inside was even more shocking.
The resplendent palace had completely vanished, leaving only a wasteland behind, with corpses, bones, and blood scattered everywhere, just like outside the palace.
After circling above the palace, they still did not find Dongfang Hao or sense any signs of life, which made them panic!
Fearing that Dongfang Hao might be buried in the ruins, they immediately jumped off the phoenix's back and began searching for him among the debris.
However, there were only a few of them, while the ruins inside the palace were vast. They quickly sent signals into the sky for the Beggar Clan, Dark Gate, Demon Palace, Ghost Gate, and Tiger Legion to call back those who had previously evacuated to help search for Dongfang Hao.
Luo Bingbing felt very conflicted; she wanted to find Dongfang Hao quickly but also hoped not to find him among the ruins. She did not want his life to end like this.
As night fell, they still had not found Dongfang Hao.
At this moment, everyone felt uneasy. One master had just been rescued while another was in trouble, and this one’s fate was uncertain.
With nightfall, others struggled with their night vision abilities. Only those from the Tiger Legion, who had undergone night vision training, could see as clearly at night as during the day.
Thus, they continued searching through the ruins for any sign of Dongfang Hao.
After night fell, Shadowless and Yiziman finally arrived at Jincheng. Upon seeing the dead and lifeless bodies along the way, they realized something significant must have happened ahead.
However, they never expected Jincheng to turn into such a dead city or become a wasteland. They were even more shocked that Dongfang Hao was missing here.
Upon learning that Luo Bingbing had little martial power left, Shadowless felt extremely guilty and expressed a desire to atone with his life. Fortunately, Yiziman stopped him. In the end, it was Luo Bingbing who issued a stern order for him to immediately search for Dongfang Hao to redeem himself; only then did he abandon such thoughts.
While they continued their search here, Dongfang Hao had already traveled thousands of miles away.
Due to several days without rest and the excessive use of his internal energy while playing the Heartless Zither, he was physically weak and frequently attacked by the Inner Demon.
Relying on his strong willpower, he repelled the Inner Demon’s invasions time and again. He didn’t know where to go, only that he needed to move forward, away from the Little One, ensuring the Little One's safety.
With this thought in mind, he kept running forward. The path in the mountains was difficult; when he fell, he immediately got back up and continued running.
He had no idea how long he had been running or how many times he had fallen; all he knew was that he had to keep moving forward.
As Dongfang Hao ran, he suddenly sensed the invasion of the Inner Demon. He knew this time the Inner Demon was more aggressive than ever before.
So, he focused all his energy to confront this sudden attack from the Inner Demon.
However, while concentrating on fighting the Inner Demon, he failed to notice the path beneath him and stepped into thin air, tumbling down the cliff.
Although the cliff wasn’t very high, Dongfang Hao hit his head against a rock as he rolled down and subsequently fell into unconsciousness.
Below the cliff was an abandoned courtyard belonging to the Poison Gate family—Tangmen—where an elderly man in his sixties lived, known as an Old Servant of Tangmen.
Upon hearing a noise from the back courtyard, he hurried over to check. Seeing that it was a person, he immediately carried him back to his room.
Originally, he didn’t live here; due to his old age and inability to do much work, the Old Master of Tangmen took pity on him for being alone and did not drive him away, arranging for him to stay in this long-abandoned courtyard.
Tangmen was part of the Poison Gate family, and this Old Servant had dealt mostly with medicines during his time there. After observing Dongfang Hao, he realized that Dongfang Hao was merely unconscious and had no other issues.
Thus, he didn’t worry too much. However, during his observation, he also noticed that Dongfang Hao's constitution was extremely weak.
Afterward, relying on his old experience, he requested some nourishing herbs from within Tangmen and returned to brew soup for Dongfang Hao to drink.
However, there was a rule in the Tang Clan that forbade outsiders from entering, so everything he did was done secretly.
Yet, there are no walls that do not let the wind through. Some servants noticed that the usually unassuming Old Servant was frequently asking for herbs to restore his health, which they found quite strange, leading them to discuss it privately.
One time, while they were talking, they were inadvertently overheard by the Tang Clan's young lady. As the daughter of the clan leader, Tang Shiyin felt it was her duty to manage this matter.
Thus, she summoned those servants and after understanding the situation clearly, she immediately took people to find the Old Servant.
Upon arriving at the dilapidated courtyard, Tang Shiyin ordered her people to search the Old Servant's room.
At that moment, the Old Servant was in his room administering medicine to Dongfang Hao. Suddenly hearing noises outside, he realized it was his young lady and became flustered, unsure of what to do.
Just as he was at a loss, his door was kicked open, and everyone saw Dongfang Hao lying on his bed.
Seeing that there was indeed an outsider hidden in the Old Servant's room, they immediately reported to Tang Shiyin.
Subsequently, Tang Shiyin ordered that the Old Servant be brought out and questioned him about what was going on and why there was an outsider on his bed.
The Old Servant, being honest and straightforward, immediately reported truthfully when he heard his young lady's inquiry.
After listening to the Old Servant's account, Tang Shiyin still followed the clan rules and expelled him from the Tang Clan while ordering Dongfang Hao to be thrown out as well.
However, when those servants carried Dongfang Hao out, she called out to stop them and instructed them to take Dongfang Hao to the guest room in her courtyard.
The reason? She suddenly realized that Dongfang Hao was exceptionally handsome and wanted to keep him as her husband.
At this moment, Dongfang Hao remained in a deep coma with no signs of waking up.
Upon seeing Dongfang Hao still in a coma, Tang Shiyin immediately called for the Demon Doctor from the Tang Clan to examine him.
After checking Dongfang Hao's pulse, the Demon Doctor realized that not only was Dongfang Hao's body weak, but there were also signs of internal turmoil, along with a blood clot at the back of his head.
The Demon Doctor informed Tang Shiyin of the situation, and she promptly asked him to prescribe medicine for Dongfang Hao's treatment.
Once Dongfang Hao was taken care of, Tang Shiyin went to find her father and informed him about Dongfang Hao's condition. Her father opposed it outright, but after Tang Shiyin's persistent persuasion, the Tang Family Head eventually agreed to her request.
On the morning of the fifth day, the head of the Tang Clan received a notice from the Poison Gate, which was an announcement calling all sects under the Poison Gate Alliance to participate in an election at the Poison Gate headquarters. The one with the most exceptional poison skills would be elected as the Poison Gate Leader, with the election date set for ten days later.
Thus, the Tang Clan began making thorough preparations to secure the position of Poison Gate Leader.
Time flew by, and two days later, Dongfang Hao woke up that evening. As he slowly opened his eyes, he quickly scanned the room he was in.
His first impression was that this room felt unfamiliar, yet his mind was blank, and he couldn't recall anything.
Although some images flashed through his mind, they were very vague and unclear.
At that moment, he had even forgotten who he was. In an effort to remember quickly, he sat on the bed and thought.
Suddenly, the door creaked open, and a Maid entered with medicine. Upon seeing Dongfang Hao sitting on the bed, she exclaimed, "Young Master, you are finally awake! I will go inform Miss right away."
After saying this, the Maid hurried out while calling out loudly, "Miss! Miss! That young master has woken up..."
Tang Shiyin was practicing swordplay in the bamboo grove in the backyard when she suddenly heard the Maid's voice. She immediately went to see Dongfang Hao.
Upon entering the room, she saw Dongfang Hao sitting on the bed deep in thought. Seeing his bright and spirited eyes captivated her.
Dongfang Hao was trying hard to recall and think when he suddenly heard footsteps outside the door. However, he paid no attention and continued his contemplation until he felt a gaze fixed on him from outside. Only then did he turn his head to look.
As soon as he turned, he saw Tang Shiyin's admiring gaze. For some reason, the moment he saw that look, he felt a wave of disgust, though he did not show it.
After just a glance, he quickly shifted his gaze away.
Seeing him avert his eyes, Tang Shiyin felt quite displeased and immediately said to Dongfang Hao, "Young Master, am I not good-looking?"
Raising an eyebrow slightly, Dongfang Hao retorted, "Who are you? And where is this place?"
"This is the Tang Clan. My father is the clan leader," Tang Shiyin replied. As soon as she finished speaking, Dongfang Hao responded, "Oh, then who am I?"
Tang Shiyin was taken aback by his words and quickly asked in confusion, "Young Master, do you not remember anything at all?"
Nodding lightly, Dongfang Hao said, "Yes, indeed."
Upon hearing this, Tang Shiyin immediately came up with an idea that would not only help her keep Dongfang Hao but also confirm their marital relationship.
Thus, she quickly fabricated an identity for Dongfang Hao, claiming that he was a friend of a distant relative who had come to seek refuge in the Tang Clan. She added that her father had found Dongfang Hao to be a good person and had promised to betroth her to him.
Dongfang Hao furrowed his brow and asked, "So we are married?"
"Not yet. My father said we would hold the wedding banquet after the Poison Gate Conference," she said casually to keep Dongfang Hao there.
"Why can't I remember anything from before?"
"Because you nearly fell into a trance while practicing your skills and accidentally fell down, hitting the back of your head against a rock. That caused your memory to become confused and ultimately led to your amnesia."
After speaking, Tang Shiyin couldn't help but think to herself, "Fortunately, the Demon Doctor told me earlier; otherwise, I wouldn't know how to respond."
"Can my memory be restored?"
"It's hard to say; it probably can't be restored." She added in her heart, "Even if it could be restored, I wouldn't let you. I want to keep you by my side forever, always in the Tang Clan."
Dongfang Hao, without memories, was like a blank slate—he understood nothing and knew nothing, relying solely on his feelings for judgment.
Although he didn't particularly like staying in the Tang Clan, he knew that at this moment, he could only remain there. He had to work hard to recover his memories to recall the scenes from his dreams.
Luo Bingbing and her companions searched for three whole days, turning over every inch of Jincheng inside and out, yet they still couldn't find any trace of Dongfang Hao.
At this point, Luo Bingbing felt even more convinced that Dongfang Hao was not dead and had indeed left Jincheng. Simultaneously, she trusted her instincts even more.
It wasn't until An Ruo Ran reported to her that Rui Xi Wang of the Golden Sun Kingdom had learned they had destroyed the Golden Sun Palace and Jincheng that she realized he had not only stayed behind but had also brought his army to capture them. They were already on their way.
Upon hearing An Ruo Ran's words, Luo Bingbing immediately ordered everyone searching for Dongfang Hao to withdraw. After regrouping with the Silver Moon Kingdom's forces, they would join the army to conquer the cities of the Golden Sun Kingdom.
Although Luo Bingbing issued the retreat order, Mo Xuan and the others had no complaints. They shared Luo Bingbing's belief that Dongfang Hao had already left Jincheng.
This time, Luo Bingbing did not hide her forces. She dispatched members from the Beggar Clan, Dark Gate, Ghost Gate, and Tiger Legion—some to search for people and others to assist in battle.
She also sent all her people from the Demon Palace out, revealing their true identities.
Suddenly, news of Ghost Gate and the Demon Palace re-emerging shocked the entire martial arts world.
The so-called righteous warriors of the martial arts community immediately sought out the martial arts leader Su Yan, demanding that he issue a martial arts notice to eliminate Ghost Gate and the Demon Palace.
At this moment, Su Yan had already learned about what happened to Luo Bingbing. From An Ruo Ran, she found out that the master of the Ghost Gate was the Little One, and the master of the Demon Palace was Dongfang Hao. She then stopped those Martial Artists.
She directly informed them that the masters of the Ghost Gate and the Demon Palace were the current Emperor and Empress of the Silver Moon Kingdom. Moreover, she boldly declared that if any Martial Artist wanted to destroy the Ghost Gate and the Demon Palace, they would have to get past her first.
Although she was young, everyone knew her strength, especially with the peculiar bottles and jars she carried.
Thus, those Martial Artists dared not mention destroying the Ghost Gate and the Demon Palace anymore.
While they were searching for people, the grand meeting held by the Poison Gate Alliance to elect a new Poison Gate Leader quietly approached.
Luo Bingbing, having searched for ten days without any news of Dongfang Hao, felt an overwhelming sense of urgency.
The Snow Spirit Fox, sensing her anxiety, suggested that Luo Bingbing drink some of its blood again, as it might help her regain her memory. With that ability, Luo Bingbing could immediately find Dongfang Hao.
However, Luo Bingbing directly refused.
Seeing Luo Bingbing reject its suggestion, the Snow Spirit Fox did not lose heart. It quickly went to find An Ruo Ran and Mink, asking them to help knock out Luo Bingbing so it could assist her in recovering her memory.
Since An Ruo Ran and the others did not know how to help Luo Bingbing regain her memory, and fearing they would refuse if they knew, the Snow Spirit Fox intentionally kept that information hidden. Therefore, in order to help Luo Bingbing recover her memory as soon as possible, An Ruo Ran and the others agreed to the Snow Spirit Fox's request.
Comment 0 Comment Count