Chapter 102: People from Jialan Arrive, How Can One Person Defend a City?

Chapter 102: A Visitor from Galan, How Can One Man Defend a City Alone?

"Trying to flee?"

Qi Yuan's face turned cold as he saw Caixia attempting to escape.

He gave chase after her.

"Stop him!" Caixia shouted loudly. Instantly, all the demonic aberrations grew even more frenzied, charging at Qi Yuan as if they had no regard for their own lives.

Seeing that the demonic aberrations had temporarily trapped Qi Yuan, Caixia's courage swelled.

"Who would have thought a Guardian of the Nation would come to No-Return City!

You are strong, I admit I am no match for you, but what of it, a Guardian of the Nation?

There are so many Guardians in Galan City, yet in the end, they were beaten by us Northerners into hiding, not daring to come out?

The Southern lands are doomed to perish, why fight for them?

Life is short, one should seize the moment and enjoy it—why bother with this so-called world and its people?

All you do is merely to satisfy your own inner moral gratification."

Caixia looked at Qi Yuan, a smug expression in her eyes.

"I'm leaving now. The next time I appear, No-Return City will surely fall."

With that, she turned and left without looking back.

Qi Yuan was enraged: "Dare to overthrow the city I guard? You seek death!"

Sky-Splitting Sword Art!

Qi Yuan unleashed his most powerful sword technique.

As this sword struck, the hundreds of demonic aberrations surrounding Qi Yuan were forcibly cleaved open, creating a gap.

Caixia, watching from afar, was stunned.

To slaughter over a dozen overlord-level beings with a single sword stroke—this was not something an ordinary Guardian of the Nation could achieve.

A fierce gust of wind swept in, and Caixia heard Qi Yuan's roar.

"Villain, don't flee! Stay… and be my dog!"

The powerful blast struck her waist, and she fell from the sky like a kite with a broken string.

With just that residual force, she lost all her combat ability.

She turned with difficulty and saw the handsome man approaching her, a broken sword in hand.

Terror filled her heart.

She did not want to die here.

"I… I am willing to be your dog!" The scorching sand pressed against her skin, yet a strange ripple stirred within Caixia. She looked at Qi Yuan drawing near, her eyes showing a fawning expression, even sticking out her tongue like a real dog.

"A simp has no home!" Qi Yuan said, disgusted, and directly struck Caixia with his sword.

Caixia's body slumped limply. She could not understand—she had agreed to be a dog, so why was she still not spared?

Was their enmity so deep, soaked in blood?

Didn't cultivators from the North and South often surrender to each other?

But she had no time to ponder further, for she was dead.

After slaying Caixia, Qi Yuan turned his gaze back to the demonic aberration army.

He raised his sword once more and charged into battle.

Half an hour later.

Qi Yuan returned to the walls of No-Return City, which he guarded.

Now, what he most wanted to understand was what exactly this so-called "source of sin" was.

He looked inward at his own body, sensing deeply.

After an unknown length of time, Qi Yuan opened his eyes.

Within his soul, he observed a wisp of gas, no larger than a grain of rice.

This gas was multicolored, bearing countless hues.

"Is this the source of sin?"

[Source of Sin: the evil of living beings—pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, lust.]

"The Seven Deadly Sins?"

"This doesn't seem like a good thing."

As his soul touched that grain-sized source of sin, countless images flooded his mind.

He saw himself cleaving the Palace of Light with a single sword.

He saw himself devouring mountains of delicious food.

He saw himself brutally tearing apart his junior sister Jiang Lingsu's dress, then putting stockings on her thighs.

"Six."

Qi Yuan could only offer a single "six."

"Suddenly, I feel that the mutation ability is not a good thing."

Qi Yuan realized he had fallen into a deep pit.

But after a moment's thought, he denied that notion.

"As the saying goes, there is no evil martial art in the world, only evil people."

"The source of sin is the other side of human nature.

If I were to kill all the demonic aberrations in this world, how much source of sin would I accumulate?

If I refined it into my golden core, it might be extremely powerful."

Once the golden core emerged, it might stir the seven emotions and six desires of enemies, breeding inner demons.

Qi Yuan thought this way.

If that were the case, wouldn't his golden core control something akin to the seven emotions and six desires?

Qi Yuan consoled himself.

His mood improved considerably.

...

Two years passed in the blink of an eye.

In the vast desert, Yuan Qi walked alone. His face was cracked and dry, his entire state poor.

On the road to No-Return City, he encountered many wandering demonic aberrations.

He barely escaped with his life, nearly dying several times, but he managed to persevere.

At this moment, he was weak to the extreme.

Yet the wooden chest on his back had never been abandoned.

“The road from Great Xia to No-Return City is infested with demonic spawn everywhere.

How did my elder brother and the others ever reach No-Return City? Or could it be… in No-Return City… there is no brother?”

Yuan Qi’s heart was filled with doubt; he had to find out what exactly No-Return City was.

Just then, a voice came from behind him.

“Fellow traveler, are you also a cultivator from the Southern Lands?”

Yuan Qi whirled around and saw a man and a woman behind him, their faces wary as they watched him.

“Hmm, and you are?” Yuan Qi asked in return, many thoughts racing through his mind.

He had heard that among the hundred and eight thousand cities, many cultivators defected to the Northern Lands every year.

The two before him bore no telltale marks of demon tamers, but he had to be cautious.

“We are cultivators from Galan City, heading to No-Return City,” the tall man said. “Judging by the direction you’re taking, could you also be bound for No-Return City? Might you be a man of Great Xia?”

Yuan Qi pondered for a moment and did not hide the truth: “Indeed.”

“I see.” A look of delight appeared on the tall man’s face.

The woman beside him quickly added, “Since you’re from Great Xia, do you know the warden of No-Return City?”

The warden of No-Return City?

Yuan Qi shook his head.

He did not know.

“All I know is that a few years ago, my elder brother led troops to reinforce No-Return City and never returned.”

“No-Return City has been isolated for too long; we have little news of it.

But I’ve heard that the warden of No-Return City is a Nation Guardian.

He alone has guarded the city for nearly three years!” The tall man’s eyes shone with admiration. “My sister and I are heading to No-Return City this time to pay our respects to that warden and, incidentally, to discuss important matters!”

Yuan Qi was puzzled.

A Nation Guardian?

Great Xia had no Nation Guardians.

Who was that warden of No-Return City?

One man guarding a city alone?

That was too… desolate.

At the thought, Yuan Qi’s nose stung with sorrow.

“Since we’re all bound for No-Return City, let’s travel together.”

Five days passed. Over that time, Yuan Qi had learned the general information about the brother and sister and their purpose for heading to No-Return City.

The siblings were named Liu Wentai and Liu Wenmei.

They were going to No-Return City to persuade its warden to come and guard Galan City instead.

They had deliberately sought Yuan Qi’s company because they thought he might know the warden and could help convince him.

In his heart, Yuan Qi was resistant. After all, why should a warden of Great Xia abandon No-Return City for Galan City?

But the words of Liu Wentai and Liu Wenmei had convinced him.

No-Return City truly had no need for a warden.

That warden, alone guarding a solitary city, received no aid from Great Xia.

If this continued, it would only be a senseless death.

Yuan Qi felt resentment, guilt, and deep self-reproach.

Half a day later, the three, travel-worn and dusty, finally saw the towering city of No-Return City.

Liu Wentai gazed at the immense city, admiration rising in his heart: “One man guarding a city alone—how magnificent!”

Beside him, Liu Wenmei mustered all her strength and shouted toward the towering city: “Envoys from Galan City request an audience with the Warden of No-Return City!”

Her voice boomed, carrying into No-Return City, seeming to echo.

Yet, a full ten breaths passed, and no one answered them.

A foreboding feeling crept into Liu Wentai’s heart: “This is bad—could something have happened to No-Return City?”

The three hurriedly ran toward No-Return City.

But as they neared the city wall, they all slammed into an invisible barrier.

“What is this?”

They fell to the ground, staring ahead with suspicion in their eyes.

“Make way,” came a lazy voice at that moment.

From beneath the city wall, dust and sand flew up, and a young man clutching a broken sword emerged, as if crawling out of the earth.

His face still seemed heavy with sleep.

Yuan Qi looked over, fixed his gaze on the man, and a flicker of astonishment crossed his eyes.

So young?

Liu Wentai and Liu Wenmei shared the same thought.

If they hadn’t heard that this man had single-handedly guarded No-Return City for three years, they wouldn’t have believed he was a Nation Guardian.

“Are you the Warden of No-Return City?” Liu Wentai stepped forward and asked.

“Mm.” The man who had come out of the earth was naturally Qi Yuan. “What brings you to my No-Return City at this early hour, disturbing my sleep?”

“I am Liu Wentai, and this is my sister Liu Wenmei. We siblings come from Galan City, specially here to pay respects to the Warden and discuss urgent matters!”

“Speak.” Qi Yuan’s words were terse.

“Your solitary defense of No-Return City fills us with admiration—even the Warden of Galan City sings your praises without end.” Liu Wentai began with a flurry of compliments.

“Get to the point.” Qi Yuan was growing impatient.

He felt that dealing with demonic spawn was better; dealing with humans was troublesome.

After all, humans had mouths that never stopped talking.

While demonic spawn only roared like dragons.

A look of embarrassment crept onto Liu Wentai’s face: “Your solitary defense of a city is a feat of valor.

I have been ordered by the Warden of Galan City to invite you to Galan City.

In our Galan City, there are dozens of Nation Guardians and hundreds of Overlords—formidable strength.

Since the North-South conflict began, we have held the city for a hundred years, never losing it.”

Now, our Jialan City prepares to counterattack the demon horde, to defeat once and for all the Demon Controller Commander Misang in this region, securing ten years of peace for our Jialan City.

Yet Jialan City is short of hands, and you, sir, are a Guardian of the Realm—why not come to our Jialan City and join the counterattack against Misang?”

Liu Wentai grew agitated as he spoke.

After all, a counterattack against the demons was something never before seen in these parts.

If this succeeded, the Dasui Kingdom would surely see its people’s spirits soar.

And they themselves would be remembered in history.

Qi Yuan heard this and shook his head: “Sorry, I’m not interested.”

His refusal was blunt and direct.

This surprised both Liu Wenmei and Liu Wentai.

Liu Wentai quickly said: “Sir, won’t you reconsider?

If you join our Jialan City, we will provide ten Great Elixirs each year, and even some powerful cultivation methods will be opened to you, to help enhance your strength.”

Liu Wentai tempted him with profit.

Great Elixirs?

Cultivation methods?

Qi Yuan had no need of them.

With his Death Radiance, demons were the finest tonic.

To grow stronger in the game, he needed no training—only to slay demons.

“I am the Warden of Wugui City, and I must guard Wugui City. I will not go elsewhere.” Qi Yuan shook his head, his stance firm.

Liu Wenmei stepped forward and said: “Your guardianship of Wugui City is indeed admirable.

But you are but one man. You have held Wugui City for three years, repelling wave after wave of demons, yet the demons that come later will only grow stronger.

How long can you endure?”

Liu Wentai then added: “Behind Wugui City lies Daxia.

In Daxia today, there is not a single overlord, and even a thousand commanders cannot be gathered.

You guard Wugui City alone, with no reinforcements. One day, Wugui City will fall, and you will perish.

I beg you to consider the greater good, not to confine yourself to a small kingdom, but to put the interests of humanity first!”

First tempted with profit, then warned of danger, and finally moved by righteousness—most people would likely agree.

Nearby, Yuan Qi heard this and remained silent.

What Liu Wentai and Liu Wenmei said made sense.

This unfamiliar Warden, guarding Wugui City alone, would achieve nothing.

What could one man’s strength accomplish, no matter how great?

Could he fight the demons of the entire northern lands?

Guarding this place alone, only death awaited him.

Qi Yuan, upon hearing this, smiled: “Do not judge a player by the mindset of an NPC.

I guard Wugui City and will not leave easily.

My mind is made up. Please return, all of you.”

The rewards for guarding Wugui City might rival a Heavenly Dao Fragment—why would he ever leave?

Moreover, he might not even be on the same side as these people from Jialan City; they could even be rivals.

After all, they would compete with him for demons to slay.

Liu Wentai and Liu Wenmei’s faces grew heavy.

Some of Qi Yuan’s words they did not understand, but they grasped the general meaning, and they had not expected his stance to be so resolute.

Liu Wenmei lifted her chin stubbornly, looking at Qi Yuan: “May I ask what would make you willing to leave Wugui City for Jialan City?

Name any condition, and I will agree to it!”

Her gaze was firm; she truly meant what she said.

Qi Yuan chuckled: “I wish to become the Lord of this Realm. Is that possible?”

Liu Wenmei heard this and knew this Warden could no longer be persuaded.

The siblings looked at Qi Yuan, their eyes filled with complex emotions: “In that case, please take care of yourself. Farewell!”

They did not hesitate.

Seeing the matter was hopeless, they left directly, without dragging things out.

“Wait,” Qi Yuan spoke at that moment.

Liu Wenmei, who had been leaving, showed an excited expression: “Have you changed your mind, sir?”

Qi Yuan shook his head: “No. What I meant to say is, when you slay demons, if you cannot finish them all, you can drive them toward me. I’m feeling a bit eager.”

These days, a horde of demons came almost every two or three days.

Qi Yuan enjoyed the slaughter.

But who would ever have enough experience?

Liu Wenmei was taken aback; she could not fathom Qi Yuan’s thoughts, but she nodded: “I will report this to the Warden.”

She assumed that Qi Yuan also wanted to contribute to Jialan City’s great plan.

The siblings took their leave and turned to go.

Qi Yuan’s gaze fell on Yuan Qi: “Why don’t you go with them?”

Yuan Qi looked at Qi Yuan, his emotions stirring: “Daxia cannot support you in guarding Wugui, but I, Yuan Qi, am willing to lay down my humble life and die for you!”

There was one more sentence in his heart that he did not speak: that the people of Daxia stand with you.

If it were possible, the tens of thousands of Daxia’s soldiers and civilians would also rush to Wugui and die generously.

But… most would likely perish on the road.

(End of chapter)