CHAPTER 368: CHAPTER 246: TRUE FEELINGS IN TIMES OF HARDSHIP

After returning to Baojiao County, Chen Ku didn’t rush directly to the Qiu Dragon Mansion to reunite with his family and masters. Instead, he stood not far from the outer city, staring at Baojiao County.

Although he had escaped, many of his relatives and friends were still trapped inside the city.

If he were to just leave now, it would mean watching helplessly as some of his friends and relatives in the city were enslaved by Peace Path, turned into so-called believers of the Divine Country, and never gaining freedom again.

Especially Chai Tiangui, Jiang Shaoyou, along with Wu Gui from Chen’s Iron Shop, Li Jiyang and his grandson, and his brother-in-law whose whereabouts were unknown.

"I, Chen Ku, may not be a great hero, but I cannot be an ungrateful person. All of these people must be rescued."

He murmured to himself in his heart.

Then he transformed into a little bee, approaching Baojiao County, thinking that with the form of a little bee, he could sneak into the city without anyone noticing.

Unexpectedly, as he approached the city wall, he collided with an invisible layer of air barrier.

Buzz~~

With this collision, ripples appeared in the air like a pond, with faint traces of runes moving within.

He was startled:

"Is this... the ’Incense Fire Golden Light Array’ recorded in the [Nine Heavens Divine Spell]?"

He immediately activated [Double Pupils].

Looking towards the city, he saw, under his eyes with double pupils capable of seeing Yin Yang and Ghost Gods, a ’golden light shield’ enveloping the entire Baojiao City, spanning a radius of fifty li like an ’egg shell’.

At the same time,

From every household, there seemed to be golden star-like powder floating out, gathering one by one at the original location of the ’City God Temple.’

Then from the City God Temple location, it transformed into four beams of light, maintaining the large array above the entire city.

On the city wall, there were visibly rows of Yellow Turban Taoist Soldiers guarding the city.

"Peace Path has physically turned Baojiao County into a fortress like an iron barrel. Moreover, the number of Taoist Soldiers guarding the city has increased tenfold. It seems the number of Peace Path Taoist Soldiers inside the city has increased by eight to nine thousand. Could it be that during the half-day I entered the Hero King Treasure, all the main bases of Peace Path demon people wandering outside Baojiao County have stationed themselves inside the city?"

Chen Ku felt the strength of this Incense Fire Golden Light Array, no less than the defense of a Seventh Realm master, clearly understanding that flying in from high above was not an option.

Moreover, with nearly ten thousand Peace Path Taoist Soldiers, charging in directly was also not feasible!

Thus, he chose Earth Tunneling.

Unexpectedly, even underground there were circles of golden light, causing his Flood Dragon form to hit a wall.

Chen Ku frowned:

"I don’t believe it, does your big array really have no weaknesses?"

He immediately began recalling the entire Nine Heavens Divine Spell in his mind, understanding the details of this Incense Fire Golden Light Array, and eventually discovered some operational patterns of the array.

"Got it, I can use the True Void Ancestor’s ’Spiritual Capture’ to tear open a weak spot in the array’s operation!"

So, under Chen Ku’s waiting, he used his double pupils to discover a runic operation gap underground, and two large hands suddenly reached out from his mind, tearing towards that spot!

Rip!

The large hands directly tore open a small gap, and Chen Ku seized the opportunity to slip through.

After entering.

Chen Ku thought:

"Fortunately, this is underground and not noticeable. If I had entered from above, it would have been clearly visible from inside the city."

After entering through the array.

Chen Ku pushed open a piece of ground in front of a residential house, and as soon as he stuck his head out, he heard the continuous sounds of chanting and incantations emerging from every household in the city, far exceeding the thirty to fifty thousand people originally in the city, easily estimating around one hundred thousand people.

Surprised:

"Peace Path has rounded up the countryside folks into here too, truly treating them as ’human mines’ for harvesting incense fire. And it’s so late, they’re still being made to chant incantations?"

Knowing he wasn’t strong enough, he could only do his best to save those close to him from captivity.

Standing in the courtyard, he judged his bearings, murmuring: "This is the east side of the city, not far from Official Chai’s home. I should start by asking him!"

In no time, he arrived at Chai Tiangui’s house.

Upon entering the residence, Chen Ku saw the house had deteriorated tenfold in just three to four days. Following the scent, he found Chai Tiangui in the main hall, noticing much of the hall’s furnishings were gone.

At this moment, the entire Chai Tiangui family was gathered in the hall, chanting Peace Path’s Divine Spell, with incense fire telekinesis continuously emanating from them.

"Official Chai!"

Chen Ku’s voice startled Chai Tiangui awake, and upon seeing Chen Ku standing at the door in his cyan robe, he rubbed his eyes, muttering:

"Have I chanted myself silly, seeing Brother Chen?"

Chen Ku, however, walked inside, seeing Chai Tiangui’s family exhausted from incessant chanting, their eyes sunken, skin sallow, each of them considerably thinner, he softly approached Chai Tiangui and said:

"It’s me, Chen Ku, Brother Chai!"

Chai Tiangui, shaken, felt the presence of a living person in front of him, incredulously saying: "Brother Chen, is it really you? You... didn’t you already... how is it..."

Chen Ku said: "I returned precisely to rescue you, Brother Chai, from this earthly hell, just depends on whether you are willing."

Chai Tiangui, hearing this, was so excited he could barely speak: "Is this true? I’m willing, of course, I’m willing!"