"go!"
"No! It's too dangerous!"
"Why not just keep an eye on things secretly?"
The scene immediately descended into chaos, with the elders arguing amongst themselves, each holding their own opinion.
"Who can guarantee that they will be well taken care of in a crisis-ridden environment?"
"Do you think it wasn't easy for us to cultivate these two promising talents over so many years?"
"What, do you look down on Elder Gu?"
"Elder Gu?"
The argument suddenly stopped when Gu Zhong was mentioned, and everyone turned to look at him intently.
Even with his eyes closed, Gu Zhong could feel the heat emanating from it. He felt a chill run down his spine and quickly opened his eyes.
In the end, this matter still implicated her.
"Ahem—Elder Gu, if we decide to go to the capital this time, could you help us look after us? Of course, we won't force you."
The patriarch asked with a smile, as kind and approachable as Maitreya Buddha, but a glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes, indicating that this was not a request that could be easily refused.
Although Gu Zhong wanted to say no, he felt obligated to help the Ling family since he had become their guest.
Moreover, if the Ling family is determined to enter the capital, Ling Yan will definitely go with them. How could she say she wouldn't go?
I never want to go back to that place again, but I have no choice but to go this time.
"Sure...no pressure required..."
Gu Zhong's answer was actually quite reluctant.
The discussion thus came to an end, and the journey was scheduled to begin in three days. Lingyan and Lingying would travel together, Gu Zhong would mingle among the entourage, and Chu Cheng would also travel with them.
"Gu Zhong, you—you don't seem to want to go to the capital?"
Before setting off, while preparing the horses, Lingyan leaned close to Gu Zhong and asked softly, as if this question shouldn't be publicized too much.
"···No."
To avoid Lingyan digging deeper, Gu Zhong turned his head and told a stiff lie.
The answer this time was too complicated. To Lingyan, he was now just a relatively familiar stranger and teacher, perhaps not even a friend.
There are many things that I haven't yet had the chance to fully express.
"Yes, it is!"
Ling Yan, however, was unmoved. She turned to face Gu Zhong, straightened his face, and said with a look that said, "I see through you."
"Don't lie to me! I won't force you to do anything!"
Seeing through Gu Zhong's lie and knowing for some reason what she was worried about, Ling Yan felt a surge of anger, but she couldn't show it here, so she could only pretend to be stern and warn him.
Seeing her fierce yet cowardly appearance, Gu Zhong felt a surge of warmth in his heart, and his restless hand involuntarily went to Ling Yan's head, rubbing her head like he was stroking a kitten.
Feeling the warmth of Gu Zhong's palm, Ling Yan froze, her eyes widened suddenly, and her heart began to race.
"Okay, it won't happen again."
The culprit made his promise in an extremely gentle voice, which stirred Lingyan's heartstrings once again.
"Also, you're not allowed to touch my head!"
The startled cat leaped three zhang away in an instant, its voice involuntarily rising, attracting the attention of those around it.
What are you doing?
Chu Cheng walked over and looked at Gu Zhong with displeasure.
"None of your business."
Lingyan retorted irritably, snatched the reins of her horse from the servant, and rode off first.
Gu Zhong chuckled softly, then mounted his horse and followed.
"Hey? What's going on with these two? Hurry up! I'm leaving too, Mr. Chu, please take care of me!"
Ling Ying was puzzled, but unwilling to be left behind, she spurred her horse and chased after them.
Chu Cheng was left alone, choking on the dust kicked up by the horses' hooves three times in a row, and still had to stay behind to pack their luggage, just like an old woman.
——
Even though they were traveling on the official road, the journey to the capital was not entirely smooth sailing. They would often encounter various demons attacking them at night, but this was nothing to fear for their group.
"I have a feeling that demons have been appearing more frequently lately, as if there are more and more of them?"
After another fierce battle, Lingyan was the first to raise her concerns.
"Really? Aren't they all the same? Is it possible that it's because we haven't traveled far before?"
Ling Ying insisted on going against her wishes.
"I think there are too many, and these demons don't seem nearly as powerful as the ones I've encountered before."
Chu Cheng naturally sided with Ling Yan.
"Demon Transformer——"
Walking to the demon that had not yet completely dissipated, Gu Zhong squatted down and examined it carefully for a moment.
"What?"
Upon hearing this, Chu Cheng appeared terrified and quickly went to Gu Zhong's side to examine the demon's corpse with her.
What is a Demon Transformer?
Lingyan, however, was hearing this concept for the first time and couldn't help but ask curiously.
Ling Ying stood to the side with her arms crossed, ready to listen attentively.
"Some demons are extremely powerful and can turn people into their servants. Those who are demonized will fall into mindless demons, bloodthirsty and murderous, but they are not considered strong."
These people—we call them Demon Transformers.
Chu Cheng explained, his face pale.
"So, all we've been killing along the way are—people?"
Ling Yan was stunned.
"Tch, they've all turned into demons, where's their humanity now? Demons are just a fancy way of saying they've turned into demons, they're still just monsters after all."
Ling Ying scoffed at this.
"Really? So when you encounter a demon-transformed being, you would still kill them without hesitation? Even if they might still retain some humanity, but are simply unable to control themselves?"
Gu Zhong stood up and faced Ling Ying, his imposing presence fully revealed.
"Otherwise what?"
Ling Ying responded seriously to Gu Zhong's question, unusually refraining from blindly agreeing without any principles.
"And you?"
Gu Zhong then posed the question to Ling Yan.
Chapter 121 Swordsman and Exorcist (Part 7)
============================
"It is our duty to eradicate all demons in the world. Moreover, even if they still have humanity, they cannot control themselves. How painful must their lives be? It is better to end it all."
After pondering for a long time, Lingyan finally gave her answer.
"I see..."
Withdrawing his imposing aura, Gu Zhong sighed softly, his words seemingly concealing a deep sense of helplessness.
"However, how come no one has ever told us about the existence of the Demon Transformers?"
Lingyan raised another question.
"Because of the fear that some people might be too soft-hearted to kill their former fellow demons, there will always be those who cannot bring themselves to do it. But to avoid more deaths, they have no choice but to die."
Chu Cheng also came to his senses. He explained while glancing at Gu Zhong.
"What worries me even more now is—we've traveled so far, and this is pretty much the same situation everywhere we go. How can there be so many demon-transformed beings? Are the areas around the capital filled with great demons?"
The group exchanged glances, realizing that the situation in the capital was likely far more complicated than they had imagined. They lost all interest in leisurely sightseeing and set off day and night, eager to reach the capital as soon as possible.
——
After galloping to the capital, they were surprised to find the city peaceful and serene.
They arrived at dusk, the setting sun quietly sinking behind the majestic and magnificent royal city. Red clouds rolled across the sky, like a red dragon coiling in the heavens. The flowing clouds were like the breath of that red dragon, sometimes fast and sometimes slow, creating a beautiful and wonderful pattern.
Unlike remote or sparsely populated villages, the departure of the sun could not stop the people of the capital from stepping out of their homes.
Because the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion protects the capital and the city is protected by array formations, demons can hardly set foot inside. Therefore, the people of the capital do not need to worry about demon attacks, making this capital the only city that never sleeps.
Vendors in the market lit oil lamps and continued to call out their wares. Pedestrians came and went, stopping and starting, picking and choosing from the small food items.
The waiters at the tavern were busy bustling about, responding to the customers' requests and keeping the business running smoothly. It was clear that the taverns in the capital were doing very well.
The brothel lights up the red lanterns hanging in front of the door and opens its doors to welcome guests. The girls' sweet voices and the sounds of bamboo and string instruments can be faintly heard through layers of curtains, attracting dissolute young men to change their direction and spend their meager savings to seek pleasure for a night.
The city remained as extravagant and decadent as ever, seemingly unaffected by any major events happening around it.
"Is the capital city really this lively?"
Upon arriving in the capital, Lingyan was stunned by the prosperity before her. For a moment, she forgot the purpose of her visit and seemed quite interested, showing a strong inclination to take a stroll around.
The other three all seemed uninterested.
Gu Zhong's gaze swept across the area, but he wasn't looking at the bustling scene of the capital. Instead, it was filled with vigilance and scrutiny, as if he were looking for something unusual.
"It doesn't look like anything serious has happened. I'm so sleepy—"
Ling Ying yawned widely. He had been feeling sleepy lately, and the long journey had made him even more exhausted.