Chapter 672: Guernica

A girl, not yet ten years old, lay there with barely an inch of intact skin on her body. With a gentle touch of a pebble, her carbonized arm crumbled into fragments on the ground. Beside her were the ashes of burnt grass and a misshapen, burnt straw hat.

Perhaps it was the smell of burnt flesh filling the air, or the pungent chemical residue in the ruins, that made Plum Blossom Eight’s Adam's apple bob violently. Half a second later, he abruptly turned his head and dry-heaved uncontrollably.

Chen Ling stepped through the scattered body parts and walked over to him, sniffing lightly.

“It’s nitroglycerin… They burned the village down.”

Gagging—!!

Plum Blossom Eight’s stomach convulsed violently, dry-heaving repeatedly, his entire face pale and contorted.

The ordeal that had tormented him for half a year surged uncontrollably back into his mind. He began to hallucinate the desperate cries in his ears, and the ruins before him distorted, transforming into a fiery hell on earth.

He saw women fleeing frantically with their children in thick smoke, praying to heaven to spare her child, only for a sharp sword to mercilessly cleave her and her infant in two the next moment. He saw figures running desperately through the sea of flames, and no matter how they rolled, the flames only grew stronger, eventually burning to ash amidst the smoke in despair. He saw flowers wilting, he heard all living things wailing. The shadow of war hung over everyone’s heart, and flames consumed everything.

It all felt so familiar, as if he had already experienced it firsthand.

In a daze, Plum Blossom Eight could no longer distinguish between reality and illusion. His mind shattered. He painfully collapsed to his knees, his eyes bloodshot.

“Chen Ling…”

“Did we really… escape from ‘Guernica’?”

***

Two figures quickly moved through the withered woods.

“Mr. Li… Mr. Li, slow down!” Kong Baosheng panted as he climbed over a small hill. “It’s just the plants and trees that have withered; people shouldn’t be affected… Don’t worry yet.”

Li Qingshan hurried along the path, following the direction in his memory, descended the hill, and returned to the muddy main road. His eyes were fixed on the direction of Willow Town, his face etched with unconcealed anxiety.

The anomaly in the Mortal Realm had turned everything in his memory upside down. Li Qingshan could no longer distinguish what the Mortal Realm truly looked like. But at this moment, his greatest concern was the safety of his grandmother, who was in Willow Town.

Would this withering anomaly affect her health? Would she be afraid if she suddenly found her surroundings changed? Had she gone to the Mortal Main City with others?

Li Qingshan felt uncertain. His only thought now was to go faster, even faster. He had to see with his own eyes that his grandmother was safe.

“Willow Town is just ahead… We’ll be there soon,” Li Qingshan said, pointing to the outline of the distant town.

Kong Baosheng squinted his eyes, looking in that direction, and suddenly spoke with a hint of surprise.

“It looks like a group of people is coming this way.”

On the other side of the muddy road, seven or eight figures were approaching together, moving hurriedly. Some of the younger children were carried directly on adults’ shoulders to speed up their pace.

“Are they from Willow Town?”

“Not sure… I’ll go ask.” Li Qingshan immediately went to meet them.

After talking to the group, they learned that these people were not from Willow Town, but refugees from Penglai Town, which was even more remote than Willow Town.

“Why are you still going in this direction?” a woman asked, her face pale. “We came from there. Along the way, we saw many burnt houses and many mutilated bodies… You can’t go that way!”

“What about Willow Town? Has Willow Town also suffered a disaster?!”

“Not Willow Town… But everyone there seems to have fled, probably also towards the main city.”

Li Qingshan sighed slightly in relief.

Just as he was about to ask something else, the ground suddenly trembled faintly.

Buzz—!

Several people paused simultaneously, looking around in confusion. Kong Baosheng seemed to spot something, suddenly pointing in one direction and speaking in terror.

“Th-there…!!”

At the end of the road, three tall, silver monstrous figures were approaching at an astonishing speed! No one knew what those things were, but judging by their horrifying appearance and their long arms that gradually transformed into blades, they certainly held no good intentions.

Gasps of alarm erupted from the crowd; almost everyone was paralyzed with fear. They had lived peaceful lives in the Mortal Realm for so many years; where would they have ever seen such monsters?

“Run!!” Li Qingshan was the first to react, rushing to the front of the group without hesitation. “Scatter and run!! I’ll hold them off!”

“Mr. Li, you…”

Kong Baosheng didn’t know that Li Qingshan had already embarked on the divine path, and he was completely bewildered by Li Qingshan’s decision to stay behind and cover their retreat.

“I can protect myself.” Li Qingshan looked back, gazing earnestly into his eyes. “Baosheng, you all go to Willow Town first. I’ve already told you my home address… Once I’m free, I’ll immediately come and meet you!”

With that, Li Qingshan stomped his foot heavily on the ground, and his body shot forward to meet the three rapidly approaching silver monsters! He raised a hand to grasp his collar, tearing it forcefully. As his spiritual energy surged, several general’s banners emblazoned with the character “Yang” materialized behind him. A silver armor instantly enveloped his body, radiating dazzling light, like an invincible war god!

True Self Manifestation!

Seeing Li Qingshan’s transformation, a look of shock flashed across Kong Baosheng’s eyes. But he reacted extremely quickly, turning around and fleeing immediately, choosing to follow some of the figures scattering towards the hillsides. Mr. Lin was no ordinary person, Kong Baosheng knew this well, and since Mr. Li was Mr. Lin’s friend, it was reasonable for him to possess such power. Kong Baosheng knew that staying would only burden Li Qingshan. Therefore, he might as well try his best to survive.

Li Qingshan, now transformed into Yang Zongbao, drew a general’s banner with the character “Yang” from behind his back. He twirled it into a graceful flourish, and the next moment, the banner transformed into a silver spear, cutting through the air with a sharp whistle as he charged forward!

With one man and one spear, he charged directly towards the three silver monsters!

After his True Self Manifestation, Li Qingshan’s physique was also exceptionally tall and powerful, making him no less imposing when confronting the silver monsters. The silver spear moved like a dragon, parrying the monster’s horizontal slash!

Clang—!!

A deafening roar swept out. Li Qingshan’s strength was still somewhat inferior to that of the silver monsters, causing him to stumble back several steps, his face incredibly grim. The next moment, the other two silver monsters arrived one after another. Three long, sharp blades sliced through the air, striking at Li Qingshan’s neck from different directions!