Chapter 197: The Grand Magic—Xiangcheng (7)

City Lord’s Mansion

Xiang Zhuo was anxiously pacing in the hall, when suddenly the air twisted and a massive magical light flared. In a flash, Xue You and Sang Jingwen appeared before him.

Xiang Zhuo didn’t know Xue You or Sang Jingwen, but that didn’t stop him from guessing their identities. He forced himself to calm down and asked, “I don’t know what happened after you left, but may I ask what brings you here?”

Sang Jingwen looked at him coldly. “You’re the city lord? My sister was raised in the Rose School, and this tour was on the Emperor’s orders. She came to Xiangcheng to deliver a rare flower, worried something might go wrong. That’s why she entrusted the sunflower she’d painstakingly cultivated to you, as a token of goodwill. You should know how difficult it is to raise such a flower, shouldn’t you?

But now, after my sister entered your city, she was targeted by evil forces. Someone even set up a magical barrier here. This is no coincidence. City Lord, I’ve already reported to the Emperor. If anything happens to my sister, I swear—Xiangcheng will not live to see the day the Demon God descends!”

At the mention of the “Demon God’s descent,” Xiang Zhuo’s face went pale. He hurriedly looked at the others, realizing that he seemed to know nothing about this “Demon God.” He could only force a smile.

But before he could speak, a fat, greasy nobleman grumbled, “You must be a prince from Rose City, right? Isn’t it a bit much to accuse our city lord without any evidence?”

“That’s right! For all we know, your sister just ran off with someone she fancied. Girls her age are always chasing after men.”

These nobles had never been happy about the city lord being forced to hand over the rare flower. Even if he did, so what? They couldn’t get their hands on it anyway. Besides, no matter how precious the flower, it was nothing compared to crystal oxen, which could actually enhance their magic.

Xiang Zhuo glanced at the increasingly furious Xue You, wanting to tell these people to shut up. But on second thought, he decided to let them be. Maybe Xiangcheng needed some bloodshed.

The fat noble, Sang Jingwen, and the man behind him said nothing to the city lord. After all, this was far from Rose City, and they didn’t really believe anyone would go to such lengths for a woman.

“Enough, you don’t need to stay here any longer. Since the person is missing, you’re just wasting my time. Do you know how many crystals I earn per minute? City Lord, you’d best keep your distance from these people in the future.”

As he spoke, he shot Xiang Zhuo a disdainful glance. In his heart, he looked down on Xiang Zhuo, who only sat in the city lord’s seat because of his family, not his strength. Everyone knew he was weak, and after his leg injury, he’d lost the people’s support. Next time there was a vote, he’d be thrown out for sure. City lord? Ha...

He was still lost in thought when his body suddenly went rigid, as if all the blood in his veins had frozen.

What was this? Why did it feel like he’d been plunged into an icy abyss?

Xue You stepped toward him, his handsome face cold. “Frame you? Why would I need to frame you? Even if I killed all of you right here, who would dare say a word? In the Emperor’s eyes, are you more important? Is your city more important? Or is the sunflower, cultivated with a thousand hardships, more important?”

The fat noble broke out in a cold sweat, but couldn’t move a muscle. He could only stare at Xue You in terror.

“My sister’s life is worth far more than yours. Since you don’t want to cooperate, that makes you an accomplice.”

With that, Xue You grabbed the fat noble by the throat. With a slight squeeze, the man’s flabby body shattered like ice, crashing to the ground in pieces.

The others tried to run, but couldn’t move at all. Like the fat noble, their bodies were encased in ice—even their mouths were frozen shut.

Xue You’s gaze turned to Xiang Zhuo. “What are you thinking? I want you to come with me right now to rescue Sang Chu. If anything happens to her, I’ll slaughter your entire city.”

Xiang Zhuo stammered, “Don’t worry, I’ll mobilize the guards immediately and search the whole city. As soon as we find—”

Xue You interrupted, “I already know where she is. It’s just that someone set up a magical barrier to block me. You gather your men, I’ll take you there myself. Sang Jingwen, you’re coming too. If Sang Chu isn’t rescued, or if you try anything, I’ll start killing. Don’t even think of running. As long as there’s frost, I can find you anywhere in the world. And trust me, I’ll do it.”

The moment he heard “frost,” Xiang Zhuo’s face turned deathly pale. Now he understood—this man wasn’t just any sorcerer. He was the Snow Demon King!

No wonder they’d been blocked by magic!

Xiang Zhuo gritted his teeth. “I’ll go right now!”

“Guards! Quickly summon all nine elders and every sorcerer above the third rank in the city lord’s mansion!”

As Xiang Zhuo scrambled to gather his people, Sang Jingwen walked up to Xue You. “Have you found them?”

Xue You closed his eyes, sensing the way. “They’re outside the city. The magic is strong, and the caster is no ordinary person. I’ll freeze everyone in Xiangcheng first. If he dares hurt her, even if I have to break the contract, I’ll make sure he dies with no grave.”

He’d finally escaped that frozen wasteland, and Sang Chu had promised to take him to see other worlds. Now, before he could fulfill his vow, she’d been kidnapped—right in front of him, by his own hand!

The thought made his blood boil, a murderous aura swirling around him. Xiang Zhuo shivered in fear.

The heads of the noble families were now like ice sculptures, unable to move. As time ticked by, the ice on their bodies grew thicker. If this went on, they’d really freeze to death.

But none of them dared beg for mercy.

This was the Demon King!

Who would have thought a woman with such weak magical power would have the Demon King on her side!

...

Inside the Cabin

Sang Chu, Xi Rui, and the others had all fallen unconscious, laid out on the wooden table. A Shaoqing held a scalpel to Sang Chu’s chest.

“Huh? Why does this woman have a withering curse on her?”

The man beside A Shaoqing, surnamed Wang, was holding a basin of water. Seeing the black spots in her blood, he asked curiously, “Shaoqing, what’s a withering curse?”

“It’s a high-level demonic curse. Looks like someone tried to detoxify her, but they didn’t know that ordinary methods won’t work. Lucky for her, I don’t like my ingredients tainted by others’ magic. Go fetch the fresh medicinal herbs. All these people have been touched by the curse—wash them thoroughly to avoid any trouble later.”"