"Hmm?"
Zhang Chen hurried over with Ziyan.
They saw Bi Feng's body convulsing, foaming at the mouth, his eyes rolling back, displaying signs of poisoning.
"He's poisoned? You should have let Ling Jiaojiao handle it!" Zhang Chen said.
"Well... I can only treat external wounds right now... I can't cure diseases or poisons..." Ling Jiaojiao said with shame.
"Now you can!" Zhang Chen also patted Ling Jiaojiao's slender shoulder.
A powerful energy was instantly injected into her.
Ling Jiaojiao's delicate body trembled. She tilted her head to look at Bi Feng for a moment, then placed her hand on his stomach.
Soon after, Bi Feng began to vomit violently.
What came out were black worm eggs.
"This... it's not just poison, but they also added something. Once these venomous worms hatch, they'll instantly devour Bi Feng to the bone." Ling Jiaojiao said with a frown, having sensed Bi Feng's condition.
"What on earth happened? How did he get poisoned? And why did he ingest so many worm eggs?" Zhang Chen asked in surprise.
"Well... about an hour ago, the girl who was bullied in the forest came. She said she wanted to express her gratitude to Teacher for saving her life and wanted to give him some food as a token of appreciation."
"Bi Feng thought the food was strange, so he took a bite, and then this happened!" Monkey said, still shaken.
"Where is that girl?" Ziyan asked.
"We've caught her!" Green Hair brought the girl over.
It was indeed the girl who had been bullied in the forest earlier. She had multiple abrasions and bruises, and though she had changed her clothes, she couldn't hide the weariness and panic on her face.
"Is this how you repay your savior?" Ziyan asked with a cold smile.
"No... I didn't want to do this... but they captured my family and said that if I didn't do this, my entire family would die!"
"I had no choice... *sob sob sob*... I didn't expect things to turn out like this..." The girl covered her face and cried.
"These guys are truly insidious!" Zhang Chen said, frowning.
He had initially thought that the apocalypse was the limit of human wickedness.
But now, it seemed that even with order in this world, things weren't necessarily better.
Instead, people in the apocalypse were more straightforward. After all, no one claimed to be good, and everyone had blood on their hands, so no one could judge another.
These people in this world, on the other hand, did despicable things day after day, yet they were still revered by people.
Truly bizarre!
Previously, Zhang Chen's desire to eradicate them was purely for personal reasons: to avenge the Empress and to allow those who believed in him to live better lives with higher social status.
After these recent events... Zhang Chen could now launch his attack from a position of righteousness.
"I'm actually eager to kill for the first time!" Zhang Chen said, a dangerous curve forming on his lips.
Seeing his expression, all the classmates couldn't help but shudder, feeling a chill run down their spines.
No matter how unruly they were, they were still students, not killing for the sake of killing.
But Zhang Chen was different. The number of people he had killed in the apocalypse was likely not less than the number of people in the imperial city.
This killing intent and aura were entirely different.
"Don't bother thinking about it. Your family is definitely dead!"
"We've seen this situation too many times. Those people never leave any evidence or witnesses," Ziyan said softly.
"What did you say? My family is dead?"
"But... they clearly promised me that as long as... as long as..." The girl's words were cut short as her facial skin suddenly began to writhe like boiling hot water.
It seemed as if countless small things were trying to burrow out from within.
"Pfft! How... how could this happen..." The girl suddenly spat out a mouthful of black blood, within which wriggled small, black, loach-like creatures.
Then, the same creatures appeared in her eyeballs. Thousands upon thousands of worms struggled out of her skin, falling to the ground and wriggling desperately towards the others.
"Disgusting worms!" Ziyan waved her hand, and a cloud of purple poison mist drifted towards the worms.
Upon contact with the mist, the worms wriggled fiercely for a moment before quickly dissolving into pools of black liquid.
Her words were not only directed at the black worms before them but also at those so-called righteous sects who engaged in murder and plunder.
"Let's rest. We have to fight tomorrow!"
"Also..." Zhang Chen suddenly remembered something. He gently lifted his right hand, and a golden light slowly detached from his body, gradually condensing.
In a moment, a golden orb of light floated in mid-air.
"Those who haven't absorbed power before, go absorb it. Those who have, absolutely do not. Otherwise, don't blame me if your bodies explode!"
"I'm tired, going to sleep!" Zhang Chen yawned and slowly returned to his tent.
Ziyan knelt at the entrance of the tent, keeping watch for Zhang Chen.
That night, the starry sky was exceptionally busy!
Countless colorful beams of light converged from all directions towards the Imperial City. However, the sky above the small forest on the outskirts of the Imperial City was exceptionally calm and clear.
The next morning, everyone ate and finished their preparations.
The students who had absorbed energy had all advanced another step in their strength.
The demon army of over a dozen people was ready and slowly marched towards the main gate of the Imperial City.
At this moment, the Imperial City was heavily guarded both inside and out.
Outside the city gate, there was a ring of heavily armored soldiers, followed by heavy cavalry – the empire's fastest mobilizing elite forces.
The innermost layer consisted of the outer disciples of the five major sects.
The city walls were not equipped with archers.
After all, any existence that could not be stopped by the armies outside would naturally not fear mere arrows.
Therefore, the city walls were manned by inner disciples, elders, and other figures from the various sects.
Further inside was the imperial palace.
The Imperial Guards were responsible for guarding the palace, and the sect leaders of the five major sects gathered here, preparing for the final decisive battle with the enemy.
Swish...
A gentle breeze blew, and the flags on the city walls fluttered slowly.
The dense armor and weapons below the city walls reflected the dazzling sunlight.
"They're here, the demon army is here!" Elder Gu Feng of the Huangtian Sect, who was in charge, said with his eyes closed.
Hearing this, everyone's spirits rose to the highest level.
The demon army had always been a legend. No one expected them to suddenly appear, and everyone wanted to see what the enemy looked like.
In a moment, over a dozen young people emerged slowly from the distant forest.
"Why are there civilians? Haven't they sealed the city? And issued an order prohibiting anyone from approaching the Imperial City recently, so why are people still daring to come?!" An elder said with a frown.
"They're not civilians; they are the demon army!"