Peach Blossoms in Chang'an

Chapter 288 Storm of the Heart

The setting sun was like blood, reflecting the solemn atmosphere in the study. Wu Tao and Hu Bugui stood side by side, the letter from the border in their hands seemed to weigh a thousand pounds, pressing them so hard that they could not breathe.

Every word on the letter was like a sharp blade, piercing their hearts. The Night Demons, an ancient race that had long disappeared in legends, had made a comeback and swept through the towns around Chang'an City at lightning speed.

"Controlling people's minds..." Hu Bugui repeated the description in the letter in a low voice, his brows furrowed, his eyes full of worry, "This ability is too strange. We must find a way to crack it as soon as possible, otherwise the consequences will be disastrous."

Wu Tao's face was not looking good either. She knew very well how terrible this ability was. If the Night Demon Clan was allowed to develop, the entire Tang Dynasty would fall into chaos and panic.

"Where are Xingchen and Yueying?" Wu Tao asked, "Did they find anything?"

Hu Bugui shook his head: "They have already set out to investigate at the border, but no news has been sent back yet."

As night fell, Chang'an was shrouded in an atmosphere of uneasiness. In the palace, Wu Tao and Hu Bugui stayed up all night, anxiously waiting for news from Xingchen and Yueying, their hearts filled with worry and uneasiness.

Finally, just as the sky was getting light, Xingchen and Yueying came back exhausted.

"Father, Queen Mother," Xingchen's face was a little tired, but his tone was unusually solemn, "We have found out that the Night Demon Clan's ability to control people's hearts comes from an ancient magic. The source of this magic..."

Xingchen paused, glanced at Yueying, and then continued, "...deep underground in Chang'an City."

"Deep underground in Chang'an City?" Hu Bugui and Wu Tao looked at each other and saw a hint of shock and disbelief in each other's eyes.

Yueying stepped forward and added, "We suspect that the Night Demons have probably sneaked into Chang'an City and are trying to awaken the source of magic sleeping deep underground."

"If we let them succeed..." Xingchen didn't continue, but everyone understood what he meant.

If the Night Demon Clan is allowed to awaken the source of magic, then the entire Chang'an City and even the entire Tang Dynasty will become their puppets!

"We must not let them succeed!" Hu Bugui stood up suddenly, his eyes flashing with determination, "Pass the order, impose martial law throughout the city, strengthen the city defense, and make sure to stop the Night Demon Clan outside the city!"

"Yes!" Xingchen and Yueying took the order and left.

Wu Tao walked up to Hu Bugui, gently held his hand, and said firmly: "Bugui, let's go together to protect our home!"

The night wind howled, dark clouds gathered over Chang'an City, and a war was about to break out...

The setting sun was blood-red, and night fell. Chang'an City was shrouded in a solemn atmosphere. Fires flickered on the city walls, shouts of killing shook the sky, and the vanguard of the Night Demon Clan surged in like a black tide, launching a fierce attack on Chang'an City.

"Kill!" Hu Bugui, dressed in military uniform and holding a long sword, led the soldiers to fight hard. Wu Tao, dressed in plain clothes, could not hide her heroic appearance. She held a longbow and shot arrows accurately, killing a Night Demon soldier with every arrow.

However, the most terrifying thing about the Night Demons is not their military strength, but their strange ability to control people's hearts. The Night Demon general muttered something, and an invisible wave spread out. Some soldiers who had been fighting bravely suddenly had empty eyes, turned their blades, and began to attack their companions.

"Be careful of their magic!" Wu Tao warned loudly, but it was too late. More and more soldiers were controlled and the battle gradually became stalemate. Hu Bugui was desperately killing the enemy while anxiously looking for the figure of the Night Demon General. He knew that as long as he could get rid of him, he could release the control over the soldiers.

As the night deepened, after a fierce battle, the two sides temporarily ceased fighting. However, everyone knew that this was just the calm before the storm.

At this moment, a fast horse came galloping from a distance. The rider was seriously injured, but he still shouted with all his strength: "Report - Miss Yueying was captured, Master Xingchen... Master Xingchen..."

"What happened to Xingchen?!" Hu Bugui grabbed the knight's collar and asked anxiously.

"In order to save Miss Yueying, Young Master Xingchen chased the Night Demon alone, but... he was ambushed..." After the knight said this, he fainted.

"No!" Wu Tao was shocked when she heard the news. She almost fainted. Hu Bugui quickly supported her, his eyes full of worry and self-blame.

"Someone come! Pass the order, all troops go out to attack, save Xingchen and Yueying at all costs!" Hu Bugui's voice echoed in the night sky, carrying with it endless grief and determination.

Outside Chang'an City, the night was deep, Xingchen was trapped in the camp of the Night Demon Clan, surrounded by countless pairs of cold and bloodthirsty eyes. He was seriously injured, but he still held on, looking forward firmly, he knew that Yueying was there... "Xingchen! Yueying!" Wu Tao grabbed Hu Bugui's arm tightly, his nails almost digging into his flesh, his voice trembling and almost inaudible, "We have to save them, we must save them!"

Hu Bugui took a deep breath, hugged Wu Tao in his arms, and used all his strength to suppress the grief and fear in his heart. His voice was low but firm: "Don't worry, I will definitely bring them back!"

However, the cruel reality soon shattered their only remaining hope.

A stinking messenger of the Night Demon arrived at the city of Chang'an with a letter from the Night Demon leader. In the letter, the Night Demon leader proposed a desperate condition: hand over the magic weapon of time travel in exchange for the lives of Xingchen and Yueying and the peace of Chang'an City.

"A magic weapon for traveling through time?" Hu Bugui tightly grasped the letter, his knuckles turning pale, and his eyes were full of struggle. He knew that this magic weapon was of great importance, and if it fell into the hands of the Night Demon Clan, the consequences would be disastrous.

Wu Tao's face turned pale. She knew what this magic weapon meant. It was not only her only hope to return to the modern world, but also the key to maintaining the balance between the two worlds. However, Xingchen and Yueying...

"No! We can't hand over the magic weapon!" An old minister stood up and said righteously, "This concerns the safety of the people of the world. We can't lose the big picture for the sake of the small!"

"Yes, Your Majesty, please think twice!" Other ministers also knelt down and asked Hu Bugui to put the overall situation first.

Hu Bugui was silent. He knew this truth, but he couldn't bear to watch his son and friends fall into danger.

"Tao'er..." Hu Bugui looked at Wu Tao for help, hoping to get some strength from her.

Wu Tao took a deep breath, tried to control his trembling voice, and said slowly: "I... I will go to see their leader..."

At night, Wu Tao, led by the Night Demon Messenger, came to a dense forest outside Chang'an City. The moonlight shone through the gaps between the leaves, casting mottled shadows on the ground, making the surroundings even more eerie and terrifying.

"You're here." A deep voice sounded behind Wu Tao, carrying a creepy chill.

Wu Tao turned around and saw a figure in a black robe with an unclear face standing in front of her. He was holding two unconscious people in his hands. They were Xingchen and Yueying!

"Xingchen! Yueying!" Wu Tao exclaimed and wanted to rush forward, but was blocked by the man in black robe.

“If you want to save them, hand over your magic weapon for time travel.” The man in black robe said coldly, his tone full of unquestionable majesty.

Wu Tao took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and asked: "Who are you? Why are you doing this?"

The man in black robe sneered and slowly took off his hat, revealing a face that Wu Tao would never forget...

"How could it be you?!" Wu Tao exclaimed, his eyes full of disbelief.

The man in black robe didn't say anything. He just looked at her coldly, with an evil smile on his lips. He said slowly: "Now, do you still want to save them? I can give you some time to think about it, but..."

He paused, his eyes fell on Wu Tao's belly, and said in a grim tone: "You don't have much time..."

"How could it be you?!" Wu Tao's voice was filled with disbelief. Fear wrapped around her heart like a vine, almost making it difficult for her to breathe. The person standing in front of her was actually...

The man in black robe let out a deep laugh, as if mocking Wu Tao's ignorance and naivety. "How could it not be me?" He approached Wu Tao step by step, his tone cold, "Who do you think gave me a new life? Who let me have all this?"

Wu Tao retreated again and again until her back hit a thick tree trunk and she could no longer retreat. She finally understood that the death of the leader of the mysterious organization was not an accident, and the black hand that had been hiding in the dark was the real manipulator behind the scenes.

He took advantage of everyone's kindness, and her and Hu Bugui's desire for peace, and eventually dragged everyone into this abyss of despair. Xingchen, Yueying, and even the unborn child in her belly became his bargaining chips to threaten them.

"What do you want?" Wu Tao's voice trembled, but she forced herself to stay calm. She couldn't panic, nor could she fall down. She still had to save Xingchen, Yueying, and her child.

"What I want is very simple," the man in black robe looked down at Wu Tao, with a crazy light flashing in his eyes, "I want the magic weapon of time travel in your hand, I want to control this world, I want everyone to submit to me!"

Wu Tao's heart sank. She knew that this was his ultimate goal. The power of the magic weapon was too strong. If it fell into his hands, the consequences would be disastrous. However, Xingchen and Yueying...

She closed her eyes, and the bright smile of Xingchen, the gentle voice of Yueying, and the firm and loving eyes of Hu Bugui emerged in her mind.

"Tao'er..." Hu Bugui arrived here at some point. He pushed aside the branches blocking his way and looked at Wu Tao anxiously.

Wu Tao opened her eyes and saw Hu Bugui. It was as if she had grabbed the last straw. She shook her head desperately, tears blurring her vision. "No, we can't give him the magic weapon..."

Hu Bugui walked quickly to Wu Tao and hugged her tightly, as if he wanted to rub her into his bones and blood. He took a deep breath and said in a low and firm voice, "Tao'er, I know what you are worried about, but believe me, I will find a way to rescue Xingchen and Yueying, and I will protect you and our child."

He raised his head, looked at the man in black robe with a firm gaze, and said word by word: "You want a magic weapon for traveling through time? Okay, I'll give it to you!"

A smug smile appeared on the face of the man in black robe, however, before the smile could fully bloom, it was completely frozen by Hu Bugui's next words.

"But," Hu Bugui paused, a gleam in his eyes, "let's make a deal..."