Moonlight and wind

Outside Shahuang City, yellow sand filled the sky and an army of emaciated people stood still like ghosts, as if they were undead spirits crawling out from the depths of the desert.

Their bodies were as shriveled as dead trees, and their skin was cracked, as if they would crumble into dust with the slightest touch.

However, the withered general who was leading the group was different.

He was wearing tattered black armor with rusty plates, but it exuded a frightening majesty.

His eyes were empty, yet seemed to be able to devour all light. The spear in his hand was made of countless dead vines, and the tip of the spear flashed a strange green light.

On the city wall, Shan Zimo was riding on the back of a fiery blazing fox. The fox was burning with red flames all over its body, with its four hooves stepping into the air, as if it would take off at any time.

Shan Zimo was wearing a white robe with dark dragon scale patterns. His sleeves fluttered in the wind. His eyebrows and eyes were picturesque, yet with a hint of coldness.

He looked down at the withered army below the city, his eyes as sharp as a knife, as if they could penetrate the layers of yellow sand and reach the heart of the enemy.

"They are just a bunch of dead branches. If the Fire Fox exhales, it will burn them to ashes without any effort!"

Yun Fei stood beside Shan Zimo, his arms folded across his chest with a disdainful smile on his face.

Ximen Gui stood aside, his brows furrowed and beads of sweat oozing from his forehead.

As the governor of Shahuang City, he looked extremely embarrassed at this moment.

He raised his hand to wipe the sweat off his face and whispered, "Master Yunfei, don't underestimate the enemy. If a fight really breaks out, thousands of people in Shahuang City will probably suffer. Although these withered people may seem fragile, their strength is strange and unpredictable. They are definitely not ordinary people."

Yun Fei sneered and swept his eyes towards Ximen Gui like a knife.

"That's your dereliction of duty as the governor of Shahuang City! Now you're asking Shan Zimo to clean up this mess for you. Governor Ximen is really calculating!"

Ximen Gui's face turned pale, and he quickly bowed and said, "Mr. Yunfei, you are too polite! I am helpless. With my military strength, it is impossible to resist the withered people from entering Shahuang City. Nowadays, the people of Shahuang City often disappear in the desert, which is probably related to these withered people. Since Young Master Shan has the ability to control the power of heaven and earth, please help the people of Shahuang City get rid of this harm!"

Upon hearing this, Shan Zimo's mouth corners slightly raised, revealing a faint smile.

He did not say anything, but gently raised his right hand and moved his fingertips slightly.

Shan Boyu, who was standing behind him, immediately understood what he meant and pulled a tied and emaciated man to the front of the city wall.

The next second, Shan Boyu pushed the emaciated man off the high city wall without hesitation.

The withered man waved his dry arms desperately in the air. Suddenly, his arms stretched out sharply and turned into a thick vine covered with sharp thorns. He threw it straight towards Xuanyue on the city wall.

Xuanyue was caught off guard and her wrist was entangled by the vine.

She screamed and tried to break free, but the sharp thorns on the vine had already pierced deeply into her skin, and blood slowly flowed down the vine.

Her face turned pale instantly and a trace of pain flashed in her eyes.

However, in the blink of an eye, a strange scene happened——

The withered vine actually gradually became soft after being soaked in Xuanyue's blood. The sharp thorns on the vine slowly disappeared, and were replaced by a woman's arm as slender as jade!

Xuanyue was stunned. Her wrist was gently held by that arm. It seemed that a warm force came from the arm, dispelling the fear in her heart.

She looked up at the withered man under the city wall and found that his body was also gradually changing -

The shriveled skin began to become plump, the empty eyes gradually became bright, and a long-sleeping soul was awakening.

Shan Zimo's gaze narrowed slightly, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

He murmured in a low voice: "So that's how it is... These withered people are not dead things, but cursed souls."

Yun Fei also put away his disdainful expression and frowned.

"What on earth is going on? How did the withered man become like this?"

Ximen Guize widened his eyes, his face full of disbelief.

"Could it be that... these withered people were originally alive? Were they cursed by some kind of power and turned into this appearance?"

Under the city wall, the withered general slowly raised his head, stared at Shan Zimo with his empty eyes, slowly put down the spear in his hand, and spoke in a hoarse and low voice.

"You... are finally here. We have waited for too long... too long..."

Shan Zimo touched the restless Fiery Fox under his crotch and said coldly, "Who are you? Why are you here?"

The withered general slowly raised the spear in his hand, with the tip of the spear pointing to the sky, and his voice was filled with endless sadness.

"We... are the people of Shahuang City. More than a decade ago, we indulged in forbidden techniques and became obsessed with them, turning us into something neither human nor ghost. We can neither die nor be reborn, and can only wander in the desert, looking for a way to break free. And you... Shan Zimo, you are the only one who can break this curse."

Shan Zimo raised his eyebrows and muttered in his heart: "It still has to be me, the protagonist of the script!"

He suppressed the smile on his lips and looked down at Xuanyue. He found that she was still holding that slender arm around his wrist, but her face was gradually returning to its rosy color.

"Miss Que, are you okay?" Shan Zimo asked softly.

Xuanyue shook her head, a complicated look flashed in her eyes: "I'm fine...it's just that I felt a familiar power...it's as if...these withered people have some kind of connection with me."

Shan Zimo was silent for a moment, then looked up at the withered general and spoke in a cold voice.

"In that case, I will give you a chance to escape. But if you dare to harm the people of Shahuang City, I will make you disappear into ashes!