Chapter 204 : Chapter 204

Chapter 204. Rumors Erupt Everywhere

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍cultivators acting as scouts had begun to put in real effort. At first, it was only the hushed whispers passed along the streets and alleyways.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍ones spreading the talk were all beggars or women...

“Have ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍you heard? That foreign woman His Majesty brought back is a demoness. And I heard she is a very powerful demoness at that. She must have used some kind of bewitching spell on His Majesty. Otherwise, why would His Majesty possibly bring back a demoness?”

“A ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍demoness? What kind of demoness? Can she use demonic arts to harm people? Is she beautiful? Honestly, I have never seen a demoness in my life.”

“You ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍really are ridiculous. How could a demoness not have powers? His Majesty was bewitched by her demonic arts, that is why he obeys her every word!”

“Hiss!”

These people were completely enthralled by the gossip. They gathered in a circle and talked with increasing enthusiasm.

“As if that could be false. My second uncle’s third grandaunt’s nephew works in the palace and saw it with his own eyes... He said that the demoness’s eyes glow. Whoever she looks at becomes dizzy, and in the end they are obediently drawn in by her.”

“That is terrifying... What happens if someone is lured in by a demoness? Would that not mean she could make us do whatever she wanted?”

“Of course, of course. Just think about it. What good could come from a demoness? Demonesses are vicious and ruthless by nature. If one day she is in a bad mood and tells Chu Feng to play around with corpses, the ones who die might very well be us.”

“All right, all right, we have said enough for today. Let us go quickly. If we keep talking like this and His Majesty finds out, would our heads not all fall to the ground?”

Then, on the second day, those same people gathered again. They were still talking about His Majesty and Cailin, but this time the rumors began to escalate.

“Sisters, I wonder if you have heard. Do you know why that demoness is so favored? I heard that she is already carrying a demonic spawn in her womb!”

“A demoness carrying a demonic spawn? What does that mean?”

“It means the seed of a monster. Once she gives birth, that child will overturn the realm of our Human Race! When that happens, Great Chu will be finished!

I am not trying to scare you. You all know perfectly well that if this age of peace falls into the hands of the demon race, we will all suffer terribly.

A demoness is not like us ordinary people. We may have tempers, but we can still control our thoughts and reason. A demoness cannot. When that time comes, people like us will surely become its food.”

“Th-then what are we supposed to do? I do not want to live under the rule of the demon world.”

“What else can we do? Since the demoness is still in our Great Chu Dynasty, that means we still have a chance. We should unite and petition His Majesty to get rid of her as soon as possible. While the demonic spawn has not yet been born, we must kill her quickly. Otherwise, once that thing comes into the world, our happy life here will be turned upside down.”

“That makes sense. This is utterly hateful! In that case, we absolutely must stop this tragedy from happening.”

Over the following days, these rumors spread throughout the entire capital.

All the people were furious. Some even could not help cursing Chu Feng.

“Kill the demoness! Kill the demoness!”

“Protect Great Chu! For every day the demoness remains, Great Chu faces one more day of danger!”

“We cannot let the demonic spawn bring disaster upon the human world! She must be driven out!”

In every street and every alley, people were discussing Chu Feng and Cailin.

Everyone believed that there had to be some great problem with this demoness following Chu Feng into the human world. Otherwise, they said, she must have come here to drink human blood and increase her cultivation.

So when people talked about this matter, each person reacted differently. Some were afraid, some were furious, some were filled with righteous indignation, and some were eager to act.

And all the while, the true culprits behind everything were blending into the crowd in plain disguise, taking on the appearance of ordinary people and quietly adding fuel to the flames...

That was right. They were the cultivators sent by the Ancient Royal Clan.

“You are frightened already? Then let me tell you something else. I heard that the demoness must eat one human heart every night in order to preserve her beauty. Just think how terrifying that is.”

“Yes, yes, I heard that too. And not just human hearts. I also heard that she has to consume the essence blood of virgin boys and girls to nourish the demonic spawn in her womb, because ordinary food cannot satisfy a demoness’s nutritional needs.”

“Heavens, what you are saying is far too horrifying. What are we supposed to do? My child is only five years old and at such a lively, lovable age. If he were taken, what would happen then?”

“What else can we do? For the sake of our families, we should go to the Imperial Palace together and petition His Majesty to kill that demoness!”

“I think that is a good idea. We must let His Majesty know what we want, and that the demoness absolutely cannot be allowed to remain.”

“Exactly. One demoness is already terrifying enough, and now she is carrying a demonic spawn as well. Would that not mean the entire Great Chu Dynasty will eventually be ruled by demons?”

“That is right. Since things have come to this, we must petition him. We must make His Majesty agree to drive the demoness out, or else everything will truly be ruined in the future.”

“Yes. There are so many beautiful women in the palace, so why is Chu Feng so obsessed with her? This must be one of Chu Feng’s schemes!”

The emotions of the crowd were completely ignited.

If it had only involved themselves, perhaps they would not have been so agitated. But now that it supposedly threatened their grandsons and granddaughters as well, these women naturally found an inexplicable courage.

And these people truly acted as soon as they said they would. On the very next day, the first petitioning group appeared before the gates of the Imperial Palace.

Every person in the group wore brightly colored clothing of every kind, and standing there together, they almost formed a beautiful sight.

Yet every one of them had their lips pursed and their faces full of anger, so anyone could tell at a glance that this matter was no small one.

By the third day, the petitioning groups had begun to expand. More and more people heard the rumors, and the more they heard, the more they feared the terrible implications behind them. Naturally, the group grew from one into three.

By the fifth day, the area before the Imperial Palace gates was packed so tightly with petitioning citizens that not even water could pass through.

They were only outside the palace because the guards refused to let them enter.

That made the crowd frantic. One after another, they raised their arms and shouted hysterically at the palace gates.

“We beg His Majesty to protect our dynasty and drive out the demoness at once!”

“That is right! Slay the demoness and protect Great Chu!”

“We beg His Majesty to give us justice!”

Their cries shook the earth and soared into the heavens.

And it was not only this chaos among the common people. In the imperial court, the atmosphere was so heavy it seemed as though water might drip from it. Naturally, these officials had also heard the rumors spreading outside.

And they were even more convinced that the demoness Cailin had to be driven out of the Great Chu Dynasty. Otherwise, she would throw the Order of the Court into chaos and bring disaster upon the common people.