Because it was winter, the sky darkened very early, and just after the first moment of the hour, a jackdaw flew across the sky, dyeing the sky with a thin layer of twilight.
The caravans lined up in a long procession entering the city, advancing bit by bit towards the beast-carved and ingot-nailed city gate.
A neat row of city guard lamps has been lit on the floor above the city gate. The strings of lights lie quietly on the towering city, like a crouching candle dragon, overlooking the people below who are entering the city one after another.
Yan Yan, who was sitting on the carriage shaft, raised his head curiously and looked at the huge snow-white jade hanging on the city gate.
"What is that thing for?" She curiously pointed at the white jade and asked Jin Lanjiao who was sorting the package in the sedan.
Jin Lanjiao looked in the direction of Yanyan's finger and said, "Oh, that's Wuxiajian. It's specially used to distinguish monsters from mortals."
Yan Yan suddenly realized.
Look in the demon mirror.
"Why is this hanging on the gate of Juyan Castle?" When asking, Yan Yan looked down the city gate.
I saw people coming in and out passing under Wuxiajian, but I didn't notice anything special.
Jin Lanjiao tied up her baggage and saw Yan Yan still staring at Wuxiajian. She smiled and said: "Wuxiajian is used to distinguish monsters and spirits that have transformed into human forms. It is of no use to mortals and monks."
Yan Yan was surprised: "Can monsters and spirits walk freely in this city?"
Jin Lanjiao nodded: "Yes, but monsters must carry the ultimatum uniformly issued by the city so that they can act freely like normal mortals and monks. Otherwise, once caught, they will be immediately sent to the government-designated execution room. The demon platform will execute him, and the punishment will be very severe."
Yan Yan frowned: "So cruel?"
Jin Lanjiao smiled and said: "It's good now. Goblins who can take human form are allowed to enter the city. This would never have been possible in the past. Once a goblin running into the city is caught, the only way out is to be killed. One piece."
Jin Lanjiao paused, poured a cup of tea and handed it to Yan Yan who was sitting on the shaft of the car outside: "I still remember when I first remembered, I was about four or five years old. One time, I went to the car with my mother and eldest sister. The Bhadra Temple in the west of the city is a dojo for worshiping the God of the Sea. It was the first time I went back to the Demon Slaying Platform. I was particularly impressed at that time. The place was very gloomy and the sky was always covered with clouds, so no sunlight could be seen."
"At that time, my mother told me and my eldest sister that it was the result of the evil spirits that have gathered all year round, and the evil spirit has become a substance visible to the naked eye. It is said that every night you can hear ghosts and monsters crying, which is very eerie and terrifying. .”
Yan Yan listened with rapt attention: "Then why did you let the demons and ghosts enter the city again?"
Jin Lanjiao smiled and said: "This brings us to the current leader of the Kong family, Kong Nantian. Because the Yin Qi above the Demon Slaying Platform is getting heavier and heavier, and the area is getting larger and larger, almost covering half of the southern city. The Miao family in Nancheng has the majority of properties, and the Miao family no longer wants to place the demon-slaying platform on their own property, so they have to set it up on each family's property in turn."
"But the location of the demon-slaying platform was very particular at the time. The ground in that place was thick and it was not suitable for resentment to harm living beings. If the location were changed, the luck of the city might be damaged. However, the Miao family did not want to back down. At that time, because of this matter After endless debates, it was Kong Nantian who proposed this solution and simply agreed to let the demons into the city, but the demons entering the city must maintain their human form and must not do evil and disturb the people in the city. Once violated, they will be immediately sent to the demon-slaying platform for execution."
"Since this decree was promulgated, fewer demons have been sent to the demon-slaying platform than before. The grievances that have accumulated for many years in the south of the city have also dissipated. Juyan Castle is more prosperous than before. Since this incident, Kong Nantian Its reputation has also spread throughout Juyan Castle."
Yan Yan listened quietly to Jin Lanjiao's words and asked with some worry: "What about the invisible monster? Are there any special procedures that need to be completed?"
She was worried about Tonba.
Jin Lanjiao: "Can you transform? If you can, you need to get a transforming certificate. If you keep the monster state, you don't need it. However, after entering the city, the untransformed monster cannot leave its owner, otherwise it will be troublesome if it is caught. Already."
The Kong Yanyan caravan that they were talking to had already arrived at the city gate. Shen Yuyun and Hong Yuxiu were going through the procedures for the caravan's entry into the city with the city gate guards. The caravan was temporarily waiting in the open space next to the city gate.
While everyone was waiting, a faint cry suddenly came from the distance, and two monster beasts with snake heads and tiger bodies that Yan Yan had never seen before came from behind the crowd pulling a giant chariot.
The chariot is gorgeous and graceful, coupled with the powerful appearance of the two tall monsters, surrounded by servants and attendants, making the whole team look unattainable and noble.
Right in front of the chariot, a young man in his twenties was wearing a sapphire blue round-neck hakama pleated gown, with his hair tied up, a double-winged phoenix crown on his head, and a beaded forehead mop in the same color as the gown.
The man was described as elegant, with a pink lotus face, but his eyes wandered like flowers floating on the water, which made him look a little melancholy unconsciously. His lips were pursed, and there was no expression on his face.
Yan Yan took a rough look at the man on the beast's back, and his first impression was: The skin is beautiful, but a little cold.
When she was looking at the sedan, she didn't notice Jin Lanjiao, who was chatting eloquently just a moment ago. Now she quietly retracted her body into the sedan and silently lowered the curtain.
The carriage pulled by the snake-headed and tiger-body beast approached, and all the soldiers guarding the city immediately came out to welcome it. Even the dozen or so monks guarding the top of the city, who had not shown up, flew down one after another and knelt neatly on the carriage. In front of the sedan, he knelt down on one knee and saluted the man.
Although the distance was not too far, Yan Yan could not hear clearly what these people were referring to. It was probably that the other party's chariot was equipped with some kind of sound-isolating magical weapon.
She only saw the man gently raising his hand, and everyone stood up and retreated to both sides. The man urged the monster on his crotch to walk towards the city gate, and the domestic slaves and guards behind him slowly drove out the giant sedan. Enter the city gate.
However, just when the man was about to disappear through the city gate, he suddenly reined in his mount and looked sideways at the caravan.
Yan Yan was originally looking curiously at the sudden appearance of the aristocratic team, and was still guessing which family member it was. Unexpectedly, the man suddenly cast his gaze over. Yan Yan met those eyes directly.
The beautiful big eyes suddenly opened for a moment, then quickly regained their composure. Yan Yan blinked and still looked at the man with curiosity and doubt, showing no intention of avoiding anything.
The man was also slightly startled, as if he was a little surprised that a girl was looking at him so openly and without hesitation.
However, the surprise only passed for a moment. The man withdrew his gaze, gently tapped his legs on his crotch, and led the carriage, sedan, and everyone into the city.
When the last guard entered the city gate and disappeared, Yan Yan turned around enthusiastically and asked Jin Lanjiao in the car: "Hey, what are the names of those monsters that were pulling at you just now? They are so powerful and domineering!"
After asking Yan Yan, he discovered that Jin Lanjiao's face was extremely pale.