Minister Hu, meanwhile, had already left after learning of the Demonic Cultivator attack. Determined to save his own life, he ran with all his assets and left his wife and kids behind without any hesitation.
Minister Hu's seat in the luxurious golden carriage with fear in his heart. The urgency of the situation made every second seem endless.
Leaning forward, he opened the small window leading from the driver's seat to the carriage's inside.
With a demanding and loud voice, Minister Hu leaned farther out of the carriage window. "Go fast! Don't pause for anybody. We must leave first, so run down everybody who stands in our way.
His anxious gaze shifted to the road in front of him, which was crowded with terrified people attempting to escape the city.
Without hesitation, the driver nodded and tightened his hold on the reins while encouraging the horses.
The horses accelerated, their feet striking the ground with new force, and the carriage shook. The shining sides of the golden chariot swept past buildings as it moved along the narrow streets.
People hurried ahead, looking back in fear at the coming carriage, wanting to get away.
Some screamed and hurriedly waved their arms to get out of the road, but they were too slow.
The carriage raced ahead, mercilessly. Those too unlucky to move out of the way in time were crushed by the wheels, leaving blood smeared across the dirt road.
However, nobody gave a damn. The city was engulfed with fear. Everyone, including Minister Hu, was solely concerned with surviving.
He didn't even turn to look behind him as the carriage rushed forward, scattering the bodies of those who had been in its path. All he could think about was getting out of the city.
---
As all of this was going on outside, Zhang Lian was sitting quietly inside the carriage, her face calm.
Looking at the cat flying in front of her. "Why did the Demonic Cultivators attack so suddenly?" she asked in a cold yet curious tone.
The soldiers outside the carriage were seated on their horses, their physical characteristics tight as they rushed through the streets.
"Nya, I don't know," it replied, in a casual tone. "Maybe it's because of Chen Gou. "Heaven is punishing you for attempting to manipulate fate, nya."
Zhang Lian sighed softly, yet her lack of feeling was evident in her face. Her pride unmoved, she refused to admit any mistake she made. She closed her eyes slowly, sinking into her thoughts, remaining calm in the face of chaos.
Mei, who was seated next to her in the carriage, said nothing. She had grown used to Zhang Lian speaking to herself—or rather, to what appeared to be her. Even though she never entirely understood the unusual chats, Mei had become used to them over the years.
But Mei was thinking about her own things. She pondered in silence, "What happened to Lan?" "Did she escape the palace or is she still there?"
---
After hearing the commotion, Lan, who had been spending time with the guard, made the decision to go to the queen's room. She rushed into the hallways, her mind spinning as fear took on it.
Her heart fell when she arrived at the room. There was no one in the room, and the doors were open. The queen was gone already. For a while, Lan stood motionless in the doorway, her breath catching as she became aware of how serious the situation was.
"Did she leave without me?" Panic coming in, she whispered to herself. "The cultivators are attacking—how am I going to get out of here?"
Lan made a quick decision and ran towards the stable, praying that there were still horses or carriages. She spent roughly ten to fifteen minutes roaming the royal grounds while attempting to fit in with the other terrified servants who were frantically escaping.
Her heart fell once more when she reached the stables. The horses and carriages were already mostly gone. She wasn't alone in her desire to go away. Some others, equally desperate as she was.
Knowing that running on foot meant death, they stood around, powerless. Some attempted to hide by hiding under stacks or moving into dark corners of the palace, including Lan.
Others were fleeing on foot trying to escape the nightmare that was approaching or stealing.
---
After thirty minutes, the third cultivator reached the palace. He spread his spiritual force while hovering in the air to detect any life forms below. His mask put a nasty touch on his face. His words were a whisper to himself, "I shouldn't have taken the palace."
"The majority of people have already left. News got here too fast because it's the royal palace. I should have gone to the northeast or northwest. With a sigh he went down, searching for anyone who might have been left behind, while destroying the palace.
---
Meanwhile, the first cultivator advancing to the northwest, His wind spells tore apart buildings, causing walls to collapse like paper. Blood splattered across the street and inside the destroyed homes.
He had no pity; he killed those without spiritual roots and captured those who have spiritual roots.
His sharp eyes saw something in the distance as he flew: a luxurious black carriage, escorted by a squad of soldiers, approaching the city gate. Beneath his mask a cruel smile appeared.
"Well, well," he murmured to himself, a slow, amused grin creeping beneath his mask. "It seems I've stumbled upon someone wealthy. Killing them will be far more entertaining."
He casted a wind spell toward a home nearby, where two or three individuals had been hiding, with a flick of his hand. The building fell as the spell struck with a terrible power, sending stone and wood fragments flying.
The people inside were torn apart, their bodies shredded by the power of the spell. Blood sprayed across the destroyed area.
"Let's pay them a visit," he said, with an evil smile on his face.