Chapter 288: Peach Blossom

The mountain vanished. Far, far off in the distance, a mountain range was just barely visible.

The sky, was no longer blue. Instead, it was as red as flame, because it was dusk.

The dusk carried with it the afterglow of the setting sun, which trickled across the land to blanket over a small county-level city. The walls surrounding the city had existed for many years, which was clear from their ancient appearance. They were covered with blotches and marks, evidence of the passage of time.

Atop the walls, a few guards lazed about. Occasionally the faint sounds of their laughter and chatting would drift down into the bordello below. There was a new girl in town, and their laughter contained the beauty of anticipation which comes in life.

Horse carts lined up to enter through the city gate; atop each cart sat a driver brandishing a whip and bellowing out directions to his horses as they ambled toward the city center.

The sun was setting, but oppressive heat still held sway over the land, turning it into something like an oven that wanted to bake the earth.

There was no wind or rain.

The only thing that existed was arid heat.

This walled city was not very large; it was only a county after all....