Following the destruction of the Dragon-Slaying Array set up by the Woguo Onmyoji, news of this victory quickly spread across the Dragon Kingdom. The morale of the resistance forces soared once more, leading them to win several successive battles, repel multiple Woguo offensives, and even launch counterattacks in some regions, successfully recovering a significant amount of lost territory.
Taoist disciples across the Dragon Kingdom held memorial ceremonies in their respective temples for those who had sacrificed their lives. For seven consecutive days, they performed rites to guide the souls of their fallen brethren to the afterlife. Local villagers who lived near the temples—many of whom had benefited from the kindness of these Taoist disciples—spontaneously gathered to kneel before their memorial tablets, offering incense to honor those who had died for the country.
Meanwhile, the Woguo Onmyoji swore to avenge their predecessors, but the destruction of the Dragon-Slaying Array soon invited a backlash against Woguo itself. Volcanic eruptions suddenly occurred in areas that had long been dormant; the nearby invaders had no time to flee and were reduced to nothing by the magma. The lava swallowed vast tracts of farmland, worsening the plight of a nation already suffering from a shortage of land. The people of Woguo, regardless of age or gender, ran in all directions, wailing and cursing the Onmyoji as bastards for failing to protect the array and bringing this catastrophe up…
Chapter 43