Chapter 680

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Protagonist:

Shen Yao

The fish people's light gauze differed from the shark people's shark gauze; this piece of light gauze used to seal the black fish demon ultimately became an outer garment Shen Yao loved dearly.

Under the sunlight it shimmered and sparkled, more beautiful than any thin gauze brocade, perfectly striking Shen Yao's aesthetic.

System:...

"Won't this be too high-profile? This piece of light gauze belongs to the fish people," the fish people's temperament was even worse than the shark people's; they liked to curse others at the slightest provocation, making them the most unwelcome type of demon in the deep sea.

If compared to charm demons, the fish people were probably half as disliked as charm demons.

"Precisely because it belongs to the fish people is why I must wear it out to display it."

"The seal is broken, the black fish demon has regained its freedom; shouldn't the people or demons who did this feel guilty?"

What Shen Yao was waiting for was the moment they could no longer restrain themselves and wanted to strike first.

From the reaction when the light gauze was sold three times and returned, and the words spoken by that shopkeeper, this group should not have strayed too far from Huizhou Cheng.

"Why didn't they choose to take the black fish demon's life from the start?" Instead, they used the euphemistic strategy of sealing to imprison the black fish demon.

A seal could not solve all problems; now, encountering a host like her who was highly skilled in spells and feared no trouble made it completely useless.

Shen Yao rolled her eyes at the speechless system, meaning you think they didn't want to? The black fish demon bore the restrictions and tracking methods left by the Run River water demon; although they were weaklings, they had big shots backing them.

The light gauze seal could slowly wear the black fish demon to death without worrying about being discovered by the big shot behind them; if they directly struck to kill, who would believe that the idle Run River water demon wouldn't come running the next second to hunt and take revenge?

"Is the black fish demon that important?" I didn't see it; clumsy and slow-witted, like a silly goose.

Shen Yao:...

Shen Yao had long suspected the system's procedures were too simple; once it received too many messages, it would easily be unable to process them, resulting in bugs.

Just like now, of course it wasn't that the black fish demon was important, but that the Run River water demon was simply too idle.

Moreover, privately dealing with their underlings without the Run River water demon's nod was a provocation of the Run River water demon's authority and face.

The Run River water system was vast; the demon races within were no fewer in classification than those on land; even if they disliked the black fish demon, they couldn't ignore it, with so many rivals and underlings watching.

The system suddenly realized; it was all for face; one could only say the black fish demon had hugged a thick enough thigh and, by a twist of fate, got a chance to survive.

If it were some other countryside wild demon without a sect or school, dead would be dead.

"Host, you say the force that carried out the sealing—do they often do this kind of thing?" Their methods were skilled and they knew how to destroy evidence; it was definitely not their first offense.

"Naturally they do often; they even have a set of methods to actively seek out demons; for small demons like the black fish demon who have already taken pills to mask their aura, how could they be found without some skill?"

This was also the reason Shen Yao felt surprised upon seeing the black fish demon; relying on the two great water systems of Yuan Shui and Run River, even if the black fish demon was weak, it couldn't be this unlucky; one could only say its luck was both good and bad.

When targeted, that force didn't understand the black fish demon's background and might have thought they'd caught a fat fish; only after the black fish demon was completely caught did they notice the trouble of Yuan Shui and Run River; under the premise of not being able to kill the demon to silence it, they could only choose this ruthless sealing method as a second-best option.

Therefore, Shen Yao's act of rescuing the black fish demon from the seal could be considered poking this force's sensitive point; whether out of safety considerations for themselves or out of defining the controllable scope of the incident, they would come at the fastest speed to find the person or demon who ruined their plans.

"And after finding them? Take action to eliminate them?" The system couldn't help but hold its breath (if it had one), thinking that every time it heard the host's reasoning, its heart surged; it sounded so reasonable.

"That's not a question they should consider," but rather how she herself was willing to do it.

The initiative in matters like this lay entirely with the stronger side; Shen Yao was confident she was strong enough, so she could do as she pleased.

System:...

The system's admiration for the host was simply endless like a rushing river; what more was there to say? Nothing needed to be said!

"Hmph! Ignorant of death; who exactly ruined our good thing? This time I'll definitely make them look good!"

The young demon exterminator had a dignified appearance; who would have thought the words that slipped from his mouth would be so heavy with evil qi.

Ever since a fish person was bewitched by his looks, the young demon exterminator had embarked on a crooked path even more deviant than before, using the fish people's emotions and the light gauze they wove; the young demon exterminator could be said to kill whoever stood in his way, be they person or demon.

Recently, a fish person mentioned that the restriction on their light gauze had been broken, worrying they would be sought out for trouble by certain forces; the young demon exterminator thus took the initiative to go out, wanting to dig out whoever destroyed the light gauze restriction; whether person or demon, none could escape his grasp.

"Steamed buns, hot steamed buns, two wen each, five wen for three."

"Mutton soup, all kinds of fresh meat soup, come try a taste, sample a bit."

"......"

Shen Yao was rare to be leisurely today; she didn't go to the shops selling jewelry and fabrics in South City, but chose this lively and ordinary market in North City.

The servants attending by her side had hesitant expressions; it was truly that their mistress was out of place here.

Shen Yao had not deliberately changed into a low-key outer garment; on the contrary, she put on that pale pink outer garment made of fish people's light gauze; the small things like pearls on it were broken beads condensed from fish people's tears, very similar to the pearls shed by shark people, but lacking the shark people's roundness and fullness.

"You all go back first; I'll look around casually," Shen Yao's arrival added a touch of brilliant and charming beauty to this bustling market.

Shielding and ignoring all gazes cast upon her, Shen Yao pinched the round fan in her hand and casually waved her hand.

The servants:...

Upon hearing Shen Yao's instructions, the servants were frightened out of their wits; what? They go back first? Leave the Princess Consort alone to walk around in this place full of fish and dragons? That was simply disliking their own long lives.

They dared not imagine how alarmed the Prince would be upon hearing this; everyone hurriedly knelt down, begging the Princess Consort to withdraw her order; they dared not leave first.

Shen Yao:...

Fine; originally she had thought to let them avoid being frightened, but she had overlooked her identity as Princess Consort.

Waving her hand for everyone to rise, Shen Yao did not ask them to leave again; instead, while turning around, she contacted the system: Are Changsheng Daozhang and Yuan Kong Master really by Lin Xingzhi's side?

System:...

"Host, rest assured; the system will definitely not make mistakes in surveillance;" this was its specialty; "Lin Xingzhi is accompanying three children today;" while Lin Chengyan and the others are cultivating with Changsheng Daozhang and Yuan Kong Master; they not only stay together, but also brought the black fish demon.

"Good; the ones who laid the restriction have already appeared; it's time for us to take the stage."

Raising her hand to adjust the long hairpin at her temples, and tidying her slightly curled outer garment, Shen Yao had a smile at the corner of her mouth and a swaying figure; she stepped forward toward an arch bridge ahead.

Under the arch bridge, the young demon exterminator was staring fixedly at Shen Yao; after all, the material of Shen Yao's outer garment was special; the young demon exterminator had handled it often, making it hard to ignore.

"This person — resentment Qi condensed solid on his body and lingering for ages without dispersing — yet he can still live so comfortably?"

How strange. The middle-aged demon-exorcists of Qingping City also carry heavy resentment Qi, but they lack the utter unscrupulousness of the man before her.

Shen Yao narrowed her eyes slightly at the words, and saw several strands of the condensed resentment Qi atop the young demon-exorcist's head separate outward, finally fading into mid-air and vanishing.

"He used evil arts to split off a portion of his own resentment Qi. Hm, I'd wager he used that resentment Qi on those fish people."

After all, they're free tools — why not use them? Besides resentment Qi, the young demon-exorcist's body was also wreathed in unceasing miscellaneous Qi of other demonic sorts.

Tsk tsk tsk

The Five Poisons, all present!

Shen Yao sighed that this man truly deserved death ten times over; it seemed she need not hold back too much when she struck.

Stepping forward, Shen Yao silently counted one, two, three in her heart, until a young man's figure appeared before her, blocking her path with graceful bearing.

Hm?

Before Shen Yao could speak, the servants behind her had already run up to separate them, and their reprimands made the young man — whose mood had only just improved — impatient once more.

He gave a cold laugh, then flicked his sleeve lightly; the servants blocking Shen Yao's way flew outward abruptly, crashing to the ground and rolling while wailing in pain.

Shen Yao's eyes suddenly widened; she saw the youth step forward with a ferocious grin, then place one hand on her shoulder — and the two of them vanished into thin air directly.

In broad daylight, the Prince Jing's Consort has disappeared!

The uproar that arose quickly alarmed the various forces within Huizhou City.

"Ai ya, the Consort has been taken by an evil cultivator — what will become of Prince Jing?"

"To injure several people in broad daylight and still spirit the Consort away smoothly — this is an evil cultivator beyond our ability to handle."

"Regardless, we must post notices throughout the city to search for the Consort's whereabouts, and then report back to Prince Jing — we must not let Prince Jing worry excessively."

In truth they were afraid that dereliction of duty would earn Prince Jing's punishment; Huizhou City, because of its ink-production expertise, has no substitute and ranks among the cities that reach the Emperor's attention.

If they were truly transferred from this lucrative post, their years of painstaking effort would go to waste — how could they accept that? It concerns not only personal prospects, but also the clan's hopes and other problems, whether hidden or indirect — pull one hair and the whole body moves!

The officials huddled together in mutual consultation, finally deciding to go to the relay station to see Prince Jing.

Lin Xingzhi:...

Lin Xingzhi indicated there was no need to come see him, because he already knew his own wife had been seized — after all, the chief culprit was right before him.

Shen Yao was still being held by the young demon-exorcist, her whole person head lowered, eyes drooped, face expression unseen; Lin Xingzhi stood opposite the two with a worried look, repeatedly urging the young demon-exorcist to show mercy, that matters could be discussed.

Discuss?!

What do you mean "discuss"?!

The young demon-exorcist gave a cold snort, demanding who would compensate his losses?!

Lin Xingzhi:...

Shen Yao:...

They couldn't possibly be made to compensate for this too — they were the ones who got robbed. Before Lin Xingzhi could speak to stabilize the situation, Changsheng Daozhang and Yuan Kong Master, hidden not far away, struck decisively and smoothly rescued Shen Yao.

Phew—

"Yao Niang, are you all right?"

Shen Yao smiled and shook her head, then turned to look at the three locked in combat.

The young demon-exorcist, fighting two alone, was completely no match for Changsheng Daozhang and Yuan Kong Master.

At this moment he was shouting grievance while parrying, claiming it was all a misunderstanding — he never truly intended to do anything to the Prince Jing's Consort and Prince Jing.

"Hmph! The resentment Qi on you is about to consume yourself, yet you still dare open your mouth to cry injustice?"

If he's wronged, then what are other people? Are they all great good people?!

"Amitabha, good, good. This patron, the sea of bitterness is boundless; turn back and you reach the shore."

Yuan Kong Master attacked even more ruthlessly than Changsheng Daozhang — no helping it; the resentment Qi on the young demon-exorcist is most glaring to a monk.

Young demon-exorcist:...

Knowing speaking would be useless anyway, the young demon-exorcist simply stopped talking and instead poured all his strength into the arts on his body, giving himself a chance to survive.

The more Changsheng Daozhang and Yuan Kong Master exchanged blows, the more they discovered the young demon-exorcist's abnormality — very strange.

"This is"

"It's that bunch of crazy people!"

Changsheng Daozhang's face suddenly turned ugly, like someone who'd always slacked off suddenly exploding — the young demon-exorcist was soon beaten and injured on the ground.

Pfft

Head lowered, he vomited mouthful after mouthful of black blood; the young demon-exorcist hurriedly dropped to his knees, sliding as he begged for mercy.

"Speak. Why has your lot appeared in Huizhou City? The old Daoist's methods — I believe you don't want to taste them!"

Changsheng Daozhang took out a talisman paper and pasted it on the young demon-exorcist; the massive resentment Qi that had existed only in the few people's sight suddenly manifested.

The clueless resentment Qi converged into a black snake head, lunging downward to devour the young demon-exorcist's head.

"Aaaaaah!"

The young demon-exorcist suddenly screamed wildly, then his whole body stiffened and he fell dead to the ground.

Dead?!

Shen Yao's face was full of surprise — Changsheng Daozhang and Yuan Kong Master had struck too heavily this time, not even interrogating the other party; it completely clashed with their usual style.

"Amitabha, good, good," Yuan Kong Master chanted a Buddhist phrase.

Changsheng Daozhang chuckled twice, "Yuan Kong, when do you think they'll come looking for trouble with us?"

Yuan Kong replied with a smile, "No more than seven days — that's their rule."

"Rule? This old Daoist loves their rules best — hope this time lets Daoist Master enjoy himself to the fullest. Just don't send some random cats and dogs to make trouble."

These self-styled demon-exorcists, a bunch of crazy people who fabricate killing karma beyond count — demons? Demons don't have sins as deep as theirs.

"Host, it seems there are many things we don't know here; Changsheng Daozhang and Yuan Kong Master's reactions are somewhat strange."

The system muttered quietly, stating it would conduct full surveillance this time, striving to clarify the matters here as soon as possible.

Shen Yao hummed in acknowledgment, reminding the system it could put effort into those few Fish People; the young demon slayer was dead, she didn't know if it affected other people, but for the merpeople bound by one-way communication, it was either death or injury.

"They must know quite a bit of information regarding the young demon slayer; you go investigate thoroughly, return to me anytime something comes up."

Having finished speaking, Shen Yao accompanied Lin Xingzhi forward several steps to arrive beside Changsheng Daozhang and Yuan Kong Master; this calamity arose because of them, so naturally they had to inquire a few sentences to have peace of mind.

Changsheng Daozhang and Yuan Kong Master did not beat around the bush, only saying the matter entangled an organization named Slay Demons; whether they fought or killed, they would welcome trouble.

Good news: with Changsheng Daozhang and Yuan Kong Master, these troubles could not injure them; bad news: another brand new organization had appeared, it seemed their upcoming inspection Road would not be peaceful.