Chapter 75: Demon-Subduing Army – 4K, Please Subscribe

The Demon-Subduing Army, one of the elite units of the Great Zhou Dynasty, is subordinate to the Demon-Subduing Office.

Although it is an elite unit, this force generally does not take part in foreign wars, operating mostly within the nation's borders. Its duties also differ from those of ordinary armies, focusing mainly on resolving demonic calamities and monster uprisings across the realm.

Since they are called the Demon-Subduing Army, their primary mission is naturally demon extermination. They also slay monsters, and that may even outnumber the demon‑clearing tasks.

After all, there are far more monsters than demons, and some monsters can form organizations that raid local civilians. When such monster groups grow strong, they become a thorny problem for local officials.

Monsters are naturally physically powerful; even without cultivation techniques, their innate abilities can trouble human villages.

Although they pose no real threat to the dynasty, they are like bandits—you still have to suppress them.

Of course, bandit‑suppression is also one of the Demon‑Subduing Army's duties, and it is the task they perform most often. In that sense, they resemble a special police force of the country called Great Zhou.

The Demon‑Subduing Office's hallmark is well‑equipped, ornate armor, with members mostly drawn from noble or aristocratic families—a noble unit.

As for why the Demon‑Subduing Army has many nobles, it's simply because they never go abroad to fight, so losses are low. Apart from demon‑subduing, ordinary monster‑slaying and bandit‑suppression missions are very low‑risk.

Moreover, their equipment is superb; ordinary monster brigands could never match a Demon‑Subduing cavalry.

Wang Wu had heard of the Demon‑Subduing Army while in He Dong Xian; after all, their earlier sweep of the Wang Gu Lin left a deep impression on him.

For a force whose profession is monster‑slaying and demon‑extermination, he naturally wanted to learn more about them. After all, better prepared than caught off guard.

During the time he spent with Zhao Xingyue, he also learned about the Demon‑Subduing Army from her; she knew more than Wang Wu had learned in He Dong Xian because someone in her family serves in the army.

Generally, as long as you haven't caused trouble, can communicate, and have a good attitude, the Demon‑Subduing Army will most likely leave you alone.

If you live your little life in the wild, even if you slaughter or eat some passers‑by, as long as the number doesn't exceed one hundred, the Demon‑Subduing Army will turn a blind eye.

Alright, mainly because fewer than a hundred can't be traced.

This world also has methods to count how many people monsters have devoured, but they're vague, not as detailed as Wang Wu's fire‑eye, nor as low‑threshold as his skill—usable right at the ninth rank.

Thus, when the Demon‑Subduing Army swept the Wang Gu Lin, some monsters survived. But for most monsters, faced with a massive human encirclement, their first reaction would clearly not be to negotiate with this army.

They would either resist or flee.

As for whether any begged for mercy, there certainly were, but why they're gone? The answer is simple: human society has monster slaves.

These Demon‑Subduing Army members come from noble families, so they can obviously afford to keep monsters.

The Demon‑Subduing Army is tasked with subduing demons, suppressing monsters, and sweeping the uncanny. However, Wang Wu misheard the word for "uncanny" as "ghost" because they sound the same.

Wang Wu's expression clearly failed to elicit any reaction in the Demon‑Subduing Office commander's eyes; it was evident he was a transcendent who had outgrown petty amusements and regarded flesh as meaningless.

After staring at Wang Wu for a while—more precisely, after staring at the area behind Wang Wu—he appeared before Wang Wu the next second.

"I didn't expect that just after entering the city, there'd be a monster hidden in the nearby inn?"

The woman smiled, looking at the bed behind Wang Wu.

It wasn't until the other side made a sound that Wang Wu realized it was a female human. She was so strikingly handsome that Wang Wu had thought she was an androgynous beauty.

In terms of appearance, even compared with the monsters Wang Wu knows, this human woman was not inferior at all. Undoubtedly, she was the most beautiful human Wang Wu had ever seen.

Speaking, the woman raised her hand, extended two fingers, and light blossomed from her fingertips.

She was a True Realm Warrior—a genuine, authentic True Realm Warrior.

The army is the place in the Great Zhou Dynasty with the highest number of True Realm Warriors; although the Demon‑Subduing Army is special, it is still a military organization, so it is no exception.

This cavalry detachment entering the city numbered forty‑eight, with as many as fifteen True Realm Warriors; the rest were cultivators.

Moreover, these cavalry are formidable; even the weakest among them exudes an aura of Zhi Zhen‑level strength.

As for the female commander before him, she already showed faint signs of surpassing the True Realm.

Her aura differed completely from the few True Realm cultivators in the ranks below; nearly half of her aura had fully transformed into another, entirely distinct energy—more advanced and refined.

That's probably what the novels colloquially call the 'Half‑step XX' realm, right?

But that's irrelevant now, because the other's fingertips have begun to glow, and massive energy is gathering.

Bang—!!

A deafening blast, golden light flashing, the female commander's form instantly retreated, appearing more than ten meters away the next second.

Below, as the female commander was struck, an overwhelmingly massive aura erupted from the formation beneath, crushing onto Wang Wu, causing his stomach to churn and his internal organs to nearly twist together.

Since the transcendent world has armies that serve as the main force in war, it follows that these forces possess power aimed at high‑level transcendent beings.

Wang Wu had also heard of this power from Zhao Xingyue; it is a force called a 'military formation'.

It's similar to the battle formations of the old cold‑weapon era, but its applications are far grander and more fantastical.

Wang Wu also floated in the air; the wall of the inn room that faced the street window had vanished, revealing the interior layout completely.

"Slow."

The opposing female commander raised her hand, and after that, the rapidly intensifying pressure vanished instantly, allowing Wang Wu to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Why did you block me?" the female commander asked. "You have also entered the True Realm, so you should sense the killing aura on that demoness, right? The killing sin she has wrought is probably over three hundred."

"And as the master of that demoness, if you can't give a reasonable explanation, you'll certainly bear the blame."

"If I kill it for you now, I'm actually saving you."

The female commander looked at Wang Wu and spoke loudly.

Her eyes were distinctive—fox‑like eyes paired with sword‑shaped eyebrows. Her nose was sharp, lips red, teeth white. She wore a violet‑jade crown, a suit of crimson‑gold dark‑iron dense armor, and a crimson‑gold flame‑patterned sleeve shirt.

Her voice was lazy, giving off a flippant, off‑beat vibe.

"I'm not her master," Wang Wu said. "She was injured earlier because of certain matters; I have a history with her, so I rescued her to recuperate here, and she'll leave soon."

Finishing, Wang Wu bowed toward the female commander, "I hope you, esteemed one, will raise your hand. As for that killing sin, you should be looking for the original master who compelled her to kill, not this tool."

"But she can speak, and even though slaughtering and cannibalism are the nature of monsters, once she entered human society she should know that killing warrants retribution as a natural law." The female commander raised an eyebrow: "Since she cannot be restrained, a price must be paid."

"I already know about the master behind her; the investigation will follow. But as the murderer, she cannot escape accountability."

After hearing the female commander's words, Wang Wu turned his head, glanced at the martial lotus on the bed, then turned back to the commander and said:

"Even one's own life isn't in one's own hands; even after entering the True Realm one can only become someone else's plaything, subject to abuse."

"General, in life many things are beyond our control."

"Although she isn't human."

"When I was a child, I used to play in the water; even if I didn't want to go forward, when a wave struck, I was forced to be pushed forward."

"I think the general should understand this principle," Wang Wu said.

"Heh." The female general smiled after hearing Wang Wu. "You speak with a certain flair, but that still doesn't convince me."

When the words fell, she appeared again before Wang Wu; her height was similar to Shu Niang's, yet the overwhelming aura made her seem immensely towering.

Raising her hand again, pointing at Wu Lian's position, the female general said, "If you block this move again, you'll be opposing my Demon‑Suppressing Army. Then the dead won't be only her."

"Choose: die alone, or die together with her."

Watching the opponent's fingertips gather energy and glancing at Wu Lian over there, Wang Wu sighed. He said nothing, merely silently standing in the path of the attack.

"Young hero Wang, that's enough… there's no need for this…"

From behind, Wu Lian's voice came; Wang Wu said nothing, just snapped his fingers, and the voice vanished instantly.

"Oh?" Seeing Wang Wu's action, the female general curled her lip, a sly expression on her face, "Do you like this demon?"

"No, are you sexually repressed? Is that it?"

Wang Wu, whose mood had just been heavy, suddenly went numb, and looking at the female general's sly smile, he blurted out a flood of words like a rapid‑fire barrage:

"No, why, when you saw me standing in front of her, you think I like her? What is it? Must I have to like her?"

"Do you all enjoy matchmaking like this? In your eyes, a man doing something for a woman—no, a female demon—can only be because he likes her?"

"No, you people, what exactly is your problem? Are you too sexually repressed? Hmm? Is that so?"

Wang Wu's speech contained many old‑home colloquialisms, so some words the female general didn't fully grasp, but she understood the general meaning.

"Why is that?" she asked, looking at Wang Wu's clearly rattled demeanor, which only made her smile wider. Still, she realized he truly didn't fall for that female demon.

Now she was a bit curious, and asked.

"She owes me a favor," Wang Wu replied bluntly. "I always repay kindness with kindness, vengeance with vengeance, so I cannot watch her die like that."

"But can such a favor make you give up even your life?" the female general asked.

"A favor of a single meal still needs repaying," Wang Wu said. "Let alone a favor of a life?"

Wang Wu wasn't unaware that if he chose to continue helping Wu Lian, he would most likely die, yet he still made the choice. The reason was simple: he couldn't act against his own heart.

Repaying kindness with kindness, vengeance with vengeance—that's Wang Wu's nature. And the cultivation method of the Extreme Heaven Vajra Sect emphasizes a single thought that is clear, acting freely, revealing the true self.

If he does this, he may die; if he doesn't, his life would be worse than death.

Therefore, regarding this choice, Wang Wu hesitated little. Though he feared death, he still did it.

The female general said nothing, merely watching him as the energy at her fingertips grew stronger. Wang Wu had already prepared for a life‑or‑death gamble, even if it revealed his true nature. Yet his heart still trembled.

Anyone could sense the hesitation and fear of facing death, but Wang Wu still didn't move.

Finally, the energy gathered at the fingertips reached its peak, and Wang Wu's spirit was taut like a bowstring about to snap.

But at that moment, all the energy vanished instantly, and the aura that had been suppressing him since the duel also disappeared.

"Ha ha." The female general withdrew her hand, laughed twice, then rode back onto her horse.

"You scoundrel, you were terrified to death, yet you really intend to repay this life‑saving favor?" She sat on the horse, looked at Wang Wu, and said with a smile, "If I could have a friend like you, that would be a blessing."

After speaking, she tossed her hand toward Wang Wu. The object she threw was a shiny metal ingot, which Wang Wu glanced at.

It was emerald‑green, weighing about one to two taels.

"Consider this gold my compensation to you, also restitution to the shop," the female general said.

"Si Tu Jin," she bowed toward Wang Wu.

"Wang Wu," Wang Wu replied.

"If you have free time tomorrow, you may come to He Xi Xian's Heavenly Wonder Tower for a chat."

"Alright!"

Having said that, she rode her horse, leading the cavalry behind her toward the city.

Returning to the room, Wang Wu's body suddenly relaxed, letting out a long sigh. He snapped his fingers to break the silence, and Wu Lian's sobbing sounded from the bed instantly.

"Why are you crying? Acting like a mother… huh." Wang Wu walked to the bedside, handed a tissue to wipe her tears, "Alright, the problem's solved now. I was thinking of helping you with this next year, but it looks like I can sort it out in a few days."

"Your luck's pretty good, ha ha," Wang Wu said with a laugh.

"Young… young hero…" Wu Lian, lying on the bed, looked at Wang Wu with teary eyes, "Great kindness, Wang Wu, Wang Wu…"

"Alright, alright, alright… you talk a hell of lot, you saved my life, I'll definitely return the favor," Wang Wu said impatiently, waving his hand.

Then, he produced a porcelain bottle from his ring, took out a grain pill and stuffed it into her mouth to fill it.

"Eat quickly, then sleep."

(End of Chapter)