[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h":3,"chapter-devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-chapter-12":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Devouring Evil, Exterminating Demons Across All Heavens",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2266957,4426,"Chapter 12: Gathering, the Thousand-Year Warning","devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-chapter-12",12,"\u003Cp>In the front courtyard of the Meng household, divided left and right by a stone path, flowers were planted on the left and trees on the right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meng Lianfa most loved sunny days, when he would place a lantern on the stone table beneath the osmanthus tree and have his dinner there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His hair was thick but streaked with gray, his eyes bright; unlike his son, he wasn’t greedy for food, appearing somewhat slender, dressed in a horse-hoof jacket with sleeves rolled up, and his dinners were simple—often just two or three small dishes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, since his son and grandson had gone out to eat and his daughter-in-law had been satisfied with a bowl of sweet porridge, Meng Lianfa didn’t bother cooking much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just one dish of pickled vegetables stir-fried with cured pork and rice cakes, plus a pot of fragrant tea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earlier, his son had passed by here and drunk half his tea, complaining it wasn’t the premium Pu’er from his study.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hah, what’s so good about Pu’er? Among Yizhou’s local teas, the Wuding Golden Thread Aroma is the finest—after brewing, each leaf looks like it’s made of gold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pu’er is only for entertaining those tasteless yet proud old fools; only those truly close to him did Meng Lianfa share his annual purchase of Golden Thread Aroma tea with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Meng Lianfa sipped his hot tea, he saw two men guarding the rear watchtower sprinting along the outer wall, leaping into the courtyard, their expressions unusual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, Master Ma is at the back gate looking for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meng Lianfa rose in surprise: “Master Ma, why come from the back gate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as he spoke, he strode through the main hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After crossing the central courtyard and passing through the side corridor into the rear row of large rooms, he reached the back courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several guards were already standing there; seeing him arrive, they greeted him as “Master” and stepped back slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Ma and Chu Tianshu had already entered; on the courtyard ground lay a tattered straw mat, upon which rested a black-clad corpse, its neck wound charred black, the whole body reeking of blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Meng Lianfa immediately understood why Master Ma had come from the back gate, and why the guards looked so uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Ma, Doctor Chu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meng Lianfa had met Chu Tianshu twice; he bowed and got straight to the point: “What’s going on?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Ma stated plainly: “This is a bandit scout—a sorcerer from Jiaozhi. His appearance in town means a group of Jiaozhi bandits is already spying outside.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve alerted the militia to be on guard, and I’d like to use your influence to invite several major households in town to gather.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meng Lianfa’s expression darkened slightly; he told the guards: “Go fetch the County Magistrate and the elders of the Zhu and Tan families. Tell them I have an urgent matter of life or death and beg them to come to my home at once.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guards exchanged glances and turned away, each choosing a different direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu noted their movements were agile—he didn’t know if they had opened their meridians or how refined their Qi was, but their ability to scale walls and sprint rivaled the parkour experts he’d seen in videos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the militia members’ physique and conditioning, these guards seemed superior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the militia were merely local young men, selected and given basic training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These household guards were mostly men who had trained since childhood in escort agencies, seasoned in blood, hired at great cost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Those men must have come through the front courtyard. Take the body there so they can see it too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meng Lianfa gestured invitingly and led the way: “Master Ma, you’ve always hidden your true abilities—even from Doctor Chu, who stays at your inn. Now it seems you two have already coordinated?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Ma said: “I only hate trouble, not people. Given the situation, revealing myself won’t hurt.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu asked curiously: “Master Meng, you trust Master Ma so deeply—your bond must be extraordinary.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not a bond of friendship, but a debt of gratitude.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meng Lianfa spoke solemnly: “Years ago, I misjudged a woman and took her as my second wife—she was cruel-hearted and nearly destroyed my entire family. Only Master Ma’s intervention saved us; I’ve never repaid that great debt.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Ma shook his head: “If you’d been deceived by beauty, that would’ve been your own folly. But she was a cultivator—she could have lived anywhere with her skills. Yet she chose to use sorcery to harm others and steal ill-gotten wealth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When I could act, how could I stand idle?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Ma usually appeared amiable, his round face always smiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when speaking of cultivators harming the innocent, his eyebrows arched sharply, each hair seeming to lift like swallow tails.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only his eyebrows changed, yet his entire demeanor transformed instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A round face could radiate such fierce resolve—he clearly despised sorcerers who used dark arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they spoke, they reached the main hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old steward brought several cups of fragrant tea; Meng Lianfa invited them to sit and taste.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu swallowed the hot tea, before he could comment on its flavor, his stomach growled loudly, his face flushing slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d eaten the clay-pot snake meat, but compared to his usual dinner, it was still too little.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though brief, the fight with the black-clad man had drained him severely; his body still steamed with heat, and afterward he’d had no chance to return to the inn for dinner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This bandit was slain by Doctor Chu—he expended great energy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Ma, unperturbed, said: “Old Meng, if you have fish or meat in your kitchen, bring some out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meng Lianfa replied: “Of course, I’ll have someone fetch it right away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu’s demeanor relaxed naturally; he bowed in thanks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The main hall originally had screens on both sides; behind the left screen stood a large eight-legged table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu moved behind the screen to eat; first came two plates of pastries, their fillings unidentifiable, but sweet and fragrant upon tasting, not cloying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then came sliced braised beef and lamb; as Chu Tianshu ate, he heard carriage and horse sounds outside, followed by the startled cries of several old men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s going on? Why is there a dead body here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Meng, why show us this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu glanced back through the screen and glimpsed three old men entering, each accompanied by attendants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meng Lianfa invited them to sit and explained the corpse’s origin: bandits were spying outside town.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meng Lianfa spoke gravely, but Chu Tianshu heard someone sigh in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s all?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One old man said: “Master Meng, you’ve seen plenty. Bandits and hill robbers cause trouble every year—only able to raid small villages.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If they dare come to our town, they won’t rob more than a few households before the militia arrives—just a volley of gunfire will scare them off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meng Lianfa said: “County Magistrate…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another old man interrupted: “Master Meng, you didn’t summon us here in the dead of night just for this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And you placed a corpse at the door for us to see—so inauspicious, so uncouth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The County Magistrate, however, looked suspicious: “Master Meng, be honest—are you just looking for an excuse to make us fund the militia again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the newspapers, the Han Junzheng Prefecture’s militia were reserve soldiers, whose pay should come from the government—slightly less than regular troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even under the former Grand Governor, military funds were never sufficient to properly equip the militia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So for a town’s militia to have real strength, their training rewards, equipment costs, and supplies were always jointly funded by the town’s major households.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this small town, among the major households—Meng, Lu, Zhu, and Tan—the Lu family held the magistrate’s post, but the Meng family contributed the most generously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few years ago, a visiting master named Zhong Jingqiu, skilled in martial arts, demonstrated his prowess on the street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After meeting him a few times, Meng Lianfa hired Master Zhong to train the militia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Zhong said new-style rifles were useless without proper practice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Meng family led the effort, persuading several households to jointly purchase ammunition for militia training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the ammunition had barely reached the militia before some households took portions back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the militia knew gratitude—they naturally favored the Meng family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Funding isn’t impossible,” the County Magistrate said, lifting his teacup and sipping slowly, “but as the saying goes, one must have a just cause. After all, I’m the one holding the title of County Magistrate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we’re funding the militia this time, the public speech on the platform should be led by my Lu family—it’s only proper.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Ma spoke up: “Gentlemen, understand this: these aren’t peasants armed with axes and pitchforks who’ve taken to the hills. They’re bandits from Jiaozhi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The militia has only thirty-odd men, fewer than ten new-style rifles—more for show than actual killing. Can they stop bandits who’ve crossed borders?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides, Master Zhong returned to his hometown to visit graves a few days ago; without his leadership, the militia’s coordination has dropped further.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you really think these men, if they storm the town, will be satisfied with robbing ordinary households and leave your families untouched?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The County Magistrate slammed his teacup onto the table with a clang: “Master Ma, your words are harsh. Though you run an inn, you’re still an outsider…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meng Lianfa slammed his hand on the table: “Lu Old Man, show some respect! When my family faced that crisis, it was Master Ma who resolved it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hall fell silent, a tense stillness settling over them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The County Magistrate cleared his throat: “So Master Ma is a sorcerer? How blind I’ve been—I failed to see the mountain for the leaf.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another old man smoothed things over: “Master Ma is a true hermit among mortals—a master, truly a master. You’ve seen much—just tell us what to do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Ma said: “I need each of you to assign half your guards to join the militia in joint patrols around town.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If trouble arises, you can support each other and respond immediately—only then can we protect our town.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The County Magistrate pondered: “Master Ma, your words are wise. But if these bandits are truly that dangerous, why not send someone to the city for reinforcements?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The town chief mused, “Master Ma, that’s well said, but if these bandits are truly that fierce, shouldn’t we ask Brother Meng to send someone to the city for aid?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You can send someone—but they may not arrive in time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Ma said: “Even if they reach the city, how much must they spend to quickly meet the commanding officer?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And to make them drop their current duties and come to aid—how many delays? How many days? Who can say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If seeking aid from a major city were truly that easy, why bother maintaining militias or hiring expensive guards?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The major households sipped tea or murmured, remaining silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu, tired of their empty talk, swallowed his beef and spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You think even if these bandits are fiercer, the militia will weaken them first, then they’ll raid the town.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the time they reach your doors, you’ll rely on high walls and thick gates, your guards holding firm—and still manage to make them retreat, perhaps even point them toward weaker households.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh, isn’t that safer than giving up your guards?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The warning “When the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold” has endured for a thousand years—because even after a thousand years, countless people still step blindly into the same mistake!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The warning “when the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold” endures because even after a thousand years of being said, there are still countless people stepping blindly onto the wrong path!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1966,"2026-06-19T20:45:51.976Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","8f458eecba6b2471db28cd662f51a41425a763e4fe407910cb2fb9b53de85e32","devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-chapter-13","devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-chapter-11",155,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdevouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-cover.jpg"]