[{"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-122":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},2267067,4426,"Chapter 122: Golden Knife Martial School, Ghost Market","devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-chapter-122",122,"\u003Cp>Moments later, Qi Lianyong and the others sat down in the parlor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two intruders had been left outside the front courtyard, where fine snow drifted down, covering their hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were dressed thickly enough that they wouldn’t freeze solid anytime soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu placed the cat on the table, washed his hands, found paper cups, dropped in some tea leaves, and filled them with hot water from the dispenser for everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The few people Qi Lianyong brought—two men and three women—ranged from their early thirties down to just over twenty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each carried an air of sharpness; not only were they skilled fighters, but they’d clearly seen action, their hands stained with blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet when they looked at the cat, their expressions softened unconsciously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The short-haired woman in her early twenties even pulled out a bag of cookies to feed the cat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Little White Teacher, I told you not to wander outside school—how did you get kidnapped all the way out here? Are you scared now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu handed her the tea; she took it and hurriedly said, “Thank you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you’re the cat’s owners.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu turned to Qi Lianyong. “Master Qi, this cat can fight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Lianyong laughed. “Of course—that’s why we call him Little White Teacher.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This cat was left behind by a former headmaster of our Golden Knife Martial School.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The headmaster had no children; he named the cat Bai Mei. In 1996, during a crackdown on organized crime, he died in the line of duty, leaving only this cat behind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The school kept caring for him. After 2000, everyone noticed he’d grown increasingly human-like—he’d learned the headmaster’s favorite skill, the Bone-Shortening and Sinew-Dislocating Art, could alter his body shape, and even learned to fight with deep mastery.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Lianyong blew away the tea leaves and took a sip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“New students all loved watching him fight. It was teaching through enjoyment—many began calling him Teacher.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Golden Knife Martial School?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu recalled he’d heard the name before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Jianghuai region, the Xuanxue Association had three most prominent organizations in the last century.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Golden Knife Martial School was one of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They operated branch campuses like vocational schools, selecting promising students and teaching them deeper martial arts, granting diplomas equivalent to junior college.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Graduates were mostly assigned jobs—it was a semi-official organization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu said, “Master Qi, aren’t you the owner of your own boxing gym? When did you join the martial school?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Running my own gym isn’t bad, but joining the school opens up far greater horizons for me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Lianyong sighed. “My gym never struggled for income, but I could only take so many students—and never found one who surpassed me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At least someone should match my progress at the same age—but no one did.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Back then, the school approached me several times. I thought: first, the benefits and status were good; second, teaching there made it easier to find a worthy successor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve been there for several years now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu’s heart stirred: “Golden Knife Martial School—do they have many experts?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What counts as an expert?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Lianyong smiled. “Those who’ve opened their dantian are experts among ordinary people—there are dozens like that at the main campus. But even among them, I can still call myself an expert. It’s all relative, just self-satisfaction.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But our principal is universally recognized as an expert nationwide.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He doesn’t just know martial arts—he can blend perfumes, prepare medicines, tailor clothes, design gardens, craft musical instruments, and sometimes even substitute for math and science teachers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Lianyong pulled a small box from his pocket, pressed a button with his thumb, and the lid flipped open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside was a blue insect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu didn’t know its name—it resembled a mantis but lacked the famous front claws.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is Qingyan Insect. It’s drawn to fragrant smoke and usually clings to incense burners with openwork designs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Lianyong explained. “Little White Teacher always wanders around the principal’s office, picking up the scents he blends. We use this insect’s extraordinary sense of smell to track him down.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Otherwise, these thieves—seemingly just passing through and taking a random shot—were strangers. We might never have found a lead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu studied the insect. It carried no aura of magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, it was a naturally gifted creature, trained through the handler’s advanced knowledge of pharmacology.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That wasn’t strange—today’s medicine had labs capable of editing biological genes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t magic, but to those unaware, its effect was indistinguishable from it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These two thieves are ruthless. One’s a boxer, the other practices magic—both are strong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu said, “I originally planned to cripple them, interrogate them, and hand them over to the Public Security Office.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since you’re here, I’ll hand them over to you. I’ve heard Golden Knife Martial School teachers are licensed—they can liaise directly with provincial authorities when needed. You’re a safer choice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Lianyong nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the short-haired woman turned around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Little White Teacher says he escaped from a truck on the highway. There were four people on board—two drivers, two guards. These two are the cargo guards.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu looked at Bai Mei the cat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cat hadn’t even meowed—just gestured slightly, nodded or shook its head. Could he really understand that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Mei noticed his gaze, let out a long, drawn-out “meow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The short-haired woman stared at Chu Tianshu in surprise. “Little White Teacher is very fond of Mr. Chu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After shrinking his bones and reshaping his body, his voice should’ve been rough and aged—now he’s pretending to be cute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cargo guards?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Lianyong stood up. “What kind of cargo? Living, dead, or artifacts?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Mei shook his head twice, then nodded once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Artifacts? Magical artifacts? Many?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Lianyong’s expression turned grave. “Could this be a gang supplying the Daoist Ghost Market?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu’s expression shifted slightly at the words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every trade had its Ghost Market—or Black Market—a secret place for illicit goods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Daoist Ghost Market was the bloodiest, cruelest kind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His grandfather said the last century’s Ghost Markets were filled with dark magical artifacts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tomb robbing, forced seizures, theft and robbery—those were relatively restrained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The truly bloodiest were newly forged dark artifacts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Human trafficking via the Beast-Transformation Spell, organ trade through mind manipulation…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many things ended up in the Daoist Ghost Market.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the last two or three decades of the last century, multiple operations—bordering on battles—were launched to eradicate the Ghost Market.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu’s grandfather lost his edge not just from age, but from witnessing several of those Ghost Market battles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man despised these dark heresies with all his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as a physician, he could only serve in logistics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The few combat techniques derived from medicine, plus his scattered odd skills, were utterly unfit for such heart-stopping battles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone knew he was more valuable in logistics—he stopped short, unwillingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It became a cherished, unforgettable memory—and left him unable to advance further in his later years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if Daoist Ghost Markets still exist now, their scale must be far smaller than before.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu’s eyes held a distant look; after a moment, he snapped back and turned to the two men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Lianyong strode over, flipped the burly man with the scar across his nose, and pressed his face into the snow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Lianyong gripped the man’s arms, pulling them backward like wings spread wide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, the man’s eyes flew open, bloodshot, his throat emitting a sharp, rhythmic “clack-clack-clack” like a falcon pecking stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Veins surged up his neck to his face, his head arched high, his entire face flushed red with agony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu saw Qi Lianyong’s hands trembling continuously, making tiny, shifting twists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The force rippled through the man’s body, causing muscles to twitch and contort in multiple places.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is my Eagle Claw Flip Fist’s Sinew-Dislocating Technique. I just learned it these past few years—only four-tenths mastery—but enough to make you taste every flavor of pain: sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, salty—all at once.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Lianyong said. “Even the toughest men can’t endure this technique.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s face no longer bore the cruel, ruthless expression he’d shown when he first attacked Chu Tianshu with three copper-coin green flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tears rolled from his eyes, snot and saliva dripped down, his head and face trembled violently—but he couldn’t speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Lianyong held him for three more seconds before releasing his right hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man gasped desperately for air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could catch his breath, Qi Lianyong seized his right hand again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tell me: where were you taking our cat? Why did you attack the homeowner immediately? How many accomplices do you have?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Answer truthfully, and I’ll stop. Otherwise…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man weakly gasped: “No, no—I’ll tell you everything.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d used cruel magical artifacts on others without hesitation—but couldn’t bear even a fraction of the pain himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spilled everything like beans from a bamboo tube.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d indeed stolen a whole truckload of goods—mostly artifacts looted from tombs in the interior—intended for smuggling to the coast for the Ghost Market.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They made the trip once a year. This year, on the road, they’d accidentally discovered Bai Mei, a cat with extraordinary human-like intelligence. They knew such a creature, alive, could fetch a fortune at the Ghost Market.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So they secretly captured the cat and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, these people had planned perfectly: the truck would drive straight onto the highway and head for the coast to await smuggling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who knew that due to the cold disaster, they had been stuck in traffic on the highway repeatedly over the past two days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This most recent time, they had been stuck for over half a day, trapped in the middle of the traffic flow, unable to move forward or backward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That stretch of highway rose two or three meters higher than the ground on either side, and the guardrails were sturdy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no way to find a route off the highway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two men assigned to guard the cargo container, unable to bear the stifling boredom, stepped down to get some air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Mei Mao seized this opportunity and escaped from its cage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They knew this cat was intelligent; it wasn’t just the cat’s escape that mattered—what terrified them was that it might reveal the contents of the container, bringing great trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, as soon as Chu Tianshu claimed the cat belonged to a relative, the big man immediately wanted to kill him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for their gang, there were five core members, four of whom were responsible for guarding the cargo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boss followed a mysterious style: he never joined them in any activities except tomb raiding, yet he knew exactly how much cargo they sold and how much money they should deposit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A major case!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Lianyong grunted, “Tomb raiding, smuggling, selling treasures overseas, and you’ve got murders on your hands too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Perfect. Taking you all in, I can already see a batch of banners and bonuses waving at me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1819,"2026-06-19T20:45:51.976Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","86dc9fde48ed9549c59e2ecdc05ee4b61164359e87fc2736dd50f5b5a8735257","devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-chapter-123","devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-chapter-121",155,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdevouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-cover.jpg"]