Chapter 101: Cleaning Up the Remnants, A Late Reward

In the deep mountains outside the city, teams of Heaven and Earth Alliance disciples shuttled through the mountains searching, hacking through thorns to move forward with difficulty.

"Li Laoge, how many demon beasts do you think the Ghost Gui Ming Jiao actually raised?"

Zhang Yang and Li Rui walked behind a team of disciples.

The path they took was relatively flat.

Because the thorns in front of them had all been cleared by the people ahead.

Since they were already deputy branch masters, they still had to enjoy this bit of comfort.

Li Rui smiled faintly: "These demon beasts were tamed by the Ghost Gui Ming Jiao; now that they have regained their freedom, they will surely harbor hatred toward humans, so it's better to kill them all."

The people of the Ghost Gui Ming Jiao had been killed off seven or eight out of ten.

The remaining ones didn't pose much of a threat.

If it were people, it would be fine; they couldn't hide in the deep mountains forever.

But these demon beasts that had fled into the deep mountains were a headache.

The day before yesterday.

A small village under Qinghe's jurisdiction had been attacked by demon beasts coming down from the mountains, killing more than a dozen people.

The impact was extremely negative.

The County Magistrate was furious.

And then he asked the Heaven and Earth Alliance and the Blood Tiger Gang to send experts to help suppress them.

Li Rui didn't think Hearing Dao Xiong was the kind of warm-hearted person; behind the scenes, County Magistrate Zhang must have promised quite a few benefits, otherwise he wouldn't be so active.

He was a deputy branch master.

Even though he was getting older, the things that needed to be done still had to be done; blindly slacking off would both ruin his reputation and make it hard to answer to Hearing Dao Xiong.

This is called doing one's duty in one's position.

Of course, effort had to be put in, but how much to put in was a matter of great learning.

Just like Li Rui and Zhang Yang.

Today they had been walking in the mountains for half a day, only covering seven or eight miles; it wasn't much, but it wasn't little either.

They wished they could just spend the day sightseeing and slacking off, treating it as finishing the job.

Anyway, the benefits promised by the County Magistrate had all been given to Hearing Dao Xiong, so they naturally had no motivation to work hard.

Zhang Yang chatted aimlessly:

"That brat Liu Tong went to the Huaqing Sect and still remembered to write me a letter; it wasn't in vain that I doted on him."

After saying this, he grinned.

A brother-in-law with the status of a Huaqing Sect disciple was indeed worth bragging about.

Li Rui laughed: "Liu Tong is a child of true character, very good."

Being praised by Li Rui, Zhang Yang became even more proud.

He was already forty; without any accidents, it was almost impossible for him to break into the Willow Sinew Realm.

He knew how much skill he had.

Martial arts still had to be practiced, but compared to before, he paid more attention to managing his power. With a brother-in-law like Liu Tong being able to join the Huaqing Sect, it wouldn't be a problem for his family to flourish for another thirty to fifty years.

Zhang Yang glanced at Li Rui.

His Li Laoge didn't seem to have any thoughts of marrying or taking concubines even now.

"Generally, old masters without children like to adopt foster sons. I heard Li Laoge has a young servant in his residence who used to be an apprentice; it's eight-to-one likely."

Zhang Yang pondered inwardly.

It's not like they can live for hundreds of years like some incredible big figures; ordinary people naturally have to think about their affairs after death in advance.

Just as the two were talking—

In the jungle, a pair of vertical yellow-black pupils blinked in the bushes.

Evening.

Just as Li Rui and Zhang Yang were preparing to call it a day.

Suddenly!

Someone exclaimed in the distance.

"Demon beast, it's a demon beast!"

"What a big lizard."

"Run!"

The cries for help were incessant, and Li Rui and Zhang Yang looked at each other.

Zhang Yang spat to the side and cursed bad luck.

They had actually run into a demon beast.

The two tacitly drew their weapons and rushed toward the direction of the cries.

Half an incense stick of time later.

Li Rui and Zhang Yang arrived, only to see a giant lizard rampaging, with many Heaven and Earth Alliance disciples groaning on the ground.

"Evil beast!"

Zhang Yang roared and hacked at it with his blade.

A look of surprise flashed in Li Rui's eyes.

"It's that Nine-Horned Silver Lizard!"

The Nine-Horned Silver Lizard wasn't a rare demon beast; there were definitely more than one in the deep mountains. The reason he was certain was that there was a terrifying scar on the Nine-Horned Silver Lizard's white belly. It was exactly the one Li Rui had slashed that night.

"Could it have obtained some good fortune?"

Otherwise, given the injuries from that night, this Nine-Horned Silver Lizard would have had no possibility of living.

Clearly.

Running into the demon beast today wasn't a coincidence.

This Nine-Horned Silver Lizard had likely been lurking in the mountains waiting for him, intending to take revenge.

"Then let's kill it again."

Li Rui also stepped forward with his blade and shouted: "Quick, hack its belly!"

Zhang Yang, who was entangled with the Nine-Horned Silver Lizard, heard this, and his eyes lit up.

He had been worrying about not being able to break through the Nine-Horned Silver Lizard's scales, which were harder than iron, and Li Rui had pointed out a clear path.

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"Die!"

Zhang Yang laughed loudly and changed his angle, fiercely attacking the Nine-Horned Silver Lizard's belly.

Demon beasts don't have high intelligence and almost rely on instinct to act, unless they are refined into ghost demons.

Under the pincer attack of Li Rui and Zhang Yang.

The Nine-Horned Silver Lizard soon showed signs of decline.

It realized the danger and wanted to escape, but it was too late.

Li Rui had long since sealed off its retreat.

Aiming for the right moment.

When the Nine-Horned Silver Lizard was forced back by Zhang Yang's blade, Li Rui performed a sliding shovel.

Hmm.

A real sliding shovel.

His long blade slashed a huge gash on the Nine-Horned Silver Lizard's belly from tail to head.

Fortunately, he ran fast.

Otherwise, he would have been covered in demon blood.

Howls echoed in the mountain forest.

This time, it didn't have such good luck; the Nine-Horned Silver Lizard struggled like a trapped beast, and in just a dozen breaths, it collapsed to the ground with a boom.

Soon, there was no movement.

"Dead?"

Zhang Yang held his blade and stepped forward to poke it with the tip.

After confirming it was truly dead, he let out a sigh of relief.

"Damn it, this thing is really hard to kill."

Demon beasts are mostly thick-skinned and tough-fleshed; although they don't have much technique, they use brute force to overcome skill, and ordinary martial masters really find it hard to handle.

If Li Rui hadn't pointed out the weakness today, and if they hadn't attacked from front and back, they would have had to spend much more effort.

Thinking of this, Zhang Yang turned to Li Rui: "Li Laoge is learned and talented; this younger brother admires you."

No wonder they say listen to the words of the elderly.

It's all knowledge.

Li Rui waved his hand.

He had just read enough books in the Hun Tian Yi Hall to know this.

The ancients did not deceive me; there is a house of gold in books.

Just as he was about to speak—

Lines of small text appeared before his eyes.

【Congratulations to the host for completing the achievement: Famous in the Jianghu, Primary Plot—Slaying Demons and Eliminating Evildoers.】

【There are demons and monsters in the world, doing evil and causing chaos in the human world. As a young hero walking the Jianghu, you should slay demons and eliminate evildoers, uphold justice. You have slain a demon beast, guarding the peace of one side; this is a deed of merit.】

【Task completed: Slaying Demons and Eliminating Evildoers, reward settlement in progress...】

【Task rating: B.】

【Obtained 30 achievement points!】

【Achievement points reached 100, reward acquisition in progress...】

【Slaying demons and eliminating evildoers, relying on brute force alone is far from enough; you need the support of True Qi to be invincible.】

【Obtained Nine Profound Spirit Firmament Map!】

【Young hero, please begin your perfect Jianghu journey!】

【Name: Li Rui】

【Age: 7】

【Talent: Martial Bone, Outstanding Comprehension, Spirit Eye】

【Cultivation Method: White Ape Blade, Nine Profound Spirit Firmament Map】

【Achievement: 0/100】

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 102 =====