Chapter 101: The Hidden Schemes of Rising Power

Swish! Swish! Swish!

With those words echoing, under Hong Lei’s lead, countless outer-camp captains simultaneously drew their waist swords.

The silver blades gleamed together in a dazzling line.

Without a word, a chilling aura of slaughter instantly engulfed the entire Golden Vajra Gate.

Many disciples retreated step by step, staring in terror at the young man lounging casually on the stone steps—could a single sentence really erase the Golden Vajra Gate, on the verge of rising to second-tier status, from Qingzhou?

Firelight finally flickered within the towering pagoda.

The heavy gates swung open swiftly, and an old white-bearded monk in a cassock stepped out, dragging two bald youths bound tightly with hemp ropes, their bodies covered in wounds, faces pale and hopeless.

It was the Golden Vajra Gate’s Benxin Monk.

As he opened the pagoda’s great door, a child of about ten clenched his teeth tightly, eyes red and swollen with hatred, struggling desperately to rush down.

Zhang Butcher stepped forward from the crowd and caught him in his arms.

The boy pressed his face hard against the greasy, massive belly, his stubborn expression finally crumbling as he sobbed: “Dad! They… Mom…”

“I told you… don’t call me Dad…”

Zhang Butcher gently patted the boy’s back, daring not to hope for more—saving this child was already his greatest wish.

This scene struck every onlooker.

Whether the many captains and deputy commanders, or Hong Lei and the Li siblings who knew Shen Yi better, all froze in place.

This entire grand display, including the deputy commander’s earlier words—

Were they all just meant to intimidate the Golden Vajra Gate, ensuring the boy’s safety?

Realizing this, their gazes toward Zhang Butcher inevitably held a touch of envy.

A man easily manipulated by Golden Vajra Gate disciples should have no strength or background, yet he had turned all of Qingzhou city into a place of whispers and dread.

The reason? Simply because Grandmaster Shen truly took him seriously—so everyone else had no choice but to take him seriously too.

“You must be… Grandmaster Shen under General Chen. Your humble servant has blind eyes—forgive my rudeness!”

Benxin Monk hurried down the long steps and flung the two men behind him onto the ground.

Yuan Gang mustered his last strength to open his eyes, his blood-clogged throat barely whispering: “Master…”

But the old monk didn’t even glance at him—only bowed humbly to the young man: “These two… three devils are all yours, Grandmaster Shen. Do with them as you will—Golden Vajra Gate will utter not a single word of protest. Is this satisfactory, Grandmaster Shen?”

Hearing this, Yuan Gang closed his eyes in despair.

The master was an elder of the Golden Vajra Gate, a master of Body Tempering, his flesh as hard as a perfected Qi-Blood cultivator’s—yet now he trembled before the might of the Demon Suppression Bureau.

“Fine. Very satisfactory.”

Shen Yi gave a slight nod, slowly rising from the ground, looking down at the old monk.

At this, Hong Lei gave a slight wave, and all the captains sheathed their swords.

Before anyone could even breathe out—

Shen Yi brushed dust from his robes and said softly: “Private matters are done. Now let’s discuss official business.”

“Still… still official business? What could Grandmaster Shen possibly require?”

Benxin Monk’s smile stiffened, voicing the unspoken question on everyone’s minds.

Shen Yi stared silently at him, his thin lips parting: “Of course—the matter of your Golden Vajra Gate colluding with demons.”

At these words, the Demon Suppression Bureau personnel instantly paled.

Only Benxin Monk remained calm—he secretly exhaled, forcing a smile: “Grandmaster Shen may search freely. If there is even a trace of demonic influence, we shall all take our own lives here—no need for you to lift a finger.”

He lifted his head, trying to show his openness.

Even seasoned deputy commanders, seeing this, began to believe him slightly.

“You misunderstand—I meant colluding with demons—”

Shen Yi’s pale face broke into a smile as he lightly patted the old monk’s cheek, his voice cold and emotionless: “Demons.”

Demon Suppression Bureau! Suppressing demons and monsters!

And the definition of “demon” was so vague it could be summed up as…

I say you’re a demon, then you are a demon.

Hearing this, Benxin Monk stepped back several paces, watching him warily: “Grandmaster Shen, are you refusing to reason?”

Hong Lei took a slight step forward—among those familiar with Shen Yi, he alone held the highest rank.

With the Demon Suppression General and Regional Commander both absent from Qingzhou, and even the acting Regional Commander, Aunt Qian, strangely absent—playing around was one thing, but if there was real evidence, wiping out the Golden Vajra Gate was acceptable. Yet now these people showed perfect compliance; forcing action now would surely bring trouble from the Regional Commander later.

“Don’t forget—the Department Magistrate is coming next month to offer incense to the Buddha. If he finds out—”

Benxin’s eyes narrowed slightly as he slowly clenched his fists.

“You said these three are mine to deal with, right?”

Shen Yi withdrew his gaze and suddenly kicked one of them down the steps, coldly ordering: “Check if they practice the Bodhi Golden Body.”

Several captains skilled in this field stepped forward—only to find Shen Yi’s gaze fixed on the fat man holding the child.

“...”

Zhang Butcher released the boy, froze for a moment, then his pupils shrank sharply!

“Grandmaster Shen, you’re joking. That man is merely a discarded disciple of our Golden Vajra Gate—he’s never even touched the true Bodhi Golden Body. How could he possibly detect it?”

Benxin Monk suddenly seemed to realize something and turned to descend the steps.

Shen Yi grabbed his arm and said calmly: “Where are you going?”

Benxin Monk’s spirit panicked—he pulled hard. As a Body Tempering master, few in all Qingzhou could hold him without using spiritual energy.

Yet despite this immense force, the hand on his arm didn’t budge—the long, pale fingers easily locked onto him.

He looked down in confusion—and saw a familiar white glow on that hand…

Do you even need someone else to check if it’s the Bodhi Golden Body?!

“Ahh!!”

If Benxin Monk still didn’t realize this now, he’d wasted nearly two hundred years—he roared and swung his fist back at the young man!

The force was monstrous, capable of tearing apart demons!

As this vast power surged toward him, Shen Yi’s expression didn’t change—he curled his fingers along the monk’s arm, seized his shoulder, and the two forces clashed directly. Benxin’s power vanished like mud sinking into the sea, stirring not a ripple.

He casually flung the monk to the ground.

A heavy, thunderous crash echoed around them—the hundreds of stone steps cracked open!

Benxin Monk tried to rise again—when a straight, pitch-black blade pressed against his throat. Feeling the silent edge, beads of sweat instantly formed on his bald forehead.

Shen Yi held his ceremonial blade diagonally, his robe fluttering lightly, eyes lowered—dark, deep, and utterly indifferent.

Amid this terrifying commotion, Zhang Butcher’s hands trembled as he probed the disciple’s body—each check deeper filled him with dread, until his face turned deathly pale.

This familiar sensation—it was exactly the same as back then.

He stared blankly upward, then slowly nodded.

“Yes.”

Guys, don’t spread rumors about eunuchs—I’ve written for over forty straight days without missing a single update.

My update time is latest at eleven, because I’ve been doing two chapters a day, so I usually cut three written chapters down to two to maintain density. If I have no time to revise at night, I’ll post early.

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(End of Chapter)