Chapter 122: Delivering the Letter to Black Stone Pool

After confirming there were no more merits to be earned in Yong'an City, the remaining demon hunters quickly withdrew from the area.

After five days of rest, Jiang Chengyun had also recovered a little of his condition.

Deng Jianyuan prepared a carriage for him, and with a group of family members, respectfully saw him off onto the official road back to Outside Qingzhou.

Watching the carriage disappear into the distance, the old man turned around with some emotion. Compared to Jiang Chengyun, who had looked at him with utter contempt, he had actually wanted to properly host that young man.

Unfortunately, the other party had left in too much of a hurry. Counting the days, he was probably already out of Tingyang Prefecture by now.

Between the twelve prefectures of Qingzhou and the demon territory, there was no clear-cut boundary.

The space between was filled with large swaths of "neither-side-rules" zones.

At this moment, in a gloomy, pitch-black mountain forest, an agile shadow suddenly darted down from the treetops.

A three-chi ceremonial blade swept past casually, splashing up a handful of blood.

Shen Yi sheathed his blade, stepped over the head on the ground, and after slaying a minor enlightened demon, reaped over sixty years of demon lifespan.

"Actually, there's no need for you to do this, just to make me feel that this Mountain Lord's aura was well spent."

Xiao Qiangwei had changed into a plain green shirt, washed off the heavy makeup on her face, and was rid of her earlier worldly air; only her delicate features still carried a hint of allure.

She looked toward the young man with some exasperation — this was already the third time on the road.

She was traveling while wounded herself, and although she had tried her best to conceal it, her disordered aura inevitably leaked out somewhat.

What Xiao Qiangwei couldn't figure out was — the other party wasn't injured, so why was he also concealing his aura so tightly, and deliberately walking behind her? Didn't he find it troublesome...?

Shen Yi glanced at her, still showing no intention of withdrawing the Breath-Holding Art.

Even a mosquito's leg is still meat; if he happened to run into someone with a discerning eye, there might be an even bigger harvest.

Idle hands are idle hands.

This method was actually learned from those demon hunters.

"We're almost there."

Xiao Qiangwei really didn't want to pick up any more bloodthirst on herself, so she simply took the initiative to walk up beside the young man: "You probably haven't served in Zhen Mo Si before. In places guarded by an attendant deputy general like this, there are almost never any great demons — not out of fear of them, but because the demons they keep watch over are already local overlords, and they won't allow other demons to set foot in their territory."

"Liu Bin's temper isn't very good. When we get there, you don't need to bother with anything — I'll handle the talking with him."

"Mm."

Shen Yi gave a slight nod. Compared to the attendant deputy general, he was more interested in the demon being watched over here.

Xiao Qiangwei walked out of the dense forest with practiced ease, and a row of wooden buildings suddenly came into view. Several Captains in cloud-patterned dark shirts were gathered around a bonfire warming themselves.

She slowly came to a halt and called out to remind the group: "By order of General You, I've come to deliver a letter to Deputy General Liu. Please announce me."

Shen Yi had thought things would end here. What surprised him slightly was that those Captains didn't even look up, and said slowly: "Demon hunters? General Liu has ordered that Black Stone Pool does not receive demon hunters. We won't see them."

Such a uniform response clearly wasn't the first time.

A cold glint rose in Xiao Qiangwei's eyes: "Once claiming illness, twice claiming to be out. Now that General You has invited me here, you say you won't see demon hunters? Please pass a word to your Deputy General Liu for me — putting on airs because of one's age has to have a limit."

Her voice gained several degrees of sharpness: "General You respects him for his age and treats him with courtesy, but don't forget the distinction between superior and subordinate."

Shen Yi stood with his hands at his sides, feeling somewhat puzzled.

Even though Zhen Mo Si and the demon hunters weren't part of the same system, it shouldn't be the case that Captains who hadn't even reached the Jade Liquid Realm would dare be so cold toward a Nascent Core Realm demon hunter. The Captains in Outside Qingzhou didn't carry themselves with such arrogance.

"General Liu said — demon hunters are not received."

The Captains slowly rose and drew the blades at their waists: "Of course, given your formidable cultivation, you may also try forcing your way into Black Stone Pool. Be my guest."

As the words fell, three deputy generals led over a hundred Captains out of the buildings with weapons in hand, blocking the path ahead with cold gazes.

"Black Stone Pool is a restricted zone. Without General You's written order, anyone who forces entry shall be treated as a demon!"

Looking at the gleaming steel blades, Xiao Qiangwei finally smiled and stepped forward: "A written order I don't have — only a letter for Deputy General Liu. However... I'd like to see how exactly you intend to treat me as a demon."

Clearly, demon hunters who spent their lives among demons also had a bottom line that could not be crossed.

Even the highest-cultivation deputy general among them was only at the peak of the Jade Liquid Realm, yet watching Xiao Qiangwei approach, not a trace of hesitation crossed their faces — they raised their long blades in an instant.

This was the difference between an attendant's subordinates and ordinary Zhen Mo constables.

They answered to only one person's orders — and that was Liu Bin, who guarded this place.

In an instant, a chilling fine-steel spear tore through the air and stabbed into the ground precisely three inches in front of Xiao Qiangwei.

A raspy voice came from inside the building.

"I've guarded this place for many years. You're the first one to dare break in."

"If General You has business with me, he has other attendants to deliver his letters. What right does a demon hunter like you have to meddle in the affairs of my Zhen Mo Si?"

As the words fell, a tall figure pushed the door open — white-haired, beard hanging down to his chest, a golden coiling-dragon emblem at his collar.

A fierce wolf cloak draped behind him, and between his brows lingered the bearing of one who had weathered countless battles.

He unhurriedly walked up to Xiao Qiangwei, pulled out the fine-steel spear, and looked down at the woman: "If you were at your peak, you'd still qualify to cross hands with this general. Having come here wounded, don't end up losing your life on the way out."

Xiao Qiangwei clenched her teeth and took the letter from her silver bell: "By the rules, you've missed three roll calls. General You has spared your face by not suspecting you of colluding with demons. You should at least take a look at this letter."

"This old man's eyes are dim. I have no interest in reading letters delivered by people of unknown identity, nor can I tell what's real from what's fake."

Liu Bin slowly turned and said coldly: "Take your people and get lost."

This cold rebuke tore the last shred of face away. Over a hundred Zhen Mo Captains leveled their blades at Xiao Qiangwei in unison.

The woman took a deep breath.

She turned her gaze to the young man behind her: "We agreed you'd escort me and deliver the secret letter to him. Does that still count?"

Shen Yi calmly regarded this group of Zhen Mo Si constables.

He had no interest in Liu Bin, and no interest in the letter Xiao Qiangwei was delivering — but he was very interested in the matter of colluding with demons.

The unexpected harvest he had been hoping for had actually landed on a group of his own colleagues.

Shen Yi casually took a step forward and replied softly: "It counts."

Their brief exchange finally made the Captains' expressions change drastically. They had never expected two demon hunters to actually mean it — to dare force their way into an attendant deputy general's guarded territory?!

In this place, Liu Bin bore full responsibility and held the greatest authority — he could fully represent Qingzhou Zhen Mo Si.

"What nerve!"

Amid their simultaneous shouts of rebuke, Liu Bin spun around abruptly, his sharp long spear thrusting forward in fury; Xiao Qiangwei forced herself to endure the pain, her figure not slowing in the slightest, easily dodging the spear tip, and brought both palms crashing down hard upon the spear with tremendous force.

The two had actually both used their full strength at once—clearly both were people of the imperial court, yet the moment they struck, it was a fight to the death!

The two forces converged simultaneously upon the fine-steel long spear; Liu Bin went with the flow, simply driving the deflected spear tip straight toward the youth behind him!

The silvery-bright gleam was like a white dragon leaving the ravine, dazzling to the eye, and the piercing shriek was deafening!

(End of this chapter)