Chapter 131: A Great Calamity Approaches Outside Qingzhou

Tingyang Commandery, the residence of the General Who Subdues Demons.

Soon someone carried Liu Bin's corpse away, and the Black Stone Pool Captains were also escorted out of the side courtyard.

Only three figures remained in the courtyard.

You Longtao looked toward Xiao Qiangwei's wrist, his voice tinged with concern: "Aunt Xiao, were you wounded by the Cold Stone Pool Toad Sovereign?"

Back when he was still a Captain at Zhen Mo Si, his adoptive mother had no one to look after her. It happened that Xiao Qiangwei was recuperating from injuries, so she simply stayed with his adoptive mother for a while. Somehow the two became sworn sisters, and he inexplicably gained an elder.

Now that his adoptive mother had passed away many years ago, only when he saw Aunt Xiao could he more vividly recall the grace of being raised.

Therefore, You Longtao had always sincerely treated her as an elder, never showing the slightest disrespect.

"I was a bit careless." Xiao Qiangwei shook her head indifferently—getting hurt was commonplace for demon hunters.

You Longtao rubbed his brow with a hint of fatigue: "Please recuperate at the residence for now. Once I'm done with the matters at hand, I'll head to Black Stone Pool and teach it a lesson."

To his surprise, Xiao Qiangwei suddenly averted her gaze: "No need, it… it's already dead."

The usually composed elder had lost her composure twice today in sudden fashion.

You Longtao paused slightly, instinctively casting his gaze toward the young man beside them.

Anyone who could sit in this position was no fool.

A strange glint rose in his eyes: "Could it be Brother Shen…"

"Who else could it be?"

Before Shen Yi could answer, he saw a smile appear at the corner of Xiao Qiangwei's lips. With a hint of pride, she vividly described the figure in black robes billowing, fists falling like a sudden rain, one man stepping through the air, single-handedly battling a four-thousand-year-old Toad Sovereign.

Listening made Shen Yi frown—the woman had even omitted her own part in the fight, growing more and more outlandish as she spoke.

"At the time I thought he was done for."

Xiao Qiangwei finished in one breath, lingering fear still on her face: "When I helped him pick up his blade, I was completely dazed."

"…"

Taking in Aunt Xiao's expression, the gaze You Longtao had been quietly shifting between the two of them now carried a faint, elusive smile.

After so many years, what storm hadn't a demon hunter seen?

For her to remember it so vividly, it must truly have been a shocking sight.

Still, even allowing for some emotional exaggeration, the feat of slaying a Toad Sovereign at the gates of Black Water Pool was itself enough to surprise You Longtao.

He had been away from Outside Qingzhou too long, never knowing when such a remarkable talent had appeared among the demon hunters.

You Longtao shook his head, his voice gaining a measure of respect: "On behalf of Zhen Mo Si, You thanks Brother Shen for once again ridding Outside Qingzhou of a great scourge."

Hearing this, Xiao Qiangwei came back to herself. She had wanted to say there was no need to invoke Zhen Mo Si…

Shen Yi cupped his hands slightly: "Demon-hunting bounties are part of the job. The General is too kind with his praise."

Merit at Zhen Mo Si still had to be seasoned through seniority before it could be exchanged for rewards—not worth it. Better to keep it under the demon hunters' name.

"No need for modesty." You Longtao seemed not to agree with him, and said seriously: "A great calamity is coming to Outside Qingzhou. Every additional expert like Brother Shen gives Outside Qingzhou one more chance of surviving the demon catastrophe."

At these words, Shen Yi looked over with some puzzlement.

From what Jiang Chengyun had said earlier, although Outside Qingzhou had slightly fewer experts, holding twelve commanderies was still more than enough.

Why, from this great General Who Subdues Demons, did he detect a hint of an empire about to crumble?

Xiao Qiangwei's expression turned solemn: "Is it really going to fall into chaos?"

Outside Qingzhou had been peaceful for years; the only cause of any disturbance was the breakthrough of the Minor Demon King.

Only it could make the demons lurking around Outside Qingzhou stir again.

You Longtao slowly rose to his feet, the weariness between his brows growing heavier: "I received a reply from my master. The imperial court has once again politely declined Outside Qingzhou's request for aid. Those Hunyuan Realm masters all have more important matters to attend to—even if Outside Qingzhou truly falls to the demons, they'll have to wait until they're done with their own affairs before considering helping take it back."

A few shades of resolve appeared on his refined face: "We'll have to rely on ourselves."

Perhaps because he was among those close to him, he relaxed slightly, walking back to the table: "One person tying down three Embracing Elixir Realm great demons—I'm truly stretched thin… forget it, let's not talk about this. Let's talk about something pleasant."

You Longtao picked up the teapot and poured tea for the two of them, laughing as he spoke: "Little Martial Sister failed her Wumiao Core Condensation. Master said he saw her secretly wiping her tears."

"…"

Xiao Qiangwei couldn't fathom how that counted as something pleasant.

Shen Yi withdrew his gaze. From the moment the other man mentioned "master" and "Wumiao Core Condensation," he had already guessed most of it.

The man before him was the disciple of the Commander whom Hong Lei had once called the second-greatest general of Outside Qingzhou.

As for that little Martial Sister, she was most likely Lin Baiwei.

"I gave up one of my Wumiao Refinement slots for her. It'll probably be another three months before I can go again. I hope she won't come back looking all wronged." You Longtao finally poured tea for himself as well.

"What about you?" Xiao Qiangwei frowned. As an Embracing Elixir Realm martial artist nurturing a Yin Spirit, he likewise needed the Wumiao to replenish his expenditure.

"Outside Qingzhou can only have one Wu Xian. No matter how many slots I take, my ceiling is what it is. Besides, I don't have time to go to the capital."

You Longtao sat down at ease, moistening his throat with tea: "I only have two Martial Sisters in total. If I can't help the older one, I ought to help the younger one. The merit I've saved over these years is enough to give each of those three little ones one slot. As for the youngest Junior Brother Fang, I haven't had the chance to meet him yet. I don't know how he's doing now, or whether he's been bullied by Bai Ziming."

The middle-aged man was clearly smiling, yet a touch of loneliness hid within the smile.

"The whole of Outside Qingzhou, your master included, can't help your Martial Sister, so why blame yourself… You're a great general, at least, can't you switch to some decent tea leaves?"

Xiao Qiangwei, her thoughts unsettled, skimmed off the tea leaves and pushed the cup toward Shen Yi.

"…" Shen Yi was now somewhat regretting having helped escort the prisoners over. She had seemed perfectly normal before—how had she suddenly become so foolish-looking? She was You Longtao's elder; what was the meaning of her brewing tea for him?

"Let's get back to business." You Longtao smiled at Shen Yi: "Originally I wanted to entrust Aunt Xiao with this, but she's injured now. I wanted to ask if Brother Shen has any free time to help me with a small favor. Of course, I know the rules."

Having said that, he nodded toward the woman: "Initial Core Condensation Realm will do. I'll return the favor next time."

"Great General You, could you stop being so stingy?" Xiao Qiangwei rolled her eyes and drew out a wisp of heart's blood from her silver bell.

You Longtao continued: "Someone took the Heaven-Shattering Sun Bow I kept at the residence. It's a treasured weapon my master left me to guard Tingyang Commandery. Because I'm rarely in the city, I was worried something would happen to Tingyang City, so I didn't carry it with me."

At these words, Xiao Qiangwei froze entirely, and what followed surprised her even more.

"A few days ago, the Sun-Splitting Divine Arrow fired from this bow shattered the Bai Yun Monastery ancestral shrine, and amid the chaos, someone stole the monastery's Sword Art True Intent method. They sent someone to ask if it was my order." The middle-aged man was clearly somewhat helpless.

"You want him to go after Yan Xingkong, the one carrying the Sun-Splitting Bow?" Xiao Qiangwei rose to her feet.

"No." You Longtao shook his head, watching Aunt Xiao's reaction, and said lightly: "I just want to ask Brother Shen to make a trip on my behalf to the Bai Yun Monastery, bring two hundred taels of silver as compensation for the ancestral hall, and tell them that the Zhen Mo Si has no intention of moving against the Bai Yun Monastery for the time being. That's all."

"As for the Heaven-Piercing Sun-Splitting Bow, Aunt Xiao will need to go in person… but Aunt Xiao is also wounded. If Brother Shen is willing to accompany her and help retrieve the bow, then for now it can be left with the young brother for self-defense. When I have time to return to Outside Qingzhou and you happen to be there as well, come and take it back."

(End of chapter)