Chapter 132: The Bandit King of Qingzhou, Yan Xingkong

Seeing You Longtao's utterly sincere expression, Shen Yi fell silent.

He was simply not skilled at dealing with people, not actually stupid.

A dignified Great Demon-Suppressing General sent on an errand to Bai Yun Monastery—why would he need to offer the heart's blood of a Nascent Core Realm demon as payment? Any ordinary deputy general would suffice; would Bai Yun Monastery dare show displeasure toward the Demon-Suppressing Temple?

So what the other party truly wanted to say was, in all likelihood, the second matter.

The Heaven-Shattering Sun Bow — sounded quite something.

As for saying something like, "Wait until he returns to Outside Qingzhou, and if you happen to be there too, then return it," that was hardly any restriction at all. If someone with ill intentions deliberately inquired when this Great Demon-Suppressing General would return to the city and made sure to avoid him, wouldn't it mean the bow would never have to be returned?

Putting it like that.

In truth, the other party was, in a tactful way, half-lending and half-giving away this treasure.

After a moment's hesitation, Shen Yi gave a slight shake of his head: "General You should find someone more capable…"

The divine bow was indeed intriguing, and he was very curious to flip through the martial arts lost by Bai Yun Monastery, but he still chose to refuse.

Not for any other reason — these two might not know that lightness skill was one of his shortcomings. Even the White Steed Divine Stride Step he had just cultivated to completion was only a Jade Liquid Realm movement technique.

Though it wasn't bad per se, chasing a great thief who could steal treasures from a Great Demon-Suppressing General's residence and from Bai Yun Monastery itself—darting blindly about the vast Outside Qingzhou—was really a bit of a stretch.

Before Shen Yi could finish speaking, You Longtao suddenly began muttering to himself with a hint of regret: "Back when Master bestowed this precious bow upon me, he said this treasure has a bow but no arrows, carries its own incense-will power, needs no Qi infused, yet requires strength beyond ordinary men to use. If drawn to a half-moon, it can wound a peak Nascent Core Realm demon; if drawn to a full moon, even an Embracing Elixir Realm demon would have to give way three parts out of ten."

"A pity I nurture a Yin Spirit — even now I can only draw the bow to seven-tenths full. In my hands, it's rather a waste."

You Longtao shook his head and gave a soft sigh.

Hearing this, Shen Yi's expression remained calm, but beneath the table his hand quietly clenched into a fist: "…"

Xiao Qiangwei shot a glance at her unrelated nephew beside her, and with some embarrassment ground fallen leaves under her toe. Earlier, when she had described the young man fighting the Toad Lord alone, she had already laid out his domineering body-tempering martial arts in full clarity — this was clearly an act of tailoring her words to the audience, so deliberate it was almost too much.

You Longtao turned his gaze back to Shen Yi, a few shades of worry appearing on his scholarly face: "If it really was Yan Xingkong, then as the bandit king of Pingsha Valley, his Elixir Formation Realm cultivation is neither high nor low — but add to that the divine stride movement technique that roams freely across Outside Qingzhou, and with this bow in hand, who knows how great a storm he could raise across the twelve commanderies. For the moment, I truly don't know who to send to handle this."

Xiao Qiangwei finally couldn't take it anymore. Lowering her eyes, she cut in: "Don't listen to his nonsense. Yan Xingkong once went to Zhen Mo Si of his own accord and let the demon hunters take his aura, and he comes back every twenty years to do it again… As long as he's still within the twelve commanderies, this man has nowhere to hide. Within a month at most, before Zhen Mo Si loses its temper, he'll return the Sun-Shattering Bow himself."

Voluntarily handing over his aura?

Shen Yi was mildly surprised.

You Longtao withdrew his gaze, seeming somewhat helpless: "…"

Having been exposed without ceremony by Aunt Xiao, he didn't feel embarrassed at all: "This man married a demon. Back then he secretly brought his Lady to pay respects to my master, explained the circumstances, had the demoness offer her origin essence blood, and knelt outside the General's residence for an entire night, swearing on that essence blood never to harm anyone. Only then did Zhen Mo Si show him leniency. But… this situation may not be the same as before. It's still safest to find him and ask. If something really has gone wrong, we can inform Yang'an Commandery early and have them make a trip to Pingsha Valley."

Just as Xiao Qiangwei was about to respond, she suddenly noticed the young man beside her's eyes brighten slightly.

She couldn't help but be startled: "You — you're going? Actually, it's not necessarily as simple as I made it sound. After all, in the past he was only playing pranks. This time he really offended Bai Yun Monastery with the precious bow — that is indeed a bit unusual."

Shen Yi was indeed somewhat tempted.

What he wanted was the unusual — when things deviate from the norm, there must be something demonic.

Slaying demons and eradicating evil had actually come together this time. Last time at Qingfeng Mountain he had only covered the former; later, with the Vajra Gate, he had slightly made up for that shortcoming. Even a sect so poor it resembled a third-rate faction had contributed the prerequisite martial arts for the Nine Transformations of Immortal Demon.

Pingsha Valley, as a first-rate faction — who knew how deep its foundations ran.

Add to that the Heaven-Shattering Sun Bow, which seemed tailor-made for him. If it really was as formidable as General You said, then when the time came to hunt the Mountain Lord, he'd have that much more certainty.

"Thank you, General You."

Shen Yi rose slowly. Such a generous reward was already enough to show the other's goodwill.

You Longtao shook his head: "Don't say it like that. You saved Aunt Xiao's life — that counts as a kindness to me as well. Besides, this matter really does need Brother Shen's help; it's no empty talk."

Hearing this, Shen Yi turned to look at the woman and cupped his fists again: "Then I'll trouble Senior Xiao."

Hearing this form of address, You Longtao's eyelid twitched slightly. He saw Aunt Xiao standing awkwardly, trying hard to hide the joy at the corner of her lips, and said softly: "This is a matter of Tingyang Commandery — I should be the one troubling you…"

After Shen Yi stepped out of the side courtyard.

He only then picked up his tea cup and took a sip, smiling helplessly: "She's already calling you Senior, and you're still happy about it."

"What's it got to do with anything? Look at you, so anxious. I don't have the kind of thoughts you're imagining." Xiao Qiangwei glanced at You Longtao. Shen Yi's attitude was at least much more polite than back in Yong'an City.

"Then that's for the best." You Longtao slowly set down his tea cup.

Master was about to return, and when that happened, Aunt Aqian would surely have to leave Outside Qingzhou City. Shen Yi, as a demon hunter, needed to go back to report his merits, and Master would also recall Junior Jiang Shimei back to Outside Qingzhou City.

The two would most likely meet.

Thinking of that black blade, You Longtao looked at Aunt Xiao with a touch of heartache and said softly: "On this trip out, did you see Jiang Chengyun?"

"I did. What about it?" Xiao Qiangwei asked, puzzled.

"Nothing." You Longtao replied with a half-smile, playing riddles. Back then, Jiang Chengyun's cold pride was no less than Shen Yi's by much — but after meeting Junior Jiang Shimei, the man had completely changed.

There was a rather sorrowful thing in this world: having someone of the same sex beside you like that—single-minded, without a single stray thought—yet with a casual glance back, she could make the man you admired forever resolve to follow in her footsteps, leaving not the slightest corner of his heart for you.

When the great chaos came, demon hunters like Aunt Xiao — of the Silver Bell rank — were destined to die at the very front. He hoped that before then, she could gain a little temporary comfort.

But though he had done his best to play matchmaker, this matter couldn't be forced.

He saw her to the gate of the side courtyard: "I'll send a few physicians over. Go rest and recover. I won't be hosting a banquet tonight — I'll be setting out to leave Tingyang City shortly."

As a Great Demon-Suppressing General, compared to hosting a banquet, he had more important things to do.

(End of this chapter)