Chapter 156: Get Up, Let Him Sit

What can this exchange get?

Jiang Chengyun gasped several times, then suddenly looked down at the little girl: "Grandma, why don't you get up and let him sit."

Aunt Aqian raised her palm as if to strike him: "..."

She picked up the brush again, dipped it heavily in thick ink, stared blankly at the document, yet had no idea where to begin.

She actually wanted to ask Shen Yi how he did it, but "listen to the order but not the summons," meaning no need to report anything to superiors, was one of the few iron decrees for demon hunters.

Clearly, Shen Yi had no intention of chatting a few more sentences.

The other demon hunters stared at the demonic blood qi hanging in the air, even feeling as if they were dreaming.

Shock, at least, remained within the realm of comprehension.

But the scene before their eyes left them completely unable to understand.

What the death of an Embracing Elixir Realm demon signified was much like the fall of Lady Yushan's Zhen Mo Si general earlier; it was an event capable of shaking the entire Outside Qingzhou, with a shocking impact roughly equivalent to waking up to hear the Li family of Outside Qingzhou had vanished...

Aunt Aqian pinched her fingertips, calculating something: "Three times... six times... ten times..."

Seeing the other party continue to calculate, Jiang Chengyun silently reminded her: "The quota for Outside Qingzhou demon hunters isn't that high."

"..." Aunt Aqian raised her eyes to look at the young man and sighed: "Do you intend to walk the path of nurturing the Yin Spirit?"

"No intention." Shen Yi shook his head.

Compared to the Yin Spirit leaving the body or controlling a sword a thousand li away, he preferred possessing a powerful physique that could also be combined with the Nine Transformations of Immortals and Demons.

"Then ten times should be roughly enough. How about exchanging the remaining merit for a treasure, the kind that can guard an entire commandery?"

Aunt Aqian recalled the boast she had made back then: as long as the other party had enough merit, the Great Qian Dynasty had everything.

Now it seemed... it really wasn't enough.

Mainly because it was too fast.

The precious opportunity of the Martial Temple's tempering had a fixed quota for every commandery.

Tempering ten times at once; for any talented genius with good aptitude, it would likely be enough to forcibly pile them up into a martial artist with a Perfect Golden Core, so how could the reward be given without limit?

"I also want a copy of the Heaven-Swallowing Tiannan Dan Shi." Shen Yi nodded; he actually didn't quite understand how merit and rewards were calculated, so he figured if he could take more, he should take more.

"Heaven-Swallowing Tiannan Dan Shi?" Aunt Aqian paused for a moment, then breathed a sigh of relief.

At least... adding Jiang Qiulan into the mix made the whole situation look much more reasonable than before.

"This is one of the most domineering Golden Core formation methods of the Great Qian Dynasty; counting this, it should be about enough."

She nodded, writing down all the required items on the document: "Alright, go back quickly. Normally we would wait for demon hunters sent from Jingcheng to deliver it, but for a situation like yours, we shouldn't trouble them. You go back and prepare; you will depart for Jingcheng in about half a month. At that time, I will have Chengyun notify you... Don't run around recklessly during this period."

"At least let the General see what the person looks like..."

"And let me digest this."

Aunt Aqian leaned against Jiang Chengyun's lap, rubbing her temples vigorously.

Even if the Embracing Elixir Realm Bai Lu was related to Jiang Qiulan, those several Perfect Golden Core demons were definitely killed by Shen Yi; what exactly happened during his trip away from Outside Qingzhou City?

"..."

He originally wanted to ask a few more questions, but Shen Yi suddenly noticed Jiang Chengyun's gaze was strange.

Forget it, better to ask on the road.

He knew how much psychological impact producing so much demonic blood qi at once would have on others.

But Shen Yi was also very clear about the current situation in Outside Qingzhou.

Demon Kings were watching from the outside, and a young Demon King had hopes of breaking through; when two Demon Kings gathered then, this seemingly stable but fragile situation would be shattered instantly.

By that time, if I could possess sufficient strength...

Since the Sixth Transformation could capture an Embracing Elixir Realm Bai Lu, why couldn't the Ninth Transformation imprison a true Demon King into the body?

This thought flashed through Shen Yi's mind.

Immediately, even he felt it was somewhat absurd.

"Everyone, farewell."

He bid farewell to Aunt Aqian and the other, then turned and left the pavilion.

Leaving behind a group of confused demon hunters.

Zhen Mo Si Courtyard.

Shen Yi returned to his room and found that very few people were passing by nearby.

It seemed most of the Captains had been dispatched.

He returned to his room, took out the Dragon Core he hadn't used before, a single external demon pill capable of replenishing fifty percent.

He replenished the cultivation contained within the external pill back to eighty-five percent.

Then he put the completely depleted Dragon Core into his mouth, used one year of demon lifespan, and absorbed the dregs within.

【First Year: You swallowed the dried-up Dragon Internal Core, turning the bloodline dregs to your own use, and the Dragon Demon Power increased】

【Golden Core: Dragon Demon Power】

"Yo."

Shen Yi had originally swallowed it just to try, with the thought of not wasting anything.

He didn't expect to actually gain something.

Although under the support of the Ninth Transformation of Immortals and Demons, even the Dragon Demon Power at the Golden Core level could only slightly increase his strength, it was still better than having nothing.

He put the remaining Dragon Cores back into the Silver Bell.

Shen Yi stood up to boil water, then silently watched the boiling water cool down.

He poured himself a cup of warm plain water and took a gentle sip.

An increase in cultivation isn't entirely a good thing; for instance, after killing demons and returning before, he was exhausted all over and fell asleep immediately.

But now his energy seemed inexhaustible…

Butcher Zhang, Fang Heng, and the Li siblings all seemed to have left Outside Qingzhou.

Shen Yi had finally gotten the chance to rest he had been longing for, yet for the first time felt a hint of boredom.

"…"

Just then, a timid voice drifted in from outside the room.

"Excuse me, my lord, do you have any clothes that need washing or mending?"

The quiet Miss stood a little stiffly in the courtyard, gazing at the dimly lit door.

She used to earn a few copper coins by washing clothes for the Captains, but lately the Captains all seemed terribly busy and rarely stayed at their lodgings.

It had taken no small effort to spot a door with its lamp still lit; even though it was already deep into the night, she had still mustered her courage to come over and ask.

"…"

Shen Yi took out the bloodstained Dire Wolf greatcloak from the silver bell, pushed the door open, handed the garment over, and asked casually, "Where's your brother? How could he let you wander about so late at night?"

Chen Jinyu looked up, dazed, at the young man before her. His face was still the handsome one she remembered, but now clad in that black robe of the Zhen Mo Si, the whole person seemed somehow colder and sterner: "Sh… Shen my lord?"

Though both used the form "my lord," it was obvious she meant the constable of Bai Yunxian.

Suddenly realizing he had asked her a question, Chen Jinyu hurriedly replied, "My brother's still practicing his martial arts. I had nothing to do, so I secretly fired up the stove—I wanted to make something nourishing for my brother and Brother Niu."

"What did you make?" Shen Yi strolled toward the courtyard gate.

"I… I stewed some goji-chicken soup. It's almost done."

Perhaps it was because, after coming to Outside Qingzhou from Bai Yunxian, she had seen far too many people she could never have reached before.

Chen Jinyu's eyes held a little less of their usual spark, and a great deal more unease.

"Come on, let's mooch a meal." Shen Yi nodded.

Hearing those familiar words, much of the earlier awkwardness instantly melted away.

The quiet Miss froze for a beat, then a smile crept into her expression. She nodded firmly, her voice clear and bright:

"Mm! My brother misses you too!"

(End of chapter)