Chapter 163: You too, returning home in glory?

From South Street to North Street, the Town-Suppressing General did not pause for a moment, heading straight out of the city.

But that familiar face set the whole of Boyun County abuzz, and even the Captains' cold glares could not silence the murmuring from the crowd.

The Lin family patriarch puffed out his belly, so excited he stammered: "Th-that's my daughter! That's Lord Shen!"

Ever since learning that a fox demon had entered his home and even his daughter had been swapped out, he had become countless times more timid than before, not daring at all to reveal to others his daughter's identity within the imperial court.

It was only when Lin Baiwei passed by just now and gave him a quiet wink.

That the Lin family patriarch finally could not help but cry out!

"Why are you pushing me? Lord Shen loves the flatbreads I make — he eats two every time!" The vendor's face flushed red as he gripped his little cart tightly and refused to let go.

The Captain pushed him expressionlessly back to the side of the street, then hesitated: "Give me one to try."

……

Compared to the inexplicably lively Boyun County, the area outside the city was far quieter.

North Cliff did not belong to demon territory, but was under Outside Qingzhou's jurisdiction; it was simply that the county had never previously reported the demon scourge, which had allowed a group of foxes to remain there in peace until now.

Two personal-attendant Deputy Generals followed behind the youth, staring at his back, their expressions somewhat complicated.

He Zhen had followed the old lord for over two hundred years, and even after undergoing three Martial Temple refinements, he was still only an Elixir Formation Stage martial artist; though he felt something stirring in his heart, it was not much.

But Liu Yuquan was different — he was a Deputy General who had followed Chen Qiankun from his youth, his cultivation reaching the peak of Core Condensation; enduring until now, his hair and beard had turned grey-white, his skin withered and gaunt.

If not for Shen Yi's appearance, he would have been the most likely candidate to take over the position of Town-Suppressing General……

Sensing the strange look He Zhen cast his way.

Liu Yuquan forced a smile, tightened his grip on the great halberd in his hand, and said in a mosquito-thin voice: "The old general's eye for people is never wrong."

Whether this was meant to comfort He Zhen or to comfort himself, he did not know.

Having said this, he rallied his spirits and hurried to catch up: "General Shen, before the old lord departed he had us remind you — this fox demon has quite the background, you must not be careless. If you can avoid drawing blades, it's best not to."

Shen Yi gazed toward the high cliff ahead and nodded slightly: "Understood."

Then his palm brushed past the silver bell at his waist, and the Heaven-Piercing Sun-Destroying Divine Bow quietly fell into his grasp.

"……"

Lin Baiwei watched in silence — this familiar comprehension ability, sure enough, it was still that same Shen Yi.

But after chatting deep into the night last night, she had already told him everything she knew; as for exactly how to act, no one could influence the judgment of a Town-Suppressing General.

A fox demon who had returned from studying at Qingqiu could not possibly linger long in the Great Qian Dynasty — there was nothing here it needed.

The other party was simply enjoying the feeling of returning home in glory; rising from a minor demon out of obscurity to the point where even Zhen Mo Si had to give it face — once it grew tired of staying, it would naturally leave.

But when it came to "face," for every fraction someone gained, another lost a fraction.

Driving it out of Outside Qingzhou versus waiting for this fox demon to leave on its own — though the result was the same, the two represented two entirely different meanings.

……

Between the high cliffs, there was actually an exquisite cave dwelling.

A thick tiger skin was spread over the stone seat, and the white-robed middle-aged man lounged contentedly against two beauties, enjoying their shoulder-kneading and back-pounding.

Throughout the entire cave dwelling, every furnishing was in place, no worse than a luxurious manor; some twenty-odd figures had all taken human form.

It was not that they found it more comfortable this way — it was simply that Third Grand-Uncle disliked seeing a nest of foxes, feeling it damaged his dignity.

Worthy of a great demon who had roamed the four corners of the world.

So long as the other party remained here for a single day, that group of Zhen Mo Si runners at the foot of the mountain could only obediently stand guard, like their servants; any casual move from Third Grand-Uncle was enough to throw this group into utter panic.

"Grand-Uncle, I wonder if we little ones might have the chance to go with you to Qingqiu and see the world." The old man knelt on the ground, gazing up with a face full of longing.

"We'll see." The white-robed middle-aged man yawned, but a faint sneer curled at the corner of his lips.

A group of initial realm practitioners, and they dare covet the blessed grounds of Qingqiu.

"Now that our children and grandchildren have been targeted by Zhen Mo Si, if you were to leave… our lives would not be spared…" The old man, trembling with fear, still mustered his courage to speak the words in his heart.

The white-robed middle-aged man glanced casually at those below and did not reply.

He could not have cared less about the fate of this fox clan settled in such a remote place.

He simply very much enjoyed watching the shock and fear that surged onto the faces of those Great Qian Dynasty runners upon learning of his identity.

The reason he had not yet left was simply that he had not yet received a visiting card.

Whether it was the Outside Qingzhou Regional Commander or some Town-Suppressing General, someone of sufficient status had to come, and courteously see him off.

If the courtesy was lacking, if the one who came lacked sufficient status, he could not be bothered to pay attention.

Thinking of this, the white-robed middle-aged man slowly rose.

He paced out of the cave dwelling, stretching his body.

He casually looked down, and then his eyes went white, growing ever brighter, as if a white-hot great sun were hidden within his pupils!

His face changed abruptly, and his palms slammed together: "Soul-Calming Bell!"

An arrow condensed from a piercing white radiance, carrying boundless might, savagely blasted toward the high cliff as if tearing the heavens apart!

At his waist, a bronze bell the size of a palm suddenly projected a phantom image, enveloping him.

Boom!!

The next instant, half the high cliff crumbled apart within the white radiance; the dense light poured into the cracks, dissolving every living thing within range!

By the time the white radiance faded, the bronze bell's phantom had grown so thin it was invisible to the naked eye.

The white-robed middle-aged man's expression darkened, the corner of his mouth twitching, as he slowly turned to look back at the cave dwelling from before — he saw only tumbled rocks piled upon rocks, not a trace of a single fox demon anywhere.

A surge of towering fury suddenly rose in his eyes.

His features twisted ferociously as he looked down, fixing his gaze on that bow-wielding figure.

Black armor, red cape — the Town-Suppressing General……

A mere Outside Qingzhou, how dare you act so brazenly!

He truly did not care about the lives of this group of fox demons, but they could not be killed before his very eyes.

"So this is the visiting card your Zhen Mo Si has prepared for me?"

Bai Shan, the middle-aged man, took a single step through the air, his voice carrying a bone-piercing chill: "Shameless thing that doesn't know when to take a hint."

As his words fell, a green jade treasured sword shot out with a whoosh and landed beneath his feet.

Below the high cliff, Shen Yi watched the figure in the air with calm eyes and said casually, "He drew his blade and sword first."

He Zhen and Liu Yuquan opened their mouths, unsure how to respond.

The young man did not seem to have any intention of waiting for their reply either; his entire body suddenly transformed into a clear breeze that swept across the long sky.

Seeing this, Bai Shan's pupils contracted slightly, but he still unhurriedly formed a hand seal: "Green Yang Sword! Go!"

The green jade treasured sword beneath his feet split into three; two of them flanked and attacked from either side, their sword Qi slicing horizontally in unison, their edges menacingly sharp!

At the same time, Shen Yi revealed his form, and ferocious demonic Qi burst forth from his body, condensing into a Two-aspect Dao Sword as solid as substance; a crimson yin-yang fish swirled within it, raising up a dense aura of slaughter!

The crimson Dao Sword slashed straight out, and bolstered by the overwhelming demonic power, it tore through the two treasured swords like a hot knife through bamboo, scattering them into wisps of cloud and mist.

Immediately after, the Dao Sword leapt into the air and thrust straight toward Bai Shan's face!

(End of chapter)