Chapter 200: Changes in Qingzhou

Qingzhou City, Zhen Mo Si.

For ordinary Captains, this was just another ordinary day—except that with the recent decrease in demon troubles, they suddenly felt a good deal more relaxed; nothing else had changed much.

The slightly more perceptive of the Deputy Generals had already sensed something was off.

It wasn't because they were well-informed; they had simply happened to catch sight of Senior Wu's figure—the man, a Golden Bell demon-catcher, was actually wandering idly around the government office.

When had Qingzhou's demon-catchers ever had such leisure?

Even Aunt Aqian had only been able to come back for a short rest because the Regional Commander had gone to the capital.

Wait—

The Deputy Generals looked ahead and saw a petite figure standing with hands clasped behind her back, waiting for Senior Wu—who else but Aunt Aqian.

Just as they were completely baffled.

Inside the Regional Commander's residence, Jiang Yuanhua had already written the letter in advance, carefully sealed it, placed it inside a small bell, and then handed it to You Longtao beside him.

"Go quickly, come back quickly."

"Alright."

You Longtao had learned of his junior sister's and General Shen's return, and had rushed back to Qingzhou City at top speed.

But even now, holding that ice-cold bell in his palm, he still felt a bit dazed.

Though no one had told him anything.

But since they had gone to ambush the Little Demon King, and his junior sister and the others had returned—and returned so quickly, without so much as a wound on them—and even Aunt Aqian and Senior Wu were acting bashful, that could only mean the Little Demon King was already dead.

In just a few short days, the demon scourge that had given Qingzhou such splitting headaches had quietly vanished.

You Longtao now felt as if in a dream, afraid that even the slightest big movement would wake him.

But why had the solemn look on his master's face not disappeared? The way he tried so hard to hide it only made people more uneasy.

"Go."

Jiang Yuanhua waved his hand, cutting off his eldest disciple's attempt to ask questions.

Though matters had already been developing toward an out-of-control trend.

But now it was equivalent to completely extracting himself from the matter, leaving the fate of all Qingzhou to the higher-ups to decide.

He felt no relief whatsoever, only a deep sense of powerlessness.

Cultivation, realm!

Even though he was already a Wu Xian, envied and awed by countless people, Jiang Yuanhua still felt it was far from enough.

Release the Little Demon King, let it break through, and Qingzhou would perish.

Kill the Little Demon King, and it would draw out a Great Demon utterly beyond his power to fight—Qingzhou would perish as well.

No matter how he chose… there was no choice.

The reason was simply that this demon who had set out to travel had happened to choose Daqian, and happened to come here—without any logic at all.

Watching You Longtao turn and leave the courtyard.

Jiang Yuanhua took up his long sword and carefully wiped it; his tightly furrowed brow gradually relaxed.

When worry had lost its meaning, at least for now, everyone could have a moment's relaxation.

"General Shen is truly incomprehensible."

He looked at an opened letter pressed beneath the long sword; it simply asked about the whereabouts of a certain junior brother, signed by a disciple of Green Hill.

Jiang Yuanhua raised an eyebrow slightly, his fingers brushing across the blade; a streak of flowing light fell, leaving a neat line of writing on the letter.

"Don't know, never heard of him, if you have business go find the Martial Temple."

They've already offended Thousand Demon Cave—debts piled high don't worry, lice piled high don't itch. Just one Qingzhou, can you destroy it twice? A mere disciple, honestly treating a Wu Xian as no cultivator at all.

……

Inside the side courtyard of Zhen Mo Si.

Li Xinhan single-handedly unfastened his fierce-wolf cloak and tossed it casually onto the stone table.

"Learn, learn, learn—what's the use of learning only this?" Li Mujin shot him a look. What composure—drawing a tiger and ending up looking like a dog.

"I'd like to learn something else, but would I even understand it?" Li Xinhan pouted, then obediently picked the cloak back up.

The dozen or so other Captains held back their laughter; Ma Tao and the others directed their gaze toward that empty room.

They had ridden in the same carriage as that youth to Qingzhou, and in their minds they could still vaguely recall that side room in Boyun County—him standing sideways, palm resting on the scabbard, silently looking outward.

Ma Tao had been casually knocked to the ground back then, and for many days afterward had regarded it as a deep disgrace.

Now it was completely different.

Being able to take a strike from the Zhen Mo General and still stand here alive and well—telling this anywhere wouldn't be shameful; on the contrary, it was something to bring glory to one's ancestors.

Even this little side courtyard was now jokingly called the Thirteenth Zhen Mo General's Residence.

Though the gap in status between them and General Shen was now heaven and earth, having lived in the same courtyard was already worth inscribing in the family genealogy.

Suddenly, a tall, slender figure strode into the side courtyard.

He gave the crowd a slight nod, then entered the room.

Ma Tao rubbed his eyes: "……"

The Li siblings were also stunned for a long moment. No way—he's already a Zhen Mo General, and he still lives in a shabby place like this?

Has Zhen Mo Si really become this stingy?

Li Xinhan fell silent, gave a slight nod toward the big tree in front of him, felt something was off, slightly adjusted his posture, strolled casually, then nodded slightly again.

"I want to kick you."

Li Mujin glared at him in disgust, but still carefully lowered her voice, afraid of disturbing Shen Yi.

Inside the room.

Shen Yi lay lazily on the bed.

That suit of dark-glow profound armor was already broken, so let it be broken — he had found it uncomfortable to wear anyway.

His palm brushed past the pouch at his waist.

For the past two days he had done nothing else, devoting his entire attention to these few treasures of his.

After a brief familiarization, he had more or less figured out how to use them.

He saw piece after piece of bronze armor components fly out from the pouch, then hover around his body. When worn on the Bull Demon, a single shoulder plate was over a zhang wide, but on Shen Yi, they shrank to a normal size.

He looked toward the right shoulder plate.

His gaze swept over that deep gouge on it, and a hint of regret flickered in Shen Yi's eyes. He could not help but slap the back of his own hand.

What a fine piece of work, ruined with a glaring flaw.

He then took out the bronze mirror.

Compared to that suit of armor, the bronze mirror was in even worse shape — its edges had been cracked open by Jiang Qiulan's mischief, and the mirror's surface had also gained several fine hairline cracks.

To say it could still be used, it certainly could, but there was an impact.

It would be best to find a skilled craftsman to help repair it.

That ring-pommel saber was simply too massive, and Shen Yi had no thoughts about it for now. But that red cloud was rather interesting — he gave it a brief test ride. If he did not stint on his cultivation, pouring it all in, it was at least fifty percent faster than the Carefree Wind-Riding Art.

Moreover, he had not yet been able to condense a true Dao Infant.

When his cultivation reached a level comparable to the Little Demon King's, it would probably be about twice as fast.

Things for fleeing and saving one's life — the more the better, naturally.

Having gone through this demon-slaying.

Shen Yi had once again gained quite a bit of experience and insight.

The Nine Transformations of Immortal-Demon was indeed formidable, but its defense could still be broken. Had he not previously captured a Kong Que, whose red glow nurtured it, this time he really would have almost come to grief out there.

His methods were still too one-dimensional after all.

Shen Yi shook his head, put away the treasures, and took out the Little Demon King's inner core.

【Remaining Demon Lifespan: 16,173 years】

(End of this chapter)