Chapter 233: A Bloody Loss

【In the seventh thousand four hundredth year, the Mountain Lord swallowed one hundred and thirteen drops of demonic blood. Before it, whether the Howling Moon Wolf Demon or the newly broken-through Immortal Flood Dragon, both were pressed down to the ground by that ferocious aura. Your Mountain Lord divine ability has been enhanced】

【Remaining demon lifespan: eighty-seven thousand two hundred years】

「……」

Shen Yi watched the deduction come to an end; the stinging pain all over his body was still like being burned by fire, but the improvement was also exceedingly obvious.

Back then, Lady Qinghua had only condensed a little over eighty drops of demonic blood on herself.

This Mountain Lord had only just broken through to the Initial Elixir Realm back then, but now it could completely be considered a qualitative leap.

This was the characteristic of demon-tempering martial arts.

The method was clumsy, clumsy indeed, but it was absolutely clearly priced — you get what you pay for.

Once the Mountain Lord's markings vanished beneath the skin.

Shen Yi dressed, rose, summoned the Red Cloud, and then took out from the little bell the aura he had casually collected from Yang Qianxiang earlier.

Following the guidance of the aura, he rode the cloud and vanished from the spot.

……

The edge of Songzhou.

A group of people stood outside the county city waiting; apart from the gaunt Yang Qianxiang, the rest were all in black armor with red cloaks.

Such a grand display was solely to await one person.

No one knew how long had passed.

A short man in black short clothes came sprinting from outside, utterly unrestrained with his aura; seeing so many familiar figures, his expression shifted slightly: "You suddenly summoned me back — do you all already know?"

As the only remaining Golden Bell Demon-Catcher in Songzhou.

The short man clenched his jaw tightly now, his eyes filled with fear he tried hard to conceal: "I did my best. I sent it heavenly materials and earthly treasures, but its end was near, and it was gravely wounded again by Lord Chimu, the Demon King. Beyond saving — only half a breath left."

As long as the Bai Xi Demon King did not die, to Lord Chimu, the Demon King, it was always a threat.

But once the news of its passing spread, the tragic sight of Songzhou's destruction could almost be foreseen.

"Understood." Yang Qianxiang nodded.

"Understood?" The short man's eyes went wide; he had never expected that this would be the reply he waited for. The situation they had painstakingly built up over a hundred years had reached the brink of collapse.

The Regional Commander actually reacted like this?!

"Don't be so despairing, think of another way… there will always be a way." The short man paced anxiously on the spot, then was grabbed by Zhang Xuan.

"It's already fine."

Zhang Xuan's expression was complicated; he softly offered this comfort to his colleague.

The short man froze on the spot: "What do you mean?"

"The Inspector has come in person, swept away the demon hordes. Songzhou no longer has a demon calamity. We arranged all available hands to clear every county city, and so far not a single demon has been found."

Zhang Xuan spoke at length; though the words came from his own mouth, his eyes likewise held a touch of bewilderment.

"The Inspector… the Inspector…"

The short man staggered back a few steps as if struck by lightning; he was, after all, a master of the Embracing Elixir Realm, yet now he actually dropped onto his backside on the ground.

This matter sounded exactly like a story concocted by a storyteller — at the moment of despair, suddenly an immortal descended, gathered up all the demons and villains, then gongs and drums blared, firecrackers went off in unison…

This was the kind of myth common folk used to comfort their families; it absolutely should not be something for them, a group of imperial court people, to be thinking about.

Yet now it was coming from his own colleague's mouth.

"Everything will be fine."

Zhang Xuan reached out to pull the other up, but was suddenly swatted away by the short man, who then covered his face with his arm. He sat on the ground, making no sound, only trembling faintly all over.

Everyone fell silent.

"What are you all doing?"

A demon cloud descended from the sky, revealing a figure in ink-black robes.

Shen Yi walked into the crowd in confusion: "Have the Demon King reports I asked for been prepared?"

"Reporting to Lord Shen… the report you asked for is crying on the ground."

Yang Qianxiang dry-coughed twice and pointed at the man on the ground.

「……」

Shen Yi paced over and said softly: "Cry later, get to work first."

Lifespan was not lacking at the moment, but demonic blood was in very short supply.

The short man stiffened on the ground, pulled away his arm, and glared resentfully around at these colleagues… he hurriedly scrambled up from the ground, looked at the young man before him, forcibly suppressed the disbelief in his heart, cupped his fists and said: "Greetings, Inspector, my lord."

"No need for such ceremony. Take me to find the remaining Demon King."

Shen Yi grabbed him by the back of the collar, summoned the demon cloud, and left the bounds of Songzhou.

Among demons, they likewise regarded each other as precious medicines.

If something else snatched away his demonic blood, that would truly be a bloody loss.

The short man floated in the air like a little chick, drew in his legs in a daze, and only then raised a hand to point the way for my lord.

……

At the peak of green mountains and clear waters, concealed beneath dense thickets.

A cramped cave mouth was faintly visible.

Even Jade Liquid Realm demons would disdain to live in such a shabby place.

The short man stood at the cave mouth and sighed.

Only he knew that what was lodged here was a true Demon King.

He strode inside.

He saw a humanoid Bai Xi demon slumped powerlessly against a stone seat; its body was only the height of an ordinary person, even thinner than the average person.

It pulled the thick beast-skin satin over itself, closed its eyes to feign sleep, the corners of its mouth curving into a faint arc.

"Now you've started openly delivering food to this king?"

A demon king on the verge of death is also when it is most dangerous.

Because the slightest disturbance would make it fight to the death at any cost—even Lord Chimu would not choose to provoke it at such a time.

"These years have been hard on you."

The short man kept his head lowered, and it was laughable to say—if not for this demon king, Songzhou really wouldn't have held out until today.

Having said that, he suddenly raised his head and pointed at Bai Xi without the slightest hesitation: "My lord, that's the one."

"Who?!"

Before the Bai Xi demon king could react, it suddenly sensed an extra figure beside it.

The youth in dark robes had somehow already seated himself on the stone throne, his right arm resting quietly on its shoulder, then suddenly exerted force.

A crack was heard.

That Bai Xi head drooped down limply.

"That's enough, you may go back now." Shen Yi gave a slight nod.

"..."

The short man smacked his lips and obediently retreated out of the cave dwelling.

He had never imagined the Bai Xi demon king would be a match for the Inspector, but equally hadn't expected it to end this quickly.

Good grief, just like slaughtering a chicken.

"What a waste."

Shen Yi glanced at the panel.

【Slain Hunyuan Realm Bai Xi demon king, total lifespan thirteen thousand eight hundred years, remaining lifespan three years, absorption complete】

He opened his mouth and converted the entire corpse into demonic blood.

Fifty-nine drops.

Surprisingly much stronger than Lord Chimu—seems that Ten Thousand Manifestations Divine Cultivation Great Art is quite something, letting the black bear defeat the strong with weakness and brutally beat down an old-timer.

Anyway, it didn't cost much effort, so consider it a freebie.

Shen Yi rose, tucked the long-handled greatsword resting beside the stone throne into his storage treasure, confirmed the demon king was so poor it had nothing left but a weapon and a ragged beast blanket, then walked slowly out of the cave dwelling.

(End of chapter)