Chapter 40: The Ape Demon Presents a Treasure

Shen Yi picked up the dark-glowing ceremonial knife.

Compared to his previous blade, its blade was narrower and straighter, its edge as thin as a cicada’s wing, yet weighed several times more.

Clearly not an ordinary weapon.

Yet even this treasure blade could not pierce his skin.

The effect of the Golden Sun Eight Treasures Divine Body had exceeded Shen Yi’s expectations.

According to the butcher Zhang, this was merely his own crude adaptation based on the initial-level martial arts of the Golden Body Sect; if he had access to the sect’s complete Jade Fluid realm techniques, they would be even more formidable.

Shen Yi shook his head and used the blade’s edge to extract the beast core from Yuan Tongtian.

He then walked over to the young ape demon beside him and did the same, finally picking up the scabbard and sheathing the dark blade.

Too bad this treasure blade had no name.

Shen Yi pondered for a moment; the blade glowed dark, and the scabbard was as black as ink.

Let’s call it Erhei.

He lifted his gaze and summoned his interface.

【Slain a Peak-Level Initial Realm ape demon, total lifespan: 774 years, remaining: 197 years, absorption complete】

【Slain a Late-Stage Initial Realm ape demon, total lifespan: 631 years, remaining: 270 years, absorption complete】

【Remaining demonic lifespan: 651 years】

“...”

First, the ape demon presented a treasure blade; then, such a rich harvest of lifespan.

He should have been delighted.

But Shen Yi looked at the neatly arranged skulls on the table and suddenly lost some of his enthusiasm.

He turned and walked toward the crowd.

Chen Ji rose silently and followed behind him; the Niu brothers and Zhang Dahu scrambled to their feet at once, their expressions tinged with dread.

Shen my lord had never been a kind man.

But compared to what had just happened, he was positively merciful.

To crush a demon into pulp before their eyes was too shocking for these ordinary constables—they’d likely be haunted for weeks.

“What are you all standing there for? Get out!”

Seeing Shen Yi walk away, the butcher kicked the soldiers and constables on the ground.

He exhaled in relief.

Compared to the utterly guilty Liu Dianli, these men were merely blades in the government’s hands, obeying orders.

Even after the Dianli’s beheading, they hadn’t dared lift a finger.

He’d truly feared Shen Yi would fly into a killing rage and slaughter these ordinary people on a whim.

The Golden Body Sect had ties to the Buddhist sect; though the butcher didn’t believe in karmic retribution, excessive killing inevitably disturbed the spirit and could even lead to qi deviation.

It wasn’t necessary.

As long as the government office was cleansed, these soldiers would be dealt with by others; with a little tidying up, they could still serve as the backbone of the county’s defense.

To put it bluntly, if you killed them all, would you really rely on a handful of martial masters to guard the city day and night?

“Thank you, Master Shen, for sparing our lives!”

The young men on the ground finally relaxed, bowing repeatedly toward the direction the youth had vanished.

The butcher remembered the fleeing Laiba head and stared at the shredded corpse in the blue robe: “He...”

“The Dianli was killed by demons—we know.”

Every one of the young men was sharp; they lacked the courage to fight demons, but they knew how to read the situation.

Baiyun County was finished!

Master Shen had slain demons one after another—this could not be hidden.

For three years straight, the government office had reported the city as peaceful, the people content, no demons outside, no unrest within.

If this truth came out, the County Magistrate would need ten heads to be beheaded.

Clearly, even though the demonic incidents had occurred within just a few days, the magistrate had sensed something was wrong—that’s why he’d sent that expert along.

Thinking of the skinny head monk’s desperate flight...

Everyone understood now who the real lamb awaiting slaughter was.

“Hmph!”

The butcher swept his sleeve and hurried after Shen Yi, annoyed.

The man had effortlessly slain two demons without a single scratch, while he couldn’t even handle a skinny head monk.

Today’s sparring match...

This wasn’t just holding back—it was letting him win outright!

And the man kept calling him “Senior,” which was utterly humiliating.

Late at night, the County Magistrate’s residence.

In the main hall, the old man wore only a white undergarment, leaning back against a redwood chair, clad in a short cotton pant, feet soaking in a wooden basin.

His eyes were closed, fingers tapping rapidly on the armrest.

He hadn’t noticed the water had grown cold—his mind was elsewhere.

The night watchman had struck his wooden clapper three times.

Logically, the matter should have been settled long ago.

Song Changfeng and that Liu bastard had sharp eyes—they each picked one person to cultivate, and somehow raised a Huohuan for me.

Earlier, they’d claimed the little constable pleased the demon lords, who had not a single complaint.

Now they’re lying in the morgue—what’s left to complain about?

If he’d truly been a peerless martial master who wiped out all demons around me, I’d have gladly given him silver and beauties.

But someone halfway competent? Useless except for causing trouble. Damn it!

“Why are you only returning now?”

The magistrate opened his eyes, staring at the disheveled figure crashing through the door.

“Quick! Silver! Load all my silver onto the cart—I’m leaving for Qingzhou, right now!”

The skinny head monk panted heavily, lunged forward, and grabbed the magistrate’s collar.

“You... what do you mean? Master ordered you to protect me—only a few months have passed, and you’re leaving?”

“Protect your grandmother! That Liu bastard allied with what idiot demons? They’ve drawn the attention of that demon-star—if we don’t flee now, he’ll break in and cut off my head!”

The skinny head monk’s eyes were bloodshot; he’d come to Baiyun County only to earn some silver, never intending to die here.

How could such a remote backwater produce a martial master like this?

“Let go of me first... why the rush? He’s just a constable—a servant of the court! Not some Jianghu martial man!”

As the magistrate spoke, he too grew frantic, grabbing the man’s fingers to pry them loose.

To his shock, his fingers actually moved.

The magistrate froze, watching as the man went lifeless—only a fine cow-hair needle now protruded from his throat.

The next moment, a small youth carrying a sugar figurine pole stepped into the room, smiling as he tucked away his blowpipe from the night.

Behind him came men dressed as carters, merchants, even beggars...

One by one, over a dozen entered, seating themselves casually—yet all shared the same expression, utterly incongruous with their attire.

It was the cold indifference of the high and mighty.

And the object of that indifference was unmistakably the magistrate, trembling as he pushed off the dead body.

“Who... who are you? How dare you break into the magistrate’s residence?”

No one spoke. Instead, all eyes turned toward the doorway.

Footsteps approached, and a figure stepped over the threshold, boots first.

The man was tall, clad in a long black brocade yesa robe, a white jade belt at his waist, a ferocious wolf, ready to devour men, embroidered in gold thread across his shoulders.

The cuffs bore cloud patterns—three in total.

The man strode into the hall, glancing around casually, his voice edged with chill: “Collaborated with demons. Investigate his identity.”

“Got it.”

At once, the beggar-dressed man stepped forward, his filthy fingers swiftly scanning the skinny head monk’s body. Moments later, he looked up and grinned: “Qi-refining path, focused on finger techniques... Divine Eagle Claw. He’s a Golden Body Sect disciple. Impressive, old Liu—your hidden needle pierced even a qi-refining martial man’s throat.”

The youth with the sugar pole chuckled, waving his hand: “If he’d been harder, it wouldn’t have worked.”

The man sat in the main seat and nodded slightly: “Send a letter to the Golden Body Sect. Let them report themselves to the Demon Suppression Bureau for punishment.”

From the moment he saw the man’s attire, the magistrate’s face turned as white as death.

This was the uniform of a Demon Suppression Bureau Captain—and three cloud patterns meant he was among the most senior captains.

“May I ask your esteemed surname?” he asked, summoning courage, though he truly wanted to ask why they’d arrived early.

“Your Excellency is too kind,” the man replied, glancing sideways with a faint smile. “No need for titles—I’m Li Xinhan. Please tie yourself up. We have matters to discuss.”

(End of Chapter)