Chapter 42: Qingzhou

Lying on the bed, Shen Yi tried to adjust his internal qi according to the mysterious trajectory.

Immediately after, a profound sensation of being drained swept over him, as if a whale had swallowed the ocean while he possessed only a small pond… no, only a cup of water.

The feeling was too terrifying; Shen Yi quickly halted his qi circulation.

He finally experienced the helplessness his own cultivation simulation had once inflicted upon him.

A beginner martial artist absorbs heavenly and earthly qi at a very slow rate.

The qi within the twelve major acupoints resembles principal savings—daily use of just the interest suffices for basic martial techniques.

Even a formidable beginner martial art like the Blood Demon Blade Technique consumes little internal qi.

But if excessive depletion occurs, equivalent to damaging one’s root, it requires vast time to replenish.

In this simulation, each use of the Fourfold True Gang drained years of accumulated qi; for an ordinary martial artist, it was inhuman torment.

Shen Yi recalled his earlier transformation of internal qi into dew.

No wonder they condense heavenly and earthly qi into liquid—otherwise, how could one possibly bear the cost?

“Could it be that one trains it but dares not use it, saving it only as a last-resort killing move, then left helpless after expending it?”

Shen Yi furrowed his brows, then suddenly seemed to remember something.

He turned his gaze to the Wind and Thunder Subdue Demons True Interpretation in his panel.

This had never yielded results, no matter how much demonic lifespan he poured into it—it was like a bottomless pit swallowing gold.

It merely sat there, passively siphoning qi from heaven and earth.

Thinking of this, Shen Yi’s brow relaxed—how convenient! It could replenish his own consumption while simultaneously allowing him to attempt new simulations, getting two benefits for one cost.

Based on prior experience, fully replenishing the twelve major acupoints required roughly five years.

Using his own lifespan would be grossly uneconomical—he had only forty-six years left after breaking into the beginner realm—but using demonic lifespan to ease the immediate crisis, then seeking advancement methods, remained feasible.

【Remaining Demonic Lifespan: 391 years】

Shen Yi suppressed the urge to step outside and test it, forcing himself to close his eyes.

While understanding a technique’s power thoroughly was important, there was no need to disturb others’ sleep in the dead of night—it was downright cruel.

Perhaps because he hadn’t slept the night before, he fell asleep quickly today.

The sesame cakes here were warm, the salted pork chewy, the bedboard hard, the woman soft—all felt utterly real.

Flashes of mangled corpses crossed his mind, demons devouring flesh and blood.

Shen Yi unconsciously clenched his fingers; with so many martial arts at his disposal, he no longer needed to numb himself with “this life was borrowed,” and now possessed the courage to draw his blade against demons.

Using the excuse of imminent death to act recklessly was useful, but not sustainable.

Reborn into this life was like awakening from a great dream.

At the crow of the rooster, Shen Yi opened his eyes precisely, stepped outside to breathe the morning dew, and felt refreshed and light.

“So early today?”

Lin Baiwei stretched her body as she walked from the back courtyard into the room, glancing curiously outside.

“Early.”

Shen Yi turned back, his eyes unusually holding a hint of amusement.

“Did you find silver or something?” Lin Baiwei shook her head skeptically.

“Something like that.”

Shen Yi turned away, returned inside, and changed into clean clothes.

Calculating the days, there were still over twenty days until the Demon Suppression Office’s inspection.

With this time, he could patch up gaps and shore up weaknesses—securing a good assignment shouldn’t be a problem.

His current strength was sufficient for self-defense in Baiyun County, but accidents were always possible.

Take Lin Baiwei, for instance—she could casually transcribe a Jade Liquid realm martial art; that’s not the same as simply producing a manual, for the former implies she once trained it herself.

Before her acupoints were sealed, she was likely far stronger than I am now.

Bad luck still comes when it must.

With this precedent constantly before his eyes, Shen Yi could not afford to be careless.

To survive in chaotic times, joining a respectable faction was unquestionably the best choice—ensuring both martial arts and resources.

Even if he were truly captured by demons, they might hesitate due to his background, leaving room for negotiation.

Shen Yi went out and bought two portions of breakfast, bringing them back.

He devoured them in three bites, then headed toward the station.

On the road, Shen Yi slowed his steps, glancing sideways.

A young man holding a sugar figurine stick bowed his head and smiled deferentially: “Sir, you fancy sweets too? Take a couple sticks and try them.”

Shen Yi shook his head and resumed walking: “Sorry, I don’t have any silver on me.”

He wouldn’t dare eat sugar figurines sold by a martial artist from the jianghu.

As for why the man appeared in Baiyun County, Shen Yi had no interest in asking—he was merely a demon-duty officer, not a city patrolman.

Many people passed by daily; perhaps a few odd ones turned up every day.

He simply hadn’t had the eyes to notice before.

Stepping into the station courtyard, Shen Yi saw Butcher Zhang already training several men at dawn; Zhang Dahu rubbed his waist and snatched up his blade in panic: “I—I—I’m on patrol!”

Butcher Zhang didn’t harass the slacker: “He’s old, no future left—don’t you three slack off… dare to glare at me? Ungrateful bastards—if you ever get into the Demon Suppression Office, your parents would bring cured meat to thank me.”

Saying this, he kicked the Niu brothers in the waist twice more: “Raise your hands higher—your Subdue Demons Blade Technique looks like opera, not martial arts.”

“I’m doing fine as a duty officer—I don’t want to climb higher. Dealing with demons means losing your life,” Niu Er grumbled, grimacing.

“You’ve grown too comfortable,” Butcher Zhang sneered. “Just five months ago, the Demon Suppression Office took over Sanshui County, stationed over a dozen Captains, and within three days, leveled the demon mountain—two hundred soldiers died, eighty demons beheaded. Do you think it’s like here, where civilians die before the officers?”

“For ordinary officers, compensation is only forty taels of silver—but if you’re listed under the Demon Suppression Office, even as a reserve, that sum is barely two months’ allowance.”

Hearing this, the Niu brothers silently calculated the numbers, their sword swings growing stronger.

“They recruit ordinary officers too?” Shen Yi entered the courtyard, curious.

“Why else would they teach the three Subdue Demons techniques?” Butcher Zhang smiled upon seeing him. “If you reach minor mastery in all three within the time limit—or major mastery in just one—you stand a chance of being selected. In no more than ten or twenty years, they can soak these men in medicinal baths and forcibly push them into the beginner realm.”

“Do you know how terrifying it is when beginner martial artists sprout like rice seedlings, one crop after another?”

Butcher Zhang grew redder with envy, clearly furious at the Demon Suppression Office’s extravagance.

“If there are truly that many, why do they always seem short-staffed?” Shen Yi raised an eyebrow, skeptical.

“Ever harvested rice? Crops grow, crops fall,” Butcher Zhang rolled his eyes, drew his palm across his throat, then added:

“Take someone with greater talent—like the demon hunter the Qingzhou Regional Commander took as a disciple ten years ago. Ten years! I was still practicing stances, punching, and hauling water—she consumed precious medicines like rice, reached the full Jade Liquid realm, and turned her qi into swords to slaughter demons like pigs and dogs.”

“Whoa, illegitimate child?” Even the composed Shen Yi couldn’t help but be startled.

“An illegitimate child would be better,” Butcher Zhang suddenly grew gloomy, waving his hand. “You don’t understand demon hunters. They eat the best meals, endure the harshest beatings—requiring not only extreme talent but also unshakable composure, patience, and endurance.”

“They journey alone for thousands of miles to track demons and uncover secrets, serving as the Great Qian’s eyes and ears—half the Empire’s demon bounty notices were secured by them.”

(End of Chapter)