Chapter 54: Who Says Only the Gifted Are Geniuses?

At the courtyard gate, Liu Xiujie froze for a moment, then forced out a strained smile: “Commander Fang, what is this… we… he…”

He pointed at Shen Yi, his voice stumbling.

Like a child caught red-handed by an elder while sneaking into a friend’s house.

Someone pulled Liu Xiujie back by the arm, as if unable to bear his humiliation.

Li Xinhan, leaning against the outer wall, stood straight-faced and stepped forward to the courtyard gate.

Both were Three-Stripe Suppressing Demon Captains; they ought to have been familiar with each other.

Yet he frowned tightly, hesitated a moment, then reluctantly bowed, his tone distant: “I’ve been ordered to investigate demons and devils—I depart immediately. Shen Yi already agreed to accompany me. I beg you, Brother, grant me this favor.”

Liu Xiujie fell silent and stepped back to stand with the other three.

Besides the beggar, there was a man as thin as a child, and a woman with a ponytail and full curves.

Including Head Li, the entire remaining team totaled five people; everyone else remained in Baiyun County and couldn’t return anytime soon.

Precisely because of this, even though Li Xinhan dreaded facing Fang Heng, he had no choice but to step forward now.

“…”

Fang Heng did not turn, nor did he glance at the group at the gate.

He simply uttered one word—clean, sharp.

“Go.”

At these words, Li Xinhan’s lowered palms clenched involuntarily, his breath quickening.

Born into a martial family, gifted since childhood, he had never endured such contempt.

His aura began to stir restlessly.

Li Xinhan took a deep breath and suppressed his emotions again: “I only want to take him away. I don’t want trouble.”

“Don’t give me that ‘don’t want’ nonsense—if the Regional Commander blames you, go home and beg your old man to apologize.” The woman with the ponytail yawned, slapped him hard on the back of the head, and said bluntly: “Just grab him.”

At her words, Old Liu’s fingers already held several poisoned projectiles; the beggar tensed his body, the short man hunched forward, his gaze fixed on Shen Yi.

“Naturally, you can ask your family for anything—like just entering Jade Fluid realm, you can summon a Jade Fluid mid-stage subordinate from home to help you rise to Deputy General, while I’m just a common mortal who stepped out of a medicinal bath.”

Fang Heng turned slowly, a thread of mockery appearing on his face.

Then that mockery turned cold: “But you can try stepping past this courtyard gate—see how pitiful your family’s wealth looks against my talent.”

“Tsk, I’m so scared.”

Li Mujin lightly patted her full chest, her sultry face languid, her body already stepping one pace past the courtyard gate, her short sword now firmly gripped in hand: “Hey, kid, where are you going? Come here.”

At her reminder, everyone turned to look.

Only then did they realize that while they’d been facing off against Fang Heng, Shen Yi had quietly walked to the door, entered calmly, and retrieved his sword.

Under Fang Heng’s indifferent gaze, he slung the jet-black scabbard onto his waist, passed Fang Heng, and joined the group: “Ready. Let’s go.”

Li Xinhan froze. So… it was this simple?

Had he overcomplicated things? After all, he’d just joined the Suppressing Demon Office and had no mission—of course he could come and go as he pleased.

Li Mujin: “…”

Damned.

A simple fight and fully provoking the opponent—two entirely different things.

She turned her head toward the distance.

Fang Heng’s expression remained utterly still, only his muscles slowly twitching.

The next instant, his figure vanished from where he stood.

Even the woman, also mid-Jade Fluid realm, blinked in shock.

When he reappeared, Fang Heng was less than a foot from the group, his hand reaching for Shen Yi’s nape like plucking a chicken—no martial technique used, only raw power overwhelming.

Casual, yet utterly inescapable!

Li Xinhan’s pupils shrank—he knew his strength paled beside Fang Heng’s, but never imagined the gap was this vast.

“I said, before you’ve learned, you won’t take a single step outside.”

“Are you deaf?”

Fang Heng’s palm forced forward.

Shen Yi slightly sidestepped, his right hand—hanging at his side—snapped up instantly, fingers weaving in an uncanny, elusive arc around Fang Heng’s palm, then lightly poking his forearm.

No fierce aura, no grand momentum.

It didn’t even look like a fight.

“…”

The moment Shen Yi raised his hand, Fang Heng sensed an inexplicable familiarity—his eyes flickered, still hesitant to believe.

But when the fingertip touched his skin, that doubt shattered into furious regret.

He understood now the cost of his own carelessness.

“Hah!”

Fang Heng roared, violently retracted his force, his foot slammed hard into the ground, and his powerful frame shot backward like an arrow.

Ten yards away from Shen Yi, he stabilized himself quickly, steadying his breath.

Everyone was baffled.

What the hell was that?

Ran forward, then jumped back…

“…”

Fang Heng stood with head bowed, utterly motionless, silent for a long while.

Only Li Mujin sensed something was wrong.

She glanced curiously at him—what was Fang hiding?

Though Fang Heng had tried hard to conceal it, his right arm—deliberately kept behind his back, trembling slightly—caught Li Mujin’s eye.

No wound visible, yet it hung limp, boneless.

“Any other problems?”

Shen Yi gripped his sword scabbard again—if Fang Heng wished to press further, he was ready to answer.

Hearing this, a flush of blood surged across Fang Heng’s lowered face.

He clenched his teeth so hard his cheeks bulged, until a metallic tang bloomed on his tongue.

Fang Heng wasn’t afraid of battle—even with his entire right arm sealed, he still retained six-tenths of his strength.

But it was meaningless…

His greatest pride—his talent—had been calmly crushed beneath this man’s feet.

In just seven or eight days, he’d learned to instantly locate meridians—not mere beginner’s luck. Had his palm power been slightly stronger, his right arm wouldn’t have been temporarily sealed—it would have become permanent dead flesh.

Before this shocking revelation, Fang Heng realized he had nothing left to do but stand there pretending to be dead—even raising his head felt shameful.

“When will you return?” His voice was hoarse.

“When did I say I’d return?” Shen Yi looked at him, puzzled.

“You!” Fang Heng snapped his head up, furious, yet with a flicker of panic.

This small courtyard was the entire Suppressing Demon Office’s sacred ground—how could anyone refuse to stay?

If…

If he truly refused to stay, how could he explain to his senior sister? Such an astonishing talent—must not slip from his grasp!

“This is Senior Sister Lin’s order—don’t go too far!”

Seeing Fang Heng’s furious expression, everyone stared blankly.

When did this arrogant brute stop fighting and start arguing?

Only Li Xinhan nodded slowly, thoughtful.

He vaguely recalled that as a child, whenever he faced something he couldn’t handle, he’d always drag out his sister’s name.

But… what exactly could he not handle?

Could it be Shen Yi?

He turned to look at the young man beside him.

(End of Chapter)