[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-immortality-begins-with-slaying-demons":3,"chapter-immortality-begins-with-slaying-demons-immortality-begins-with-slaying-demons-chapter-73":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Immortality Begins with Slaying Demons",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2317961,4533,"Chapter 73: Return to Linjiang County","immortality-begins-with-slaying-demons-chapter-73",73,"\u003Cp>What are the differences between body tempering methods?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the courtyard, Shen Yi took his habitual stroll to aid digestion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are plenty—like the Golden Body Sect’s qi-tempered body, food-accumulation tempering, essence-blood tempering…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang the Butcher, well-versed in this path, spoke effortlessly: “But usually, once you reach the Jade Fluid realm, such martial arts become rare, so most are only beginner-level techniques.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why?” Shen Yi didn’t understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt his own method worked quite well—cultivating both internal breath and flesh—wouldn’t that crush peers at the same realm?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because of lifespan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang the Butcher shrugged: “Before reaching Jade Fluid, no one lives past a hundred years, but breaking through grants a century of extended life, and full mastery adds another century. Body tempering might grant you power comparable to Jade Fluid, but without heavenly qi nourishing your organs, it doesn’t extend your lifespan at all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you train both, this slow, laborious grind becomes redundant—it’s better to learn a few more martial arts like lightness techniques or fist and palm styles.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly enlightened, Shen Yi nodded thoughtfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps it was his prior experience of refining martial arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For him, the demonic lifespan required for the Golden Sun Eight Treasures Mystic Body was far less than that of other Jade Fluid martial arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, he needed over forty years to reach full mastery; others, no matter their talent, needed the same length of time without medicinal aid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But other martial arts were different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was just slower—everyone else moved much faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the two chatted beside the tree, a figure hurried into the courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mujin stepped to the stone table beneath the tree, sat down, pulled out a document, and ignored the stranger’s presence, fixing her gaze on Shen Yi: “You’re in trouble.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her expression was grave, utterly serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know what’s happened recently at Qingfeng Mountain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, seeing the lovely, alluring woman approach, Zhang the Butcher had winked and elbowed Shen Yi, but upon hearing this, his face darkened slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mujin stared intently at Shen Yi’s pale face, noticing no unusual emotion from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She sighed softly: “So you know. I received word—the Regional Commander of Linjiang County has ordered another five hundred troops from the outer camps. Except for Xinhan and Ma Tao, who are still recovering, all of us are on the roster.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My family has always been close to Qingfeng Mountain, with deep ties… my father won’t let us go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides, Qingzhou hasn’t seen a siege against a Golden Core cultivator in years—it’s extremely dangerous, and no one can predict what might happen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mujin slowly opened the document in her hand, her eyes glinting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My family arranged a transfer order—just to get some fresh air.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the roster, Li Mujin, Liu Xiujie, and Li Xiaoer’s names were already listed, leaving only one blank space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re smart, and you saved our lives—I won’t beat around the bush. This isn’t something I can decide… come with me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In just a few words, Li Mujin revealed the full extent of her family’s power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when the Demon Suppression General personally requisitions troops, her family could still extract them in advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For other Captains, this was a matter of life and death, left to fate—but Li family members still had the luxury of worrying about their ties to Qingfeng Mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang the Butcher grew increasingly confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression shifted from delight to bewilderment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stared at the document, puzzled—it was clearly a transfer order, yet it sounded more like a slave contract.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yi lowered his gaze to the table, unshocked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d suspected something like this was coming, just not this soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mujin appeared calm, but inside she was stirred—she spoke gently: “The news came too fast—you have at most half an hour before the Deputy General arrives with the imperial edict.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t want to give him much time to think—this was too rare an opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Demon Suppression Bureau had finally bared its fangs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had cornered him with no choice left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xinhan’s ranks would gain another capable subordinate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yi didn’t even have grounds to blame anyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a document arranged by the Li family—she and the others were merely juniors, bound to obey their elders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other superiors in the Demon Suppression Bureau weren’t fools.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this turbulent time, being suddenly reassigned made Shen Yi’s identity obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, she saw a flicker of reflection in the young man’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yi reached out toward the document.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A smile touched Li Mujin’s lips, then froze on her face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yi closed the document and pushed it back casually: “Not suitable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Li Mujin’s chest heaved sharply—she clenched her teeth, gripped his wrist tightly, and looked up, her expression unusually uncontrolled: “Are you too arrogant? People will die!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether it was the huge gap from her expectations, or the occasional vision of that black blade in her mind—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what, risking your life just to prove a point was incredibly stupid!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t about slaying demons to protect the people—it was about slaughtering sect disciples!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yi withdrew his hand, about to speak—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When a faint sound of a door opening came.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Heng stepped out slowly, his voice indifferent: “It’s just a transfer order—why must you use one secretly obtained by your Li family?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mujin’s gaze swept over him, her eyes narrowing slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She hadn’t realized someone else lived in the courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anyone else had said this, she’d have dismissed it—no force in Qingzhou could pull someone from the Demon Suppression General’s grasp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this was Fang Heng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the twelve district Garrison Commanders, two of his senior brothers and sisters held positions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So that’s it—I’ve overstepped.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mujin tucked the document away and turned back to Shen Yi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was slightly puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How had two people who’d been at odds just days ago ended up so close?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t about self-preservation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d quietly clung to the thickest branch in the Demon Suppression Bureau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to that, the Li family truly seemed insignificant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mujin rose slowly, coldly withdrew her gaze: “If you don’t need me, then farewell.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Heng walked to Shen Yi’s side, his eyes filled with delight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His casual act seemed to bring him one step closer to becoming his Master’s disciple…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither his senior brothers and sisters nor himself had ever withdrawn from a mission mid-course.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Fang Heng was willing to break that rule—to ask Bai Xi for help, since Shen Yi had already proven his courage, and there was no need to risk him further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, Shen Yi had only been in the Demon Suppression Bureau for a few days, hadn’t even collected his salary, and wasn’t raised from childhood like himself—there was no reason for him to fight to the death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four stood beneath the tree, each with different expressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside, hurried footsteps approached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Deputy General, cloaked in a heavy mantle, led over forty Captains, standing grimly at the gate, his voice commanding: “By order, requisitioning troops—Demon Suppression Outer Camp Captain Shen Yi, accompany me—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words cut off abruptly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Deputy General frowned, his gaze shifting between Li Mujin and Fang Heng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, his throat went dry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d expected to fetch a lowly Captain—how had he stumbled upon so many familiar faces?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mujin remained silent. Fang Heng took a deep breath and opened his mouth awkwardly—he’d rarely spoken up for others, and this was his first time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before he could speak—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yi stepped slightly aside and tapped Fang Heng back with his belt sheath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He walked calmly to the courtyard gate, standing among the Captains: “I accept the order.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t as complicated as Fang Heng and Li Mujin imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yi’s thoughts were simpler than simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he couldn’t see the evil dragon dead, the thought of a Golden Core demon lurking in the shadows made him restless day and night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, the Deputy General unconsciously exhaled in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he didn’t realize his action had left the three in the courtyard stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang the Butcher and Fang Heng exchanged glances: “…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mujin stared blankly at Shen Yi among the crowd, her breathing suddenly quickened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps her upbringing made her believe everyone needed to rely on something, or else she’d feel uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even back-and-forth negotiations were just to gain greater advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet now, the image of black robes surging, figures vanishing into the forest, drenched in blood, the casual withdrawal of the dark blade from Meng Xian’s skull—flashed before her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From start to finish, neither the Li family nor the Regional Commander had ever entered his considerations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She bit her lip hard, watching the Captains walk away, a faint, almost imperceptible disappointment appearing in her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1464,"2026-06-20T15:00:36.117Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","7c23f5654eeefebd7076443268c02d033bba667dae6191655bd822cd4d1103bc","immortality-begins-with-slaying-demons-chapter-74","immortality-begins-with-slaying-demons-chapter-72",840,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fimmortality-begins-with-slaying-demons-cover.jpg"]