Chapter 40: Volume One: Mountain Ghost Rumor - Chapter 40: Yang County Demon Slayer Division

Volume One: Mountain Ghost Rumor - Chapter 40: Yang County Demon Slayer Division

Yang County was filled with ten thousand lights.

The Old Ape and Zhao Chan walked into the county town through the wide-open city gate.

In the past, the lacquer painstakingly collected from the mountains was always purchased by itinerant merchants from Yang County who came to the town. Zhao Chan had once asked them what kind of scene Yang County was.

The itinerant merchants said proudly that Yang County could not be compared to the tiny Youju Town; compared to Yang County, the town was just a pitiful little village.

The young man witnessed the prosperity of Yang County with his own eyes. It was already late at night; at this time, the candles in Youju Town would have long been extinguished for rest, but on both sides of the wide, flat stone-paved streets of Yang County, pedestrians walked by in groups of three or five, laughing and talking.

Shops had bright candlelight, apprentices were shouting their wares energetically, and shopkeepers were clicking their abacuses behind the counters.

Sounds of laughter and noise came from the inns. Zhao Chan glanced inside; the inn lobby was full of guests, some drinking and playing finger-guessing games, some talking and laughing loudly, and some drunk and slumped over the tables. A storyteller stood on the stage, vividly telling stories of swordsmen roaming the world, occasionally causing diners to raise their hands and applaud.

"Does the young master still not intend to speak?" The Old Ape seemed indifferent to the bustle of Yang County.

Just now, it had asked Zhao Chan how long he had been a Demon Slayer, but the young man had never answered.

The Old Ape actually wanted to ask about the time he had spent practicing the "Shake God Sword," as only those who became Demon Slayers could be taught the "Shake God Sword" manual.

Zhao Chan withdrew his gaze and gave a vague answer: "Not many days."

"Oh, not many days indeed." The Old Ape nodded calmly.

But in the depths of its heart, monstrous waves were rising.

It was a demon cultivator from the Baize Hall of the Lancang Prefecture Demon Slayer Division. Whether it was the heaven-sent prodigies of the Demon Slayer Division or the heaven's pride of the Mountain Sects, it had seen them all... However, very few of these geniuses came from humble backgrounds.

If one came from a humble background, one certainly couldn't afford the precious medicinal herbs and pills to nourish the body. In the Body Refining Realm, these things were extremely important: first, to make up for the congenital deficiencies of the physique, and second, to recover the tendons and bones damaged by high-intensity martial arts practice...

Having high-level cultivators provide guidance was also extremely critical. The Body Refining Realm was the beginning of cultivation; a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and the first step taken must be extremely cautious. High-level cultivators could fully explain the various difficulties faced in the Body Refining Realm.

Of course, just hiring high-level cultivators was a significant expense.

With Zhao Chan's impoverished appearance, he certainly couldn't afford to hire high-level cultivators, at most receiving a few insignificant pointers from the Demon Slayer Division warrior Wang Huan.

The choice of Body Refining Realm technique was also extremely important. In the Old Ape's view, Zhao Chan was quite lucky; the "Shake God Sword" was very suitable for him.

It was precisely this penniless Zhao Chan who had cultivated to the Upper Grade Body Refining Realm. Both the physique, which had been polished to near perfection, and the surging force made the Old Ape extremely astonished.

Under the Lancang Prefecture Demon Slayer Division, there were six geniuses who were also in the Upper Grade Body Refining Realm, and the combat power they displayed was on par with Zhao Chan's.

However, although their natural talent was excellent, they were fed by the Lancang Prefecture Demon Slayer Division with precious medicinal herbs and pills.

What about Zhao Chan?

He had nothing, yet he could rival the six geniuses of Lancang Prefecture.

The Old Ape glanced at the peach branch hanging diagonally at his waist. Apart from this miraculous peach branch... it was very strange; it actually couldn't judge the grade of the peach branch.

It should be a Dharma Artifact between mid-grade and high-grade, and it definitely wouldn't be a Spirit Artifact. If it were a Spirit Artifact, Zhao Chan would have long been sucked dry by it.

"Young master, this way." The Old Ape pointed to a narrower street. "We are almost at the Yang County Demon Slayer Division."

The reason it took Zhao Chan on foot instead of flying over roofs and walls to the Demon Slayer Division was that it had a few things it wanted to ask.

Zhao Chan observed the expressions of the pedestrians; even when they saw the Old Ape, they were not panicked at all.

And some even politely bowed to it, calling out "Thousand-Household Yuan."

He guessed the Old Ape's name was Thousand-Household Yuan.

"Young master, where did you get your peach branch?" The Old Ape asked as if casually.

Seeing Zhao Chan's sudden tension beneath his calm expression in its peripheral vision, it laughed. "I said it before, the peach branch is yours; I have absolutely no covetous heart. I was just asking out of curiosity."

"Lao Liu gave it to me."

"Who is Lao Liu?"

"The master who taught me to collect lacquer."

"Is he in Youju Town?"

"He died, died in the mouth of a demon."

The Old Ape said, "It must be that your master snatched the peach branch from a demon."

Zhao Chan was also curious about where Lao Liu had gotten the peach branch. He had originally thought it was broken off from Taoli Lane, but after discovering that the peach branch could cut iron like mud and slay demons with ease, he became even more curious.

Even Wang Huan could see that the peach branch was extraordinary.

Not to mention Zhao Chan, who had already slain several demons with the sharpness of the peach branch.

"That's probably it." Zhao Chan did not argue.

The Old Ape asked again, "Who taught you to cultivate?"

Zhao Chan knew clearly that being able to advance to the Upper Grade Body Refining Realm in just a few days had a great deal to do with Lao Liu, but he said, "Big Brother Wang."

"Is it the Youju Town Demon Slayer Division warrior Wang Huan?"

"Yes."

The Old Ape understood completely.

The young man following it was a peerless prodigy hidden in the mountains and waters.

Without precious medicinal herbs, without pills, without a famous teacher, relying only on the pointers of a mere warrior from the Demon Slayer Division, he had reached the Upper Grade Body Refining Realm. And Zhao Chan's Upper Grade Body Refining Realm, even to the Old Ape's critical eye, was impeccable.

A pedestrian asked with a smile, "Thousand-Household Yuan, when are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow."

"Next time you are free, you must come to our Yang County as a guest. I will invite a few fellow villagers to set up a banquet and treat Thousand-Household Yuan to a full meal."

"I have noted it down."

Zhao Chan asked in confusion, "The common people don't seem afraid when they see you?"

"Naturally, they are not afraid. Ten years ago, I sat in the Yang County Demon Slayer Division for a period of time, and I have a good relationship with the fellow villagers."

"Is your honorable name Thousand-Household Yuan?"

The Old Ape laughed loudly. "I, the Old Ape, am called Yuan Hou, the 'Hou' from 'princes, nobles, generals, and ministers,' and 'Thousand-Household' is my official position in the Demon Slayer Division."

"Please enlighten me, Senior."

The Old Ape laughed. "The Demon Slayer Division has a nine-rank official system. Not to mention the first to eighth ranks, the ninth rank alone is divided into four official positions: the warrior of the Body Refining Realm, the captain of the Qi Gathering Realm, the Hundred-Household of the Foundation Establishment Realm, and the Thousand-Household of the Destiny Knowing Realm, corresponding to each realm of the Lower Four Realms."

Zhao Chan said, "Am I a warrior?"

"Haha... You can't be called a warrior yet. To hold an official position, you must perform a great service! My Thousand-Household position was earned through hard work and great contributions to the Demon Slayer Division.

I will tell you first: the Demon Slayer Division treats humans and demon cultivators equally. You must never look down on your colleagues in the Baize Hall in the future."

"Junior would absolutely not dare."

"Good, I have high hopes for you. The Yang County Demon Slayer Division is just ahead."

Zhao Chan looked up.

In front of the Yang County Demon Slayer Division were two stone lions.

Yuan Hou pointed at them and said, "Young master, do you know the function of the stone lions?"

"Junior does not know. Please enlighten me, Senior."

"The stone lions in front of government gates lean toward power and dignity, but the two stone lions in front of the Demon Slayer Division are different.

They are genuine Dharma Treasures. These two stone lions in front of the Yang County Demon Slayer Division are both high-grade Dharma Artifacts, with the miraculous uses of warding off evil, bringing good fortune, and driving away demons.

In other words, with them in Yang County, weak demons dare not invade the county town at all."

"Senior, do Dharma Treasures also have grades?"

"Naturally. Dharma Treasures are divided into Dharma Artifacts, Spirit Artifacts, and the Half-Immortal Artifacts and Immortal Artifacts that I dare not even think about. Each is divided into high, mid, and low grades, the same as cultivation realms."

Zhao Chan whispered, "Is my peach branch a Dharma Artifact?"

"Your peach branch is quite peculiar. I cannot see its specific grade; it is probably between the mid-grade and high-grade of Dharma Artifacts. It is definitely not a Spirit Artifact."

"Why is it not a Spirit Artifact?"

Yuan Hou knew he was ignorant of the cultivation world and continued to explain patiently: "Although a Spirit Artifact is only one level higher than a Dharma Artifact, it contains an artifact spirit and must be held by a cultivator with profound attainments. Otherwise, just the task of feeding the artifact spirit would suck you dry. Moreover, using a Spirit Artifact requires a massive amount of True Qi. Do you have True Qi?"

"No."

"Have you been sucked dry by the Spirit Artifact?"

"No."

"That is it. Your peach branch is miraculous, but it is only a Dharma Artifact."

Zhao Chan thanked him sincerely: "Thank you for enlightening me, Senior."

Four people walked over together.

Seeing Yuan Hou, they all bowed in greeting.

"Thousand-Household Yuan, are you back from your stroll? Who is this young man?"

It said, "I met this young master while out for a stroll. He is a Demon Slayer from Youju Town here to report a case."

"Youju Town? I remember now, the place where Warrior Wang Huan sits. Youju Town has a new Demon Slayer? What is your name?"

"Zhao Chan."

"Have you recorded your name in the 'Slaying Demon Record' in Youju Town?"

"I have."

"Did you bring it?"

"I did not."

"Come in and speak."

The courtyard of the Yang County Demon Slayer Division was planted with many flowers and plants. Three of the four people entered the Guest Reception Hall next to the east side room, and one led Zhao Chan and Yuan Hou toward the backyard.

An old man walked out of an office, his gaze locked on the Green Snake Sword on Zhao Chan's back, and he laughed: "I wondered who had come; it turns out to be the Demon Slayer from Youju Town."

The person leading Zhao Chan and Yuan Hou asked with a smile: "How did Hundred-Household Zheng know the young man is a Demon Slayer from Youju Town?"

Hundred-Household Zheng pointed at the Green Snake Sword: "I added True Qi to this sword. Kid, are you here to report a case in Yang County?"

Zhao Chan bowed respectfully: "Yes, Youju Town is in danger."

"Go to the reporting room quickly. The longer the delay, the more accidents will occur. Wu Wei, what is the situation with the demon infestation?"

The Demon Slayer Wu Wei, who was leading them, said: "It is a resentful ghost that has not yet formed a climate, and it has already been dealt with on the spot."

"Hmm."

Wu Wei turned back and nodded slightly to Zhao Chan, then asked Yuan Hou with a smile: "Thousand-Household Yuan, do you want to listen too?"

"Nonsense, the young master was brought back by me, and I am also curious about what happened in Youju Town."

"He didn't tell you?"

"This kid's mouth is tight."

Wu Wei gave Zhao Chan an approving look.

The reporting room was in the backyard.

The backyard was planted with flowers. With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, although the flowers were no longer bright, their fragrance lingered at the tip of the nose.

Under the moonlight, the flowers swayed in the autumn wind.

Wu Wei said: "Originally, the reporting room was next to the Guest Reception Hall. The Thousand-Household felt it was inauspicious to be next to the Guest Reception Hall, so he moved it to the backyard, just to let the Demon Slayers in the Demon Slayer Division see that if they don't strive to slay the demons causing trouble, the common people reporting cases will be endless. How can one talk about saving the distressed and solving the people's problems?"

Stepping into the reporting room, it was late at night, and several candles were lit in the room. Behind the desk sat a middle-aged man with a majestic expression.

Seeing Thousand-Household Yuan enter, the middle-aged man hurriedly stood up and offered his seat: "Thousand-Household, please sit."

"Hey, no need to be so polite. You sit, you sit. The young master is here to report a case from Youju Town. I happened to be out for a stroll at Guyan Mountain and bumped into him, so I brought him back."

The middle-aged man sized up Zhao Chan, his gaze lingering for a moment on the Green Snake Sword on his back: "A Demon Slayer from the Youju Town Demon Slayer Division?"

"Yes."

"Name."

"Zhao Chan."

"Why are you here at the Yang County Demon Slayer Division to report a case?"

Zhao Chan was silent for a moment. After organizing his words, he recounted the recent events in the town, especially the shocking changes at Eren Mountain.

Thousand-Household Yuan narrowed his eyes.

Wu Wei stared at Zhao Chan in great surprise.

As for the middle-aged man, upon hearing halfway through, he picked up a brush and wrote furiously on the paper on the desk.

After a while.

Zhao Chan finished speaking from beginning to end.

"Are you sure there is a Mountain Ghost hidden outside Youju Town?"

"I am sure."

"Are you sure you killed the Tiger Demon, the Mold Ghost, the Eagle-Headed Leopard-Bodied Demon, and the Grave Fierce Ghost?"

"I am sure."

"Are you sure cultivators were hunting you? And you killed them in return?"

"I am sure."

Zhao Chan said every sentence extremely calmly.

The middle-aged man looked up and observed the young man's expression: "You are in the Upper Grade Body Refining Realm, right?"

"Yes."

"I don't believe you could do all this." He said slowly, then turned to ask the Old Ape for his opinion: "Thousand-Household Yuan, what do you think?"

Yuan Hou said: "He is not lying."

"..."

Now, the middle-aged man's eyes underwent a earth-shaking change, re-examining Zhao Chan: "My name is Kong Yanxing, and I am in the Upper Grade Foundation Establishment Realm. I am a Hundred-Household of the Yang County Demon Slayer Division. Later, I will go to Youju Town with you, not only to deal with the demon infestation but also to verify the deeds you said you performed."

Zhao Chan bowed: "Hundred-Household Kong, there is no time to lose. Can we set off?"

He learned how others addressed Yuan Hou and called Kong Yanxing Hundred-Household Kong.

Kong Yanxing waited for the ink on the paper to dry and handed it to Wu Wei: "After Thousand-Household Yan returns, you hand the case to the Thousand-Household. I am going to Youju Town."

Wu Wei was not only surprised that such a major event had occurred in a small Youju Town, with only Warrior Wang Huan and Zhao Chan left in the Demon Slayer Division, but he was even more astonished that the young man Zhao Chan, by his own strength, had not only killed many demons but also killed several cultivators.

At Zhao Chan's age, such events happening to him were all evidence—he was an incomparable genius, and the Yang County Demon Slayer Division had found a treasure.

And Zhao Chan had once considered whether or not to tell about the things he had done. Lao Liu had said to hide one's light, to undergo the transformation of a dragon and snake, and to stay between the wood and the wild goose.

After thinking it over, especially since he had already been exposed in front of Thousand-Household Yuan, he could only bite the bullet and tell about the things he had done.

Kong Yanxing's weapon was a broad blade. He shouldered it and looked deeply at Zhao Chan: "Let's go."

Before leaving.

Zhao Chan bowed to Thousand-Household Yuan: "Thank you, Senior, not only for bringing me to Yang County but also for enlightening me. Junior was blind and offended you earlier; I hope you will forgive me."

"Young master is too polite." The Old Ape waved its hand magnanimously. "From now on, you are very important to the Yang County Demon Slayer Division. You don't need to lower your posture so much. Perhaps next time we meet, it will be my turn to pay respects to you."

Kong Yanxing said: "If what Zhao Chan said is true, Thousand-Household Yuan Hou might really have to pay respects to him next time he comes to Yang County."

"Haha... If that happens, I, the Old Ape, will be happy enough to drink ten more jars of fine wine!"

"Is the Thousand-Household not staying in Yang County for a few more days?" Kong Yanxing walked to the Old Ape's side and whispered.

"Sigh, the situation in Ze County is more tricky."

"Yang County is also very tricky."

"After Lancang Prefecture finishes this busy period, they will send someone to solve it."

Kong Yanxing sighed: "One wave after another. The Yang County Demon Slayer Division has lost two Hundred-Households and nine captains, and the warriors have suffered heavy casualties. Now, the manpower is truly stretched thin."

The Old Ape patted him on the shoulder: "Hurry to Youju Town with the young master. Every year is difficult, but every year it is solved steadily. I believe this year will be the same."

"Thousand-Household, please be careful when you reach Ze County."

"Hmm."

Kong Yanxing exhaled: "Zhao Chan, let's go!" ===== CHAPTER 41 =====