Chapter 78: The Banquet Turns

"Where is Lu Xingzhou?" Outside the Prefect's mansion, Sheng Yuanyao looked at the empty carriage, her face dark: "Said he'd help me, but clearly just wanted to sneak into my convoy, right? I specially got a carriage for these two cripples! If not for them dragging us down, we'd have arrived long ago on horseback!"

In fact, once entering the middle three grades, Dao cultivators could already command some flying magical artifacts, though such artifacts were rare and generally unobtainable. It was even more troublesome for Wu Xiu to ride swords; at the very least, Sheng Yuanyao couldn't.

Sheng Yuanyao sometimes suspected Lu Xingzhou's wheelchair could fly, but so far she hadn't seen him fly, so she wasn't sure.

A suspected flying bastard sat in a carriage dragging everyone's speed down, then finally slipped away, leaving no trace of the person! Sheng Yuanyao was so angry she almost wanted to march back to Xiazhou and slap a seal on the Tianxing Sword Sect.

"Forget it, we've come to visit the Prefect, the invitation has been delivered, we're already here..." Sheng Yuanyao said grumpily: "Go in, no more waiting."

Just as she was about to lead the group inside, she saw someone in the Demon Suppression Bureau uniform running from a street corner. Sheng Yuanyao turned to look and saw an unfamiliar face. Looking closer, she noticed traces of a skin mask; the mask had been concealed by spells, making it very difficult to glimpse the true face beneath.

Sheng Yuanyao widened her eyes as the newcomer whispered via sound transmission: "It's me."

Sheng Yuanyao also transmitted via sound: "Your leg..."

"I can stand and walk, though combat will be slightly worse," Lu Xingzhou said. "You're attending the Prefect's banquet; what kind of scene is it to have a cripple from another sect by your side? Of course, it needs to be concealed. At the same time, it's to hide the fact that I can stand. My wheelchair persona still needs to scheme against people later... My Lord City Master, don't leak the secret."

Sheng Yuanyao was both angry and amused: "Then why are you willing to let me know?"

A faint smile appeared in Lu Xingzhou's eyes: "I, Lu Xingzhou, love to scheme against people, but not friends."

Sheng Yuanyao tilted her head, looking at his mask's ugly face, and "tsk"ed: "Truly not easy, to be considered a friend by someone like you."

Though she said that, her mood improved significantly.

From the first day they met, she had been used by him, yet now she could actually hear the word "friend" from his mouth... and it was clearly not just talk; he had even exposed the important secret that his leg was healed right in front of her, just to accompany her into the banquet.

Even though she clearly knew Lu Xingzhou's subsequent motives weren't so pure, Sheng Yuanyao still felt a sigh of "it's not easy," then flicked her ponytail, held her head high, and entered the Prefect's mansion: "Let's go in. By the way, where is A-Nuo?"

"How is a child suitable for this? She went to Shen Tang's place." Lu Xingzhou followed half a step behind her side, speaking in a low voice with rigid formality: "Powerful demons are quite skilled at concealing their demonic energy to avoid detection. Do you have any special preparations for this?"

Sheng Yuanyao kept her gaze straight ahead: "I carry a treasure that senses demonic energy with me; as long as it's not a top three grades great demon, it should not escape the treasure's reaction."

"What if it really is a top three grades?"

"If it deliberately hides, that's difficult... but if it gets angry or engages in combat, even a sliver of leaked demonic energy should be detected. Speaking of which, if there really is a top three grades great demon, why would it run to such a broken place? Even the Prefect is only fourth grade."

"Who knows? A fourth grade demon isn't weak either, yet it still hides in that small place in Xiazhou; the City Master is only fifth grade... wait, the current City Master is sixth grade."

Sheng Yuanyao: "... I'm about to break through!"

"Congratulations." Lu Xingzhou spoke, actually somewhat surprised; Sheng Yuanyao was not yet twenty this year, the same age as himself. Cultivation at the upper sixth grade was quite good; whether or not she made the Rising Stars List, if she broke through to fifth grade, she would surely secure a high position on the Rising Stars List. Didn't expect this melon girl's cultivation talent to be passable... much better than that waste Huo Yu.

Although not comparable to Little Bai Mao's stunning breakthrough to fourth grade at eighteen, Little Bai Mao was a direct disciple of a Holy Land, one of only one or two peerless geniuses on the entire continent, so it wasn't comparable. Generally speaking, having the qualification to appear on the Rising Stars List already meant being one in ten thousand talents; that was the very purpose of establishing the Rising Stars List.

Amidst a few casual chats, they had crossed the outer courtyard and arrived at the main hall of the Prefect's mansion.

Prefect Hao Jingchuan, along with some prefectural officials, was already waiting inside—Sheng Yuanyao had sent someone ahead to deliver the invitation card; regarding her identity as both the City Master of Xiazhou and the daughter of the Sheng family, Hao Jingchuan still granted her extremely high-standard courtesy, not treating her as an ordinary subordinate official.

Seeing Sheng Yuanyao lead the group inside, Hao Jingchuan clapped his hands and smiled: "I have long heard of the heroic bearing of the Chief Constable Sheng's daughter; seeing you today confirms it indeed."

Sheng Yuanyao clasped her fists and bowed: "I intended to visit Prefect Hao when I first assumed the post of City Master, but various matters were delayed, so I only came now... I hope the Prefect does not blame me."

"Not late, not late." Hao Jingchuan laughed very cheerfully: "It is mealtime; let us proceed directly to the banquet and discuss while we eat."

Sheng Yuanyao was not pretentious and clasped her hands, saying: "Then I will trouble Prefect Hao."

The banquet was divided into several inner and outer tables; the subordinates of the Demon Suppression Bureau brought by Sheng Yuanyao sat in the outer hall, where prefectural clerics naturally accompanied them for the meal. Sheng Yuanyao brought only one "confidant" and sat at the same table as the prefectural officials.

Hao Jingchuan looked at Lu Xingzhou's dead face and asked with a smile: "Who is this..."

"Oh, this is my confidant general, surname Gou; My Lord Prefect, just call him Little Gou." Sheng Yuanyao introduced him with a serious face.

Lu Xingzhou: "..."

Melon girl, I remember you.

Of course, Hao Jingchuan would not call him Little Gou; he chuckled: "Constable Gou is also a young and talented figure."

Look at how well-spoken a Prefect is. Lu Xingzhou smiled very modestly: "I dare not accept such praise."

Soon servants brought up dishes; Hao Jingchuan did not beat around the bush and asked directly: "City Master Sheng, did you come purely to visit upon assuming office, or is there some official business to discuss as well?"

Sheng Yuanyao smiled and raised a cup to toast: "Mainly to visit My Lord Prefect; my father also instructed this humble official to report and seek guidance from you more often... of course, there is also some small official business where I hope to receive your assistance."

Hao Jingchuan laughed heartily and clinked cups: "Good, good."

Both finished their drinks; Hao Jingchuan smiled: "I wonder what the official business is? City Master Sheng, speak freely; everyone present is an experienced colleague of the prefecture... hey, on your right sits Prefectural Assistant Mu, who is extremely proficient in administration."

Prefectural Assistant Mu Feng, sitting to Sheng Yuanyao's right, smiled very politely: "City Master Sheng, feel free to speak if you have any matters."

Sheng Yuanyao smiled slightly: "Then this humble official will speak... Everyone knows the case of Xu Bingkun of Xiazhou raising demons; recently, this humble official has mainly been investigating clues regarding where that demon came from."

In fact, everyone in the prefecture already knew this person wasn't here to ask about administration; it was mostly this topic. Hao Jingchuan's smile did not change: "Demons wandering in from outside are not a rare thing. City Master Sheng need not be too fixated on this, otherwise how much work can still be done..."

Sheng Yuanyao shook her head: "Even if it wandered in, we must distinguish the source. If it is a new demon born within Great Qian, we must trace its origin, figure out where it was born and why that place produced demons, and handle it promptly to prevent new demons from continuing to be born in the future."

The table fell silent for a moment; Lu Xingzhou coldly observed everyone's expression, quietly sipping his wine.

Sheng Yuanyao received no response and continued on her own: "If it is a demon clan from the North infiltrating, we must also distinguish where they infiltrated from, identify any loopholes in the defenses there, and patch them up in time to prevent future invasions. It seems like a single wandering demon, but the implications are actually not small; My Lord Prefect has long guarded this region and is experienced, surely you have something to teach me."

The table was utterly silent; the prefectural officials, originally smiling, now had somewhat stiff expressions.

Sheng Yuanyao's words looked polite, but were actually no different from saying the Prefect was holding office without doing his duty; such an important matter was not only ignored, but he even advised those who wanted to handle it not to be fixated. It was just short of directly cursing him out...

Lu Xingzhou sighed inwardly; in fact, even many people in Xiazhou did not quite understand why Sheng Yuanyao was so obsessed with a single demon; wasn't closing the case enough? But the melon girl's sense of responsibility was far beyond that of ordinary, mediocre officials.

Hao Jingchuan forced a stiff smile for a while, put down his wine cup, and sighed: "The Sheng family has a tiger daughter... indeed a blessing for Great Qian. So, City Master Sheng, did you come to request the prefecture's cooperation in investigating this case?"

"To be honest," Sheng Yuanyao secretly gripped a piece of jade with her left hand and spoke word by word: "This humble official has obtained some clues and believes that demon may have come from within the prefecture."

As soon as the sentence was finished, the jade trembled slightly, as if a small needle was lightly scraping in her palm; the direction pointed to... the Prefectural Assistant Mu Feng sitting on her right.

That was the Prefect's deputy, the number two figure!

Lu Xingzhou did not lie; indeed, the demon case was going to be investigated within the prefecture! Just that single sentence caused the demon's heart to tremble, leaking demonic energy.

It was even such a high-level figure; in terms of official rank alone, he was higher than himself... judging by the level of demonic energy, approximately fifth grade.

Currently, Lu Xingzhou sat on his left, and this demon Mu Feng sat on his right; the position was not very suitable for a pincer attack... should he try to launch a surprise attack now or discuss it later?

Just as he was pondering, his left hand was gently pinched; it was Lu Xingzhou signaling him not to act rashly yet. Sheng Yuanyao suppressed her temper; over there, Hao Jingchuan had already darkened his face: "City Master Sheng is young and impetuous; such words cannot be spoken recklessly. What do you mean by 'the demon came from the prefecture'?"

It would have been better if you said it came from the mountains outside the prefecture; what does saying it came from the prefecture mean? If this word got out, the responsibility for this Prefect would be huge.

Just as Sheng Yuanyao was about to speak, Lu Xingzhou suddenly stood up, smiling cheerfully, and raised a wine pot: "Our City Master is young and not precise in speech; My Lord Prefect, please forgive us... come, come, I will toast all the lords of the prefecture on behalf of the City Master; everyone, please forgive, please forgive..."

Saying this, he lifted the wine pot, left his seat, passed Sheng Yuanyao, and went towards the main seat with an apologetic smile to offer a toast.

Passing by Mu Feng, he seemed to trip on a stool and accidentally toppled onto Mu Feng. Mu Feng instinctively reached out to support him: "Eh, Mr. Gou, be careful..."

Lu Xingzhou casually caught his arm, and a bone-piercing nail silently stabbed into Mu Feng's elbow.

The cultivation technique has scattered, but the item is still here.

Mu Feng hissed. Before he could react, a blade light like a ribbon flashed from the left, and Sheng Yuanyao's waist sword had already slashed toward his neck.

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PS: Reporting that the first 24-hour subscription count is 1.68. Without any pendant activity, that's quite good; my expectation was 1.5, so it's a bit of an overachievement.

What I said earlier about adding the pendant was no joke. If we can push to 30,000 subscriptions within two months, I will add it. How about I post extra chapters, everyone subscribes, and we push together?

(End of Chapter)