Can't Take a Compliment (continued)

The prefect looked at Si Ming and the others and felt that they were far from the image he had imagined. They did not seem to be capable of dealing with the Monster Race. As the saying goes, "A young man with no experience is unreliable." These four were too young and looked more like young masters and ladies from wealthy families who had come out for a spring outing with their guards.

However, in the past few days he had seen many so-called martial arts masters, many of whom had a particularly intimidating appearance, but in the end they all went in upright and came out horizontal. Therefore, he did not judge people by their appearance, at least not on the surface.

"Thank you to the four righteous men for coming here to vanquish the demon, but I must say this beforehand: that monster is no ordinary being and cannot be treated as a common Anomalies. Even the leader of the Fish Dragon Gang of this prefecture was unable to escape unscathed," the prefecture governor reminded them.

Qiu Dahu said, "Don't compare us to that kind of trash. Quickly send someone to show us the way."

People in the martial arts world and officials live in two different worlds. People like Tong Qingshan, who live locally, might be given some face, but people like Qiu Dahu, who are not "locally governed," don't need to pay any attention to them at all. After all, the status of martial artists in this world is not low.

Seeing a hint of displeasure flash across the prefect's face, Si Ming said, "Prefect, we are well aware that the Monster Race is different from the Anomalies, and we were prepared for that. Since we have come all the way from Pingyuan Commandery, we are not here just to die. We are confident that we can do our part, even if we cannot kill the monster."

Upon hearing this, the prefect's expression softened considerably. He said, "It was my poor judgment that prevented me from recognizing your talent. Please follow me."

He led the group inside, through corridors, and into the backyard. As soon as they stepped inside, they felt a Yin Qi rise from the soles of their feet, and immediately realized that this place was not ordinary.

"Prefect, didn't I tell you not to bring any more people to their deaths? Martial arts are useless against monsters; they can't be killed using ordinary methods."

The speaker was an elderly man over fifty years old. He was dressed in clothes similar to a Daoist robe, had a short, stiff mustache, deep-set brown eyes, and a head of messy gray hair. Even if he didn't look like a hermit, he certainly had the air of a reclusive master.

Standing next to the old man was a young man, about the same age as Zhao Jiaren, in his early twenties. He was handsome, with delicate features and a dignified appearance. He held an ancient sword with azure patterns in his hand, which was obviously no ordinary weapon.

Si Ming glanced at their attire. Others might assume they were Daoism, but he could tell their clothing was more akin to that of the Yin-Yang School.

The prefect smiled apologetically, "More people mean more strength. These righteous men volunteered; they were not invited by me."

If the position of prefect were moved to modern society, it would be equivalent to that of a mayor. In terms of status, it would not be as high as that of a disciple of Three Great Holy Lands, unless he himself is a martial arts master.

The reason why modern people fear officials is that they can use their power to send you to jail, and you can do nothing about it unless you risk your life.

But in the Barbarian Continent, a top-notch expert can assassinate the prefect and then leave, fleeing to another country, leaving the prefect helpless. Since you have the ability to take someone's life and escape unscathed, you naturally won't care about their power.

The old man glanced at Si Ming and the others a few times, then frowned and said, "Then let them stay aside and not interfere, otherwise they'll only be a burden to us."

"Okay, okay, I'll have them wait quietly and not disturb the two of you while you're casting the spell."

The prefect gave Si Ming and the others a look, then led them to the garden at the other end of the corridor. Qiu Dahu felt indignant, but seeing that the alliance leader had not spoken, and also wary of the other party's status as a disciple of the Six Paths Temple, he could only sulk and keep it to himself.

The prefect introduced them to Si Ming: "These two are the exorcists from the Six Paths Temple. The older one is called Duan Jinsu, and the younger one is called Feng Liancheng. Both of them are skilled in Divine Ability magic. You should have felt it just now; your feet felt cold as soon as you stepped into the courtyard. But six hours ago, the yin Yin Qi in the courtyard was even stronger. It was only thanks to Master Duan using a Palm Thunder to blow up the old tree in the courtyard that things got much better."

Si Ming looked up and, sure enough, there was a large, charred tree in the corner of the yard.

This world allows the casting of Law Technique, a fact that Si Ming had also inquired about. However, for some reason, the casting of Law Technique is always subject to some kind of interference, sometimes working and sometimes not. Moreover, the more powerful the Law Technique, the more obvious the interference. As a result, the lineage of Law Technique gradually declined. To this day, it seems that only the disciples of the Six Paths Temple are unaffected and can cast Law Technique normally.

Si Ming began, "Speaking of which, among the Three Great Holy Lands, the Glazed Temple and the Evil-Slaying Sword Sect both have their own mountain gates, and everyone knows where they are. They also frequently recruit disciples. However, there is no news about the Six Paths Temple. We don't know where its mountain gate is located, nor have we heard any news about it recruiting disciples."

The prefect continued, "Indeed, among the Three Great Holy Lands, the Six Paths Temple is the most mysterious. No one knows where they came from or where they are going. Some say they have no fixed abode, just a few hundred people traveling the world, taking any talented individuals they see as disciples and passing on their lineage. That's why they have so few people, but it's just a rumor after all."

Although he was an official, the world was closely connected with the martial arts world, even the imperial court. It was impossible for him not to inquire about relevant information. In fact, because of his status and connections, he knew far more about the martial arts world than ordinary martial arts practitioners.

As he spoke, the prefect glanced at the crowd, finally confirming that the sickly-looking young master was indeed the leader. He then continued, "The Evil-Slaying Sword Sect takes it upon itself to exterminate Monster Race. Its supreme martial art, the Evil-Slaying Sword Technique, is effective against Monster Race. Every disciple's mission upon descending the mountain is to slay Monster Race. Therefore, the number of Anomalies in the Eastern Martial World is the smallest. However, the Evil-Slaying Sword Sect has extremely strict standards for accepting disciples. Only those with extraordinary talent can be accepted. Hence, the Evil-Slaying Sword Sect has few disciples, and each one is a top-tier expert in the martial world."

Glazed Temple is the sect with the largest number of disciples in the Barbarian Continent, holding the reins of Buddhist School in the world. As a result, Buddhism flourishes in the Southern Martial World, with a temple every ten miles and a shrine every five miles, resembling a Buddhist kingdom on earth. However, not all Glazed Temple disciples know how to subdue demons and monsters. Most of them are just like ordinary martial artists, knowing some basic martial arts. Those who are truly capable of dealing with Anomalies beings are called exorcist monks. They generally do not go down the mountain, nor do they actively try to eliminate Monster Race, unless someone comes to Glazed Temple to offer a huge amount of incense, in which case they will take action.

As for the Six Paths Temple, it is shrouded in mystery, appearing and disappearing like a dragon, so people know very little about it.

In fact, the prefect knew more than this information, but with two disciples of the Six Paths Temple right there, it was inconvenient to say some things. Although they were more than twenty meters apart, to martial arts masters, that distance was no different than speaking right next to each other's ears.

Qiu Dahu was simple-minded and hadn't thought that far ahead. Seeing an opportunity to show off in front of the alliance leader, he immediately said, "Unlike the righteous Evil-Slaying Sword Sect and Glazed Temple, the Six Paths Temple acts in a way that is both righteous and evil. The character of its disciples is also uneven. Some slay demons and monsters without seeking reward, while others commit heinous crimes and kill indiscriminately. Many more are only after profit; as long as there is enough benefit, they will do anything."

The old man in the courtyard turned to look at Qiu Dahu, but said nothing, seemingly uninterested, and quickly turned his gaze back.

Qiu Dahu didn't notice this, but Si Ming did, though he didn't take it to heart or care about the old man's thoughts. He continued, "Since the Six Paths Temple acts so strangely, why is it called a sacred place of martial arts?"

Qiu Dahu couldn't answer this question, but his apprentice Zhao Jiaren said, "Because only people from the Three Great Holy Lands can deal with the Monster Race. Whether good or bad, anyone who can defeat the Monster Race is a hero."

The kind of silly plot that's common in comics and movies, where only the protagonist can defeat the enemy, but the general public makes things difficult for, ostracizes, and insults the protagonist because of their superhuman powers, simply doesn't exist in reality.

For the sake of their own lives, people will try their best to tolerate the protagonist, even if the protagonist commits arson, murder, robbery, and all sorts of evil deeds. As long as his crimes are less serious than those of the enemy, people will choose to endure it.

The word "hero" has two interpretations: one is exceptional bravery, and the other is noble character. No matter how bad the character of the disciples of the Six Paths Temple is, they will never serve the Monster Race. In that sense, they are at least much more noble than "traitors." Even if people are dissatisfied, they can only serve them well, since the entire Western Martial World only has the Six Paths Temple to deal with the Monster Race.

The prefect retorted, "Recently, we've heard very few reports of misdeeds committed by disciples of the Six Paths Temple; it seems things have changed."

Si Ming thought this person might be trying to curry favor with the Six Paths Temple, but judging from the attitude of the two exorcists, they didn't seem to appreciate it.

The crowd waited for a long time, until dusk, before the two finally made their move.

There was no ritualistic opening of an altar, no chopping off a chicken's head and splashing black dog's blood, no shamanistic dance with a peach Duan Jinsu sword. The old man, Duan Jinsu, held a stack of golden talismans in his left hand, while his right hand continuously formed hand seals, chanting. "Heaven and earth are boundless, the universe borrows the law, the law arises from the heart, life is endless, Taiyi removes sins, slays demons and protects the body, activate the formation!"

The stack of golden talismans immediately shot out and, arranged in a specific pattern, hung in the sky above the courtyard, forming the Supreme Unity Sin-Removing Demon-Slaying Formation. A force of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements descended from the formation, enveloping the entire courtyard with dazzling light, making the two exorcists appear as if they were celestial beings descending to earth.

Qiu Dahu was greatly surprised. "This old Daoist is truly knowledgeable and possesses genuine Divine Ability. The reputation of the Three Great Holy Lands is well-deserved!"

Suddenly, a dark shadow emerged from underground. It was human-shaped, thin, with dark skin and covered in hair.

Upon seeing the other person's appearance, Duan Jinsu's expression changed. "It's Hairy Zombie!"

The light from the Supreme Unity Sin-Removing Demon-Slaying Formation shone on Hairy Zombie, making a hissing sound as if it were burning, which immediately enraged him, and he turned around and pounced on the two exorcists.

"Heaven and earth are boundless, wind and thunder obey their mandate!"

Duan Jinsu's sleeves billowed, generating the power of wind and thunder, which shot out and struck Hairy Zombie, only causing him to sway and leaving a black mark on his body, without achieving any further effect.

"Damn it, we've caught an Ox-Head and Horse-Face! This monster has at least five hundred years of cultivation." Duan Jinsu's face turned extremely ugly.

The Hairy Zombie opened its mouth and exhaled a stream of black smoke. Feng Liancheng, standing nearby, immediately cast a spell, his hands forming a sword seal. "Wisdom Sword unsheathed, slaying demons and vanquishing spirits!"

The ancient sword with the Azure Pattern in his hand immediately sprang from its sheath, transforming into a streak of white light that shot out, first annihilating the black energy, and then striking the Hairy Zombie fiercely.