Commander Zuo

It was noon, and the blazing sun hung high.

A hazy layer of gray mist shrouded the skies above Qingyang City. The streets were deserted, and the wreckage of buildings lay scattered everywhere.

Sun Family.

"Father, why are you here?"

Sun Chenyu, who had been leisurely enjoying a maid's massage in the courtyard, hurriedly rose to his feet and asked in a timid voice, head lowered.

At the sight of this,

Sun Wude's eye twitched as he repeatedly reminded himself: My own son. My own son.

He then waved away the scantily clad maid, drew a deep breath, suppressed the fury in his heart, and said,

"Get ready. Leave Qingyang County tonight and go to Jinyang City to find your uncle."

"Father, what happened? Can the demons in the city really not be eliminated? Why hasn't Jinyang City sent anyone?"

"You need not concern yourself with that. Once you reach Jinyang City, listen to all your uncle's arrangements."

"Father..."

Sun Wude raised a hand to interrupt Sun Chenyu and continued, "Forget everything about Qingyang County. Remember that."

After speaking, Sun Wude gave Sun Chenyu one final, lingering look before turning away.

"Alas... If only I could contact Chenhui. If an Immortal Sect stepped in, my Sun Family could be preserved. But ten years have passed, Chenhui... are you still alive?"

After leaving Sun Chenyu's courtyard, Sun Wude looked back once more at Sun Chenyu, who stood frozen where he was. He let out a long sigh, and a trace of resolve flashed through his eyes.

The Venerable One was leaving Qingyang County. People like them had only two choices.

Become demons.

Fortunately, the Sun Family had long prepared two paths. With his elder brother in Jinyang City, the Sun Family would not perish.

The demon cave beneath Qingyang County's County Yamen.

"No... I don't want to become a demon! Kill me! Ah... Please, kill me!"

Inside a spacious, dry stone chamber, Xiao Qiaofeng, bound by thick iron chains, struggled and wailed without end.

A tyrannical aura of Evil Spirit energy within his body continuously remade his flesh. His surging blood and qi steadily changed from vivid red to black.

The hair all over Xiao Qiaofeng's body kept falling out, while bright red blood seeped continuously from his pores.

A layer of illusory black scales slowly emerged.

The county magistrate looked down at Xiao Qiaofeng with an indifferent expression, excitement appearing in his grayish-white eyes.

Xiao Qiaofeng's potential was even greater than he had imagined.

Transforming him into a demon this time had consumed a full one percent of his Evil Spirit energy.

And Xiao Qiaofeng was very likely to reach the Third Blood Replacement at the very instant the transformation was complete.

Even if he fell a little short, he would be able to break through after accumulating strength for some time.

From then on, Xiao Qiaofeng would become the sharpest sword in his hand, escorting him through danger and shielding him from storms.

At this moment,

Outside the stone chamber, Sun Wude, the Sun Family's higher-ups, and members of several Aristocratic Clans from Qingyang County stood with their heads lowered, quietly awaiting the transformation of fate that was about to descend.

Every person wore a different expression—excitement, anticipation, fear.

After today,

They would no longer be human. They would become the enemies of this world—demons!

Jinyang City.

Under the somewhat yellowed lamplight,

A stern-faced, middle-aged man with an imposing presence even in anger, and a single eyebrow, sat with his eyes closed in thought.

Behind him, a young married woman in palace attire wore a tender expression as she gently massaged his shoulders.

"Commander Zuo, it is getting late. Why not go rest?"

The woman in palace attire whispered affectionately into Commander Zuo's ear.

Commander Zuo reached back and took her hand, turning his head until their eyes met.

The corners of his lips curved up slightly as he said, "All right, as my wife wishes."

Just then,

A knock sounded outside the door.

"Master, two people outside claim to be from Qingyang County and wish to see you."

Commander Zuo furrowed his brows, displeasure written across his face. It was rare for him and his wife to wish for a moment of intimacy.

Yet before they had even begun, someone had come to spoil the mood.

Still, Qingyang County was his hometown. Since people had come from his hometown, he could not refuse to see them.

Thus, he said blandly toward the door,

"Bring them in."

After saying that,

Commander Zuo looked apologetically at the woman in palace attire. "Wife, go back and rest first."

"All right, Commander Zuo. I'll wait for you."

Disappointment flashed through the woman's eyes. Then she lightly kissed Commander Zuo's cheek before turning and leaving.

A moment later,

Ye Xiaofan and Tie Wuqing entered under the guidance of a household servant.

The miniature dragon seemed to sense that the person inside was exceptionally powerful. It immediately hid in Ye Xiaofan's hair, motionless like a purple-gold jade carving.

"Demon Suppressing Guard Ye Xiaofan of Qingyang County pays respects to Commander Zuo. Tie Wuqing pays respects to Commander Zuo."

Upon seeing the visitors, Commander Zuo narrowed his eyes.

Tie Wuqing wore a faceless mask, so Commander Zuo could not make him out.

But in Ye Xiaofan, he saw the shadow of an old acquaintance.

"What is Ye Tianhe to you?"

"Reporting to Commander Zuo, Ye Tianhe was my father."

Commander Zuo nodded and carefully studied Ye Xiaofan.

At such a young age, he had reached the Body Refinement Eighth Layer. His talent was even more monstrous than Commander Zuo's had been.

Back then, Commander Zuo had noticed Ye Tianhe's promising talent and intended to cultivate him.

Therefore,

It had been Commander Zuo who personally interceded with the Liu Family on Ye Tianhe's behalf and arranged for him to be sent to Qingyang County.

Yet fate was impossible to predict.

Liu Qingshuang had been killed by demons while she was still pregnant.

Ye Tianhe became a cripple, his cultivation failing to advance in the slightest, and Commander Zuo no longer paid him any attention.

Commander Zuo unconsciously tapped the table lightly.

He looked at Ye Xiaofan with deep, unfathomable eyes.

"How is your father?"

"Reporting to Commander Zuo, my father is already dead. This time, I came under Commander Xiao's orders to find you."

As Ye Xiaofan spoke, he took an envelope from his robes and handed it over.

"Ye Tianhe is dead?"

Commander Zuo's expression shifted slightly.

Though Ye Tianhe's cultivation had not advanced for over a decade, his Body Refinement Eighth Layer strength meant that almost nothing could have happened to him in Qingyang County.

"An Evil Spirit appeared in Qingyang County. My father died at the jaws of demons a month ago. Commander Xiao, in order to cover my escape from Qingyang County, has most likely already died as well."

"What!"

Commander Zuo had merely been somewhat surprised by Ye Tianhe's death, but then he heard the words "Evil Spirit" from Ye Xiaofan.

In that instant,

Terrifying killing intent erupted from within him, as though it had frozen all the air in the room.

Ye Xiaofan and Tie Wuqing's faces instantly turned deathly pale. They frantically circulated the blood and qi within their bodies to resist the bone-piercing chill.

Fortunately, that killing intent had come swiftly and vanished just as swiftly.

Otherwise, with their cultivation, neither of them could have endured it.

The killing intent dissipated, and the room returned to normal.

Ye Xiaofan and Tie Wuqing both let out a breath of relief and raised their hands to wipe the cold sweat from their foreheads.

The two exchanged a glance, each seeing shock in the other's eyes.

Commander Zuo truly deserved to be Jinyang Prefecture's strongest expert, the legend of Qingyang County.

The killing aura he had unconsciously released alone was not something the two of them could withstand.

Ye Xiaofan was certain that Commander Zuo was even stronger than Qingyang County's Evil Spirit.

After a moment,

"What a county magistrate. What a Qian Family. Their hands reached the sky, hiding this from me for an entire year."

"Ye Xiaofan, what do you think I should do?"

Commander Zuo laughed in extreme anger, his eyes devoid of the slightest color.

It sent a chill through Ye Xiaofan's heart.

"Kill!"

"What a 'kill'! Do you dare join me in exterminating the Evil Spirit?"

Commander Zuo abruptly rose to his feet, his gaze like blazing torches as he stared fixedly at Ye Xiaofan.

"Yes!"

Ye Xiaofan did not hesitate in the slightest. He wanted to avenge Luo Ming and Xiao Qiaofeng.

"You two will stay at my residence for the night first."

Commander Zuo took the envelope and walked over to Ye Xiaofan's side, patting him on the shoulder.

He then turned and left. He needed to gather men and surround and annihilate the Evil Spirit and demons of Qingyang County.

Qingyang County had actually been secretly controlled by an Evil Spirit for nearly a full year, yet he, a Thousand Households Officer of the Demon Suppression Division, had not received the slightest news.

It seemed that after immersing himself in cultivation these past few years, some people in Jinyang Prefecture had forgotten how, twenty years ago, he had swept through Jinyang Prefecture alone with a single blade and purged every demon.

As Commander Zuo's back disappeared into the night, Ye Xiaofan looked toward Tie Wuqing.

"Gang Leader Tie, this matter no longer has anything to do with you. Thank you for your help along the way. If I return alive, whatever you need, just say the word."

Ye Xiaofan knew that Tie Wuqing would not risk his life to help him for no reason. He must have valued Ye Xiaofan's talent.

This time, when he returned to Qingyang County to eliminate the Evil Spirit, his cultivation would be able to break through to the Ninth Level Body Refinement.

At that time, his combat strength would rival an expert of the Second Blood Replacement.

Helping Tie Wuqing resolve some matter should not be a problem then.

Tie Wuqing said nothing. He merely raised his flask and took a swig of wine.

Ye Xiaofan smiled helplessly. He already understood Tie Wuqing's meaning.

At that moment, the miniature dragon also seemed to "come alive," its little eyes looking from Ye Xiaofan to Tie Wuqing.

At dawn the following day,

A logistics officer from the Demon Suppression Division hurriedly found Ye Xiaofan, who was staying at Commander Zuo's residence.

He told Ye Xiaofan and Tie Wuqing to hurry to the Demon Suppression Division to meet Deputy Commander Liu and follow Deputy Commander Liu's arrangements.