The Baishui Village Massacre

"Brother Zhang, now that I've joined the Demon Suppression Division, there's something I need to report to the organization."

What Chu Jiang wanted to discuss was naturally what had happened at Black Tiger Mountain.

The demons of Black Tiger Mountain had gathered together, and there had even been a so-called Earth Fiend Star puppet incarnation. Whatever they were plotting, it was certainly no small matter and required strict vigilance.

After hearing Chu Jiang's account, Zhang Sanbao's expression changed drastically. He said gravely, "The intelligence you've provided is extremely valuable. The Earth Fiend Star is one of the hall masters of the Earth Fiend Hall, yet he actually showed himself within Baishi County."

Every hall master of the Earth Fiend Hall was a peerless genius with extraordinary strength.

It seemed the Earth Fiend Hall was plotting something enormous. Otherwise, it would not have gone to such lengths to create an incarnation in Baishi County.

"Luckily, you destroyed him. Otherwise, something terrible might have happened in Baishi County."

"I'll report your contribution to the Demon Suppression Division."

Chu Jiang revealed a puzzled expression. "There's more than one hall master in the Earth Fiend Hall?"

"Legend says the Earth Fiend Hall has seventy-two halls, representing the seventy-two stars. The Earth Fiend Star is one of them, though in reality, there aren't that many."

"Great Chu has dealt with the Earth Fiend Hall for many years, yet we've only discovered a dozen or so hall master-level figures. I'll tell you more about the Earth Fiend Hall another time."

"I need to return and contact the Demon Suppression Division now. An Earth Fiend Hall master appearing in Baishi County, even if it's merely a puppet incarnation, is still a major matter."

There was urgency in Zhang Sanbao's tone. With a grab of both hands, he took Liu Kong and Hu Yijiang and vanished into the night within a few breaths.

Clearly, the appearance of an Earth Fiend Hall master here was far too unusual.

A figure of that caliber could not possibly come to a rundown place like Baishi County.

"Looks like I've offended another big shot?"

The matter of Great Demon Tianxie had yet to be resolved, and now an Earth Fiend Hall master had appeared. The people he had offended were becoming more terrifying by the one.

"Whatever. I'll kill them one by one as they come!"

Powerhouses like that were generally watched by the Demon Suppression Division's experts. They could not come after him anytime soon, or they would not have resorted to the trick of creating an incarnation.

It seemed joining the Demon Suppression Division had been the right choice.

He had originally thought the Earth Fiend Hall was a single hall, with one chief hall master and two or three deputy hall masters.

In the end, there were seventy-two halls.

There might not actually be that many, but there were still over a dozen Earth Fiend Halls.

The Demon Suppression Division truly was powerful to be able to keep such a situation under control.

There had been far too much information tonight. He needed time to digest it.

Chu Jiang soon fell asleep.

Early the next morning, people arrived from Annan Commandery to take Lu Feiyang away.

Though Lu Feiyang wanted to become sworn brothers with Chu Jiang, an arm could not twist a thigh. He could only retreat for now.

At noon.

He casually walked into a tavern, ordered a jar of aged wine, a plate of peanuts, and half a jin of beef, then had a simple breakfast.

Just then, several Demon Hunters came galloping over in a panic.

Seeing Chu Jiang drinking, they hurried over.

"Lord Chu, something terrible has happened!"

"Baishui Village... is... gone..."

Chu Jiang frowned, downed a mouthful of wine, and said, "What do you mean, gone? Explain clearly!"

"My lord, this lad stutters. Baishui Village was slaughtered by demons. Not a single person in the entire village, young or old, was spared—not even a chicken was left alive!"

"Severed limbs and broken arms are everywhere. The scene is too horrible to bear looking at. All the brothers at the scene threw up."

Another Demon Hunter spoke, his words carrying a trace of worry.

"A village massacre?"

Chu Jiang froze for a moment. Had these demons gone mad? Had they no bottom line left?

In the past, they had followed the rules fairly well. Every time, they only ate one-third, even one-quarter, and would not return for another meal until years later.

Even the tiger demons of Black Tiger Mountain had never committed something as vile as slaughtering an entire village.

Chu Jiang's gaze turned cold, and the killing intent in his heart surged without end.

The several Demon Hunters trembled inwardly as they watched Chu Jiang's expression grow colder and colder.

"Waiter, the bill!"

Chu Jiang reached for the Blood Sun Saber, tossed down some silver, and left.

Baishui Village sat beside a river and lived by fishing. With nearly seven hundred villagers, it was a large village, less than ten li from Baishi County.

It was as though this tragedy had happened right beneath their noses.

Those damned demons had no bottom line whatsoever. They acted without restraint, treating the common people like livestock kept in pens, free to kill or spare as they pleased.

When they were in a good mood, they cooperated with the authorities.

When they were in a bad mood, they completely disregarded all previous agreements and rules.

"Fuck!"

Outside Baishi County, Baishui Village.

Having stepped into the Vajra Realm, Chu Jiang was faster than a horse as he raced toward Baishui Village at full speed.

Before long, he saw that bloodstained village.

Corpses and remains covered nearly every inch of the ground. The once peaceful and harmonious village had become utterly unrecognizable, completely reduced to a silent ruin.

Rolling smoke filled every direction, spreading through every inch of air like the tentacles of demons. The pungent stench of burning mixed with the smell of blood, nearly suffocating him.

Some had been beheaded, their heads rolling off to one side, their hollow eyes staring into endless emptiness.

Some had their heads and limbs scattered in different places, as though they had suffered the agony of being torn apart by five horses before death.

The corpses by the river were equally horrific.

Their wide-open eyes were filled with terror and despair. The pain and unwillingness frozen upon their faces seemed to wordlessly recount the extreme torment they had endured in the final moments of their lives.

They had wanted to flee into the river, only to be brutally slaughtered by demons at the riverbank.

Several dozen Demon Hunters had already arrived and were sorting through the severed limbs left behind by the demons. Some bodies had been barely pieced back into human shapes.

Others were simply puddles of mangled flesh, several villagers mixed together.

It was simply hell on earth.

"My lord, you're here!"

Constable Liu Ding spotted Chu Jiang and hurried over at a jog.

In Baishi County now, Chu Jiang reigned supreme. Not only had he become the Head of the Demon Hunting Office, even several county officials regarded him highly and did not dare offend him lightly.

Chu Jiang nodded slightly and looked at the village, feeling oppressed inside.

These common people had done nothing wrong.

They only wanted to live simple lives, yet even that had become an extravagant hope.

When they lived and when they died all depended on a single thought from the demons.

Only now did he truly understand what it meant for demons to throw the world into chaos.

"When did it happen?"

"After examination, it occurred at midnight last night and was discovered at dawn this morning," Liu Ding replied.

Hearing that answer, Chu Jiang frowned. "Midnight? Most people would have been asleep at that hour, wouldn't they?"

"Yes. Those demons struck while people were sleeping. It truly made them impossible to guard against." Liu Ding's face beside him was ashen.

"Can you tell what kind of demons did this?" Chu Jiang asked.

"Judging by the traces at the scene, these villagers were likely ambushed and killed by demons in their sleep. Some corpses bear obvious claw marks and bite wounds, while others were drained completely of blood. There are traces of dog demons, and some traces of goat demons as well." Liu Ding's tone was heavy.

Chu Jiang said in a deep voice, "Handle these bodies first, so no plague spreads. At the same time, strengthen patrols around the village to prevent another demon attack."

"Also, notify the nearby villages. Tell everyone to stay alert, and station three Demon Hunters in every village. Report immediately if anything is amiss."

"Understood! I'll make the arrangements at once." Liu Ding answered, then turned and left.

Chu Jiang looked at the corpses covering the ground, killing intent erupting in his heart. You bastards.

"My lord, we found a letter in one of the houses!" Constable Li Dagang suddenly ran over, holding a white letter in his hand.

Chu Jiang accepted the letter and slowly opened it.

There was only a single short line on it.

"Chu Jiang, guess where the next one will be!"