Inside Chu Jiang's courtyard.
Su Yan'er, clad in a pale violet dress, moved lightly through the room.
In just a few days since entering the city, she had completely changed. She had evolved from a Cinderella into a graceful young lady, her eyes bright and a faint smile on her lips.
She slowly stepped before Chu Jiang with a gentle smile on her face. First, she spread a layer of soft carpet on the ground, then brought over an antique bronze foot-washing basin.
As she added hot water, she tested the temperature with her hand.
Su Yan'er bent her knees slightly and said softly, "Young Master, it is time to wash your feet."
Chu Jiang nodded and placed his feet into the basin.
He could not help it either. At first, he had refused, but he could not withstand such heartfelt hospitality.
Her hands were as delicate as tender reeds, gently stirring the water so that the warmth evenly wrapped around his feet.
Feeling that enchanting touch, Chu Jiang felt his entire body relax.
No wonder people in his previous life had loved foot washing so much. There was a reason for it.
This girl had only been in the city for a few days.
Yet she learned things far too quickly. She was already a qualified maidservant.
"Damn it, I really have become some rich landlord."
Just then.
Someone walked in from outside.
"My lord certainly has refined tastes!" Zhang Sanbao said with a smile, carrying a large box.
Su Yan'er tactfully carried away the foot basin. Whenever this fat man came, he had important matters to discuss with Master Chu.
Chu Jiang took a sip of tea and said, "What news is there this time?"
"Your entry into the Demon Suppression Division has received special approval from above. You have been appointed General Banner Officer, Principal Seventh Rank. There is no need to go through the usual procedures. These are your items for assuming office."
"Two sets of Kirin Robes, a token, a Demon Suppressing Blade, and some miscellaneous items."
Zhang Sanbao pointed at the items in the box and smiled.
The Kirin Robe was the Demon Suppression Division's unique uniform. Only Demon Suppressing Guards could wear it.
After opening the box, Chu Jiang was stunned by the craftsmanship of the Kirin Robe. It was fucking handsome.
"I am being appointed a Demon Suppressing Guard General Banner Officer the moment I join? I should be managing dozens of people, right?"
It had to be said, the Demon Suppression Division truly dared to employ talent boldly. A newcomer who had just joined and had no achievements was directly promoted to General Banner Officer.
He had thought he would have to begin as an ordinary Demon Suppressing Guard and climb step by step.
Zhang Sanbao smiled awkwardly. "My lord, the Demon Suppression Division is short on manpower right now, so there is no one available for you to command. However, the higher-ups have temporarily transferred me under your command."
Chu Jiang froze. Good fellow, so he was a commander with no troops.
He could only command one person, and that person was fucking temporary?
"One more thing. The Baishi County magistrate has gone missing."
Chu Jiang said, "Li Feng of the Demon Hunting Office is dead, the county assistant magistrate and judicial clerk have been arrested, and the county magistrate has gone missing..."
What was going on with Baishi County? The higher-ups were either killed or arrested, and even the county magistrate had disappeared. He remembered that this magistrate had only taken office not long ago.
"I asked Hu Yijiang and Liu Kong. They said their hall master took him away a month ago. The county's major affairs are basically decided by those two," Zhang Sanbao said gravely.
"Now, the higher-ups want my lord to temporarily take charge of the county's military and administrative authority until the new county magistrate takes office."
Of Baishi County's four major centers of power, some had died, some had been arrested, and some had gone missing. The entire county government was in a leaderless, half-paralyzed state.
Someone had to temporarily take control of the situation.
"Fine."
Chu Jiang agreed without refusing. The greater one's ability, the greater one's responsibility. The higher-ups had been wiped out to the last man, leaving only him. He had no other choice.
His authority was now frighteningly great.
Holding both the positions of county magistrate and Head of the Demon Hunting Office, he stood at the pinnacle of power in Baishi County.
The two chatted idly for a while longer before Zhang Sanbao left the courtyard.
Chu Jiang looked at the large box. There was quite a lot inside.
Aside from the Kirin Robes, token, and Demon Suppressing Blade, there were also various books.
Beginner's Guide to the Demon Suppression Division
Demon Catalog
Demon Suppression Division: Five Thousand Years
The Fall of Dynasties
There were seven or eight books in total. Just reading them all would take quite a bit of effort.
Since he had nothing to do these days anyway, Chu Jiang began to settle down and study these books carefully.
For the first time, they gave him an understanding of this world.
"This beginner's guide explains the Demon Suppression Division's rank divisions very clearly, along with matters concerning taking missions and the uses of Contribution Points..."
After casually flipping through it, Chu Jiang picked up another book, Demon Catalog. The book was bizarre and grotesque, recording over a thousand varieties of demons and monsters. Their habits differed greatly, and their appearances were even more strange and fantastical.
Among those thousand-plus species, the Hundred Clans formed the main body, with the royal clans as the most exalted. There were seven Great Royal Clans in total.
Every demon or monster with Royal Bloodline possessed extraordinary talent, each with different abilities.
Chu Jiang stayed in his room for several days, drawn in by this strange and uncanny world.
Just as Chu Jiang was preparing to sleep one night, a voice suddenly rang out in his mind.
"Ding, system upgrade complete!"
You said forty-eight hours. Look how long it has been?
This was seriously overdue, all right?
The system's voice rang out in his mind once more. "There was a minor malfunction in the program, so it was delayed."
"You can talk now?"
Chu Jiang was somewhat surprised. The attribute panel had always been an inanimate thing before, only broadcasting messages whenever he killed demons or monsters.
However, this time, the panel did not respond to Chu Jiang.
"It can talk now, but it only has one sentence." Chu Jiang shook his head and looked at the upgraded attribute panel.
[Demon Lifespan: 998 years] [Personal Lifespan: 90 years]
Two functions had been added.
One was a Martial Arts Fusion module, and the other was a Demon Probe module.
"Multiple Houtian martial arts can be fused. Fuse them?"
Chu Jiang smiled faintly, excitement and anticipation filling him as he looked at the martial arts before him.
"Fuse the Demon Suppressing Saber Technique and Meteor Saber!"
[Fusing martial arts: Demon Suppressing Saber Technique (Mastery), Meteor Saber (Mastery)]
"Fuse Great Strength Fist and Great Vajra Palm!"
[Fusing...]
"Fuse Demon Slaying Star Saber and Blood Saber Manual!"
[Fusing...]
"Fuse Golden Sun Art and the first volume of Wind-Thunder Vajra Body!"
[Fusing...]
The string of martial arts fusions left Chu Jiang dazzled and delirious with joy.
The fused Great Strength Divine Palm combined every move into one, becoming a heaven-shaking palm strike whose power had increased severalfold and more.
The Blood Saber Divine Manual's moves had not changed, but their power had risen by a large margin. Its demon-suppressing properties had been greatly strengthened.
As for the Wind-Thunder Vajra Body, its fusion with Golden Sun Art had not produced any noticeable changes.
Perhaps the gap between their realms was too great. One was at the Houtian level, while the other was at the Grandmaster level. Even fusion was merely adding flowers to brocade.
Clear Wind Art had not been fused.
The Martial Arts Fusion module could only fuse martial arts with similar attributes.
There were currently no suitable fusion targets.
It could only be set aside for now.
"Fusing Golden Sun Art and Wind-Thunder Vajra Body was a bit of a loss."
After fusing martial arts several times, Chu Jiang had figured out some of the rules.
The lifespan consumed in fusing martial arts was determined by the one with the higher realm.
Still, it was a bloody profit.
If he used martial arts deduction instead, what could forty years accomplish? Nothing at all.
As for the Demon Probe module, before fighting a demon or monster, it could investigate the opponent's strength as long as they were not more than two major realms above him.
That too was a godly skill.
It could prevent some crafty bastards from concealing their realms and stirring up trouble.
They might think they could play the pig to eat the tiger, but in truth, they had already been seen through.
This system upgrade was not bad.
[Demon Lifespan: 898 years]
After unlocking the Martial Arts Fusion module, Chu Jiang instantly felt that his Demon Lifespan was not enough.
If he got a few more martial arts manuals, his remaining Demon Lifespan would not be enough to spend.
Unfortunately, the demons and monsters in Baishi County had already fled.
Knock, knock, knock. Knock, knock...
"My lord, someone is causing trouble in the city. They specifically named you!" A sudden knocking came from outside the door.
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