Li Feng Is Dead?

Chu Jiang's display completely left everyone's jaws on the floor.

Among the four captains of the Demon Hunting Office, only Chu Jiang was below the Seventh Stage of Body Refinement.

Yet he had now defeated Liu Guangwu with casual ease. Though Liu Guangwu was a newly appointed captain, his strength was far from weak; among the four captains, he ranked second.

Everyone present felt as though their worldview was about to shatter. A good-for-nothing rogue who loved food and hated work was actually the strongest among the four captains.

"This..." Ma Han was the most shocked of all. No one knew Lord Chu's strength better than he did.

At the Blood Refining Stage, relying on a Demon Suppressing Blade at minor mastery, one could fight those in the middle three stages of Body Refinement.

Defeating someone in the latter three stages was almost impossible.

Much less doing so with such effortless leisure, using only a single finger.

It seemed his lord had concealed his strength, deliberately disguising himself as a weakling.

Had Liu Guangwu not gone mad, they probably would never have seen Lord Chu's true strength in their entire lives.

"Ah..."

Liu Guangwu let out a howl filled with unwillingness. A casual finger from Chu Jiang had already made him unable to endure.

"I'll fight you to the death!"

But the moment he thought of his younger sister still in Chu Jiang's hands, Liu Guangwu's eyes turned red. Even knowing he was no match, he desperately swung his fists and charged forward.

Chu Jiang slapped him across the face, knocking Liu Guangwu straight to the ground.

"If you truly want to find your sister, what use is fighting me to the death here? If I beat you to death, what will happen to your sister, you idiot!"

"You!"

Liu Guangwu froze. He truly had acted impulsively. No matter why Chu Jiang had hidden his strength, if Chu Jiang really killed him—

His younger sister truly would have no chance of ever seeing daylight again.

Just then, a runner dressed in the county yamen's official uniform hurried in from outside. Stopping before the two men, he first bowed, then said respectfully, "Lord Liu, Lord Chu, Assistant Magistrate Liu has sent word, asking the two of you to hurry to the county yamen at once!"

Joy appeared on Liu Guangwu's face. It seemed his adoptive father had learned of this matter.

Chu Jiang raised his brow slightly, but quickly returned to calm. "All right, I'll be there shortly."

With such a huge commotion, it would have been hard not to attract the attention of those few people in the county yamen.

The county yamen had four great centers of power.

The county magistrate held the military and administrative authority of the entire county.

The assistant magistrate assisted the county magistrate in managing all sorts of county affairs and controlled finances and grain.

The judicial clerk oversaw prisons and criminal cases, as well as arrest work unrelated to demons.

Then there was the Head of the Demon Hunting Office, who specialized in demon affairs. Though his official rank was one level lower, his real authority was no less than that of the other three.

If any one of these four so much as stamped a foot, Baishi County would tremble three times over.

When the two arrived at Assistant Magistrate Liu's quarters, they found two people already standing there: the Demon Hunting Office's other two captains, Li Ding and Sun Dagang.

"This subordinate greets Assistant Magistrate Liu!"

Chu Jiang and Liu Guangwu offered their salutations in turn. Due to the Demon Hunting Office's special status within the county yamen, they did not need to kneel even before the county magistrate; a cupped-fist salute was enough.

"Liu Guangwu, you've got quite the nerve today. You beheaded a runner from the Demon Hunting Office outright, then gathered people to fight inside the office. You've thrown the government's dignity away completely!"

"Did you think that just because Li Feng was absent, no one could restrain you? Acting so wantonly—you are simply lawless!" Assistant Magistrate Liu was furious, his face flushed red and the veins on his forehead bulging, like a Benevolent Lord righteous enough to shake heaven and earth.

"If only you put this much effort into fighting demons, I would be relieved."

Liu Guangwu immediately grew anxious and hurriedly said, "Assistant Magistrate Liu! Chu Jiang instructed Zhang Liancai to abduct my younger sister! Otherwise, none of what happened afterward would have happened!"

He could not understand it. His adoptive father had always treated him well. He had assumed that at this moment, his adoptive father would step forward and condemn Chu Jiang. Instead, he was directly given a vicious scolding. What kind of sense did that make?

"Shut your mouth!"

"Do you have evidence? Did you personally see Captain Chu abduct your sister, or did you personally see Zhang Liancai abduct her?"

"With no proof but your empty words, you let a common man's rage take hold and killed a government runner. Truly stupid beyond saving!"

"Who gave you such nerve, huh..."

Assistant Magistrate Liu flew into a rage again, smashing the tea in his hand heavily onto the ground. It splashed everywhere, and his already stern face became frighteningly dark.

"The court has its laws. If everyone killed people without trial like you did, would the world not descend into utter chaos?"

"You killed a government runner without authorization today. By law, you ought to be thrown into the prison of the judicial clerk!"

Liu Guangwu had been scolded until he did not even dare breathe, cold sweat pouring down his face. This time, rage had rushed to his head, and he had not considered the consequences.

Assistant Magistrate Liu suddenly changed the subject and looked at Chu Jiang. "Wouldn't you say so, Captain Chu?"

Chu Jiang smiled. He had not expected to walk in and encounter such a grand performance.

As expected, anyone who could rise to the upper ranks of the county yamen was no simple person.

It looked as though Assistant Magistrate Liu was scolding Liu Guangwu, but he was actually protecting him.

Chu Jiang said, "Captain Liu was desperate to save his sister, which is why he committed this grave mistake. Sending him to the judicial prison would be somewhat too harsh."

"After Assistant Magistrate Liu's guidance, I trust he already understands the stakes involved and knows the importance of the court's laws. He surely will not dare offend again in the future!"

Assistant Magistrate Liu seemed quite satisfied with Chu Jiang's answer. Smiling, he said to Liu Guangwu, "Why aren't you thanking Captain Chu for his forgiveness? If he were not broad-minded and unwilling to hold this against you, how could you still be alive?"

Liu Guangwu did not know what had happened to his adoptive father. Why did his words seem to carry a hint of wariness toward Chu Jiang? His sister had not been found, yet he had to apologize to him.

It made him feel utterly humiliated, but he could not disobey his adoptive father's words.

"Thank you... Brother Chu, for your great magnanimity!"

He ground out every word through clenched teeth, ashamed and aggrieved at once.

After saying those words, he felt his entire body go limp, his spirit scattering somewhat.

Liu Ding and Sun Dagang also frowned tightly. Assistant Magistrate Liu was famous for protecting his own, yet today he was gentle and pleasant toward Chu Jiang, the culprit.

They knew that Chu Jiang had a special relationship with demons, but compared to the four great figures of the county yamen, he was not even in the same league.

Whoever served as the spokesperson was, in the end, a result discussed and decided by Assistant Magistrate Liu and the others.

If they found one unsuitable, or if there were signs of backlash, they could simply kill him and replace him. Why did they need to treat him with such courtesy?

Could it be that Chu Jiang possessed some mysterious identity they did not know about?

Assistant Magistrate Liu paid no attention to Liu Guangwu's exhausted state and continued, "Actually, I summoned you here this time to announce an important matter."

"If not for the brawl in the Demon Hunting Office today, I would have announced this matter first."

"May I ask what matter Assistant Magistrate Liu is referring to?" Liu Ding looked at him. Gathering all four captains of the Demon Hunting Office together—one could tell with one's backside that it was a major matter.

"Could it be that demons are invading in force?"

Li Dagang's face turned pale. If demons truly invaded in force, then with only their hundred or so men in the Demon Hunting Office, they would be like a praying mantis trying to stop a cart.

Chu Jiang's eyes lit up. If that were truly the case, then he would strike it rich.

Others feared demons, but he did not.

Normally, those demons hid in deep mountains and ancient forests, emerging only to hunt for food. They were rarely seen.

Every time, it was the demons who came looking for the original owner of this body, who would then take them to eat.

"Not that. If demons truly invaded in force, the court would definitely send powerful experts to support us. That is also something the several great demons nearby do not wish to see."

Assistant Magistrate Liu paused for a moment, then continued, "Your Head of the Demon Hunting Office, Li Feng—have you not seen him for several days?"

"It's been nearly half a month."

Chu Jiang had also sensed something unusual. Normally, when Li Feng went out to handle matters, he returned within three days at most. This time was indeed rather abnormal.

Assistant Magistrate Liu sighed.

"He's dead!"