Apprentice Demon Slayer

Great Xia Dynasty, Eastern Wasteland Prefecture.

Within Cangwu County City.

At the Cangwu County Branch of the Demon Suppression Division, in the residential quarters for Apprentice Demon Slayers, stood a slightly rundown little courtyard.

Lin Baichuan sat cross-legged on his bed, his eyes gleaming sharply, especially striking in the darkness of night.

"Tomorrow is the assessment for all Apprentice Demon Slayers. I hope it won't disappoint me..."

Lin Baichuan murmured as his mind sank into his sea of consciousness. At once, a wisp of light flashed out and condensed before him into an Attribute Panel visible only to him.

Name: Lin Baichuan

Identity: Apprentice Demon Slayer of the Demon Suppression Division

Cultivation: Body Refinement Ninth Stage

Cultivation Art: Golden Bell Shield (Level One, 12%)

Martial Art: Seven Kill Saber Art (Beginner, 7%)

Merit: 0

He was not originally from this world. He had transmigrated here half a year ago. The previous owner of this body had been a refugee whose hometown had suffered a Demon Calamity, leaving all his friends and family dead.

The entire county had become a wasteland stretching for a thousand miles.

After following the other refugees and begging all the way to Cangwu County City, the previous owner had simply kicked the bucket, letting Lin Baichuan take over cheaply.

Having transmigrated here, he had occupied the previous owner's body and absorbed all of his memories.

To avoid starving to death, Lin Baichuan had joined the Demon Suppression Division's assessment with a gambler's hope. Who would have thought that he would step in dog shit and actually pass, becoming an Apprentice Demon Slayer?

This system had activated on the day he officially became an Apprentice Demon Slayer.

Unfortunately, though the system had been activated for half a year, it had given him no help whatsoever. He had no merit, and to obtain merit, he had to slay demons.

Ever since becoming an Apprentice Demon Slayer, he had been undergoing closed training at the training camp.

Never mind slaying demons—he had not even seen a demon's shadow.

Fortunately, those days were about to end. Tomorrow was the training camp assessment, and its content was to slay a demon alone.

"Merit... I wonder what it can be used for?"

Lin Baichuan closed the Attribute Panel and murmured, "Can it directly raise my cultivation, or improve cultivation arts and martial arts?"

The next day!

In the early morning, when the sky had only just begun to brighten and faint stars still dotted the heavens, Lin Baichuan was awakened by a rapid series of drumbeats.

This was the training camp's General Summoning Drum. Once it sounded, every Apprentice Demon Slayer in the camp had to gather at the drill ground. Those who were late would be severely punished.

Lin Baichuan did not dare delay in the slightest. He flipped out of bed, grabbed his battle saber, and rushed from the room.

He had not slept at all the previous night. He had not even taken off his leather armor, instead sitting cross-legged in meditation until dawn.

By the time Lin Baichuan rushed out of his courtyard and sprinted to the drill ground, some people had already arrived before him.

They stood in neat rows beneath a high platform at the far end of the drill ground.

Three men stood atop the platform, all dressed in black battle robes. The difference was that the leader's robe was edged in silver, with a flaming star embroidered upon his chest.

He was a One-Star Demon Slaying Captain.

Within the Demon Suppression Division, Demon Slayer Guards were also divided into ranks.

Upon entering the Demon Suppression Division, one became an Apprentice Demon Slayer, just like Lin Baichuan and the others. Only after passing the assessment could one become an official Demon Slayer Guard.

That was, a Junior Demon Slayer. Above Junior Demon Slayers were Intermediate Demon Slayers and Senior Demon Slayers.

Above Senior Demon Slayers were Demon Slaying Captains.

Unlike Demon Slayer Guards, Demon Slaying Captains were divided into seven stars, with one star being the lowest and seven stars the highest. It was said that above Demon Slaying Captains were Demon Slaying Commandants.

The person in charge of the Demon Suppression Division in Cangwu County was a Demon Slaying Commandant.

However, Lin Baichuan had only heard others speak of such things. He had never seen that legendary Demon Slaying Commandant.

He had only ever seen one Demon Slaying Captain as well—the man standing atop the platform.

Gao Yunshan, the One-Star Demon Slaying Captain who headed the Cangwu County Demon Suppression Division's training camp.

"Alright, everyone's here, yes?"

Just as Lin Baichuan's thoughts were running wild, a deep voice rang out and spread across the entire drill ground.

It was Gao Yunshan atop the platform. His eyes flashed like lightning as they swept swiftly across every Apprentice Demon Slayer on the drill ground.

The training camp had a total of eight hundred Apprentice Demon Slayers. Now, every one of them was present, standing in a square formation.

The moment Gao Yunshan spoke, everyone immediately held their breath, their faces solemn.

"You all know what day this is. I won't waste words. The eight hundred of you will soon be divided into eight groups and enter the prison separately to slay demons..."

After sweeping his gaze over the eight hundred Apprentice Demon Slayers, Gao Yunshan continued, "The demons you are to kill are merely the lowest Soldier-Tier First-Rank Demons, equivalent in strength to the Body Refinement Ninth Stage. With your strength, you should be able to pass normally.

However, demons are strange and unpredictable, and many accidents may occur.

Whether you can pass the assessment depends on your own fortune. Everyone... do your best! This is a hurdle you must cross to become official Demon Slayer Guards. No one can help you."

After saying that, Gao Yunshan waved his hand.

At once, eight Demon Slayer Guards dressed in black battle robes emerged from around the drill ground. With cold faces and indifferent expressions, they came before the formation of eight hundred Apprentice Demon Slayers.

Then each led a group away.

Lin Baichuan was assigned to the third group. Leading them was unexpectedly a valiant woman with an icy expression and blade-sharp eyes. Her entire body radiated a frigid aura; she practically had the words "strangers keep away" written across her face.

No one dared speak. This was already the moment when everyone was at their most nervous.

What was more, the Demon Slayer Guard leading them was such an ice-faced woman, making the atmosphere even more oppressive. The nerves of everyone in the group gradually drew taut.

The closer they came to the Demon Suppression Division Prison, the more obvious it became. Lin Baichuan even saw cold sweat breaking out on many foreheads, their faces turning pale and their eyes filled with fear and unease.

This was a typical case of failing the test of mental fortitude.

The assessment had a casualty rate, and it was not low. He had heard that every assessment saw casualties of around ten percent.

In other words, of their eight hundred people, nearly eighty would die in this assessment.

"A martial warrior should possess a heart that fears nothing and presses ever forward. These people are already terrified before reaching the battlefield. Once they truly see demons, I'm afraid they'll tremble all over and fail to bring out even thirty percent of their strength.

When that happens, they'll only die faster."

Lin Baichuan narrowed his eyes and surveyed his surroundings. At that moment, a voice sounded beside him. "Baichuan, I'm telling you, demons really aren't that frightening. Just treat them like beasts.

The more nervous and afraid you are, the more likely something will go wrong..."

The speaker was a bald young man walking beside Lin Baichuan. Carrying a long spear in one hand, he grinned at Lin Baichuan.

Yang Zhan, an Apprentice Demon Slayer and a native of Cangwu County City.

He was also one of Lin Baichuan's few friends in the Demon Suppression Division training camp.

"Stop showing off. Be careful," Lin Baichuan said, rolling his eyes at Yang Zhan. Then he added gravely, "Demons are strange and cunning. Don't capsize in a gutter."

"Relax, nothing will go wrong. They're only Soldier-Tier First-Rank Demons. It's not like I haven't killed them before. More than one stronger than this has died by my hand."

Yang Zhan merely grinned dismissively, looking relaxed and unconcerned.

Lin Baichuan could not help clicking his tongue, though he did not refute Yang Zhan's words.

As a direct descendant of the Cangwu County Yang Family, Yang Zhan had been specially nurtured by the Yang Family since childhood. Though only sixteen, his cultivation had already reached the peak of the Body Refinement Eighth Stage. It was said that he was only one step away from the seventh stage.

With such strength, taking this assessment was purely a formality.

"Children of Aristocratic Clans really are different. Whether in resources, platforms, or experience, they far surpass ordinary commoners. But it doesn't matter. I have the system. After today, I will soar into the sky in a single bound..."

Lin Baichuan thought to himself, his eyes flashing as he looked ahead.

The Demon Suppression Division Prison had arrived.