Seven Mile Slope Town

The Unicorn Horses were indeed fast. Once they left the city, Lin Baichuan and his group spurred their mounts into a wild gallop, racing like wind and lightning. Though it was his first time riding a horse, Lin Baichuan felt no discomfort whatsoever, sitting steady as a rock in the saddle.

He could even divide his attention three ways: urging his horse onward while circulating the Golden Bell Shield to temper his flesh and skin, all while carefully comprehending the Seven Kill Saber Art.

His Seven Kill Saber Art had already reached perfection, but the system panel showed that there should be a higher realm beyond perfection. Lin Baichuan wanted to see what realm lay beyond the consummation of a martial art, unwilling to waste even a single second.

"Unfortunately, I don't have enough merit on me. Otherwise, I could directly use merit to raise the realm of the Seven Kill Saber Art."

Lin Baichuan muttered to himself, "Perhaps I shouldn't have used all my merit to raise the Golden Bell Shield before. I should have used it to raise the Seven Kill Saber Art instead."

He had always felt that once the Seven Kill Saber Art rose beyond perfection, it would bring an unexpected surprise.

However, he had no merit now. He could only wait until they reached Yunshan County and slew demons before experimenting further.

The six of them galloped at full speed. Before nightfall, they had already crossed nearly two thousand li and arrived at a somewhat dilapidated little town.

"It's dark now. We'll rest in this town tonight and continue our journey tomorrow." Li Da, who rode at the front, suddenly stopped. Looking at the town ahead, he turned to the others and said, "Follow me into town now."

"Captain, I heard the situation in Yunshan County is urgent. Shouldn't we travel day and night and try to get there sooner?"

The only woman in the group immediately frowned and spoke in a deep voice.

Her name was Qin Qing. She was an Intermediate Demon Slayer, yet her aura was powerful and vigorous. Her strength was likely not much weaker than Captain Li Da's.

As soon as she spoke, Li Da's expression darkened. He said coldly, "Of course I know the situation in Yunshan County is urgent, but this stretch of road is unsafe at night. If we travel after dark, we'll only achieve the opposite of what we intend.

Once we pass this stretch tomorrow, we can travel day and night."

"That's right. Qin Qing, you've only just come from the prefectural city, so you don't understand the situation in our Cangwu County. The town ahead is called Seven Mile Slope Town. See that mountain range behind it? It's called Seven Mile Mountain. That place is sinister and strange, and especially dangerous at night..."

Before Li Da could finish, one of the team members immediately picked up the thread. "To reach Yunshan County, we have to pass through Seven Mile Mountain. It's far too dangerous. One careless step, and we could all die in there.

That's why the captain wants us to rest in town for the night and continue tomorrow. He's doing this for our safety."

"Oh... Is that Seven Mile Mountain truly so eerie? Could demons be causing trouble there? If it is demons, then all the more reason for us to go and kill them." Qin Qing's eyes flashed with brilliant light as she asked in a low voice.

"It isn't demons or evil spirits. It's an environmental issue. Once night falls, miasma fills Seven Mile Mountain. Even someone in the Sixth Rank Blood Refining Realm would have no chance of survival if they entered."

Li Da shook his head slightly and said in a deep voice, "In any case, Seven Mile Mountain is extremely strange. Experts from the Cangwu County Demon Suppression Division once went in to investigate, but they found nothing in the end. Over time, the matter was simply left unresolved."

"I see!"

Qin Qing nodded slightly and said no more.

Seeing this, Li Da waved his hand and said solemnly, "Let's go. Everyone, follow me into town. Remember... be careful. Seven Mile Slope Town is no kind-hearted place. Keep your eyes open and don't fall into someone's trap."

"Don't worry, Captain. A bunch of Rogue Cultivators will have to retreat three steps when they see what we're wearing."

Someone grinned, clearly unconcerned.

The others chuckled as well, but their expressions remained exceedingly grave. Clearly, though they spoke lightly, no one truly dared to be careless.

Lin Baichuan took all of this in, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes. He said nothing and silently followed at the back of the group. In truth, although he had been cultivating and comprehending the Seven Kill Saber Art along the way, he had also devoted part of his attention to observing every member of Team Thirteen.

After observing them for most of the day, Lin Baichuan had more or less figured out Li Da and the others' temperaments.

There were six people in the team including himself. Captain Li Da was mature and steady, but also deeply calculating. His cultivation should be at the Seventh Rank Organ Forging Realm.

As for the only woman, Qin Qing, she seemed to have an extraordinary background. She had come down from the prefectural city's Demon Suppression Division to gild herself, and was likely a descendant of some great Aristocratic Clan in the prefectural city. Her strength was considerable. Lin Baichuan felt that although this woman was only an Intermediate Demon Slayer, her true strength was likely no weaker than Li Da's.

The remaining three male team members were named Niu Zhenye, Luo Kang, and Wu Xiaoqi. Their strengths were roughly equal, all at the Eighth Rank Bone Tempering Realm.

At the same time, the three of them could be considered Li Da's loyal lapdogs. They were absolutely wearing the same pair of trousers as Li Da.

"If Li Da really was arranged by the Lu Family, then once we reach Yunshan County, he'll probably try to kill me!"

Lin Baichuan thought to himself, With my current strength, dealing with ordinary Eighth Rank Bone Tempering Realm cultivators won't be a problem. But I'm definitely no match for a Seventh Rank Organ Forging Realm cultivator. It seems that if I want to break this deadlock, I may have to rely on Qin Qing.

Qin Qing had an extraordinary background. Lin Baichuan believed she was not on the same side as Li Da and the others, which gave him someone he could win over.

Of course, that was only one strategy. As for what would truly happen, he would have to play it by ear.

After countless thoughts flashed through Lin Baichuan's mind, he did not idle about either. Riding his Unicorn Horse, he entered the town together with Li Da and the others.

Seven Mile Slope Town got its name because it lay not far from Seven Mile Mountain and had been built on a hillside. From the outside, the town looked run-down and no different from any other small town in Cangwu County.

Yet once Lin Baichuan and the others entered the town, he realized how shallow his judgment had been.

This Seven Mile Slope Town was absolutely not simple, at least not an ordinary town. There were simply too many martial artists in it. They moved through the streets in groups of three or five, their expressions grave as they hurried past.

A few minutes later.

Lin Baichuan and the others arrived at an inn.

It was the only inn in town, and its name was Seven Mile Slope Inn.

At that moment, the inn's main hall was brightly lit and bustling with voices. Many people were chatting loudly about matters from all corners of the world. The moment Lin Baichuan and the others entered, the previously noisy hall fell utterly silent, so quiet that a needle dropping could be heard.

"They're from the Demon Suppression Division. Why have those gods of slaughter come here? Could they also be after that thing?"

"Hmph... A pack of Imperial Court hounds, yet they put on quite the airs."

"Keep your voice down! Are you tired of living? You actually dare call them Imperial Court hounds in front of Demon Slayers? Do you really think the blades in the Demon Slayer Guards' hands only dare to kill demons?"

After the brief silence, discussions immediately broke out in the hall. Gaze after gaze fell upon Lin Baichuan and the others. Some were wary, while others snorted in disdain.

However, when Li Da unfastened the saber at his waist and tossed it onto a table, everyone immediately fell silent again, and the hall became deathly still. Li Da's gaze was like lightning as he swept it across every person in the hall one by one. Only then did he turn to the waiter and say, "Waiter, three superior rooms and a table of food and wine..."