Return to the Demon Suppression Division, Li Da's Humility and Scheming

Two days later!

The three-person group led by Lin Baichuan finally appeared at the gates of the Demon Suppression Division in Cangwu County City. Looking at those familiar gates before him, Li Da was instantly moved to tears.

God knew how he had survived these past few days—constantly on edge, not even daring to sleep at night, terrified that once he closed his eyes, he would never wake again. Though he knew that with Qin Qing around, Lin Baichuan probably would not dare do anything to him, he could not shake the nameless dread in his heart and lay awake all night.

That feeling had been unbearable, pure torment.

Fortunately, it was finally over. He had returned alive.

"Lin Baichuan, you caused Niu Zhenye, Luo Kang, and Wu Xiaoqi to die. I will report this matter truthfully to Captain Song..."

The moment he stepped through the Demon Suppression Division's gates, Li Da seemed like a different man. His eyes turned gloomy as he glared at Lin Baichuan and growled, "Don't think that using someone else's knife to kill will let you escape punishment. This isn't over."

As he spoke, he quickened his pace and headed deeper into the Demon Suppression Division.

Lin Baichuan's mouth twitched. Watching Li Da hurry away, killing intent surged in his heart. Yet his face remained calm as he looked at Qin Qing and said, "Young Miss Qin, this is the man you insisted on protecting? He's a thoroughbred petty villain!"

"Heh heh!"

Qin Qing gave an awkward laugh. "He cannot die yet. I have a use for him. But don't worry—regarding what happened this time, I guarantee you'll be fine.

But don't forget what you promised me..."

"Don't worry, I won't."

Lin Baichuan curled his lip, then said meaningfully, "I'm just curious—what exactly is Young Miss Qin's identity? Why did you come from the prefectural city to the county city?"

"Don't ask what you shouldn't. It won't do you any good."

Qin Qing sneered, led the Unicorn Horse away at speed, and left Lin Baichuan with her carefree silhouette, his thoughts tossed about in the wind.

Damn it, woman. One day, I'll have you sprawled on top of me singing "Conquest."

Lin Baichuan cursed inwardly, then quickened his pace as well, heading off to submit the mission and return the Unicorn Horse.

As for Li Da's threats, he did not take them seriously in the slightest. He was no longer the greenhorn who had only just passed the assessment. With Qin Qing standing behind him, he was no longer without backing. More importantly, his own strength had improved considerably, giving him ample confidence.

Though he was still only at the Ninth Rank Skin Refinement Realm, his true combat strength was enough to fight someone at the Sixth Rank Blood Refining Realm. Naturally, he had no reason to care about a mere Li Da.

Captain Song Gang was indeed a troublesome figure, but Lin Baichuan had ways to deal with him.

The Demon Suppression Division belonged to the Great Xia Dynasty. Even if Song Gang wanted to make a move against him, he could not do so openly. The most likely outcome was that he would resort to underhanded schemes, which meant Lin Baichuan only needed to respond with caution.

"Strength... in the end, my own strength still isn't powerful enough. If I possessed third-rank or fourth-rank cultivation now, or even second-rank or first-rank martial cultivation, what would Song Gang amount to? What would the Lu Family amount to? I could flatten them with a wave of my hand."

Lin Baichuan thought to himself, "So I must speed up my cultivation. First, I need to gather all the supplementary ingredients for the Return Origin Body Tempering Soup."

After submitting the mission and returning the Unicorn Horse, Lin Baichuan headed straight for the Myriad Treasures Hall.

The Myriad Treasures Hall was an internal institution of the Demon Suppression Division, responsible for exchanging and trading all manner of resources. Demon Slayers received Contribution Points as rewards for completing missions, but after a mission was submitted, it still required further review, so the reward points would not arrive so quickly.

However, Lin Baichuan had quite a few resources on hand. He could exchange them for Contribution Points at the Myriad Treasures Hall, then buy the medicinal ingredients he needed.

At the same time!

Just as Lin Baichuan submitted his mission and headed straight for the Myriad Treasures Hall.

Within the residential district, inside a courtyard.

Li Da was kneeling on the ground, tearfully pleading to a middle-aged man. "Captain, you must seek justice for us! Lin Baichuan is truly black-hearted and ruthless. He deliberately plotted against us, used the Blood Demon's hand to slaughter Niu Zhenye and the other two, and even severely injured me, damaging my foundation..."

Lying prone on the ground, Li Da accused Lin Baichuan of his misdeeds through tears and snot.

From his account, Lin Baichuan had become a living embodiment of evil—scheming, sinister, cunning, and vicious beyond redemption.

"Enough!"

The middle-aged man showed no sympathy whatsoever for the tear-streaked Li Da on the ground. Instead, he snapped impatiently.

This man was Song Gang, the One-Star Demon Slaying Captain in charge of the Seventh Camp of the Cangwu County Demon Suppression Division.

His cold, vulture-like gaze swept over Li Da as he said icily, "One Senior Demon Slayer and three Intermediate Demon Slayers, and you couldn't even handle a newcomer? Three of you even got schemed to death.

And you still have the face to come back and cry to me?

Trash..."

The more Song Gang spoke, the angrier he became. A violent air rose on his face, and his eyes were like those of a venomous snake. Li Da, who had been crying rivers of tears and snot, trembled all over. His expression immediately froze, and his body shook.

"My lord, this subordinate is incompetent. Please calm your anger..."

He secretly drew a breath and defended himself in a low voice. "But we are, after all, your people, my lord. Lin Baichuan knew that, yet he still plotted against us. And... and he even arrogantly told me that he knew you had ordered us to deal with him. He said plotting against us was merely collecting a bit of interest, and that one day, he would... he would grind you into the ground..."

"Seeking death!"

Song Gang's eyes turned dark and venomous as he ground out, "A mere newcomer—who gave him such nerve?"

"It's very likely because he latched onto that woman Qin Qing..."

Li Da immediately said, "In truth, part of the reason we failed was because that woman Qin Qing protected him, leaving us afraid to act for fear of breaking the porcelain. Otherwise, we would never have been schemed against by that little beast."

To avoid Song Gang's punishment, Li Da began saving himself. He spun lies and unhesitatingly dragged Qin Qing out to take the blame.

In truth, Li Da harbored resentment toward Qin Qing as well. In his view, if Qin Qing had been of one mind with them, they would have killed Lin Baichuan long ago. How could they have become wary on the road there, only to be plotted against by Lin Baichuan after reaching Yunshan County?

Now, Niu Zhenye and the other two were dead, while his foundation had been damaged. Unless he obtained a top-grade spiritual pill, he could forget about advancing any further for the rest of his life. Having ended up in such a miserable state, he hated Lin Baichuan—and by association, Qin Qing as well.

"Qin Qing... Hmph, so he hooked up with that woman. No wonder a newcomer like him dares act so arrogantly."

Song Gang's entire face darkened as he snorted through gritted teeth. "He wants to grind me into the ground, does he? Very well... I'll grind him into the ground first. A mere newcomer, something no better than a pig or dog—I'll play him to death."

As he spoke, Song Gang looked again at the kneeling Li Da and said coldly, "Go keep an eye on Lin Baichuan. But do not provoke that woman Qin Qing. Don't say I didn't warn you—her background is mysterious. Even I have yet to figure her out. If you don't want to die too miserably, stay far away from her..."