Demon Suppression Division on Official Business-Any Obstructors Shall Be Killed Without Mercy!

The zither music was ethereal, but that was only the surface. Beneath that emptiness lay buried killing intent, stealing souls and gripping hearts.

Lin Baichuan swept his gaze across the others in the room. Every one of them wore a different expression—some excited, some thrilled, some dazed. It was as though they had fallen into some kind of illusion, their expressions utterly abnormal.

"Bold demon! How dare you stir up trouble within Cangwu County City? You're courting death..."

The rebuke crashed out like thunder. In an instant, it completely drowned out the strange zither music and dragged everyone back from the illusion.

At that moment, Lin Baichuan moved like a fierce tiger, already rushing out of the room and heading straight for the first-floor hall.

"Damn, what's going on..."

Yang Zhan was the first to come to his senses. His expression changed dramatically, and he immediately rose and followed.

At this moment!

With a single leap, Lin Baichuan jumped down from the second floor. He fell like a thousand-pound weight, smashing onto the stage in the first-floor hall with a bang. His right hand lifted, his saber was already out of its sheath, and he slashed toward a colorfully dressed woman wearing a veil on the stage.

The woman playing the zither just now had been this very woman. Her music had been strange and concealed an Illusion Technique—clearly the methods of demons.

Now that he was within thirty zhang of her, he could sense a faint trace of Yin Fiend Qi on her body. Lin Baichuan was deeply familiar with that aura, because he had felt it yesterday while completing his assessment.

It was exactly the same as that wolf demon's.

This woman was not human. She was a demon.

Clang...

The saber rang like a clear spring, carrying a dense chill as its edge flashed bare. Lin Baichuan brought his blade down and shouted, "Demon! You dared seize the body of one of my human race. You deserve death..."

The rebuke exploded like thunder, making the entire Tianyin Workshop hum and tremble.

Lin Baichuan's saber flashed, trailing a fierce blade light as it was about to cleave into the zither-playing woman.

In an instant, the entire Tianyin Workshop erupted into chaos.

Cries of terror and screams rose without end.

"Insolence!"

At that moment, an enraged roar rang out. From a room on the second floor, a streak of light shot forth. It was a short sword, crashing into Lin Baichuan's descending saber like a thunderbolt arrow.

Clang!

A boundlessly powerful force surged toward him. Lin Baichuan's expression changed drastically, and he nearly lost his grip on the saber he had swung out. The tremendous force knocked his blade aside, causing it to slice past the zither-playing woman and strike the stage beneath his feet viciously.

With a thunderous bang, Lin Baichuan's slash split apart more than half the stage.

The zither-playing woman's face changed drastically, and she instinctively fled off the stage.

Lin Baichuan felt his blood and qi churn. With a grave expression, he glanced toward the second floor, then stepped forward. Like a tiger descending the mountain, he sprang once more, blocking the zither-playing woman's path again. He raised his saber and pointed it at her.

"Boy, if you dare lay a finger on Lady Miaoyin, I'll take your head from your shoulders."

A cold, sinister voice came from a second-floor room.

The next moment, a young man stepped out. Moving like a ghost, he rushed down from the second floor and positioned himself between Lin Baichuan and the zither-playing woman. He raised a finger, and the short sword that had deflected Lin Baichuan's saber turned into a streak of light and hovered before him.

The sword light was cold and imposing, its sharpness fully revealed.

"A spirit artifact..."

Lin Baichuan's pupils shrank to pinpoints in an instant. His eyes were filled with shock, and his expression gradually turned solemn.

Weapons in this world were divided into grades as well. At the lowest level were ordinary, unranked weapons. Above them were Mortal-tier divine weapons, divided into high, middle, and low grades. Above Mortal-tier divine weapons came Spirit-tier weapons, also known as spirit artifacts, divided into Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow ranks, with twelve grades in total.

Lin Baichuan did not know the grade of the short sword before him, but even a lowest-grade, low-grade Yellow Tier spirit artifact was worth a fortune and not something an ordinary person could possess.

For this man to carry a spirit artifact, his background was likely either wealthy or noble.

The young man looked proud as he swept Lin Baichuan a glance and said coldly, "You have a good eye, boy. My Jinghong Sword is a High-grade Yellow Tier spirit artifact. You've got some nerve, trying to kill Lady Miaoyin. Kneel at once and kowtow to Lady Miaoyin in apology.

Perhaps this young master may spare your worthless life..."

"Lu Changkong, what are you acting so arrogantly for..."

At that moment, a rebuke rang out. It was Yang Zhan's voice.

He had already arrived in the first-floor hall, accompanied by several other new Demon Slayer Guards. Together with Yang Zhan, they leaped onto the ruined stage and stood beside Lin Baichuan, looking toward the young man opposite them.

Yang Zhan continued coldly, "Relying on your family's lingering protection, you obtained a spirit artifact and now strut around flaunting your might. You've utterly disgraced the Lu Family."

"Yang Zhan, so it's you. Do you really think entering the Demon Suppression Division means a black chicken can turn into a phoenix?"

The young man clearly knew Yang Zhan, and the two were plainly at odds. He looked coldly at Yang Zhan, his eyes filled with disdain.

"You..."

Yang Zhan immediately flew into a rage and was about to snap back.

But at that moment, Lin Baichuan raised a hand and pressed it onto Yang Zhan's shoulder. Then he stepped forward, staring straight at Lu Changkong opposite him as he said coldly, "The Demon Suppression Division is conducting official business, apprehending demons. Those who obstruct us shall be treated as rebels and killed without mercy!"

As he spoke, Lin Baichuan's right hand was already resting on his saber hilt. A wave of icy Killing Intent surged forth as he stared at Lu Changkong like a bloodthirsty tiger.

For a moment, the surrounding air seemed to freeze solid. The temperature plunged by more than ten degrees in an instant, making everyone feel as though they had fallen into an ice cellar.

That imposing force immediately changed everyone's expressions. Lu Changkong, who bore the brunt of it, felt an immense pressure bearing down on him, as though even his blood and qi were about to freeze under Ice Seal.

"What a joke. You actually claim Lady Miaoyin is a demon? You must have gone mad. Lady Miaoyin is the top courtesan of Tianyin Workshop—who in all of Cangwu County City doesn't know that? How dare you slander her..."

Lu Changkong's face darkened like still water as he roared in fury.

"Whether it is slander or not, we'll know after arresting her and investigating." Lin Baichuan said coldly. "I'll give you one more chance. The Demon Suppression Division is conducting official business, apprehending demons. Uninvolved persons, step aside immediately. Otherwise, you shall be treated as rebels and killed without mercy!"

Lu Changkong's expression grew even darker, and killing intent blazed in his eyes.

But he did not dare move.

Because Lin Baichuan now represented the Demon Suppression Division. He had dared to intervene and block Lin Baichuan's attack earlier because Lin Baichuan had not revealed his identity. If the matter were pursued, he could simply claim he had not known.

But things were different now. Lin Baichuan had openly declared his identity. If Lu Changkong continued to obstruct him, he would not merely be obstructing Lin Baichuan—he would be obstructing the Demon Suppression Division and provoking it.

Within the Great Xia Dynasty, there truly were not many who dared provoke the Demon Suppression Division.

At the very least, Lu Changkong did not have that courage.

"My lord, this little woman is merely an ordinary zither player. How could I possibly be a demon? You must be mistaken."

At that moment, Miaoyin, the zither-playing woman hiding behind Lu Changkong, suddenly spoke. She looked frail and delicate, so pitiful that anyone who saw her would feel tenderness in their heart.

Even Yang Zhan, standing beside Lin Baichuan, could not help asking in a low voice, "Baichuan, are you sure? Lady Miaoyin really is a demon? She looks..."

"She has been possessed. I sensed the demon aura within her body. There is absolutely no mistake."

Lin Baichuan waved a hand, cutting Yang Zhan off. He suddenly stepped forward, his voice frosty as he said, "The Demon Suppression Division is conducting official business, apprehending demons. Those who dare obstruct us shall be treated as rebels and killed without mercy..."

"Young Master Lu, save this little woman. This lord from the Demon Suppression Division must have misunderstood. He is falsely accusing me of being a demon. I am alone and helpless, with no way to defend myself... I have long heard that Young Master Lu is upright and righteous. Now, you are the only one who can help me..."

Miaoyin looked utterly miserable, tears gushing forth like a spring. She wore an innocent expression as she fearfully clutched the corner of Lu Changkong's robe.

That helpless appearance made Lu Changkong's heart nearly melt.