In the blink of an eye, thirty or forty years had passed.
The demon calamity in Ping An County had grown increasingly severe.
Especially during the twenty years Cao De had served as Centurion of the Ping An County Brocade Guard Precinct, the situation in Ping An County had taken a sharp turn for the worse. The Brocade Guard had been suppressed by demons until they cowered inside the city, not daring to venture out.
More and more demons had appeared. In the end, they occupied Black Mountain and flooded forth like a disaster, until now, when the entire city of Ping An County had silently been taken over by demons.
They controlled the officials and lay upon the common folk, sucking their blood. How terrifying was that?
Fortunately, the appearance of Lu Xuening and Chen Fan let Huang Chengyue see hope for peace and stability to return to Ping An County.
"Godfather, don't worry. As long as Chen Fan and I are here, Ping An County will definitely get better and better."
Lu Xuening glanced at Huang Chengyue and spoke.
"Godfather?"
Chen Fan froze when he heard that, then widened his eyes as his gaze shifted between Huang Chengyue and Lu Xuening.
He had never imagined that Lu Xuening and Huang Chengyue shared such a relationship.
"Xue Ning's father was also a member of the Brocade Guard, and a close friend of mine. He was Lu Fang, Li Mo's predecessor as Chief Squad Leader of the Brocade Guard. He led the Brocade Guard brothers to clear out Black Mountain, but was harmed by demons. That was why Li Mo took over as the new Chief Squad Leader of the Ping An County Brocade Guard Precinct."
"I now have every reason to suspect that Cao De colluded with the demons of Black Mountain to harm Brother Lu. His purpose was to eliminate dissidents and raise his confidant Li Mo to power."
"Xue Ning was only one year old when Brother Lu died. When her mother learned of Brother Lu's death, she was heartbroken beyond measure, and she passed away not long afterward as well."
"Later, my wife and I adopted Xue Ning. When she was thirteen, I sent her to Dragon Abyss Prefecture to study under a master. Only recently did she return as a Ninth-Rank Black-Robed Constable of Ping An County."
Huang Chengyue spoke with deep emotion.
Watching his close friend's daughter grow into an adult and surpass even him, her godfather, in strength filled him with joy.
In the end, he had not failed the trust placed in him!
It was precisely because of Huang Chengyue's help that Lu Xuening had the means to temper her sinews and bones in medicinal baths from childhood. When her sinews and bones had fully developed at thirteen, she used Huang Chengyue's connections to study martial arts under a famous master. In the end, she reached the peak Divine Treasury Realm at such a young age, and breaking through to the Divine Aperture Realm was just around the corner.
"No wonder you were so certain that Chief Squad Leader Huang was upright and a good man, that he would never collude with demons. And the information you had about the demons must have come from Chief Squad Leader Huang, right?"
Chen Fan glanced at Lu Xuening and said.
"Congratulations, you got it right. But there's no reward."
"It's getting late. We've been running around all day, so everyone should head back and rest early."
"Also, arrange patrols. Rotate through three shifts and make absolutely sure Ping An County is safe at night."
"Everyone used to say that Ping An County belonged to the Human Race by day and to demons by night. From today onward, whether day or night, Ping An County will forever belong to us of the Human Race!"
Lu Xuening spoke to the constables accompanying her.
Seeing that there was nothing else for him to do, Chen Fan also returned to the Brocade Guard garrison.
Once night fell, the Brocade Guard garrison became empty again. When he encountered several brothers on duty, they all took the initiative to greet Chen Fan.
Among them were those who had followed Li Mo to block his way today, but they had no choice either. They did not dare offend Chen Fan, yet Li Mo and Centurion Cao were even less people they could afford to offend!
Just after Chen Fan returned to the Brocade Guard garrison, a figure quietly slipped away from the garrison and headed into the county seat.
By now, the south gate of the county seat had long been shut. However, the Brocade Guard Precinct was located in the eastern outskirts, so to make entering and leaving easier, they had specially opened a small door beside the east gate.
This door was specifically guarded by members of the Brocade Guard and allowed only one person through at a time. Chen Fan had passed through this door when returning from the county seat to the Brocade Guard garrison.
Not long after.
Cao De's residence.
Inside the courtyard.
Chief Squad Leader Li Mo of the Brocade Guard and several Squad Leaders were all present, along with several unfamiliar faces. Each had a ferocious visage and a huge body. They were unmistakably demons!
"Reporting to Centurion, Chen Fan has returned to the Brocade Guard garrison!"
A member of the Brocade Guard who had slipped out of the garrison hurried into Cao De's home and reported.
When he saw the dozen or so demons in Cao De's home, he shuddered in fright.
He had occasionally heard people say before that their Centurion Cao colluded with demons, but he had only taken it as hearsay. He had never expected to see it with his own eyes today.
"Everyone, I presume you all know what happened in Ping An County today."
"Chen Fan, Lu Xuening, the constable of Ping An County, and that old bastard Huang Chengyue led the constables, yamen runners, and county soldiers from the county yamen to sweep through the homes of officials great and small, killing many members of the Demon Race."
"The remaining members of the Demon Race have all gathered here. If you still refuse to act, they may launch a carpet search tomorrow. Not one of you will survive."
"Furthermore, once the Demon Race in Ping An County has been killed, it will amount to declaring war on the demons of Black Mountain. With our current strength, even if Li Mo and I are added in, we are absolutely no match for the Three Demons of Black Mountain."
"Chen Fan and the others have caused a tremendous disaster. If we wish to quell the fury of the demons of Black Mountain, protect the people of Ping An County from slaughter, and keep ourselves from being settled with by the demons of Black Mountain, then there is only one road we can take."
"That is to kill the chief culprits, Chen Fan, Lu Xuening, and Huang Chengyue, and use their blood and heads to quell the fury of the demons of Black Mountain."
"Today, I deliberately gathered the dozen or so remaining members of the Demon Race in Ping An County. I invited them to join this operation, and also to bear witness for us, proving that we have no intention of becoming enemies with the demons of Black Mountain."
"This situation arose entirely because of the personal actions of Chen Fan, Lu Xuening, and Huang Chengyue. We must continue honoring our previous agreement, keep Ping An County stable and safe, and coexist harmoniously with the Demon Race!"
Cao De spoke with righteous indignation.
Many people were cursing inwardly, but they all had selfish motives as well. They feared the demons, and they also believed that Chen Fan and the others were no match for the demons of Black Mountain.
So, in order to avoid being torn to pieces by the enraged demons of Black Mountain, they could only board Cao De's pirate ship!
"Centurion, please give the order!"
"Whoever you tell us brothers to kill, we will kill. For the future of Ping An County, we shall not shrink from our duty!"
Li Mo declared loudly.
"We shall not shrink from our duty!"
Seeing Li Mo declare his loyalty, the others also voiced their stance one after another, speaking in unison.
"Chen Fan is the greatest variable. Kill him first. While we're at it, send these dozen or so Demon Race brothers out of the city so they can go to Black Mountain and spread the news. Then we'll turn back and kill that old bastard Huang Chengyue."
"Lu Xuening is his adopted daughter. She likely lives in Huang Chengyue's residence as well."
"Li Mo, you climbed into power by stepping on the corpse of Lu Xuening's father, Lu Fang. When the time comes, you will personally finish off Lu Xuening too. A family ought to be neat and tidy, all together."
Cao De looked at Li Mo meaningfully, revealing a devilish smile.
"Enough nonsense!"
"Send us out of the city first. After we leave the city, we'll accompany you to kill Chen Fan. Then we'll return to the mountain and report your merits to the three Demon Kings."
A black gorilla spoke in a deep, muffled voice.
Yet a trace of mockery flashed through his eyes as he thought:
Nearly one-third of Black Mountain's Demon Race has been lost in Ping An County, and you still dream of maintaining the previous peace. You're simply dreaming.
Once we return to Black Mountain and report what happened here, the rage of the three Demon Kings of Black Mountain will burn the entire county seat to ashes.
And you damned humans will all become our blood food!
"Hmph!"
Before you continue