Only after Lin Feng's figure disappeared did the people in the courtyard snap out of their daze and erupt into an uproar.
"Madman! This guy is a complete and utter madman!"
"Too ruthless! He goes straight for the kill at the slightest disagreement!"
"Now this will be entertaining. Wei Jin has backers within the Division too. This kid definitely won't end well!"
Inside the room, Lin Feng turned a deaf ear to the discussions outside.
He knew that, as a newcomer, blindly enduring would only invite increasingly vicious bullying.
Only thunderous methods could cow the petty rabble and win him a peaceful cultivation environment.
He opened the Demon Suppression Division Beginner's Handbook Chu Mengxi had given him and began studying it carefully.
The handbook detailed the structure and rules of the Demon Suppression Division.
The entire Nan Yan Commandery Demon Suppression Division was led by one Silver Token Manager.
An unfathomably powerful Dan Yuan Realm expert.
Below them were thirteen Bronze Token Demon Suppressors, all at the peak of the True Qi Realm.
Below the Bronze Tokens were dozens of Iron Token Demon Slayers, generally at the middle to high stages of the Meridian Opening Realm.
At the very bottom were several hundred ordinary members, whose cultivation ranged from Body Tempering to the Meridian Opening Realm.
And if one wished to gain a foothold in the Demon Suppression Division, rise through the ranks, and obtain better resources, the only way was to earn "Merit Points."
Slaying demons, solving sinister cases, and completing missions assigned by the Division all earned corresponding Merit Points.
Merit Points were the only hard currency within the Demon Suppression Division.
They could be used to exchange for cultivation techniques and martial skills, divine weapons and sharp artifacts, spiritual pills and wondrous medicines.
"Doing missions and farming monsters—perfect."
Lin Feng understood.
The next day, Wei Jin did not appear again. He had presumably gone to treat his injuries and call for reinforcements.
Lin Feng was more than happy for the peace and headed straight to the armory.
The Demon Suppression Division's armory was many times larger than the one in Qingyang County, standing a full three stories high.
The first floor stored basic cultivation techniques and some low-grade martial skills, open to all Demon Slayer Envoys.
The second floor required an Iron Token rank or above, as well as the expenditure of a small number of Merit Points, before one could browse it.
The third floor could only be entered by Bronze Token envoys. Every cultivation technique and martial skill within was worth a fortune.
Although Lin Feng now held an Iron Token rank, he had zero Merit Points.
His purpose in coming was to see whether there was a movement technique more advanced than Flowing Wind Steps.
However, when he arrived at the armory entrance, he was stopped by the two stewards on guard.
"Stop! This is the armory, an important place. Unauthorized people are forbidden entry!"
These two stewards were Wei Jin's closest lackeys.
Clearly, they had received orders to deliberately make things difficult for Lin Feng.
Lin Feng displayed his Iron Token badge. "I am Lin Feng, a newly promoted Demon Slayer Envoy. I am here to browse martial skills."
"Newly arrived?"
One of the stewards gave a false smile. "Sorry, the armory is being inventoried today and is temporarily closed. Come back tomorrow."
"Inventory?"
Lin Feng raised a brow. He had clearly seen people entering and leaving the armory just moments ago.
This was obviously just an excuse.
"What? You have a problem with that?"
The other steward stepped forward, faintly releasing the aura of the fourth level of the Meridian Opening Realm.
"We are carrying out orders. If you dare cause trouble here, you will be defying the Division's rules. We can seize you on the spot!"
They were certain Lin Feng would not dare make a move here.
This was the armory, an important place. Private fighting was a serious crime.
Lin Feng looked at these two clowns jumping about on the stage and sneered inwardly. He did not argue, merely turned and left.
"Tch. I thought he had some backbone. Turns out he's just a coward!"
"Exactly. After offending Brother Wei, he still wants to survive in the Demon Suppression Division? Dream on!"
The taunts behind him reached his ears, but Lin Feng ignored them.
He did not return to his quarters. Instead, he went straight to the Demon Suppression Division's Mission Hall.
The Mission Hall was bustling with people coming and going. A huge wall of mystic crystal displayed all kinds of missions in rolling text.
[Mission: Eliminate the bandits of Blackwind Stronghold south of the city. Reward: 50 Merit Points.] [Mission: Investigate the disappearance of wealthy merchant Master Li. Reward: 60 Merit Points.] [Mission: Hunt a second-tier demon beast, the Iron Back Wolf, and retrieve its Demon Core. Reward: 300 Merit Points.]
Lin Feng's gaze swept rapidly across the crystal wall, searching for a mission suitable for him.
Just then, a strangely affected voice sounded beside him.
"Oh? Isn't this the ruthless man who dared cripple one of Brother Wei's hands the moment he arrived? What, did the armory throw you out, so you came here to take missions and earn Merit Points?"
Lin Feng turned his head and saw several more of Wei Jin's lackeys.
It seemed this group had made up their minds to cling to him to the bitter end.
"Kid, let me give you a piece of advice."
The leading young man pointed at a blood-red mission at the very bottom of the wall, grinning with malicious delight.
"See that mission? 'Weeping Ghost Mine.' A Three-Star Extermination Mission, hanging there for three months now. Seven or eight groups have taken it, and not one came back alive. If you've really got guts, take that mission. If you can complete it, we'll take a detour whenever we see you from now on!"
This was another open scheme, flattering him to death, hoping to use a certain-death mission to get rid of Lin Feng.
The surrounding Demon Slayer Envoys also wore expressions as though waiting to watch a show.
Weeping Ghost Mine was a notorious death zone within the Nan Yan Commandery Demon Suppression Division.
It was said that an exceptionally powerful evil ghost lurked within, and even several Iron Token envoys had perished there.
Everyone believed Lin Feng would never dare accept it.
Yet as Lin Feng looked at that blood-red mission, a deep interest flashed in his eyes.
[Three-Star Extermination Mission: Weeping Ghost Mine] [Mission Description: An abandoned iron mine thirty li outside the city has recently seen frequent disappearances of miners. Ghostly wails often drift out at night, and resentment reaches the heavens. Preliminary investigation indicates that large numbers of Vengeful Spirits and an unknown powerful demon are entrenched within.] [Mission Reward: 1,500 Merit Points, and one cultivation technique of your choice.]
"An unknown powerful demon?"
"1,500 Merit Points?"
Lin Feng smiled.
How was this poison? This was clearly a huge gift package tailor-made for him!
He walked to the mission counter and, beneath everyone's astonished gazes, stretched out a finger and tapped the blood-red mission.
"I'll take this mission."
"H-he actually took it?!"
"Crazy! He's absolutely crazy! A newcomer actually dared accept a three-star death mission!"
"I bet he won't even make it through the mine entrance before the resentment outside tears him apart!"
The Mission Hall instantly exploded into commotion. Everyone looked at Lin Feng as if he were a fool, a dead man.
Those Wei Jin lackeys who had deliberately provoked him were startled at first, then delighted, cruel smiles spreading across their faces.
In their eyes, Lin Feng was surely walking to his death.
Even the steward responsible for issuing missions could not help offering a warning.
"Lin Feng, have you thought this through? This mission is no trivial matter. It has already claimed thirteen of our Demon Suppression Division's best, including one Bronze Token envoy. Once you accept it, life and death will be left to fate."
"I have."
Lin Feng's reply was crisp and decisive.
He collected the mission scroll and turned to leave beneath everyone's complicated gazes.
After Chu Mengxi learned the news, she immediately went to find Lin Feng.
"Are you insane?"
"Do you know what kind of place Weeping Ghost Mine is? The resentment there is enough to cause Meridian Opening Realm martial artists to lose their minds and become Living Corpses! Why did you take this mission? Did Wei Jin and the others force you?!"
She thought Lin Feng had been provoked into acting rashly.
"No."
Lin Feng shook his head. "I need Merit Points, and I also need... tempering. Besides, you know my strength."
For a moment, Chu Mengxi did not know what to say.
There was not the slightest trace of bravado or recklessness in his eyes—only absolute confidence.
"...Fine."
In the end, Chu Mengxi sighed, took out a white jade porcelain bottle from her robes, and handed it to him.
"These are Calm Heart Pills. They can stabilize your mind and resist the invasion of resentment. Remember, if things cannot be done, retreat at once. As long as the green hills remain, there will be no shortage of firewood."
"Thank you."
Lin Feng did not refuse her kindness and accepted the pills.
That afternoon, Lin Feng left Nan Yan Commandery alone on horseback and headed for Weeping Ghost Mine, thirty li outside the city.
Before you continue