Redeeming Himself Through Merit

Before long, Si Miaoyin and Ling Yan returned.

Yang Zhiru still wore his gentle smile.

But Li Xuanxiao was clearly in a different state.

It seemed...

As though he had suffered some sort of blow.

Si Miaoyin looked back and forth between the two of them.

Something must have happened while she was gone.

"Ling Yan, come with me to the side hall and tell me in detail about everything you saw along the way."

Ling Yan respectfully acknowledged the order and obediently followed behind Yang Zhiru.

"Miaoyin, I'll leave this young friend in your care."

Si Miaoyin nodded. "Don't worry, Uncle Yang!"

After Yang Zhiru and Ling Yan left.

Si Miaoyin could no longer suppress her curiosity and asked Li Xuanxiao what the two of them had discussed just now.

Li Xuanxiao shook his head without saying much.

"Hmph~ So stingy!"

Si Miaoyin gave a light snort. "Fine, don't tell me. It's not like I'm dying to hear it!"

But Li Xuanxiao had no mood to tease her now.

He carefully relived that feeling from earlier.

That helplessness of having his fate beyond his own control...

That invincible despair...

That instinctive fear...

As a martial artist, he had not even been able to draw his blade...

How ironic?

How laughable?

How tragic?

He had thought he possessed a certain degree of strength by now.

But it seemed that before truly formidable figures.

He was no different from those Profound Realm demons.

All were existences that could be casually erased!

After staying in Ning'an City for so long, he had more or less grown complacent.

Now, Yang Zhiru had used his strength to drag him back into the cold reality once more!

Peace without the foundation of one's own strength was merely the strong bestowing charity upon the weak.

Being able to live peacefully in one corner was not because he was particularly strong.

It was only because, in the eyes of those truly powerful people, he was so insignificant as to be beneath notice.

After all, most of the time, who would pay attention to an ant passing by on the roadside?

Since humans had powerful experts like Yang Zhiru, demons naturally had them as well!

And there would only be more of them!

If he grew slack and complacent.

Then next time, it might be his death!

"I must become stronger—stronger!"

A fierce desire for power surged within Li Xuanxiao once again!

Si Miaoyin had no idea what towering waves and raging seas were churning beneath Li Xuanxiao's calm exterior.

She waved at Li Xuanxiao. "Come with me! I'll take you to the Law Enforcement Hall first."

Li Xuanxiao nodded and followed.

They passed through one courtyard after another within the vast Demon Slayer Division.

When the two finally stopped, Li Xuanxiao looked up and saw a huge plaque—the Law Enforcement Hall!

As they stepped into the courtyard, quite a few Law Enforcement Hall martial artists in standard uniforms turned to look at them.

The few who looked over all brightened at once.

"Lord Miaoyin is here!"

"Lord Miaoyin, what brings you to our Law Enforcement Hall today?"

"Please sit here, Lord Miaoyin!"

Beautiful women truly received preferential treatment everywhere~

Si Miaoyin gave a playful smile and returned their greetings one by one.

Then, her gaze seemingly casually drifted toward the person beside her.

When they reached a large door within the courtyard, Si Miaoyin stepped forward and knocked. "Is Lord Liu in?"

"Si Miaoyin requests an audience!"

Before long, the door opened.

A middle-aged man with a kind face strode out with the gait of a dragon and the stride of a tiger.

This man was the head of the Law Enforcement Hall, Liu Gelin.

Liu Gelin stroked his beard and smiled. "Lord Miaoyin, what brings you to my place today?"

Si Miaoyin bowed. "There is an official matter requiring Lord Liu's handling!"

The middle-aged man nodded slightly. His gaze passed over Si Miaoyin and landed on Li Xuanxiao standing behind her, and he formed a guess.

Si Miaoyin walked over to Li Xuanxiao's side. "Come with me!"

She then pulled Li Xuanxiao directly into the hall.

Before Liu Gelin, she explained the entire sequence of events.

"So that's how it is..."

Liu Gelin stroked his beard, though no one knew what he was thinking.

Suddenly, he chuckled. "Tell me, Lord Miaoyin, what do you want me to do?"

Si Miaoyin waved her hand. "How would I dare tell you how to do your job? Everything shall be decided by Lord Liu."

Liu Gelin smiled meaningfully. "You personally brought him here. Your intentions could not be more obvious. I may be old, but I'm not blind."

"How about this? Let's not talk about punishment or no punishment."

"I happen to have a mission suited for a martial artist in the mid-to-late Extreme Realm."

"I'll leave it to him. If he completes it well, it will count as redeeming himself through merit."

Si Miaoyin was delighted upon hearing this. "Then many thanks to Lord Liu!"

She hurriedly kicked Li Xuanxiao, who had been lost in thought since earlier.

Li Xuanxiao belatedly came to his senses and hurriedly followed suit in offering his thanks.

Seeing this, Liu Gelin revealed a meaningful smile.

After leaving the Law Enforcement Hall, Li Xuanxiao looked through the mission booklet in his hand.

The citizens of Faxuan City had been disappearing one after another. After investigating, the constable and his officers determined that demons were responsible!

Moreover, the demons' realm was clearly far above theirs. After reporting it to the magistrate, the magistrate had repeatedly written to the Demon Slayer Division for aid.

Unfortunately, the Demon Slayer Division had never been able to spare anyone to deal with it.

It had no choice but to temporarily set the matter aside. Yet a week ago, the letters requesting aid, which had arrived almost daily, suddenly stopped!

Not a single message had come from Faxuan City since then, even up to today.

Si Miaoyin tilted her head as she looked over the booklet. "Faxuan City... I've been there before. The area nearby is mostly populated by Profound Realm demons."

"Though there are Extreme Realm demons too, nearly all of them are in the initial stage."

"With your strength, completing this mission won't be difficult."

Li Xuanxiao nodded, but did not mention that he had already entered the Mystic Realm.

He put away the mission booklet and looked solemnly at Si Miaoyin.

Si Miaoyin was startled by his sudden seriousness. What was this guy up to?

"Lord Miaoyin, thank you."

"I will definitely repay you in the future!"

Si Miaoyin froze for a second, then burst out laughing.

He was clearly saying something about repaying kindness, but for some reason, she found it especially funny.

Li Xuanxiao did not understand why. "Right, Lord Miaoyin, I'd also like to ask you for a favor."

Si Miaoyin reined in her laughter. "Go ahead."

"Um..."

Li Xuanxiao seemed a little awkward. "Could you teach me a flying martial art?"

"It's quite a long journey, and walking there would be too slow!"

???

Si Miaoyin was utterly speechless.

She took out a martial arts manual and tossed it toward Li Xuanxiao.

Li Xuanxiao caught it and took a look.

"Ride the Wind"

"Before reaching the Mystic Realm, you cannot fly for long periods."

"This martial art is considered a decent long-distance gliding technique for the Extreme Realm."

"It'll be enough for you!"

"If you want higher-quality martial arts, you'll have to join the Demon Slayer Division."

"Complete missions to earn Contribution Points, then exchange them."

Li Xuanxiao silently committed this to memory and thanked her once again.

After bidding Si Miaoyin farewell, he immediately began reading Ride the Wind.

Martial art recorded—Ride the Wind!

Li Xuanxiao looked at the words before him and immediately ordered the system to add points!

Consumed 20 Demon Points. Ride the Wind has reached Basic Understanding!