Kong Wu was stunned for a moment before noticing that a few of the techniques used by the person before him looked somewhat familiar.
That cross-dressing woman he had encountered at the inn before.
Was she from Purple Flame Hall?
Judging from this person's reaction, Purple Flame Hall seemed to be looking for people with formidable physical strength.
But why?
Kong Wu did not know, nor did he want to know.
Relaxing his tense muscles, Kong Wu casually said, "Not interested."
Since this person bore him no ill will, there was no need to attack him.
After all, Kong Wu was not someone who enjoyed meaningless slaughter.
Seeing Kong Wu reject him so decisively, Xiao Hong revealed a trace of surprise.
He had refused Purple Flame Hall's olive branch without even thinking about it. Could this fellow not know much about Purple Flame Hall?
One had to know that throughout Qingzhou, the number of cultivators who wanted to join Purple Flame Hall was countless.
In the path of cultivation, the most important thing was the inheritance of cultivation methods.
And those things were all controlled by the various cultivation sects in Qingzhou.
There were also some Rogue Cultivators blessed with extraordinary luck who had fortuitously obtained cultivation methods scattered outside.
But most of those cultivation methods only reached the Qi Refining stage.
Furthermore, after joining a sect, having senior cultivators answer their questions about cultivation could save those Rogue Cultivators who explored on their own from taking many unnecessary detours.
However, after carefully observing Kong Wu for a while, Xiao Hong suddenly understood and nodded.
There was no True Qi fluctuation. He was not a cultivator.
Thus, he changed his method of recruitment.
"It's fine if you don't want to join Purple Flame Hall. If you can help this old man with a favor, I'll definitely reward you handsomely. Pills, talismans, worldly gold and silver—anything Purple Flame Hall can provide, you can name it."
At those words, Kong Wu stopped and thought seriously for a while before asking, "Anything?"
"Within Purple Flame County, Purple Flame Hall still has some influence."
Xiao Hong appeared brimming with confidence.
"Good!" Kong Wu nodded and said, "Can you find a Golden Core stage demon, beat it half to death, and then let me finish it off?"
Xiao Hong's hand, which had been stroking his beard, froze. Confusion filled his eyes.
What kind of condition was this?
Seeing that Kong Wu looked ready to make an outrageous demand, Xiao Hong had already prepared himself. Even if Kong Wu wanted some precious pills or magical artifacts, Purple Flame Hall could still grit its teeth and produce them.
But this condition instantly left him dumbfounded.
Kong Wu shook his head and prepared to leave.
Until now, the strength attributes of every opponent he had killed had been below his own.
He wanted to see how many free attribute points the system would reward him for killing an enemy far beyond his own level.
The person before him had strength far exceeding that of Hu Qiying, who was at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage. Yet, in Kong Wu's perception, the feeling they gave him was not much different.
From this, it was clear that even a strength attribute of 73 had not reached the Golden Core stage.
Seeing that Kong Wu was about to leave, Xiao Hong came back to himself and said strangely, "Is this your condition? Are you sure? You don't need anything else?"
Could this actually work?
Kong Wu asked, "Can you do it?"
"Can't!" Xiao Hong answered crisply.
Then he hurriedly added, "However, if you don't have any special requirements regarding this Golden Core demon, I can still make it happen."
"Oh?"
Confusion appeared on Kong Wu's face.
Xiao Hong explained, "There are quite a few Golden Core-stage demons in the Demon Suppression Prison in Qingzhou City. I can greet the Demon Suppression Division there and have them find a few who are awaiting execution. Wouldn't it be enough to let you deal with them?"
It could work like this???
For a moment, Kong Wu failed to react. Then, a flash of inspiration suddenly struck him, and an idea surfaced in his mind.
"Can I add a few more requirements?"
Xiao Hong had originally thought that Kong Wu's request would not be difficult for him, but he still felt slightly uneasy. He hurriedly said, "Let's hear them!"
Exchanging such a trivial favor for Kong Wu to fight to the death for him made the old man uneasy.
"Purple Flame County... has a Demon Suppression Prison too, doesn't it? I want to take a trip inside..."
Was it really just a trip inside?
Xiao Hong thought it over and finally nodded in agreement.
At worst, he could give Captain Jin some benefits. The price would still be acceptable.
Although he did not know why Kong Wu was so fixated on eliminating demons, he had no time to bother with that now.
As long as that matter succeeded, everything would be different.
Thus, under Xiao Hong's enthusiastic invitation, Kong Wu was brought to Purple Flame Hall.
As for the Golden Core-stage demon, Xiao Hong would have to write a letter after the matter was completed and have Kong Wu take it to the provincial capital.
As for the Demon Suppression Prison in Purple Flame County, Kong Wu could "take a trip" there tomorrow.
As soon as he entered Purple Flame Hall, Kong Wu ran straight into Xiao Lan.
Facing Xiao Lan, who covered her small mouth in astonishment, Kong Wu merely nodded in greeting before following the steward to the guest room.
"Grandpa, that fellow... how did you convince him?"
Seeing this, Xiao Hong immediately understood that the person Xiao Lan had mentioned earlier was Kong Wu.
He had to admit, her eye for people was excellent.
In all his years of experience, Kong Wu was the person with the most formidable physical strength Xiao Hong had ever seen.
His abundant vital energy and blood had nearly formed tangible yang energy. With his physical body alone, he should be able to deal with Qi Refining-stage cultivators, right?
He wondered how this person had grown. Could he possibly possess the bloodline of the ancient Barbarian Tribe?
"Lanlan, when handling matters, you need to prescribe the right medicine for the illness. Everyone wants something different. Knowing what to offer requires experience, and you're still too young."
Xiao Lan gave an "oh" and asked curiously, "Then what does he want?"
For a moment, Xiao Hong actually did not know how to answer.
At the Purple County Demon Suppression Division, Captain Jin Hefeng wore a red brocade uniform. He calmly watched Zhang Hao's breathing gradually stabilize after taking a pill, then turned around and asked, "You're saying the person who injured Zhang Hao had no True Qi fluctuations at all?"
Yang Zhaohui said awkwardly, "It's also possible that the people below had cultivation levels too low to see clearly."
Seeing Captain Jin respond with an indifferent hum, he probed, "Captain, should we have people put up notices and search the entire city for him?"
"No need. After injuring someone from the Demon Suppression Division, he must have already fled the city."
What Captain Jin Hefeng said made some sense. Great Jing was unlike other nations—the most powerful cultivators were all under the control of the imperial court.
After offending Great Jing's greatest instrument of violence, how could that person still have the nerve to remain in the city?
Yet Yang Zhaohui recalled how that person had greeted him last night as if no one else existed, and a strange expression appeared on his face.
Given his behavior, he might be snoring away somewhere in the city at this very moment.
But since Captain Jin did not care, there was no need for him to make trouble for nothing.
After all, if they really went to arrest that person, he would be the one leading the team.
Looking at Zhang Hao lying there peacefully, Yang Zhaohui swallowed.
"Speaking of which, how is the matter I asked you to investigate?"
Compared with the matter of someone injuring a Banner Chief of the Demon Suppression Division, Captain Jin seemed to care more about this.
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