Tea Tasting, the Cold and Glamorous Older Sister's Secret, and a Buffet Feast!

In the study of the Demon Suppression Bureau's Centurion's office.

The moment he stepped into this familiar territory.

Centurion Zhao's previously tense expression, like thawing ice, instantly relaxed.

He warmly invited Gu Cheng to sit down at the tea table and took out his treasured tea leaves, brewing a pot of hot tea.

Wisps of steam rose from their teacups, creating an exceptionally peaceful atmosphere.

A long while later.

Centurion Zhao hesitated for a good moment before finally speaking:

"Xiao Cheng, regarding your trip to headquarters for the final assessment, there's been a slight unexpected turn of events..."

"You should have heard about the major purge in Tianshui Prefecture, right? Thanks to that incident, the review standards this year are far higher than in previous years. Even someone like you, coming through the internal recommendation channel, has to go through an initial review again."

Centurion Zhao's expression was a little awkward. After all, he had confidently boasted that he could arrange for Gu Cheng to be directly admitted. Who would have thought that an additional review hurdle would be added later...

"Within ten days, the special reviewer will arrive in Changle County along with the team investigating the remnants of the Rebirth Sect. You don't need to feel too much pressure; he's just going through the motions, a simple test of your talent and strength. As long as you pass, you can return to Tianshui City with him immediately."

"Mm, I understand. Thank you for informing me, Lord Zhao."

Gu Cheng nodded politely, his heart undisturbed. It was merely an extra step in the review process. Compared to the tedious procedures of the normal channels, the backdoor arrangement Centurion Zhao had made for him had already skipped most of the steps.

"Hah, we're all family, no need to be so formal." Centurion Zhao waved his hand, took a sip of the hot tea, and said meaningfully, "With your talent, in time, you will surely shine brightly at headquarters. Perhaps in a few more years, I'll be relying on you..."

Hearing this, a flicker of surprise flashed in Gu Cheng's eyes, and he instantly understood. Given the strong and overbearing operational style of the Tianshui City headquarters, the general who was coming this time would likely not only investigate the Rebirth Sect but also take the opportunity to clean out the rot within the branch offices. In this case, Centurion Zhao, as the leader of the slackers, would naturally be the first to face consequences. If he were truly held accountable, even with connections above, his position as Centurion would most likely be lost. Therefore, Centurion Zhao naturally wanted to build a good relationship with Gu Cheng, a promising prospect, to secure his own future retreat.

With this thought, Gu Cheng suddenly remembered something and quickly asked, "By the way, Lord Zhao, with Centurion Lin's talent and strength, didn't you invite her to develop at headquarters before?"

"Ah? You don't know about this? I thought Xiao Yan had already told you." Centurion Zhao glanced at Gu Cheng with a strange expression. Seeing the genuine confusion on his face, he then explained softly, "As early as two years ago, I suggested she go to headquarters in Tianshui City to develop. But she insisted on staying in Changle County, citing revenge for her father. And for some reason, she doesn't seem to have any interest in advancing to the Demon Suppression Bureau headquarters..."

As he spoke, Centurion Zhao looked up at Gu Cheng's handsome face and had a sudden inspiration. "That's right, Xiao Cheng, why don't you try to persuade Xiao Yan to go to Tianshui City with you? Anyway, her father's murderer has already been killed by a Demon Hunter, so there's no need for her to stay in Changle County anymore..." Centurion Zhao suggested sincerely. For his own selfish reasons, he truly didn't want to see this well-matched couple separated.

"..."

Gu Cheng lowered his head, gazing at the rising steam in his teacup, remaining silent. After nearly eight days of close proximity on Black Wind Mountain, Gu Cheng was absolutely certain that the cold and elegant older sister figure harbored some great secret. Her reluctance to go to the Demon Suppression Bureau headquarters was probably due to her own special considerations, just like his own refusal to take the special recruitment path of "Hundred Refinements of the Azure Dragon." If that was the case, he would be even less likely to try and influence her decisions.

Afterward, Gu Cheng and Centurion Zhao continued to chat while sipping tea. When they had finished the pot of good tea, Gu Cheng took his leave.

Watching the young man's retreating figure.

Centurion Zhao withdrew his gaze and sighed softly.

"Alas, I hope my merit in recommending talent for the department this time can help me atone for my past mistakes."

With that, he walked to his desk.

He took out a brand-new piece of Xuan paper and picked up his brush to practice calligraphy again.

However, due to too many distracting thoughts in his mind, the large characters he wrote were far below his usual standard.

Lost in thought, Centurion Zhao suddenly frowned, as if he had discovered a blind spot.

"Strange... Old Master Zheng's family clearly lost two sons, so why is his reaction today so quiet?"

"According to their family's usual style, shouldn't they have rushed to the yamen long ago to pressure the Demon Suppression Bureau to severely punish the culprit?" Centurion Zhao's brushstrokes came to an abrupt halt.

The thick ink spread and seeped across the Xuan paper, forming a conspicuous ink stain.

He knew very well how much the head of the Zheng family valued his two beloved sons.

Back then, in order to get the second young master of the Zheng family into the Demon Suppression Bureau, the man had spent a lot of money at the yamen.

Now that both sons were dead, it was truly too abnormal for the old master of the Zheng family to have no reaction at all.

"Could it be extreme grief, where sorrow is greater than death?"

Centurion Zhao pondered this in his heart.

He decided to wait a few more days before personally visiting the renowned local tycoon of Changle County.

Three days later.

On the outskirts of Changle County, in a dense forest.

Two wolf-headed, human-bodied demonic creatures fled rapidly through the mountains and forests.

Judging by their flustered appearance, using both hands and feet, their hearts were filled with extreme fear, as if they were being chased by an extremely terrifying enemy.

In an instant, a tall figure suddenly burst out from the nearby bushes.

Like an arrow released from a bowstring, it charged directly at the two wolf demons!

"Die!"

Xiao Yun's expression was stern, and his chilling blade energy converged on his long saber.

He aimed at the vital point of a wolf demon and swung his saber!

Just as the sharp blade was about to touch the wolf demon's glossy fur.

Crack—

With the sound of an electric current breaking through the air.

A dark saber, entwined with azure lightning, arrived later but struck first.

Xiao Yun only saw a silver-white ghost flash before his eyes.

When he came to his senses, the two wolf demons were already headless, as dead as they could be.

The high temperature of the lightning caused the cut surfaces to be charred black, so not a drop of demonic blood flowed out, emitting a pungent smell of burning.

"..."

Xiao Yun looked at the two headless wolf demon corpses, then glanced at the handsome Centurion standing beside them with a saber in hand.

His resolute face was filled with frustration and confusion.

Sigh...

This Lord Gu was good in every way, except he was too fond of stealing kills.

In the past three days, all the demons and monsters they encountered had been completely monopolized by Gu Cheng, as if he wouldn't personally intervene even to kill a chicken.

This had made Xiao Yun's saber almost rust.

[Killed Body Tempering Realm Wolf Demon, gained lifespan: thirty-one years]

[Killed Body Tempering Realm Wolf Demon, gained lifespan: twenty-nine years]

[Remaining lifespan: one thousand and twenty-four years]

Gu Cheng sheathed Ink Feather and looked at the updated records on the panel, the corners of his mouth curling upwards.

In the past three days, the demons from Black Wind Mountain, who had been hiding, had suddenly become active again.

He didn't know if they were instigated by the Rebirth Sect or if they had some special purpose.

But regardless, Gu Cheng had thoroughly enjoyed a "buffet."

Although most of them were small fry from the Body Tempering Realm, quantity made up for the lack of quality.

Under his sweeping harvest, he had managed to push his lifespan back into four digits.

"With over a thousand years of lifespan, it should be no problem to advance Hundred Refinements of the Azure Dragon to Grand Perfection, right?"

Gu Cheng's heart immediately became fiery.

He couldn't wait to personally test the formidable power of the Xu family's thunder law!