Requesting Reinforcements

'Lu Chuan' was incredibly shocked. Although he hadn't used this move with the Spirit Gathering Banner many times, he had never seen anyone block a ghost's attack in this manner before.

To contend with the Two-Horned Evil Spirit purely through strength, it was like a wrestling bull.

In 'Lu Chuan's' eyes, Ning Xiu, supporting the Two-Horned Evil Spirit's palm with his fists, looked like the fiercest wild beast.

"Hmph!" Although the Great Sun Profound Scripture's Internal Energy gave him the strength to withstand the Two-Horned Evil Spirit.

If he held on for too long, Ning Xiu felt his blood surging within him, his heart pounding faster.

This was a sign of overexertion. If he continued to hold on, the blood vessels in Ning Xiu's arms would likely burst one by one due to severe blood congestion.

Fang Ping, standing by, watched with a clenched heart. It was a pity that he was just an ordinary constable and couldn't offer Ning Xiu any help at this moment.

Suddenly, the Two-Horned Evil Spirit moved again.

Its other hand formed a blade shape, pressed flat against the ground, and chopped towards Ning Xiu.

At this moment, Ning Xiu's arms were fully occupied supporting the Two-Horned Evil Spirit's palm, leaving him with no other means to block this chop.

Seeing this, 'Lu Chuan' unconsciously showed a triumphant smile.

With the help of the Spirit Gathering Banner, his Ghost Summoning technique wouldn't give even a Martial Dao Eighth Rank much advantage.

As long as he killed Ning Xiu, he could save his true body.

Then, by hiding himself and changing his identity and appearance, no one would be able to find him.

The evil spirit's hand blade struck out rapidly, finally hitting Ning Xiu's side fiercely.

However, at this very moment, something that no one expected happened.

Ning Xiu, standing firm, withstood the evil spirit's attack, yet he remained as unmoving as a great mountain.

The evil spirit's hand blade couldn't even push his foot half an inch.

Instead, the Two-Horned Evil Spirit's rapidly attacking palm stopped the moment it touched Ning Xiu's body.

It gave a strange impression of time being frozen.

This was... the ninth level of the Golden Bell Shield!

"H-how is that possible!"

'Lu Chuan's' eyes widened instantly, completely unable to accept such a result.

Was this Demon Subduing Captain perhaps a stone golem that sprang from a rock?

Otherwise, how could he withstand the full power of the Two-Horned Evil Spirit's attack with his bare body and remain completely still and unharmed?

Just then, the Great Sun Golden Mark that appeared behind Ning Xiu shone as brightly as a candle flame, glistening with golden light.

At first glance, it was almost dazzling and dizzying. Although Fang Ping didn't know what this technique was, he knew that Demon Subduing Captains were extraordinary and dedicated to eradicating malevolent spirits.

He immediately withdrew his gaze, not daring to look further, lest his eyes be affected.

"This is the first time I've encountered such a powerful malevolent spirit. Coming to Wendeng County has truly broadened my horizons." Ning Xiu looked at the Spirit Gathering Banner driven by 'Lu Chuan'.

A rather inappropriate smile appeared on his face. This smile made 'Lu Chuan's' heart skip a beat.

Could it be that these two consecutive confrontations were not his limit?

Sizzle, sizzle!

Ning Xiu's right fist gradually became even more crimson, and this crimson color began to spread towards his wrist, eventually reaching his forearm.

The Two-Horned Evil Spirit's palm, in contact with Ning Xiu's fists, immediately emitted a sizzling sound. In just a few breaths, hot white smoke began to drift from it.

"Hah!" With a roar from Ning Xiu, the muscles in his arms bulged, and veins surfaced like coiled dragons.

As the Great Sun Profound Scripture reached its absolute limit, the force unleashed by his Internal Energy allowed Ning Xiu to directly tear apart the Two-Horned Evil Spirit's palm with his bare hands.

With a rip, the Two-Horned Evil Spirit's sharp claws were instantly split in two.

Without any pause, Ning Xiu stomped his foot, and his entire body rapidly leaped towards the Two-Horned Evil Spirit.

He raised his right fist high, and with the acceleration from his charge, he unleashed the Pure Yang Extreme Fist with all his might, smashing it towards the Two-Horned Evil Spirit's head.

Bang!

The crimson fist, formed by surging Blood Energy, was Ning Xiu's most powerful weapon at this moment.

Blood Energy was a natural bane to any malevolent spirit, let alone the Pure Yang Extreme Fist condensed in Ning Xiu's right fist.

The moment Ning Xiu's fist struck the forehead of the Two-Horned Evil Spirit, the ghost's head instantly shattered.

Numerous cracks, like a spiderweb, quickly spread. Before the eyes of everyone present.

The Two-Horned Evil Spirit, half the size of a house, began to disintegrate, its entire body dissipating into countless particles and shrinking back into the banner surface of the Spirit Gathering Banner.

[Killed Malevolent Spirit, Universal Proficiency +1000]

'Lu Chuan', holding the Spirit Gathering Banner, was speechless. He was completely stunned by Ning Xiu's actions.

His 'Ghost Summoning' technique, amplified and reinforced by the vast life essence within the Spirit Gathering Banner, should have made killing a Martial Dao Eighth Rank no problem at all.

But now...

Ning Xiu pressed down on the person's face with one hand. His crimson palm was like a searing hot brand, causing numerous cracks to instantly appear on 'Lu Chuan's' face.

With a forceful grab from Ning Xiu, a palm-sized gap was torn open in the man's face.

It was clearly visible that inside the gap in 'Lu Chuan's' face, there was nothing but emptiness.

It was like a hollow clay figurine crafted by an artisan.

This situation was exactly the same as what Ning Xiu had seen before in the mansion where the Scaled Demon hid.

It was evident that this fellow was also a puppet manifestation of that demon.

Shaking the Spirit Gathering Banner, 'Lu Chuan' finally fell to the ground. His entire body shattered on the spot, turning into a pile of fragments.

"Demons have many strange methods. Without corresponding experience, they're impossible to guard against. Fortunately, I'm superior in skill," Ning Xiu thought to himself.

Reaching out and picking up the Spirit Gathering Banner that had fallen to the ground, since the demon valued it so highly, it must have its own formidable aspects. Naturally, he had to take it.

As Ning Xiu dispersed the Great Sun Profound Scripture, the Great Sun Golden Mark on his back slowly faded, returning to its normal appearance.

Fang Ping hurried over and asked, "Lord Ning, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. This demon has been eliminated, but I suspect there may be other manifestations of the demon hidden within Wendeng County. Quickly go to the imperial post station and, in my name, write a letter requesting reinforcements. Send it to the Demon Subduing Bureau and give it to a woman named Su Qianqian," Ning Xiu said.

"Yes, I'll go do that now." Fang Ping nodded, then turned and ran away from the scene.

Although the two demons that had been causing trouble in Wendeng County were now caught by Ning Xiu, one dead and one captured.

However, some lingering problems now exceeded Ning Xiu's ability to handle.

This demon capable of creating puppet manifestations had been in Wendeng County for nearly half a month. It was likely that it had secretly created many manifestations.

To thoroughly uncover the existence of these manifestations, specialized expertise was needed. It would require the Demon Subduing Captains within the Demon Subduing Bureau who cultivated other Great Dao.

Carrying Lu Dengke's corpse and holding the Spirit Gathering Banner, Ning Xiu quickly left the Lu residence. He planned to first return to the county yamen and lock this demon in prison.

[April 22nd, Awakening of Insects.

According to the Wendeng County Annals, riots suddenly broke out throughout the county. In the marketplace, a vegetable vendor was possessed and injured over twenty innocent civilians with a knife.

The old scholar at the South Hall Private School madly strangled over ten students. A stable hand at an inn rode his horse and trampled over thirty passersby to death.

The cook at the Five Bushel Inn poisoned forty-odd diners, and the hunter Cai Liang wantonly shot and killed over ten women and children with his hunting bow.

They were subsequently killed on the spot by constables who rushed to the scene. Several of the perpetrators were as fragile as porcelain, lacking internal organs, blood, bones, or marrow. It was determined to be the work of malevolent spirits.]

When Ning Xiu returned to the yamen, the entire county yamen had already descended into chaos.

In less than half an hour on this day, over one hundred and thirty people had died in the small Wendeng County.

When this news was relayed to the County Magistrate Dong Fu by the constables, he was stunned on the spot.

It was like a bolt from the blue for him.

It was also like someone slapping him hard across the face, causing immense psychological damage.

"The pain of a county, the wound of a single line. For my Wendeng County, which has existed for over three hundred years, such a major and heinous incident has never occurred."

Dong Fu slammed the Golden Bottle Amorous Women in his hand onto the table and roared in frustration.

Several constables stood by, not daring to utter a word. No one could have anticipated such an event. One could only say that malevolent spirits were disrupting the world, and the unpredictable nature of events.

Just then, a yamen runner ran in from outside and said, "My Lord, Lord Ning has returned."

Dong Fu's eyes lit up instantly. With such a tragic event occurring in Wendeng County, whether for public or private reasons, his position as county magistrate was surely lost.

Losing his official hat was not the main concern; he feared that his superiors would be enraged and demand his life to account for Wendeng County.

At this moment, Ning Xiu was his only hope for survival.

"Quick, take me to see Lord Ning."

Dong Fu quickly ran out of the study and followed the yamen runner towards the main hall.

Inside the main hall, Ning Xiu sat in the county magistrate's seat, his foot resting on Lu Dengke's corpse, with the Spirit Gathering Banner placed on the table.

He had already heard about the tragic state of Wendeng County from the constables in the yamen.

Thinking that these events were the work of the demon beneath his feet, Ning Xiu felt a pang of unease.

The world had suffered from malevolent spirits for too long. Even Wendeng County, which was close to Chaotian Capital, had experienced such casualties. What about the prefectures and counties far from Chaotian Capital?

Even those prefectures and counties beyond Great Shang's control, how were the people there living in such dire straits?

As long as malevolent spirits were not eradicated, the people of the world would never have peace.

Ning Xiu suddenly felt a resolve to take this as his mission. This was the very reason he had joined the Champion Camp and endured hardship to join the Demon Subduing Bureau in the first place.

Moreover, Ning Xiu could gain Universal Proficiency by eliminating malevolent spirits, so why wouldn't he?

"Lord Ning!"

Just as Ning Xiu was lost in his thoughts, Dong Fu, shaking with his flesh, ran in from outside the hall.

Before Ning Xiu could ask, the man immediately knelt on both knees, his old eyes filled with tears, and cried, "Lord Ning, it is my dereliction of duty. I failed to protect the people of Wendeng County. I deserve to die."

"Enough. The dead cannot be brought back to life. This matter has nothing to do with you. The responsibility lies with me, and I will explain to my superiors on your behalf." Ning Xiu kicked Lu Dengke's corpse towards Dong Fu.

"Lu, isn't this County Magistrate Lu? How could you..." Dong Fu had seen Lu Dengke when he first reported for duty at the county office on the first day, so he recognized him.

When Dong Fu saw Lu Dengke tightly wrapped in bedding, he was extremely surprised. This person hadn't appeared for half a month, and he never expected him to appear before him in this state.

However, this scene looked very strange. Did this person have a problem?

"County Magistrate Lu was unfortunately harmed by a demon. It was an accomplice of that scaled demon from before. Currently, the demon is hidden inside him.

Go have someone find an iron cage and lock him up. Escort him to the prison, and wait for the Demon Subduing Bureau to send people over before deciding his fate.

Remember, do not let anyone get close to this demon to avoid any accidents."

"Hiss!!!"

Upon hearing Ning Xiu say this, Dong Fu immediately knelt and slid back several steps, putting distance between himself and Lu Dengke's corpse.

This scene couldn't help but bring a phrase to Ning Xiu's mind: the agile fatty.

"Thank you, sir. Your subordinate will do it now."

"Also..." Ning Xiu thought for a moment. "Since the new county magistrate has unfortunately met his demise, Wendeng County cannot be without a county magistrate for a day. Have County Magistrate Huang come back to continue serving."

Dong Fu replied, "Your subordinate understands."