Thousand Mechanisms Pavilion

After completing the escort of the demon and returning it to the Demon Subduing Bureau, and even imprisoning it in the Demon Subduing Prison.

Ning Xiu's first task was to report to Su Qianqian and provide a detailed account of the mission.

Then, she would record it into a case file and send it to the Heavenly Eye Tower for archiving.

It was the standard procedure for all Demon Subduing Captains who went out on missions, and no one was exempt.

After letting Ren Qianxing take the Spirit Gathering Banner to the designated storage for such demonic items, Ning Xiu parted ways with him and headed to the Fifth Examination Hall, intending to find Su Qianqian there to record his mission details.

As the Great Shang's foremost sword for slaying demons and protecting the nation, the Demon Subduing Bureau was granted immense power by the Great Shang Emperor.

It could punish imperial relatives, feudal lords, and nobles, as well as sentence civil and military officials, wealthy merchants, and commoners.

Judging the Son of Heaven, the imperial family, feudal lords, officials, and commoners – this was the meaning behind the name Fifth Examination Hall.

Typically, Bronze Leopard Demon Subduing Captains would work here, so if an Iron Horse Demon Subduing Captain needed to find their superior, the chances of success were highest by coming to this place.

Entering the Fifth Examination Hall, which occupied a vast area within the Demon Subduing Bureau, Ning Xiu saw a rusty iron tablet hanging from a beam.

Two lines of text were inscribed on the tablet:

'Our lifelong aspiration is to restore the Great Shang to a prosperous and peaceful era, where the people live and work in peace and security, and travel without worry.'

To eliminate all malevolent spirits, ferocious demons, and vengeful gods in the world, and to reclaim the twenty-four outer provinces.

This rust-covered iron tablet was clearly an artifact from hundreds of years ago, as it was during that time that there were still twenty-four outer provinces.

In recent decades, the Demon Subduing Bureau had continuously increased its manpower and had already reclaimed four provinces and their populations, leaving only twenty provinces remaining.

"The senior who inscribed this iron tablet must have been one of the earliest Demon Subduing Captains. Their generation spent their lives dreaming of recreating the glory of the Great Shang's thirty-six provinces. It's a pity that even today, this goal remains as distant as ever," Ning Xiu sighed inwardly.

However, the will of those before him was like the inscriptions on this iron tablet, well passed down.

It made every Demon Subduing Captain clearly understand their purpose in joining the Demon Subduing Bureau.

He only wished that he could fulfill the aspirations of his predecessors during his lifetime.

To the left of the main entrance, a wooden chest about half a person's height was placed. On top of the chest were brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone, along with an opening just large enough for a hand to reach in.

Ning Xiu walked over and realized it was part of a slogan selection event recently held within the Demon Subduing Bureau, intended to be posted at the Champion Camp for new apprentices to chant during training.

The purpose was to boost the apprentices' morale and ambition.

Any Demon Subduing Captain could write down a slogan they thought was good, leave their name, and then drop it into the wooden box.

If the slogan you submitted was approved and selected by the higher-ups, you would receive a mysterious reward.

Since this was an activity with no downside, Ning Xiu naturally wouldn't miss it. He immediately picked up a brush and wrote down a few lines.

'Today I take pride in the Demon Subduing Bureau, tomorrow the Demon Subduing Bureau will take pride in me.'

'If the youth are strong, then the Demon Subduing Bureau is strong.'

'As long as I don't die from training, I'll train to death. A thousand days of effort, and I will join the Demon Subduing Bureau.'

After drying the ink on the paper, Ning Xiu reached into the wooden box and then turned to enter the Fifth Examination Hall.

After asking around, Ning Xiu successfully found Su Qianqian's office, a room no more than ten paces long and wide.

Su Qianqian was currently sitting at a wooden desk, reviewing case files that had just been sent from the Heavenly Eye Tower.

Hearing someone approach outside the door, she instinctively looked up. Upon seeing that it was Ning Xiu, Su Qianqian showed a hint of joy: "Why didn't you say anything in advance when you returned?"

The chance of Iron Horse Demon Subduing Captains dying in foreign lands due to various reasons during investigations and missions had always been high. It was possible that leaving Chaotian Capital meant never returning.

Therefore, seeing the newcomer Ning Xiu return safely, Su Qianqian was naturally delighted and happy.

Ning Xiu walked to the wooden desk and calmly said, "Esteemed Su, I have thoroughly investigated the case of over ten people drowning in Wendeng County and have brought back the demon responsible for the disturbance. Ren Qianxing and I have already sent them to the Demon Subduing Prison."

"Well done. I only asked you to investigate the cause behind that bizarre drowning case, but you've exceeded expectations."

Su Qianqian looked at Ning Xiu with satisfaction. Her gaze then shifted to the Drum Beating Golden Hammer he was carrying.

Upon seeing the orange-red talismans inscribed on the surface of the Drum Beating Golden Hammer, Su Qianqian's expression instantly changed from curiosity to shock.

"Where did you get this Golden Hammer?!"

Ning Xiu glanced at his hammer: "I made a friend in Wendeng County, and he generously gifted it to me. Esteemed Su, do you happen to know about this Golden Hammer?"

Su Qianqian said with disbelief: "The orange talismans inscribed on the hammer are from the orthodox Immortal Path's lightning techniques, which are extremely profound. Only a True Man of the Immortal Path can inscribe them.

Among the True Men of the lightning techniques in the history of the Demon Subduing Bureau, there was only one who used a Golden Hammer as his weapon. If I'm not mistaken, the owner of this Golden Hammer should be the deceased Purple Thunder True Man."

"Your discernment is excellent, Esteemed Su. When my friend purchased this Golden Hammer, the seller from the Myriad Treasures Merchant Caravan said the same thing."

Su Qianqian continued: "The Purple Thunder True Man wielded a pair of Golden Hammers. The one with orange talismans was named 'Startling Thunder,' and the one with purple talismans was named 'Purple Lightning.' Only when wielding both hammers together could the true power of this pair of weapons be unleashed.

When swung, they could summon the roar of heavenly thunder and call down lightning, with the assistance of the Thunder God, repelling all evil."

Ning Xiu had never expected the true power of this Drum Beating Golden Hammer to be so immense.

According to Su Qianqian, the one in his hand was the Startling Thunder Hammer, and he was still missing the other one, the Purple Lightning Hammer.

If both hammers were wielded together, they would transcend the category of mere weapons and become existence akin to 'Magic Treasures.'

This was the true power of a weapon used by an Immortal Path True Man.

Instantly, Ning Xiu looked at the Startling Thunder Hammer in his hand, finding it more and more pleasing and satisfactory.

He immediately asked, "Sir, although I bought this Startling Thunder Hammer with money, if the Demon Subduing Bureau finds out, will they take it back? After all, you said the Purple Thunder True Man was once a Demon Subduing Captain."

Su Qianqian shook her head, "You don't need to worry. Any items left behind by Demon Subduing Captains who died in battle outside are considered ownerless. Whoever is capable can take them, and the Demon Subduing Bureau will not interfere.

Furthermore, we would be happy for the relics of these seniors to be inherited by later generations. This can be considered the Purple Thunder True Man still fighting for the Demon Subduing Bureau in another way.

So, take it and use it with peace of mind. No one will bother you."

"I understand," Ning Xiu replied.

"It's been a bit chaotic in Chaotian Capital recently. After someone anonymously exposed the Spring Full Pavilion for harboring Malevolent Spirits, the entire Chaotian Capital is now thoroughly investigating for Malevolent Spirits, to prevent a second Spring Full Pavilion from existing.

A while ago, a few Bronze Leopard squads went out to slay demons, and now the Bureau is short-handed. Since you've returned to the capital at this time, you'll have to bear with it and join the Demon Subduing Bureau's investigation."

"It's no trouble, Minister Su, I'm not afraid of being tired."

After explaining the details of his trip to Wendeng County, Ning Xiu left the Fifth Examination Hall once Su Qianqian finished writing the case file.

The monthly salary and merit points for Demon Subduing Captains of different ranks varied. For an Iron Horse Demon Subduing Captain like Ning Xiu, he could receive fifty taels of silver and ten merit points each month.

If he executed missions during the month, his additional silver and merit points would increase at the end of the month based on his performance.

Silver was used for daily life, while merit points could be exchanged for opportunities to learn new cultivation techniques at the Three Saints Hall.

They could also be exchanged for rare medicinal herbs and pills from the Spirit Gathering Repository, or for armor and weapons from the Weapon Forging Cave. If you prepared the materials yourself, you could also have the artisans of the Demon Subduing Bureau specially craft them for you.

The quality of these items was incomparable to those made by civilian artisans.

Therefore, for new recruits joining the Demon Subduing Bureau, the first thing they would spend their merit points on was usually to acquire better equipment to enhance their survivability.

Exiting the Fifth Examination Hall, Ning Xiu felt a bit lost. According to Su Qianqian's arrangement, he had joined a temporarily assembled investigation team.

However, this team's shift was at the hour of the ox, which was still several hours away.

He really had nowhere to go during this time. Would he have to ask Su Qianqian again to let him be a temporary executioner in the Demon Subduing Prison?

Just then, Ning Xiu suddenly remembered the Thousand Mechanisms Pavilion that Ren Qianxing had mentioned to him earlier.

The issue of carrying the Startling Thunder Hammer conveniently indeed needed a solution. Otherwise, constantly carrying a 320-jin hammer, while it looked imposing, was quite a torment at times.

The Thousand Mechanisms Pavilion was located in the eastern corner of the Demon Subduing Bureau. Ning Xiu had initially thought it would be a place similar to a grand hall.

But when Ning Xiu successfully found the place by asking for directions, he was stunned by the scale of the Thousand Mechanisms Pavilion.

Upon entering the main gate of the Thousand Mechanisms Pavilion, he found a vast, clean plaza inside. The ground was paved with white stone slabs, looking neat and tidy.

On this plaza, there were numerous stalls set up with umbrellas, as well as mobile wooden carts with wheels. Further in, he could see rows of shops.

If one didn't know it was the Thousand Mechanisms Pavilion, they might have mistaken it for a marketplace in Chaotian Capital.

"Can this place really offer a solution for the inconvenience of carrying the Startling Thunder Hammer?" Looking at the chaotic Thousand Mechanisms Pavilion, Ning Xiu suddenly had a big question in his mind.

"Silver Scale Breastplate, five taels of gold each, limited quantity, first come, first served."

Azure Sea Spirit Pearl, harvested from within a clam woman, extremely rare, make your offer.

"Half a damaged book, pages emit a strange fragrance, origin unknown, one hundred taels of silver."

Ren Qianxing hadn't explained it to Ning Xiu, but the Thousand Mechanisms Pavilion was the largest trading market for extraordinary individuals within the Demon Subduing Bureau.

Any practitioner belonging to the Demon Subduing Bureau would come here to buy or sell goods. Some of these were true treasures, while others were money traps.

Whether you could find true treasures in the stall area depended entirely on your own knowledge and discernment.

Ning Xiu walked by carrying a large hammer, a sight that instantly attracted the attention of many hidden and overt practitioners. They all sized up the young man who looked rather unusual.

Naturally, there were many who recognized quality. They immediately identified the origin of the Golden Hammer on Ning Xiu's shoulder.

"The Startling Thunder Hammer of the Purple Thunder True Man, who sacrificed himself in an accident ten years ago and was a third-rank Immortal Path cultivator. Good heavens! This is a great treasure."

"Who is this kid? He looks unfamiliar. Why have I never seen him in the Demon Subduing Bureau before?"

"He actually obtained the Startling Thunder, but it's strange that there's only one, and the Purple Lightning is nowhere to be seen."

Ning Xiu, of course, couldn't hear these people whispering. He walked while looking around.

He was trying to find the solution to the carrying problem that Ren Qianxing had told him about.

At this moment, a stall not far away caught Ning Xiu's attention.

This stall sold nothing else, only displaying two cushions. As Ning Xiu approached, he saw a muscular man with a shaved head, wearing only a loincloth, sitting on the left cushion.

On the right cushion sat a delicate woman with two small white horns growing from her forehead.

Seeing the woman with horns, Ning Xiu was taken aback. Did the Thousand Mechanisms Pavilion also sell demonic creatures? Wasn't that against the regulations of the Demon Subduing Bureau?

Perhaps sensing Ning Xiu's expression, the stall owner immediately explained, "Little brother, he is not a demonic creature, but a half-human."

Half-humans are the offspring that have a small probability of being born when a demonic creature and a human have offspring.

Their appearance is clearly half-human and half-demon, with some obvious demonic features.

Unlike demonic creatures, apart from certain features resembling demons, their bodies are entirely human.

"Aren't they considered a threat? And they can be locked up and sold?" Ning Xiu asked in confusion.

"Little brother, half-humans are no different from humans. They are raised with proper guidance from childhood. Apart from some minor features, they are human in all other aspects. According to the rules, they can be bought and sold, similar to the status of maids and servants. In fact, half-humans are also pitiable. Their mothers were violated by demonic creatures, and their birth with these features was not their intention. We must give these people a way to live."

Since there was a rule, Ning Xiu stopped asking questions.

Seeing him carrying a hammer, the stall owner proactively said, "Young man, that weapon of yours must be quite heavy. It must be tiring to carry it yourself all the time. I suggest you buy this strong man to serve as a servant soldier. That way, when you go out, you can have the servant soldier carry your weapon, freeing up your hands. Wouldn't that be much more comfortable?"

Servant soldiers were a common setup for martial artists. They would hire a strong person to help carry their weapons.

When combat occurred, they would then take the weapon from the servant soldier to fight.

This was somewhat like Zhou Cang carrying Guan Erye's saber and leading his horse.

However, Ning Xiu wasn't too keen on this method. After all, having a living person follow him around would make movement somewhat inconvenient.

Moreover, his Startling Thunder hammer weighed three hundred and twenty jin, which wasn't something just anyone could handle.

But the suggestion of a servant soldier did give Ning Xiu some ideas.

Why not ask a puppeteer for help and have them create a puppet for him that could store the Startling Thunder hammer inside?

Much like Ren Qianxing's two puppets, it could follow him around at all times.

When needed, he could open the puppet's body and retrieve the Startling Thunder hammer.

When not needed, he could store the Startling Thunder hammer back inside the puppet.

Wouldn't that be much more convenient?

There were three thousand Great Daos, each with its own way of storage. No one had ever stipulated that martial arts couldn't be aided by the Puppet Path.

With this idea in mind, Ning Xiu immediately began searching for puppet shops in the area.

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