Awakening at Spring Breeze Tower

Great Zhou Dynasty.

Wanbao County.

Spring Breeze Tower.

[The yang energy in the body has been drained, life-threatening danger.]

[Spent 34 Merit to repair the body and replenish yang energy.]

[Remaining Merit: 0 points.]

[Body reconstruction successful. Current realm: Body Tempering Realm (Blood Change Stage)]

Chen Bin shuddered violently, as if jolting awake from an ice cellar, his body trembling uncontrollably.

He gulped in ragged breaths. Each one seemed to fill his lungs to bursting, yet his chest still felt unbearably tight.

In that brief instant, a flood of information surged into his mind, making his head throb with pain.

The Great Zhou Dynasty had weathered a thousand years of turmoil. Its former glory now flickered like a candle in the wind, ready to gutter out.

Demons ran rampant through the land. Darkness spread like thick ink, swallowing every corner.

In the halls of power, ministers schemed against one another; throughout the martial world, sects clashed without end.

The whole realm was riven with discord and plunged into chaos.

Chen Bin furrowed his brow and pressed both hands hard against his head, as if trying to wrench the surging information out by force.

He struggled to get out of bed, his gaze hazy as he slowly surveyed his surroundings.

Pink curtains hung around him, but the scent of rouge was so pungent it made him want to retch.

Candlelight wavered inside the room, shadows swaying with it.

The place seemed strangely familiar.

Chen Bin's eyes gradually focused. His mind raced, and in an instant, he realized where he was!

That was right. This was Spring Breeze Tower in Wanbao County.

As for how he had ended up here...

These days, demons were growing ever more brazen, gradually blanketing the entire dynasty.

The Demon Suppression Division, once charged with suppressing demons throughout the dynasty, was slowly losing its grip. Every sign suggested it could no longer hold back the darkness beneath the realm.

Last month, the Demon Suppression Division in Wanbao County had been forced to recruit more people due to a shortage of staff.

His predecessor, who had started as a yamen runner, had spent a hundred taels of silver to buy the status of a "regular constable" from Captain Tian Jie of the Demon Suppression Division.

A regular constable was an official officer of the Demon Suppression Division.

By the standards of his previous life, that meant he had landed a government job. His future had seemed bright.

As soon as the Demon Suppression Division posted the announcement, his predecessor had immediately gathered his former colleagues and come to this Seafood Market at Spring Breeze Tower, eager to celebrate.

But...

Why had he died?

No, no!

Chen Bin shook his head sharply, terror showing in his eyes.

In this Great Zhou Dynasty, demons were everywhere. There wasn't a shred of safety to be found!

At the thought of safety, Chen Bin instinctively puffed out his chest and reached down, fumbling in a panic. When he felt everything was still where it should be, his taut nerves eased a little.

He let out a long breath.

But his brow soon furrowed again. Something still felt wrong.

Taking a closer look, he realized he was far too clean.

He brought his hand closer. There was no strange odor; the air was thick with the smell of alcohol and sweat.

As everyone knew, after drinking, your body was spotless.

That meant he hadn't done anything tonight.

Chen Bin froze, a chill shooting from the soles of his feet straight up his spine.

Chen Bin jerked fully awake. He quickly looked toward the knife on the table nearby, his body instinctively trying to get out of bed and seize it for self-defense.

But the moment his gaze landed on the knife, a line of information abruptly appeared before him.

[Weapon]: Demon Suppression Blade (Ordinary)

The sudden appearance of the information startled him, and his heart clenched.

He stared at the words, eyes wide, a thousand thoughts flashing through his mind.

This information... could it be his Golden Finger?

He had no time to think. He hurried to his feet, dashed over in a few strides, and grabbed his knife.

The long blade slid from its sheath. Its surface was black as ink, covered in blade patterns like cracks.

He remembered it was the standard horizontal saber issued by the Demon Suppression Division, the Demon Suppression Blade.

He had only just become a regular constable today and had just received it.

Since it had been made for the Demon Suppression Division and had special effects against demons, it was called the Demon Suppression Blade.

The instant the Demon Suppression Blade entered his hand, the information vanished like an illusion. The details had already entered his mind naturally.

Chen Bin's heart leaped with excitement. It really was his Golden Finger!

He was brimming with joy, eager to look at his status panel.

Suddenly, faint footsteps and voices came from outside. They were like whispers from ghosts, and soon drew close to the door.

Chen Bin's vision blurred. A three-dimensional map unfolded before him, with three red dots appearing on it.

Chen Bin's expression changed. With no time to think, he swiftly sheathed his blade and lay back down, pretending to be asleep.

"That Chen Bin's yang energy has already been drained. There's still a breath in his body, trapping his soul. You can have the corpse."

A voice came from outside the door, laced with a hint of coquettishness. "Just don't die in my place. Bad luck!"

"Don't worry, Red-Clad Woman. Lord Mountain Lord told me to hurry and bring him back." Another voice followed, hoarse as if it had been gnawing on wood chips.

"Red-Clad Woman, your business sure is profitable." Her voice carried a trace of mockery. "You brought a colleague here for a drink, sold his yang energy to me, and his soul to Mountain Lord."

"Red-Clad Woman likes to absorb yang energy, and Lord Mountain Lord likes souls!" Bao Hong chuckled, without a hint of guilt. "The Demon Suppression Division only gets a few non-combat death slots every month!

So we have to sell them off separately."

As they spoke, the three of them pushed the door open and entered.

Chen Bin kept his eyes shut, yet he could feel their gazes falling on him like blades.

Red-Clad Woman pointed lightly with a finger. "He's right there."

The hoarse old man slowly walked over and took a look, then turned to the constable beside him, who wore the white uniform of a yamen runner in the Demon Suppression Division. His eyes were full of contempt. "Just a Body Tempering and Bone Forging Stage Martial Artist.

"Bao Hong, the Demon Suppression Division has really gone downhill."

Bao Hong's lips curled into a sneer. A glint of mockery flashed in his eyes. "If the Demon Suppression Division weren't so lousy, would you get to feast on such fine food?"

Red-Clad Woman and Old Ghoul both turned to glance at Bao Hong.

Red-Clad Woman's glare in particular was like a flash of icy light. A chill instantly ran down Bao Hong's spine.

It was as if someone had poured a basin of cold water over his head. He immediately remembered his place, panic showing on his face.

Old Ghoul cackled. The sound was like the shriek of a door hinge that hadn't been oiled in a hundred years. "Bao Hong, you're nothing but a dog under Tian Jie. Even Tian Jie treats us with a little respect! What makes you think you can bark?"

Bao Hong's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly bent at the waist to apologize, forcing a smile onto his face. It looked even worse than a grimace.

He knew that if he really angered them, Tian Jie might just hand him over to them!

"Please spare me, you two. Next time, I'll bring two more yamen runners out of the city for you to eat."

Red-Clad Woman's mouth split almost to her ears, revealing a row of sharp, fine teeth that sent a chill through anyone who saw them. "I have no objection!"

"Get started. My Mountain Lord can't wait any longer!" Old Ghoul gazed greedily at Chen Bin on the bed.

He wanted a bite for himself, too, but this wasn't something he could sink his teeth into.

Red-Clad Woman stood off to the side, unconcerned. She was already done.

Bao Hong stared at Chen Bin, a trace of resentment rising in his heart:

Chen Bin, Chen Bin, I can't really blame myself for this.

If anyone's to blame, it's you.

I struggled so hard to save enough silver. Why did you have to offer twenty taels more and steal the spot I was trying to get?

Thinking of that, he looked at Chen Bin again. Seeing him in such a miserable state filled Bao Hong with a rush of pleasure.

Old Ghoul rubbed his hands together. They were as dry as kindling, like demonic claws from the depths of hell.

He reached out a claw and slowly extended it toward Chen Bin.

As soon as he got close, he saw the man on the bed move.

The other two saw it too.

That dead man had moved.