[Slayed the Qi Gathering Realm Fox Demon Hong Mei, gained Merit +18, remaining Merit: 641]
But at that very moment,
when the message appeared in Chen Bin's eyes,
Hong Mei had already lost her head.
The headless body flew backward under the force of its momentum.
The headless fox corpse tumbled to the window wall of the Heavenly Character type private room, which had already collapsed.
The fragile window wall could not stop the corpse's impact. Half of it jutted out of the window, suspended in midair.
Blood gushed from the huge gash at its neck, pouring down to the first floor like a fountain.
The crowd in the hall cried out in shock.
Liu Wei swallowed, eyes wide, frozen on the spot and unable to come to his senses.
Chen Bin slowly sheathed his blade and walked toward the window.
Just then, the sounds of walls being smashed through came from all sides of the Jiaofang Si.
Several stern shouts rang out at once: "The Demon Suppression Division is on the case! All uninvolved parties, hands on your heads and squat down!"
The voices boomed with a chilling authority.
Figures poured in swiftly through the open doors, windows, and holes in the walls.
A dense clatter of footsteps echoed throughout the Jiaofang Si. Before long, Demon Suppression Division officers had filled every corner.
Several hurried footsteps approached the stage. The newcomers looked at the corpses there.
"General Banner, the fight seems to be over." After inspecting the scene, Ding Jun reported to the General Banner.
"Looks like we've missed another tough fight." Wang Sheng stopped and looked up at the fox corpse hanging out of the second-floor Heavenly Character private room window, its blood still gushing.
"We didn't even get a taste."
Candlelight flickered inside the Jiaofang Si, and the air reeked of blood.
Wang Sheng crouched down, brows tightly knit, and stared at the neat, gruesome wounds on the corpses. His expression was grave and scrutinizing.
After a long while, he raised his head. His sharp gaze fixed directly on Chen Bin. "Did you kill them all?"
Just then, Chen Bin appeared at the window, looking down at the stage below.
He stood straight as a pine tree. The Demon Suppression Blade in his hand was already sheathed, yet it still radiated a chilling aura.
At that very moment, Wang Sheng, standing on the stage, looked up, and his gaze met Chen Bin's.
From the second floor, Chen Bin merely gave a slight nod. His voice was low and calm. "I killed them."
"Good!" Wang Sheng slowly rose, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes, then clasped his hands behind his back.
He turned to the others and bellowed:
"Gather everyone together. Search for any other demons. Turn the place inside out. If you miss even one, it'll be your failure!"
"Yes!" the Captains shouted in unison, their voices perfectly synchronized.
They sprang into action, their footsteps echoing through the Jiaofang Si.
The corners of Chen Bin's mouth lifted slightly. With a light leap, he vaulted down from the second floor, agile as an eagle, and landed steadily on the stage without making a sound.
Soon, the Captains roughly dragged away the Fox Demon's corpse, leaving streaks of blood behind.
Like a flock of startled sheep, the crowd was herded onto the stage, each person panicking and pleading for mercy.
Wang Sheng paced over to Chen Bin, confusion written all over his face. "How did you figure them out?"
His words carried unmistakable curiosity.
Without hurrying, Chen Bin reached into his robes and took out the ancient-looking Demon Sensing Plate. Its runes glimmered faintly in the dim candlelight. "Because of this!"
He had carried the Demon Sensing Plate ever since he received it for his night patrols. It had become his secret weapon.
Wang Sheng leaned in to look. The pointer on the plate spun wildly, as if drawn by some powerful force.
He frowned, the corner of his mouth twitching. His teeth ached just looking at it.
Damn, the whole room was full of demons. Of course it was spinning.
Just then, a Captain hurried over and whispered a few words in Wang Sheng's ear.
Wang Sheng's expression darkened at once. He turned to Chen Bin, his eyes filled with confusion. "You stay here and keep an eye on things. I'm going upstairs."
With that, he flicked his sleeve, turned, and strode toward the second floor.
Chen Bin simply stood where he was, both hands planted firmly on his blade, quietly watching the crowd gathered before him.
Wang Sheng arrived at the second-floor Heavenly Character private room. The moment he stepped inside, the overpowering stench of blood hit him.
Seeing the bodies strewn across the floor, his face paled, then flushed. He clenched his fists so tightly his nails nearly dug into his palms.
The other Small Banners followed behind him. At the sight of the carnage, they drew sharp breaths, horror written across their faces.
The two young masters lying on the floor were none other than the most illustrious young men in Wanbao County—Lü Xiu and Qian Du.
"My lord, that's what happened!" Liu Wei leaned forward slightly and reported with great care, afraid of leaving out even the smallest detail.
Wang Sheng took a deep breath, forcing down the shock and confusion roiling inside him. "The one thing in our favor is that those two were killed by the foxes from West Mountain."
A trace of relief edged his voice.
"My lord, what should we do?" Liu Wei asked anxiously.
Wang Sheng's gaze hardened. "The Jiaofang Si colluded with demons. Seal off the scene. No one leaves."
He looked at Liu Wei, his gaze sharp as a blade. "Don't touch anything here. Go fetch Captain Qian and County Magistrate Lü.
"Let them see their sons one last time!"
"Yes!" The others accepted the order in unison and hurried away.
Wang Sheng waved them off. Once they had gone, he stood alone by the window, his expression complicated as he looked down at everything below.
From below, Chen Bin's voice rang out clearly:
"Jiaofang Si staff, stand on the left. Those here for drinks and company, stand on the right."
His voice was steady and powerful, carrying unquestionable authority.
The Demon Suppression Division's search was swift and decisive. They left no corner unchecked—not the rear courtyard, not the cellar.
Soon, both humans and demons had been brought before the stage, all trembling with fear.
Chen Bin began calling them forward, unhurriedly. Each time he let someone go, he pretended to inspect the Demon Sensing Plate carefully. As long as they weren't Red Names, he would say calmly, "You can go!"
But this was only his round. The real inspection was still to come.
According to the Demon Suppression Division's rules, whenever demons were involved, any jewelry or ornaments confiscated during a search would not be returned.
Time passed minute by minute. Gradually, only seven Red Names remained standing before Chen Bin: three demons and four humans. None was particularly strong, and none had reached the Qi Gathering Realm.
At that moment, Liu Wei came downstairs, preparing to notify the two powerful men. "How's it going?" he asked casually.
"Almost done. Seven left!" Chen Bin said with a meaningful smile, pointing at the three women and four men ahead.
"That's easy enough!" Liu Wei said dismissively, turning to leave.
Then Chen Bin calmly added, "It certainly is."
Before the words had even faded, a flash of cold light burst forth. The black Demon Suppression Blade shot from its sheath like a viper, fast as lightning, and cleaved the person in the middle of the seven in two.
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