"Whoa! Is that Prairie Fire Saber Xue Yan, ranked eighty-third on the Blood Ranking?!"
"Short beard, two sabers on his back, scar on his forehead. It's him. There's no mistaking that presence. What's he doing here?"
"A Blood Ranking fighter, with a clean background, too. If he wants to join the Demon Suppressing Division, they'll definitely take him in!"
"Of course they will! Plenty of Golden Sparrow Tiger Guards in the prefectural city's Demon Suppressing Division aren't strong enough to make the Blood Ranking."
The crowd erupted the moment the short-bearded man appeared, every gaze turning toward him.
Even the old woman, who'd been wearing a sour expression, greeted him with solemn respect.
In an instant, the short-bearded man became the center of attention.
"Prairie Fire Saber Xue Yan! Eighty-third on the Blood Ranking?"
Chu Ge looked at the short-bearded man being welcomed by the old woman, recalling the description he'd read on the Blood Ranking yesterday.
There were very few lone martial artists who made it onto the Blood Ranking.
But as the description had stated, Xue Yan was one of those unaffiliated wanderers, and his talent was truly exceptional.
"I'm here to claim my reward. This is the head of Du Xiangguang, the Two Forms Yin Yang Sword. He's a wanted criminal registered by Great Zhou."
Xue Yan raised the black bag in his hand and spoke with an indifferent expression.
"Whoa! Du Xiangguang, the Two Forms Yin Yang Sword! He may not be on the Blood Ranking, but he's still a formidable fighter. He was an expelled disciple of the Two Forms Sword Sect."
"I heard the reward isn't gold, but something much more valuable: Exotic Power Crystals."
The crowd's chatter grew louder. Their eyes were full of awe and admiration as they looked at Xue Yan.
"The reward is Exotic Power Crystals?"
Chu Ge's interest stirred.
He didn't stay where he was. Instead, he went to a nearby teahouse and sat for a while.
Before long, he saw the old woman respectfully escort Prairie Fire Saber Xue Yan outside.
After leaving, Xue Yan strode off toward a nearby, bustling commercial district.
Only one person, apparently from a Lineage, came to invite him along the way, but Xue Yan politely declined.
Chu Ge watched for a while. Seeing no one from the Demon Suppressing Division—or any of its informants—follow after Xue Yan, he gradually relaxed.
"So the Demon Suppressing Division doesn't casually send people to tail those on the Blood Ranking. Even if they can't recruit them, they at least won't offend them lightly."
Without hesitation, Chu Ge stuffed Xiao Qian back into his sleeve. She'd been poking her little head out mischievously to look around.
He left a few copper coins behind, then returned to Moon Xi Inn.
The head of Dark Poison Child, the hundredth-ranked Blood Ranking fighter he'd killed a few days ago, was still in a wooden box in the inn, preserved under a layer of lime.
He'd originally planned to wait until he reached the prefectural city, assume the identity of a porter, and bring in Dark Poison Child's head to claim the reward.
Now that he'd observed the situation and confirmed there was no risk, he naturally intended to collect it.
Half an incense stick later.
At the entrance to the Demon Suppressing Division.
A burly old man in a cloak appeared at the entrance, a black bundle in his hand.
A few people were still gathered outside the Demon Suppressing Division. The old woman was seated at a table by the entrance, leisurely sipping tea as she recorded information.
Chu Ge's arrival went unnoticed.
But when he walked toward the main gate of the Demon Suppressing Division, the old woman quickly glanced over. The next moment, she frowned and was about to scold him—then her eyes suddenly fixed on him.
She swiftly pulled a booklet from her robe and flipped it open. Her face changed at once. Leaving the person she'd been registering at the table, she stood and hurried over to the old man, bowing with clasped fists.
"Could you be the expert who appeared in Linyuan City and killed Soul Chasing Old Man? You're now ranked seventy-ninth on the Blood Ranking!"
Chu Ge gave the old woman a cool sidelong glance. Remembering how she'd looked down on him earlier, he didn't bother to be polite. "So what if I am? And what if I'm not? Who are you?"
The old woman froze. Few people who came to the Demon Suppressing Division spoke to her like that.
She might only be a Blade Catcher, but she wore the uniform. Outsiders usually showed her some respect.
But the man before her was certainly the mysterious old expert ranked seventy-ninth on the Blood Ranking—the one who'd killed Soul Chasing Old Man.
Powerful people often had strange tempers and unpredictable moods. She didn't dare offend him, even after he'd snapped at her, and immediately put on a smile.
"So it really is you, senior. I'm an insignificant nobody, merely a Blade Catcher in charge of odd jobs here at the Demon Suppressing Division. Have you come to claim a reward? I can escort you inside."
Seeing the old woman's chagrined expression—and how she didn't dare lash out—made Chu Ge feel great.
Just moments ago, the old hag had looked down on him every which way. He hadn't even been qualified to hand over a reward.
Now the tables had turned.
One moment, he'd been standing at the Demon Suppressing Division's entrance like a nobody; the next, everyone was turning to look at him.
But when he heard the old woman mention a reward, that caught his interest, too.
When he asked, he learned that he was indeed owed a commendation for killing Soul Chasing Old Man in Linyuan City. He was quite pleased.
"Senior, I'll take you inside right now," the old woman said respectfully, delighted inside.
She didn't know what wind had blown in today, bringing two Blood Ranking experts—and each more impressive than the last.
As the one receiving them, she'd earn merit just for escorting them inside.
That merit might not amount to much for a Silver Sparrow Wolf Guard, but for a Blade Catcher like her, it was quite a lot.
"No need. You look busy, and there are plenty of people waiting for you over there. I'll go in by myself. Have someone else receive me."
One look at the old woman's eyes told Chu Ge he understood what was going on. He flatly refused, just to mess with her.
Then, ignoring her stunned expression, he walked straight toward the Demon Suppressing Division.
"Senior..." The old woman still wanted to come forward and say more.
"Hmm?" Chu Ge stopped abruptly, his gaze as cold as lightning and sharp as frosted blades.
The old woman felt as if an electric current had passed through her. A chill ran down her spine, and she stood rooted to the spot, not daring to move.
Chu Ge calmly looked away and carried Dark Poison Child's head into the Demon Suppressing Division.
A quarter of an hour later.
In the hall where the Demon Suppressing Division received honored guests, Chu Ge had finished his tea. He looked toward two Golden Sparrow Tiger Guards approaching from a side hall, stood, and clasped his fists. His voice was hoarse.
"Gentlemen, how did the inspection go?"
The two Golden Sparrow Tiger Guards immediately returned his salute with courtesy. A middle-aged man with a goatee smiled. "There's no problem. The head you brought us belongs to Fei Shouquan, regional executive of the Yellow Turban Sect and a Class D wanted criminal of Great Zhou.
"I didn't expect that in just one month, you'd not only kill Soul Chasing Old Man but Fei Shouquan as well. Decisive and efficient—truly impressive."
As they spoke, both men wore expressions of sincere admiration. Their respect for the strong came from the heart.
"It was nothing. I merely saw injustice and dealt with it along the way."
His tone was mild, but the words carried such confidence in his strength that the two Golden Sparrow Tiger Guards grew even more respectful.
Even within the prefectural city's Demon Suppressing Division, there were very few Golden Sparrow Tiger Guards who made it onto the Blood Ranking. They were all candidates to become Attendants.
"Since that's confirmed, the reward I'm owed..."
"Rest assured, senior. We'll prepare your reward."
The younger Golden Sparrow Tiger Guard smiled. "You didn't bring us Soul Chasing Old Man's head, so you couldn't claim the Imperial Court's bounty for him. But now that you've proven your identity and brought us the unexpected prize of Dark Poison Child's head, we'll waive that requirement for Soul Chasing Old Man's bounty."
The Yellow Turban Sect and the Heaven and Earth Incense Cult were the sort of unruly forces the Demon Suppressing Division was eager to crush.
Chu Ge had taken care of two of them at once. It was hard for the Demon Suppressing Division's experts not to feel favorably toward him.
"Indeed!"
The middle-aged man with the goatee smiled courteously. "Please wait a moment, senior. We're preparing your reward now."
He paused, then ventured, "May I ask your name? Do you belong to a sect or Lineage? Would you be willing to join the Demon Suppressing Division and serve the Imperial Court?"
Chu Ge had expected they might try to recruit him. After a moment's thought, he answered calmly, "You may call me Porter. I'm unaffiliated. As for serving the Imperial Court..."
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