Qian Chengzhu

Nothing!

His mind swept over the panel, but no notice about gaining Assistance Points appeared. Magistrate Chen and the other man had both ended up looking like that, yet they still didn't count as Demonic Beasts? Could it be because of that so-called Secret Technique?

"Little brother, your strength is astonishing. May I ask what sect you come from?" Yan Shan cupped his hands in greeting.

"I'm Su Ye, just a constable from Linshan County. I have no master," Su Ye replied with a cupped-hand salute.

Yan Shan exclaimed, "Su Ye, you're so young, yet your strength is already terrifying. You're truly a natural martial arts talent. If you joined the Demon Suppression Division, you'd surely soar to great heights."

"Captain Yan, you flatter me. Please rest here and recover. There are still a few remnants left, so I'll go take care of them all."

"Quite right, quite right," Yan Shan said, as if this were nothing unusual.

Su Ye turned and headed for the rear courtyard of the Qin Mansion. Magistrate Chen and the Qin brothers all had families, too. Who knew what they'd been thinking, dragging their families along when they were doing something so big? It only added unnecessary burdens.

At least it saved Su Ye quite a bit of trouble. As the old saying went, how could you lop off the branches without digging up the roots?

"My lord, do you think I'm beautiful?"

The rear courtyard of the Qin Mansion ran red with blood, and pleas for mercy rang out without end. Even the eldest Qin sister, a woman over fifty, was offering herself to him. Tsk. Had she watched too many brainless short dramas?

Yan Shan staggered over behind Su Ye and said, "That old woman's not bad-looking. What a pity, what a pity."

Su Ye was speechless. Yan Shan continued, "Constable Su, you have an admirable temperament and unfathomable strength. Your background is clean, so you really ought to join the Demon Suppression Division."

"Captain Yan, you give me too much credit. I was just lucky. I accidentally swallowed a precious herb, and that's the only reason I gained enough strength to protect myself," Su Ye said casually.

"Luck is part of strength, too. Besides, Constable Su's strength is plain for all to see. You can't attribute it all to a single precious herb."

As he spoke, Yan Shan took out a communication jade talisman and explained, "This is a communication jade talisman from the Demon Suppression Division. Yunzhou has been in turmoil for three months. At first, we thought it was another Demonic Beast attack."

"Who would've thought that the Corpse Demon Cult would appear in Linshan County? And they were so vicious that they meant to refine an entire county."

After speaking, he wrote something on the jade talisman in his hand. A faint glimmer flashed, and Yan Shan turned around. "Su Ye, let's find a safe place and wait."

"Captain Yan, you should tend to your injuries first. I've noticed plenty of Corpse Demon Cult remnants still in the city. I need to clear them out, but I'll come find you afterward."

Hearing this, Yan Shan's face filled with admiration. "So devoted to the people—you're truly a role model for us all."

Available Assistance Points: 1236

The sun rose over the horizon. The fires in the county had long since gone out. Su Ye sat atop the city wall, tallying his gains, while not far away, Wang Feng and the other two tended to Yan Shan's injuries with great deference.

"Captain Yan, how are you feeling? Would you like me to find you something to eat?" Xue Ping asked, fawning over him. Yan Shan was a powerful martial artist in the Meridian Opening Realm, as well as a captain in the Demon Suppression Division.

Xue Ping was only at the mid stage of Body Tempering, a lowly constable with no standing at all. Someone like Yan Shan would never have spared him a glance under ordinary circumstances. Now that he had a chance to interact with him, he naturally tried his utmost to make a good impression.

Yan Shan paid no mind to the flattery and turned toward Su Ye. "Su Ye, have you eaten your fill? How about a little more?"

"Captain Yan, you're too kind. I've already eaten my fill."

Su Ye looked beyond the city wall. On the open ground, a black line had suddenly appeared. As it drew closer, the thunderous rumble of hooves reached his ears.

"Commander Qian is here." Yan Shan rose and dusted off his clothes, then beckoned Su Ye to follow him down from the wall. As they walked, he introduced the man. "Su Ye, Commander Qian's name is Qian Chengzhu. Half a month ago, he reached Meridian Opening Perfection."

"He's from the main branch of the Qian Family in Yunzhou City. Despite being born into a prominent family, Commander Qian has no airs at all and enjoys making friends with people like you, Brother Su."

"With your talent, befriending him will make it easier to find your way in the Demon Suppression Division."

A hundred armored horsemen waited below, their imposing presence surging around them as baleful bloodlust coiled about their bodies. They were clearly martial artists who had reached the realm. The man at their head was handsome, around twenty-six or twenty-seven, and wore a splendid cloak.

The chestnut horse beneath him was extraordinary as well. It was several times larger than an ordinary horse, and dark-red scales, each about the size of a thumb, covered its body.

"Greetings, Grand Commander." Yan Shan hurried forward.

Qian Chengzhu dismounted and helped Yan Shan to his feet, looking pleased. "Yan Shan, is what you wrote in the communication jade talisman true?"

"Every word is true, sir. I also have Brother Su to thank for being able to inform you of this matter." Yan Shan recounted what had happened at the Qin Mansion.

"Thank you for saving my life, Brother Su. Yan Shan and I are as close as brothers; saving him was the same as saving me." Qian Chengzhu cupped his hands in salute.

"You're too kind, Grand Commander," Su Ye replied with a cupped-hand salute.

"Brother Su stepped in out of loyalty, but we can't ignore the rules." Qian Chengzhu took a porcelain bottle from his robes. "This is a Qi Gathering Pill. Please, Brother Su, you must accept it."

Qian Chengzhu wore a kindly expression, though it was clear he also meant to cultivate Su Ye's friendship. With so many people watching, Su Ye didn't want to get too involved with him, but he couldn't reject the gesture without offending him. So he reached out and accepted the bottle.

Su Ye had heard of Qi Gathering Pills before. They were made from century-old ginseng and Dew-Congealing Herbs, and a pill master had to refine them for several days.

The pill was amber-colored and glistening all over. When a Meridian Opening martial artist took one, it could increase their cultivation speed three- to fivefold for twelve hours. The bottle in Su Ye's hand alone would cost at least several hundred taels of silver.

"Now that the private matter is settled, your strength is extraordinary. Would you be willing to join my Demon Suppression Division?"

Qian Chengzhu looked Su Ye straight in the eye. Though the young man before him was young, he put considerable pressure on Qian Chengzhu. Compared with Yan Shan, perhaps Su Ye could provide him with even greater support.

As a former constable with a clean background, Su Ye would also bear the Li Family's mark if Qian Chengzhu recommended him. With a little effort to win him over, he might become another capable and loyal ally—

Su Ye recalled Yan Shan's earlier warning: prominent families held considerable influence in the Demon Suppression Division. If he joined through their recommendation, it would surely draw criticism.

But Su Ye didn't care. Once he had the cultivation techniques, he'd put them to use. As long as he was strong enough, he didn't care what tricks anyone played. He'd simply crush them beneath his heel. With that in mind—

"I'd be glad to."

"Excellent! Brother Su, you speak plainly. We'll have to keep in close touch from now on." Qian Chengzhu couldn't stop smiling.

Qian Chengzhu turned and said, "Yan Shan, take me to see the place you mentioned."

Yan Shan answered and led Qian Chengzhu straight to the Qin Mansion. He remembered clearly that when the mission had been forcibly assigned, everyone had received a small, round disc.

The instructions had been simple: they were to travel through Yunzhou according to the designated route, and immediately report if the disc showed any signs of a reaction.

On the surface, he was a captain in the Demon Suppression Division. In private, he had attached himself to the Qian Family from the very beginning. This was commonplace in the Demon Suppression Division and nothing out of the ordinary.

When he arrived in Linshan County, the disc in his hand had reacted abnormally. This had shaken him, and he couldn't help feeling secretly delighted.

Before he left the city, Qian Chengzhu had secretly instructed him to report immediately if he discovered anything unusual. Judging from Qian Chengzhu's attitude, this matter was extremely important.

"Sir, the source of the disturbance is right there, by that ornamental rockery," Yan Shan said, pointing.

As they made their way there, the smile on Qian Chengzhu's face gradually faded. He knew exactly why the Corpse Demon Cult had come. Thirty years ago, the Corpse Demon Cult's frenzied actions had revealed to all the various powers what they were after: a divine artifact called the Blood Fiend Sky-Severing Stele, forged in ancient times by a great cultivator who had refined the essence of his martial path.

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