The White Master

"Although I know the whereabouts of many demons, the one I trade with most often is that Mantis Demon."

"Because the others are either difficult to deal with or have questionable credibility."

Sun Zhi walked along a country path with Shen Lin, speaking as they walked.

"What do you mean by questionable credibility?"

Shen Lin asked with some curiosity.

"It means..." Sun Zhi sneered, "those who have traded with him don't last long."

"Double-cross, you know."

Shen Lin shrugged, his face unmoved.

He didn't sympathize with those people. Could anyone who traded with demons be a good person?

Those demons literally ate people without spitting out bones. Trading with them could lead to a fate worse than death if one wasn't careful.

After all, martial artists, especially those who had cultivated Qi and Blood Force, were walking elixirs to those Demon. Eating them provided great nourishment and could significantly advance their cultivation.

Sun Zhi nodded, seemingly finding Shen Lin's words very fitting. He then turned and asked, "Did you bring the things I asked you to bring?"

"I brought them!"

Shen Lin lifted the bundle in his hand and patted it, producing a clanging sound.

This contained all the money he had obtained from his previous venture.

Sun Zhi nodded in satisfaction. "When we meet them later, remember not to be too stingy. Know that what you're paying now can be earned back after killing the demon."

Shen Lin nodded and asked with some curiosity, "The demon we're meeting, it doesn't eat people?"

Previously, Sun Zhi had traded his colleagues with that Mantis Demon for the positions of other Demon.

But this time, he hadn't brought anyone else. Instead, he had instructed Shen Lin to bring all his savings.

Demon were also greedy for money?

Sun Zhi originally didn't intend to answer Shen Lin's confusion, but then he thought that if this fellow messed things up later, it would be bad.

So he explained, "Demon eat people. For them, it's both a process of consumption and a part of their cultivation. This demon is more... cunning. It likes to get things done with money."

Before Shen Lin could fully grasp what "getting things done with money" meant, Sun Zhi quickened his pace. After crossing a small slope, he let out a long sigh. "We're here."

Looking at the village ahead, Shen Lin pondered for a moment and finally recalled information about this place from his predecessor's memories.

Bai Family Village, with less than a hundred households, had a very low presence in Qiulin County. Most people didn't even know a village existed here.

His predecessor had only found out about this place once when he was sent to collect taxes.

That Demon was in this village?

Shen Lin followed Sun Zhi into the village, lost in thought.

Sun Zhi had a clear destination. Upon entering the village, he walked straight towards the largest courtyard.

At the entrance of that large courtyard, someone was crying out.

"Old Master Bai! Please, where has my sister gone? Just tell me, is she alive or dead? You must give me an answer!"

A dark-skinned Farmer knelt at the courtyard entrance, crying out towards the inside.

Just then, a man came out and glared at the Farmer. "An answer? It's already kind of him that my master isn't asking you for an answer, and you have the nerve to yell now?

When you borrowed money from him, you signed and made a thumbprint. If you can't repay the money, your Yuniang was to come to our manor as a maid. Ten years of service would have been enough. But that young lady actually dared to run away...

Did you secretly take her home? Hmm?"

The man kicked the Farmer to the ground, put his hands on his hips, and held his head high, acting extremely domineering.

"You're framing me! My little sister was the most obedient and well-behaved. How could she have run away? Besides, in this world, staying at the Bai Manor would at least mean she wouldn't starve to death. Going out... this..."

Just then, the Farmer suddenly saw Shen Lin and the other man. As if finding saviors, he scrambled over, grabbed Sun Zhi's thigh, and cried out, "Officer, Master Bai said my sister ran away from his house, but no one in the village has seen anyone leave these past few days. I suspect... I suspect..."

He hesitated halfway through, then gritted his teeth and suddenly said, "I suspect my little sister fell victim to their wicked hands and has already been harmed by them!"

"Hey, you scoundrel, you're getting too bold! How dare you slander our master?"

"It's not just my little sister. So many people you hired as helpers and maids before, they entered your courtyard and never came out. I'm not the only one saying this!"

The Farmer threw caution to the wind and confronted the other party directly.

To this, Sun Zhi calmly said, "You want to report a crime, but do you have evidence?"

The Farmer was stunned and stammered, "Evidence... the evidence must be inside this large courtyard. Officer, as long as you..."

Sun Zhi directly interrupted, "If there is no evidence, false accusations are punishable by law. Are you sure you want to report it?"

Hearing the words "punishable by law," the Farmer shivered.

A murderer pays with their life. If it was later proven that the Farmer had made a false accusation, the consequences...

He said no more, stood up, and left, looking back repeatedly.

"Thank you, Officer, for upholding justice. These rascals are truly..."

The servant of the Bai family cupped his fists towards Sun Zhi, about to offer some pleasantries, but was directly interrupted by him.

"I have something to discuss with Old Master Bai, please announce our arrival."

"This..." The servant hesitated. "My master has caught a cold recently, I'm afraid..."

"Just tell him that Sun Zhi is here to discuss a business deal."

Seeing Sun Zhi's stern expression, the servant didn't dare to delay and hurried back.

"This person... isn't a demon!"

Shen Lin whispered.

Sun Zhi's actions had already indicated that this Master Bai was likely the Demon.

Yet, the servant under him was a normal human.

This left Shen Lin puzzled. Was Old Master Bai hiding himself too well, or...?

To this, Sun Ji merely nodded. "Once we're inside, there won't be many like him."

Good heavens, this was a demon den?

Shen Lin licked his lips, starting to feel a bit expectant.

Not long after, the servant returned and said respectfully, "Head Constable Sun, my master invites you in!"