"This Game System is no good. I'm a Demon Sealer, for heaven's sake—how'd they see through my identity?"
Mu Ye was speechless.
But to be fair, in True Mode, Madam Shen really was a rare beauty.
"Just look at those facial features, that alluring figure. Every frown and smile seems to draw you in."
Especially the mature woman's lush, full figure, those clear, knowing eyes, and the unhurried poise of someone who'd spent years in comfort. That whole air about her was simply incredible!
But the next moment, Mu Ye turned and left without another word, heading toward the main hall.
He'd already unlocked the achievement. Sorry, but no matter how beautiful she was, she was still just a virtual character. He needed to get to the front hall, deal with the remaining demon, and clear the stage.
"?" Madam Shen.
Watching him leave without a word, Madam Shen's eyes held a trace of confusion, but she still followed him out.
Outside, a horde of servants came rushing out like madmen.
"The Man-Eating Demon Fox has made its move. Judging by the servants' condition, it must have just started. Perfect timing!"
Mu Ye put away his broadsword.
The servants were all members of the Shen Family. Killing them would easily affect his rating.
If this had been his first time dealing with them, Mu Ye might not have been used to it. But he'd already faced them many times in this stage. He casually picked up a wooden club and, just as he'd expected, dodged the servants' attacks with ease, lightly tapping each one on the back of the head.
But just then, Madam Shen came outside, and a crowd of servants charged straight at her like zombies.
Seeing this, Mu Ye figured this must be part of clearing the stage, so he stepped in front of Madam Shen.
[1. Don't speak. Stay behind me. (He warned her coldly without looking back.)]
[2. Woman, you're such a nuisance. (The corner of his mouth curled into a smile.)]
[3. ...]
"..." Mu Ye.
After thinking it over, Mu Ye still chose the first option. It fit the Demon Sealer's character better.
And so.
Madam Shen followed behind Mu Ye, watching him with a curious glint in her eyes as he dodged attacks as if he'd calculated every move. He dispatched the servants with effortless ease, then reached the main hall, activated his Demon Subduing Body, and killed the last demon with a single slash.
Everything flowed like water.
After clearing the stage, Mu Ye felt a sense of accomplishment. Though there was no choice this time, he couldn't help looking at the fallen demon and saying coolly:
"Survival or destruction. You have no choice..."
Cultivating immortality was already so hard and exhausting. If he couldn't show off in a game, what was the point?
[You have slain two Man-Eating Demon Foxes. Tutorial cleared.] [Completion: 100%] [Rating: A.] [People rescued in Shen Mansion: 230/230.] [Achievement "Legacy of Wei Wu": Unlocked.] [Rewards: 300 Paradise Coins, 1 Character Selection Chest, 1 Ability Upgrade Book, 1 Key of Reality.] [Tutorial Stage closed. Madam Shen's Favorability unlocked: currently 10/100 (slightly favorable). Taiping City World Map unlocked. Town reputation unlocked. All characters' friendliness unlocked. Players may choose any character to explore Taiping City. Stay tuned for the next stage.]
"Man, that feels good." Mu Ye let out a long breath.
Wait.
This game let you pick up girls, too?
What was with the Favorability stat?
"Right, it's an open-world game. How could it not let you win over girls?"
Mu Ye was getting excited.
Even if it was only a game world, how could it leave that out?
He returned to the game interface and found an overview of Taiping City, along with a brief introduction:
[Taiping City: Taiping City is anything but peaceful. After centuries of turmoil, the storm-tossed Tianqi Dynasty may find its last glimmer of light in this city. Yet in an age plagued by demons, will that last glimmer be snuffed out—or blaze anew?]
"Since I can explore as other characters, I'll try them out first!"
Mu Ye was curious about the other characters' abilities. Now that he had plenty of Paradise Coins, he could unlock most of them, aside from the Beggar.
"Let's try the Ranger first."
Since he was going to explore, and the game had a friendliness system, starting as a Ranger would give him reputation and Favorability right off the bat.
Unfortunately, when he tried to enter again, the game warned him about anti-addiction restrictions. He couldn't play anymore.
"..."
"Your lousy game's pretty healthy, huh?"
Mu Ye glanced outside and saw that it was already getting light. "Forget it. I'll sleep first and play again tomorrow."
Judging by the time, the game probably imposed anti-addiction restrictions after six hours or so.
Great Xuan, Tianqi Dynasty, southeast, Taiping City.
The sky after the rain was a little gloomy, casting a few more shadows over this otherwise peaceful city.
This was Taiping City, said to be the Land of Peace established by the founder of the Tianqi Dynasty. By now, it had become one of the few remaining havens for all manner of people from across the land.
Merchant families, outlaw heroes, Martial Masters and constables, sects and schools of every kind—they had become the tiles that formed the final bulwark of this tottering city, resisting the many demons beyond its walls.
Shen Mansion.
The Shen Family's estate covered more than a hundred mu and was one of the most prominent Aristocratic Clans in Taiping City. It was also the family fortune Hero Shen had spent decades building. Unfortunately, he was now dead, and the vast Shen Mansion had passed into the hands of his frail widow, Madam Shen.
How was a woman supposed to manage such an enormous estate?
With wolves circling, who knew how many days of peace she could expect in this chaotic city?
Stone lions, each twice the height of a man, stood before the manor. A Man in Black slowly approached.
"May I ask who you are?" The steward eyed the visitor warily. Over the past few days, countless petty thieves had either snuck in or made excuses to visit Shen Mansion, hoping to strike it rich.
The Man in Black spoke in a hoarse voice:
"I'm a Demon Sealer who traveled with Hero Shen to Chishui Village. I'm passing through and came to pay my respects."
The steward had never been one to trust such claims.
Just this morning, at least seven or eight people had used that excuse to freeload at Shen Mansion.
But the Madam was in charge of everything now.
A short while later, the Man in Black entered the estate. After paying his respects, a maid led him to a side room to rest and wait for the banquet.
The maid wore a short, emerald-green skirt and was rather pretty and charming. Every so often, she stole a glance at the Man in Black beside her.
Demon Sealers were rare in these times.
These people, who spent their lives among demons, were said to be special cultivators infected with demonic blood. They usually kept to themselves and had a reputation that was neither good nor bad. But wherever demons appeared, a Demon Sealer was sure to be there.
"This Demon Sealer must be really handsome, right?" the maid wondered.
His face was hidden beneath his bamboo hat and a veil, so she couldn't make out his features. But judging from his deep-set eyes, Xiao Tao imagined he must have a handsome, chiseled face.
Just then, a blade slipped against her neck.
"Take me to your Madam."
The maid trembled all over. The cold blade made goose bumps break out across her fair neck.
Soon, the two of them arrived outside a side room.
"Go. Don't go to the front hall," the Demon Sealer in black warned her.
"Y-yes..." the maid stammered as she hurried away.
Ever since Hero Shen died, many people in Taiping City had coveted Shen Mansion, this juicy piece of meat. Xiao Tao wasn't surprised to see something like this happen, and she quickly slipped away.
The Demon Sealer waited for a while. When the side room's doors opened, Madam Shen walked out in mourning clothes.
After a little while, the Demon Sealer drew his broadsword again and cleaved open the door. Without a moment's hesitation, he swung the golden-glinting blade at the demon on the bed.
The angle was sharp, the strike swift as lightning.
The demon was caught completely off guard. One slash split it in two.
Severed limbs and blood tainted the room's delicate fragrance. The woman unconscious on the bed slowly came to, staring at the scene before her in a daze.
"May I ask who you are?"
"I'm Mu Xinghe. I fought alongside Hero Shen in Chishui Village. At his request, I've come to protect your life," the Demon Sealer said calmly.
"Ah?" Madam Shen rose composedly, fastened her inner garment, then put on her Blue Gauze Dress. As she straightened her clothes, she watched him with interest. "I knew all the Demon Sealers who fought alongside Shen Tianxing, but they all died in Chishui Village. Not a single one survived."
"Besides, this is the first time I've heard the name Mu Xinghe."
The Demon Sealer didn't answer. He simply walked out of the room.
Madam Shen followed him. When she stepped outside and saw the servants gone mad, her brows knitted slightly.
The servants had learned a few rough moves from Shen Tianxing. With so many of them, even Martial Masters who trained in secret techniques at martial arts schools might not be able to beat them. It seemed the demon had already begun its attack.
Just then, a servant with blood-red eyes suddenly lunged at her.
Madam Shen's eyes narrowed. At the crucial moment, a figure darted in front of her like a ghost, striking the servant precisely on the back of the head with a wooden club.
"Don't speak. Stay behind me." That cold, still voice was unmistakably the mark of a Demon Sealer.
Madam Shen's eyes flickered. With all sorts of strange thoughts running through her mind, she followed behind him, her gaze growing brighter by the moment.
He hadn't used the slightest bit of inner force or any profound martial art. He hadn't even touched the broadsword at his waist. With nothing but a wooden club in hand, he effortlessly dealt with these skilled servants, as if he'd returned to the source of all things.
This showed just how powerful he was, just how high his cultivation had reached. He was so strong he didn't even bother with other methods!
When they reached the main hall, the second Man-Eating Demon Fox had already transformed. Madam Shen stopped in her tracks and watched as the Demon Sealer slowly drew his broadsword. A distinctive crimson glow flickered around him. Rumor had it that this glow came from activating the demonic blood within the body, greatly increasing one's strength.
It was a power unique to Demon Sealers.
And the broadsword, shimmering with golden light, looked like a divine weapon.
"Survival or destruction. You have no choice..."
Standing nearby, Madam Shen heard him murmur those words, as if delivering a verdict.
He brought his blade down in an ordinary slash. Golden light flooded the hall, and the Man-Eating Demon Fox was cut in two in an instant. The many guests, who had been in a panic, stared at the scene, stunned.
When they looked again, the Demon Sealer had already leaped lightly onto the roof and vanished into thin air.
He came and went like a shadow!
Madam Shen was stunned for a moment, then composed herself and said calmly:
"Everyone, there's no need to panic. The demon has been slain by the Demon Sealer I invited. Steward Li, send people to clean up. The memorial rites will continue!"
The guests wore all kinds of expressions: shock, silence, suspicion, wariness...
Madam Shen walked to the rear courtyard, where a Man in Black slowly emerged from a shadowy corner.
"There was a demon in my Shen Mansion, and I nearly died. Why didn't you step in?" Madam Shen asked coldly.
"I couldn't beat it." The Man in Black shrugged. "I'm an Assassin. I'm good at gathering information and carrying out assassinations. Madam Shen, that was a demon. Not everyone can stand against one head-on. I work for you, but I'm not going to risk my life for you."
"Let the professionals handle professional work."
Madam Shen said:
"Fine, then. Seven days. I want every detail about the Demon Sealer Mu Xinghe."
"I'm good at this. Leave it to me!"
Before you continue