Back to the Martial Hall

"This is going too far!"

The usually steady Murong Canghai couldn't hold back his anger.

"Senior Murong! Let's go."

Shen Changsheng, who had been short-tempered earlier, instead spoke up to urge him.

"Alas." Jiang Lianyue shook her head and sighed helplessly. She sheathed her sword and led the way out.

Murong Canghai's face was livid, but he could only swallow his anger.

He gritted his teeth, clasped his hands in a heavy salute, and said:

"Miss Xia, I've safely escorted you and your maid here... You promised me an Origin Pill..."

His martial foundation had already been damaged. If he could get a high-grade Origin Pill, there might still be hope of recovering some of it.

Xia Bingbing furrowed her brows and looked to her cousin for help.

Yun'er stood with her arms folded, glaring as she snapped:

"If Brother Tianjun hadn't turned the tide, Bingbing and I would already be dead! How can you call that safely escorting us here? And you still have the nerve to ask for your reward!"

Han Tianjun's hand paused as it reached into his robe, then shifted to rest on his sword hilt. He glanced sideways and said coldly:

"Get lost. I won't say it a third time."

"Fine! Fine!"

Murong Canghai clasped his hands heavily, his face dark, and turned away in anger.

Even if he ground his teeth to dust, he could only secretly swallow his rage.

This escort job had been humiliating from start to finish!

By now, dawn had broken.

Afraid the Demoness might come back to kill them, Li Qiming and the others rented a carriage at a waystation at the foot of the mountain and hurried toward Dragon Spring City without stopping.

Everyone had suffered injuries of varying severity. Only Li Qiming was still full of vigor.

He drove the carriage, carrying the others onward day and night.

A day later.

They finally reached the gates of Dragon Spring City.

Looking at the familiar city gates, Li Qiming finally let out a slow breath of relief.

All along the way, he had feared that Demoness A-Lian would come after them.

After all, she had been determined to kill him, to the point of utter madness.

Li Qiming still couldn't figure out what he had done to provoke the Demoness.

It seemed she was after Chen Ajiu?

But how had Chen Ajiu gotten involved with such a terrifying Demoness?

No matter how he thought about it, he couldn't make sense of it!

Still, they had made it back safely. The Demoness had probably been hurt by Han Tianjun and suffered serious injuries of her own, so she wouldn't be able to strike again for the time being...

After a day and night of recovery, Shen Changsheng and Jiang Lianyue were both looking better.

Only Murong Canghai looked utterly drained. His injuries had been brought under control, but his martial aura kept growing weaker, and he had spat up quite a lot of blood along the way.

After everyone climbed down from the carriage and gathered at the city gates, Shen Changsheng couldn't help asking:

"Senior Murong, how are your injuries?"

"Heh. The martial arts I've spent my life cultivating are probably about to disappear."

Murong Canghai managed a smile, his expression bleak.

The old man clasped his hands to Shen Changsheng and bowed his head.

"Senior, what are you doing?"

"Brother Changsheng, I'm sorry for dragging you into all this trouble. This is the Canglan Blade Art I promised the Martial Hall."

As he spoke, Murong Canghai pulled out the blade manual he had prepared earlier and handed it over.

It belonged to the Martial Hall, so Shen Changsheng had no choice but to accept it.

"I had the silver sent to the Martial Hall before we set out. We're even now. We owe each other nothing, so I'll be on my way."

Murong Canghai clasped his hands again, then turned and walked into the city.

"Senior!" Shen Changsheng called after him. "If you go back to the Qi Family like this, I'm afraid..."

"Don't worry. This useless, broken body of mine would be better off dead than alive. Besides... I've devoted my life to the Qi Family. They'll take care of me... I owe the head of the Qi Family my life, anyway. Whatever happens, I have to go back."

With that, Murong Canghai walked away without looking back.

Everyone watched his hunched figure gradually vanish into the sea of people. It seemed that from then on, a once-spirited, top-tier blade master would disappear from the martial world, fading into obscurity.

Their hearts were filled with conflicting emotions.

"What are your plans?"

Jiang Lianyue suddenly spoke up.

"Of course we're going back to the Martial Hall."

Shen Changsheng looked at her.

"I mean, what about the future?" The Silver Badge Demon Catcher gave a slight nod.

"The future?"

Shen Changsheng and Li Qiming looked at each other, both a little unsure what she meant.

They had both sensed that this cool and beautiful Demon Catcher had more to say.

"Han Tianjun didn't master his sword by hiding at home and practicing."

Jiang Lianyue said.

Shen Changsheng's heart jolted.

As the senior brother of the Dragon Roar Martial Hall, he was exceptionally talented and had almost never met anyone his age who could rival him.

His path in martial arts had been far too smooth.

But.

This escort mission had made him keenly aware of his own shortcomings.

They were both Swordsmen, and Han Tianjun was about his age, yet he had driven the powerful A-Lian into a panicked retreat without even drawing his sword.

Shen Changsheng wondered how powerful the other man would be if he did draw it.

He wanted to see.

He wanted to become someone who could make Han Tianjun draw his sword.

Shen Changsheng clasped his hands to the Demon Catcher. "I ask Miss Jiang to guide me."

Jiang Lianyue didn't mince words:

"Join the Demon Catchers. Slay demons and banish evil, and temper your sword through killing. That's the right path. Otherwise, you'll never amount to anything."

Shen Changsheng fell into thought.

Her words were no exaggeration. Real combat and killing truly benefited martial cultivation.

He had spent years comprehending the Dragon Roar Sword Momentum without making the slightest progress. But during his fight to the death with an elder of the Demon Sect, facing the threat of death, he had actually grasped a faint trace of Sword Momentum.

That was undeniable proof of what she had said.

Shen Changsheng couldn't help feeling tempted.

Although he was a true disciple of the Dragon Roar Martial Hall, the Martial Hall was quite open-minded about such things. As long as a disciple wished to, he could take a post with any major faction. That would even help the Martial Hall extend its influence into various fields.

Having disciples branch out and make connections naturally brought many advantages to the Martial Hall.

But once someone became a Demon Catcher, he belonged to the imperial court, not the martial world.

There would be many inconveniences, and he would certainly have less freedom.

"It's all right. Take your time to think it over. You and Li Qiming can come find me at the Demon Suppression Division anytime."

Jiang Lianyue glanced at Li Qiming and spoke slowly.

It seemed she also thought highly of Li Qiming.

Li Qiming nodded along uncertainly. He hadn't expected this to involve him, too.

Did she want him to join the Demon Catchers as well?

But he had no such intention for now. The job sounded dangerous just from the name.

This mission had left him shaken. His strength had increased greatly, but he hadn't adjusted to it yet, and he still hadn't fully mastered the power he had suddenly gained.

He'd rest and recover for a while, then make plans.

"Thank you. I'll think it over when I get back..."

Shen Changsheng clasped his hands, sincerely grateful.

After all, not just anyone could join the Demon Catchers.

Without Jiang Lianyue, a man of the martial world would have no way in. She had given him an opportunity that many would consider extraordinarily precious.

Shen Changsheng and Li Qiming turned to leave.

"Oh, and I must warn you: as you advance along the path of martial arts, you won't be able to do without the Great Yan Dynasty..."

Jiang Lianyue spoke with an unspoken meaning, but could only offer a subtle hint. It wasn't convenient for her to say more.

The two martial brothers exchanged a glance, surprise in their eyes. They understood there had to be some secret behind her words, but also knew better than to ask.

They nodded, then turned toward the Martial Hall. Before long, they disappeared into the crowd.