At that thought, Yang Ning slowly nodded.
"Then I thank you all for your generous gifts. I, Yang, will not fail in my mission."
"Not fail in your mission? Patrol Chief Yang, you shouldn't speak so boldly."
Shen Lian rode forward. Watching Yang Ning, who stood out with heroic bearing in the night, he seethed with jealousy and hatred, though he showed none of it on his face.
At the thought of the vicious dogs in that alley tearing the troublesome peasant before him to pieces, anticipation surged through him.
Yang Ning smiled faintly.
"Why doesn't Young Master Shen do me the honor of going in with us? Then I can see your strength for myself."
"Ah?"
Shen Lian loosened the reins in his hand, caught completely off guard.
"I... I'm here to exterminate demons... This..."
Shen Lian hadn't expected Yang Ning to brush off his provocation and turn the tables on him instead.
Though he had some cultivation, he was only at the Body Tempering stage. Developing even a trace of force was still a distant prospect.
He was over thirty, and had spent half his life in women's beds. The only reason he'd cultivated his blood and qi was so he could enjoy women more often.
If he went up to exterminate demons, one slap from that Spirit Monster would kill him.
Just as he stood there alone, his face turning red as he stammered soundlessly,
Yang Ning had already led his team past him and said indifferently,
"Since Brother Shen doesn't wish to go in, then wait here a little while. Keep yourself safe, and be careful the Dog Demon doesn't snatch you away."
"Exactly, exactly. The Shen family's young master is precious. Some things can only be done by lowly officials like us. Hahahaha!"
"Hahahaha! A body worth a thousand gold shouldn't risk its life. Go on, get back to bedding women."
The Patrolmen had already resigned themselves to dying on this mission. Shen Lian's disgraceful display drew a wave of contemptuous jeers from them.
Even the men from the other Four Great Families who had arrived couldn't help secretly laughing.
Mockery filled the streets and alleys, making Shen Lian pant with rage.
"You... You'll die a horrible death, I swear! Just you wait! I'll wait for your corpse to be smashed to pieces in the muck of Duck Dung Alley, so no one can even put it back together!"
He couldn't help cursing viciously.
The crowds nearby had dispersed.
Torches swayed in the night wind, casting the solemn faces of the Patrol Bureau's men in shifting light and shadow.
The entrance to Duck Dung Alley gaped like a greedy maw, deep and pitch-black. An eerie stench drifted from within, a mingling of sewage, rot, and a faint, unmistakable animal reek.
The surrounding homes had been evacuated. Their doors and windows were tightly shut, and not a sound came from within. Only the crackle of burning torches and the men's strained breathing could be heard.
Yang Ning stood at the head of the line. The hem of his Patrol Chief's cloak, draped over his dark martial outfit, stirred slightly in the night wind.
The White Jade Mask covered his face. Its chill spread from between his brows, shutting out the distractions of the curious gazes around him while sharpening his senses to their utmost.
The faint movement of air in the alley, the barely audible rustling in the distance, even the wisps of Demon Qi hidden in the polluted air—all stood out with startling clarity, as though magnified and reflected in the lake of his mind.
At a thought, golden text visible only to him appeared at the edge of his vision:
[Yang Ning] [Destiny: Destined Martial Saint, Heaven Rewards Diligence] [Realm: Tendon Changing Realm (Middle Stage)] [Techniques: Tiger Soul Fist (Bone Forging 4500/10000) Wind Howling Blade Technique (Great Accomplishment 1800/10000)]
A month of hard cultivation, day and night without pause, along with the guidance of his Destiny System, had steadily advanced his cultivation.
After reaching the middle stage of Tendon Changing, his Tiger Demon Force had grown increasingly concentrated and savage.
Over the month, his Wind Howling Blade Technique had also reached minor mastery. His swings could now summon faint blades of wind, swift and unpredictable.
A faint resonance came from Storm Blade at his waist. Its gray-green blade glimmered with restrained, icy light in the torchlight.
"A Dog Demon Leader who's just broken through to Hidden Force..."
A spark of burning battle intent flashed in Yang Ning's eyes.
When he learned that this demon might have only just broken through to Bone Forging and Hidden Force, he had turned the matter over in his mind again and again.
He realized this was the perfect opponent to test his strength and hone his fists and blade.
He had the White Jade Mask to clear his mind and steady his spirit, the Secret Artifact Ghost Abacus he had obtained from Chen Qi to give him a glimpse of his enemy's moves, and the overbearing Tiger Demon Force and Great Accomplishment-level Wind Howling Blade Technique at his disposal.
He was determined to win this battle.
"Proceed according to plan."
Yang Ning's voice came through the mask, cold as struck metal.
"Everyone from the Patrol Bureau, check your medicines and weapons.
"Wang Biao, take your men and hold the rear with the powerful crossbows and special medicines. Wait for my signal.
"Patrol Chief Qian, Patrol Chief Liu, come forward with me.
"Keep formation. Watch your footing and both sides."
"Yes!"
The men answered quietly, tightening their grips on their weapons.
Qian Zhong held a thick, copper-plated shield in one hand and his distinctive coin-shaped short weapon in the other.
Liu Qian gripped a pair of heavy Refined Iron Short Staffs. His burly frame seemed unusually steady now.
Wang Biao and the other four Patrolmen quickly spread out. They strung their crossbows, and the arrowheads coated in special Fire Oil gleamed with a dangerous red light in the flames.
The team moved through the darkness like a scarlet blade, slowly cutting into Duck Dung Alley.
The torches in their hands illuminated only a few yards ahead. On either side stood crooked earthen walls, piles of junk, and the pitch-black gaps between doors and windows.
Sewage streamed underfoot, and they had to pick their way carefully.
The deeper they went, the stronger the animal stench grew, mingled with the smell of blood and rot.
"Watch the rooftops and walls!" Yang Ning warned in a low voice.
With the White Jade Mask enhancing his senses, he keenly spotted several unnatural claw marks and scuff marks high on the earthen walls to either side.
Suddenly!
"Rustle, rustle, rustle—"
Several short black figures shot out from behind a pile of discarded bamboo baskets on the left, arrowing straight for the team's flank!
They moved like ghosts, letting out low, growling snarls. Their emerald eyes flashed with a cruel light in the darkness.
They were the Small Dog Demons mentioned in the intelligence report!
They were about the size of half-grown wolfhounds, but their fur was filthy and matted. Their gaping jaws bristled with sharp teeth, and an ominous black sheen coated their claws.
"Loose!"
Yang Ning barked.
"Thwang! Thwang! Thwang!"
Three Fire Arrows flew from their strings, trailing flames as they shot straight toward the charging Dog Demons.
The Patrolmen were all skilled Body Tempering cultivators with powerful arms, and their arrows flew fast.
"Awooo!"
A Fire Arrow struck one Dog Demon in the shoulder. The Fire Oil caught at once, and it rolled about, howling in pain. The flames instantly spread to the rags and rubbish beside it.
The other two arrows were nimbly dodged, but the Dog Demons were clearly afraid of fire, and their assault faltered.
"You damned beasts, you're asking to die!"
Liu Qian roared. His fat frame was surprisingly nimble as he strode forward, swinging his twin staffs like a charging wild bull.
He poured his heavy, fierce Savage Pig Force into a brutal strike at another Dog Demon as it lunged close.
"Thud!"
His staff struck like a mountain. The Dog Demon raked at him with its claws, but couldn't shake Liu Qian's force.
After a brief struggle, it took a staff blow to the belly. The crack of breaking bones rang out clearly as it flew back, whimpering.
Qian Zhong guarded the flank. He used his copper shield to deflect a Dog Demon's lunge, and the force of the impact left his arm numb. He was secretly startled by the strength of these monsters.
His coin-shaped short weapon swept out in a flowing slash, carrying the distinctive cutting, spinning force of Copper Coin Force. It left a deep wound, nearly to the bone, in the Dog Demon's foreleg.
Yang Ning didn't join the fight. His gaze swept like lightning across the depths of the shadows.
These lesser demons were merely an appetizer. The true leader had yet to show itself.
The White Jade Mask cleared his mind and senses. He let his perception spread, catching every flicker of movement in the air.
Sure enough, just as the team drove off the first wave of attackers and advanced a dozen yards to a more open junction, a sudden change occurred!
"ROOOAR—!!!"
A roar, far deeper than the earlier Dog Demons' howls, filled with violence and Baleful Intent, came from the darkness beyond the bend in the alley ahead!
The sound shook dust from the walls, and the blood and qi of everyone present surged.
Heavy footsteps followed, like muffled drums pounding in their hearts.
A much larger shadow slowly emerged from around the corner, blocking their way.
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