Consorting with Evil (Thanks to "Blue Robe, Unchanging Intent" for the Alliance Leader reward)

Yellow-Rank Demon Suppressors were almost all in the Meridian Opening Realm.

Once one reached the Innate Realm, one qualified for promotion to a Profound-Rank Demon Suppressor.

It could be said—

Any Innate Realm martial artist could be considered a true expert in Great Qin. Even within the Demon Suppression Bureau, they were no longer insignificant figures.

Yellow-Rank Demon Suppressors could deal with Nether-Level specters.

Profound-Rank Demon Suppressors were qualified to contend against Grievance-Rank specters.

From Shen Changqing's current perspective, Liu Chang, Jiang Zuo, and the others were probably at the Innate Realm level.

Of course—

It was not impossible that they were stronger than the Innate Realm.

But even if they truly were stronger, they could not be much stronger.

"The eleventh layer of the Pure Yang Art has made me an Innate Realm martial artist. Once I return to the Demon Suppression Bureau, there's a good chance I'll be promoted to a Profound-Rank Demon Suppressor."

Shen Changqing was greatly satisfied.

Destroying a powerful Nether-Level specter and gaining enough Kill Value to formally break through to the Innate Realm was an unexpected gain.

However—

His own diligent cultivation had also played a part.

Had he not cultivated diligently and raised the Pure Yang Art to the eighth layer, twelve points of Kill Value alone would not have allowed him to break through into the Innate Realm.

Once the excitement faded—

A powerful wave of weakness suddenly struck him, causing Shen Changqing's steps to stagger slightly.

He understood.

When the Pure Yang Art broke through, it had drawn too much of his vital energy and blood.

When he cultivated in the past without taking the shortcut of Kill Value, his daily consumption had remained at a manageable level, and he had never fallen into such a state of exhaustion.

But now—

The Pure Yang Art had broken through two layers in succession, and the expenditure was anything but small.

Especially the leap from Meridian Opening to the Innate Realm—the vital energy and blood consumed was downright staggering.

"Looks like I can't break through recklessly. Either I need to make sufficient preparations, or my physique needs to become stronger."

Shen Changqing sighed.

If he gained more Kill Value later, it was time to raise the Thirteen Guardians Body-Hardening Art as well.

Otherwise—

He would have to find another external body-hardening art to improve himself.

Abundant true qi meant formidable strength.

Abundant vital energy and blood meant a powerful foundation.

After standing still for a while to recover, Shen Changqing raised his head toward the sky. With the specter's death, the shrouding fog had dispersed as well.

Because too much time had passed—

The blazing midday sun had already become a setting sun, while darkness gradually swept over heaven and earth.

"A moonless, windy night—the perfect time for murder and arson!"

Nighttime.

The inner hall of the government office was brightly lit.

Zhao Fang sat stiffly within the hall, his expression appearing somewhat eerie beneath the lamplight.

Beside him sat a gaunt middle-aged man.

"Nothing went wrong over there, did it?" As Zhuang Mingyuan spoke, he stroked his short beard. His eyes were gloomy and vicious, with cold glints occasionally flashing within them.

"Impossible."

Zhao Fang shook his head, his gaze settling on the other man.

"Zhang Long is no weakling. He is only one step away from generating true qi and opening his meridians to become a Meridian Opening martial artist. With a peak Nether-Level specter assisting him, how could there be any problem dealing with a mere trainee Demon Suppressor?"

At most, a trainee Demon Suppressor would only be in the Meridian Opening Realm.

Moreover—

There was a high probability that he had only recently entered the Meridian Opening Realm.

Even taking ten thousand steps back—

Even if the newcomer was not a trainee Demon Suppressor but an experienced Yellow-Rank Demon Suppressor, their side would still have absolute confidence in cutting him down.

"If we had not been worried that the Demon Suppression Bureau might send several Yellow-Rank Demon Suppressors, we would not have needed to falsify the report. What I never expected was that, when facing a Nether-Level specter, the Demon Suppression Bureau would actually send a trainee Demon Suppressor.

"Tsk, tsk. I wonder whether he offended someone, or whether the Demon Suppression Bureau is truly so short-handed."

By the end, Zhao Fang's expression had turned strange as well.

He had originally prepared to deal with several trainee Demon Suppressors.

Yet after all those preparations—

The Demon Suppression Bureau had sent only one person.

This situation—

Made Zhao Fang feel as though he had thrown a punch into thin air, leaving him thoroughly uncomfortable.

After speaking—

He suddenly thought of something else.

"What if one trainee Demon Suppressor isn't enough to let Blood Soul advance?"

The Blood Soul Zhao Fang spoke of was the name of that Nether-Level specter.

Hearing this—

Zhuang Mingyuan shook his head. "Blood Soul is already at the peak of the Nether Level. A Meridian Opening martial artist should be enough to let it advance. Even if it truly cannot advance, then we can only have someone else make a sacrifice."

When he finished—

A cold smile appeared on his face. "Aren't there several villages around Ancient Moon Village? Offer all of them as sacrifices to Blood Soul, and there will be no problem whatsoever."

At these words—

Zhao Fang instinctively frowned.

Noticing the change in his expression, Zhuang Mingyuan's face darkened.

"Lord Zhao, do not forget that you are no longer Lin'an City's county magistrate, the righteous official in their eyes. You are merely a traitor to humanity who has sought refuge with demons and specters.

"Since Ancient Moon Village has already been sacrificed, what is the problem with sacrificing a few more villages?

"Merely allowing word of Ancient Moon Village to get out would already be a crime punishable by extermination of your entire household. Do you think the Demon Suppression Bureau would spare you or your Lineage once it learns the truth?"

Zhao Fang did not reply.

He understood what Zhuang Mingyuan meant.

Besides killing demons and specters, the Demon Suppression Bureau's duty was to eliminate those traitors who had abandoned humanity and colluded with demons and specters.

The Demon Suppression Bureau had never shown mercy toward such traitors.

Just as the other man had said, once what he had done was exposed, extermination of his entire household would actually be a light punishment.

Punishment extending to nine generations.

The extermination of three clans.

Neither was impossible.

Every year, the traitors beheaded by the Demon Suppression Bureau numbered in the tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands.

That was why the Demon Suppression Bureau's fierce reputation had sunk so deeply into people's hearts. No matter how powerful or influential someone was, none wished to oppose it lightly.

Seeing this—

Zhuang Mingyuan's expression eased somewhat. "Lord Zhao, my words may have been unpleasant, but every sentence was the truth. Besides, you have already joined our Eternal Life Alliance. Even if you wanted to withdraw now, it would be too late.

"What is so good about humanity? Those people of the Demon Suppression Bureau may be powerful enough, but how long can they live?

"On the other hand—

"After joining the Eternal Life Alliance, you may not necessarily gain the chance for eternal life, but there will absolutely be no problem with living longer than others.

"As far as I know, there are even experts in the Eternal Life Alliance who have lived for two or three hundred years and have yet to pass away.

"You joined the Eternal Life Alliance for precisely this reason, did you not? If you raise Blood Soul to the Grievance Rank, the Alliance's higher-ups will surely be delighted. When that time comes, none of the rewards due to you will be lacking.

"In that case, what does sacrificing a few people amount to?"

"One must know—"

"Every man for himself; heaven and earth will destroy those who do not!"

Zhuang Mingyuan's words utterly shattered the last line of defense in Zhao Fang's heart.

That was right.

Sacrificing one village was a capital crime. Sacrificing two or three villages was also a capital crime.

Then what was there for him to hesitate over?