Skywatch Guard

The Pure Yang true energy I possessed now would be better called Blazing Sun true energy!

The name Pure Yang Art no longer fit either.

Shen Changqing looked at his panel. As for renaming it, that was merely a passing thought. Names were not important.

From the moment the Pure Yang Art broke through its limit, it had already become something different.

But unfortunately—

The Pure Yang Art enhanced through the panel only strengthened him out of thin air; it did not grant him the corresponding memories.

In other words—

Although his Pure Yang Art had risen to the eleventh level, he only possessed the cultivation methods for the first nine. He had no clue whatsoever about the latter two levels.

As for that—

Shen Changqing was able to accept it.

Now that the Pure Yang Art had reached the eleventh level, as long as he spent time retracing it in reverse, he might be able to derive the cultivation methods for the final two levels.

But right now, there was no need for him to deduce them.

Moreover—

He did not have the time.

Pushing open the door—

Shen Changqing found the innkeeper to check out, then headed in the other direction along the street.

Following the memories in his mind—

He turned left and right, then stopped before a pawnshop.

Everlasting Fortune Pawnshop!

A very ordinary name.

After looking at it twice, Shen Changqing stepped inside.

The moment he entered, a man who looked like a shop assistant approached him warmly. "Does the guest have something to pawn?"

"I'm looking for your shopkeeper."

Shen Changqing surveyed the interior before finally fixing his gaze on the man before him.

The man's face immediately showed difficulty at those words. "May I ask what business the guest has with the shopkeeper? If you tell me, I can report it first."

"If I tell you to go, then go. Stop talking so much nonsense!"

Shen Changqing's face chilled, and a faintly oppressive aura radiated from him.

On top of that, he had killed someone not long ago, and the faint scent of blood still lingered on him.

At once—

The man's face changed drastically.

"Please wait a moment, guest!"

With that, he hurried inside.

Shen Changqing did not find a seat. He simply stood there calmly.

Before long—

An old man dressed in brocade robes emerged, with the shop assistant following behind him.

"I am the shopkeeper of Everlasting Fortune Pawnshop. You said you wished to see me. May I ask what business you have?" The old man looked Shen Changqing up and down, uncertain in his heart.

At this time, Shen Changqing had changed into a long azure robe.

The clothing that had originally belonged to the Demon Suppression Bureau had been damaged in battle long ago and could no longer be worn.

"There."

Shen Changqing casually tossed an object toward him.

The old man caught it steadily.

But the instant it landed in his hand, the icy sensation made his expression change slightly. When he lowered his head and saw the token's design, his face changed completely.

"This is not a place for conversation, sir. Please follow me to the inner hall so we may speak!"

As he spoke—

The old man respectfully returned the token to Shen Changqing.

Inner hall.

The moment Shen Changqing took his seat, the old man bowed. "Situ Bei of the Skywatch Guard under the Demon Suppression Bureau pays respects to Lord Shen!"

"You know me?"

"The Skywatch Guard naturally received word that the Demon Suppression Bureau had dispatched Lord Shen here to slay the evil spirits. I had originally intended to pay Lord Shen a visit, but I never expected Lord Shen to come to my door instead."

Situ Bei said with a smile.

"You are thoughtful."

Shen Changqing smiled as well, but his expression swiftly turned cold as he sharply demanded, "Situ Bei, do you know your crime?"

The sudden interrogation—

Made Situ Bei's smile freeze directly on his face.

"L-Lord Shen, what crime have I committed?"

"What crime? Then let me tell you!" Shen Changqing sneered. "The intelligence you gave the Demon Suppression Bureau said that Lin'an City had merely seen a newly emerged Wraith-level monster, and only several people had died.

"But the true situation was that everyone in Ancient Moon Village died at the hands of evil spirits.

"Furthermore, County Magistrate Zhao Fang colluded with evil spirits, yet you concealed that as well.

"Was the Skywatch Guard negligent in its duties, or has the Skywatch Guard secretly colluded with evil spirits, betraying the Demon Suppression Bureau and the human race?"

Those words—

Made Situ Bei's face change dramatically. His entire body trembled, and cold sweat streamed down his face.

Those charges—

If truly pinned on him, even death by a thousand cuts would be a light punishment.

"I've been wronged, Lord Shen! According to the information I received, only a few people truly died in Ancient Moon Village. As for Zhao Fang colluding with evil spirits, I genuinely knew nothing of it. May I ask whether Lord Shen has conclusive evidence for this information?"

After recovering himself, Situ Bei could not help defending himself.

The barrage of questioning had thrown him into confusion.

But now that he thought back on it, something seemed wrong.

Situ Bei still had some confidence in the intelligence he had received. It could not possibly have been so wildly inaccurate.

Shen Changqing sneered. "Conclusive evidence? Zhao Fang has already been executed, and I personally slew the monster in Ancient Moon Village. Not a single person in Ancient Moon Village survived. I believe a casual investigation would make the truth easy enough to find.

"I find it difficult to imagine that the Skywatch Guard, the Demon Suppression Bureau's eyes and ears, could be deceived so thoroughly by false information.

"If I, Shen Changqing, had not come, and another trainee Demon Slayer had come instead, he would likely have died at the hands of that monster.

"It seems you have lived too comfortably in Lin'an City for too long and have forgotten the Skywatch Guard's duties!"

With matters put so plainly—

Situ Bei could also understand that what Shen Changqing said was very likely true.

In that instant—

The clothes on his back were soaked through with sweat.

"Lord Shen—"

"No need to say anything. Others from the Demon Suppression Bureau will hold you accountable for your crimes; it does not fall to me. Think carefully about how you will explain yourself to those above."

Shen Changqing waved a hand, directly cutting him off.

"I came this time to ask you several questions. I hope you can answer truthfully."

"Please ask, Lord Shen!" Situ Bei wiped the sweat from his forehead, his manner becoming even more respectful.

Shen Changqing's earlier words—

Had not been particularly severe in tone, but the consequences were far from ordinary.

Now—

He did not dare offend Shen Changqing in the slightest. He only hoped to satisfy him, so that Shen Changqing might put in a good word for him and lessen his punishment.

Shen Changqing said, "Yesterday, I killed a demon man at Zhao Fang's side. From him, I learned that demonic essence blood will emerge in the Lin'an City region before long.

"What does the Skywatch Guard know about this matter?"

"Demonic essence blood emerging!"

Hearing this, Situ Bei relaxed somewhat and replied with cupped hands, "I did receive some news regarding the matter Lord Shen mentioned not long ago.

"It is said that several hundred years ago, a powerful demon fought an unknown expert. In the end, the demon was defeated and slain, leaving behind its essence blood.

"But at that time, the expert had already suffered grave injuries. To prevent the essence blood from bringing calamity upon the world, he used a method to seal it away.

"Now that the seal's power has been greatly depleted, the demonic essence blood has naturally reached the time to emerge!"