Situation

The capital, Demon Suppression Bureau.

Compared to usual, the atmosphere within the Demon Suppression Bureau was even more solemn. Even from a great distance away, one could feel that aura of slaughter.

"The demon fiends have grown increasingly rampant lately!"

Zhou Yuanzheng, clad in iron armor, wore a stern expression on his imposing face. Whenever demon fiends were mentioned, he made no attempt to conceal his killing intent.

At that moment, within the main hall,

Besides him, there were three others.

Each of them possessed an immense aura of authority that struck fear into the heart.

Once he finished speaking,

One of them said, "The demon fiends have had their eyes on Great Qin for more than a day or two. His Majesty is now advanced in years, and the demon fiends want to test just how deep Great Qin's foundations run."

"Hmph! For over three hundred years, the demon fiends have been unable to do anything to Great Qin. Even if His Majesty is advanced in years, our Demon Suppression Bureau is no pushover. We slew several great demons in the last battle alone—that was enough to leave them battered and broken!"

"In the past, killing several great demons would indeed have been enough to make the demon fiends wary. But the situation is different now. The Demon Suppression Bureau also paid a tremendous price to kill those great demons, and quite a few high-ranking Guardians perished.

Now demon fiends are wreaking havoc everywhere. It will not be easy for us to suppress them all."

The man seated in the center wore a blue-and-white long robe. His somewhat pale face remained calm from beginning to end.

Dongfang.

Zhou Yuanzheng said coldly, "The Demon Suppression Bureau has stood for over three hundred years and slain more demon fiends than can be counted. Even if they truly wish to wage war, Great Qin has nothing to fear!"

"Great Qin naturally does not fear war. But the fact that Great Qin's strength is steadily weakening cannot be ignored. If all-out war truly begins, we may kill eight hundred enemies while losing a thousand of our own. Once everyone in the Demon Suppression Bureau is dead,

How much strength will remain to contend with the surviving demon fiends?"

"How are your injuries now?"

Much of Zhou Yuanzheng's anger subsided as he looked toward the man in the center.

Dongfang Zhao!

Among the powerful figures currently stationed at the Demon Suppression Bureau, his strength was among the very best.

Dongfang Zhao shook his head slightly. "It is nothing serious. I never expected such a powerful existence among the demon fiends to have awakened. But for now, he still cannot do anything to me.

The current havoc caused by the demon fiends is only temporary.

His Majesty may be advanced in years, but he has not truly reached that point yet. As long as His Majesty remains, any powerful demon fiends entering Great Qin must carefully weigh whether they can bear His Majesty's wrath."

After saying that,

He looked at the others and continued, "The demon fiends are only testing us for now, but their methods are cruel. The Demon Suppression Bureau cannot stand by and watch. Send out every suitable Demon Slayer with all haste. We must suppress the demon fiends.

As for the Guardians stationed in the various regions, they are to remain where they are and await orders.

Should any powerful demon fiend make a move, they must be slain or driven away at once."

Powerful demon fiends

Were far more destructive than ordinary ones.

Existences of that level could slaughter an entire city or prefecture as easily as turning over a hand.

Every time such demon fiends emerged, terrifying natural disasters followed. The common people who died numbered in the millions. No matter how powerful Great Qin was, it could not endure such upheaval and turmoil.

Once or twice would be manageable.

But if it happened too often,

Great Qin's very foundations would be shaken.

Suddenly,

Someone walked in from outside. Upon seeing the four of them, he bowed deeply in salute.

"Jiang Zuo, steward of the Yellow Division Demon Exorcist Court, greets the esteemed Guardians!"

"What is it?" Zhou Yuanzheng's gaze fell upon him as he spoke indifferently.

He knew Jiang Zuo as well.

No one without sufficient strength was qualified to serve as a steward in the Demon-Slaying Institute.

"According to the latest information, Zhao Fang, the magistrate of Lin'an City, colluded with demon fiends and slaughtered over a thousand villagers to nurture a Nether-Rank Specter. He even intended to sacrifice the hundred thousand citizens of Lin'an City to allow that specter to advance to the Baleful-Intent Level!"

"What!"

"Outrageous!"

"How preposterous!"

Everyone in the hall changed expression completely, each of them burning with fury.

Colluding with demon fiends!

Sacrificing the common people!

This was a monstrous crime, one that absolutely could not be tolerated.

"Speak!"

Dongfang Zhao's expression suddenly turned indifferent. He merely uttered a single calm word.

In an instant,

Jiang Zuo felt immense pressure. He took out the letter he had received beforehand and presented it with both hands. "Please inspect it, Guardian Dongfang!"

The next moment,

The letter seemed to be supported by an invisible hand and landed in Dongfang Zhao's grasp.

After opening it and glancing through it twice,

Dongfang Zhao tossed the letter to the other Guardians.

"You should have a look as well."

As the letter was passed around, he looked at Jiang Zuo. "Aside from this unexpected development, is there any other evidence?"

"This is the Pure Spirit Jade Pendant sent back together with the letter by Shen Changqing, a probationary Demon Slayer who went to Lin'an City!"

Jiang Zuo took out the Pure Spirit Jade Pendant.

With a wave of Dongfang Zhao's hand, the Pure Spirit Jade Pendant landed in his palm.

On the jade pendant,

Two black threads lingered.

Upon closer inspection, one could see that the black threads seemed to be flowing slowly.

"The traces on the Pure Spirit Jade Pendant vary in depth. The deeper one should be considered rather strong among Nether-Rank Specters, while the shallower one has not gone far within the Nether Rank."

With a single glance, Dongfang Zhao saw through the secrets contained in the Pure Spirit Jade Pendant.

He was a Guardian of the Demon Suppression Bureau and had slain countless demon fiends.

There could be no mistake in his assessment of the strength of demon fiends.

At that moment,

The letter had already been read by the other three Guardians, and anger was plain on every one of their faces.

Dongfang Zhao suddenly clenched his hand, and the Pure Spirit Jade Pendant shattered at once.

As the jade pendant shattered,

The two black threads hidden within it escaped like leaking vapor.

Immediately afterward,

A mysterious force descended upon the two black threads. The threads twisted and changed, soon transforming into their original forms.

But there was one difference.

Whether Zhuang Mingyuan or Blood Soul, both now had dull eyes and illusory bodies that seemed ready to dissipate at any moment.

No one present was surprised by this change.

The Pure Spirit Jade Pendant did more than simply record the aura of demon fiends. It could also extract and preserve a trace of their power.

What Dongfang Zhao was doing now was completely releasing those imprints of power.

"Answer me—has Zhao Fang, the magistrate of Lin'an City, already pledged himself to the demon fiends?" Dongfang Zhao demanded sharply. His voice rang like a great bell through the hall, piercing straight into the depths of the soul.

Blood Soul stood there blankly. Suddenly, it let out a shrill scream and vanished into nothingness.

Zhuang Mingyuan's vacant face twisted violently in struggle. He had only just uttered one word: "Yes—"

Before his voice could fade,

His illusory body also dissipated into nothingness.

Yet the expressions of the Guardians present had already darkened completely.

From Zhuang Mingyuan's mouth, they had obtained the answer they sought.