Extermination of Nine Kin

"Lin'an City's magistrate actually dared to collude with demons and monsters. He deserved to die!"

"From the letter, Zhao Fang had already committed suicide out of guilt."

"Hmph, could colluding with demons and monsters really be settled by a single guilty suicide? If everyone who colluded with demons and monsters could simply die to atone and have their past offenses wiped clean, how many people in the realm would betray humanity?"

Zhou Yuanzheng sneered. In his eyes, Zhao Fang's death was only the beginning.

"Colluding with demons and monsters, betraying humanity, and attempting to sacrifice Lin'an City to nourish sinister creatures—his crimes compounded, his nine kin should be exterminated!"

As he spoke,

his gaze fell on Dongfang Zhao.

At that,

Dongfang Zhao slowly said, "Judging from the Pure Spirit Jade Pendant, Lin'an City's magistrate indeed colluded with demons and monsters. But Zhao Fang was still the magistrate of an entire city. To confiscate his household and exterminate his clan, we must first obtain His Majesty's approval.

"Once I attend court tomorrow, I shall report the matter truthfully.

"Speaking of which, an apprentice Demon Exorcist was able to kill a powerful Specter-rank sinister creature and even slay a demonized man. His strength is quite remarkable. Are you familiar with this person?"

The one being questioned

was Jiang Zuo, who stood motionless below.

Upon hearing the question,

Jiang Zuo cupped his hands and replied, "Reporting to Guardian Dongfang, Shen Changqing entered the Demon Suppression Bureau one year ago and became an apprentice Demon Exorcist. According to the records left by Liu Chang, the former steward of the Yellow Division Demon Exorcist Court, Shen Changqing advanced to the Meridian Opening Realm just three months after entering the Demon Suppression Bureau.

"In terms of talent, Shen Changqing surpasses the overwhelming majority of Demon Exorcists."

"Oh? Reaching the Meridian Opening Realm in three months—I never expected him to be such a prodigy!" Dongfang Zhao raised his brows slightly. "If he advanced to the Meridian Opening Realm in three months, then breaking through to the middle stage in eight or nine months would not be difficult. There is even some possibility of reaching the late stage.

"In that case, killing a powerful Specter-rank sinister creature would be perfectly normal."

An unparalleled genius

naturally cultivated at a pace no ordinary person could match.

Three months to reach the Meridian Opening Realm, then reaching its middle or late stage within a year—neither was a small possibility.

Of course,

the leap from the Meridian Opening Realm to the Innate Realm was not so easy.

To shatter that barrier, the time required could not be compared to advancing from Body Tempering to the Meridian Opening Realm.

"Right."

Remembering something, Zhou Yuanzheng looked at Jiang Zuo. "Some time ago, the Skywatch Guard sent word that demon blood had emerged around Lin'an City in Vast Source Prefecture. Is the one currently stationed in Lin'an City also this Shen Changqing?"

"That is correct!"

Jiang Zuo nodded and answered truthfully.

Zhou Yuanzheng understood.

Too many things happened in the Demon Suppression Bureau every day. Skywatch Guards from every region constantly sent over all the intelligence they gathered.

He had heard something of many matters, but unless they were particularly important, he would not deliberately remember them.

Take the emergence of demon blood in Lin'an City, for example.

Demon blood of that level was not a major matter to the Demon Suppression Bureau at all. Once arrangements had been made, Zhou Yuanzheng had cast the matter to the back of his mind.

Only because of the matter of colluding with demons and monsters

did he recall the affairs related to Lin'an City once more.

"An unparalleled genius who reached the Meridian Opening Realm in three months would be no small loss if he were to fall in Lin'an City. The demon blood that emerged is nothing precious, but to ordinary factions, its allure is considerable.

"He is a martial artist who has yet to break through to the Innate Realm. Even with the Demon Suppression Bureau's name behind him, he may not be able to hold the situation down."

A Guardian shook his head, clearly intending to transfer Shen Changqing back.

Dongfang Zhao's expression remained calm. "Only an unparalleled genius who survives to grow is a true genius. At present, most of the Demon Suppression Bureau's strength is tied down by demons and monsters throughout the land. Though he is merely an apprentice Demon Exorcist, his strength is not weak.

"Even ordinary Yellow-rank Demon Exorcists may not be his equal.

"It is best to let him remain there. If he can return safely, then he will be a talent worth cultivating. Jiang Zuo, what is your suggestion?"

"This subordinate shall follow the decisions of the Guardians!"

Jiang Zuo was startled and hurriedly lowered his head in reply.

He was merely a minor steward. How could he be qualified to influence the thoughts of Guardians? At a time like this, the most practical thing was to make himself invisible.

"However—"

Dongfang Zhao changed the subject. "He has only recently joined the Demon Suppression Bureau and is not yet a Yellow-rank Demon Exorcist. This mission is rather thorny, and our Demon Suppression Bureau cannot offer nothing at all."

After speaking, he looked toward Zhou Yuanzheng and the others.

"What do you Guardians think would be appropriate?"

"Since we have decided to let him guard Lin'an City, give him the treatment due a Yellow-rank Demon Exorcist. Let him select one martial art from the second floor of the Archive Pavilion. If he can break through to the Innate Realm in the future, that would be a good thing as well."

Zhou Yuanzheng answered without hesitation.

The remaining two said nothing, but their meaning was much the same.

Dongfang Zhao nodded and looked at Jiang Zuo. "From today onward, Shen Changqing shall be a Yellow-rank Demon Exorcist. In addition, allow him to select one internal cultivation art from the second floor of the Archive Pavilion, grant him a bottle of Meridian-Smoothing Pills, and send them along with the other items to Lin'an City."

"This subordinate obeys!"

Jiang Zuo bowed and accepted the order.

"Tomorrow, I will enter the palace and report to His Majesty regarding the affairs of Lin'an City. But the new magistrate will likely not receive his appointment so quickly. Before then, have Shen Changqing temporarily assume the post of Lin'an City magistrate. We do not require him to achieve any political accomplishments; he need only maintain stability within the city.

"If the matters of Lin'an City still remain unresolved by then, once the Demon Suppression Bureau can spare the manpower, we will send people over to assist."

After returning from the Everlasting Fortune Pawnshop, Shen Changqing went back to stay at the same inn.

According to his original intentions,

he should merely have gone to inquire about the demon blood, confirm a few matters, and then turn around and head straight for the Demon Suppression Bureau in the capital.

As for the other affairs of Lin'an City, they had little to do with him.

Shen Changqing had never imagined that, just as he was about to leave, the Demon Suppression Bureau would spring something like this on him.

I should never have gone to the Skywatch Guard!

He sighed helplessly, but he also understood that not going to the Skywatch Guard would not have meant he could avoid guarding Lin'an City.

In truth,

once the letter had been sent from the Demon Suppression Bureau and fallen into the hands of the Skywatch Guard, they had plenty of ways to deliver it to him.

The only difference was whether it happened sooner or later.

Even if he had already completely left Lin'an City, or even Vast Source Prefecture, he might still have had to turn back.

Two days passed quickly.

Over those two days, Shen Changqing thoroughly toured Lin'an City. News of Zhao Fang colluding with demons and monsters had already spread like wildfire.

After all, many people had witnessed what happened that night, and not every constable could keep his mouth shut.

Moreover,

the death of a magistrate like Zhao Fang could not possibly be concealed. On top of that, the constables had placed the Zhao Family under tight guard, causing no small commotion.

Thus, by now, nearly all the people of Lin'an City knew that Zhao Fang had colluded with demons and monsters.

For a time,

Zhao Fang and the Zhao Family were cursed by countless people.

Of course, it had little effect on Shen Changqing.