Demon Suppression Division office.
The miserable state of the young nobleman Zhou Yi lay before everyone's eyes.
The scene fell deathly silent.
Countless gazes converged on Jiang Li, filled with satisfaction, excitement, hope, and worry.
The young lieutenant stared blankly at Jiang Li as well, his mouth dry.
Then.
As if recalling something, his expression changed slightly, and he began searching for the two servants beside Zhou Yi.
The Zhou Family's young master had died at the Demon Suppression Division's doorstep. The repercussions of this matter were far too great. Those two servants had to be detained as well, to prevent the Zhou Family from learning the news immediately and to buy the Demon Suppression Division time to respond.
Bang.
Two more crisp cracks rang out.
The young lieutenant looked over. An unparalleled beauty clad in a black-and-white robe patterned with flowing clouds stood there gracefully, her clear eyes cold as an icy pool. A few loose strands of hair fluttered before her forehead, making her seem like an immortal maiden descending into the mortal world.
The immortal maiden held a sheathed sword. Her jade-white fingertips tapped lightly against its hilt, and with a flash of cold light, she killed the two servants who had slipped more than ten meters away on the spot.
She then returned to Jiang Li's side.
Her cool voice remained unchanged, yet it carried a little more gentleness.
"Go do what you want. I'll clean up after you."
Li Xi puffed out her cheeks, her willow-leaf brows rising in great waves. "This Zhou Family has gone too far! Jiang Li, go ahead and do it. I'll provide Mana support for you."
Jiang Li: They were really so dashing and considerate. I could cry to death.
The young lieutenant watched, utterly relieved.
He had figured it out.
The young man in black who had kicked the Zhou Family's young master to death, that cool immortal maiden, and that sweet female cultivator were all together.
Their bearing and looks were completely out of place in Qinghe County, and even their cultivation far surpassed his own.
They were peerless genius cultivators that only famous orthodox sects could produce.
"Thank you, the three of you, for keeping our Demon Suppression Division from losing even its last shred of dignity. But this young master of the Zhou Family was one of the Zhou Family's twin stars. Since you killed him, the Zhou Family will surely fly into a rage. Leave quickly while they have yet to react. The Demon Suppression Division can only hold them off for a while."
The young lieutenant cupped his hands, bitterness written all over him.
The side that had rid the people of evil now had to flee in panic. What a joke that was.
Yet in Qinghe County, it was an indisputable fact.
Listening to him, Jiang Li secretly clicked his tongue.
What Murong Qing had said before had indeed been proven true. The situation in Qinghe County had long since surpassed the Demon Suppression Division's control.
This entire county was nominally governed by the Demon Suppression Division, but in reality, it belonged to the Zhou Family.
Cultivation Technique "Emperor's World-Shocking Art" was enraged. Should I avoid his edge? Bring me my blade! Those traitorous rebels deserved execution. You have triggered dialogue. Please enter the Kingly Way dialogue content—
Jiang Li found it somewhat strange.
A Kingly Way dialogue—this was his first time seeing a cultivation technique designate dialogue content.
Was it afraid he would say something that ruined its aura?
Damn.
If he casually said something like, "I am the Heavenly Emperor, and I shall suppress and kill every enemy under heaven," this body-tempering cultivation technique would probably go insane.
Jiang Li grumbled inwardly.
After thinking for a moment.
He typed in his response, and the body controlled by Cultivation Technique Hosting spoke in sync. "Are you willing to accept this?"
The young lieutenant raised his head, then quickly lowered it again.
"Qinghe County has long since slipped beyond the Demon Suppression Division's jurisdiction. Lord Vanguard General is still bedridden, the lieutenants all have troubles of their own, and I alone remain to guard the office. The Zhou Family is no longer something we can suppress."
"Are you willing to accept this?"
Jiang Li repeated.
"No."
The young lieutenant clenched his blade hilt tightly, his eyes reddening.
"Over the past five years, the Zhou Family has committed a total of three thousand one hundred crimes. Countless commoners have gone missing. Recently, they have even begun abducting infants and children. How could the Demon Suppression Division be willing to accept this?"
"Then what are you waiting for?"
The young lieutenant froze. Bit by bit, light returned to his dim expression.
He seemed to understand Jiang Li's meaning: these three genius disciples from great sects had come for the Zhou Family today.
The next second.
He made a decision that defied his ancestors.
The young lieutenant dropped to one knee.
A hint of madness and ferocity showed on his weathered face. As though he had grasped his last life-saving straw, his low roar suddenly rang out.
"Immortal Master, please strengthen our Demon Suppression Division!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Inside the Demon Suppression Division office, the young soldiers also dropped to their knees in great numbers. They were all only in their twenties or thirties, at the age when their spirits should have soared high, yet their eyes were especially fierce at this moment.
"Immortal Master, please strengthen our Demon Suppression Division!"
Their neat, low voices rang out, echoing through the skies above Qinghe County.
Jiang Li: ...
That was unnecessary.
He had merely intended for the Demon Suppression Division to contribute its strength as well.
After all.
The Zhou Family was powerful, while their side had only three people. Even if they possessed the strength of two fists against four hands, they could not possibly slaughter them all.
This was where the Demon Suppression Division could play its part—mopping up the remaining soldiers.
However...
Perhaps it was because the body controlled by the Emperor's World-Shocking Art naturally carried an imperial bearing, but that Demon Suppression Division lieutenant had actually bowed his head and pledged allegiance.
Damn it, this body-tempering cultivation technique would not really rebel someday, would it?
Jiang Li thought to himself.
Yet on the surface, he remained calm and detached.
"Surround the Zhou Family. Don't let even a fly escape."
Hearing this.
Li Xi covered her little mouth, her bright eyes blinking wildly as though stars were shining within them. "Jiang Li, he's so handsome."
Murong Qing said nothing. Her long lashes concealed her gaze... he really was rather handsome.
The young lieutenant gripped the hilt at his waist, his hands trembling with excitement. The pent-up violence accumulated over many years erupted completely at this moment.
"Yes!"
He took out his lieutenant's command token.
Like an injured beast organizing a counterattack, he growled, "Pass down my order! Aside from those guarding the county city, every other soldier, Ten-Man Commander, Hundred-Man Commander, Thousand-Man Commander, and lieutenant—move at once! Surround the Zhou Family!"
"Yes."
All the soldiers moved.
They rushed off in a scramble.
The order spread throughout Qinghe County.
For a time.
The entirety of Qinghe County was mobilized.
Soldiers dressed in Fish-Dragon Uniforms with long blades at their waists moved through the streets, pouring in from every direction. Their destination was only one place: the Zhou Residence.
Those unaware of the situation whispered, "What is the Demon Suppression Division doing?"
"By order of the Immortal Master, they are encircling and exterminating the Zhou Family."
Ten-Man Commanders, Hundred-Man Commanders, Thousand-Man Commanders, and even lieutenants were answering this call.
Fish-Dragon Uniforms draped over their bodies, Soul-Reaping Blades hanging at their sides—this was the Demon Suppression Division at its most unyielding.
Wherever they passed, their shadows stretched long.
Like ghost officials who reaped souls.
All the pedestrians on the streets had retreated into their homes. Every household had shut its doors tightly, watching everything through cracks in their doors.
Could the Demon Suppression Division truly still encircle and exterminate the Zhou Family?
And who had given the Demon Suppression Division such confidence?
Just how efficient was an imperial institution operating at full force? Jiang Li saw it for himself today.
At dusk.
In less than two hours.
Over a thousand Demon Suppression Division soldiers had gathered.
They surrounded the vast Zhou Residence so tightly that not even water could seep through.
The Zhou Family's gates stood open.
Inside, chaos reigned.
Members of the Zhou Family constantly emerged, their faces filled with shock and fury as they stared fixedly at the Demon Suppression Division soldiers outside.
From that moment onward, the Zhou Residence had completely become a forbidden zone.
One could enter, but not leave.
No matter from which corner someone poked out their head, a grim-faced soldier stood guard, a snow-white silver blade flashing with cold light in the dusk.
The air was thick with killing intent.
Soon.
A highly respected Zhou Family elder emerged after receiving the news.
The walking stick in his hand struck the ground heavily.
The surging aura of Qi Refining Peak burst forth, sweeping in every direction.
"Has your Demon Suppression Division gone mad? It is only because my Zhou Family is willing to give you some face that you remain the rulers of Qinghe County. Otherwise, you are merely a pack of hawks and hounds wearing dog skins."
The young lieutenant stood at the very front.
He used the Ink Blade in his hand as his reply.
"By the Immortal Master's command, we are encircling and exterminating the Zhou Family."
As soon as he finished speaking.
Over a thousand Demon Suppression Division soldiers drew the long blades from their waists.
Their blades pointed at the Zhou Residence.
Killing intent spread through the air.
"Good. Very good. Imperial hounds without even a Foundation Establishment cultivator dare spout such wild nonsense before my Zhou Family? I would like to see what wild-path Immortal Master has given you such confidence."
The elder flew into a rage.
A large number of Zhou Family members were likewise fully armed.
They filed out in a stream.
Every one of them had cultivation.
Even the weakest were at Qi Refining Layer 3, while the strongest had reached Qi Refining Peak.
The gazes of these Zhou Family members were cruel and perverse. A deep scarlet glow still lingered in some of their eyes, seemingly not yet concealed in time, revealing the aura of the Demonic Path.
Just then.
A corpse smashed through the Zhou Residence gates.
With a bang, the three-meter-thick wooden gates shattered into pieces. The corpse fell at the entrance, its face ruined beyond recognition and too horrible to behold, but it could still vaguely be identified as the Zhou Family's young master, Zhou Yi.
"You were looking for us?"
As the voice rang out.
The Demon Suppression Division soldiers parted to both sides, opening a path.
Jiang Li walked forward, his black robes fluttering.
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