After Lin Changqing accepted the mission, the purge operation quickly got underway across the board.
He and Xiao Qianjun each took a contingent of men and searched separate areas of Si Province.
The Demon Suppressing Division's intelligence network was working at full capacity, with the prefectural and county governments lending their support.
A few days later.
Definite intelligence came in from Guangji Prefecture in southern Si Province.
Guangji Prefecture lay on Si Province's southern border.
The area was full of mountains and rivers, with treacherous terrain.
A little over half a month ago, Lin Changqing and Su Wanqing had passed through this place while riding Golden Radiance.
The military commandant of Guangji Prefecture personally brought several trusted subordinates and raced to Lin Changqing's temporary camp.
"Reporting to Prince Wu'an!"
The commandant dropped to one knee and presented a map marked with the exact location.
"This subordinate has confirmed that a Branch Sect stronghold of the Holy Demon God Sect is indeed hidden deep inside an abandoned mine in the prefecture!"
"The mine was abandoned over ten years ago, and hardly anyone goes there."
"If Your Highness hadn't ordered a thorough investigation, this subordinate would never have thought anyone was hiding there."
Lin Changqing took the map and glanced over it.
The marked location was in a mountain hollow, surrounded on all sides by mountains. It was certainly well hidden.
"Well done."
He rose and said to Su Wanqing beside him, "Let's go take a look."
Su Wanqing nodded repeatedly and nimbly climbed onto Golden Radiance's back.
After spending so much time with Lin Changqing, she had gotten much better at mounting the Qilin.
Lin Changqing swung onto Golden Radiance, then addressed the Left Commander beside him.
"Bring a squad and follow us."
The Left Commander was Lu Jingchen, one of Xiao Qianjun's trusted subordinates at the Demon Suppressing Division Headquarters.
He was a mid-stage Eighth-Rank Grandmaster, efficient and taciturn.
This time, he had been ordered to lead fifty elite Demon Suppression Guards and remain at Lin Changqing's side, ready to take his orders.
Lu Jingchen cupped his fists in acknowledgment.
"Yes, sir!"
Golden Radiance's four hooves trod on Golden Thunder as he soared into the sky.
Zhou Zheng led fifty Demon Suppression Guards, using their movement techniques to race after them along the ground.
Fortunately, Golden Radiance wasn't flying very fast, so they could just barely keep up.
Half an hour later.
The abandoned mine in Guangji Prefecture.
It was a mining area that had lain abandoned for more than ten years.
Weeds and rubble covered most of the mine entrance, leaving only a dark opening exposed.
The surrounding woods were silent. Not even a bird called.
Rusty mine carts and snapped ropes lay scattered across the ground, lending the place a desolate air.
It didn't look like anyone could possibly be there.
Golden Radiance slowly landed in the clearing before the mine.
Lu Jingchen and the fifty Demon Suppression Guards arrived right after him, quickly spreading out to surround the area around the mine.
"Prince Wu'an."
Lu Jingchen hurried to Lin Changqing's side and lowered his voice.
"According to the military commandant of Guangji Prefecture, the Branch Sect stronghold is hidden deep inside the mine."
"The entrance is concealed, and we don't yet know what lies within."
"Should I send a few skilled men in to scout ahead?"
Lin Changqing didn't answer.
His spiritual sense had already spread out.
The spiritual sense of a Martial Saint Peak was like an invisible tide, piercing the mine's stone walls and layers of earth.
Everything underground appeared clearly in his mind.
There was indeed a hidden chamber deep inside the mine.
A huge underground space had been carved out, its walls covered in strange, blood-red spirit patterns.
Dozens of cultists in dark red robes were gathered inside. Some were meditating, while others were sorting through documents and the like.
Judging by how relaxed they looked, they clearly had no idea they'd already been surrounded.
But after scanning the place, Lin Changqing furrowed his brow.
The strongest among them was only a Sixth-Rank martial artist.
There wasn't even a Seventh-Rank Grandmaster.
Let alone an Eighth-Rank Grandmaster or Ninth-Rank Martial Saint.
"Why are they all small fry?"
Lin Changqing muttered in disappointment.
He'd been hoping he might run into another Martial Saint-level sect leader this time.
It would've been the perfect chance to test the power of the Great Wilderness Demon-Subduing Fist.
But after waiting all this time, all he'd found were a few little minnows.
Then, after a moment's thought, he understood.
The Holy Demon God Sect's experts in Si Province had probably all been wiped out by him in the previous operations.
The Red Python Sect Leader of the Capital Branch Sect was a Ninth-Rank Martial Saint. Together with the dozens of core members he'd wiped out in one fell swoop during the Blood Sacrifice operation, they had made up all the Holy Demon God Sect's elite forces in Si Province.
The remaining Branch Sect strongholds were probably filled with low-ranking cultists, errand runners and lackeys.
He'd already cleared out all the real experts.
"Oh well. Better than nothing."
Lin Changqing shook his head and put the thought aside.
Lu Jingchen saw that he had been silent for a while and cautiously asked again, "Prince Wu'an, what should we do next? Should I send men in to clear out the stronghold?"
His tone was nothing short of reverent.
The man before him was a Ninth-Rank Martial Saint Peak, an unparalleled powerhouse who had killed the Red Python Martial Saint with a single sword strike.
In his presence, Lu Jingchen, an Eighth-Rank Grandmaster, hardly dared to breathe.
Lin Changqing waved a hand.
"No need to make things so complicated. I'll handle it."
As soon as the words left his mouth.
His spiritual sense abruptly locked onto the dozens of cultists deep inside the mine.
Every person's location, cultivation level and condition appeared precisely in his mind.
Not a single one escaped his notice.
Lin Changqing raised his right hand and gave the empty space before him a light wave.
An invisible force of space surged deep into the mine, enveloping all the cultists.
Deep inside the mine.
The cultists had no idea what was happening.
A core member at the Sixth Rank sat cross-legged on a stone bed, meditating.
With his eyes closed, he wondered when he might be transferred back to the main sect.
Just then.
The world around him suddenly spun.
When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer inside the mine.
Blinding sunlight shone before him, and beneath his feet was a clearing overgrown with weeds.
Demon Suppression Guards in black uniforms surrounded him, all holding blades and swords, their faces full of killing intent.
Behind him, dozens of his fellow cultists had appeared in the clearing just like him, out of thin air.
Every face was filled with confusion and terror.
"W-what's going on?!"
"How did I end up outside?"
"It's Spatial Shift! Someone used Spatial Shift to pull us out!"
The Sixth-Rank core member was the first to react. His face instantly turned deathly pale. Only a Ninth-Rank Martial Saint could wield this ability!
And even ordinary Ninth-Rank Martial Saints couldn't do it with such speed and precision!
He abruptly looked up.
A Qilin covered in golden scales stood in the clearing.
A young man in a black robe sat on its back, looking down at them.
His eyes held no emotion, as if he were looking at a swarm of ants.
The Sixth-Rank core member shuddered, his legs giving way beneath him.
"P-Prince Wu'an?!"
Lin Changqing didn't bother speaking to him.
These low-ranking cultists had surely been implanted with restrictions too. Interrogating them wouldn't yield anything useful.
He couldn't be bothered to waste time.
Lin Changqing looked away and let a single thought fall.
"Bang!"
An invisible force descended from above.
The bodies of dozens of cultists exploded all at once, turning into a cloud of blood mist.
Their flesh and blood evaporated in a purple-gold light, leaving not even bone fragments behind.
Only a faint trace of blood lingered in the air before the wind swept it away.
From the moment they were shifted into the clearing to the moment they all became blood mist.
It took no more than three breaths.
Dozens of people who had been alive moments ago had vanished without a trace.
The area around them fell deathly silent.
Lu Jingchen stood rooted to the spot, his mouth hanging open wide enough to fit an egg.
His hand froze in midair on the hilt of his saber, and he stood as if pinned by a restraining spell.
The fifty Demon Suppression Guards behind him were just as stunned.
Everyone stared wide-eyed at the blood mist that had yet to fully disperse, their minds buzzing.
They were all gone in the blink of an eye?
They hadn't even had time to scream!
Countless thoughts flashed through Lu Jingchen's mind.
He had heard that Prince Wu'an had killed the Red Python Martial Saint with a single sword strike. He had happened to be away on a mission at the time, so he hadn't been in the Capital City.
But hearing about it and witnessing it with his own eyes were two entirely different things!
Such methods and overwhelming strength were completely beyond his comprehension!
His deputy leaned close to his ear, his voice trembling.
"S-Sir... is this the power of a Ninth-Rank Martial Saint Peak?"
Lu Jingchen took a deep breath, trying to suppress his shock.
"Enough nonsense. Stand at attention."
His voice sounded fairly calm, but his palms were drenched in sweat.
Lin Changqing glanced at Lu Jingchen, who was still dazed, and spoke calmly.
"Stop standing there. Go in and search."
Lu Jingchen jolted back to his senses and hurriedly cupped his fists.
"This subordinate obeys!"
He turned and shouted sternly at the Demon Suppression Guards under his command.
"What are you all standing around for? Didn't you hear Prince Wu'an's order? Search!"
Before you continue