Su Gan gathered his thoughts and picked up his vermilion brush, writing several lines of instructions on the report.
"Convey My decree: the suppression campaign in Xu Province is to be placed entirely under the authority of White Tiger Guard Lin Hu."
"Also, send a message by Flying Eagle to Prince Wu'an. Inform him of the situation in Xu Province and tell him not to let it distract him. With Lin Hu stationed there, Xu Province is in good hands."
The messenger bowed, accepted the order, and hurried out of the Imperial Study.
Su Gan put down his brush and looked outside the hall.
With Prince Wu'an and the four Martial Saints under his command lending a hand, the campaign against the Demon Cult was going several times faster than expected.
Before long, every den of the Holy Demon God Sect in Great Yu would be rooted out.
Only then would he be able to feel completely at ease.
Days passed one after another.
In the blink of an eye, the suppression campaign had been underway for a full week.
Over those seven days, Lin Changqing had led Su Wanqing and the Demon Suppression Guards in wiping out, one by one, the Demon Cult dens marked on the map throughout the prefectures and counties of Si Province.
At every location, he followed the same routine.
He swept the area with his divine sense to lock onto the targets, used spatial displacement to pull them all out, then wiped them out with a single thought.
After that, the Demon Suppression Guards rushed in to search for spoils and intelligence.
The efficiency was astonishing.
The campaigns were going just as smoothly in Xu Province, where Lin Hu was stationed; Yan Province, where Lin Que was stationed; and Green Province, where Lin Wu was stationed.
With three Ninth-Rank Martial Saints personally taking action, the Branch Sect dens had no chance to resist.
One den after another was destroyed, and one wave of cultists after another was slaughtered.
That wasn't all.
They also followed the trail and uncovered plenty of officials colluding with the Demon Cult.
From provincial inspectors down to minor clerks in the prefectures and counties, they were all uprooted.
One name after another—including Xu Province Governor Sun Tai—was written into urgent reports and sent to the Capital City by fast horse.
The vacant official posts would surely bring a major reshuffle in the days to come.
But that was the imperial court's business, and it had little to do with Lin Changqing. All he knew was that he was getting closer and closer to the ten Limit-Breaking Pills.
That afternoon.
At an ancient, deserted temple before a barren mountain on the southwestern border of Si Province.
Lin Changqing sat astride Golden Radiance, gazing at the dilapidated temple ahead.
It was the last den marked on the map in his possession.
"One last one."
His tone was flat, betraying no emotion.
The dozens of cultists deep inside the temple remained oblivious to the disaster about to befall them.
Lin Changqing couldn't be bothered to waste words. He swept the area with his divine sense and locked onto every target.
He raised a hand and swept it outward.
Dozens of cultists were forcibly pulled through space and dumped onto the open ground in front of the temple.
Before they could even figure out what had happened,
a thought from Lin Changqing descended.
"Boom!"
The dozens of people exploded into clouds of blood at once. They didn't even have time to scream. A flash of purple-gold light passed, and the blood mist evaporated without a trace.
From beginning to end, it took no more than three breaths.
Lin Changqing lowered his hand, a bored look on his face.
"More small fry. They don't even have an Eighth-Rank Grandmaster among them."
He shook his head, his tone full of helplessness.
"I've had the Great Wilderness Demon-Subduing Fist for so long, and I still haven't had a chance to use it."
"They're either Sixth-Rank martial artists or weaker than Fifth-Rank. Using a fist technique on them would be like firing a cannon at mosquitoes."
Sitting in front of him, Su Wanqing couldn't help laughing when she heard that.
"Saint Venerable, it's not that they're too weak. You're just too strong."
She turned to look at Lin Changqing.
"You're a Ninth-Rank Martial Saint Peak. There aren't many people across the entire Heavenly Martial Continent who can match you."
She began counting on her fingers.
"Over the past seven days, you alone have taken down more than a dozen Branch Sect dens."
"You've killed at least a hundred Demon Cult followers, and not one of them could withstand a single move from you."
"If Father Emperor finds out, he'll definitely issue another decree granting you a reward."
Lin Changqing chuckled.
Then he turned to give instructions to Lu Jingchen, who was behind him.
"Commander Lu, take the men inside and search the place."
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Lu Jingchen clasped his fists and accepted the order.
He led the Demon Suppression Guards charging into the ancient temple.
After seven days, he had this routine down to perfection.
Prince Wu'an handled the killing, he handled the cleanup, and the princess... handled praising Prince Wu'an.
Their duties were clear, and they worked together like clockwork.
Only after all the Demon Suppression Guards had entered the temple did Su Wanqing turn around again.
She looked at Lin Changqing's profile, her cheeks faintly flushed.
The two of them sat together on Qilin's back.
The atmosphere grew more and more charged.
Su Wanqing raised her head and parted her lips, as if she wanted to say something.
Lin Changqing also turned slightly. Their faces drew closer and closer.
Just then,
a rush of hurried footsteps sounded from inside the ancient temple.
Lu Jingchen hurried out through the temple gate, a Secret Letter in his hand and a grave look on his face.
"Your Highness! Princess! I... I found an important clue inside the temple!"
His voice rang loudly across the empty mountainside.
Su Wanqing's expression froze at once.
She watched Lu Jingchen rushing closer, her eyes full of reproach.
They'd been so close—just a little closer! She'd almost taken things a step further with the Saint Venerable!
How could these people be so oblivious?
Couldn't they see that the princess was busy with important business?
Of all times to come out, why now?
Su Wanqing drew a deep breath.
But she was a princess, after all. She still had to maintain her proper decorum.
"What clue?"
A trace of annoyance crept into her voice.
Lu Jingchen, who had stumbled upon the scene, approached Golden Radiance awkwardly and dropped to one knee.
His expression was far more solemn than usual.
"Your Highness, we found a Secret Letter that they hadn't had time to destroy."
His tone was exceptionally serious.
"This letter... concerns matters of great importance. I didn't dare make a decision on my own."
He hesitated, then held the Secret Letter high.
"Your Highness, Princess, you'd better take a look yourselves."
Seeing Lu Jingchen's expression, much of Su Wanqing's annoyance faded.
Lu Jingchen had served in the Demon Suppressing Division for many years. He'd weathered all kinds of storms.
If even he looked like this... the contents of the letter were certainly no trivial matter.
Lin Changqing also furrowed his brow slightly.
"What clue is so important that I need to examine it myself?"
He swung down from Golden Radiance, then lifted Su Wanqing down as well, the motion as natural as if he'd done it countless times.
Once on the ground, Su Wanqing straightened her skirt.
Then she and Lin Changqing walked over to Lu Jingchen.
Lu Jingchen handed over the Secret Letter with both hands. The paper had yellowed, and its edges were charred.
It had clearly been snatched from a brazier.
Lin Changqing took the letter and unfolded it.
Su Wanqing moved close to his side, and they read its contents together.
There were only a few short lines, written neatly but with a chilling undertone.
"Lord Ming Yuan, the item you requested is enclosed with this letter. I trust you will continue to maneuver on our behalf regarding the matter in the Capital City."
"When the Demon Realm descends, we will not disappoint you."
The signature was a twisted Demon Rune.
Su Wanqing's pupils suddenly contracted.
"The matter in the Capital City?"
"'Continue to maneuver on our behalf'?"
She jerked her head up to look at Lin Changqing, shock filling her voice.
"Saint Venerable, this letter says—"
Lin Changqing's gaze fell on the mark at the bottom of the letter.
He had seen that Demon Rune before, on the walls of the Underground Palace belonging to the Capital Branch Sect, and on the altar of the Blood Sacrifice Array.
Only the core higher-ups of the Holy Demon God Sect could use this mark, and this letter had been addressed to someone in the Capital City.
Combined with the phrase "continue to maneuver," it meant that another big fish was still hiding in the Capital City.
And this big fish's code name was "Ming Yuan."
Before you continue