None of Your Damn Business?

Next, Du Yuanxiu patiently began explaining some of the Demon-Suppression Bureau's rules, along with its reward and punishment system. Everyone listened in silence.

After Du Yuanxiu had finished saying everything that needed to be said, he waved his hand. "All right. Everyone is tired after today's assessment. Go back and rest for the night. Report to the Demon-Suppression Bureau tomorrow."

"Yes!" Everyone hurriedly clasped their fists in salute, then departed one after another.

They could barely contain their excitement and were eager to rush home with the news.

Xu Ye bowed and was about to leave when Du Yuanxiu spoke. "Xu Ye, wait a moment."

Xu Ye paused and nodded slightly.

Zhao Heng snorted at the sight, then turned and left sullenly.

Lin Yuyan gave Xu Ye a slight nod before leaving as well.

Once only Xu Ye, Du Yuanxiu, and Lü Tao remained in the hall,

Du Yuanxiu looked at Xu Ye. "What is going on between you and Zhao Heng?"

Xu Ye sighed. "I don't know. That guy's got something seriously wrong with his head."

He had no idea why Zhao Heng had suddenly picked a fight with him.

The man was seriously sick in the head.

Lü Tao laughed. "You're the first person in White Cloud County who has dared to say the county deputy's son is sick in the head."

Xu Ye merely shook his head and said nothing more.

Then Du Yuanxiu said, "Though the Demon-Suppression Bureau does not fear county office officials in a certain sense, he is still the county deputy's son. If you can avoid provoking him, do so. Otherwise, the consequences will be endless."

Xu Ye shook his head slightly. "If he doesn't court death, I can't be bothered with him."

Lü Tao laughed at that. "You've got the same temper as Old Xu. Neither of you can tolerate a grain of sand in your eyes."

Xu Ye said, "If anyone can bully me, then what is the point of joining the Demon-Suppression Bureau?"

Lü Tao nodded slightly. "That's true."

Du Yuanxiu added, "All right, we can discuss such matters later. What I need to tell you now is about your special pardon warrant."

Xu Ye looked at Du Yuanxiu. What was there left to say about that?

Du Yuanxiu did not waste words. "The person who used your special pardon warrant to enter the Demon-Suppression Bureau was the Su Family's young master, Su Yu."

"That man was born a wastrel and committed every evil imaginable. His cultivation talent is nothing special either. He is already eighteen, yet he is only at the second level of the Meridian Opening Realm."

Upon hearing this, Xu Ye sighed inwardly. Just as expected. That old hag Su had a reason for insisting on taking his special pardon warrant.

Still, he did not care. "Since the special pardon warrant has already been given to them, whoever they use it to send into the Demon-Suppression Bureau has nothing to do with me."

Du Yuanxiu shook his head slightly. "Su Yu is narrow-minded and vindictive, repaying even the smallest grievance like the bite of a gnat. It would have been one thing if you had not joined the Demon-Suppression Bureau, but now that you have, you may run into him someday. If he learns that the special pardon warrant he possesses was yours, given his temperament, he will certainly stir up trouble for no reason."

Xu Ye nodded slightly. Like family, like family. His sister, Su Qingxue, that old hag, was shameless enough to threaten him with a life and then burn the bridge after crossing it.

How much better could her younger brother possibly be?

As Xu Ye was thinking this, Du Yuanxiu continued, "I'm telling you this so you can be more cautious and avoid being harmed by that fellow."

Xu Ye smiled faintly. "Thank you, Uncle Du. But times are different now. Before, I was merely a commoner from the streets, and I feared the Su Family. But now, I am a Demon-Suppression Guard of the Demon-Suppression Bureau."

"Should I avoid his edge? If he leaves me alone, then fine. But if he comes looking for me, I have no intention of letting things rest!"

If he still feared the Su Family's threats now,

then he would have joined the Demon-Suppression Bureau for nothing.

Du Yuanxiu paused slightly upon hearing that. He understood what Xu Ye meant.

And at last, he understood why Xu Ye had been so determined to join the Demon-Suppression Bureau.

He was finding himself a patron, giving himself a foothold?

With that thought, Du Yuanxiu said, "I understand what you mean, but you are still only a Black-Robed Demon-Suppression Guard. The Su Family holds great influence in White Cloud County. They are not as simple as they appear on the surface."

Xu Ye laughed. "As long as I remain a Demon-Suppression Guard, they will have to consider the consequences before touching me. And if they can't touch me, then there is plenty of time ahead. Who should fear whom is still uncertain."

With that, Xu Ye clasped his fists slightly toward Du Yuanxiu and Lü Tao, then turned and left.

Watching Xu Ye leave, Du Yuanxiu and Lü Tao exchanged a glance.

Du Yuanxiu shook his head slightly. "Just like his father. Stubborn-tempered."

Lü Tao smiled. "I actually think it's good that he's like this. If he endured every humiliation in this chaotic world, what good days could he and his sister possibly have?"

Du Yuanxiu shook his head slightly, though he still felt somewhat worried.

After Xu Ye left the Demon-Suppression Bureau Office, he did not wear the Demon-Suppression Bureau uniform, changing back into his own clothes instead.

Xu Zhizhi still did not know that he had joined the Demon-Suppression Bureau.

"I don't even know how to tell that girl." Xu Ye had a headache.

Their father had just died for the Demon-Suppression Bureau, and now he had joined it too.

It would be strange if Xu Zhizhi could accept that.

That was why he had concealed it from Xu Zhizhi and come to take the assessment today.

Now that he had become a Demon-Suppression Guard, he still had to find a way to make Xu Zhizhi accept it.

It truly was a troublesome problem.

With that in mind, Xu Ye hurried toward home.

When he reached a street, a carriage came galloping toward him. Xu Ye stepped slightly aside, intending to let the carriage pass first.

Who would have thought that the carriage screeched to a halt?

It stopped right in front of Xu Ye.

Xu Ye frowned slightly and looked up, only to see a familiar face.

The one driving the carriage was that scar-faced coachman.

Su Qingxue's carriage!

The thought had barely risen in Xu Ye's mind when the carriage curtain was lifted, revealing the old hag Su Qingxue's face.

"Xu Ye!" Su Qingxue narrowed her eyes at him.

Xu Ye could not be bothered with this woman at all and turned to leave.

The moment he saw her, he could not help but feel the urge to kill.

"Stop!" Seeing Xu Ye ignore her again, Su Qingxue's face darkened as she barked the command.

Xu Ye sneered mockingly. "What? Does Miss Su want something else this time?"

Su Qingxue seemed not to hear his mockery.

She stared at Xu Ye, calmly wiped her hands, and asked directly, "Answer me. Were you responsible for what happened to the Clear Spring Gang?"

She was so blunt that she was practically telling Xu Ye outright that she had arranged for the Clear Spring Gang to target him.

Clearly, she was not afraid of Xu Ye knowing.

In her eyes, Xu Ye was merely an inferior person, a cheap life, not worth hiding anything from.

If she wanted Xu Ye dead, then Xu Ye would die.

What could Xu Ye do even if he knew?

Xu Ye immediately sneered upon hearing that. This dead old hag truly did not see him as a person!

Before, he might have endured it.

But now, Xu Ye had no taste for being abused.

So he could not be bothered to waste words. He gave a derisive laugh and said, "What the hell are you? Whether I did it or not, what damn business is it of yours?"