By Shen Yi's reckoning, the Wind and Thunder Demon-Subduing True Interpretation he practiced had four stages.
They corresponded neatly to the Initial Realm.
Three apertures marked the entry level, or the early stage of the Initial Realm. With his five apertures, he was in the middle stage—nearly twice as strong as the Yellow Weasel.
Yet even with strength on his side, he'd struggled this much.
The reason was that he had no demonic arts like his opponent's. Faced with its formidable defense, he'd been at a loss for a moment, able to prevail only through brute strength and the crushing advantage of his cultivation.
Shen Yi sighed. Cultivation was certainly important, but it would be best to have a few trump-card techniques as well.
The three martial arts passed down by the Demon Suppression Division were already proving inadequate against a true great demon.
He turned around. The villagers had prepared two handcarts. There were too many corpses, and they were too heavy, so they'd taken only the heads. Even so, they'd piled up into little hills.
"What are we doing?" Chen Ji asked, still dazed.
"Going back to the city." Shen Yi headed toward the old donkey ambling over from the road and swung himself onto its back.
After what had happened, he'd finally come to his senses.
Earning a good reputation and joining the Demon Suppression Division wouldn't be as simple as he'd imagined.
The yamen wouldn't stand by and let him ruin their plans.
In that case, he had to draw a clear line between himself and them.
Dusk settled over Baiyun County.
Street vendors busily packed up their goods, while a group of soldiers stood guard at the city gate, yawning one after another.
A foul stench swept in.
Several soldiers hurriedly covered their noses, while the vendors straightened up and stared curiously toward the gate. The next moment, a mass of terrifying wolf heads came into view. Every one of them had a savage, lifelike face, jaws gaping wide, with unmistakable terror in their eyes.💥👺 🎉👻
"Demons... Demons have entered the city!"
The ladle slipped from a vendor's hand. He stumbled back in panic and fell flat on his face.
The soldiers tensed at once and hurriedly gripped their spears.
The two villagers pulling the carts had been hunched over, their faces betraying the awkward curiosity of men who hadn't been to the city in ages. Seeing everyone's disgraceful reaction, they couldn't help straightening their backs.
"What's wrong with your eyes? We were so scared of the demons we could barely walk, but that don't mean we're afraid of a pile of dead bodies. They're mighty tasty, too."
Chen Ji walked into the city at an unhurried pace, his expression complicated.
Behind him, an old donkey slowly chewed its fodder. A handsome young man sat astride it, his gaze calm, but the stench of blood rolling off him made everyone shudder.
"Shen... Is that Shen Yi?"
The soldiers held their spears, blinking in disbelief.
They knew his face all too well. His features hadn't changed, but his expression and bearing were worlds apart from those of the street thug he'd once been.
"Damn nuisance, scaring the life out of me even after you're dead."
The vendor scrambled up from the ground, embarrassed. He dusted off his clothes and stole a glance at the young man on the donkey, feeling an inexplicable shock.
How many demons would you have to kill to stain your clothes like that?
"Lord Shen, please, this way!"
He hurriedly cleared a path, delighted at the fresh gossip he'd have to share over tea.
How long had it been since anyone in all of Baiyun County had gone out of the city to slay demons?
And now they'd returned with such a haul!
"You've managed to offend the entire yamen now."
Chen Ji took in everyone's expressions and couldn't help giving a bitter smile.
He didn't understand why Lord Shen, who'd always been known for his tact, would suddenly do something so reckless.
Shen Yi lowered his eyes, unruffled. "Did I have a choice?"
"You have the strength to slay demons, but there was no need to make it known to everyone. With your ability, you had a bright future ahead of you..."
Halfway through, Chen Ji froze.
He remembered. The Demon Suppression Division's inspection was imminent. If they could show that Baiyun County was peaceful and prosperous, their prospects would be secure.
But Shen Yi had already made enemies of the demons. When push came to shove, who could guarantee the yamen wouldn't throw him out to take the blow?
If the ape demon and the Yellow Weasel joined forces and came demanding a life, it would be the same as putting his life and livelihood in the hands of those corrupt officials.
Better to make a grand display of his strength and let everyone in the county know what sort of man Shen Yi was.
Under the scrutiny of a Demon Suppression Division Lieutenant, who would dare claim they could silence the voices of more than a hundred thousand people?
This wasn't recklessness at all. It was the result of careful deliberation.
"I've followed you for two days, and I'm about to grow a brain myself."
Chen Ji shook his head helplessly, then lifted his chin and struck a proud pose.
A group of runners stumbled out of the tavern ahead. Chen Ji deliberately steered the two laborers toward them, then swung his scabbard down on one of them.
"Get lost! You want a whipping?"
Zhang Pengtian had never suffered such indignity. Reeking of liquor, he turned around, ready to strike back. "Damn it, which blind bastard—"
His eyes swept over Chen Ji. Just as he was about to draw his blade, he noticed a cold gaze looking down at him from above.
"Shen... Shen..."
The courage he'd summoned to save face in front of his brothers vanished without a trace when he saw the two cartloads of dog-demon heads, especially the Yellow Weasel's head piled at the very top.
Zhang Pengtian touched his stinging cheek and backed away, trembling.
He couldn't understand how Shen Yi had made it back alive... He had to hurry and report this to Liu the Clerk!
"All right. Take the two of them to the yamen. Once you're done, find them somewhere to stay and make sure they get a good meal."
After leaving the street, Shen Yi dug around in his belt and tossed out a piece of silver worth one qian. "Sorry for the trouble, you two. The meal's on me."
"You're too kind, sir!" The two laborers had witnessed the brutality with which he'd slain demons. They hadn't expected him to be so mild-mannered otherwise, and hurriedly bowed their thanks.
Only Chen Ji furrowed his brow, turning the piece of silver over in his fingers. It looked oddly familiar.
After saying goodbye to the others, Shen Yi dismounted and stretched out his limbs a little. Hiding the weariness in his eyes, he made his unhurried way home.
He had to admit, this had been the most draining battle he'd ever fought.
It wasn't just the toll on his body. The breath of heaven and earth in his apertures had run dry, making him feel as though he'd fallen from the Immortal Court straight into the mortal world. That dizzying drop left his spirits flagging.
He stopped beneath the thatched eaves.
To avoid seeing anything he shouldn't, Shen Yi raised a hand and knocked.
Before anyone appeared, a voice came from inside.
"What took you so long? I'm starving." Her voice was weak, but still clear and sweet.
Hearing her reply, Shen Yi pushed the door open, then furrowed his brow slightly.
The little hut, which had been filthy just yesterday, was now spotless. He almost felt bad stepping inside.
The woman's damp hair fell down her back. Her freshly washed face was lovely, and the hint of heroic spirit in her brows added a different sort of charm.
She wore a black shirt that was a little too large, yet still made her look tall and slender. Her loose trousers were half wet, revealing the long, shapely lines of her legs. Her pale, delicate feet were bare against the ground.
"I washed all the clothes, including your uniform. I borrowed some of your old clothes to wear for now."
Lin Baiwei said this, then suddenly looked up. "Did you go on duty, or did you take a soak in a pool of blood?"
She gave a faint sniff, and her expression shifted. "Demon blood?"
Shen Yi didn't answer. He simply looked away, took a lotus leaf package from inside his shirt, and tossed it onto the table. "Make do with this."
Seeing that he didn't want to talk, Lin Baiwei sensibly stopped asking. She sat down at the table and eagerly opened the lotus leaf, stained with demon blood.
"Oh! There's meat!"
She pinched up a strip of bloodstained salted pork, wiped it off a little, and stuffed it into a cold, hard flatbread. "Nom."
"I said to make do, but you could at least pick out the clean bits." Even Shen Yi couldn't help rubbing his temples.
"Only someone like you, who's never known hardship, would be so fussy. Out in the wilderness, no one cares if you starve to death."
Lin Baiwei chewed on the flatbread, savoring it. She even remembered to give her verdict. "Delicious."
"..."
Shen Yi was at a loss for words. The way she put it, you'd think he'd grown up in a wealthy merchant's household and she'd been the one raised on the streets.
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