Thin Ascetic and Butcher Zhang

At the name, the Niu Brothers, who had just stepped out of the room, froze for a moment.

The two immediately ducked their heads, pretending not to hear. Supporting the thin middle-aged man between them, they hurried out of the courtyard.

Everyone among the constables had heard of the sort of man Liu Qi was.

He had come from Qing Prefecture, a martial artist with a master and a school behind him. Among the experts the Lin Family had paid handsomely to protect their home, he was one of the most renowned.

His iron palms could shatter gold and split stone as easily as slicing tofu.

They said that no fewer than thirty demons had died beneath those hands—and perhaps as many as fifty.

"Should we go take a look?"

Chen Ji glanced back at the brothers' retreating figures. He didn't think they were cowards; in fact, he could understand them perfectly well.

Baiyun County wasn't much of a city, and it didn't even have a proper sect. In the eyes of the locals, Liu Qi was already a mighty dragon from beyond the river. Even the constables were counting on his reputation to intimidate demons.

If even he had died, then whatever had done it was almost certainly a great demon.

According to Liu the Clerk, anything involving demons was Shen Yi's responsibility.

Whether to take responsibility or not—that was the question.

Technically, no one had filed a report. They could pretend they knew nothing and muddle through without any problem. But even the street vendors could guess the truth. Turning a blind eye would only make Shen Yi lose face on his very first day—and might even earn him a charge of failing to control the demons.

"His death came at a really unfortunate time."

Chen Ji withdrew his gaze, feeling a little troubled. Why was he such a jinx? Every bit of news he brought seemed to spell trouble.

"Let's go take a look."

Shen Yi gently rubbed his brow, concealing a flicker of irritation in his eyes. Then he got up, took his saber, and headed outside.

It wasn't because he was worried about losing face, as the others might have thought.

Unlike them, he knew what was lurking inside Lin Mansion.

That fox had been personally delivered there by his predecessor.

Every bloody crime it committed could be chalked up as another count against Shen Yi. If it were captured, he would probably have to make a trip to the Demon Suppression Division's prison as well.

"..."

Shen Yi and Chen Ji made their way onto the main street.

The odd looks from the roadside were the same as those he had received that morning. They only gradually disappeared as the buildings changed from mud-and-thatch huts to gray-tiled houses with blue-brick walls.

In the relatively wealthy eastern part of the city, the constables' uniforms were quickly losing their power to intimidate.

At last, the imposing, luxurious estate came into view. Its vermilion doors had copper handles, and the stone lions flanking them stood half a head taller than those outside the county office.

At the moment, the main gate was open just wide enough for one person to pass through. The Lin Family's plump steward stood in front of it in a silk jacket and a small cap, his face full of worry. He waved the crowd away. "Move along, move along! This isn't a place for you to gawk!"

"We're not here to gawk. If there's a demon, just let us know, sir, and we'll go to the county office for help."

The onlookers reluctantly backed away.

"What demon? There's no demon!" The Lin Family steward screwed up his plump face and hung his head in dismay. "I've said it eight hundred times already. There's no such thing."

"You coward, what are you afraid of? Didn't you see the notice on the street? If Master Shen can slay the dog demon in the West Suburbs, he can surely deal with the evil in your house!"

A few people with some standing among the crowd shouted without bothering to show the steward any respect.

"Master Shen... You people don't know a thing."

The Lin Family steward shot them a scornful glance. His mind was heavy with worry, and he couldn't be bothered to argue.

As for Shen Yi, he knew far more about him than these people did.

Back when Shen Yi had rescued the young lady from outside the city, the master had been grateful and treated him with great courtesy.

Who would've thought that Shen Yi was a gambler? Every few days, he'd show up at their door to borrow money. The silver they lent him vanished like meat buns thrown to a dog. He hardly seemed like a decent person.

At least he had been quieter lately.

The master had never trusted a man like that. Once they discovered what had happened to Liu Qi, he'd gone to the county magistrate's residence in the middle of the night to invite that Thin Ascetic over.

The man looked so thin that a gust of wind might knock him down. But back when he was in Qing Prefecture, he had been a constant companion to the magistrate's mentor and was deeply trusted. Even Liu Qi had addressed him as elder whenever they met, never daring to slight him.

A man of such standing had come to the Lin Family and investigated the place.

In the end, his conclusion was... there were no demons at work, and Master Lin had nothing to worry about.

As for Liu Qi's death, he said nothing.

In short, there were no demons.

Given Thin Ascetic's standing, once he had spoken, the matter was settled. Never mind that Shen Yi had no real ability—even if he truly had slain a demon, so what?

The Lin Family steward pulled himself back to the present and suddenly realized the noisy crowd had parted, leaving a path. "He's here! He really came! The notice was telling the truth!"

A young man with a saber slowly approached, a constable following behind him.

"Well, well, Constable Shen... My young lady isn't at home." The steward forced a smile. He was also a little surprised. Had Shen Yi never heard of Liu Qi? How could he dare get involved in something like this?

At that, Shen Yi frowned slightly.

She wasn't home?

"She went out of the city for an outing. She won't be back for a few days." The steward shook his head, then added, "If you're looking for Miss Bai Wei, I'm afraid you'll have to come back another time."

"I'm not here to see her. Sorry for the trouble, but take me to see the body."

Shen Yi stepped onto the stone stairs.

The Fox Demon was away, yet a martial arts expert had died. That was strange.

At his words, the Lin Family steward hesitated. If Shen Yi had come to scrounge for money, hearing that the young lady wasn't home should have sent him right back out. But if he had really come to investigate the demons... Thin Ascetic was still inside the estate.

With that in mind, he deliberately raised his voice.

"Constable Shen, the man from the county magistrate's residence has already been here to investigate."

Chen Ji was startled at first, then breathed a sigh of relief.

With an expert already on the case, the matter would naturally be settled. There was no need for a bunch of constables like them to worry about it.

The idle onlookers standing at a distance also understood. No wonder the Lin Family was so calm. What a pity—they wouldn't get to see Constable Shen in action today.

After saying that, the steward turned back to the young man, the meaning on his face plain to see.

He had given Shen Yi a way out. No matter what happened, he couldn't be held responsible. He could simply turn around and leave, and his reputation wouldn't suffer in the slightest.

"..."

Shen Yi lowered his gaze, taking in the unease and helplessness the steward was desperately trying to conceal.

He said calmly, "There's no harm in taking a look."

At that, the Lin Family steward was genuinely surprised. He really did seem like a different person. Before, Shen Yi would have done anything to dump trouble on someone else and focus on lining his pockets. What was with him today?

After hesitating for a moment, he moved aside with a bitter smile. "If you really want to take a look, then follow me."

The steward turned and pushed open the gate. He was just about to step through when his expression suddenly stiffened.

Two unusual men emerged, one after the other, accompanied by the master.

The first was tall and thin, looking to be about fifty. His eyebrows drooped like dragon whiskers, and he wore a long black robe. He was as slender as a bamboo pole.

Behind him came a middle-aged man as bulky as a small mountain. A thick, bristly beard like steel needles covered his rough cheeks. He looked sullen, wore a greasy white short jacket, and had skin as dark as soot. His swollen belly was as enormous as that of a woman in her tenth month of pregnancy.

Thin Ascetic wore a peaceful smile and was just about to bid Master Lin farewell when he raised his head and saw the people at the gate.

At the very moment the steward's heart leaped into his throat and he tried to explain, Thin Ascetic's smile faded slightly. He clasped his hands and said, "You must be young Master Shen. I've heard so much about you. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

At that, the dark-skinned, burly man, who had been hanging his head in dejection, glanced over at them.