Xu Qing's battle with the White-haired Zombie was extremely intense, yet it lasted only a few minutes. The strength Xu Qing displayed shocked everyone present.
White-haired Zombie.
A powerful corpse monster comparable to a Transformative Force martial artist had actually been slain by Xu Qing. His swordsmanship was extraordinary, piercing straight through the White-haired Zombie's head.
"So strong."
"Senior's swordsmanship is truly formidable!"
"Yes! Yes!"
"Senior actually killed the White-haired Zombie."
"..."
Everyone marveled in astonishment.
"Die!"
Boom!
That Demon Slayer let out a roar. He seemed to unleash a powerful martial art, wisps of blood qi erupting around his body. His black Iron Ruler came crashing down, smashing the White-haired Zombie's head to pieces.
With a bang.
The White-haired Zombie's head burst like a watermelon.
"Wonderful."
"The other White-haired Zombie is dead too."
"..."
Everyone was thrilled and excited.
"Huff... huff..."
That Demon Slayer panted heavily. His expenditure had been enormous; clearly, the move he had just used could not be employed casually.
As for Xu Qing.
Xu Qing had consecutively used the Thirteen Sword Strikes of Life-Taking. By the time he used the ninth strike, he had also exerted his full strength, yet his face was not red and he was not out of breath. His condition was indeed far better than that Demon Slayer's.
The difference between the two had already been decided.
"Are you all right?"
Xu Qing asked.
"I'm fine."
That Demon Slayer took a deep breath, pulled a medicinal pill from his clothes, and swallowed it. After a while, his complexion improved considerably.
In the blink of an eye.
More than ten minutes later.
Xu Qing and the Demon Slayer struck one after another, killing all the remaining Black-haired Zombies, corpse monsters, and corpse ghosts. Corpses lay scattered across the ground around Thousand Treasures Pavilion.
However.
Xu Weiran's side had suffered considerable casualties as well. Two of the five constables had died, while twenty-three Patrol Team members had perished. The losses were tragic.
Of course.
Their achievements had been equally remarkable: every corpse ghost present had been wiped out.
In addition.
During his conversation with that Demon Slayer, Xu Qing learned that his full name was Cheng Bingren. Within Qingbei Town's Demon Extermination Agency, he was a Bronze-ranked Demon Slayer.
In addition.
Within Qingbei Town's Demon Extermination Agency.
Demon Slayers were ranked from low to high as Iron-ranked, Bronze-ranked, Silver-ranked, and Gold-ranked. Above Gold-ranked Demon Slayers were Demon Slayer Commanders and Chief Commanders.
The Demon Extermination Agency in Qingbei Town is far stronger overall than the Yamen Agency, Xu Qing thought. Xu Weiran, a constable, is only at peak Dark Force. The entire Yamen Agency has just three Chief Constables, and the Chief Constable above them is probably only at Transformative Force.
Yet on the Demon Extermination Agency's side, Iron-ranked Demon Slayers are already at Dark Force, while Bronze-ranked ones are at the Transformative Force level. The Silver-ranked and Gold-ranked ones above them are even more terrifying.
Not to mention the commanders and Chief Commanders.
"Let's go."
After resting for a moment.
Cheng Bingren rose to his feet, glanced at the crowd, and said, "All the corpse monsters should have been dealt with. Everyone, follow me into Thousand Treasures Pavilion and investigate the truth."
"Yes."
"By your command."
"..."
Excitement appeared on everyone's faces.
After all.
The reason they had fought so desperately, even risking their lives against these corpse monsters, was not merely because it was the yamen's order. Most importantly, it was because of this Thousand Treasures Pavilion.
This was one of the Ye family's main businesses, renowned throughout Hongye Street. Thousand Treasures Pavilion contained many treasures, along with all kinds of wealth.
It could be said.
As long as they eliminated these corpse monsters, entered Thousand Treasures Pavilion, and conducted an investigation, it was perfectly acceptable for them to carry off a portion of the money during that investigation.
To them.
This was a golden cave.
Very quickly.
Xu Qing and the others entered Thousand Treasures Pavilion. It had five floors in total, with different items sold on each floor. Xu Qing cast a few glances around and surveyed his surroundings.
Under such circumstances.
Naturally, Xu Qing and Cheng Bingren chose first, followed by Xu Weiran and his people. Only after Xu Weiran and the others had finished choosing would it be the Patrol Team's turn.
In other words.
Xu Qing and the others ate meat while everyone else drank the broth.
The first floor.
Xu Qing took a few looks and found nothing worth his attention. They were all rather ordinary items, and it was not realistic for Xu Qing to take them away.
In the end.
Xu Qing and the others found some banknotes totaling around three thousand taels. Xu Qing and Cheng Bingren each took one thousand taels, while the remainder was divided among Xu Weiran's group.
The second floor.
The third floor.
The fourth floor.
Xu Qing and the others made their way upward. There was nothing particularly good on either the second or third floor. Xu Qing only took banknotes, gaining a total of five thousand eight hundred taels from the three floors combined.
Until they reached the fourth floor.
Xu Qing spotted a Golden Silk Soft Armor. It was woven from special golden silk and could be worn close to the body. Its defensive power was extremely high, enough to withstand ordinary weapons.
This was a fine treasure.
Therefore.
Xu Qing took the Golden Silk Soft Armor without hesitation.
Because the Golden Silk Soft Armor was exceedingly valuable, Xu Qing did not take even a single tael of silver from the fourth floor. He waited until they reached the fifth floor.
The fifth floor.
There were very few items here, and the space was rather cramped. They found only five books, along with several incomplete corpses lying on the ground.
In fact.
It was not only the fifth floor.
From the first floor to the fifth, every floor contained corpses. They were all incomplete, having been torn apart and devoured by those corpse monsters after being killed.
Five books.
Two combat techniques and two cultivation methods.
One of them was an old, tattered book with exceedingly messy handwriting. It was impossible to tell what it was, and it looked more like a page full of random graffiti.
The two combat techniques and two cultivation methods came in matched sets.
One combat technique was Iron Sand Palm, while the cultivation method was Iron Cloth Shirt. Iron Sand Palm and Iron Cloth Shirt formed a matched combat technique and cultivation method, capable of being cultivated up to the Transformative Force level.
Such a set of combat technique and cultivation method was indeed worth a fortune. If auctioned, it could sell for at least thirty thousand taels of silver.
The other set consisted of the saber technique Five Tigers Severing Gate Saber and the cultivation method Fierce Tiger Force.
They were likewise a matched set.
Ordinarily.
Xu Qing and Cheng Bingren could each take one set of combat technique and cultivation method, leaving Xu Weiran and the others with practically nothing. But these two sets did not actually serve much purpose for Xu Qing or Cheng Bingren.
Xu Qing did not need them.
He was already an official disciple of Azure Hawk Martial Arts School and was highly regarded by Du Cangying. Naturally, he would have access to greater martial arts in the future.
Besides.
The Omni-Codex could continuously upgrade martial arts.
Cheng Bingren was already a Transformative Force martial artist. Martial arts that could only be cultivated to the Transformative Force level were of no use to him either. In the end, he would likely just sell them.
Thus.
Xu Weiran, Zhao Jingyuan, and the others exchanged glances, then looked toward Xu Qing and Cheng Bingren. They wanted to contribute money and join forces to buy one set of combat technique and cultivation method.
"How about this?"
Xu Qing smiled. He took the book that looked like a collection of graffiti, then said, "I'll take this book. Brother Cheng can take one set of combat technique and cultivation method. That leaves one set behind."
"You can put together the corresponding sum of money. After Brother Cheng and I split it equally, the remaining set of combat technique and cultivation method will belong to you."
"Thank you, Senior."
"Thank you, Senior!!!"
"..."
Xu Weiran and the others were beside themselves with excitement.
In this way.
Xu Weiran and the others gathered twenty thousand taels' worth of banknotes. Xu Qing took ten thousand taels, Cheng Bingren took ten thousand taels as well, and this division of spoils came to an end.
"Mm."
Xu Qing nodded calmly.
Finally.
Xu Qing and the others continued searching Thousand Treasures Pavilion and discovered a hidden door leading to its underground chamber. After opening the door, they entered the underground chamber.
"This..."
"It's actually a blood pool!"
"!!!"
Inside the chamber.
Xu Qing and the others saw a massive blood pool and sensed a cold, sinister, eerie aura. Horror could not help appearing on their faces.
"A demonic blood pool! The Blood Demon Cult!!!"
Cheng Bingren said gravely.
"The Blood Demon Cult?"
Xu Qing asked.
"That's right."
Cheng Bingren nodded. "It is a demonic cult, and also a sect that worships an Evil God. The Evil God they worship is the 'Blood Demon.'"
Rumble rumble rumble!!!
Suddenly.
Xu Qing and the others heard distant rumbling and explosions. The commotion was so immense that even the underground chamber they were in began to shake violently.
Without hesitation.
Xu Qing and the others rushed out of the underground chamber. They had no wish to be buried alive underground.
In the blink of an eye.
Xu Qing and the others arrived outside Thousand Treasures Pavilion.
Whoosh!
Xu Qing leaped up onto the top floor of Thousand Treasures Pavilion and looked toward the source of the sound. That place was precisely where the Ye family residence stood.
Boom! Boom! Boom!!!
Xu Qing's pupils contracted slightly. He heard massive explosions, like cannon shells detonating. Extremely powerful experts were undoubtedly fighting there.
So strong.
Xu Qing's heart sank. What level of strength is this? Hah... It seems that my mere peak Dark Force strength is utterly insignificant before true experts.
I still need to become stronger.
Xu Qing clenched his fists.
It could be said.
The faint trace of self-satisfaction in Xu Qing's heart vanished completely.
He was still not strong enough.
The scene rapidly drew closer.
The Ye family residence.
In the air.
There were four figures in total.
They were the alluringly curvaceous Blood Demon Desire Woman and the burly middle-aged man. The other two stood with their hands behind their backs; they were the Chief Commander of the Demon Extermination Agency and the Chief Commander of the Yamen Agency.
One had to know.
The Yamen Agency was divided into Sleeve Yamen Runners, Constable Yamen Runners, Strong Class Yamen Runners, and so on, for a total of six classes of yamen runners. The Yamen Agency's Chief Commander managed the entire Yamen Agency.
"Cough, cough..."
The Blood Demon Desire Woman was coughing up blood. The four of them had just undergone an exceptionally fierce battle. Facing two Chief Commanders, she truly was no match for them.
"Fan Liang."
The Chief Commander of the Yamen Agency looked calm as he gazed at the burly middle-aged man and said blandly, "As the Chief Constable of the Yamen Agency, you knowingly broke the law and colluded with a witch of the Blood Demon Cult. Together, you even plotted such a heaven-shaking case. You truly deserve death ten thousand times over."
"Hahaha..."
The burly middle-aged man's face was pale as well, his left arm already severed at the shoulder. "Wei Wohe, stop putting on that sanctimonious act. Do you think I don't know? You uncovered the Ye family a month and a half ago, yet you didn't cast the net then. You only wanted to let matters grow bigger so you could claim greater merit."
"What a pity."
"Today, you'll pay the price for your own greed and arrogance!!!"
Before you continue