Five Demon Families, Bai Sanniang

"Miss Shen, did this beast defile you? Don't be afraid. We'll see justice done for you. We'll clap him in irons and throw him in prison, then escort him back to the county yamen for severe punishment!"

Shi Yun did not think much of it and hurriedly spoke.

Slap!!!

Shen Qingzhu directly slapped Shi Yun across the face.

"You dared drug me."

"Once my sentence is over, I will settle this debt with you."

With that, Shen Qingzhu put on the shackles herself and climbed into the prison cart.

Bao Tianbao and Bao Dibao stood there with their mouths hanging open, the documents in their hands falling to the ground with a smack.

Shi Yun stood stunned for a long while, opening his mouth.

He looked at Lu Yuan but said nothing more.

He merely gave Bao Tianbao and Bao Dibao each a vicious kick.

"What are you standing around for? Get moving."

After the morning's farcical humiliation.

Coupled with A Xiu's inexplicable disappearance.

The atmosphere within the escort party became exceedingly subtle.

Lu Yuan did not mention a single word about being framed, yet Shi Yun found it even harder to set his mind at ease.

Shen Qingzhu kept a cold face throughout, sitting in the prison cart with her eyes closed, resting despite the swelling on her face gradually subsiding, though it was still somewhat red and puffy.

The group continued along the official road. Half a day later, they entered a valley called Thread-the-Sky Gorge.

The cliffs on either side rose steep as though carved by blades, while the forest canopy blotted out the sky and sun. Sunlight struggled to penetrate, and cold, damp mist filled the valley.

Lu Yuan, riding his donkey, furrowed his brow.

Earlier, he had vaguely sensed an aura secretly following them.

Now, that feeling had grown far stronger.

"Stop!!!"

Shi Yun also sensed that something was wrong. He reined in his horse, one hand pressing against his saber hilt.

The moment his words fell, a rustling sound that set everyone's teeth on edge came from the dense fog ahead.

Then everyone saw two demonic creatures covered in black spines like steel needles slowly emerge from the mist.

"This demon's aura seems even stronger than that Yellow Weasel's."

Lu Yuan frowned.

When he had killed the Yellow Weasel in Great River Village before.

It had been because the other party had let its guard down, while he had struck with all his strength.

Otherwise, it would certainly have been a bloody battle.

After all, he had yet to enter the realm.

He could not even be considered a martial artist. No matter how formidable his martial techniques were.

If his fleshly body could not bear them, they were useless.

"Brother Shi..."

Bao Tianbao and Bao Dibao glanced toward Shi Yun.

They seemed to be asking whether these demons had been arranged by him.

"Idiots, they have nothing to do with me."

Shi Yun cursed.

As he looked into the dense fog, the figures of the two demons became clearer and clearer.

At their head was a Hedgehog Demon built like an ox, walking upright. The spines on its back glimmered with a ghostly blue metallic sheen, exuding a terrifying ferocious aura.

Beside her followed a smaller young Hedgehog Demon, its spines more grayish in color.

The large Hedgehog Demon's pea-sized eyes stared fixedly at the demon beast corpse covered by oilcloth atop the cart, grief and venom flashing through her gaze.

That corpse was her husband!

"Bai Sanniang?"

Upon seeing who the demon was.

Shi Yun's expression turned ugly.

At the same time, he shouted, "Didn't you agree with the captain that the corpse would be escorted to the Black Market Shrine in Sea-Gazing County, and that you would collect it there?"

"What is the meaning of this?"

According to Captain Chen Kuang's arrangements.

If Lu Yun did not die along the way.

Then they would escort Shen Qingzhu to the Sea-Gazing County yamen and complete their assignment.

After that, they would find an excuse to have Lu Yuan escort the demon beast corpse alone to the Black Market Shrine.

If anything happened to Lu Yuan then.

It would have nothing to do with them.

Who could have known that the White Family's Hedgehog Demon among the Five Demon Families would intercept them halfway?

This was definitely no good omen.

"An agreement? An agreement between humans and demons?"

Bai Sanniang let out a sharp, ear-piercing laugh and spoke in human tongue. "I did make an agreement with Chen Kuang, but he is too greedy. He demands too much."

"If every one of you dies here, I won't have to pay those prices."

"And Chen Kuang lost my husband's corpse. When the time comes, he will have to obediently give me an explanation!"

These words turned Shi Yun's face ashen.

He threatened, "Are you not afraid that the captain will learn of this and mobilize men to uproot your Five Great Demon Houses?"

"Oh! If Chen Kuang truly had that ability, why would he cooperate with our Five Demon Families at all?"

Bai Sanniang sneered.

Would Chen Kuang dare put this filthy transaction out in the open?

"Besides, if all of you die here, won't there be no problem at all?"

Bai Sanniang added.

The moment those words came out.

Shi Yun's heart instantly sank to the bottom.

He knew that this demon was determined to kill everyone and silence them today.

"Bao brothers, what are you still standing there for? Charge in and kill the demon. When this is over, I will certainly claim credit for you."

Shi Yun abruptly turned and roared at the two constables.

Bao Tianbao and Bao Dibao exchanged a glance, their legs trembling uncontrollably.

They were merely constables, not fools.

That Hedgehog Demon radiated a terrifying ferocious aura.

Charging in would be suicide, would it not?

Shi Yun clearly wanted to use the two of them as cannon fodder!

At once, the two froze where they stood, not daring to step forward.

"Useless trash!"

Shi Yun gave each of them a kick.

He kicked them hard in the back.

"Ah!"

The two constables screamed as they flew toward the Hedgehog Demon.

"Seeking death."

Bai Sanniang snorted coldly, her thick hind legs kicking off fiercely as she became an afterimage and rushed forward.

Thud! Thud!!

With two dull impacts, Bai Sanniang accurately kicked them both in the chest.

Bao Tianbao and Bao Dibao screamed and slammed heavily into the rock wall.

They spat blood.

Had Bai Sanniang not held back.

The two would have died on the spot.

"Trying to run?"

Taking advantage of that opening.

Shi Yun had already turned and fled wildly.

He wanted to escape the valley.

The gates of Sea-Gazing County were not far ahead.

He did not believe Bai Sanniang would dare kill him within the county.

"You cannot escape."

Bai Sanniang drew in her limbs, becoming like a ball covered in spikes.

After a few rolls, she instantly caught up to the fleeing Shi Yun.

"Beast, I'll fight you to the death!"

With nowhere to evade, Shi Yun spun around and drew the Goose-Plume Saber from his waist.

He was, after all, a First-Rank Lower Martial Adept who had reached Skin Tempering.

As his blood and qi surged, a faint greenish sheen appeared over the surface of his skin.

He looked as though he were clad in oxhide.

He gripped the Goose-Plume Saber tightly and swung it.

A sharp whistle split the air.

With an explosive force of a full three hundred jin, the saber light was fierce.

"Die!"

Shi Yun roared.

The saber light hacked viciously toward Bai Sanniang's head.

However, Bai Sanniang was a First-Order Peak demon beast.

Her strength rivaled that of a human First-Rank Upper Martial Adept.

Clang!

The saber light descended.

Bai Sanniang tucked in her head.

Her spines met the saber light.

With a crisp clang, the blade struck the spines, scattering a spray of sparks.

The saber light shattered.

A notch was directly chipped into the blade.

Immediately afterward, Bai Sanniang swiped with her forepaw.

Those sharp claws instantly tore through Shi Yun's oxhide-like skin.