Three Great Powers, Shen Qingzhu of the Demon Suppression Office?

"The leader is probably a Third-Grade Realm martial artist."

"Together with two Second-Rank Upper Realm experts, all so young... the Azure Rock Sword Manor truly deserves its place as one of Qingzhou's five great sects."

Lu Yuan muttered.

Such young yet powerful martial artists—

No minor sect could possibly cultivate them!

He had seen the five great sects of Qingzhou mentioned in the Azure Province Hundred Talents List he had bought at the Sandalwood Palace in the Black Triangle.

The Azure Rock Sword Manor pursued the Dao through the sword. Most of its disciples were sword cultivators, formidable in strength, and it was one of Qingzhou's foremost major sects.

Beside the three from the Azure Rock Sword Sect stood only one person.

This person wore a wide black robe. His face was gaunt, his cheekbones high, and his aura was deep as an abyss, making it impossible to gauge his depth.

The third group consisted of three people, one man and two women. All wore close-fitting black uniforms, carried long sabers at their waists, and bore a ferocious beast-head insignia embroidered upon their chests—the mark of the Demon Suppression Office.

The Demon Suppression Office specialized in slaying demons and exterminating evil. Decisive and ruthless in killing, it was renowned throughout Great Harvest; ordinary demons turned pale at the very mention of it.

When Lu Yuan clearly saw the leading woman among the three—

His entire body shook, and he nearly slipped from the branch.

"Shen Qingzhu???"

Lu Yuan's eyes widened.

As though he had witnessed something utterly unbelievable.

Especially Shen Qingzhu at this moment. She wore the black uniform of the Demon Suppression Office, her long hair tied high, a narrow-bladed saber hanging at her waist. Her face was cold as frost, and heroic spirit pressed from between her brows.

Her vital blood was condensed like mercury, her aura steady yet razor-sharp. She had astonishingly reached the Second-Rank Peak Realm.

She was worlds apart from the female prisoner she had been before.

Especially since the two of them had spent an entire night together in that room.

And Shen Qingzhu had been in that state at the time.

What if this woman decides to retaliate?

Lu Yuan could still remember the time he had slapped her across the face.

That exhilarating feeling.

If he had known she belonged to the Demon Suppression Office—

He would never have dared do such a thing.

Is this woman... sick? Why pretend to be a female prisoner?

Lu Yuan's heart churned with uncertainty.

He suppressed the waves in his heart and continued watching intently.

The male Demon Suppression Office guard beside Shen Qingzhu was broad and burly, with a rugged face. His name was Han Lie, and he possessed Second-Rank Upper Realm cultivation.

The other female guard was named Sun Yun. She was lovely in appearance, yet carried a trace of Killing Intent. She was likewise at the Second-Rank Upper Realm.

The three formed a horn formation, facing the people of the Azure Rock Sword Manor at the cave entrance. The atmosphere was taut as drawn swords.

"Move aside." Shen Qingzhu's voice was cold as ice. Staring at Xue Cheng blocking the cave entrance, she said word by word, "I'll say it one more time. Move aside."

Yet Xue Cheng did not move an inch.

He spoke unhurriedly. "Lady Shen, this is the Azure Cloud Mountain Range, territory under the Azure Rock Sword Manor's sphere of influence, not territory under your office's jurisdiction. The Demon Suppression Office has stretched its hand rather too far."

"My Demon Suppression Office recognizes only the territory of Great Harvest. I have never heard of any Azure Rock Sword Manor territory."

"The demonic aura here is dense. So long as it is within Great Harvest's borders, any demon discovered here concerns my Demon Suppression Office."

Xue Cheng merely smiled faintly. "Lady Shen, as you yourself said, there is only demonic aura."

"I advise you to move aside. If there truly is a demon causing harm ahead and your Azure Rock Sword Manor obstructs us from slaying it, then you are colluding with demons."

"Under the Great Harvest Code, those who collude with demons may be executed first and reported afterward by my Demon Suppression Office!"

Han Lie, standing beside Shen Qingzhu, spoke in a deep voice.

Sun Yun, too, stood with her hand on her saber.

Her gaze fixed rather unkindly upon He Changqing and Bai Lingsu.

Instead, Xue Cheng laughed, his voice carrying a trace of mockery. "Lady Shen certainly wields great official authority!"

"Unfortunately, you will be disappointed this time."

"The man beside me is Lord Wei Cang of the Celestial Spirit Control Office. He serves as a spirit agent of the Spirit Control Office and is specifically responsible for matters concerning demons in the counties under Linhai Prefecture."

"If there truly is a demon within the cave, Lord Wei of the Celestial Spirit Control Office will naturally determine and handle the matter. Demonic affairs within Great Harvest are not yours alone to govern, Demon Suppression Office."

Xue Cheng looked toward the black-robed man beside him.

At the words Celestial Spirit Control Office, Shen Qingzhu's eyes immediately narrowed.

"The Celestial Spirit Control Office... Why are there so many city folk?"

Lu Yuan pricked up his ears. Hearing this information, he immediately muttered to himself.

He had also heard of the Celestial Spirit Control Office.

It was one of the court's intelligence agencies. On the surface, it oversaw the spiritual energy of mountains and rivers throughout the realm, offered sacrifices to mountain and river gods, pacified spirits and strange creatures of the wilds, took in benevolent demons who submitted, presided over imperial rites to ward off disaster and pray for blessings, and also recommended sorcerers and people with extraordinary abilities for service at court.

The Demon Suppression Office slew demons; the Celestial Spirit Control Office accepted demons.

The conflict between the two could be said to have endured for centuries.

"Lady Shen, your Demon Suppression Office knows only how to cry for slaughter. Yet you do not understand that all things beneath Heaven and Earth possess spirits. Some demons devote themselves to the Dao and submit to the court; they are benevolent demons."

"Our Azure Rock Sword Manor has already invited members of the Celestial Spirit Control Office here. Whether they are good or evil will naturally receive a fair judgment, so there is no need to trouble yourselves."

He Changqing clasped his hands together at the side, revealing a cold smile.

"Whether a demon is good or evil is decided solely by the Celestial Spirit Control Office's mouth."

"But before the common folk around Pingyang County died in the mouths of demons—"

"Did those demons ever ask whether they were good or bad?"

It was not that Shen Qingzhu did not believe good demons existed.

But in recent months, how many cases had there been in the several counties under Linhai Prefecture, including Pingyang County, where demons ran rampant, villages were massacred, and common people died miserably?

Over the years, the Celestial Spirit Control Office had done no small number of things under the banner of subduing benevolent demons while in truth shielding and indulging them.

Many demons that had ravaged entire regions might very well have involved the Celestial Spirit Control Office.

Its credibility in her heart—

Had long since fallen to rock bottom.

"The Celestial Spirit Control Office will handle the affairs here ourselves. There is no need to trouble the Demon Suppression Office."

Wei Cang, the black-robed man, spoke in an ethereal, calm voice.

"Why waste words with her? The important matter comes first."

Just as the two sides remained deadlocked—

A sharp whistle of something tearing through the air suddenly came from the distant forest.

Lu Yuan saw only a blur before his eyes. A black shadow raced out from the depths of the forest like a ghost, so fast that he could only catch an afterimage.

So fast.

Lu Yuan was horrified. With that speed, the newcomer had to possess at least Third-Rank cultivation.

The black shadow landed at the cave entrance. It was another black-robed man.

This man was older than Wei Cang, his face withered and thin, but his eyes astonishingly bright. His aura was restrained, yet it made hearts palpitate.

He swept a glance over Shen Qingzhu and the others from the Demon Suppression Office, his eyes devoid of even the slightest emotion.

The withered black-robed man ignored her and turned to Xue Cheng. Leaning close, he whispered several words into his ear.

Xue Cheng nodded faintly, an imperceptible smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

Then the withered black-robed man strode into the cave, with Wei Cang following close behind.

This sight made Shen Qingzhu's beautiful face turn pale with fury.

Since when had the Demon Suppression Office been treated with such disregard?

The Azure Rock Sword Manor people blocked her, yet did not block those from the Celestial Spirit Control Office. This was plainly a slap across the Demon Suppression Office's face.

"Lady Shen, we told you to leave, but you refused."

"Why make things difficult for yourself?"

Xue Cheng stared at Shen Qingzhu and shook his head.

"What do you mean by that?"

Shen Qingzhu's expression turned cold, and a dangerous aura spread outward.

Sun Yun and Han Lie looked as though they faced a great enemy.