The Crooked-Necked Tree

Half a day later, Huagupu appeared in Lin Jun's field of vision.

It would take roughly another hour to reach it.

Yet what Lin Jun had not expected was that they were actually intercepted.

Several village militiamen armed with weapons blocked Lin Jun's way, refusing to let them proceed.

These people were not bandits. Some held hoes, others sickles, and they looked as though they had just come in from the fields.

"Gentlemen, we are from the Green Forest County Demon Exorcism Bureau. We are here to impartially investigate the Demon matter in Huagupu. Please make way."

Chen Feng dismounted and produced an official document.

"Master Lin, I know you. You wiped out the Bear Demon and the Boar Demon, and you also killed the Snake Demon, right?"

A sturdy man stepped out from among the militiamen.

"That's right. Do you have a question?"

Lin Jun swung down from his mount and walked up to the militiamen.

The sturdy man immediately knelt and kowtowed to Lin Jun.

"Master Lin, I know you're a good man. I heard about what happened in Liu Family Ravine. Unlike those officials who do not care whether we live or die, you do. Thank you."

Hearing such flattery, Lin Jun found it rather strange.

Sure, he had killed some Demons lately, but his reputation could not have changed this quickly, could it?

"A man like you shouldn't die here. I can't let you go any farther, Master Lin. Forgive me!"

Lin Jun was full of confusion, but after thinking it over, he understood why these people were trying to stop him.

They were afraid he would die in Huagupu.

These people believed that if he died here, the authorities would investigate. Since the authorities did not deal with Demons, they would surely drag out a few villagers as scapegoats. Of course, there might be deeper reasons as well. In any case, it could not be because they were genuinely worried about him.

"Don't speak in riddles. I hate riddle-speakers. Explain yourself clearly."

The sturdy man raised his head and pointed toward distant Huagupu.

"Master Lin, do you know how many people from martial sects have died in Huagupu?"

"Thirteen. A full thirteen. Once they entered Huagupu, they never came out again."

According to his explanation, they had originally been local farmers of Huagupu. Though poor, they could still get by.

Then, ten years ago, some monk from who knew where built Dharma Enlightenment Temple on the back mountain of Huagupu.

Dharma Enlightenment Temple handed out food to the villagers and built houses for them.

That had been fine, even a good thing, until the villagers grew fatter and lazier by the day. In the end, they even treated Dharma Enlightenment Temple's words as gospel truth.

"That must be a Demon that bewitched people's hearts. Those of us who escaped spent money hiring quite a few martial sects, but every one of them was wiped out."

They had kept watching Huagupu's situation. Over the past ten years, many villagers had been taken up to Dharma Enlightenment Temple and never come back down.

"Go back, Master Lin. You are no match for them yet. Don't throw your life away for nothing."

The skulls of those thirteen people were still hanging from that crooked-necked tree at the village entrance.

Chen Feng could not help breaking out in a cold sweat.

Those martial sects were not necessarily weaker than local agencies. Thirteen people in all—this Demon was no ordinary Demon.

Chen Feng guessed that the Demon in Huagupu had already stepped into the Transcendent realm. Otherwise, it could not possibly have achieved such results.

"My lord, this Demon is fierce and savage. Let us return first and discuss a countermeasure."

Chen Feng put it very tactfully. Bluntly put, he meant they should leave it alone.

Charging headlong at an enemy they could not handle—what else could that be but stupidity?

"Leave it alone? That won't do. We already accepted the assignment."

The Demon Exorcism Bureau had the right to refuse the authorities' orders, but once it accepted a task, it had to complete it.

He had only just established some prestige among the people of Green Forest County. If he retreated now, what would those people think?

Once they no longer trusted Lin Jun, they would not report Demons to the Demon Exorcism Bureau. How was Lin Jun supposed to grow stronger then?

With his talent, he would not cultivate anything worthwhile even if he trained until death.

Could it be that Lin Jun was supposed to leave the city and slowly search for traces of Demons himself?

"Besides, how are you so sure I'll lose?"

Chen Feng suddenly felt as if the Heaven before his eyes had changed.

It turned blood-red. Lin Jun seemed draped in a robe of blood, his entire body radiating a piercing Killing Intent.

Even Chen Feng's breathing slowed by half a beat.

Fortunately, the sensation lasted only a moment before vanishing. Chen Feng clutched his chest and gasped for breath.

What kind of presence had that been? He could not summon even the slightest thought of resistance.

Wait. Lin Jun was in the same realm as him. How could he suppress him through sheer presence alone?

Unless...

"My lord, have you entered the Transcendent realm?"

"I broke through yesterday. I suppose I got lucky."

When Chen Feng heard that, his head felt as though it were about to explode.

The realm he had desperately sought for ten years—how had it become as simple as eating and drinking in Lin Jun's eyes?

How long had it taken him? One month? Two?

Was this even human?

Boundless desolation welled up in Chen Feng's heart.

Benefactor, you told me to protect Lin Jun well. I'm afraid I can't do that.

I had thought my benefactor had misjudged him. This was not a misjudgment—he must have been blind.

With talent this terrifying, he would be fought over even within the Demon Exorcism Bureau.

A gilded posting? Gild my ass.

Though stormy waves surged in Chen Feng's heart, the militiamen blocking Lin Jun knew nothing of his experience.

When they saw Lin Jun set off again, they immediately panicked.

"Master Lin, you mustn't!"

Lin Jun ignored them and directly picked up speed, racing toward Huagupu, with Chen Feng close behind.

"Big Brother, what do we do?"

Seeing that Lin Jun refused their advice and insisted on going to Huagupu, everyone could only look to the sturdy man.

The worry vanished from the sturdy man's face, replaced by a vicious gleam in his eyes.

"That damned Lin the Skinner. The Demons up there won't care whether he's some master or not. If he dies inside, what if Lord Buddha's affairs are exposed?"

"Tonight, we'll sneak into Dharma Enlightenment Temple and see if we can persuade Lord Buddha to spare Lin Jun."

Though Lord Buddha ate people, at least he had given them a life without worries over food or clothing, ensuring they could live comfortably.

If Lin Jun died inside, the authorities would definitely investigate. It was even said that Lin Jun had connections in the Demon Exorcism Bureau. Those people from the Demon Exorcism Bureau killed Demons on sight.

If Lord Buddha died, would they not have to return to the days of freezing and starving?

"But will Lord Buddha listen to us?"

"Who knows? We have to try. Lord Buddha is reasonable too."

That was what he said, but he had no confidence in his heart. Lord Buddha was a Demon, and Demons did not listen to people's persuasion.

Still, this was the only thing they could do now.

They could not just let Lin Jun die like this, could they?

Regardless of what those villagers thought, Lin Jun and Chen Feng finally entered Huagupu.

Unlike Liu Family Ravine, most of the houses here were built of blue bricks and tiles rather than ordinary mud walls and thatched roofs.

The ground was also remarkably clean and tidy. The people coming and going were each as fat as white pigs, looking so prosperous it was almost unbelievable.

Even Chen Feng grew curious now.

No matter how one looked at it, this place did not seem to have Demons. It even looked far better than the slums of West Street in the city.

"Look over there."

Lin Jun pointed at the crooked-necked tree at the village entrance.

Sure enough, thirteen skulls had been neatly placed upon it.

Those people had not lied to him.

As they reached the entrance, a plump old man hurriedly rushed out.

"Hehe, this old man is the village head here. May I ask what business brings the two lords to our poor and remote place?"

Poor and remote?

Chen Feng's mouth twitched. This place was remote at most, but its people were certainly not poor.

"The Demon Exorcism Bureau is conducting business. We received notice from the authorities and came to deal with Demons."

The village head's expression changed instantly.

"Demons? Where are there Demons? Someone must be falsely accusing us. There have never been Demons here. My lords, please return."

Chen Feng instantly grew angry. Could they have come here just to harm him?

Lin Jun dismounted from the White Deer and patted it.

The White Deer immediately understood and walked up to the village head.

Then it rammed him to the ground with its head.

"Move."

Lin Jun stepped into Huagupu, with Chen Feng following close behind.

"In the future, if something can be settled with your hands, don't waste breath arguing. With that tongue of yours, even I'm getting anxious for you."

Chen Feng lowered his head in shame.

The moment they entered Huagupu, a sky-piercing stench rushed into their faces.

Sour stench, rotten stench, an indescribable fermented reek.

All manner of foul odors mixed together, nearly making Chen Feng vomit.

The villagers around them did not work even in broad daylight. They lay on the ground basking in the sun.

The black grime coating their bodies seemed to have formed a layer of mud armor. They had not bathed for at least three years.

This vile stench was emanating from those villagers.

Lin Jun watched a five-hundred-pound fat man reach down to scratch his crotch, and an even fiercer smell of urine and rot blasted toward them.

"Bleurgh!"

Chen Feng could endure no longer. He collapsed to the ground and vomited.

Lin Jun's face shifted from green to purple.

What village was this? Calling it a massive pig farm would not be an exaggeration.

Men, women, young, and old were all the same, lying listlessly on the ground. Yet the streets and houses were remarkably clean and orderly.

"My lord, I can't take it anymore."

Not just Chen Feng—even Lin Jun wanted to escape this damned place as quickly as possible.