Demon-Slaying Order

"What did you say? That brat surnamed Lin hauled back a cartload of Rat Essences?"

"Yes. This subordinate saw it clearly—fifteen in all. One of them had even been chopped into two pieces."

Zhang He dropped onto a stool.

Things seemed to have exceeded his expectations.

Spiritual Insight was no ordinary Demon. Though he did not know what rank Spiritual Insight held among Demons, the way the other Demons treated him with such reverence was enough to show that he was no simple creature.

How could a Demon capable of keeping humans in captivity be simple?

Only one day had passed, and he had returned as a corpse?

That brat Lin Jun was actually this powerful?

Had his former appearance as a worthless good-for-nothing all been an act?

It was impossible for his strength to have soared so much in barely half a month, wasn't it?

Why had he pretended before, and why was he no longer pretending now?

Zhang He felt as though his head was about to split.

But he had now confirmed one thing: Lin Jun absolutely could not be allowed to return to the Demon Exorcism Bureau.

Lin Jun surely knew Green Forest County's situation by now. If he reported it to the Demon Exorcism Bureau, Zhang He's head would roll.

Colluding with Demons to harm the people—having his entire clan exterminated would be getting off lightly.

"Has there still been no sign of Lord Zhang Ju emerging from seclusion?"

"No. The county magistrate's residence has its gates tightly shut. This subordinate has been keeping watch nearby. The moment the county magistrate emerges from seclusion, I will report to you immediately."

Zhang He clutched his head. Of all times, it had to be now...

"My lord, what should we do next?"

Faced with his subordinate's question, Zhang He could not think of any solution for the moment.

"Leave him alone for now. We'll wait until Lord Zhang emerges from seclusion before deciding anything."

Zhang He was merely an ordinary man. When faced with a Demon Exorcist like Lin Jun, beyond the reach of the authorities, he truly could not think of any method.

Just then, Zhang He's room abruptly grew much colder.

Zhang He could not help but shudder.

The door slowly opened, and a small white snake slithered in through the doorway.

Its scales were like flawless jade, its eyes like blood-dyed gemstones. Frost formed from nothing across the floor tiles wherever it passed.

Zhang He immediately tensed, though he still forced himself to remain calm as he watched the white snake.

"My son is dead."

The white snake slowly transformed into human form—a voluptuous woman, completely naked, displaying her beautiful body to the world.

It was a body that would drive any man mad at first sight, so perfect it seemed impossible for a human to possess.

Yet Zhang He felt not the slightest interest.

Above that exquisite woman's neck was an enormous snake's head.

Its forked tongue was still flickering.

"I had eight children. Only he grew to adulthood."

The Snake Demon's voice was cool and detached, without the slightest trace of emotion.

"When I returned, my son had become two chunks of flesh. My thirteen grandchildren, who had yet to hatch, were all shattered across the ground..."

The tea in Zhang He's cup had frozen solid.

That subordinate was trembling without pause. He felt as though he were about to freeze to death here.

Zhang He knew what the Snake Demon wanted.

"A Demon Exorcist did it."

Zhang He ground his teeth.

"I know. I know that. But I want to ask: when we helped that fox back then, what did he promise us? Do you remember?"

Of course Zhang He knew.

They had concealed matters from the Demon Exorcism Bureau, ensuring the Demons here would not be killed by Demon Exorcists and that their hunting of humans would not be discovered.

Only during the past three years had Demons been forbidden from eating humans, and those three years were nearly over.

"You still remember... Then why have all my children and grandchildren died?"

Zhang He wanted to curse aloud. Couldn't she see that he was wracking his brains to get rid of Lin Jun precisely so fewer of these Demons would die?

"If you want revenge, fine. But not inside the city."

The city's people concerned Lord Zhang Ju's grand plans. There could be no compromise on that.

The Snake Demon flicked out her tongue, then slapped Zhang He to the floor.

"What are you? A thing no better than a dog!"

"If not for that old fox, would you be standing there speaking to me?"

Zhang He said nothing.

"You're nothing but an abandoned bastard. Do you really think you're some Great Demon? Since when has Green Forest County been ruled by a foreign Demon like him?"

The white snake turned back into a white snake and left through the window.

Zhang He slowly climbed to his feet and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

Idiot. If not for Lord Zhang, you Demons would have long since been slaughtered clean by the Demon Exorcists.

In the end, they were just beasts of the mountains and forests. Even after becoming Demons, they had not gained much intelligence.

Still, that was fine. Their brains might not work, but at least their strength was decent. If she really could take Lin Jun away, that would be a good thing.

"My lord, what about the city's people?"

Once the subordinate saw that the Snake Demon had gone far away, he hurriedly asked.

Back then, they had made three agreements with the Demons. One of the restrictions was that Demons could not cause trouble within the city.

This concerned Lord Zhang's arrangements.

"As long as it doesn't go too far, let her make trouble."

That Snake Demon still feared Lord Zhang Ju. Even if she caused a disturbance, she would not dare make it too great.

Meanwhile, Lin Jun was arranging the Rat Demon corpses side by side before the entrance to the Demon Exorcism Bureau, drawing a crowd of onlookers.

"Master Lin? Are you selling rat meat?"

Each of these rats weighed at least over a hundred jin, so there was plenty of meat.

But Lin Jun had only brought them out to show these people, so they would be more proactive in reporting Demons next time.

Rat meat was not like bear meat. Who knew how many ailments it might cause after being eaten?

Just then, a piercing shriek rang through all of Azure Forest City.

Lin Jun looked up and saw a Golden-Feather Red-Beaked Eagle circling in the sky.

Chen Feng frowned tightly.

"My lord, it's a Golden-Feather Eagle!"

Golden-Feather Eagles were one means by which Demon Exorcists transmitted information.

As Half-Demons raised by the Demon Exorcism Bureau, Golden-Feather Eagles flew at tremendous speed. They could often deliver information between two cities in less than half a day.

The price of their speed was poor endurance. After one flight, they had to rest for three days.

Therefore, unless the message was urgent, Golden-Feather Eagles were generally not used to deliver information.

Lin Jun took out his waist token. Three grand, sweeping characters were engraved upon the wooden plaque: Demon Exorcist!

With no pattern on it, it indicated that this Demon Exorcist was not officially registered and belonged to the unofficial ranks.

Lin Jun raised his token. The Golden-Feather Eagle immediately stopped circling, dove straight toward him, and landed on his shoulder.

The Golden-Feather Eagle held a jade token in its beak, which Lin Jun removed.

"A Demon-Slaying Order!"

Chen Feng was startled, and his head instantly began to ache.

A Demon-Slaying Order meant that some registered Demon Exorcist had discovered a powerful Demon, or encountered an urgent situation and had no time to contact their superiors, leaving them no choice but to seek help from any nearby Demon Exorcists.

Two fox heads were carved upon the Demon-Slaying Order, proving that it had been issued by a Two-Headed Fox-Stripe Exorcist.

Unlike an unofficial member like Lin Jun, that person was a genuine Demon Exorcist with an official post.

His rank did not seem low either.

"My lord, this matter is fraught with danger. You should not wade into this muddy water."

Encircling and suppressing Demons had never been an easy matter. Death was commonplace.

Those who died the most were people like Lin Jun, who had no official post.

To put it bluntly, the Demon Exorcism Bureau refused to grant people like Lin Jun official posts because it intended to recruit cannon fodder.

They were sent charging at the very front, and naturally, they died at the very front as well.

At Lin Jun's current level, going there would mean serving purely as cannon fodder.

Chen Feng was so talented. It would be far too regrettable if he died halfway through his journey.