Cousin

The Demon Exorcist Army moved with astonishing speed—so fast it was almost excessive. In a single day, the area around Green Forest County was filled with the screams and wails of demons. The entire county was steeped in a bloodstained stench that would not disperse.

Not only were the demons dealt with, but officials with any connection to demons were dragged down as well. Those who deserved death were killed, and those who deserved prison were imprisoned.

The Demon Exorcist Army's practiced efficiency showed that this was far from their first time doing such a thing. All three clans of Zhang He were beheaded, while the remaining constables were shackled in iron chains and sent to the Demon Exorcism Bureau for judgment.

In a single day, Green Forest Township no longer had a single constable left. That meant not one official in all of Green Forest County had clean hands.

The surrounding commoners said that the imperial court had already dispatched a batch of new officials, who would arrive within a month.

The enormous Fox Demon skeleton was also put away by a man who appeared to be an officer, using a storage treasure.

Because Lu Ling and the little demons at his side had never eaten people and had even sheltered quite a few, he was formally invested as the Mountain God of Green Forest County, receiving offerings from the imperial court and incense from the mortal realm.

Duan Yan and Li Gui went over to the Demon Exorcist Army, seemingly to report the situation to their superiors.

Chen Feng also followed them to the Demon Exorcist Army, though no one knew what he had gone there to busy himself with.

He Jing and his fellow disciple left Green Forest County, eager to return and report their mission.

Everything seemed to have fallen into perfect order, while Lin Jun, the key figure in all this, appeared to have been forgotten.

Not until the next day did two men push open the gates of the Demon Affairs Prefecture.

"Worthy brother, long time no see. Three years have passed, and you look ever more handsome."

Of the two men at the gate, one was dressed like a soldier in light armor. His features were exceptionally handsome, yet his build was remarkably burly—truly a case of clear brows and fine eyes paired with the back of a tiger and waist of a bear.

The other looked far thinner. Rather than thin, though, he seemed frail. Yes, despite being a grown man, Lin Jun actually sensed a delicate, fragile air about him.

As though even a gust of wind could blow him over.

Yet Lin Jun knew this frail man. He really was Lin Jun's "worthy brother."

"Cousin, long time no see. We have reunited after a long separation."

This was his uncle's son, Yang Wan's biological older brother, his cousin, Yang Shi.

From the memories of the original owner of this body, Lin Jun and Yang Shi had gotten along fairly well.

Yang Shi had inherited every one of his uncle's flaws—timid and cowardly, spending every day doing nothing but studying, yet somehow failing to earn even half a scholarly title.

He had only been close to the original owner because both of them were despised, both regarded as jokes in Brocade City.

They were birds of a feather, sharing the same ailment and pitying one another.

"What are you doing here? The journey here was so dangerous."

Yang Shi was a genuine mortal with not a trace of cultivation. How had he dared to travel all the way from Brocade City through such danger?

"As the saying goes, after three days apart, one should look upon another with new eyes. After three years, this foolish elder brother is no longer that scholar too weak to truss a chicken... Cough, cough. It was all thanks to Mister Qing that I was able to come."

Seeing the increasingly fierce look in the man beside him, Yang Shi wisely shut his mouth.

The man who had been standing there silently finally spoke.

"My name is Qingyang. You may not know me. I am Yang Wan's senior brother. A pleasure to meet you."

Qingyang clasped his fists, his gaze upon Lin Jun carrying a faint, nearly imperceptible disgust.

"Mm... This senior has come from afar. Is there something you need?"

Qingyang was just about to speak when Lin Jun suddenly interrupted him.

"Wait, it's noon already. Whatever it is, let's talk while we eat."

The words at Qingyang's lips were forcibly swallowed back down. Watching Lin Jun's retreating back as he went inside to heat up the dishes, Qingyang was left at a loss for words.

"Young Master Qing, we haven't had a proper meal in days either. Have some food. It won't hurt."

"As they say, sharpening the blade does not delay the chopping of firewood... This should be the right context for that saying, shouldn't it?"

Qingyang shot Yang Shi a glare, said nothing, and sat directly at the stone table.

You bookworm, how could Yang Wan possibly have an older brother like you?

Before long, Lin Jun brought out the fox meat left over from last time, along with a bottle of wine.

"You are Yang Wan's senior brother. Let's have a drink."

Lin Jun raised his wine cup, but Qingyang did not accept the gesture.

"My sect forbids alcohol. Forgive me for being unable to comply."

Lin Jun looked toward Yang Shi.

"Wine leads to disorderly conduct. I cannot drink."

Seeing this, Lin Jun could only set down his cup. He did not particularly enjoy the stuff anyway.

Qingyang and Yang Shi did not say a single word throughout the meal, adhering to the habit of not speaking while eating.

Even though they felt the meat had a gamey stench, neither of them said so.

After the meal, Qingyang slowly took a martial arts manual from his robes.

"One-Character Yang Strike? What does this mean, Senior?"

Lin Jun looked at the manual Qingyang held out before him, his face full of confusion.

"I will stay here for one month. After one month, I will leave. During that month, you must learn this technique. At the very least, you must reach the beginner stage."

"This is a cultivation technique of my sect, one of my master's famous signature skills from back then. Your cousin Yang Wan naturally knows it as well. Now, I will teach you."

Qingyang's expression was solemn, yet he refused to explain why.

Seeing that the atmosphere had turned strange, Yang Shi coughed and slowly said,

"Worthy brother, what you do not know is, as the saying goes, emperors take turns... No, that is wrong in this context. As the saying goes..."

Qingyang clapped a hand over Yang Shi's mouth, pressed his head onto the table, and stared at Lin Jun.

"The reason is simple. The Demon Exorcism Bureau changed its rules. Now, anyone who wishes to join the Demon Exorcism Bureau, whether entering the Vanguard Division or the Logistics Division, must undergo an assessment. There is only one test: kill a demon."

There had been no such rule before. As long as one accumulated sufficient merit, one could directly join the Demon Exorcism Bureau. But the rule had changed three years ago.

"It was changed because of you."

In truth, people had used cheating methods to rack up merit and enter the Demon Exorcism Bureau since ancient times. But only Lin Jun's case had caused such an uproar that it reached Headquarters, and thus the rules were changed.

Now, regardless of one's merit or cultivation, anyone who wanted to be registered by the Demon Exorcism Bureau had to first undergo an assessment.

Those who had entered by padding their merits would naturally be exposed.

Killing demons was forever the finest proof of a Demon Exorcist.

But demons were demons. Humans could kill demons, and demons could kill humans. Though this assessment had only been held twice, its death rate was far from low.

"You really are quite the figure. A rule the Demon Exorcism Bureau had not changed for centuries was actually changed because of you alone."

Qingyang's words dripped with veiled mockery.

Yang Wan was such a good person—gifted, humble, diligent, and eager to learn. How had someone like her ended up with such a father? And Yang Yan was so protective of Lin Jun.

As Yang Wan's senior brother, Qingyang naturally knew that although Yang Wan disliked Lin Jun, she still did not want him dead.

"You must learn this martial art. It is an explosive technique, focused on killing with a single strike. As long as you successfully kill one demon, you will meet the minimum requirement for entering the Logistics Division."

Gathering the strength of one's entire body into a single point and unleashing it, inflicting immense damage on one spot in an instant—this was the true essence of the technique.

Qingyang's thinking was simple. Even a mortal who learned this technique could kill a demon through its instantaneous burst of power. As long as Lin Jun successfully killed a demon, he could withdraw from the assessment and enter the Logistics Division directly. Naturally, he would not die in there.

Of course, someone with a slightly weaker constitution would likely be bedridden for a year and a half after using this move. But that was still better than dying.