Uproot Them All

Outside the house, absolute silence reigned.

Four yamen runners stood at the doorway, staring at the dog demon corpses covering the ground, unable to speak for a long time.

Zhao Tieniu possessed a stalwart build, yet at this moment his legs trembled slightly, his gaze sweeping back and forth between those dog demon corpses and Yang Xiao.

"Head... Head Constable Yang..."

His voice was dry, carrying an incredulous tremble.

"You... you alone... killed them all?"

Yang Xiao eyed the once again withered corpse of the old yellow dog on the ground, not even turning his head.

"Otherwise, would you have stepped up?"

Zhao Tieniu swallowed a mouthful of saliva, waving his hands repeatedly. "No, no, no, I can't do it."

Sun Ming's tall, thin figure poked in from the doorway, his gaze sweeping over the corpses on the ground, his eyes filled with shock.

Zhou Gang stood silently at the doorway, expressionless, though the hand gripping his saber hilt trembled slightly.

His gaze swept over every single corpse, monstrous waves churning in his heart.

Zhou Gang's diminutive form shrank back to the very rear, his complexion turning a sickly green and white, his heart shaken beyond compare.

"Zhao Tieniu."

"Here!"

Zhao Tieniu instantly straightened his posture.

"Take Zhou Gang and clear out the corpses inside the house," Yang Xiao slowly began. "Sun Ming and Zhou Gang, the two of you go outside and check if there are any other traces of villagers or demons."

"Understood!"

The four yamen runners immediately swung into action.

Yang Xiao stood inside the house, his gaze falling upon the old dog's headless corpse.

Then, as if suddenly discovering something, he reached his hand into the corpse and groped about for a moment, pulling out an object round like a chicken egg.

It was suffused with a faint, fishy stench, and importantly, the aura within it was extremely similar to the spiritual Qi of heaven and earth he had sensed after perfecting his Origin-Guiding Qi Gathering Art.

This is probably an inner core. I wonder if it can be used?

Just as he was thinking this, Sun Ming hurried back.

"Head Constable Yang!" His voice was somewhat urgent. "I found a path leading into the mountains at the back of the village!"

"There is a lot of residual Demonic Qi on the path. It should be a route the dog demons frequented!"

Yang Xiao's gaze narrowed. "Could it lead to the dog demons' lair?"

Sun Ming nodded, catching his breath. "It's very likely!"

Yang Xiao pondered for a moment, a trace of coldness flashing in his eyes.

"Cut the weeds and dig up the roots."

He looked at the four yamen runners.

"You're coming with me."

Zhao Tieniu was taken aback. "Head Constable Yang, aren't we going back to the county office to report?"

"The dog demons' lair hasn't been uprooted yet, so what are we going back for?" Yang Xiao shook his head. "We must completely eradicate them and leave no future troubles."

The four yamen runners exchanged glances, then nodded without the slightest hesitation.

"Head Constable Yang is right!"

Zhao Tieniu gripped his saber hilt tightly. "Cut the weeds and dig up the roots, leave no future troubles!"

Sun Ming strode forward with his saber, patting his chest. "I'll lead the way!"

The group of five traversed the rugged mountain path, heading toward the back mountain.

Their footing was fast. After walking for about half an incense stick of time, they finally discovered a huge cave at a secluded mountain col.

The cave entrance was a full two people high, pitch-black inside, and emitting a heavy musk and Demonic Qi.

"This is it," Sun Ming lowered his voice. "The Demonic Qi inside the cave is very heavy. There are definitely quite a few dog demons."

Zhao Tieniu gripped his saber hilt, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

"Head Constable Yang, will there... still be demons of the Qi and Blood Realm inside?"

Yang Xiao shook his head. "No. At most, the remaining ones are just dog demons of the Body Forging Realm."

He looked toward the cave entrance, a trace of coldness flashing in his eyes.

"Keep watch outside. I'm going in."

Zhao Tieniu was stunned. "Head Constable Yang, you're going in alone?"

"The situation inside is unclear. Just in case..."

Yang Xiao cut him off. "If you go in, you'll only hold me back."

"Keep watch outside and don't let any dog demons escape."

The four young yamen runners looked at each other in dismay, but ultimately nodded.

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"Understood!"

Yang Xiao took a deep breath, gripped his Spring Embroidery Saber, and stepped into the cave.

The cave was pitch-black, with not a hand in front of one's face.

Yet Yang Xiao's senses far exceeded ordinary people's, allowing him to see the surrounding environment clearly even in the darkness.

The cave was very deep. Following the wind direction for about ten-odd zhang, the light from the sky above made the scene before him suddenly open up.

A huge cavern appeared before his eyes.

The center of the cavern was covered with hay and animal pelts, and scattered across stone beds of various sizes around the perimeter were over a dozen dog demons!

Among them, a few larger ones were crouched on the beds suckling their young. Seeing Yang Xiao suddenly appear, a flash of terror crossed their eyes.

They let out low roars one after another, as if warning him not to approach.

"Awooo—"

"Wuu—"

"As expected, there are still fish that slipped through the net."

Yang Xiao did not hesitate, drawing his saber as he charged.

"Swish, swish, swish—"

Three dog demons collapsed instantly!

The remaining dog demons let out panicked wails, wanting to flee.

Yet Yang Xiao's speed was simply too fast.

They had no time to react whatsoever before being slain.

In less than twenty breaths, all the dozen-odd dog demons in the cavern were dead.

Yang Xiao sheathed his saber, his gaze sweeping over the cavern to confirm nothing had been missed before turning and walking out of the cave.

"Head Constable Yang!"

Seeing Yang Xiao emerge, Zhao Tieniu hurriedly went up to greet him. "How is it inside?"

Yang Xiao said indifferently, "They're all killed."

The four yamen runners froze for a moment, quickly accepting this outcome.

"Head Constable Yang, you are too formidable!" Zhao Tieniu grinned broadly. "In this life of mine, Zhao Tieniu, I've never bowed to anyone, but you... I submit!"

Zhou Gang nodded silently, his eyes filled with deep admiration.

Yang Xiao waved his hand. "Go inside and tidy up. Prepare to head back."

"Take the dog demons' corpses along so we can go back and report for duty."

The four yamen runners immediately swung into action.

They hauled the dog demons' corpses out of the cave, took only select parts, and brought them back to the small courtyard from earlier, piling them together with the other corpses.

They were piled into a small mountain.

"Head Constable Yang, with so many corpses, how are we going to carry them back?"

Zhao Tieniu scratched his head.

Yang Xiao thought for a moment. "Build a simple cart in the village, tie the corpses to it, and drag them back."

The four yamen runners hurried to work.

Soon, a simple handcart was finished.

They bound the dog demons' corpses to it, with Zhao Tieniu and Zhou Gang pulling at the front.

Sun Ming and Zhou Gang pushed from the back.

Yang Xiao walked at the very front, leading them back toward the county town.

Toward evening, the setting sun sank in the west.

At the gates of Xiangyun County town, several guards were on duty.

Suddenly, they saw a group of people approaching from afar.

At the lead was a young man wearing a constable's uniform.

Behind him, four yamen runners dragged a huge cart, Demonic Qi soaring to the skies!

"What... what is this situation?"

One guard's eyes widened.

"Dog demon corpses!" Another sharp-eyed guard gasped after taking a clear look. "And... even more than last time!"

Yang Xiao led the four yamen runners, slowly walking through the city gates.

The commoners at the city gates saw this scene and successively stopped in their tracks.

"Heavens! So many dog demon corpses!"

"That young yamen runner again?"

"You should call him Head Constable Yang now. Didn't you see this morning's notice..."

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