The tall black deer lay on the ground, blood flowing freely, forming a shallow puddle.
Xie Wujin reached out and touched the black deer's fur. Although the monster was dead, its muscles were still unusually firm and resilient.
He couldn't help but admire it in his heart; with its Essence Blood and solid muscles, it must be a Sixth Rank demon!
With a single sword strike, Zhou Wuji could slay Sixth Rank demon; his Swordsmanship arts skills far exceeded his expectations.
He looked at Zhou Wuji again. The magnificent azure light robe on the outside of this man had dissipated, and his star-gold cloud brocade Daoist robe was spotless, not even a speck of mud could be seen on his shoes.
His aura was calm and gentle, completely lacking the fierce momentum he had displayed after drawing his sword to kill the Sixth Rank demon.
Clearly, Zhou Wuji's sword strike still had some power left.
Xie Wujin couldn't help but glance at the long sword at Zhou Wuji's waist again; it must be an extremely powerful weapon to possess such might.
He was filled with envy and jealousy again. Zhou Wuji was not only good-looking, but also had high cultivation, strong Swordsmanship, a divine sword, and beautiful women by his side. This kid was living too comfortably!
Xie Wujin thought this to himself, but his face was full of respect. He cupped his hands and praised, "Senior Brother's divine sword, slaying a demon with a single strike, is truly amazing!"
"The demon is dull-witted; I only succeeded because of the advantage of my sword." As usual, Zhou Wuji would politely return the compliments when others praised him.
He then asked, "According to custom, how should demons be dealt with?"
Ordinary demons are one thing, but Sixth Rank demons have strong Qi and Blood, and their skin and flesh are extremely valuable.
It's fine to kill one occasionally and leave it alone, but the Lower Court guards Yunze and kills countless demons every year. How can we just throw them all away? That would be such a waste.
"They will all be handed over to the Bixing Hall, where they will weigh them, set a price according to their grade, and sell them to the Fire Phoenix Army..."
Xie Wujin now held Zhou Wuji in some awe, and spoke in a humble manner, clearly explaining the procedures for dealing with Demon Beast.
Zhou Wuji nodded; that made sense.
No organization can function without money.
The Lower Court supports so many people; their daily food, drink, and other necessities alone cost an unknown amount of money.
Only by making full use of the resources at hand can the Lower Court function properly.
"Cultivators who slay Demon Beast will receive merit points as a reward from the Lower Court, based on the Demon Beast's rank, and these points will be recorded. Merit points can be exchanged for items, pills, Law Artifact, etc., in the Lower Court, or exchanged for money with those who need merit points..."
Xie Wujin had changed his mind and now wanted to do his best to befriend Zhou Wuji.
With such a powerful expert right beside me, if I offend him, in a dangerous place like Yunze, I might one day find myself dead in the jaws of Demon Beast...
Their families also told them to try their best to befriend the masters in the Lower Court, especially those with talent, because no one knows what kind of achievements such people will make in the future.
It's better to hand it in in advance; you might need it later. Even if you don't, you won't lose anything.
Without Zhou Wuji asking, Xie Wujin enthusiastically introduced the situation of Yunze.
"Although Yunze is dangerous, it is rich in spiritual energy and gives birth to all kinds of spiritual creatures."
"Medicinal herbs such as Yuzhi and Baiche can stop bleeding, relieve pain, and dispel wind and cold, making them extremely important. The medicinal properties of these herbs from Yunze are several times stronger than ordinary herbs, and their prices are naturally high."
"The Jade Pearl Rice grown here is as clear and round as jade and as perfect as pearls; even ordinary people who eat it can live longer. A large portion of this Jade Pearl Rice is offered as tribute to the Heavenly Capital."
" Yunze also has a large quantity of precious ores..."
Zhou Wuji understood immediately: Yunze was a very valuable place, Lower Court, the Fire Phoenix Army, and the Imperial Court were all reluctant to part with it.
Ultimately, it all comes down to money.
It's easy to imagine that the Lower Court is lucrative, Fire Phoenix Army is certainly raking in even more.
After all, the Lower Court is restricted by its status, and even if they want to make money, they can't do many things, but the Fire Phoenix Army doesn't have this concern.
Over the centuries, no one knows how much money the Xie Household has amassed.
I've heard that the Xie Household is a thousand-year- Aristocratic Clan in Nan Commandery, and they've also gained considerable influence in Yunze, holding significant military power.
Perhaps that's why the imperial court took notice of them...
Zhou Wuji also knew that he was too low-level. He didn't even understand the situation of the Northern Pole Sect, so there was no need for him to get involved in the complicated court struggles.
Daoist Yizhen is right; it's best to keep our distance from the Xie Household.
He thought this to himself, but his face was full of warm smiles. Seeing Xie Wujin was even more encouraged and became more talkative...
Zhou Wuji responded verbally, but quietly opened the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment. The Sixth Rank demon deer could be converted into four taels and six coins of Origin Mystic Essence.
The quantity wasn't small, but it was still far from enough for him. After all, he had already used five ounces of Origin Mystic Essence.
To accumulate four ounces of such Origin Mystic Essence, one would need to gather at least several dozen portions, wouldn't that be enough?
He wasn't entirely sure about it, but fortunately, there were many demons in Yunze, so even guarding the magic array would yield some results, and there was no need to rush.
On the morning of the third day, two horse-drawn carriages came and took away the black deer. Of course, a record had to be made of all the details.
In the afternoon, the people on duty arrived, and Zhou Wuji and his team of seven returned to Cloud Marsh Lower Court.
According to the rules, they work two days on duty and then rest for four days.
Back in the Lower Court, news soon came from the Demon-Expelling Hall that Zhou Wuji had been officially promoted to deacon.
The title of "deacon" is not just a name; it also represents corresponding power and privileges.
The monthly fee alone is thirty taels of silver, four two-stage Purple Qi Pill, some magic talismans, and clothing, shoes, hats, etc., provided throughout the year...
Zhou Wuji didn't care much about these benefits. For him, the most direct benefit was not having to participate in morning exercises, and it was also more convenient to borrow books and so on.
Yang Tie Ying's status was too low, yet he was required to follow the Demon-Expelling Hall for morning training, which made Yang Tie Ying very dissatisfied, but he only dared to grumble to Zhou Wuji.
Zhou Wuji ignored him, following local customs. Yang Tie Ying, a mere Eighth-Rank Qi Ingestion, had no right to be treated specially.
A day later, news of Zhou Wuji slaying Sixth Rank Demon Beast spread throughout the Cloud Marsh Lower Court.
After all, such a large black deer is quite rare. The fact that Zhou Wuji killed it with a single sword strike only highlights Zhou Wuji's prowess.
A formal promotion to deacon is nothing compared to that.
Many people in the Demon-Expelling Hall disliked Zhou Wuji, not for any other reason than that Zhou Wuji star-gold brocade robe was too eye-catching, and his exceptionally handsome appearance only fueled their jealousy.
Once this news spread, all the jealous and resentful faces vanished. Everywhere Zhou Wuji looked, he saw smiling faces, or at least faces full of amiable warmth...
Xie Wujin privately approached Xie Wuying and told her about Zhou Wuji.
"Second Brother, I think this person has an extraordinary bearing, truly possessing the qualities of an immortal. The old man and the others aren't looking to befriend geniuses, but this person is worth our effort to cultivate a relationship with..."
Xie Wuying remembered Zhou Wuji; he had asked to see the sword but hadn't given it to him. Of course, he was just testing the waters.
At the time, Zhou Wuji's refusal was firm, but his words were tactful, which made him realize that this person was a man of great depth and cunning.
Hearing his cousin say the same thing, Xie Wuying nodded. "This person is indeed unforgettable."
"However, we should still find out. He and Yizhen must be from Yunyang. Such an outstanding person should be easy to find out about..."
Cultivating relationships and building connections is an investment in advance, preparing for the future. It's not too late to investigate Zhou Wuji's situation before making a decision.
Zhou Wuji didn't care about the changes in the outside world; he quickly adapted to the rhythm of Cloud Marsh Lower Court.
When it's their turn, they go to the Yunze Grand Array's eye for two days, and the Grain Avoidance Pill pills are distributed regularly.
However, he felt more at ease using his own Grain Avoidance Pill.
For him, taking turns on duty was actually easier, although monsters would always rush over, but most of them posed no real threat.
With Wuleng here, he doesn't even need to lift a finger.
With nothing else to do, Zhou Wuji spent his days chatting and joking with Wuming. When no one was looking, he could even hold her hand and help her Qi Refining, which was quite fun.
At night, one can use the Big Dipper as Eyes to observe Yunze and Dream Marsh.
Back in the Lower Court, he enjoyed good food and drink, and had no chores to do on weekdays. When he had nothing to do, he would go to the Flying Profound Hall to borrow a few ancient books to pass the time.
The Lower Court wasn't far from Yunze City, but Zhou Wuji didn't want to go.
That was Xie Household's territory, and he was afraid that if he went there, he wouldn't get to eat any fish but would only get himself into trouble.
As a Daoist priest, he can indulge in poetry and wine, but he cannot truly indulge in lust. That would have a very bad influence on him. He is not yet qualified to be as unrestrained as True Person Zhihua.
September and October passed in the blink of an eye, and Zhou Wuji killed two more Sixth Rank demons and many Seventh Rank demons.
As for low-level demons, there are many, but they are almost useless against him.
His body reached 620 cm, and as far as he could see, only the Demon-Expelling Hall Yiming in the Lower Court was stronger than him.
Although Zhi'en was highly skilled in cultivation, he was clearly inferior to him in terms of physical strength.
For more than two months, Zhou Wuji frequently used the Big Dipper as Eyes to observe Yunze and Dream Marsh.
He gleaned a great deal from these two places, from the spiritual energy and secret realms to the Demon Beast and evil spirits, and gained much insight.
It's just that there's not enough time yet to summarize the patterns.
It was only the beginning of November, and on their day off, Xie Wuying and Xie Wujin went to find Zhou Wuji.
"Senior brother, tomorrow is the Water Origin Festival. There are all sorts of activities in the city, it'll be very lively."
Xie Wuying said enthusiastically, "Senior Brother has been here for a while now, but you haven't been to Yunze City yet, have you? We two brothers would like to invite you to Yunze for a visit, to show you our hospitality..."
The Water Origin Festival is a Daoist festival used to worship Shao Yin Heavenly Venerable Shao Yin Heavenly Venerable, who is said to be the supreme water god who controls all water-related powers.
Yunze City is situated on the water and places great importance on the Water Origin Festival.
Now that the autumn harvest is complete, it's the most leisurely time everywhere, and people have the time and energy to celebrate, creating a lively atmosphere.
Zhou Wuji was somewhat tempted, but he still didn't want to get involved with the Xie Household, so he politely declined.
The Xie Household brothers were quite disappointed, but they couldn't offer much advice and could only reluctantly take their leave.
The two brothers returned to their room, Xie Wuying sighed, "Someone must have told him not to associate with the Xie Household."
"This man calls himself the Sword Lord Xiaoxiang, what a prestigious title! He certainly has the right to be arrogant."
Xie Wujin sighed repeatedly. Although Sword Lord was not an official title conferred by the imperial court, it was impossible for a Sixth Rank cultivator to receive it.
This shows that Zhou Wuji was very powerful in Yunyang City.
Such a genius only made him more eager to befriend him. After all, he was spending his family's money, but the favor he gained was his own—why not?
"It's normal for someone like him to be a little arrogant. Let's not rush things. Everyone has interests and needs. With our family's wealth, we're not worried about not having the opportunity!"
On November 16th, it was Zhou Wuji's turn to guard the magic array.
This time he was prepared. He gave Wuming and Wuleng some instructions and then entered Yunze on his own.
Logically, Chu Province should have entered winter, but Yunze was still like autumn, cool but not cold.
Vast expanses of water and lakes are interspersed throughout the landscape; some have only a single layer of water beneath which lies rotten mud, while others are tens of meters deep. Some of the damp soil may look acceptable, but it is actually swampy mud.
For ordinary people to enter a swamp, even if they don't drown, the putrid fumes released by the swamp would be fatal.
Zhou Wuji, however, relied on the protection of the Golden Light Incantation to ignore the invisible poisonous gas. Although he could not fly, he could walk on water using his Qi.
With his eyesight, it was easy for him to tell whether the ground beneath his feet was swamp or solid ground.
During this time, he had been observing Yunze and Dream Marsh. He couldn't quite explain Dream Marsh's situation, but he was quite familiar with Yunze.
The Big Dipper as Eyes, is sufficient to discern the aura of living beings. He endured for over two months, figuring out the situation, and naturally, he was going to enter the Yunze to harvest a wave of demons.
He dared not venture too deep, but it was enough for him...