Heading to the Demon-Slaying Bureau

Everyone immediately got to work, taking stock of the valuables and dividing the silver. Lu Feng turned and went into the back hall, closing the door behind him.

Sitting cross-legged on a meditation cushion, Lu Feng said silently, System, raise Treading on Snow Without a Trace to the perfected realm!

[Ding! Raising Treading on Snow Without a Trace to the perfected realm will cost 1,000 Demon Points. Confirm expenditure?]

Confirm!

Lu Feng now had over 36,000 Demon Points, so a mere 1,000 was hardly worth mentioning.

The moment he spoke, a vast amount of cultivation experience flooded into Lu Feng's mind. It was as if he had spent years painstakingly practicing Treading on Snow Without a Trace, until every move and technique was etched into his memory.

Lu Feng felt his whole body grow lighter, as though it had lost all weight, and a gentle breeze seemed to swirl around his feet.

[Ding! Treading on Snow Without a Trace has been raised to the perfected realm!]

[Treading on Snow Without a Trace (perfected)]

Treading on Snow Without a Trace was a top-tier Ming Jin lightness skill. Once perfected, it allowed one to travel ten thousand li in a day, tread on snow without leaving a trace, and move without a sound.

Lu Feng tried taking a few steps. His figure flickered in an instant, leaving barely a trace behind, and he could not help feeling secretly delighted.

But he soon frowned again. Looking at the panel, which still showed his cultivation at Ming Jin Perfection, he muttered, "Just as I thought. I still need a Nei Jin cultivation technique to break through to An Jin."

Lu Feng felt a growing sense of urgency. He had to join the Demon-Slaying Bureau and exchange for a Nei Jin cultivation technique as soon as possible.

Then he rose and walked out of the back hall.

"Boss, look. This is how we divided the silver. Please take a look." Ergou hurried over and handed him a distribution list.

"You and Records Officer An get twenty taels of gold each; Constable Chen gets ten; and those of us here get exactly two taels each."

"As for the people, there are 36,821 in the city. Each gets one tael of silver, and what's left can go toward the yamen's day-to-day upkeep. It'll last a long time."

"Good. Let's do it that way." Lu Feng nodded, took his twenty taels of gold, and tucked them into his robes.

He knew that if he refused his share, the brothers would feel uneasy, and it would make them seem distant from one another instead.

The gold was of little use to him, but for the brothers, it was a real, tangible benefit.

Lin Yuan was dead and An Shi was away, so all the yamen's affairs, big and small, fell to Lu Feng.

For the next few days, Lu Feng spent nearly all day at the yamen, handling all manner of minor affairs and keeping order in Lin'an City.

Two days later, Chen Hu returned to the yamen.

The moment he saw Lu Feng, he dropped to one knee with a thud and said firmly, "Words can't express my gratitude for your great kindness! Lu Feng, once I kill Lin Shan, my life is yours!"

"You're taking this too far, Brother Chen. Get up." Lu Feng hurriedly helped him to his feet. As soon as he touched him, he noticed a change in his presence, and a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes.

"Huh? You actually broke straight through to Late Ming Jin?"

He had not expected the Jin Origin Pill to work so well that it would let Chen Hu break through to Late Ming Jin in a single step.

Chen Hu smiled, a little color finally returning to his face. "It was all thanks to your Jin Origin Pill. Otherwise, it would have taken me at least another six months to break through."

Then Lu Feng handed Chen Hu his ten taels of gold.

Chen Hu hurriedly declined and tried to return the gold, but Lu Feng flatly refused. "You've earned it. Take it. You'll need money to smooth the way when you join the Demon-Slaying Bureau too."

Seeing that, Chen Hu stopped refusing and solemnly accepted the gold.

On the afternoon of a few days later, An Shi finally returned from the other counties.

After hearing the constables recount what had happened over the past few days, An Shi stared in amazement and shook his head repeatedly. "I can't believe something so big happened while I was gone for just a few days! That old bastard Lin Yuan was truly brazen enough to defy the heavens!"

Then he looked at Lu Feng and Chen Hu and asked, "Are you two certain you want to go to the Northern Demon-Slaying Bureau? What about the rest of you? Does anyone want to go with them?"

The constables all shook their heads.

They knew their own abilities. If they went to the Demon-Slaying Bureau, they would only hold the others back. It was better to stay in Lin'an City and safeguard the peace there.

Lu Feng looked at Ergou and asked in puzzlement, "Ergou, aren't you coming with me?"

Ergou grinned and scratched his head. "No, boss. I'd only hold you back if I went. Besides, if I stay here and anything happens in Lin'an City, I can write and tell you in time, so you won't have to worry about what's happening back home."

Lu Feng met his sincere gaze and nodded. "All right, then I'll leave this place to you."

An Shi then appointed Ergou and two of Chen Hu's capable constables as Lin'an City's new head constables on the spot, putting them in charge of the yamen's daily patrols and affairs.

"I've already reported Lin Yuan's vacancy to the higher-ups. Before long, they'll send a new county magistrate's deputy to take up the post," An Shi said.

That night, Lu Feng booked the largest restaurant in the city and treated the constables to a feast.

They raised cup after cup until midnight, when they reluctantly went their separate ways home. That night was both a celebration of victory and a farewell.

Early the next morning, when the sky was just beginning to lighten, Lu Feng and Chen Hu packed their belongings and prepared to set off for the Northern Demon-Slaying Bureau.

But to their surprise, as soon as they stepped out of their homes, they saw the city's residents gathering on both sides of the street, having come of their own accord to see them off.

"Head Constable Lu, don't go!"

"Head Constable Lu, thank you for the silver you gave us! You must come back and visit often!"

"Head Constable Lu, take care on the road!"

The people's cries rose and fell, full of reluctance to see him go.

Warmth filled Lu Feng's heart. He knew this was not just because he had distributed silver, but because the people genuinely acknowledged him.

He stopped, cupped his hands toward the crowd, and called out, "Thank you all for your kindness! I, Lu Feng, promise everyone that I'll come back and visit often. If demonic beasts ever cause trouble in Lin'an City again, I'll hurry back at once!"

With that, he turned and headed for Lin'an City's north gate with Chen Hu, gradually disappearing from the people's sight.

After the two had walked for two hours, Chen Hu was already panting, his forehead drenched in sweat, and his steps had slowed.

Lu Feng glanced at him and said mildly, "At this pace, it'll take us at least two days to reach the Northern Demon-Slaying Bureau."

"I... I really am doing my best already." Chen Hu waved a hand and bent over, gasping for breath. "No, I need to rest for a while. I really can't walk any farther."

Seeing how exhausted he was, Lu Feng smiled, stepped forward, and grabbed him by the collar.

"Forget resting. I'll take you on a shortcut!"

Before the words had left his mouth, Lu Feng circulated the force within his body and instantly unleashed the perfected Treading on Snow Without a Trace.

His figure flashed, and the two sped north like arrows loosed from a bow, leaving almost no trace beneath their feet.

"Ah!"

The sudden speed scared Chen Hu out of his wits. He cried out again and again, clutching Lu Feng's sleeve with both hands, not daring to open his eyes.

Lu Feng carried him swiftly through the mountain forests. Wind whistled past their ears, and the scenery along the way raced backward.

Six hours later, Lu Feng landed steadily with Chen Hu outside the gates of Jinguan City in Yunzhou.

As soon as Chen Hu's feet touched the ground, his legs gave way and he collapsed. It was a long time before he recovered.

After another while, he managed to push himself up and shouted at Lu Feng with a look of resentment, "Lu Feng! Were you getting back at me on purpose? At that speed, you nearly scared my heart right out of my chest!"

Ignoring his complaints, Lu Feng raised a hand and pointed at the city before them. "We're here. The Demon-Slaying Bureau is inside Jinguan City."

"We're here? That fast?"

Chen Hu jerked his head up, gazed at the enormous Jinguan City before him, and exclaimed repeatedly, "Heavens! This is Jinguan City? It's huge!"

Its towering walls stood more than three zhang high, their gray bricks and dark tiles lending them a magnificent air.

Two guards stood at the city gate, straight-backed and with a concentrated presence. One look was enough to tell they were at least Ming Jin cultivators.

The two paid a one-tael entry fee and entered Jinguan City without trouble.

As soon as they entered, Chen Hu was like Granny Liu visiting the Grand View Garden, his eyes wide and fixed on everything.

"Lu Feng, look! That's a pill shop! And over there, that's a smithy. All the weapons they sell have been tempered with force!"

Every few steps, he let out another cry of surprise, his face full of curiosity, drawing frequent glances from passersby.

Lu Feng was also quite astonished.

Jinguan City truly was extraordinary. Most of the people on the streets had cultivation, and their presence was more substantial than that of Lin'an City's constables. Lin'an City simply could not compare.

What was more, shops like pill shops and smithies, which were nowhere to be found in Lin'an City, stood every few steps here. It was clear how strong the cultivation atmosphere was in Jinguan City.

The two passed through a bustling main street and turned several corners, arriving at a relatively secluded place.

A huge courtyard suddenly appeared before them. Above its vermilion gates, the three characters for "Demon-Slaying Bureau" stood out in bold, powerful strokes. Two imposing stone lions stood at the entrance, adding to its commanding presence.

"Stop! What are you here for?"

As soon as the two approached, two figures leaped out of the courtyard, one from each side, and landed steadily in front of them. Their voices were cold, and their expressions wary.

Lu Feng cupped his hands in greeting and said calmly, "We are head constables from Lin'an City. A month ago, Demon-Slaying Envoy Zhao An visited Lin'an City and promised that the two of us could join the Demon-Slaying Bureau."

One of the guards frowned. "Wait here. I'll go report it."

Before he had finished speaking, his figure flickered and he leaped back into the courtyard.

Chen Hu was impatient. He leaned forward and tried to strike up a conversation with the remaining guard. "Brother, what's your surname? We all make our living as constables, so perhaps in the future..."

"Shut up and wait quietly!" the guard interrupted coldly. His face expressionless, he said not another word.

Having gotten nowhere, Chen Hu could only stand dejectedly to one side and wait with Lu Feng.

A quarter of an hour later, the guard who had gone to report returned.

"Well? We can go in now, right?" Chen Hu immediately stepped forward and asked eagerly.

The guard shook his head and said indifferently, "No. Inspector Zhao said he only brought Lin Shan in, and no one else. He's never even heard of anyone named Lu Feng."

"What?!"

Chen Hu exploded on the spot. Rolling up his sleeves, he made to charge into the courtyard. "Bullshit! Zhao An clearly promised us! I want to confront him face-to-face!"

Lu Feng hurriedly reached out to stop him, signaling for him to calm down.

"Stop!" The other guard stepped forward to block the entrance, his voice icy. "This is the Demon-Slaying Bureau, not a place for you to run wild! Go back where you came from and try again the next time the Demon-Slaying Bureau recruits!"

Lu Feng's expression did not change. He spoke slowly. "Thank you both for the reminder."

As he spoke, he took a silver token, lustrous white all over, from his robes and held it out. "A senior from the Demon-Slaying Bureau gave me this. He said I could enter the bureau directly with this token."

"Th-this is a Demon-Catching Token?!"

The two guards' expressions changed instantly when they saw the token. Their faces full of disbelief, they hurriedly accepted it and examined it over and over, their eyes filled with awe.

"It's real! It really is a Demon-Catching Token!"

The two exchanged a glance, then hastily returned the token to Lu Feng with both hands. The coldness had vanished from their faces, replaced by respectful smiles.

"Please forgive us. We had eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai!" One of the guards hurriedly opened the gate and said with a smile, "I'll take you both to the commandant's residence to pay your respects to the lord!"

"Don't you need to report it?" Chen Hu scratched his head and asked, looking puzzled.

Afraid he would say something else wrong, Lu Feng quickly bumped him with his shoulder, signaling him to keep quiet.

"No need, no need!" The other guard hurriedly waved a hand and followed with a smile. "With the Demon-Catching Token, there's no need to report your arrival. You'll certainly be able to enter the Demon-Slaying Bureau without trouble!"

Inside the Demon-Slaying Bureau's courtyard stood a magnificent great hall. People came and went within, each with an extraordinary presence. Some were handing over missions, while others were exchanging for items, making for a lively scene.

"Brother Lu, I'm Wu Li, a guard of the Demon-Slaying Bureau. I hope you'll look after me in the future!" said the guard leading the way with a smile, his attitude growing ever more respectful.

"I'm Yang Shan, also a guard here!" The other guard hurriedly cupped his hands as well, his face full of enthusiasm.

Lu Feng nodded slightly, then looked toward the great hall in the middle and asked, "What is that hall?"

"That's the Demon-Slaying Hall, where people take on demon-slaying missions and exchange for merit and cultivation resources," Wu Li quickly explained. "Let's go to the commandant's residence first and pay our respects to the lord in charge of appointments."

The group went around the great hall and came to a residence on its right. A large character for "Su" was carved above the gates, giving it a distinguished air.

"We're here. This is the place!" Wu Li stopped and said with a smile, but showed no sign of leaving, clearly hoping to establish a connection.

Chen Hu looked at the residence before him. It was several times larger than the county yamen in Lin'an City. His face full of envy, he said, "Heavens! The commandant even has his own private residence. How grand!"

"Of course!" Yang Shan explained proudly. "The highest-ranking person in the Demon-Slaying Bureau is the director. Below him are twelve commandants, and each commandant has an independent residence of their own. Their status is extremely high!"

"What about below the commandants?" Chen Hu asked curiously.

"Below the commandants are the demon-slaying envoys, and below them are the demon-slaying guards," Yang Shan said. "Wu Li and I are demon-slaying guards, and you will be too."

Just then, a woman dressed in a blue-green maid's uniform came out of the residence. Seeing Lu Feng and the others, she immediately frowned and shouted sternly, "Who are you? How dare you intrude on my commandant's residence!"

Wu Li hurried forward, a bashful smile on his face, and spoke respectfully. "Miss Xiaolian, it's a misunderstanding! We came with Brother Lu. Brother Lu and his friend want to join Su Prefecture as demon-slaying guards."

Xiaolian glanced at Lu Feng and Chen Hu and said disdainfully, "Hmph. There are hundreds, if not a thousand, who want to enter my commandant's residence. Why should you be allowed in?"

"Don't be hasty, Miss Xiaolian." Wu Li had come prepared. He turned to Lu Feng and said, "Brother Lu, quickly, take out the token and show Miss Xiaolian."

Lu Feng nodded, stepped forward, and held the Demon-Catching Token out in front of Xiaolian.