Slaying Zhao An

Just then, another demon-slaying guard hurried in and dropped to one knee. "My lord, Lu Feng just accepted the Black Mountain Forest mission. He's already left the Demon-Slaying Bureau and headed toward the forest!"

"What a chance!" A sinister glint flashed in Zhao An's eyes as he sprang to his feet. "Send two men... wait!"

He paused, then changed his mind. "I'd better make the move myself. That's the surest way. I must not let him return alive!"

Elsewhere, in the main hall of Commandant Su's residence.

Qin Shuang sat upright at the head of the hall, her expression cold. Below her stood eight women in fitted attire, all demon-slaying envoys of Commandant Su's residence.

They were reporting on various matters in low voices when Xiaolian came running in from outside.

"My lady, something's wrong." Xiaolian hurried to Qin Shuang's side and lowered her voice. "Lu Feng accepted the Black Mountain Forest mission. No sooner had he left than Zhao An followed him toward the forest. From the look of him, he's definitely up to no good!"

"Lu Feng could be in danger. Should we send someone to save him?"

Qin Shuang shook her head slightly, her voice calm. "No need. Zhao An is only at Early Nei Jin. If Lu Feng can't even deal with him, that would prove he lacks ability and isn't worthy of the young lady's regard."

"But..." Xiaolian tried to persuade her further, only for Qin Shuang to raise a hand and cut her off.

"I know what you want to say." Qin Shuang's voice grew somber. "The young lady gave him a Demon-Catching Token, and he succeeded in joining the Demon-Slaying Bureau. Whether that brings him fortune or disaster depends entirely on his own abilities."

"Besides, although Zhao An's strength is ordinary, he and Zhao Long belong to the same clan. Zhao Long is a Hua Jin expert. There's no need for us to provoke him over a newcomer."

At the mention of Zhao Long's name, Xiaolian's expression changed instantly. A trace of apprehension flashed in her eyes, and she dared not say another word.

Qin Shuang then looked at the demon-slaying envoys below. "Where is the young lady now?"

A woman in fitted attire with a high-bridged nose stepped forward and bowed. "My lady, the commandant is currently in Cangxi County and is on her way back. She is expected to reach Jinguan City in about half a month."

Qin Shuang nodded, asked no more questions, and continued issuing instructions.

Meanwhile, after leaving Jinguan City, Lu Feng immediately used Treading on Snow Without a Trace at the perfected level, racing toward Black Mountain Forest like a gale.

He was so fast that, in the blink of an eye, he had left Zhao An, who was secretly following him, far behind and out of sight.

Zhao An stood where he was, staring at the empty road ahead, his face full of shock and unwillingness. "How can Lu Feng be so fast?!"

Before he could react, a dark figure suddenly appeared soundlessly behind him, its presence icy and without warning.

Zhao An's whole body stiffened. Before he even had time to turn, a blade flashed with a swish, and a head tumbled to the ground as blood gushed out.

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for slaying Zhao An, an Early Nei Jin martial artist, and obtaining the Nei Jin technique "Gale Slash"!]

Lu Feng stood with his saber lowered, his gaze calm. He then stepped forward, pulled Zhao An's storage bag off him, and turned to leave in a hurry, without lingering in the slightest.

After running for another half an hour, Lu Feng reached a deserted stretch of forest. Only then did he stop, find a secluded spot, and open Zhao An's storage bag to examine its contents.

Inside were a bottle of healing pills, a book, over eighty taels of gold, a demon-slaying guard token, and some miscellaneous items.

Lu Feng casually tossed the miscellaneous items and the empty storage bag aside, picked up the book, and opened it. His expression immediately darkened.

It was no technique manual at all, but a vulgar picture book.

Lu Feng gave a disdainful snort of laughter and casually threw the book on the ground. He stepped on it as he walked past, paying it no further attention.

"Waste of time," he murmured. Using Treading on Snow Without a Trace again, he sped toward Black Mountain Forest.

Three hours later, Lu Feng finally reached Black Mountain Forest.

Black Mountain Forest was far larger than he had imagined. The trees were all an inky black, their thick trunks and branches blotting out the sky. Sunlight could barely penetrate them, and an eerie, sinister atmosphere pervaded the entire mountain forest.

From the Demon-Slaying Bureau's mission description, Lu Feng had learned that there were four main kinds of demon beasts in Black Mountain Forest-fox demons, snake demons, wolf demons, and deer demons.

Among these four kinds were second-tier experts, as well as large numbers of first-tier and unranked lesser demons. They were numerous and extremely dangerous.

Not long after he entered Black Mountain Forest, the sound of hurried footsteps reached him.

Lu Feng's gaze sharpened as he turned to look. A woman in tattered clothes, her hair disheveled, was running wildly toward him. Terror was written all over her face, which was as pale as paper.

A flicker of surprise passed through Lu Feng's mind. He examined her carefully and discovered that she had no cultivation whatsoever-not even the most basic Ru Jin.

When the woman reached Lu Feng, she could no longer hold herself up. Her legs gave way, and she bent over, gasping for breath. "M-my lord, help me!" she pleaded in a trembling voice. "Please, save me!"

As she bent over, her clothes slipped down, revealing a patch of snow-white skin.

"They've turned purple!"

"What?" The woman looked up at Lu Feng, her face so pitiful that anyone who saw her would have felt compassion.

Lu Feng coughed lightly twice and deliberately changed the subject. "Miss, what exactly happened?" he asked gravely. "Why are you alone in Black Mountain Forest?"

The woman's eyes reddened, and she choked out, "My... my parents were taken by wolf demons. Please save them, my lord! I'm begging you!"

"Where are they? Take me to them, quickly!" Lu Feng said without the slightest hesitation, his tone firm.

"My home is... huh?" The woman froze, clearly not expecting Lu Feng to agree so readily. A barely perceptible trace of surprise flashed in her eyes.

"What are you waiting for?" Lu Feng urged. "Hurry and take me there! If we're a step too late, your parents might be eaten by the wolf demons!"

"Yes! Yes! Thank you, my lord! Please follow me!" The woman hurriedly composed herself and turned to lead the way. A barely perceptible smile, however, quietly curved her lips as she led Lu Feng deeper into Black Mountain Forest.

Lu Feng followed behind her, his gaze calm. He had already figured it out-nine times out of ten, there was something wrong with this woman.

How could a weak woman with no cultivation survive in the dangerous Black Mountain Forest, let alone escape safely?

But he did not expose her. He had just arrived at Black Mountain Forest and had been worrying about how to find demon beasts. This woman had undoubtedly come "bearing gifts"; it was much faster than searching blindly on his own.

After following the woman for the time it took an incense stick to burn, the wolf demons' lair finally came into view.

They had not encountered a single demon beast along the way, which surprised Lu Feng a little. He did not know whether the woman had chosen a special route or something else was afoot.

All seemed quiet outside the wolf demons' lair, but Lu Feng keenly sensed two wolf demons standing guard in the shadows.

The moment the two wolf demons saw them, greedy delight appeared in their eyes.