After confirming that there were no more merits to be earned in Yong'an City, the remaining demon hunters quickly retreated from the area.
After five days of rest and recovery, Jiang Chengyun had also somewhat regained his strength.
Deng Jianyuan prepared a carriage for him and, with a group of family members, respectfully saw him off on the official road back to Qingzhou City.
Watching the carriage departing into the distance, the old man turned around with a hint of emotion. Compared to Jiang Chengyun, who looked down on him with utter disdain, he actually would have preferred to extend his hospitality to the younger man.
Unfortunately, the other party left in such a hurry. Counting the days, he was probably already beyond Tingyang County by now.
The boundary between the Qingzhou Twelve Prefectures and the Demon Race territories was not a clearly demarcated line.
There were many "no-man's lands" interspersed throughout.
At that moment, within a dark and gloomy forest, an agile shadow suddenly leaped down from the treetops.
The three-foot Ceremonial Blade casually swept across, splattering a handful of blood.
Shen Yi sheathed his blade, stepping over the severed head. He had slain a sapient lesser demon and reaped over sixty years of a demon's lifespan.
"Actually, you didn't have to do this if you just wanted me to feel that spending the Mountain Lord's breath was worth it."
Xiao Qiangwei had changed into a simple green shirt and washed off the heavy makeup from her face, losing the worldly air she had before, but her delicate features still carried a hint of seduction.
She looked at the youth with some speechlessness. This was already the third time on the road.
Though she was injured and tried her best to conceal it, her disorderly aura inevitably leaked out.
What Xiao Qiangwei couldn't understand was why he, who was uninjured, also concealed his aura so completely, and even deliberately walked behind her, without finding it troublesome...
Shen Yi glanced at her, still showing no intention of relinquishing the Turtle Breath Technique.
Even the smallest morsel of mosquito meat is still meat, and who knows – if they encountered someone knowledgeable, they might reap even greater rewards.
It was better than doing nothing.
He had learned this method from the group of demon hunters.
"We're almost there," she said.
Not wanting to get any more blood on herself, Xiao Qiangwei took the initiative to walk beside the youth: "You probably haven't stayed at the Demon-suppression Bureau before. In such places, guarded by Personal Adjutant Generals, there is almost no presence of Great Demons. It's not due to fear, but rather because the demons they guard are local tyrants that don't allow other demons to tread in their territories."
"Liu Bin has a bad temper. When we get there, you don't have to worry about anything; I will have a talk with him," she continued.
"Hmm," Shen Yi nodded, showing more interest in the demons guarded in these lands than in the Personal Adjutant General.
Xiao Qiangwei led the way out of the dense forest with ease, and suddenly a row of wooden buildings came into view, with several colonels in cloud-patterned ink robes gathering around a campfire to keep warm.
She slowed her pace and called out to alert them: "By the orders of General You, I've come to deliver a message to Adjutant General Liu. Please notify him for me."
Shen Yi thought that would be the end of it, but to his surprise, the colonels, without even lifting their heads, replied languidly, "Demon hunters? Marshal Liu has orders that Heishi Pool does not entertain demon hunters. No audience will be given."
This uniform response clearly wasn't their first.
A coldness flickered in Xiao Qiangwei's eyes: "Once he claimed illness, another time he was out. Now that General You has sent me, and they say they won't see any demon hunters, please pass a message to your Adjutant General Liu for me – there's a limit to trading on one's seniority."
Her tone grew sharper: "General You respects his seniority and treats him courteously, but let's not forget the hierarchy and distinction of rank."
Shen Yi stood with hands by his side, feeling puzzled.
Even if the Demon-suppression Bureau was separate from the demon hunters, colonels without the cultivation level of the Jade Liquid Boundary shouldn't dare to be so indifferent to a hunter of the Condensation Elixir Realm. The colonels in Qingzhou City certainly didn't carry themselves with such an air.
"Marshal Liu said, he won't entertain demon hunters."
Several Colonels slowly rose to their feet, drawing the swords at their waists, "Of course, with your high level of cultivation, you can also try to force your way through the Black Stone Pool, please feel free."
Along with these words, three Adjutant Generals along with over a hundred Colonels carrying weapons walked out from the house, their eyes coldly blocking the way forward.
"The Black Stone Pool is forbidden territory, without General You's handwritten order, those who intrude will be treated as Demons!"
Looking at the bright and shiny steel knives, Xiao Qiangwei finally smiled and stepped forward: "I don't have a handwritten order, only a letter for Adjutant General Liu, but... I am curious to see how you're going to treat me as a Demon."
Clearly, even demon hunters who spend their years with Demons have lines they cannot cross.
Even the Adjutant General with the highest cultivation was only at the Jade Liquid Perfect Realm, but as they watched Xiao Qiangwei approach, there wasn't a hint of hesitation on their faces as they instantly raised their long knives.
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This is the difference between those under the personal command and the ordinary members of the Demon Suppression Bureau.
They only obey the orders of one person, and that is Liu Bin who garrisons this area.
In an instant, a frosty steel long spear tore through the air, piercing the ground precisely three inches in front of Xiao Qiangwei.
A hoarse voice came from inside the house.
"Liu has garrisoned this place for many years, you are the first one who dares to break in."
"If General You has something for me, he would send other personal adjutants to deliver the message; how would a demon hunter like you qualify to meddle in the affairs of the Demon Suppression Bureau?"
Amidst the sound of his voice, a tall figure pushed open the door and emerged, his white hair and long beard flowing down to his chest, with a golden dragon embroidered on the collar.
A Fierce Wolf Cloak draped over his back, his eyes and brows carrying an air of a veteran of countless battles.
He walked unhurriedly to Xiao Qiangwei, pulled out the steel long spear, and looked down at the woman: "If you were at your peak, you might be worthy of crossing hands with me, but now that you come injured, make sure not to lose your life."
Xiao Qiangwei bit her lip tightly and pulled out an envelope from her silver bell: "According to the rules, you've missed three performance reports, General You gave you face and did not suspect you of colluding with Demons, but you must take a look at this letter."
"This old man's eyes are dim; I am not interested in reading letters from people of unknown identity, nor can I distinguish between what is real and fake."
Liu Bin turned slowly, his voice cold: "Take your people and get out."
This cold reprimand completely tore apart any pretense, as over a hundred Demon Suppression Colonels simultaneously pointed their blade edges at Xiao Qiangwei.
The woman took a deep breath.
She glanced sideways at the young man behind her, "We made a deal to escort me to deliver the secret letter to him; does it still count now?"
Shen Yi calmly looked at these members of the Demon Suppression Bureau.
He was not interested in Liu Bin, nor in the letter Xiao Qiangwei was delivering, but he was very interested in the prospect of collusion with Demons.
The unexpected gain he had been looking forward to seemed to have fallen into the hands of colleagues.
Shen Yi casually took a step forward, responding softly, "It counts."
The simple conversation finally caused the group of Colonels to change their expressions drastically; they had not expected that two demon hunters would really come through with it, daring to intrude into the territory guarded by a Personal Adjutant General?!
In this place, Liu Bin bore all responsibility and wielded the greatest authority, fully capable of representing the Qingzhou Demon Suppression Division.
In a chorus of reprimands, Liu Bin suddenly turned around, his sharp long spear thrusting angrily forward, and Xiao Qiangwei, enduring the pain of her injuries, moved nimbly to avoid the spear tip, slapping it fiercely with palmed strikes, full of robust power.
The two of them actually used their full strength right from the start; despite both being from the Imperial Court, they went straight for a deadly fight!
The forces from both sides converged on the steel spear; Liu Bin went with the flow, aiming the diverted tip directly at the young man standing behind!
The shining brilliance was like a White Dragon emerging from its pool, dazzling to the eyes, with a sharp whistling that was deafening!