https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-108-Silver-Bell-the-Demon-Catcher-Comes-Online/12553950/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-110-The-Deng-Family-of-Yong-an-City/12553952/
Chapter 109: Preparations Before Leaving for Yong'an City
Chapter 109: Preparations Before Leaving for Yong'an City
An ordinary horse-drawn carriage departed from Qingzhou City.
Inside the carriage, two figures sat facing each other.
Jiang Chengyun, his gaze fixed on the handsome young man, slowly retrieved a ball of chaotic qi from his silver bell. "Keep this safe."
Shen Yi took it and examined it curiously. "What is it?"
"This contains the qi signatures of 123 Condensation Realm demon lords and 17 Embryo-Holding Realm demon lords. Every demon catcher in Qingzhou received a share of this after their arrival. It represents all their efforts."
"So, most of the demons and monsters in the vicinity of Qingzhou are accounted for here." Shen Yi's eyes widened at the realization.
Jiang Chengyun exhaled a heavy breath, his eyes fixed on the ball of qi. Countless demon catchers had lost their lives in pursuit of this, including his friends and family.
Only with this in their possession could they immediately sense if any demons set foot within the Twelve Counties.
"Consider this my gift to you." Jiang Chengyun produced a faint purple qi, so subtle that it was almost imperceptible. "Howling Moon Demon King. If you sense even the slightest hint of danger, run. Whether you survive or not will be up to luck."
"A Demon King?" Shen Yi's eyes widened as he looked up.
"In the martial path, the fourth realm is known as the Mixed Element or Martial Immortal realm for humans. For demons, the fourth realm is when they can claim the title of King..." Jiang Chengyun explained, his expression turning grave. "Let me put it this way. If this Demon King were to get within 10 feet of our Commander, barring any unforeseen circumstances, our Commander would perish on the spot."
"Only within Qingzhou do Martial Immortals have the advantage over such a foe."
As he mentioned the name of the Howling Moon Demon King, a hint of fear flashed in Jiang Chengyun's eyes.
"With so many demons, what about the experts of Qingzhou?" Shen Yi asked, carefully storing away the purple qi and the ball of qi signatures into his silver bell. These items had probably been divided into many portions and distributed after being collected some years ago. They were not as tightly bound as the connection he had formed after consuming the Flood Dragon Pill, but they were still better than nothing.
"There are twelve generals and three Golden Bell demon catchers, all Embryo-Holding Realm experts."
"I estimate that there are one or two hidden among the Four Surnames and Six Sects as well. For example, there's the Ancestral Sword of Qingfeng Mountain, but he just happens to be restrained by Yin Demons. In reality, he has the power to face an Embryo-Holding Realm demon lord."
"In addition, there are the more senior Silver Bell demon catchers, or the personal followers of the generals. Altogether, there are around 40 to 50 Condensation Realm experts."
As Jiang Chengyun spoke, Shen Yi suddenly realized that Qingzhou was not as stable as he had imagined.
The disparity in the number of experts on both sides was a bit too large, wasn't it?
Don't be fooled by the numbers; this is a large state with a population of tens of millions. On average, there might not even be five Condensation Realm experts guarding each county.
And yet, the regulations regarding the Condensation Pill are so strict...
Noting the change in Shen Yi's expression, Jiang Chengyun offered a slight smile. "Demons are not as united as you might think. They are divided into different races, and stirring up discord among them is one of the few joys we demon catchers have. If you include the experts from the noble families, the forces are actually somewhat balanced. However, these people all have their own schemes, so the Demon Suppression Division has to divert some of its attention to keep an eye on them."
"That's also why any first-rate power has some sort of method to keep their members in check, like the Ancestral Sword."
"They use blood oaths and sword pools to constrain their disciples. The Demon Suppression Division only needs to monitor their leaders to keep all their experts under control."
With these words, Jiang Chengyun was subtly reminding Shen Yi that there was no such thing as a stable and unregulated path to the Condensation Realm in Qingzhou.
"I have high hopes for you."
As he spoke, a serious expression suddenly appeared on the middle-aged man's honest face. "The Commander will be back soon. Whether it's his personal followers, deputy commanders, or the Silver Bells, he will definitely take notice of you. But you know better than anyone that these things were not achieved by your own efforts. How the Flood Dragon died and how you obtained the Silver Bell are not secrets."
In conclusion, while his achievements were remarkable, they were somewhat inflated by his identity.
Upon hearing this, Shen Yi raised his eyebrows slightly.
He noticed that this person's attitude seemed to have changed quite a bit.
It was a bit peculiar, as if he had included Shen Yi in some sort of plan.
"Of course, this includes me."
Jiang Chengyun extended his palm and shook it gently. "This trip to Yong'an City is just to familiarize you with the process. As for me giving you credit... it's best not to have any such thoughts at all, and I hope you can understand that."
"However, if you can do something on your own, as long as you're not afraid of losing your life, I won't stop you either."
Demon catchers were not the Demon Suppression Division; they didn't have collective achievements. Once they left the city, they were both cooperating colleagues and competing rivals.
Jiang Chengyun thought that Shen Yi might be somewhat disappointed.
But he didn't see any unusual expression on that fair-skinned face.
"I have no objections. Let's get to the main topic."
Shen Yi closed his eyes and pretended to be dozing off, keeping himself in a state of full energy at all times.
There must be a reason why the other party had called him out through the bell. It couldn't just be for a stroll.
As for the matter of credit... let's take it one step at a time. Even if he really couldn't get involved, helping to finish off the demon would still be fine.
"You actually have such thoughts."
Hearing Shen Yi's words, Jiang Chengyun couldn't help but want to laugh. Perhaps he had been too eager in his attitude.
The young man was indeed outstanding among his peers, but he, Jiang Chengyun, was a Condensation Realm martial artist. For him to take action, the demon must be formidable, and yet Shen Yi still wanted a share of the credit.
He put away his thoughts and continued seriously, "The demon catchers received news that the Mountain King is starting the trial for his cubs again."
"It is said that a tiger gives birth to three cubs, one of which will be a fierce tiger."
"These few beasts, using the Great City as a boundary, are hunting to select the fiercest among them."
"Last time, we were caught off guard and let them fill their bellies and leave safely. The demon catchers spent a lot of effort to obtain this second piece of news. Unlike the last time, this time, they are most likely eyeing Yong'an City."
Speaking of this, a killing intent flashed in Jiang Chengyun's eyes. "There is a Condensation Realm expert stationed in Yong'an City."
This could only mean one thing: after consuming enough human elixirs and undergoing many years of tempering, these tiger cubs had improved significantly in both appetite and strength.
They even dared to set their sights on a Condensation Realm martial artist.
Feeling the jostling of the horse-drawn carriage, Shen Yi asked quietly, "If, as you say, this is a trial set by the Mountain King for its offspring, how did you demon catchers obtain this information?"
"I don't know about that."
Jiang Chengyun also closed his eyes, but his tone became fervent. "Even if the information is false, it's still worth going. You've just become a demon catcher, and you don't know how rare it is for a demon to dare to enter one of the twelve counties of Qingzhou."
The demon lords of Qingzhou were either extremely stealthy or had incredible means of self-preservation, or they were protected by natural barriers like the Yangchun River.
For a demon to blatantly intrude like this and for its plans to be intercepted ahead of time was truly a rare opportunity that couldn't be missed.
"..."
Shen Yi remained silent, pursing his lips.
The other party had misunderstood his intention.
He wasn't questioning the authenticity of the information but rather the source of it.
(End of Chapter)
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