Chapter 122: Delivering a Message at Blackstone Pool
Chapter 122: Delivering a Message at Blackstone Pool
After confirming that there were no more achievements to be gained in Yong'an City, the remaining demon hunters quickly left the area.
After five days of rest, Jiang Chengyun also recovered a little.
Deng Jianyuan prepared a carriage for him, and with his family members, respectfully sent him on his way back to Qingzhou City.
Watching the carriage depart, the old man turned around with a sense of emotion. Compared to Jiang Chengyun, who looked at him with disdain, he actually wanted to treat that young man well.
Unfortunately, the young man left in a hurry, and judging by the days that had passed, he was probably already out of Tingyang Prefecture by now.
The boundary between the twelve prefectures of Qingzhou and the demon territory was not clearly defined.
There were many areas that were considered no-man's land.
At this moment, in a dark and gloomy forest, a nimble shadow suddenly leaped down from the treetops.
A three-foot ceremonial saber casually swept through the air, splattering blood like flowers.
Shen Yi sheathed his saber, stepped over the severed head on the ground, and killed an intelligent small demon, harvesting over sixty years of demonic lifespan.
"You don't have to do this. I want to make sure this Mountain Lord's aura is worth it."
Xiao Qiangwei changed into a simple blue shirt, washed off her heavy makeup, and no longer carried the air of a courtesan. Only her exquisite features still held a hint of allure.
She looked at the youth with a hint of exasperation; this was already the third time on their journey.
Although she tried her best to hide it, her chaotic aura still leaked out due to her injury.
What Xiao Qiangwei couldn't understand was why the youth, who wasn't injured, also concealed his aura so tightly and intentionally walked behind her, not minding the trouble...
Shen Yi glanced at her, still not intending to release his Tortoise Breath Technique.
Even a mosquito's blood was worth something; who knew if they might encounter someone who could recognize its value and bring an even greater harvest.
It was better than doing nothing.
He had learned this method from those demon hunters.
"We're almost there."
Xiao Qiangwei really didn't want to get any more blood on herself, so she took the initiative to walk to the youth's side, "You probably haven't stayed at the Demon Suppressing Bureau before. In places guarded by personal escort commanders like this, there are rarely any powerful demons. It's not that they fear them, but the demons they watch over are already local tyrants, and they won't allow other demons to set foot in their territory."
"Liu Bin isn't very patient. You don't need to worry; I'll talk to him."
"Mhm."
Shen Yi nodded slightly. Compared to the personal escort commander, he was more interested in the demon they were guarding.
Xiao Qiangwei, familiar with the way, led them out of the dense forest, and a row of wooden buildings suddenly appeared before them. Several captains wearing cloud-patterned ink robes were warming themselves around a bonfire.
She slowly stopped and spoke to the group, "By the order of Marshal You, I'm here to deliver a message to Captain Liu. Please inform him of my arrival."
Shen Yi thought that this would be the end of it, but to his surprise, the captains didn't even lift their heads, and one of them replied indifferently, "Demon hunters? Captain Liu has given an order not to receive demon hunters. We won't see them."
This uniform response clearly wasn't the first time.
A cold light flashed in Xiao Qiangwei's eyes, "Once sick, twice absent, and now Marshal You has sent me here, and you say you won't see demon hunters? Please tell Captain Liu for me that even if he's old, there's a limit to his arrogance."
Her voice carried an edge, "Marshal You respects his age and treats him with courtesy, but don't forget the hierarchy between us."
Shen Yi stood with his hands behind his back, a bit puzzled.
Even if the Demon Suppressing Bureau and the demon hunters weren't part of the same system, it was still unusual for captains without even the Jade Dew Realm cultivation to treat a demon hunter in the Condensation Core Realm with such indifference. The captains in Qingzhou City didn't have such an attitude.
"Captain Liu said he won't receive demon hunters."
"Several captains slowly stood up and drew their swords from their waists, "Of course, with your formidable cultivation, you can also try to force your way into Blackstone Pool. Feel free."
As the words fell, three commanders led over a hundred captains, all armed with weapons, out of the house. Their cold gazes blocked the path ahead.
"Blackstone Pool is a forbidden area. Without Marshal You's decree, anyone who dares to trespass will be considered a demon!"
Looking at the gleaming steel blades, Xiao Qiangwei finally smiled and took a step forward, "I don't have a decree, only a letter addressed to Commander Liu. But... I'd like to see how you would treat me as a demon."
Evidently, even demon hunters who had been dealing with demons for years had their limits.
Even the commander with the highest cultivation among them was only at the Jade Dew Perfect Stage. But as Xiao Qiangwei approached, not a hint of hesitation appeared on their faces, and they instantly raised their long swords.
This was the difference between personal escorts and ordinary demon-suppressing enforcers.
They only listened to one person's orders, and that was Liu Bin, the guardian of this place.
In an instant, a chilling long spear made of fine steel pierced through the air, landing just three inches in front of Xiao Qiangwei.
A hoarse voice echoed from inside the house, "I, Liu, have been guarding this place for many years, and you are the first to dare to intrude."
"If Marshal You has business with me, he would send other personal escorts with a letter. How dare you, a mere demon hunter, meddle in the affairs of the Demon Suppressing Bureau?"
As the words were spoken, a tall figure emerged from the house. His hair was white, his beard reached his chest, and the collar of his robe bore a golden dragon emblem.
A savage wolf cloak hung behind him, and his eyes and brows exuded the aura of one who had experienced countless battles.
He strode calmly towards Xiao Qiangwei, drew out the fine steel spear, and looked down at the woman, "If you were in your prime, you might have the qualifications to fight me. But now, coming here injured, you might just lose your life."
Xiao Qiangwei clenched her teeth, took out a letter from her silver bell, and said, "According to the rules, you've missed three reporting sessions. Marshal You has given you face and hasn't suspected you of colluding with demons. You should at least take a look at this letter."
"My old eyes are blurry, and I have no interest in reading letters from people of unknown identity. I can't even tell if it's real or fake."
Liu Bin slowly turned around and said coldly, "Take your people and scram."
This cold rebuke completely broke any pretense, and over a hundred demon-suppressing captains aimed their blades at Xiao Qiangwei.
The woman took a deep breath and glanced at the youth behind her, "We agreed to escort me and deliver the secret letter to him. Does that still stand?"
Shen Yi calmly observed the group of enforcers from the Demon Suppressing Bureau.
He wasn't interested in Liu Bin or the letter Xiao Qiangwei was delivering, but he was intrigued by the idea of colluding with demons.
The unexpected discovery he had been hoping for had fallen into the hands of a group of colleagues.
Shen Yi casually took a step forward and softly replied, "It does."
The simple exchange between the two finally caused the captains' faces to change drastically. They never expected that the two demon hunters would actually dare to intrude on the territory guarded by the personal escort commanders! In this place, Liu Bin bore all responsibility and held the greatest authority, representing the Demon Suppressing Bureau of Qingzhou.
"How audacious!"
Amidst the chorus of rebukes, Liu Bin suddenly turned, and his sharp spear thrust forward with fury. Xiao Qiangwei endured her injuries, her movements not slowing down in the slightest. She easily dodged the spear tip and struck the spear with both palms, unleashing a powerful force.
Both of them had used their full strength, yet they were both officials of the court, and their first move was a life-or-death struggle!
The two forces converged on the fine steel spear, and Liu Bin seized the opportunity, straightening the spear tip and thrusting it directly towards the youth behind Xiao Qiangwei! The silver-bright spearhead resembled a white dragon leaping out of a canyon, piercing the eyes with its radiance, and the piercing whistle deafened the ears.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
