https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-630-Breaking-Through-the-Seventh-Rank/12951901/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-632-Journeying-to-the-Underworld/12951903/
Chapter 631: The Unpredictable Demon Slaying Bureau
Chapter 631: The Unpredictable Demon Slaying Bureau
"Shen Xianyou, I still need to retrieve those golden books, so I won't stay long."
Outside the door, Master Zhikong came to bid farewell.
The citizens of the Divine Kingdom were well-informed and would not easily trust a demon without a good reason.
Aside from the warm and soothing feeling it gave, and the ability to cure hidden ailments, the Rat Demon had also distributed many golden books.
Gold was valuable, but even more precious were the scriptures engraved within.
Although only a small portion was recorded, it was indeed the Three Tribulation Lotus Platform Technique that Shen Yi used to protect his divine soul during tribulation and facilitate his understanding of the heavens.
Now, Master Zhikong was here to retrieve them all, not out of stinginess.
This cultivation technique was so profound that even experienced cultivators could easily fall into delusion if they weren't careful. How much more so for ordinary mortals, especially with an incomplete scroll? If they couldn't resist their greed while reciting the scripture and took a longer glance, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Aside from that...
Master Zhikong slightly raised his eyes, looking through the roof at the vast Imperial Aura in the sky.
His heart felt a hint of unease.
Recently, the theft of cultivation techniques within the sect had become more frequent. The Bodhimanda Sect, one of the Three Teachings, seemed to have fallen asleep on the job.
He was just an ordinary wanderer, and he didn't know why these incidents kept happening. He only hoped that this wouldn't disturb the peace of the human world."
Shen Yi nodded in agreement, but he didn't need the Earth God's reminder. He wouldn't get too close to Master Zhikong at this time.
On the bed, an unfamiliar tall figure appeared, dressed in a dark green dress, with two slender white legs casually crossed.
"Are you the demon slayer recommended by the Earth God?"
Before Shen Yi could respond, the woman threw a sword with extraordinary aura at her, "I'm Ye Jing, the Demon Slayer of Jianyang Prefecture, if you don't kill him, I'll take you in."
Shen Yi glanced at the property of the Earth God,"
"Why should I care?" Ye Jing leaned against the bed, her tone colder than before. "The Earth God said you were born with killing intent, and slaughtering a cultivator should be easy for you."
"Who is he?" Shen Yi asked again, as if he hadn't heard.
Ye Jing was taken aback, then stood up and circled the young man. "He's a disciple of the Triad Immortal Sect, and this is his proof of loyalty to join the Demon Slaying Bureau."
No matter how you look at it, this person is just a Dao Realm cultivator.
In other places, he would be a high-level cultivator, but to be a demon slayer in the Divine Kingdom, he still lacks some ability.
However, since he received a recommendation from the Earth God of Jianyang Prefecture, he must have something extraordinary. If not in strength, then at least in courage.
Shen Yi held the sword and walked to the man's side.
Feeling the cold sword radiance, the man looked up in fear, his pupils trembling in the white face. He saw no trace of kindness, only indifference to killing, which couldn't be faked.
However, he didn't feel the sharp pain of his neck being cut, but instead heard a clear voice in his ear.
"What did he do?" Shen Yi slightly raised the sword tip, aiming at the man's forehead.
"Why so many questions?" Ye Jing's brows furrowed in annoyance. "As a demon slayer, you should follow orders and kill whoever your superior tells you to. He's already had his cultivation sealed, it's an easy task. No need to make so much noise."
"Or are you afraid to offend the Three Teachings?"
She lowered her voice, with a hint of disdain. Then she waited for his explanation.
The next moment, Ye Jing's face changed slightly.
The young man casually waved his hand, and the sword turned into a streak of light and flew into her sword sheath.
"What do you mean by that?" Ye Jing tightened her grip on the sword hilt.
Shen Yi remained silent, brushed off his sleeves, and then raised his hand, making a gesture to dismiss the guests.
"Have you thought it through? This is your only chance..." Ye Jing wanted to say more, but the young man sighed lightly, grabbed the man on the ground, and threw him out the door.
"Goodbye."
Shen Yi indeed needed a job and didn’t mind doing some dirty work.
However, the prerequisite was that he still had a decent impression of the Divine Kingdom. The so-called dirty work was something that the Immortal Court couldn’t discover, but the purpose was to eliminate the cultivators and sects causing trouble in the region.
Not the kind of "dirty work" that truly dirtied one’s hands.
Without a brain, being used as a tool by others.
To put it bluntly, the Demon Slaying Bureau didn’t even allow its subordinates to have brains or ask questions. They expected protection only when something went wrong, but in reality, they were just disposable tools to be discarded after use.
Shen Yi needed a powerful patron to rely on, not to become the nourishment buried deep in the ground to support the growth of a mighty tree.
If he started down this path, he would truly lose his freedom.
Of course, there was another reason... This woman’s act was too fake. Whether it was her pretending to be haughty or her later provocations, everything seemed so forced. If he let himself be led by her, it would make him feel insulted.
Faced with this situation, Ye Jing was clearly at a loss. After a moment of silence, she huffed, "You’re not that great."
"Enough."
The man in the white shirt suddenly changed his demeanor, spat out the talisman in his mouth, and with a few casual struggles, freed himself from the Immortal Bonds. He then got up, brushed off the non-existent dust from his clothes, and said, "Let me introduce myself again. I am Meng Xiuwen from the Demon Slaying Bureau. Just call me Meng Head. A Demon Slaying Official has two Demon Slaying Assistants under them, and she is your senior by half a rank."
"Is this considered passing?"
Ye Jing put away her hateful expression and looked at the man, appearing somewhat dazed.
"Practice more on your own." Meng Xiuwen glanced at her disdainfully, "With this performance, how can I, the boss, trust you to do tasks in the future?"
"Okay."
Ye Jing nodded. She had already practiced in front of a bronze mirror for two days for today's event.
From Meng Head’s words, it seemed she had been seen through.
But that didn’t make sense. If the young man really saw through it, why not play along and join the Demon Slaying Bureau?
"You have a good character; I like that."
Meng Xiuwen finally looked back at Shen Yi, nodding with a smile. However, a hint of helplessness flashed across his eyes.
In fact, no matter what response Shen Yi gave, today, this young man had to join the Demon Slaying Bureau. According to the Earth God’s intentions, it wasn’t about finding him a job, but rather about keeping an eye on him.
Since it was about keeping an eye on him, why talk about passing or failing.
The true purpose of the assessment was for Meng Xiuwen to understand how to approach this person.
If he was born to kill, acting without questioning, and submitting the application, it showed great courage and ambition, and a lack of principles, making him a very sharp tool... but only a tool.
If he saw through the ruse and exposed it, it showed excellent mental and experiential qualities, even in the face of the Divine Kingdom, maintaining composure and clear thinking, making him a promising talent.
But precisely because he saw through it yet chose to remain silent and reject the Demon Slaying Bureau’s recruitment, it proved him hard to control, highly principled, and proud.
However, the biggest issue was that, although the Earth God said he was not afraid to offend the Three Teachings, offending and killing were different concepts.
Today, it was clear that until the end, he did not show the courage to truly harm someone from the Three Teachings. This was the most basic and hardest hurdle for the Demon Slaying Bureau.
Sigh, let’s keep an eye on him for now.
"Here, have some of this."
Ye Jing walked up to Shen Yi and handed him a bag of flower cakes. Clearly, this was her way of apologizing for her earlier provocations.
She swallowed hard, "These are the best flower cakes in the entire Jianyang Prefecture."
"..."
Shen Yi stared at the bag of cakes. He understood that an organization like the Demon Slaying Bureau would certainly need to thoroughly assess new members, but he was unwilling to compromise.
This small matter wasn’t enough to make him unhappy.
However, these two people in front of him seemed utterly off-kilter, making Shen Yi feel less secure about taking this path.
"Step aside."
Meng Xiuwen pulled Ye Jing to the side and sat down next to Shen Yi, making himself at home, "Don’t worry, we won’t make you work for free. Our benefits are high, and if you work hard, you’ll be rewarded."
At this point, he lowered his voice, "The Demon Slaying Bureau doesn’t reward with silver, but with... something that even the myriad deities and buddhas crave. You should understand, right?"
After saying this, Meng Xiuwen stared intently at Shen Yi, wanting to see his reaction.
But the result disappointed him again. This young man seemed indifferent, like a monk without desires. No, even a monk knew the importance of the Imperial Aura, yet he showed no emotion.
Shen Yi had long anticipated this.
To make someone serve the imperial court and clash with the Three Teachings, the most valuable thing the Human Emperor could offer was the Imperial Aura of Shenzhou. This aura was more beneficial to cultivators than any divine treasures or longevity elixirs.
But to Shen Yi, it was no different from a chicken rib—almost useless.
Clearly, transcending the physical tribulation was the most efficient way. Why risk going through the heart tribulation?
He simply wanted a force to back him up and shoulder the risks after he took action.
“What do I need to do?” Shen Yi looked at the Demon Slayer official.
Meng Xiuwen was silent for a long time before finally letting out a long sigh. "Follow me for now. You don't need to do anything; just get a feel for our line of work."
With that, he stood up and walked towards the door, stretching lazily. "I happen to have a task at hand, and it's been a while since I've had some exercise."
He couldn't tell where this kid was from, but as long as he kept him close, he could gradually learn more about him.
"Here."
Ye Jing followed behind and handed Shen Yi a bag of delicate pastries, trying hard to suppress her craving, her eyes determined.
"..."
Shen Yi took it casually.
Seeing this, Ye Jing finally let out a small sigh, feeling that her new colleague had accepted her apology.
...
Outside Jianyang Prefecture.
An old, bloodstained carriage moved along a narrow path.
Having experienced the previous carriage ride, Shen Yi was now used to this mode of travel. Though it wasn't as fast as using a teleportation technique, it was more relaxed and wouldn't draw attention.
Ye Jing sat in the corner of the carriage, holding a bronze mirror and trying hard to look pitiful, muttering incomprehensible words.
"Do you want to practice too?"
Meng Xiuwen looked at Shen Yi with a serious expression. "You don't need to take action, but don't let the act slip."
He then gave a brief explanation. "Jade Dragon Ridge hasn't had a drop of rain for six months. The Divine Kingdom hasn't received any Immortal Orders from the Immortal Court. We suspect this is related to a nearby Immortal Sect, so we plan to investigate."
"Do rain summoning matters fall under the Demon Slaying Bureau?" Shen Yi slightly turned his gaze.
Hearing this, Meng Xiuwen was momentarily stunned, then turned to look out the window, smiling faintly. "Do you know why our division of the Nine Bursaries was established?"
His gaze drifted northward as he continued. "Many years ago, a major prefecture in Northern State offended an Immortal Official. For six hundred years, not a single drop of rain fell there. It went from a prosperous land to a place of famine and desolation, and now even the name of that place has been forgotten."
"Of course, for you, six hundred years is but a blink of an eye. If any natural disaster or human calamity were to occur, you could simply fly away to avoid it."
"But not everyone can have your level of cultivation."
"Since then, the court has established a new division, allowing us to enjoy the Divine Kingdom rations from the Divine Kingdom."
Meng Xiuwen finished his brief explanation and turned back. "It was set up specifically to deal with rain issues, so naturally, we must handle such matters."
"Of course, you don't need to be afraid."
Seeing Shen Yi remain silent, he added with a smile, "If it were truly the Immortal Court's decision, it wouldn't be us lowly officials investigating. It's probably just a few rogues causing trouble."
"The Jade Dragon Patriarch once listened to teachings under a senior of the Triad Immortal Sect, reaching the True Immortal Realm many years ago. Tracing back the lineage, it can be loosely connected to that senior. Therefore, if possible, don't escalate the situation. We'll first go undercover with different identities."
"I and she are fugitives from internal struggles within our Immortal Sect, and as for you... you can pretend to be a child apprentice who helps us with chores and leads the horses?"
"Don't worry, it won't be difficult. Just say less and do more."
Meng Xiuwen felt he had been quite considerate towards this kid. As long as the other put in a bit of effort, such a simple task shouldn't be a problem.
With that, he handed over a bronze mirror.
"Thank you... no need."
However, Shen Yi glanced at the bronze mirror with a complex expression, shook his head, and closed his eyes to pretend to sleep.
If Master Zhikong were present, he would have noticed that Shen Yi's gaze was the same as when he looked at them a few days ago.
"Tsk!"
Meng Xiuwen finally couldn't help rolling his eyes. He really couldn't understand what the Earth God had pushed onto him.
Born with a killing fate? Ambitious? Admired by the Bodhimanda Sect's ascetics?
Has Elder Min been in the Earth God Temple too long, getting a bit senile?
The kid did have some cleverness, but neither his cultivation, temperament, nor his indifference to the Imperial Aura seemed suitable for being a Demon Slayer.
"Fine, do as you please."
Meng Xiuwen rubbed his nose. If worse came to worst, he would add a mute setting to the child's role and somehow bluff through it.
(End of Chapter)
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