Chapter 48: You Cannot Afford What I Want (Fifth Update)

The inner hall of the yamen.

Guided by Shi Qingsheng, the two men walked in one after the other.

"Cui Cheng and Zhao Yue of the Guiyuan Sword Sect greet Lord Shen!"

As soon as they saw Shen Changqing, Cui Cheng and Zhao Yue cupped their hands in salutation.

"Please, take a seat."

"Thank you, My Lord!"

After thanking him, the two took their seats below.

As they sat down, Shen Changqing carefully observed them.

The Guiyuan Sword Sect.

He had not heard much about them, only knowing from Situ Bei that they were a martial arts sect from Guangyuan Prefecture. Although they lacked a Grandmaster to anchor them, their influence was not weak.

Looking at the two now, Shen Changqing could not discern much. After all, although he was a Xiantian martial artist, it was difficult to perceive much without a true exchange of blows.

However, according to the information provided by the Heaven-Sensing Guards, the Cui Cheng and Zhao Yue before him were both late-stage Pulse-Opening martial artists.

At this moment, a bailiff served tea.

Shen Changqing withdrew his gaze and picked up his teacup. "This official has never had much interaction with the Guiyuan Sword Sect. I wonder why you two have suddenly come to my yamen today?"

"I have only recently arrived in Lin'an City, but I heard of Lord Shen's exploits in slaying demons and evils. I could not help but feel admiration. I have come today simply to witness your brilliance firsthand," Cui Cheng said with a slight smile. "Having met you today, I can truly say the rumors are not exaggerated."

"Mhm."

Shen Changqing nodded. "You have seen me now. If there is nothing else, you may leave."

"This—"

The smile on Cui Cheng's face stiffened slightly. He had not expected Shen Changqing to issue a dismissal so abruptly. The other party's refusal to play by the usual social script caught him off guard.

However, Cui Cheng was a man of the world; despite the unexpected turn, he did not show much agitation.

"Lord Shen is a man of direct speech. Then I shall not beat around the bush."

"If you have something to say, speak plainly." Shen Changqing took a sip of tea, set the cup back in its place, and fixed his gaze on Cui Cheng once more.

Seeing this, Cui Cheng's expression remained unchanged as he cupped his hands and said, "I have heard that Lord Shen hails from the Demon Suppression Division. I believe you must have heard the news that the Demon Essence is about to emerge!"

"I have heard rumors."

Shen Changqing nodded. He knew Cui Cheng's purpose would not be simple.

Demon Essence.

From the moment the man spoke, Shen Changqing was almost certain of his objective.

Cui Cheng continued, "The Demon Essence is about to emerge, and representatives from various factions have come for this very reason. To be honest, the essence has existed around Lin'an City for hundreds of years. If the Demon Suppression Division truly wanted it, there would have been many opportunities to act. Yet, to this day, the Division has shown little movement, suggesting they hold the essence in contempt. Of course, the Demon Suppression Division is vast and powerful; it is normal for them to look down upon it. But for small sects like ours, the essence is something we crave deeply."

He paused, his gaze turning fervent. "But I wonder, what are Lord Shen's views regarding the Demon Essence?"

"Are you worried that this official will step in to seize it?" Shen Changqing countered nonchalantly.

Cui Cheng nodded directly. "Yes!"

"If I were to fight for it, what would you do? And if I do not, what then?" Shen Changqing spoke unhurriedly, observing every shift in the man's expression.

Hearing this, Cui Cheng cupped his hands. "If Lord Shen chooses to compete for it, the Guiyuan Sword Sect is willing to pay a certain price to ensure you do not act. However, if you insist on competing, the Guiyuan Sword Sect will withdraw immediately. But currently, we are not the only ones vying for the essence. Even if we withdraw, other factions may not be so willing. Conversely, if Lord Shen does not intend to compete, that would naturally be a wonderful thing. If possible, our sect is also willing to offer certain benefits in exchange for the opportunity to have Lord Shen lend us his assistance."

Cui Cheng spoke with great sincerity. He had no choice. The man before him was not merely a local magistrate; he was from the Demon Suppression Division. While the Guiyuan Sword Sect was not small, it was no different from an ant before the Division. Offending the Demon Suppression Division would be a grave mistake.

Furthermore, in Cui Cheng's eyes, the man might not even care for the Demon Essence. The Division killed so many demons that the essence might not be a difficult prize for them to obtain. What was a treasure to others might be easily grasped by the Division.

Since Cui Cheng was being blunt, Shen Changqing decided to be equally direct.

"To this official, the Demon Essence is of no consequence. As for asking me to lend my assistance—to be honest, your Guiyuan Sword Sect may not be able to afford the price."

He had already touched upon the Outer Astral realm. The strongest expert within the Guiyuan Sword Sect was merely at the Outer Astral stage. A sect whose peak was only at the Outer Astral level could not satisfy a martial artist approaching that realm unless they emptied their entire treasury.

Besides, the Demon Suppression Division had everything. To be honest, Shen Changqing looked down slightly on a small sect like Guiyuan.

His blunt words made Cui Cheng's face awkward. Had anyone else belittled the Guiyuan Sword Sect like this, he might have flown into a rage, but coming from someone in the Demon Suppression Division, he had no way to argue.

As for Zhao Yue beside him, she did not dare to interrupt. Her mind was still filled with the images of heads rolling from the previous day and Shen Changqing's indifferent gaze toward life. Forget belittling the sect—she was currently worried that if the negotiations collapsed, Shen Changqing might kill her.

Ignoring Cui Cheng's embarrassment, Shen Changqing continued.

"My task is simply to maintain order in Lin'an City. As long as you do not disrupt the peace, how you fight for the Demon Essence is none of my business. Similarly, if demons cause havoc in the city, as citizens of Great Qin, you should lend your aid whenever it is within your power."

"Lord Shen is absolutely right," Cui Cheng hurriedly agreed.

"Then that is best. If there is nothing else, you may leave. Do not worry about me competing with you for the essence, but when the time comes to exterminate demons and your assistance is required, I do not wish to see anyone making excuses. Whether it be your Guiyuan Sword Sect, the Seven Luminaries Sect, or the Heaven Blade Sect, remember that you are people of Qin."

Having finished, Shen Changqing picked up his teacup, effectively dismissing them.

Seeing this, Cui Cheng could say nothing more. He could only stand and cup his hands. "Lord Shen, we shall take our leave!"

With that, the two left the yamen.

Watching their retreating backs, a slight smile curled at the corner of Shen Changqing's mouth. The purpose of the Guiyuan Sword Sect's visit was to test whether he intended to compete for the essence. This showed that he already held significant weight in the eyes of these factions.

This was due to two things: first, the Demon Suppression Division stood behind him, and second, it was related to the incident that had occurred in the yamen earlier.

"In these chaotic times, demons cause havoc, yet people still only look after their own front yards. How can the chaos be quelled then?" Shen Changqing shook his head.

The ambush by the Eternal Alliance demon at the yamen showed that these martial arts sects' attitude toward demons was to avoid them at all costs. Demons were unpredictable; one mistake could mean death. He would not criticize them for fearing death—that was a human right. But to sit idly by while demons caused havoc when they had the power to help was unacceptable.

"For martial arts sects to stand the test of time, they must be sustained by the common people. To receive their support yet do nothing for them—what is the difference between them and parasites? I only hope you are sensible."

Shen Changqing recalled cases he had seen in the past. In the Library Pavilion, besides necessary texts, there were many records regarding demons and martial sects. Some records described sects that were supported by the people, only to seal their mountains and refuse to come out when demons arrived, leaving entire cities to be slaughtered. Afterward, the Demon Suppression Division would naturally send experts to climb the mountains and exterminate the entire sect of over a thousand people. Such incidents had served as a warning to the martial world.

Yet, it was still not enough to fully deter them. Some factions would still watch demons cause havoc. Some were punished by the Division; others found suitable excuses to evade severe punishment. Regardless, having read so many such cases, Shen Changqing held little affection for the martial arts sects.

Following Cui Cheng's visit, other factions and sects took turns visiting over the next few days. Without exception, they all wanted to test whether Shen Changqing or the Demon Suppression Division intended to compete for the Demon Essence. Once they confirmed that neither had such intentions, they departed peacefully.

Thus, Lin'an City returned to its former tranquility.

Over the next few days, aside from necessary social obligations, Shen Changqing spent his time focused on cultivating his Heavenly Martial Astral Qi.

Having broken through to the eleventh layer, his Heavenly Martial Astral Qi had touched the level of the Outer Astral realm. The more he practiced, the more he felt that the thin layer of astral qi within his body was undergoing a mysterious transformation, causing a slight itching sensation all over.

However, relying on his own talent to break through to the Outer Astral realm would not be easy. After several days of secluded cultivation, the only change he noticed was that his control over the Heavenly Martial Astral Qi had become stronger. As for a breakthrough, there was no sign of it yet. The leap from the eleventh to the twelfth layer was exceptionally difficult.

"Xiantian is divided into Inner Astral and Outer Astral. Once one cultivates Outer Astral qi, a martial artist's defense and attack increase dramatically, far beyond what the Inner Astral realm can compare to. Relying on myself, it might take a year or two to break through. Unless I have demons to provide nourishment; then I might have a chance to accelerate my progress."