Chapter 47: Anger (Fourth Update)

Exterminate the entire clan!

Zero tolerance!

Although Shen Changqing's words were not heavy, paired with the scene of mountains of corpses and seas of blood before him, they were more effective than any harsh reprimand.

Soon, the bailiffs began moving. They loaded all the corpses of the Zhao family onto prepared carriages to be transported out of the city for cremation.

On the other side, Shen Changqing first returned to the yamen to change out of his official robes, then headed toward the Yongfu Pawnshop.

The moment he saw Situ Bei, he got straight to the point.

"Last night, the Eternal Life Alliance sent two demons to attack the yamen. They wouldn't dispatch demons without reason; there must be an Eternal Life Alliance stronghold within Lin'an City. I can overlook your negligence, but I want the Heaven-Sensing Guard to find that stronghold within two days. If you can't find it, the Heaven-Sensing Guard of Lin'an City will be replaced with a new batch!"

Shen Changqing's expression was icy, devoid of his usual warmth.

"Understood!"

Seeing his expression, Situ Bei felt a chill in his heart.

The Heaven-Sensing Guard had received news of the battle at the yamen last night, but since their primary role was intelligence gathering and their combat capabilities were mediocre, he had not dispatched anyone to assist. Now that Shen Changqing had come personally to demand accountability, he could only accept it.

It was clear that the events of last night had truly enraged Shen Changqing.

"Is there any news regarding the demon that attacked the village? If there is still no word, I might have to question whether the Heaven-Sensing Guard is actually competent."

Suppressing his fury from last night's ambush, Shen Changqing changed the subject. From beginning to end, his tone had not softened in the slightest.

This time, Shen Changqing had truly come to hold them accountable. The Heaven-Sensing Guard had received no prior warning of such a major event as a demon raid on the yamen. He wasn't sure if the entire Heaven-Sensing Guard was this incompetent, or if Situ Bei had grown too complacent. If the other party failed to provide a satisfactory answer, Shen Changqing would not hold their shallow past friendship in high regard.

"There is news!" Situ Bei answered quickly without hesitation. "The Heaven-Sensing Guard searched a fifty-mile radius and found that the demon's last traces were heading straight for Lin'an City. Therefore, I suspect that one of the two demons that attacked the yamen last night was the same one that destroyed the village. After all, Lin'an is just a small city; while demon essence is important, it holds little attraction for powerful demons. For the demon from Guyue Village, the Eternal Life Alliance using three demons here is likely enough."

Situ Bei paused for a moment. "May I ask, Excellency, did the two demons escape?"

"I killed one; the other escaped," Shen Changqing replied flatly.

One killed, one escaped.

Situ Bei took a sharp breath. In his heart, Shen Changqing's strength had risen to a new level. After a brief moment of shock, he quickly regained his composure and analyzed calmly.

"Since you killed one demon, the Eternal Life Alliance will have a certain estimation of your strength. Currently, the Demon Suppression Division is being tied down by demons, and the demon side is also having much of its strength constrained. In my estimation, the demons will not commit massive forces to the Lin'an area. In the coming days, the Heaven-Sensing Guard will strictly patrol the city and notify you immediately of any movement."

"That would be for the best."

The coldness on Shen Changqing's face eased slightly, but his expression remained grim. "As the eyes and ears of the Demon Suppression Division, the Heaven-Sensing Guard should not have such many lapses. Brother Situ, it is time you woke up. If it were anyone else, it might be one thing, but if the Heaven-Sensing Guard runs into trouble again in the future, it might be your head on the execution platform tomorrow."

"Your advice is well-taken, Excellency!" Situ Bei nodded obediently, feeling a deep sense of dread. He knew Shen Changqing wasn't just bluffing. Although the Heaven-Sensing Guard didn't seem to need to personally fight demons, their responsibility was by no means light. If intelligence failed and caused serious losses to the Demon Suppression Division, it wouldn't just be a matter of one head; even exterminating an entire clan would not be impossible.

"That is all I have to say. As long as you understand, Brother Situ," Shen Changqing said, not intending to waste more words on the matter. "Is there any definitive news on when the Demon Essence will appear? And where it might be located?"

It was said that the Demon Essence would appear in the vicinity of Lin'an City. But Lin'an was neither large nor small; there had to be a specific location. Furthermore, the timing of the Demon Essence's appearance was tied to how long he would have to guard Lin'an City.

The battle with that Resentment-grade anomaly last night had made Shen Changqing realize that even after breaking through to the Xiantian realm, he was not qualified to sweep through Lin'an City. It was only because the other demon was too weak, at the Gloom-grade level. Otherwise, if two Resentment-grade anomalies had teamed up, Shen Changqing would not have been certain he could handle them.

Therefore, he only hoped the Demon Essence would appear as quickly as possible. The sooner he completed the mission, the sooner he could return. As a mere Xiantian practitioner, it was not quite suitable for him to stay here.

Hearing this, Situ Bei pondered for a moment. "According to intelligence, the Demon Essence should appear within a month. As for its location, we cannot be one hundred percent certain. After that powerhouse slew the demon, he was heavily wounded and passed away shortly after. Currently, the Heaven-Sensing Guard has a few suspected locations. The most likely is the mass grave east of the city, which was once a site of a great battle. The others are not far away. However, the sealing methods of such a powerhouse are not as simple as being buried deep underground. For now, we can only wait for the sealing power to break to know the exact situation."

"Good. Notify me immediately once there is news."

Shen Changqing stood up and left. He did not linger at the Yongfu Pawnshop for long. Although he was currently the County Magistrate of Lin'an and didn't have much to manage, it was necessary to remain at the yamen during the day.

By the time he returned to the yamen, it was already evening. Shen Changqing sat in the inner hall, where the meal had already been prepared. After eating his fill, he had Shi Qingsheng clear the table, and then the latter reported on the day's events.

"As per your instructions, the corpses of the Zhao family have all been cremated."

"Good." Shen Changqing nodded, then asked, "How many personnel are left in the yamen?"

"If you mean the bailiffs, there are only eleven left!" Shi Qingsheng replied somewhat awkwardly. Originally, there were about twenty bailiffs, but a group had been killed by the demons last night, losing nearly half their strength. The remaining eleven were the only active forces the yamen could muster.

"Eleven!" Shen Changqing shook his head. "For such a large yamen, eleven is far too few. Find time to issue an announcement to recruit more bailiffs to expand our strength. Also, since Hong Cheng is dead, who is currently the most senior bailiff?"

"The most senior should be Zhang Yue."

"Have him come see me tomorrow."

"Yes!" Shi Qingsheng nodded, then, seeing Shen Changqing's demeanor, tactfully withdrew.

Rising, Shen Changqing walked out of the inner hall. Looking at the pitch-black sky outside, he returned to his bedroom to begin a new round of cultivation. He had reached the eleventh layer of the Heavenly Martial Qi, but there was still a twelfth layer above. Slaughter points were precious; if he could reach it through hard cultivation, it would undoubtedly save him a great deal of effort. In these chaotic times, while there were many demons, the risks were immense. Attempting to slay a demon recklessly was no easy task.

The night passed without incident.

The next day, Shen Changqing rose early to swallow the first wisp of purple qi from heaven and earth. Although his Pure Yang Art had been completely destroyed, the purple qi still had the effect of increasing his cultivation. While the effect of swallowing purple qi was not as powerful for Heavenly Martial Qi as it had been for the Pure Yang Art, every bit helped.

After a simple wash and breakfast, Shen Changqing sat in the inner hall, reviewing the official documents sent by Shi Qingsheng. They recorded various happenings within his jurisdiction—some important, some trivial. As the magistrate, even if only acting in a temporary capacity, he needed to review them, though he left all the final processing to Shi Qingsheng.

Just then, a sturdy, solemn-faced middle-aged bailiff entered, carrying a saber.

"This subordinate, Zhang Yue, greets the Excellency!" Upon seeing Shen Changqing, he bowed deeply, his voice resonant and firm.

"Rise."

"Thank you, Excellency!" Zhang Yue straightened up, his gaze fixed forward.

Shen Changqing set down the documents and studied Zhang Yue carefully, nodding inwardly. His bones were strong and his blood qi was abundant—the clear signs of someone who had entered the Body Tempering Realm. While his strength might not necessarily exceed the deceased Hong Cheng, he had the advantage of youth.

The Body Tempering Realm was different from other realms. The younger one was, the more abundant the blood qi. Middle age was considered the peak of the Body Tempering Realm; once that period passed, the blood qi would gradually decline and eventually stagnate, making further breakthroughs impossible.

After his assessment, Shen Changqing withdrew his gaze and picked up his teacup. "I heard from Shi Qingsheng that you are the most senior bailiff in the yamen?"

"Reporting to the Excellency, yes!"

"Good." Shen Changqing nodded. "You are aware that demons attacked the yamen last night. Head Bailiff Hong Cheng perished at their hands. With many bailiffs gone, the group is leaderless. I am appointing you as the Head Bailiff."

"Thank you for your recognition, Excellency! This subordinate will absolutely not fail his mission!" Zhang Yue's expression finally changed, and he replied with a slight hint of excitement, cupping his fists.

Shen Changqing waved his hand. "Dismissed. From this day forward, the bailiffs in the yamen shall follow your command. You must ensure the security of the yamen and report any abnormalities immediately."

"Understood!" Zhang Yue nodded and bowed before withdrawing.

As he left, Shi Qingsheng entered from outside. "Excellency, someone is outside requesting an audience!"