Chapter 19: Collusion (Thanks to Alliance Leader "Qingshan Bugai Liuyi")

Yellow-rank Demon Slayers were almost all at the Meridian-Opening Realm.

Once one reached the Xiantian Realm, they would be qualified to be promoted to Black-rank Demon Slayers.

It could be said that any Xiantian martial artist could be called a true expert within the Great Qin; even in the Demon Suppression Division, they were no longer insignificant existences.

A Yellow-rank Demon Slayer could deal with Ghost-grade anomalies.

A Black-rank Demon Slayer was qualified to contend with Resentment-grade anomalies.

Taking Liu Chang and Jiang Zuo, for instance, from Shen Changqing's current perspective, they were likely at the Xiantian level.

Of course, it was not impossible for them to be even stronger than Xiantian.

But even if they truly were stronger than Xiantian, they certainly wouldn't be much stronger.

"The eleventh layer of the Pure Yang Art has allowed me to become a Xiantian martial artist. As long as I return to the Demon Suppression Division, there is a high probability I can be promoted to the status of a Black-rank Demon Slayer."

Shen Changqing was very satisfied.

The Slaughter Value obtained from destroying a powerful Ghost-grade anomaly, which allowed him to officially break through to the Xiantian Realm, was an unexpected harvest.

However, this also included his own bitter cultivation.

Had he not personally cultivated to raise the Pure Yang Art to the eighth layer, it would have been impossible to break through to the Xiantian Realm with only fifteen Slaughter Values.

After the excitement passed, a powerful sense of weakness suddenly surged, causing Shen Changqing's footsteps to stumble slightly.

He understood.

It was because the breakthrough of the Pure Yang Art had consumed too much blood qi.

In the past, when he practiced, he did not take shortcuts using Slaughter Values; his daily consumption was basically maintained at a steady level, so he never experienced such exhaustion.

But now, with the Pure Yang Art breaking through two consecutive layers, the consumption was extraordinarily large.

In particular, the leap from the Meridian-Opening Realm to the Xiantian Realm required an exaggerated amount of blood qi.

"It seems I cannot break through recklessly. I must either make sufficient preparations or make my physique even stronger."

Shen Changqing sighed.

If he obtained more Slaughter Values later, it would be time to upgrade the Thirteen Grand Protectors' Hard Qigong as well.

Otherwise, he would have to find other external hard qigongs to strengthen himself.

Profuse True Qi provided powerful strength.

Profuse blood qi provided a powerful foundation.

After standing in place to recover for a moment, Shen Changqing looked up at the sky. With the death of the anomaly, the covering mist also dissipated.

Because too much time had passed, the scene that was originally under a blazing sun had now turned into a setting sun, and a sense of darkness was gradually creeping across the world.

"Dark nights and high winds; the perfect time for murder and arson!"

***

At night.

The inner hall of the yamen was brightly lit.

Zhao Fang sat withered in the inner hall, his face appearing somewhat eerie under the light of the lamps.

Sitting beside him was a thin, middle-aged man.

"There wasn't some kind of accident over there, was there?" As Zhuang Mingyuan spoke, he pinched his short beard, his eyes dark and venomous, occasionally flashing with a cold light.

"Impossible."

Zhao Fang shook his head, his gaze falling on the other man.

"Zhang Long's strength is not weak; he is only one step away from generating True Qi and opening his meridians to become a Meridian-Opening martial artist. Paired with a top-tier Ghost-grade anomaly, what problem could there be in dealing with a mere Apprentice Demon Slayer?"

An Apprentice Demon Slayer was, at most, at the Meridian-Opening Realm.

Furthermore, there was a high probability they were only newly entered into the Meridian-Opening Realm.

Even if we went a step further—even if the person coming wasn't an Apprentice Demon Slayer but an experienced Yellow-rank Demon Slayer—with the strength of our side, we would have one hundred percent certainty of cutting them down.

"If it weren't for the concern that the Demon Suppression Division might dispatch several Yellow-rank Demon Slayers, we wouldn't have had to lie about the facts. What I find inconceivable is that, facing a Ghost-grade anomaly, the Demon Suppression Division actually sent an Apprentice Demon Slayer.

Tsk tsk, I wonder if he offended someone, or if the Demon Suppression Division is truly short on men."

By the end, Zhao Fang's expression was strange.

He had originally prepared to deal with several Apprentice Demon Slayers.

Yet, despite all his preparations, the Demon Suppression Division had only sent one person.

This situation gave Zhao Fang the feeling of throwing a punch into empty air, leaving him feeling quite uncomfortable.

After speaking, he suddenly thought of something else.

"What if an Apprentice Demon Slayer isn't enough to allow Blood Soul to ascend?"

The "Blood Soul" Zhao Fang referred to was the name of that Ghost-grade anomaly.

Hearing this, Zhuang Mingyuan shook his head. "Blood Soul is already at the peak of the Ghost-grade. A Meridian-Opening martial artist should be enough to allow it to ascend. Even if it truly cannot ascend, then we can only have others be sacrificed."

As he spoke, a cold smile appeared on his face. "Aren't there several other villages around Gu Yue Village? If we sacrifice them all to Blood Soul, there won't be any problem."

Hearing this, Zhao Fang's brow instinctively furrowed.

Noticing his change in expression, Zhuang Mingyuan's face turned cold.

"Lord Zhao, do not forget that you are no longer the County Magistrate of Lin'an, the 'upright official' in their eyes. You are merely a human traitor who has defected to the demons.

Since Gu Yue Village has already been sacrificed, what harm is there in sacrificing a few more villages?

The mere exposure of the news regarding Gu Yue Village is already a crime punishable by the execution of the entire clan. Do you think the Demon Suppression Division will let you or your family off once they obtain the true information?"

"—"

Zhao Fang did not respond.

He understood the meaning behind Zhuang Mingyuan's words.

The duty of the Demon Suppression Division, aside from slaying demons, was to purge those traitors who betrayed humanity to collude with evil.

Regarding these traitors, the Demon Suppression Division had never been soft-hearted.

Just as the other man said, once his actions were exposed, the execution of his entire clan would actually be a light punishment.

To implicate nine generations or to wipe out three families was not impossible.

Every year, the number of traitor heads slain by the Demon Suppression Division was counted in the thousands.

It was because of this that the Demon Suppression Division's fearsome reputation was deeply ingrained in people's hearts; even those with great power did not wish to cross them easily.

Seeing this, Zhuang Mingyuan's expression softened slightly. "Lord Zhao, although my words are a bit harsh, every word is the truth. Besides, you have already joined my Eternal Life Alliance; it is too late to withdraw now.

What is so good about humanity? Those people in the Demon Suppression Division are powerful, but how long can they live?

On the contrary, by joining the Eternal Life Alliance, while you may not necessarily gain the chance at eternal life, there is absolutely no problem in living longer than others.

As far as I know, there are even powerhouses in the Eternal Life Alliance who have lived for two or three hundred years and have yet to pass away.

Did you not join the Eternal Life Alliance for these very things? If we can nurture Blood Soul to the Resentment-grade, the high-ranking members of the Alliance will surely be overjoyed, and the rewards will be more than sufficient.

In that case, what does it matter if a few people are sacrificed?"

"Lord Zhao, you must think carefully for your own sake!"

Zhuang Mingyuan's words completely shattered the last line of defense in Zhao Fang's heart.

That was right.

Sacrificing one village was a capital crime, and sacrificing two or three was also a capital crime.

So, what was there for him to hesitate about?