Chapter 22: I Will Wait for Him Here

If you can't win, then run.

Compared to one's own life, everything else is insignificant.

Zhuang Mingyuan had not expected that a mere apprentice demon slayer would be a先天 (Xiantian) martial artist.

This matter was entirely beyond his expectations.

He even began to suspect whether the Demon Suppression Division had long sensed something amiss in Lin'an City and had deliberately dispatched a Profound-rank demon slayer, disguised as an apprentice, solely to lower their guard.

"That's impossible!"

"After that battle, the local Demon Suppression Divisions suffered heavy losses. How could they have the surplus strength to station a Profound-rank demon slayer in a small place like Lin'an City—"

Even at the very beginning, he had harbored doubts about whether the Demon Suppression Division still had any spare resources.

In reality, in Zhuang Mingyuan's mind, it was impossible for the Demon Suppression Division to spare anyone at this time.

Therefore, when he released the false information, his only intention was to lure a few apprentice demon slayers to their deaths.

After all, apprentice demon slayers capable of completing assessment missions were generally at the initial stages of the Meridian-opening realm; their strength was not weak, but it was certainly not overwhelming, making them perfect prey for the Blood Soul to devour and ascend.

Looking at the martial arts world, aside from the Demon Suppression Division, which possessed a large number of Meridian-opening martial artists, it was not easy for an ordinary sect to produce several such practitioners.

Furthermore, martial artists in the world held a deep dread of demons and evils; they would never dare to approach them lightly. Even if news of a demon in Lin'an City were spread, those martial artists would not come to slay the evil.

Thus, the hope for the Blood Soul's ascension had fallen upon the Demon Suppression Division.

However—

The fact that the Demon Suppression Division had only sent a single apprentice demon slayer was indeed somewhat unexpected for Zhuang Mingyuan.

But this also proved from another angle that the Demon Suppression Division was indeed lacking in powerful experts.

In this way, even if an apprentice demon slayer was insufficient to allow the Blood Soul to ascend, he could unscrupulously let the Blood Soul devour more living beings without worrying that the Demon Suppression Division would immediately dispatch experts to suppress them.

Yet, for all his calculations, Zhuang Mingyuan had miscalculated one thing.

And that was Shen Changqing's strength.

He could never have imagined that an apprentice demon slayer's strength would be so formidable.

At this moment, without even needing to think, Zhuang Mingyuan understood that the Blood Soul in Gu Yue Village must have died at the other man's hands.

A Xiantian martial artist was simply not someone an ordinary Ghost-rank anomaly could deal with; to slay a Xiantian, at the very least, a Grievance-rank anomaly would have to intervene.

Zhuang Mingyuan fled decisively.

However, Shen Changqing had noticed his movements from the start and immediately gave chase the moment he fled.

He had not practiced any lightness skills.

But even without lightness skills, with Shen Changqing's current strength, his speed was as swift as a ghost.

The two quickly disappeared from the yamen, one following the other.

Suddenly, the scene fell silent.

Several bailiffs, holding torches, looked at Zhao Fang—who stood there with a face as pale as ash—and at Zhang Long's bloodied head on the ground with complex expressions, unsure of what to do.

Arrest the traitor!?

But no matter what, Zhao Fang was an official of the imperial court, and they had served under him for many years. If they allowed him to escape, they wouldn't dare do so. If Shen Changqing returned and found Zhao Fang gone, they were mere low-level bailiffs and could not bear such a crime.

While they hesitated, Zhao Fang looked at them and waved his hand calmly. "Go back. Do not worry; I will wait here for Lord Shen's return."

"Zhao—" someone opened their mouth, wanting to say something, but for a moment, they did not know how to address him.

"Go!"

Zhao Fang waved his hand and turned to walk toward the inner hall.

In that moment, he seemed to have aged decades.

Watching Zhao Fang's weathered and lonely silhouette, the others had complex expressions but said nothing more.

"Let's go!"

"Everyone, go back—"

Soon, the once bustling yamen became quiet.

However, the commotion just now had already attracted the attention of the surrounding commoners. But due to the curfew, few people dared to venture out after nightfall.

On the other side, Zhuang Mingyuan and Shen Changqing had already reached the outskirts of the city.

In terms of speed, Zhuang Mingyuan was indeed incredibly fast.

However, as a Xiantian martial artist, Shen Changqing's speed was not slow at all. Aside from initially being pulled ahead, the distance between the two was actually steadily closing.

Just as they were less than ten feet apart, Shen Changqing struck out with a palm in mid-air. The powerful palm wind swept past like a heatwave, causing the surrounding temperature to rise sharply.

Sensing the threat behind him, Zhuang Mingyuan turned and struck out with a palm without thinking.

*Boom—*

The two gusts of palm wind collided in mid-air. Zhuang Mingyuan's strength was ultimately much weaker, and he was instantly struck to the ground.

Immediately following this, Shen Changqing swung his long blade, aiming straight for Zhuang Mingyuan's head.

"Don't kill me! I can tell you a secret—" Zhuang Mingyuan screamed in terror as the cold glint of the blade drew closer, finally coming to rest against his neck.

The icy chill caused an indescribable fear to rise in Zhuang Mingyuan's heart.

Though he disregarded the lives of others, he cherished his own life immensely. Or rather, most people who defected to the side of demons and evils were extremely averse to death. If they weren't, they wouldn't have defected in the first place.

Shen Changqing rested his long blade steadily against the man's shoulder, pressing it close to his neck. "Speak. What secret is it? If I find you are lying, it won't be as simple as death. I assume you have heard of the name 'Demon Suppression Prison.' If a traitor like you were imprisoned there, your end would surely be far more agonizing than death."

The Demon Suppression Prison!

Upon hearing those three words, Zhuang Mingyuan's face instantly turned white.

How could he not have heard of the Demon Suppression Prison? It was a vital stronghold of the Demon Suppression Division, where countless powerful demons and evils were imprisoned, none of whom ever managed to walk out.

It was rumored that the Demon Suppression Prison was a death trap for demons and evils.

However, although Zhuang Mingyuan was terrified, he was not a fool, so he forced himself to remain calm.

"I can tell you, but you must swear upon the honor of the Demon Suppression Division that once you know the secret, you must let me leave completely intact and absolutely must not harm my life!"

"Are you threatening me?"

"How would I dare? I am merely fighting for a chance at survival."

Seeing Zhuang Mingyuan's demeanor—as if he would rather die than speak without an oath—Shen Changqing raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Fine. I swear in the name of the Demon Suppression Division. As long as the secret you speak of is of value, I can grant you a complete path to survival!"