According to Shen Yi's judgment, the Wind and Thunder Demon Subduing True Scripture he practiced had four stages, which corresponded perfectly to his current cultivation level.
Opening three acupoints marked the early stage of the Initial Realm, while opening five acupoints indicated the mid-stage of the Initial Realm.
His five acupoints meant he was at the mid-stage, nearly twice as strong as the yellow-skinned demon he had just fought.
Despite being stronger, the battle had been surprisingly difficult.
The main reason was that he lacked the demonic techniques his opponent possessed.
Facing the demon's formidable defenses, Shen Yi had been at a loss for a while, relying solely on brute strength and his cultivation to overpower it.
Shen Yi sighed.
While cultivation was important, it would be even better to have a few secret techniques up his sleeve.
The three martial arts passed down by the Demon Subduing Division were already showing their limitations against truly powerful demons.
He turned around and saw that the villagers had prepared two carts.
There were too many corpses, and they were too heavy, so they had decided to only take the heads.
Even so, the heads were piled up like a small mountain.
"What's going on here?" Chen Ji asked, confused.
"We're heading back to the city," Shen Yi replied as he walked toward the old donkey slowly trotting over.
He mounted it with ease.
After this experience, Shen Yi had come to a realization.
Gaining a good reputation and joining the Demon Subduing Division wasn't as simple as he had thought.
The local authorities wouldn't just sit back and watch him ruin their plans.
Therefore, he had to make a clean break.
...
As dusk fell, the scene in Baiyun County was one of bustling activity.
Street vendors were busy packing up their goods, while a group of soldiers lazily guarded the city gate.
Suddenly, a foul stench filled the air.
The soldiers quickly covered their noses, while the vendors stood up straight, curious about what was happening at the gate.
The next moment, a pile of terrifying wolf heads came into view.
Each head was ferocious and lifelike, with wide-open bloody mouths and eyes filled with fear.
"Demons... demons are entering the city!" one vendor exclaimed, dropping his ladle and stumbling backward in panic.
The soldiers immediately tensed up, gripping their spears tightly.
The two villagers pulling the carts, who had been hunched over and looking nervous about entering the city, couldn't help but straighten their backs when they saw the reactions of the crowd.
"What are you all so scared of? We were so frightened by the demons that we couldn't move, but we're not afraid of a pile of dead bodies. They smell delicious," one of the villagers said with a smirk.
Chen Ji walked into the city with a complicated expression.
Behind him, the old donkey leisurely chewed on some grass, while the handsome young man riding it had a calm gaze.
However, the bloody aura emanating from him made everyone shiver.
"Is that... Shen Yi?" the soldiers asked, blinking in disbelief.
They were all too familiar with his face, but now, aside from his features, his demeanor and aura were completely different from the troublemaker they had known before.
"That damned troublemaker, even dead he's scaring me," the vendor muttered as he got up from the ground, patting his clothes.
He couldn't help but sneak a glance at the young man on the donkey, feeling a strange sense of awe.
How many demons had he killed to stain his clothes like that?
"Officer Shen, please come this way!" the vendor quickly made way, secretly delighted that he now had a new topic for gossip.
How long had it been since Baiyun County had seen someone go out to slay demons? And such a large-scale operation at that!
"You've really offended the local authorities this time," Chen Ji said with a bitter smile as he observed the reactions of the crowd.
He didn't understand why Shen Yi, who was known for his tact and social skills, would suddenly make such a rash move.
Shen Yi lowered his gaze and replied calmly, "Did I have a choice?"
"With your ability to slay demons, you didn't have to make it known to everyone. With your skills, you could have had a bright future..."
Chen Ji trailed off, suddenly realizing something.
He remembered that the Demon Subduing Division's inspection was imminent.
If Baiyun County could present a peaceful and harmonious front, Shen Yi's future would be secure.
But now that he had offended the demons, who could guarantee that the local authorities wouldn't throw him under the bus if the ape demon and the yellow-skinned demon came demanding his head?
Rather than leaving his fate in the hands of those corrupt officials, it was better to make a name for himself and let the entire county know who Shen Yi was.
Under the scrutiny of the Demon Subduing Division's inspectors, who would dare to silence the voices of over a hundred thousand people?
This wasn't a rash move—it was the result of careful consideration.
"After following you for two days, I feel like I'm starting to grow a brain," Chen Ji said with a helpless shake of his head, then straightened his posture and adopted a more dignified demeanor.
As a group of drunken constables stumbled out of a nearby tavern, Chen Ji deliberately led the two villagers closer and struck one of them with the hilt of his knife.
"Get out of the way! Do you want a beating?" he barked.
Zhang Pengtian, who had never been treated like this before, turned around drunkenly, ready to fight back.
"Who the hell do you think you are?" he slurred.
But when his eyes fell on Chen Ji and then on the cold, piercing gaze of the young man on the donkey, his courage vanished instantly.
"Shen... Shen..."
Zhang Pengtian stammered, his face pale as he backed away, clutching the spot where he had been struck.
He couldn't understand how Shen Yi had managed to return alive.
He needed to report this to Magistrate Liu immediately!
...
"Alright, take these two to the yamen. After that, find them a place to stay and treat them to a good meal," Shen Yi said as they left the main street.
He reached into his belt and tossed out a small piece of silver.
"You two worked hard. This meal is on me."
"Officer, you're too kind!" the two villagers said, bowing gratefully.
They had witnessed Shen Yi's ferocity in battle, but now they saw a more gentle side of him.
Only Chen Ji frowned as he held the piece of silver, feeling a sense of déjà vu.
After parting ways with the group, Shen Yi dismounted the donkey and stretched slightly, masking the exhaustion in his eyes as he slowly made his way home.
This had been the most draining battle he had ever fought.
Not only physically, but also because the energy in his acupoints had been completely depleted.
It felt like he had fallen from the heavens to the mortal world, and the stark contrast left him feeling mentally drained.
He stopped under the thatched roof of his home and knocked on the door to avoid seeing anything he shouldn't.
Before anyone could answer, a voice called out from inside, "Why are you so late? I'm starving!" Despite the weak tone, the voice was still clear and pleasant.
Hearing the response, Shen Yi pushed the door open and was immediately taken aback.
The previously messy and dirty room had been completely cleaned, making it almost too pristine to step into.
The woman inside had wet hair draped over her shoulders, and her freshly washed face was strikingly beautiful.
There was a hint of boldness in her features that added to her charm.
She wore a loose black robe that somehow accentuated her tall figure, and her slightly damp pants revealed her long, shapely legs.
Her bare feet rested directly on the ground.
"I washed all the clothes, including your uniform. I borrowed some of your old clothes to wear," Lin Baiwei said, then suddenly looked up.
"Did you go to work, or did you take a bath in a pool of blood?"
She sniffed the air, her expression changing slightly.
"Demon blood?"
Shen Yi didn't respond, instead averting his gaze and pulling out a lotus leaf-wrapped package from his robe.
He tossed it onto the table.
"Make do with this."
Seeing that he didn't want to talk, Lin Baiwei wisely didn't press further.
She sat down at the table and eagerly unwrapped the lotus leaf, which was stained with demon blood.
"Wow! There's meat!" she exclaimed, picking up a piece of salted pork covered in blood.
She wiped it off a bit and stuffed it into a cold, hard pancake.
"Mmm."
"I said make do, but at least pick the clean parts," Shen Yi said, rubbing his temples in exasperation.
"Only someone who's never experienced hardship would be so picky. Out in the wilderness, no one cares if you starve to death," Lin Baiwei said between bites, her face full of enjoyment.
"This is delicious."
"..."
Shen Yi was speechless.
It sounded as if he were the one who had grown up in luxury, while she was the one who had lived on the streets.
(End of Chapter)