As dusk fell, the last rays of sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, casting scattered shadows on the ground.
Led by a crimson warhorse, dozens of demonic steeds moved in unison, swiftly galloping toward Qingfeng Mountain.
Shen Yi lingered at the back, his gaze fixed on the armored figure ahead.
Although he hadn’t planned to hand over the dragon core, he was slightly surprised at how easily it had fallen into his hands.
Logically speaking, the Demon-Suppressing General had also contributed some effort—well, a lot of effort—to slaying the dragon demon.
Shen Yi sighed inwardly.
When he had just reached the peak of the initial realm, facing a young dragon and a river demon at the Jade Liquid Realm, even though both were injured, he hadn’t found it particularly difficult to kill them.
He had relied on his mastery of top-tier Jade Liquid martial techniques and the endless supply of energy fueled by his lifespan.
But against a Core Formation demon, those techniques were starting to show their limitations.
The old dragon had been severely wounded by the iron halberd, its body riddled with old injuries.
Even in such a state, it had withstood nearly an hour of Shen Yi’s Heavenly Gang Blood Slaughter.
In the end, it had taken the combined force of the Greedy Wolf Demon-Slaying and the Dragon-Seizing Pulse techniques to barely bring it down.
That had been the extent of Shen Yi’s capabilities.
If he were to face a Core Formation demon in its prime next time, he wouldn’t stand a chance of winning—he might not even be able to escape.
Fortunately, this trip had been fruitful.
He had obtained the beast core of a Jade Liquid Realm alligator dragon, the inner core of a Core Formation dragon, and, combined with the eight hundred years of lifespan he had before, he now had over three thousand years of demon lifespan.
He wondered if it would be enough to help him successfully form his core.
“Brother Shen, you’ve got some guts!” Hong Lei pulled his reins closer, noticing Shen Yi’s distracted expression.
He lowered his voice, “Thankfully, Old Man Chen’s cultivation has improved. If he had been trapped by that sword formation and you had gone after the dragon alone, if something had happened, there would’ve been no one to save you. You’re young and have a bright future ahead. Why gamble your life for merit?”
He chuckled wryly, “But you did gamble right. Jumping from a second-rank lieutenant to a personal aide general in just a few days—it took me decades to get where I am, and you’ve surpassed me in no time.”
Judging by Shen Yi’s age, he couldn’t have been in the Demon-Suppressing Bureau for more than ten years.
The position of personal aide general was highly prestigious within the bureau, just below the demon hunters, the twelve Demon-Suppressing Generals, and the commander-in-chief.
Even first-rate factions in Qingzhou would have to treat him with respect out of consideration for General Chen.
But Hong Lei wasn’t jealous.
Slaying a Core Formation dragon demon was no small feat.
Looking at the wounds on Shen Yi’s shoulders and the way the dragon’s head had been severed, it must have been an intense battle.
Thinking of this, Hong Lei couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration. “That old dragon demon must’ve been impressed by your strength before it died. It got to see the prowess of a Demon-Suppressing Bureau prodigy!”
Shen Yi nodded slightly, steering the conversation away. “What benefits come with being a personal aide general?”
He hadn’t forgotten why he had joined the Demon-Suppressing Bureau.
“Benefits?” Hong Lei snapped out of his thoughts and held up a hand. “Let me put it this way. Whether it’s a sect or a noble family, someone like you, a Jade Liquid Realm expert at the peak, would have to work for them for decades to earn their trust and gain access to Core Formation techniques—unless you’re a direct descendant or sign some blood contract.”
Shen Yi recalled what Zhang the Butcher had mentioned about the Diamond Sect.
Forget Core Formation techniques, even slightly inferior Core Formation body-refining techniques required fifty years of scripture recitation and fifty years of teaching.
He was puzzled. “Even at the peak of the Jade Liquid Realm, one’s lifespan is only about three hundred years. Wasting time on such trivial matters, even if you get the Core Formation technique, what’s the point?”
Hong Lei was momentarily stunned, then chuckled wryly. “Brother Shen, to them, you’re an outsider. The Core Formation technique is their foundation. As long as they hold onto it, they’ll remain a first-rate faction. But if you were to take their technique and hand it over to the Demon-Suppressing Bureau… well, you know how they treat us. They won’t even let bureau officers or government clerks through their doors. That’s how much they resist the imperial court.”
“Of course, there’s a faster way. See Qingfeng Mountain? Other noble families have similar ancestral treasures. If you’re willing to sign a blood contract and become some kind of family guardian, with your strength, any family would be more than willing to share their secrets.”
“But you’re already a personal aide. At most, ten years… no, five…” Hong Lei noticed Shen Yi’s slight frown and quickly corrected himself, “If you’re lucky and make a great contribution, it could even be three years. The imperial court has collected many high-quality Core Formation techniques, and you can choose one that suits your needs. Isn’t that better than those sects?”
Shen Yi’s interest was piqued. “Can it be any faster?”
At this, Hong Lei’s expression suddenly changed.
He glanced around, making sure General Chen’s crimson horse was out of sight.
Then he reached out and gripped Shen Yi’s hand holding the reins, using a secret voice transmission technique. “Brother, you saved my life, so I’ll tell you this, but don’t let anyone else hear it, or you’ll never get another chance.”
“If you’re not willing to wait three years, who’s going to vouch for you to the imperial court? Who’s going to trust that you’ll stay and protect Qingzhou after forming your core, instead of leaving or even joining a noble family or the demons?”
Shen Yi lowered his gaze.
He suddenly realized that, although he had never intentionally shown it, to outsiders, he must have appeared impatient.
In the eyes of ordinary people, mastering a single martial technique could take over a decade, and advancing in cultivation was a slow process, often requiring the aid of pills.
But his eagerness to grab everything from the Demon-Suppressing Bureau and leave didn’t seem like someone genuinely seeking to learn—it looked more like he was there to steal techniques.
He would have to be more careful in the future.
“I understand the impatience of geniuses like you. You want to reach the heavens in a single step. Fang Heng was like that, Lin Baiwei was like that, and Bai Ziming too. But now, one’s practicing boxing at the commander’s residence, one’s become a demon hunter, and the other’s treating patients at a clinic.”
Hong Lei sighed, then smiled. “First, do the work; then, eat the meal. That’s the rule of the Demon-Suppressing Bureau. Judging by General Chen’s attitude, you have the best chance at the Sword Pool Baptism. Those three probably can’t compete with you.”
“Sword Pool Baptism?” Shen Yi was slightly confused.
Hong Lei then remembered that Shen Yi had left early and hadn’t been present. “The old man summoned his Yin Spirit, first slaying the Zhang family ancestor, then the Qingfeng Sect leader. With a swing of his halberd, he shattered the ancestral sword. The Sword Pool is now ownerless and temporarily under General Chen’s control. Although it can’t regenerate, it can still be used a few more times. Just one session could save you decades of pill-taking and bitter cultivation.”
Ownerless? Shen Yi turned to look at him, sensing there was more to the story. “What about the Qingfeng Sect?”
“That’s why they say the older, the craftier.” With General Chen absent, Hong Lei spoke more boldly. “The general had long known about the Qingfeng Sect leader’s congenital defect. He deliberately surrounded but didn’t attack, keeping all the disciples there to let them experience the power of the ancestral sword. Once their loyalty was shaken, he destroyed it. The remaining disciples were investigated by the demon hunters, and those without issues were all absorbed into the Demon-Suppressing Bureau.”
“It’s almost laughable. General Chen suddenly has two Core Formation lieutenants under his command.”
Although, given the strength of the two sect guardians, they would likely be promoted soon, it was still an amusing turn of events.
“By the way, didn’t you want Core Formation martial techniques? The general demonstrated it for you. As long as you can catch the noble families or sects slipping and have the strength, you can replicate what happened at Qingfeng Mountain. While transporting their martial manuals back, copying a couple for yourself wouldn’t be a big deal.”
As Hong Lei spoke, he noticed a strange glint in the young man’s eyes.
He paused, wondering if he had said something wrong.
(End of Chapter)