Human Clan Defender

Name: Shen Changqing

Faction: Great Qin's Demon-Subduing Division

Identity: Yellow Rank Demon Hunter

Martial Arts: Invincible Golden Body (Level 10, cannot be improved), Heavenly Martial Gang Qi (Level 16, cannot be improved), Hundred-Battles Blade Technique (Level 3), Iron Sand Palm (Level 5, cannot be fused), Snare Trampling Gang Step (Level 5, cannot be fused), Mountain Splitting Palm Technique (not started, cannot be fused), Willow Catkin Body Technique (not started, cannot be fused)

Slaughter Value: 7

The Invincible Golden Body has reached Level 10!

Shen Changqing sat still, his surging Qi and blood roaring like a Fierce Beast. After a long while, the boiling Qi and blood slowly calmed down.

He took out the Lengyue Blade. Shen Changqing lightly drew it across his palm. He felt only the blade's cool touch. Looking closely, he saw not a single scratch on his palm, let alone any bleeding.

The Lengyue Blade can cut through iron as if it were mud, yet now it cannot penetrate my defenses— he silently reflected.

Then, True Qi surged, and he drew the Lengyue Blade forcefully across his palm. A sting of pain shot through his hand, and a cut appeared on his palm. Blood dripped from the wound but not for long. The bleeding soon stopped. As Shen Changqing watched, the wound began to scab and heal, a slight itch developing at the site.

Using True Qi with the Lengyue Blade is enough to slay an Innate Martial Artist, yet such an attack barely broke through the Invincible Golden Body's defenses. My Flesh's defense, even without Gang Qi, must now be invincible below the Innate realm. Moreover, my wounds heal much faster than before. As long as an injury isn't severe, I won't need medicine; it should heal on its own quickly.

Shen Changqing was very satisfied with the changes in his Flesh. Although dozens of Slaughter Value points only raised Heavenly Martial Gang Qi by one level, with the rest poured into the Invincible Golden Body, the overall increase in strength didn't seem that significant. However, the enhancement from the Invincible Golden Body at this level was quite gratifying. A Level 10 Invincible Golden Body allowed one to stand undefeated below the Innate realm.

What about Level 15? Shen Changqing eagerly anticipated how strong his Flesh's defense would become when the Invincible Golden Body reached Perfection.

As his Flesh strengthened, his Dantian also expanded. The True Qi that had once filled his Dantian now occupied only about ninety percent of it; the Dantian was undeniably much larger than before. Not only that, Shen Changqing tried to compress the True Qi with his will. Though the Dantian was still under pressure, it no longer felt as if it might burst at any moment, as it had initially.

The Dantian's expansion allows it to hold more True Qi. The Dantian itself has also grown stronger. It's no longer as fragile as before, easily ruptured by True Qi pressure. Perhaps I can compress True Qi even further in the future.

Previously, Shen Changqing had always believed Inner Strength was a Martial Artist's foundation, with Outer Techniques merely serving as a preliminary base. But now, he was beginning to revise that conclusion.

Inner Strength is fundamental! And Outer Techniques are equally fundamental! Without a powerful physique, one cannot contain enough True Qi, making it undoubtedly very difficult for a Martial Artist to progress.

Shen Changqing withdrew his attention from the panel. Looking at the table before him, a bitter smile touched his lips. Improvement is fast, but the consumption is by no means small!

The bottles and jars on the table were nearly all empty. The most consumed among them were the Satiety Pills. Each subsequent level of the Invincible Golden Body required an extraordinary amount of resources. Of the Satiety Pills he had brought, only one bottle remained; the rest had been consumed during the recent enhancement. As for Qi and Blood Pills, only two bottles were left.

He put away the three intact bottles of Elixir and also collected the empty white jade bottle that had once held Qi and Blood Pills. He tossed the rest into a waste bin like trash.

At this moment, sunlight filtered through the gauze window. Shen Changqing stood up and pushed open the window, bright sunlight immediately streaming in. Slaying the Demon Evils and the subsequent breakthrough had taken considerable time. An entire night had passed.

He opened the door. Shen Changqing descended the stairs and sat at an empty table on the second floor. A sharp-eyed waiter quickly approached him.

"What would you like to eat, sir?"

"Just bring some food," Shen Changqing replied casually. He then selected a few side dishes and a pot of wine from the menu the waiter provided, nothing more.

Although Tianyi Tower was famous in Jincheng, he usually didn't eat here. With Satiety Pills, there was no need to waste time on meals. But now, with his Satiety Pill supply dwindling, Shen Changqing felt he should save them for emergencies.

"Please wait a moment, sir. I'll get that prepared for you right away," the waiter said before retreating.

Soon, his wine was served. Shen Changqing poured himself a cup. As he drank, he gazed at the street scene below from the second floor and listened to the conversations of other patrons.

"Last night, I heard eerie screams from the east side of the city. Seemed like it was related to Demon Evils. Did you hear about it?"

"I heard. And not just the east side; there were similar screams from the west and south too."

"It's strange, though. Those screams didn't sound human, but there's been no news of any deaths. Very odd."

At one table, several men dressed as scholars conversed, shaking their heads as they drank. Hearing this, people at other tables couldn't help but chime in.

"Speaking of which, I live on the east side! Last night's screams were truly chilling. I suspect it was an expert from the Imperial Court slaying Demon Evils!"

Upon hearing this, many people nodded in agreement.

"Very likely!"

"Indeed! In the past, whenever Demon Evils caused trouble, people always died. Remember Wanhua Building? Nearly a thousand dead in one go. This time, not a single person died. It doesn't fit the pattern of Demon Evils wreaking havoc."

"Heh, Jincheng just saw so many deaths; the Imperial Court must be furious. The Black Tiger Army, which was stationed outside the city, has now entered. That much is clear."

"It's good they're being killed! Best to slaughter every Demon Evil in the world, then we'd finally have peace."

When it came to Demon Evils, everyone's attitude was surprisingly unanimous. For them, countless members of the Human Clan had died at the hands of Demon Evils over the years. If the Demon Evils could be completely eradicated, it would undoubtedly be a cause for great celebration.

Shen Changqing smiled faintly and drained his cup. Before long, the dishes were brought out one by one.

After eating and drinking his fill, Shen Changqing paid the bill and left Tianyi Tower.

The atmosphere among the city's populace had grown somewhat heavier. For many, the previous night's events were an unseen pressure. However, he didn't dwell on it.

Regardless, he had visited several places last night and killed most of the Demon Evils that needed to be dealt with. Even if some Demon Evils remained hidden in the city, they would be difficult to find if they had ways to conceal their Yin Evil Aura and didn't actively cause trouble. In this regard, Shen Changqing had no way to find and root out every single one.

I've heard that upon reaching the Grandmaster Realm, one comprehends Martial Dao True Intent and undergoes a spiritual transformation, significantly enhancing perception. It should be easier to find hidden Demon Evils then.

Walking down the street, he reviewed his thoughts. While lost in thought, Shen Changqing kept his perception at its peak, constantly scanning for any Demon Evils that might be hiding in the city. Regrettably, after covering nearly half of Jincheng again, he found no trace of Yin Evil Aura.

By this time, Shen Changqing had to consider that he might have truly eradicated all the Demon Evils in Jincheng.

If there are no Demon Evils left, then it's time to go back!

Go back! Not to Tianyi Tower, of course, but to the Demon-Subduing Division.

The primary goals of this mission were to investigate the authenticity of the Eternal Alliance Stronghold and, if possible, to annihilate any confirmed stronghold. Shen Changqing had completed both tasks, even exceeding expectations. As for the other task—protecting Xu Yi and the others—it was a failure. He felt some regret but didn't dwell on it. Those destined to die could not be saved, no matter what. Moreover, Xu Yi and the others had been killed on their way back to the Demon-Subduing Division from Jincheng, an event beyond his control. Thus, there was nothing he could have done about their deaths.

Just at that moment, Liu Jian approached him.

"Lord Shen!" Upon seeing Shen Changqing, he immediately cupped his fist in greeting.

"Constable Liu." Shen Changqing stopped and nodded.

He didn't think this encounter with Liu Jian was a mere coincidence. Jincheng wasn't particularly large, nor was it small. For Liu Jian to run into him just then clearly indicated it was intentional.

"Constable Liu, you were looking for me for a reason?"

"Lord Shen is truly perceptive!" Liu Jian offered a compliment, then gave an awkward yet polite smile. "Lord Nie wishes to invite Lord Shen to the Yamen. May I ask if Lord Shen is available?"

"Very well." Shen Changqing nodded, agreeing to Nie Xu's invitation without showing any emotion. He had already covered most of Jincheng, so a trip to the Yamen before leaving seemed appropriate.

Without delay, he then followed Liu Jian towards the Yamen.

When they arrived at the Yamen entrance, the two Government Officials on guard saw Liu Jian and Shen Changqing and dared not obstruct them, respectfully allowing them to enter. They bypassed the outer hall and went directly to the inner hall.

Just as Shen Changqing stepped inside, Nie Xu, who had spotted him, rose from his chair with a warm smile.

"Lord Shen, you've finally arrived! You've kept this official waiting for quite some time!"

"Lord Nie, you summoned me in such a hurry. Has something else happened in Jincheng?"