Human Clan Defender

On the side, Ji Qu sat stunned for a long time, unable to come to his senses.

Destroyed! The Black Banner was really destroyed!

He had watched, wide-eyed, as Shen Changqing destroyed the Black Banner and then, with a single punch, killed two Demon Evils comparable to the Innate Realm. The power, as overwhelming as the Great Sun, caused this old man from the Demon-Subduing Division to feel his heart palpitate.

However, what shocked Ji Qu was not Shen Changqing's strength. For a late-stage Grandmaster, killing those at the Innate Realm with one punch was not particularly strange. What truly shocked him was that Shen Changqing, after buying the Black Banner, had done so *purely* to kill the Demon Evils within.

Ji Qu had always thought the other party bought the Black Banner because he had some unorthodox method to control the Demon Evils. But in the end—

Coming back to his senses, Ji Qu was filled with emotion. "Lord Shen spent 700,000 Silver Taels, truly just to kill those Demon Evils. Such an act is beyond my expectation! Perhaps only someone like Lord Shen could shoulder the responsibilities of the Demon-Subduing Division!"

If he were in Shen Changqing's shoes, he definitely wouldn't be willing to spend 700,000 Silver Taels just to kill two Demon Evils. After all, killing two Demon Evils didn't bring any notable benefits. At most, one could use the Pure Spirit Jade Pendant to exchange for some Merit Points. But the issue was, how many Merit Points could the Yin Evil Aura from two Resentment Level Monsters possibly be exchanged for? It was questionable whether it would even amount to ten points. Ten Merit Points, out in the world, would merely be worth a few thousand Silver Taels. Spending 700,000 Silver Taels for a few thousand? That would truly be madness.

Upon hearing this, Shen Changqing offered a faint smile. "Money is merely an external object. To exchange money for the lives of Demon Evils—such a deal seems profitable no matter how one looks at it. Furthermore, if Demon Evils fall into the hands of others, even with the best intentions, they might be used to seek the well-being of the populace. But if one considers the worst, it could lead to the deaths of many citizens. Since that is the case, it's better to eliminate the potential harm from the very beginning."

Hearing this, Ji Qu again felt a surge of profound respect. He realized it was as if he were truly understanding Shen Changqing for the first time. Having been in the Demon-Subduing Division for so many years, he had seen people who cared for the common folk, but he had never encountered anyone who acted so thoroughly.

"The people of Great Qin are truly fortunate to have Lord Shen!"

"Brother Ji, you're too kind," Shen Changqing waved his hand. Then, seizing the moment, he asked the question that had been on his mind.

"Dare I ask, Brother Ji, if I wish to purchase more Demon Evils, is there any special channel, or can I directly buy them at the Yuanyang Auction House?"

Auctioning the Black Banner and gaining a wave of Slaughter Value had opened the door to a new world for Shen Changqing.

Indeed! If Demon Evils can be purchased, why should I scour the world to find and kill them? With enough Silver Taels, I could just sit in the Demon-Subduing Division and continuously reap Slaughter Value. With Slaughter Value, I can improve and integrate Martial Arts. Once the improved and integrated Martial Arts are sold, I can then use the money from the sale to buy Demon Evils. In this way, buying and selling would reach a balance, and my strength could rapidly improve!

Previously, Shen Changqing had never even considered this possibility. He hadn't realized that Demon Evils could actually be bought and sold. Participating in the auction had truly opened his eyes.

Buying and selling Demon Evils allows for a continuous flow of Slaughter Value, and selling Martial Arts means I won't have to worry about lacking Silver Taels for support. The only concerns left are whether there are enough Demon Evils in Jianghu for me to buy, and whether buying so many Demon Evils will arouse suspicion from the Demon-Subduing Division...

Shen Changqing did have some concerns. Despite the multitude of Demon Evils in the world, those who knew how to seal them were few, and the risks involved were high. So, he wasn't certain if there would always be people in Jianghu selling Demon Evils.

As for the latter concern, he dismissed it as soon as it arose. Buying a few Demon Evils wouldn't raise major suspicions. Even if buying in bulk did lead to doubts, I could convincingly use my deep-seated hatred of evil as an excuse. Besides, as my strength increases in the future, such concerns will naturally diminish. In this world, power ultimately speaks loudest.

On the other hand, after hearing Shen Changqing's words, Ji Qu pondered for a moment before responding.

"In Jianghu, those who follow unorthodox paths are a minority. Those who know how to seal Demon Evils are also among these unorthodox practitioners. Although unorthodox practitioners also cultivate the Martial Dao, their greatest reliance, aside from the Martial Dao, is on various unique techniques. So, those who truly deal with Demon Evils in this way are very few. But if someone offers a high price, I believe they would be willing to sell. The Yuanyang Auction House does have some channels in this regard, though I'm not sure how extensive they are."

Ji Qu's words gave Shen Changqing a general idea.

Then I can only wait until after the auction to ask the people from the Yuanyang Auction House.

Having said that, he looked at Ji Qu. "Brother Ji, you are an old hand in Jianghu. I wonder if you know any people who follow unorthodox paths?"

Ji Qu hesitated for a moment, "Uh—" then quickly regained his composure. "Back when I roamed Jianghu in my younger years, I did meet some who followed unorthodox paths. If Lord Shen is interested, I can help ask around."

"Then I must thank Brother Ji."

"It's a trivial matter." Ji Qu smiled, then his expression turned serious. "Lord Shen despises evil and wholeheartedly seeks to slaughter Demon Evils for the Human Clan; I greatly admire that. However, if you buy up large numbers of Demon Evils, the expenditure of Silver Taels alone will be substantial. Moreover, those Demon Evils are already in the hands of unorthodox practitioners, so there's hardly any chance of them causing disasters."

He felt that Shen Changqing might be misunderstanding something, so he wanted to offer some counsel.

In response, Shen Changqing's expression remained unchanged. "May I ask, Brother Ji, are there any hidden dangers when unorthodox practitioners control Demon Evils? You mentioned earlier that Demon Evils need nurturing; how exactly are they nurtured?"

"Unorthodox practitioners controlling Demon Evils certainly carries risks," Ji Qu patiently explained, as he knew quite a bit about such paths. "The Yin Evil Aura on Demon Evils is potent and overbearing. Constant exposure can lead to contamination by this aura, making one cruel and violent. Some may even be completely assimilated by Demon Evils, betraying the Human Clan and becoming Demonfolk. This is why unorthodox practitioners are not well-regarded. However, those who are truly contaminated by Demon Evils are a minority; otherwise, these unorthodox paths would not have persisted for so long."

"As for nurturing Demon Evils, frankly, it's done with fresh blood. Just as the Human Clan needs to eat, Demon Evils feed on raw flesh and blood. This is the only way for them to maintain their strength without regression. However, unorthodox practitioners typically feed their Demon Evils the blood of livestock. Consequently, these Demon Evils can generally only maintain their current Realm without declining; increasing their strength is almost impossible."

Shen Changqing nodded. After Ji Qu finished, he smiled faintly. "Just as Brother Ji said, although unorthodox practitioners control Demon Evils, there are indeed many hidden dangers. Secondly, regarding nurturing Demon Evils: what if some, in their desire to enhance a Demon Evil's strength, feed them humans? What then? Brother Ji, surely you wouldn't say such a thing is impossible. I believe both you and I are quite clear on the nature of humanity."

"Alas, such things do indeed happen," Ji Qu sighed, essentially agreeing with Shen Changqing. "But once discovered, they are immediately exterminated by the Demon-Subduing Division."

Upon hearing this, Shen Changqing sneered. "What good is it if the Demon-Subduing Division exterminates them after the fact? The people who have died won't come back to life. If action is only taken after disaster strikes, why not make preventative preparations earlier? In my view, unorthodox practitioners do indeed contribute significantly to the Human Clan; they seal Demon Evils and control them to fight for us. However, the potential repercussions cannot be ignored. I use Silver Taels to purchase Demon Evils from them. With these Silver Taels, they can acquire resources to enhance their own strength, eliminating the danger of being assimilated by Demon Evils. Simultaneously, they will continue to actively capture Demon Evils from various regions. This, in turn, can alleviate the calamities caused by Demon Evils in those places. And what I expend is merely some material wealth. So, why not do it?"

After Shen Changqing finished speaking, Ji Qu was dumbfounded. Instinctively, he felt something was amiss with the argument, yet he couldn't pinpoint any flaw. Thinking it over, it seemed, no matter how he looked at it, to be an act that benefited the common people. Unable to find the problem, he decided not to dwell on it.

Ji Qu showed his admiration but then shook his head. "Lord Shen, your intentions are noble, but the amount of Silver Taels needed to purchase Demon Evils is significant. With your personal wealth alone, it would be difficult to sustain for long."

Even if he sold three Grandmaster Martial Arts and used all the Silver Taels to buy Demon Evils, how much impact could that truly have? The Demon Evils in the world are far too numerous. Throwing in just over a million Silver Taels would hardly make a ripple.

Shen Changqing's expression was solemn. "Brother Ji, you are mistaken. It's not about how much can be done, but whether one has done their utmost. Even if I, Shen Changqing, were to expend all my resources and only manage to eradicate a few Demon Evils, I would still be satisfied. Because I would have done all that I could, and my conscience would be clear!"

A clear conscience!

Ji Qu's heart pounded intensely. Those words, "a clear conscience," struck his spirit like a spell.

A clear conscience! A clear conscience! Indeed, how many in Jianghu can truly claim to have a clear conscience? I was shortsighted. A word from Lord Shen is worth ten years of reading!

At this moment, Ji Qu felt as if he had an epiphany. Looking at Shen Changqing, his face filled with admiration and gratitude, as if the other had led him out of a dense fog.

In an instant, he stood up and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Lord Shen, for dispelling my confusion!"

After finishing his bow, Ji Qu straightened up.

Shen Changqing extended his hand in a supportive gesture and said with a faint smile, "Brother Ji, why such a grand gesture? I was merely speaking my thoughts aloud."

"To you, Brother Shen, it may have been merely speaking your thoughts, but for me, your words have clarified many things! I must express my gratitude!" Ji Qu's demeanor was earnest.

Seeing this, Shen Changqing also smiled genuinely, letting the matter pass.

He himself knew well enough how much truth and falsehood lay in his words.