Human Clan Defender

In the blink of an eye, five Demon Evils had fallen. After slaying the five Demon Evils, Shen Changqing stood still, calmed his heart and mind, and observed the blood-red lotus in his Sea of Consciousness.

Compared to before, the phantom of the blood-red lotus's third petal seemed to have become slightly more complete. Although the change was minuscule, as a Grandmaster, even the most subtle variation could not escape his discerning eye. Therefore, Shen Changqing immediately perceived the change in the blood-red lotus.

Slaying Demon Evils can also lead to a breakthrough in Martial Dao True Intent! Yes, Martial Dao True Intent belongs to the Spiritual System. Demon Evils are formless and intangible, and while they can manifest physical forms to attack, they ultimately lean more towards the spiritual realm. Thus, by using Martial Dao True Intent to slay Demon Evils, I can absorb a portion of their dispersed power for my own use.

The more he thought about it, the more excited he became.

This discovery means I've found another channel to enhance my Spiritual System. However, judging from the recent slaying of the Demon Evils, the enhancement they provided was minor, at most equivalent to a few days of arduous cultivation. Of course, even being equivalent to several days of arduous cultivation was still a decent improvement.

This means that as long as I continue to slay Demon Evils, I have the opportunity to accelerate my breakthroughs in the Spiritual System. Other Martial Hall Grandmasters probably also venture out to gain experience for this reason—slaying Demon Evils to collect Spiritual Power and thereby nurture themselves! Shen Changqing thought to himself.

If it weren't for his acute perception, he might have barely noticed that faint enhancement. Immediately, he temporarily set aside this thought and turned his attention to his panel.

Six Demon Evils: five at the Ghostly Level, plus one at the Resentment Level. The total Slaughter Value awarded was sixty-five points.

Shen Changqing looked at the panel. Currently, the Great Sun Scripture is almost at its limit. My Dantian cannot accommodate more True Qi, and only by improving Outer Techniques can I push the Great Sun Scripture further. There's no need to enhance the nineteenth-level Invincible Golden Body any further. As for the Tathagata Golden Body, it could be enhanced, but improving two Outer Techniques simultaneously is undoubtedly conflicting, and the subsequent boost wouldn't be significant. Therefore, the only path left is to merge the two Martial Arts.

This isn't the place to merge them; I'll wait until I'm back! Shen Changqing did not proceed with the fusion immediately. Although the merging process was swift, there was still a brief interval. If someone or some Demon Evil were to launch a sneak attack while memories were impacting him, the consequences would be dire. To avoid danger, he decided he could only attempt the breakthrough back at the Demon-Subduing Division.

Not long after Shen Changqing left, other people soon arrived.

"Strange, there was clearly a burst of Yin Evil Aura here just now. Why has it suddenly vanished?"

"HISS! Such powerful True Qi!"

"From the look of things here, it's highly probable that Demon Evils appeared and were then slain by some unknown expert—"

Several individuals dressed in the attire of the Demon-Subduing Division looked at each other in dismay.

These past few days, Demon Evils had been causing significant turmoil. To ensure that Demon Evils could not harm the populace, powerful Demon Hunters were dispatched to various locations to suppress them and investigate the situations. The somewhat weaker members, however, formed patrol teams, ready to respond immediately to any Demon Evil sightings.

Among them, a relatively older man frowned deeply. "That burst of Yin Evil Aura just now was not weak at all; it very likely involved the Resentment Level. To be annihilated in a single stroke... the person who acted is no simple figure!"

The distance was too great, and the Demon Evil's aura dissipated quickly, so he couldn't perceive much. He could only barely discern that the erupted Yin Evil Aura had likely reached the Resentment Level.

Another person said, "Who cares who it was? As long as they were slaying Demon Evils, they're on our side. No need to worry too much, right?"

The older man shook his head. "With the current chaotic situation, a mysterious expert isn't necessarily a good thing. This matter must still be reported."

In times like these, any unusual event had to be reported. If something went wrong and the higher-ups investigated, the lightest consequence would be imprisonment, while the heaviest—beheading—was not out of the question.

Hearing this, the others offered no further objections.

After carefully investigating the area and confirming there were no further issues, they finally turned and left.

「Elsewhere.」

Shen Changqing had already returned to the Demon-Subduing Division. He originally planned to go back to the Hidden Heart Pavilion to first merge his Martial Arts. However, just as he entered the main gate of the Demon-Subduing Division, before he had even left the Demon Hunting Court's area, he saw someone hurrying towards him.

"Lord Shen!"

Shen Changqing looked at the person before him, puzzled. "You know me?"

He was quite certain he had never met this person before.

The man said, "Under Defender Dongfang's orders, I am to ask Lord Shen to please come to the Council Hall now."

Defender Dongfang! A flicker appeared in Shen Changqing's eyes. Dongfang Zhao received news of me leaving seclusion so quickly? Perhaps Tan Tianji reported it.

"How did you know I would return to the Demon-Subduing Division at this time?"

The man politely explained, "Many people saw Lord Shen leave the Demon-Subduing Division. It was just unclear where Lord Shen was headed. Therefore, I have been waiting here, which is how I managed to see Lord Shen return."

Only then did Shen Changqing understand.

"Alright, I will go see Defender Dongfang now. You may go about your own business."

After saying this, he headed towards the Council Hall.

Since Dongfang Zhao has summoned me, going back to the Hidden Heart Pavilion now would imply defying an order. Therefore, Shen Changqing could only go to meet Dongfang Zhao first; all other matters would have to be temporarily set aside.

「Council Hall.」

Shen Changqing strode in. Upon seeing Dongfang Zhao seated at the head of the hall, he bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Defender Dongfang!"

"Dispense with formalities."

"Thank you, Defender."

Only then did Shen Changqing straighten up. He cupped his fists and asked, "Defender Dongfang, may I ask for what reason you summoned me?"

Dongfang Zhao's expression was calm. "You should be aware that two months ago, when the Imperial Court sent reinforcements to Luo'an Prefecture, the vast majority of Grandmaster experts within the Demon-Subduing Division were conscripted to march north with the army."

"Ah."

"A couple of days ago, Demon Evils caused chaos in the Capital City. Many places within the Capital City's territory experienced Demon Evil disturbances. For this, the Demon-Subduing Division dispatched numerous Demon Hunters to various locations to quell the calamities. Some Demon Hunters returned successfully, but others have become deeply ensnared. Logically, I should be the one to provide aid. However, the Demon-Subduing Prison and the Demon Sealing Tower are of critical importance, so I cannot easily leave my post. Now, I've heard you just achieved a breakthrough in your Spiritual System, so I was thinking of having you go and provide support."

Dongfang Zhao said in a low voice.

Upon hearing this, Shen Changqing's expression turned serious. "If the Demon-Subduing Division commands, I will naturally obey!"

Demon Evils! That's excellent news. After all, Demon Evils are what I need most right now.

If I can slay other Demon Evils, I can accelerate my strength improvement. However, if the Demon Evils are too powerful, that would also be a problem.

"Dare I ask Defender Dongfang, approximately how strong are the Demon Evils in the place I am to reinforce?"

"It's hard to say." Dongfang Zhao shook his head. "It could be a Resentment Level Peak, or possibly Fiend Level. There's even a slight chance it's a Demon Evil, though that likelihood is minuscule. If a Demon Evil truly appeared within the Capital City's range, I should have sensed it. I don't sense that kind of Yin Evil Aura now, so I believe it's unlikely to be an entity at the Demon Evil tier."

Dongfang Zhao didn't dare to be too certain. Although a Defender Envoy's perception is exceedingly powerful, some Demon Evils are skilled in concealment. Unless they deliberately expose their strength, they might not be fully detectable.

"Then I understand."

Now I have a clearer picture, Shen Changqing thought. He also assessed his own strength. If it really is a Demon Evil, fighting it is impossible. Even fleeing isn't a certainty.

Thinking of this, he asked further, "If it truly is a Demon Evil, would Defender Dongfang be able to provide support?"

"If you can escape to the gates of the Capital City, I can intervene," Dongfang Zhao stated calmly.

In other words, if I can't make it to the gates of the Capital City, I'll have to fend for myself.

Shen Changqing fell into deep thought. But I also know that refusal isn't really an option. Besides, I generally trust my luck. The probability of encountering a Demon Evil is very low; I shouldn't run into one.

If only I could strengthen my foundations a bit more, I'd be more confident. Confronting a Demon Evil is out of the question anyway. As long as I can escape, that'll be enough.

Having made his decision, Shen Changqing cupped his fists. "May I ask how many Demon Hunters are trapped, and where are they located?"

"Currently, quite a few Demon Hunters are trapped. The place you need to go to is Fengyun Village. One Demon Hunter is trapped there, along with five Prefecture Yamen constables. Speaking of which, you should be quite familiar with that particular Demon Hunter."

"Jiang Zuo?" Shen Changqing couldn't help but ask. Though phrased as a question, his voice carried a tone of certainty. After all, within the Demon-Subduing Division, I can count the Demon Hunters I'm familiar with on one hand.

"Correct." Dongfang Zhao nodded. "It is indeed Jiang Zuo. His strength has already reached the Innate Limit. For him to be trapped so deeply, with no news at all, speaks volumes about the strength of the Demon Evils in Fengyun Village. The probability of it being a Resentment Level Peak is low; it's most likely Fiend Level. If you hadn't come out of seclusion, I was planning to dispatch experts from other regions to Fengyun Village to exterminate the Demon Evils. But since you are out now, it shall be your task. With your strength, dealing with ordinary Fiend Level Demon Evils should not be difficult."

"May I delay for two to four hours before I go?" Shen Changqing inquired.

After looking at him for a moment, Dongfang Zhao nodded. "You may. They've been trapped for nearly two days. If they're alive, they'll still be alive even if you're two to four hours late. If they're dead, it makes no difference whether you go sooner or later. However, if you can depart earlier, try to do so as soon as possible."

"This subordinate understands!" Shen Changqing cupped his fists, accepted the order, and then withdrew.

He needed to return to the Hidden Heart Pavilion first to merge the two Martial Arts and convert all his Slaughter Value into strength before he could set out to rescue Jiang Zuo. Without raising my strength to its current stage's limit, I won't feel completely at ease.