37: It’s a long journey to the state capital!

The carriage heading to the Prefecture was indeed incredibly grand.

It was pulled by two spirit horses, as tall as small mountains, with glossy, reflective coats, their hooves making almost no sound as they moved at the speed of wind.

The carriage interior was spacious enough to roll around in, with thick cushions and a faint, calming fragrance.

This display of luxury was something the Mu Shi County Demon Suppression Division couldn't even dream of matching. It seemed the Prefecture Demon Suppression Division was indeed wealthy and attached great importance to Geniuses with an “extraordinary Rank”.

The coachman was a man who looked to be in his thirties, dressed in the standard black robe of the Prefecture Demon Suppression Division, his aura steady like a rock.

From the moment Li Dong boarded, he hadn't said much, only respectfully opening the carriage door for him before sitting upfront to drive.

His attitude was neither warm nor cold, strictly business-like, carrying a clear sense of distance.

Li Dong could feel that he wasn't the type of person to try and get close; he carried an invisible barrier that seemed to say, “I'm from the Prefecture, you're just a kid from the county.”

It seemed Brother Zhang was right; the Prefecture was a place with a strict Rank System, and an extraordinary Rank wouldn't immediately make people treat you like a brother.

The carriage sped along. Once it left the territory of Mu Shi County, Li Dong sat inside, occasionally lifting the curtain to look at the scenery outside.

Villages and towns gradually became sparse, replaced by vast wilderness and rolling mountains. He released a bit of his Spirituality, carefully probing his surroundings.

Strangely, the further they got from Mu Shi County, the weaker the oppressive, shadow-like aura of demons and evil spirits became, almost imperceptible.

However, the number of Martial Artists and Cultivators he encountered increased, and their Ranks were also noticeably higher.

It was no longer the situation in Mu Shi County where Body Tempering Realm practitioners were abundant; occasionally, he could sense the Qi Refining Realm or even Foundation Establishment Realm auras flashing by.

This made his heart tighten a bit more.

The Prefecture truly lived up to its name; there were indeed many experts.

Just as he was pondering these changes, the System's prompt sounded in his mind.

“Ding! Detecting that the host is about to enter a new regional map [Prefecture].”

“Would you like to sign in?”

Li Dong's heart swelled with joy, and he unhesitatingly chose “Yes.” Signing in to a new map was a great benefit.

“Ding! Sign-in successful!”

“Congratulations to the host for obtaining [Simplified Map of Prefecture Surroundings]!”

“Congratulations to the host for obtaining 100 Merit Points!”

Immediately, a map appeared in his mind. Although it was a simplified version, it at least gave him a preliminary understanding of the Prefecture's approximate location and surrounding environment.

While the Merit Points weren't many, every little bit helped.

Journeys are never always smooth sailing. Just as the carriage passed through a desolate-looking mountain hollow, a sudden clamor of shouts and fighting erupted ahead. The carriage jolted to a stop, and the two spirit horses nervously pawed the ground.

“This road is mine, this tree I planted! If you want to pass, leave your road toll!”

The shout carried an arrogant, bandit-like air, not sounding like good people at all.

Li Dong sensed that there was a shadowy group of about a dozen people ahead.

The two leaders had formidable auras; they were actually Body Tempering Realm Great Perfection! The remaining small fry were all high-Rank Body Tempering.

This group of bandits, with their strength, could walk sideways in Mu Shi County.

Lord Wei, the coachman and Demon Suppression Guard, frowned and moved to get out of the carriage.

But Li Dong spoke at this moment: “Lord Wei, let me handle it.”

The coachman paused, turning to look at Li Dong. His eyes held a hint of doubt and scrutiny.

Let him handle it?

This young man was only in the Foundation Establishment Stage - Early Phase. Although his Rank was high, could he really deal with two Body Tempering Realm Great Perfection and a group of minions?

Moreover, as the escort sent by the Prefecture, ensuring safety was his top priority. How could he let the person being escorted take action?

Li Dong seemed to sense his hesitation, and a faint aura emanated from him.

Although he was only in the Foundation Establishment Stage - Early Phase, this aura carried a mountain-like pressure that made even him, a Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, feel a slight chill. This aura was not something an ordinary Foundation Establishment Stage - Early Phase Cultivator could possess.

“I just happen to want to test my skills,” Li Dong said calmly. He indeed wanted to see what the Concept of Foundation Establishment Realm strength truly was. Just Cultivating in seclusion felt a bit lacking; he needed actual combat to verify it. Moreover, he didn't even put a few Body Tempering Realm bandits in his eyes.

Lord Wei, the coachman, was silent for a few seconds, then finally nodded: “Very well, Lord Li, please be careful.” He didn't completely step aside, only retreating a step, but his body remained tense, ready to provide support at any moment. This was his duty.

Li Dong got out of the carriage and stood in front of it. The bandits opposite saw him. Seeing his young age, his Demon Suppression Division uniform, and that he was alone, they immediately burst into laughter.

“Oh ho! A little brat from the Demon Suppression Division? What, trying to take on us brothers alone?” one of the leading bandits, carrying a large saber and with a brutish face, said with contempt.

Another bandit leader, holding a wolf-tooth club, had fierce eyes: “You didn't take the path to Heaven, but instead barged into the gate of Hell! If you know what's good for you, leave all your valuables and kowtow a few times, and we big brothers might just leave you a complete corpse!”

Li Dong didn't waste words. A dark, black ruler appeared out of thin air in his hand; it was the Mystic Iron Demon Suppressing Ruler. The ruler instantly grew larger in his hand, becoming as tall as a person, emanating a heavy aura.

The bandit leaders were stunned; this ruler looked extraordinary. But relying on their numerical superiority and their Body Tempering Realm Great Perfection cultivation, they still didn't take Li Dong seriously.

“Brothers, charge! Kill him!”

A dozen or so bandits shrieked and rushed forward, sabers flashing, swords glinting, clubs flying, creating quite a commotion.

Li Dong stood still, unmoving. Only when the attacks were about to reach him did he raise the Mystic Iron Demon Suppressing Ruler in his hand.

“Suppress!”

He let out a soft shout, his Foundation Establishment Realm spiritual power surged within him, and a small amount of Spirituality was also mobilized. With this shout, an invisible force spread out from him, carrying an ancient and heavy Concept.

Heavenly Pill Sky-Rending Demon Suppression Seal! Although he didn't form a hand seal, he could already integrate the “suppression” Concept of this seal technique into his attack.

The huge Mystic Iron Demon Suppressing Ruler whistled down with the sound of wind, directly targeting the two Body Tempering Realm Great Perfection bandit leaders who were charging the fastest. But even more terrifying was the invisible “suppression” Concept, like a mountain suddenly dropping from the sky, directly pressing down on all the bandits.

The bodies of the minions rushing at the front stiffened abruptly, feeling as if they were crushed by an invisible mountain. Breathing became difficult, and they could barely hold onto their weapons. The circulation of their True Qi instantly became sluggish, and their movements slowed down.

The two Body Tempering Realm Great Perfection leaders, although stronger, also felt a huge force descending from the sky, trying to crush them. They roared, exerting all their strength to resist.

However, how could the power of the Foundation Establishment Realm be resisted by the Body Tempering Realm? Moreover, Li Dong had also fused the suppression Concept of the Heavenly Pill Sky-Rending Demon Suppression Seal and the Mystic Iron Demon Suppressing Ruler's additional damage against demons and evil spirits (although bandits were not demons, the suppression power inherent in the Demon Suppression Ruler itself was still powerful).

“Bang!”

The Mystic Iron Demon Suppressing Ruler slammed heavily onto the large saber and wolf-tooth club of the two bandit leaders. There was no earth-shattering explosion, only a dull, heavy thud.

The force from the ruler was not just physical impact; it also carried that strange “suppression” Concept. The two bandit leaders only felt an irresistible immense force surge towards them, and their weapons were instantly bent and flung away! At the same time, that suppression Concept directly acted on their Physical Bodies and minds, making them feel their bones wailing and their heads buzzing.

They screamed, their bodies flying backward like broken sacks, heavily crashing to the ground, spitting blood, and unable to get up again. Their chests were caved in, their Meridians shattered, completely crippled.

As for the minions who were suppressed by the suppression Concept, watching their leaders instantly killed by a single move, they were scared to the point of Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering. How could they still have any courage to fight? They felt the pressure on their bodies lighten, immediately dropped their weapons, knelt to beg for mercy, or turned and ran.

Li Dong didn't pursue them, nor did he kill them. He merely severed the Meridians of the two leaders, completely depriving them of the ability to do evil. As for the minions, he just let them scram; they wouldn't amount to anything in the future either.

The entire battle, from Li Dong getting out of the carriage to finishing the fight, took only a few breaths. It was so effortless, as if he had just casually swatted a few flies.

Lord Wei, the coachman, had been standing beside the carriage, witnessing everything firsthand.

His gaze shifted from initial scrutiny and doubt to surprise, and then to a hint of almost imperceptible admiration.

He knew Li Dong was a Genius with an extraordinary Rank, but being a Genius and being truly capable of fighting were two different things.

Now he saw that this young man was not some useless person who got in through a recommendation; he truly had ability.

Being in the Foundation Establishment Stage - Early Phase, yet able to so easily deal with two Body Tempering Realm Great Perfection, was not something an ordinary Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator could do. Especially that strange “suppression” power, which made even him feel a slight tremor in his heart.

He didn't speak, but his gaze towards Li Dong held a touch more respect.

Li Dong retracted the Mystic Iron Demon Suppressing Ruler, which instantly returned to its normal size and was held in his hand. He patted imaginary dust from his clothes, as if what had just happened was merely a trivial matter.

This small battle gave him a more intuitive understanding of his Foundation Establishment Realm strength. There was indeed a world of difference between the Foundation Establishment Realm and the Body Tempering Realm. Body Tempering Realm Great Perfection practitioners were like paper tigers in front of him, easily torn apart with a poke. The attack, which fused Spirituality, the suppression Concept, and the power of a Magical Artifact, had even better effects than he had imagined.

He felt that even if he were to face a Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator now, he should be able to contend for a bit, and even have a chance to win. Of course, this was just a preliminary judgment; the experts in the Prefecture would certainly be different.

He looked at the bandit leaders groaning on the ground, then at the minions scrambling away, his heart calm. This was the confidence that strength brought.

He turned and walked towards the carriage.

Lord Wei, the coachman, had already opened the carriage door, his attitude slightly softer than before, though he still didn't say much.

“Lord Li, please.”

Li Dong nodded, bent down, and entered the carriage.

The carriage door closed again, isolating the outside world.

“Let's go,” Li Dong said to the outside.

The carriage gently shook, and the two spirit horses once again started moving, speeding towards the Prefecture.