Chapter 201 The Demon King's First News

Inside the main hall of the Demon Hunting Division, Cheng Xiaoqing and Huo Chao had not yet left.

Huo Chao walked to the map, his finger pointing at the location of Shi Town in the southwest.

"Seven Black-Scaled Demon Snakes, and the lead snake was close to transforming into a dragon. There was a small-scale snake infestation there thirty years ago that was wiped out by local braves. Now it has actually made a comeback, and on a larger scale with stronger demons. I fear..."

Cheng Xiaoqing also leaned back slightly in his chair, nodding with a hint of fatigue.

"In the depths of Black Rock Mountain, I'm afraid something is about to wake up, or... someone deliberately lured it out."

The atmosphere became heavy for a moment, and both men softened their breathing. After a moment of silence, Cheng Xiaoqing finally spoke slowly.

"Bai Junyi led the team this time and showed good coordination, remaining calm in the face of danger. This man has the talent of a general. Feng Qing's archery has improved, and Lu Dachuan remains as brave as ever. Everyone else has their own strengths, but as for that newcomer, Chen Mu..."

As he spoke, he glanced sideways at Huo Chao, his eyes carrying a touch of scrutiny.

"What do you think of this person?"

Huo Chao lowered his eyes, frowning in thought. After a moment's contemplation, he uttered only three words.

"Too steady."

"Steady?" Cheng Xiaoqing raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly interested in this description.

"Yes. This was his first mission for the Prefecture, and he faced a demon infestation with strength close to Grade B. He rescued someone on the front lines, killed a snake demon, and even cooperated with his colleagues to kill the lead snake at the end. Throughout the entire process, according to Bai Junyi's description, this man didn't show a hint of panic, let alone half a moment of hesitation."

Huo Chao looked hesitant, choosing his words carefully, the look of doubt in his eyes deepening.

"I believe this is not the Heart-Nature an ordinary newcomer should have. If I had to find an explanation, perhaps... he gained a lot of experience in the lower counties?"

Hearing this, Cheng Xiaoqing shook his head gently, dismissing the other's guess.

"In Yunmeng, although demon infestations have been frequent in recent years, the strength of the demons there cannot be compared to that of the Prefecture."

"He was able to be transferred up from Yunmeng because he performed meritorious service, naturally. But this level of composure is not something that can be forged by killing a few small demons in a county office. Yunmeng... speaking of Yunmeng, I recall..."

Cheng Xiaoqing's words stopped abruptly. Huo Chao had clearly thought of something as well, but neither spoke, and the hall fell into silence once more.

After a long while, Cheng Xiaoqing finally broke the stalemate.

"The matter of Xu Changze in Yunmeng... you and I have both heard a bit about it. Although the official conclusion is that Xu Changze died in the line of duty after exhausting his strength, everyone understands the internal details. Now, I feel this matter cannot be separated from Chen Mu. For him to be transferred to the Prefecture completely unscathed and to be held in such high regard by Qi Huan, it's definitely not just good luck."

Huo Chao's expression turned serious.

"Are you saying he might have someone behind him, or that he's harboring a secret?"

Cheng Xiaoqing pondered for a moment, then spread his hands helplessly, his tone becoming somewhat casual.

"There's no need to look too deeply into it. As long as his heart is toward the Demon Suppression Division, he's willing to kill demons, and he follows the rules, he's a good prospect."

"Nowadays, demon infestations are growing more intense everywhere; it's exactly when we need people. To have such combat power and Heart-Nature at this age—with proper tempering, he might be able to hold his own in the future."

"It's just that while we use him, we must also be on guard at all times, lest he ends up hurting us instead."

Huo Chao nodded in agreement. Looking out at the soldiers training on the drill grounds, he suddenly remembered something.

"Banner Master, there seems to be movement over at the Demon Search Division."

Cheng Xiaoqing's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"This morning as I passed the Demon Search Division courtyard, I saw several scouts in a great hurry. They were holding a letter and went straight to the back courtyard. I asked around, and they said an old scout under Qi Huan has returned, bringing back news of the Demon King."

"The Demon King... the one that has plagued the Prefecture for decades?"

Huo Chao nodded, his expression solemn.

"Most likely. I heard it was detected in a forbidden land. They lost three experts just to bring back a wisp of its aura."

Cheng Xiaoqing was silent for a long time before slowly saying,

"That Demon King has been entrenched for decades, with tens of thousands of demon soldiers under its command. Even several of the Imperial Court's suppression campaigns returned empty-handed. Now, the Demon Search Division actually dares to poke the tiger's whiskers..."

"I'm afraid it's the intention of the higher-ups," Huo Chao whispered.

"Thousand-Household Liao has been under a lot of pressure these past two years. Demon infestations in various Prefectures are worsening. Our side is still relatively okay, but I've heard that in several Prefectures to the west, the Demon Suppression Division has become almost an empty shell, asking the Imperial Court for reinforcements every year."

Cheng Xiaoqing sneered repeatedly upon hearing this.

"Reinforcements? Where would the Imperial Court get so many troops? The local garrisons can barely protect themselves, let alone have the spare strength to clear out demon infestations. In the end, doesn't it all rely on those of us who work with our heads on the line?"

With that, he rose abruptly and walked to the massive topographical map of the Prefecture on the wall, his finger tracing over several bright red marks—known locations where Great Demons were entrenched.

"The Profound Yin Python of the Profound Yin Cave, the Thousand-Faced Ghost Mandrill of the Desolate Spirit Gorge... every year, our Demon Hunting Division loses eighty to a hundred brothers in these places."

Huo Chao remained silent.

Such was the state of the world. Demons ran rampant, and the Imperial Court's power fell short. The Demon Suppression Division was the Great Wall of flesh and blood plugging the gap. Every year, newcomers arrived and old ones left; those who could survive for three years were veterans, and those who survived five could be called elites.

"If a prospect like Chen Mu can survive, he might become a force to be reckoned with in the future," Cheng Xiaoqing said suddenly.

Huo Chao turned to look at him. "Does the Banner Master intend to Cultivate him?"

"We'll see. The battle at Shi Town was only the beginning. Let him experience a few more tough battles. Whether he's a dragon or a worm will naturally be revealed. If he truly is a talent worth molding..."

Cheng Xiaoqing walked back to his seat, a sharp light flashing in his eyes.

"Thousand-Household Liao has been looking for a successor all these years. Qin Zheng is one, but he's still a bit lacking. If Chen Mu can distinguish himself, perhaps..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but Huo Chao already understood his meaning.

Liao Huaizhong, the Thousand-Household of the Demon Suppression Division, had been in charge of the Jingzhou Prefecture Demon Suppression Division for over ten years, and his cultivation was unfathomably deep. He had several Personal Disciples under him, all of whom were top performers in the division, and Qin Zheng was the one most highly regarded.

However, Liao Huaizhong had never officially established a successor. Every Banner Master and General Squad Leader understood in their hearts that he was waiting—waiting for someone who could truly carry the banner of the Prefecture's Demon Suppression Division.

"As for Qin Zheng..."

Huo Chao hesitated.

Cheng Xiaoqing waved his hand.

"Qin Zheng is good material, but he's too arrogant and lacks experience. If Chen Mu really has the ability, they can compete fairly. Our Demon Hunting Division has always spoken through strength."

As they were speaking, footsteps suddenly came from outside the door, and a member of the Demon Hunting Division reported from outside.

"Banner Master! The Demon Search Division sent someone saying Thousand-Household Liao is summoning the heads of each division for a meeting."

Cheng Xiaoqing and Huo Chao exchanged a look.

"Understood."

The two adjusted their clothes and walked out of the main hall one after the other. Huo Chao followed behind and suddenly whispered,

"If the Banner Master really intends to move against that Demon King, our Demon Hunting Division..."

Cheng Xiaoqing's pace didn't falter, and his voice was steady.

"When it's time to go, no one can escape. Go tell the brothers to hurry up and Cultivate. Exchange the merits that should be exchanged, and use what should be used. Troubled times are coming; every bit of extra strength is another chance at survival."

"Yes."

...

When Chen Mu stepped into the barracks, Ling Xiaoning was sitting cross-legged on his bunk. Several items he had just collected were spread out before him, and he was grinning foolishly. Seeing Chen Mu push the door open, he immediately held up a few medicine bottles and a roll of parchment.

"Chen Mu, Chen Mu! Look what I exchanged for!"

"I took a trip to the Demon Archive Division. My goodness! There are so many good things in there!"

"But our merit this time is Grade C-Middle, which comes to sixty points in total. The range of things we can exchange for is limited. I picked a bottle of Heart-Clearing Pills; they say it can calm the mind and assist in Cultivation. And there's this scroll of 'Wind Chasing Steps'. Although it can't compare to the high-level movement techniques in our division, it's easy to learn, which is perfect for my current Realm!"