Chapter 280 Returning Home at Night for Trial

The three of them followed the path they had taken earlier, crossing the forest and walking all the way back until the silhouette of the Demon Suppression Division was visible in the distance, at which point Qi Huan finally spoke.

"Chen Mu, what do you think about what happened tonight?"

Chen Mu did not stop walking; he remained silent for a moment before speaking slowly.

"The Beimang side is more patient than I imagined."

Qi Huan nodded.

"Following you from Yunmeng to the Prefecture, watching you for several months just waiting for you to be alone—this kind of forbearance is truly extraordinary. Moreover, the fact that they were able to set up such an exquisite illusion beneath this temple and use this kind of special incense suggests that someone is guiding them behind the scenes, or..."

He paused, leaving the sentence unfinished.

Chen Mu finished it for him.

"Or, there is something wrong with the temple itself."

Qi Huan glanced at him without denying it.

This temple, this statue of the deity, this incense, and the offerings from the villagers—everything about it seemed strange. If it were just a few demonic creatures finding a random place to stay, why go through the trouble of building such a temple? Why make the villagers offer incense every day?

This temple must have its own history.

Chen Mu said nothing more and quickened his pace while carrying Zhuifeng.

The silhouette of the Demon Suppression Division grew closer, and the familiar gate finally appeared before them.

As soon as the three stepped into the gate of the Demon Suppression Division, the guard on duty inside rushed forward as if he had seen a savior, covering the distance in a few quick strides.

"Chen Mu, you've finally returned!"

The guard ran over, panting, with beads of sweat on his forehead. He blocked their path, his voice filled with urgency.

"Flag-bearer Cheng has been looking for you all night! He said you must see him the moment you return! Go quickly, go quickly, if you're any later, he's going to be furious!"

Chen Mu frowned slightly. Why would Cheng Xiaoqing summon him in the middle of the night?

But he didn't ask further, simply nodding and walking with long strides toward the main hall of the Demon Hunting Division while holding Zhuifeng.

Ling Xiaoning hurried to follow, while Qi Huan walked at the back, frowning slightly, lost in thought.

The main hall of the Demon Hunting Division was brightly lit, and several silhouettes could be seen cast upon the paper windows from afar.

Chen Mu pushed the door open and entered; his gaze swept across the hall, and his footsteps faltered slightly.

Cheng Xiaoqing sat behind the desk, his expression somber and unreadable. Standing beside him was Huo Chao, who was looking at the arrivals with a blank expression.

There was someone else standing in the hall.

Jiang Yuheng.

Jiang Yuheng no longer held his usual arrogance; his face wore a perfectly measured look of indignation as he spoke to Cheng Xiaoqing. Upon hearing the door open, he turned around instinctively.

His gaze swept over Chen Mu, then over the Zhuifeng in his arms, and finally landed on Qi Huan, causing his expression to change instantly.

The change was extremely fast and fleeting, but Chen Mu caught it all.

Jiang Yuheng clearly had not expected Qi Huan to follow him in.

Seeing Qi Huan, a flash of surprise also crossed Cheng Xiaoqing's eyes. He had known Qi Huan for many years; although they belonged to different divisions, they frequently interacted. He had no idea Qi Huan had returned today, and seeing him walk into the meeting hall with Chen Mu made him take another look at Chen Mu.

Since when did this kid get so close to Qi Huan?

However, he remained composed on the surface and simply waved his hand.

"Flag-bearer Qi, when did you return to the Prefecture? Why didn't you send someone to let me know?"

Qi Huan smiled and returned the salute with cupped hands.

"I just arrived today. I intended to call on you tomorrow, Brother Cheng, but I happened to run into Chen Mu on the way. Please don't take offense, Brother Cheng."

Cheng Xiaoqing nodded. His gaze swept over Chen Mu and the others, finally landing on Jiang Yuheng as if he were deliberating something, before he spoke after a moment.

"Huo Chao, bring a seat for Flag-bearer Qi."

Huo Chao acknowledged and brought a chair to the side of the desk. Qi Huan nodded, sat down calmly, swept his gaze over the people in the hall, and then lowered his eyes, remaining silent, maintaining the posture of an outsider.

After all, this was the territory of the Demon Hunting Division. Although he was a Banner Master of the Demon Archive Division, he knew his boundaries. It was not appropriate to say too much right now; he would wait and see how the situation developed.

Seeing Qi Huan take his seat, Chen Mu withdrew his gaze and stood quietly in the hall, holding Zhuifeng, without saying a word.

Ling Xiaoning stood by his side, trying to appear calm, but he couldn't help but sneak a few glances at Jiang Yuheng, his eyes filled with indignation.

Cheng Xiaoqing sat back down and fixed his gaze on Chen Mu, saying in a deep voice.

"It's so late; where did you go?"

Just as Chen Mu was about to answer, Jiang Yuheng spoke up first.

"Flag-bearer Qi, I dare to ask, regarding what happened tonight, may I speak first?"

His voice trembled slightly, carrying a desperate sort of ruthlessness. Cheng Xiaoqing glanced at him and nodded slightly.

"Speak."

Jiang Yuheng took a deep breath, turned to face Cheng Xiaoqing, and said, word by word.

"Flag-bearer Cheng, I was reckless tonight and did something wrong. I have come specifically to confess my guilt to you."

As he spoke, he lifted the hem of his robe, knelt straight down, and kowtowed.

Cheng Xiaoqing frowned slightly but did not speak.

Jiang Yuheng knelt on the ground, his voice hoarse.

"Tonight at the third quarter of the You hour, I encountered Ling Xiaoning and that dog he was holding at the border between the Demon Hunting Division and the Demon Archive Division."

He paused, lowering his head even further.

"That dog... brushed against my pant leg. I was feeling irritable at the time, and in a moment of impulse, I kicked it, snatched it away, and carried it out of the Demon Suppression Division."

This was spoken quite honestly; he did not shirk responsibility or make excuses.

Cheng Xiaoqing listened quietly, his expression remaining unreadable.

Jiang Yuheng continued.

"I was blinded by my own temper at the time and just wanted to vent my frustration, but after walking a distance with the dog, I realized something was wrong."

He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the little black dog in Chen Mu's arms, a flash of complexity in his eyes.

"There is Demonic Qi on this dog."

Once these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the hall immediately became tense. Jiang Yuheng gritted his teeth and continued.

"I grew up in the Jiang Family of the North and have seen many demonic creatures since I was a child. Although the Demonic Qi on that dog is extremely faint, it could not escape my eyes. I thought at the time, as someone from the Demon Hunting Division, why would Chen Mu keep a dog that carries Demonic Qi? Could there be some hidden reason for this?"

"I originally wanted to confront Chen Mu directly, but I was afraid of alerting the enemy. After thinking it over, I decided to first... dispose of the dog, and then immediately rush back to the division... to report this matter to Flag-bearer Cheng."

Jiang Yuheng knelt on the ground, his back straight, but his tone lacked its usual arrogance and aggressiveness, instead revealing an indescribable sense of guilt.

He glanced out of the corner of his eye at the little black dog in Chen Mu's arms. Seeing that although Zhuifeng looked listless, it was still alive, the heavy stone that had been hanging in his heart all night finally fell to the ground.

If this dog had really died, the grudge between him and Chen Mu would be completely set, the kind that ends in death.

Although he, Jiang Yuheng, was arrogant, he was not stupid.

Chen Mu had joined the division for two months, slaying snake demons, battling dragons, and exterminating the Human-faced Bat King. Every single one of these was a solid achievement, and even Cheng Xiaoqing favored him. It was better not to offend such a person if one could avoid it.

Not to mention Qi Huan.

This Banner Master of the Demon Archive Division had actually given his own quota for the Marrow Cleansing Pool to Chen Mu. Even a fool could see that this relationship was not ordinary.

Although the Jiang Family of the North, where he, Jiang Yuheng, came from, had some background, in this Prefecture, he was nothing more than an ordinary Demon Hunting Soldier. If he really were to fight Chen Mu to the end, he would be the only one to suffer.