57: Daqian Martial Temple
The demonic plague in Qing Province has been resolved, but there is more than one demonic threat within the Da Qian Dynasty.
Therefore, Yan Hong did not dare to delay on his journey, leading Song Ming and the others to Qian Capital at full speed.
His purpose was both to report to the Demon Slayer Division's main headquarters and to request commendation for Song Ming, as well as to eradicate the demons within the Dynasty as quickly as possible.
Half a day later.
A majestic city, dozens of times more prosperous and vast than Qing Province City, finally came into view. Its tall outer bluestone walls gave off an ancient and weighty feeling.
The city gates were heavily guarded, and even before approaching, a soaring Qi could be felt.
This was Qian Capital, the center of the Da Qian Dynasty.
As Yan Hong, the General of Qing Province, personally led his people, the city guards naturally dared not be negligent.
They dispersed the surrounding crowd entering the city, allowing the group to enter quickly.
Stepping onto the long street, the group headed straight for the inner city's imperial palace.
However, their purpose for this trip was not to enter the palace to meet the Emperor.
This was because the true seat of power in the Da Qian Dynasty lay in the Martial Temple.
There, Arhat Golden Bodies were enshrined, and they were the Foundation upon which the Da Qian Dynasty had stood for a thousand years without falling.
Led by Yan Hong, they arrived before the Martial Temple.
Even having seen countless skyscrapers on Blue Star, Song Ming and the others were still inevitably awestruck upon seeing the Martial Temple.
This Martial Temple was a full thirty stories high.
The pillars that supported the entire temple, resembling white jade and glazed tiles, were also thirty zhang long and five zhang wide!
The entire Martial Temple was like a crouching giant beast, silently guarding this imperial city.
Meng Li and Zhang Xinhua both stared dumbfounded at the building before them.
To be fair, this was their first time in Qian Capital.
The prosperous sights they had witnessed in Qian Capital along the way had already filled them with a sense of novelty.
After all, since entering this Secret Realm, they were either doing missions or on their way to accept missions.
Their Rank was not high enough, and their strength was even less so.
Every day was spent busy leveling up and earning money, with no free time for leisure.
If not for Song Ming, they would still be fighting those demons now.
Not to mention this enormous palace before them.
It directly refreshed their worldview.
They looked around incessantly like curious babies; normally, they wouldn't even have the qualifications to enter here.
Entering the Martial Temple.
The interior furnishings were extremely simple.
Only a high platform was set up in front.
Above the high platform.
On both the left and right sides stood terrifying and ferocious Arhat Golden Bodies, some sitting, some standing, some with beast heads and human bodies, some with angry Vajra eyes, or some even looking no different from the demons Song Ming had seen before.
Amidst the twelve Arhat Golden Bodies.
The one in the very center, and the tallest, had a Golden Body of sixteen feet.
It was the Dragon Subduing Arhat form.
Standing still in place, with a fierce and angry expression, it exuded an indescribable oppressive aura.
Yan Hong whispered, “That is the strongest Old Ancestor since the establishment of our Da Qian!”
Song Ming heard this and looked puzzled.
If he was a Da Qian Old Ancestor, why did he give off a foolish, dazed feeling?
Including the remaining dozen or so Arhat Golden Bodies, they felt more like inanimate objects to him!
And most importantly, why did the appearance of these Golden Bodies resemble demons so much?
He wondered if they could be killed?
If killed, would they drop experience and equipment?
Meng Li swallowed, his eyes filled with unconcealed fear.
No wonder the Da Qian Dynasty had been able to withstand the demonic invasion for so long.
It seemed they had many trump cards.
He secretly cast an Appraisal Technique on the sixteen-foot Golden Body in the center.
However, he couldn't get any information.
He had no choice but to give up.
Just as the three were focused on the Golden Bodies in front, a person dressed in blue robes walked into the Martial Temple's entrance.
He reminded them, “Four of you, you may come out now!”
“My apologies, I will take them out of here immediately!”
Yan Hong bowed very politely to the man in blue and then led Song Ming and the others out of the Martial Temple.
Only after leaving the Martial Temple did he softly introduce, “These people are all Disciples within the Martial Temple, each of whom can be considered a Genius of Da Qian.”
Then he pointed to the yamen behind the right side of the Martial Temple.
“That is the headquarters of the Demon Slayer Division, and it is where we are going!”
After Yan Hong finished speaking, he led Song Ming and the others towards the Demon Slayer Division yamen on the right.
As they reached the entrance, before entering the main hall.
They heard a fierce argument coming from inside the hall.
“Inspector, most of my Yi Province’s dozens of prefectural cities have fallen. Please allocate manpower as soon as possible to resolve the demonic chaos within Yi Province City, otherwise, the complete fall of Yi Province is only a matter of time!”
A man's voice came from within.
“General Liu, it’s not that I’m unwilling to allocate manpower to you, but rather that all the Grandmasters within the Da Qian Dynasty have been dispatched by Jin Yang Cave and it’s unknown when they will return.
Moreover, of the thirteen provinces of Da Qian, which one doesn’t have demons wreaking havoc, and which one isn’t in a more critical situation than your Yi Province?
That Wolf King in Qing Province is still eyeing us covetously. At least your Yi Province has two Demon Kings mutually holding each other back.
Yan Hong isn’t anxious, so why are you?
When that group of Grandmasters returns, I will naturally send them to Yi Province to slay demons!”
A cold voice then sounded.
“Sir, we really can’t hold on any longer!” The man who spoke first said, his voice trembling.
“Say no more, you must hold on even if you can’t. Even if Yi Province falls, it’s nothing. As long as Qian Capital remains, our Da Qian will have hope of rising again!”
“General Yan Hong of Qing Province requests an audience with Inspector Zhao Chuan Yuan of the Demon Slayer Division!”
Yan Hong stood outside the door, interrupting the argument between the two inside the yamen.
There was a moment of silence.
Then the cold voice came again.
“Come in!”
With that command, Yan Hong immediately led Song Ming and the others into the Demon Slayer Division yamen.
As soon as they entered the main hall.
Song Ming felt everyone's gaze fall upon him.
He, however, remained calm and began to survey the people standing in the hall.
He saw a dignified-looking middle-aged man sitting in the main seat of the hall, dressed in a black robe and dark attire, with a golden wolf jade talisman hanging from his waist.
On the right side of the hall, below, stood a broad-shouldered, robust dark-skinned man wearing a large cloak.
Beside him were several deputy Generals and personal attendants.
“Yan Hong, as a General, why are you not guarding Qing Province, but instead running to Qian Capital?” Zhao Chuan Yuan, the acting Inspector of the Demon Slayer Division, sternly questioned him.
After speaking, he swept his sharp gaze back and forth over Song Ming.
Upon hearing this, Yan Hong immediately clasped his fists and said, “Reporting to Inspector, the demonic plague in Qing Province has been resolved, and the demons in the Howling Moon Mountains have been completely eradicated!”
“What did you say?”
Zhao Chuan Yuan's expression changed, disbelieving.
Everyone in the hall was also stunned, and the entire yamen instantly became so quiet that a pin could be heard dropping.
“There was an old Demon King in the Howling Moon Mountains, and many demons under him. You, Yan Hong, have been so suppressed by that Wolf King for so many years that you didn’t even dare to leave Qing Province City. Now you’re telling me that all those demons have been eliminated by you?”
Zhao Chuan Yuan stared at Yan Hong, his expression serious.
“This General would never joke. Furthermore, the complete eradication of demons in Qing Province is entirely thanks to the Immortal behind me!”
Yan Hong met his gaze, his tone resolute as he spoke.
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