15: Chapter 15 People from the Demon Suppression Division Arrive

The case of the extermination of the Zhang family and the subsequent fire in Qingyang County was ultimately closed with the conclusion: "The work of Moon-Worshipping Cult evildoers, eradicated by the divine might of Constable Lin, who then committed suicide by fire out of fear of punishment."

The file was written simply, but the ripples it caused far exceeded everyone's imagination.

A small place like Qingyang County had actually become entangled with a demonic cult, and a Second-Order Demon had died; this was already beyond the scope of what the County Magistrate's office could handle.

Magistrate Zhao Dehai dared not show the slightest negligence and reported the entire situation to the Nanyan Prefecture government.

Three days later, outside the gates of Qingyang County, three horses kicked up dust as they galloped toward the city.

The leader was a woman dressed in black martial attire, draped in a matching cloak.

She was in her early twenties, possessing stunning beauty, yet her temperament was as cold as a perennial iceberg; her Phoenix eyes were sharp as knives, as if they could see right through a person's heart.

Hanging at her waist was a mysterious iron token, with an ancient character for "Suppression" engraved in cinnabar; the edges of the token were inlaid with a ring of red copper, shimmering with a cold luster in the sunlight.

Adorned with red copper, this was the symbol of a Copper Medal Demon Slayer from the Nanyan Prefecture Demon Suppression Division!

Behind her were two burly men also dressed in black, with solemn expressions and fierce eyes; hanging at their waists were iron tokens cast from mysterious iron.

Both men had bulging temples and long, steady breathing; every movement they made carried the distinct rhythm of True Qi circulating within them.

They were actually both martial arts experts of the Meridian Opening Realm!

As soon as the three entered the city, an invisible, murderous aura began to permeate the air.

The pedestrians on the street seemed to feel a certain pressure emanating from superiors, retreating in haste and watching these three uninvited guests with awe.

"Such thick blood-evil resentment," said the Iron Medal Demon Slayer on the left, named Zhao Tie, in a muffled voice.

He sniffed the scent that had not yet fully dissipated in the air, a hint of gravity flashing in his eyes.

"It seems that many people indeed died here a few days ago, and there are traces of demons at work."

"The methods of the Moon-Worshipping Cult have always been this way," interjected the leaner man on the right, Li Rui, his gaze sweeping sharply across the surroundings.

"Boss, are we going straight to the ruins of the Zhang estate, or to the County Magistrate's office first?"

The woman in the lead, the leader of this operation and Copper Medal Demon Slayer, Chu Mengxi, parted her red lips slightly.

"To the County Magistrate's office. I want to meet this Lin Feng."

In the archives of the Nanyan Prefecture Demon Suppression Division, Qingyang County was just an inconspicuous subordinate county; it was unlikely that a case requiring the Demon Suppression Division to personally intervene would occur even once in a hundred years.

Yet, in this short month, several major events had occurred in this small place in quick succession.

Fierce bandits killed, a zombie beheaded, a water ghost executed, the Black Tiger Gang wiped out in a single night, and now a Moon-Worshipping Cult stronghold had been exposed... and all these events pointed to the same name.

Lin Feng.

A new constable who had been in office for less than a month and came from an orphan background.

The file described him as "gifted with extraordinary talent and peerless bravery," but Chu Mengxi smelled something unusual in these simple eight characters.

She did not believe a Martial Artist in the Body Tempering Realm could accomplish all of this.

There must be hidden circumstances behind this.

Inside the County Magistrate's office, Lin Feng was closing his eyes to rest.

After reaching the ninth level of Body Tempering, the power within his body had reached a Bottleneck; the Qi Guidance Art, this basic Cultivation Technique, was now like chicken ribs—tasteless to eat but a pity to throw away—and could no longer provide any assistance.

He urgently needed a more Advanced Cultivation Technique to break through to the legendary "Meridian Opening Realm."

Connecting the bridge between heaven and earth, guiding True Qi into the body, and having it flow through the Meridians—that was the true path of a Martial Artist.

And the only ones who could provide him with all of this were the Demon Suppression Division.

He knew they would definitely come.

"Constable!"

A yamen runner ran in, looking flustered, "Outside... there are three people outside claiming to be from the prefecture-level Demon Suppression Division, and they want to see you."

"Understood."

Lin Feng opened his eyes, his gaze calm and waveless, "Invite them in."

A moment later, the three of them—Chu Mengxi and the others—walked into the constable's office.

The moment Chu Mengxi saw Lin Feng, a flash of surprise couldn't help but cross her cold Phoenix eyes.

The young man before her was much younger and far more handsome than she had imagined.

He just sat there quietly, yet his body seemed to be shrouded in a faint mist, making it difficult even for her, an expert of the True Qi Realm, to see him clearly.

Especially those eyes, deep as an ancient well, lacking the sharp edge that young people should have, possessing only a calmness that comes after experiencing the vicissitudes of life.

This was a person with a story.

This was Chu Mengxi's first impression of Lin Feng.

"Nanyan Prefecture Demon Suppression Division, Copper Medal Demon Slayer, Chu Mengxi."

Chu Mengxi got straight to the point, stating her identity in a cold voice.

"Iron Medal Demon Slayer, Zhao Tie."

"Iron Medal Demon Slayer, Li Rui."

The two behind her also announced their names in succession.

Lin Feng slowly stood up and calmly cupped his hands, "Qingyang County Constable, Lin Feng. You three have traveled a long way, thank you for your trouble."

His attitude was neither servile nor overbearing; he showed neither the obsequiousness of a small-town official meeting superiors nor the arrogance of someone who had achieved success at a young age.

This caused Chu Mengxi's estimation of him to rise a few notches.

"We are here for the case of the Zhang family extermination."

Chu Mengxi got straight to the point, cutting directly to the topic, "The file says that you single-handedly wiped out the Moon-Worshipping Cult stronghold and also slew a Second-Order Demon, the Three-Eyed Demon Ape?"

"Just good fortune."

"Good fortune?"

Hearing this, the hot-tempered Zhao Tie couldn't help but sneer.

"Do you know what a Second-Order Demon means? That is equivalent to a human Martial Artist in the Meridian Opening Realm! A Body Tempering Martial Artist like you, who hasn't even reached the Meridian Opening Realm, telling me you luckily killed it? Are you telling us a fairy tale?"

In Zhao Tie's view, this kid was lying, and there must be an expert helping him from behind the scenes.

Chu Mengxi did not stop Zhao Tie's questioning; her Phoenix eyes were also fixed tightly on Lin Feng, wanting to see even the slightest flaw on his face.

However, Lin Feng's expression remained as calm and waveless as an ancient well.

"The facts are as they are. Whether you believe it or not is up to you."

"You!"

Zhao Tie was enraged by his impervious attitude and was about to lash out.

"Zhao Tie."

Chu Mengxi's cold voice rang out, stopping him.

"The Demon Suppression Division handles cases based on evidence and strength. No matter how beautifully the file is written, it is not as good as seeing it with one's own eyes. I want to know if your strength is worthy of your battle record."

"How do you want to see it?" Lin Feng asked.

"Very simple."

The corners of Chu Mengxi's mouth curled into a faint arc, "Take three moves from Zhao Tie. If you can take them, I will believe seventy percent of your account regarding the Zhang family case, and I will personally recommend you to the Prefecture Division and recruit you into my Demon Suppression Division. If you cannot take them..."

She did not finish her sentence, but the meaning was self-evident.

If you cannot take them, then all your previous merits will likely be marked with a big question mark.

This was both a test and a warning.

"Boss, why three moves? To deal with a bragging kid like this, one move is enough for me!"

Zhao Tie rubbed his palms together; he was a First-Level Meridian Opening Realm Martial Artist, his True Qi immensely thick, and in his view, dealing with someone in the Body Tempering Realm was like using a butcher's cleaver to kill a chicken.

"No need."

Just then, Lin Feng shook his head.

Zhao Tie thought he was scared and laughed disdainfully, "What? Know you're afraid now? It's too late!"

Lin Feng looked at Chu Mengxi and said calmly, "What I mean is, it's too much trouble."

"Let them both come at me together."

"To save time."

As soon as these words were spoken, the air in the entire office instantly froze.

Zhao Tie and Li Rui were both stunned, and then endless rage surged onto their faces.

Arrogant!

Too arrogant!

As Iron Medal Demon Slayers of the Demon Suppression Division and experts of the Meridian Opening Realm, were they not respected wherever they went?

Today, they were actually being looked down upon like this by a Body Tempering Realm constable from a remote frontier county!

Even the usually cold Chu Mengxi felt a flash of anger in her Phoenix eyes.

She had seen arrogant people, but never anyone so ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Zhao Tie laughed in extreme anger, "Kid, you brought this on yourself! Today, I will let you know that between the Meridian Opening Realm and the Body Tempering Realm lies a chasm you can never cross!"

"Li Rui, let's go together! Teach this kid a lesson he will never forget!"