91: Chapter 91 Southern Prefecture Demon Suppression Division, Gold Medal Commander Lin Feng!

The Capital, the Pinnacle of the Forbidden City, the Golden Throne Hall.

Usually majestic and solemn, where even the officials had to hold their breath, today the court was like a lit powder keg, the atmosphere heavy enough to explode.

A report sent by the Qingzhou Demon Suppression Division via 800-mile emergency courier, having burned through three spirit falcons to arrive, lay quietly on the dragon desk.

In the hall, an old minister with half-white hair and beard, wearing the official robes of a second-rank official, was weeping bitterly.

"Your Majesty! You must uphold justice for the Prince!"

"Demon Lord Xuetu Zhao Lie was a backbone general who followed the Prince through many battles, a powerhouse in the Divine Sea Realm! The three thousand Blood Wolf Guards under his command were the elite troops of our Great Xia Dynasty, undefeated in battle! Yet now, within the borders of Qingzhou, they have been slaughtered to the last man by an unknown Demon Slayer! Not even their bones remain!"

"This beast is lawless and cruel! He treats the laws of our imperial court as nothing and the Prince's personal guards as pigs and dogs! If this trend continues, the nation will no longer be a nation! I implore Your Majesty to unleash your thunderous rage, to execute that madman Lin Feng by slow slicing, to wipe out his nine clans, as a warning to others! To comfort the Prince in heaven... ah, ptooey, to set the Prince's heart at ease!"

The old official cried heart-rendingly, his words filled with righteous indignation, as if he had personally seen how Lin Feng cruelly slaughtered those three thousand "innocent" Blood Wolf Guards.

On the dragon throne, Emperor Xia, dressed in a golden robe with nine dragons, had a face as calm as water, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Beside him stood the Commander-in-Chief of the Demon Suppression Division, a gray-robed elder whose aura was as deep and steady as a mountain, as if he had merged with heaven and earth.

"Censor Zhou." The gray-robed elder spoke slowly, his voice not loud, yet it clearly overpowered the old official's wailing.

"You can eat recklessly, but you cannot speak recklessly. Commander Xiao Xuan's report from Qingzhou is written clearly."

"The remnants of the Moon-Worshipping Cult, insane and fanatical, disguised themselves as Blood Wolf Guards and colluded with the demons within the Demon Locking Array, intending to coordinate from inside and out to overthrow Qingzhou, release the demons, and bring disaster to the common people! Our Demon Suppression Division's Silver Rank Demon Slayer Lin Feng, fearless in the face of danger, turned the tide, and in the midst of the enemy army, slew the Moon-Worshipping Cult Dharma King disguised as Zhao Lie, along with his three thousand demon cultist followers, thereby preserving the Demon Locking Array and protecting the billions of citizens of Qingzhou! This is an immense achievement; what crime is there?"

Censor Zhou looked up abruptly and rebuked angrily: "Complete nonsense! Can the armor and tokens of the Blood Wolf Guards be easily forged? The scale of three thousand people is an even bigger lie! This is clearly a lie fabricated by Xiao Xuan to shield his subordinate!"

The gray-robed elder smiled faintly: "Oh? According to Censor Zhou, are you saying that the Prince of Runan's personal guards left their fiefdom without authorization, carrying heavy weaponry, and assaulted our Demon Suppression Division's critical location? Is that it?"

"This..." Censor Zhou was suddenly speechless, cold sweat pouring down.

This charge was ten thousand times more serious than mere "disguise." The former meant the Moon-Worshipping Cult failed, but the latter meant a Prince intending treason!

"Hmph, glib-tongued!" Another military general stepped out, his voice like a booming bell. "Even if it really was the Moon-Worshipping Cult in disguise, why did Lin Feng leave no survivors? Three thousand people, killed to the last one! How can such a cruel and murderous person hold the important responsibility of a Demon Slayer?"

The gray-robed elder didn't even lift his eyelids.

"Evil demons and heretics should be killed by everyone. Our Demon Suppression Division has always used thunderous means to slay demons and eliminate evil, cutting weeds and eliminating roots to prevent future trouble. Do you want us to invite those demons to sit down for tea and reform them to abandon evil and follow good? General Wang, are you teaching our Demon Suppression Division how to do its job?"

"You!" General Wang was choked until his face turned red.

In the court, there was a clash of words. One side was the faction planted in the court by the Prince of Runan. The other side was the royalist faction led by the Demon Suppression Division.

Everyone knew what the truth was. But truth, in the face of power, was never important. What was important was whose fist was bigger and whose logic was harder.

After a long while, Emperor Xia on the dragon throne tapped the armrest lightly. Thump. With a light sound, the entire court fell silent instantly.

"Enough."

Emperor Xia's majestic gaze swept across the room, and he said slowly: "I trust the Demon Suppression Division, and I also trust Xiao Xuan's report. The Moon-Worshipping Cult has not given up its evil intentions, and their hearts deserve to be punished. The loyalty and bravery of the Blood Wolf Guards are known to all under heaven; how could they do such rebellious things? This matter is undoubtedly a demonic scheme."

Upon hearing this, the officials of the Prince of Runan's faction turned pale. Your Majesty had made the determination.

"However..." Emperor Xia's tone shifted, "That Lin Feng, though he has great merit, has too much murderous intent and acted recklessly, making him difficult to use for major tasks. Remaining in a comfortable place like Qingzhou will only make him proud of his achievements, and I fear it will lead to disaster."

The gray-robed elder understood, bowing slightly: "Your Majesty is wise."

"I have heard that the Nanzhou Demon Suppression Division has long been weak, demons are rampant, and the remnants of the Moon-Worshipping Cult are deeply entrenched. The local Demon Slayers have suffered repeated defeats, losing troops and generals, and have become a festering wound in our Great Xia."

Emperor Xia's voice carried an unquestionable majesty. "Pass on my decree! Qingzhou Silver Rank Demon Slayer Lin Feng has protected Qingzhou with merit, yet his actions were excessive, so his merits and demerits cancel each other out. He is hereby specially promoted to Gold Rank Commander of the Nanzhou Demon Suppression Division, to depart immediately, no delays allowed! I hope he will make up for his faults with meritorious service, eradicate the demons of Nanzhou as soon as possible, and return a bright and clear world to the common people!"

Once the decree was issued, the whole court was in an uproar. The officials of the Prince of Runan's faction were stunned at first, then revealed gloating sneers.

Gold Rank Commander? It sounds like a promotion, but that is Nanzhou! The territory of the Prince of Runan! The most chaotic, dangerous, and deepest quagmire in the entire Great Xia Dynasty! Demons walk everywhere, and powerful clans are as fierce as dogs. Not to mention a Divine Sea Realm cultivator, even a Gathered Crown Realm expert would be stripped of a layer of skin if they fell in! This is not a reward; this is clearly banishment to the front lines, sending him to his death! To give the Prince of Runan an explanation.

Meanwhile, the Demon Suppression Division side secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Your Majesty is brilliant! He protected Lin Feng while giving the Prince of Runan a way out, and threw this murderous star into the place that needed strong medicine the most. Three birds with one stone! The art of imperial power is truly terrifying.

Qingzhou, Demon Suppression Division.

When the gold-stamped imperial decree was delivered by a special messenger via 800-mile emergency courier, Xiao Xuan was completely dumbfounded.

He looked at the six big characters "Nanzhou Gold Rank Commander" on the imperial decree, then looked at Lin Feng, who was standing beside him with an innocent face, as if nothing had happened, and his mentality completely collapsed.

I just wanted to divert the disaster! I didn't tell you to become the boss directly!

Xiao Xuan felt his worldview had been impacted like never before. He hacked a Prince's ace army to death with one blade, and not only was he not punished, but he was promoted from a Silver Rank Demon Slayer of a prefecture city to the highest official of an entire province in one step? This speed of promotion is faster than riding a rocket! Is there no justice left? Is there no imperial law left?

Pojun and Honglian and the others were so shocked that their jaws almost hit the ground. Looking at Lin Feng, their eyes had changed from previous awe to worship, as if looking at a god. This is the real thigh to hug!

"Commander... Commander Lin..." Xiao Xuan's voice was a bit dry; he didn't even dare to call him by his name now.

"Commander Xiao is too polite." Lin Feng patted his shoulder, smiling as warmly as a spring breeze, "In the future, Qingzhou and Nanzhou will be brother units. We should visit more and communicate more."

Communicate my ass! I never want to see you again in my life!

Xiao Xuan roared crazily in his heart, but on his face, he squeezed out a smile that was uglier than crying: "Certainly, certainly."