oughtful expression.He said something more.“Huang Jie's demon-hunting tasks will always involve strange and paranormal occurrences. If you lack the strength to contend with such entities, even if you...Ding—

Mars erupted.

Shen Changqing turned back to look at Zhang Long, who was holding a long knife and looked terrified. There was regret on his face.

"Zhang the Head Catcher, you're too impatient!"

He had originally planned to play with the strange creature in the dream world properly, but Zhang Long's attack directly pulled him out of it.

There's nothing we can do about it.

The eerie strength of the illusion realm is not strong. If there were no outsiders interfering, Shen Changqing would still need some time to break through the illusion.

It is possible for external interference to occur.

Illusions will be shattered directly.

“How is that possible How could you be completely unharmed—” Zhang Long exclaimed in disbelief. He was well aware of the power behind his own strike.

Even a master at the Meridian Circulation Realm.

Under such unprepared circumstances, to endure a blade thrust from oneself and absolutely have no chance of survival.

Let alone.

He aimed for the neck and other vital areas.

Just—

Zhang Long never expected that Shen Changqing would be one of the Thirteen Protectors, and not only had he mastered his training to perfection, but he had also broken through to an unprecedented fifteenth level.

Fifteen layers of thirteen Taipao practice martial arts.

It's not that it's impervious to water and fire, but rather it has reached a state where even swords and spears cannot penetrate.

With the physique of a warrior, even if Shen Changqing stood there and let him hack, except for vital points like his eyes, he wouldn't have any problems.

“I told you, you’re too impatient.”

Shen Changqing shook his head and walked slowly towards Zhang Long.

An invisible pressure made Zhang Long involuntarily take a step back.

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Suddenly.

He slashed out with his sword, the cold blade imbued with pure yang qi. In a lightning-fast strike, he severed Zhang Long's arm wielding the sword. The searing heat even scorched the wound.

>

"Ah—"

The excruciating pain caused Zhang Long to scream, his face instantly turning as pale as a sheet.

Just as Shen Changqing took his second step, the surrounding illusion suddenly changed, and he was back in the courtyard.

Those several black shadows were now clearly visible, it turned out to be several short children.

But what was different was that the few children's faces were as pale as corpses, their lips were dark purple, and some places were even rotting to the point of maggots. The stench of decay filled the air.

"Get out!"

Shen Changqing roared angrily, his pure yang zhenqi erupting suddenly.

Eight layers of pure yang zhenqi, combined with the Seven Killing sword technique, slashed out in an instant, tearing apart several people in front of him.

Body torn apart.

A scream, unlike any human voice, rang out, and several children scattered like black smoke.

The next moment.

The scene disappears.

The severed arm, still clutched in its grip on the blade, remained on the ground, but Zhang Long's trace had vanished.

Looking at the blood on the ground, Shen Changqing's face was cold as he chased after him.

In a deserted village.

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Zhang Long was clutching his severed arm, stumbling and fleeing, occasionally glancing back over his shoulder, his face still etched with lingering fear.

Until now.

He couldn't believe he had fallen so low.

"Impossible—"

“I clearly poisoned him in the pastries, according to the time it should be when he's experiencing the effects. Why is he still performing at such a high level!”

Zhang Long couldn't believe it.

In order to calculate the precise time and ensure everything went smoothly, he didn't immediately make his move while Shen Changqing was lost in his illusion. Instead, he waited silently for the poison to take effect before making his deadly strike.

Even so.

I still messed up.

And —

It was a real fumble.

He chopped off his own arm in one swift move, leaving him no time to react. Such power was far beyond the capabilities of any ordinary martial artist.

Just then.

A biting wind swept in from behind.

Years of combat experience allowed Zhang Long to lunge to the left. At the same time, he saw a wave of searing blade energy slash across the ground, leaving shallow but distinct marks.

Shen Changqing walked closer with his sword drawn.

Looking at Zhang Long lying on the ground, with no strength left, a murderous intent rose in his heart.

"Why"

He doesn't understand.

Why would Zhang Long harm himself

After arriving in Lin'an City, Shen Changqing understood many things, but he still didn't understand Zhang Long's purpose in attacking him.

“If I tell you, will you let me live”

Zhang Long panted heavily, his eyes gleaming with a thirst for life.

Shen Changqing pondered for a moment: "If you tell me, you'll be crippling yourself. I can spare your life."

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“Good!”

>

Shen Changqing still stood in place, his unsheathed long knife stained with blood. Zhang Long lay on the ground, his body severed.

He broke his promise.

Once Zhang Long revealed the truth, it marked the end of his life.

Actually, back when they were in Lin'an City, Zhao Fang said that all the villagers had been moved out, and Shen Changqing hadn't noticed anything amiss.

...but then.

>

He found the atmosphere in Lin'an City different, and that's when he realized there was a problem.

Silence!

Peace!

It doesn't look like a demonic apparition at all.

For ordinary people, the appearance of demons and monsters should have been met with fear and panic. However, the people of Lin'an City were not.

It is obvious.

News of demons did not spread.

This is inconsistent with what I have said to Zhao Fang and Zhang Long.

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...and.

Zhang Long today gave his own pastry, when he ate the first bite, he found that the pastry was problematic.

Unfortunately, though the poison in the pastries was potent, it couldn't withstand the power of his own pure yang energy.

In the presence of eight layers of pure yang zhenqi.

The poison of the pastries was quietly neutralized.

There are many reasons.

Shen Changqing was basically certain that the demons in Lin'an City were definitely not as simple as just demons. Both Zhao Fang and Zhang Long had problems, but he just couldn't figure out what their purpose was.

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Until Zhang Long confessed, he truly understood.

The villagers had already died, all slain by demons. But Lin'an City only reported a few deaths and sent the news upwards, in order to lure the Demon Suppression Department here.

A yokai of barely Gyouki level, the Demon Suppression Office definitely wouldn't dispatch a too powerful exorcist.

The most likely scenario is that they dispatched a trainee demon slayer over as part of an assessment mission.

"A few apprentice demon slayers, even those at the Meridian Opening Realm, wouldn't be too strong!"

A powerful Specter-grade monster, after devouring several masters of the Vein Pulse realm, is very likely to transform into a Grievance-grade one.

This is Zhang Long's purpose.

In the quiet and stillness, a malevolent apparition was cultivated.

After all, a vengeful monster requires a considerable amount of souls and flesh to be properly cultivated. It's simply not something that could be satisfied by the people of one or two villages.

By then.

With so many dead, the Demon Suppression Division will surely take notice.

Once a powerful figure from the Demon Suppression Office set their sights on Lin'an City, it would be feared that any Rank 7 Ghostly Beast unable to ascend would already have fallen victim to the Demon Suppression Office.

Therefore.

Only by using high-quality essence blood can you nourish that ghastly, spectral creature. Let it successfully ascend before the Demon Suppression Bureau fully realizes the problem.es of the Qin Empire. It ranked highly in terms of overall strength, surpassed only by the Imperial Capital and the Wilderness Ministry in size.At the same time.Nan You Fu is also connected to the cap...