"So that's how it is."
Shen Yi savored the new Blood Fiend Blade Technique in his mind, each move filled with fierce and murderous energy.
It was evidently tainted with the ruthlessness of demons and bore no resemblance to the well-regulated Demon-subduing Sword Technique from which it was derived.
Violence against violence!
This was a complete martial art truly belonging to the Initial Realm, and it wasn't even in the same league as the Zhengyang Sword, which was forcibly advanced by taking shortcuts.
With the cultivation of Initial Realm Perfection, if he were to face that yellow-skinned creature again, Shen Yi was confident he could take it down within three strikes.
He looked at the panel.
The life span of the demon was only left with a hundred and thirty years, the excess was spent on the other two martial arts, unfortunately yielding little, merely obtaining a talent similar to Fist and Palm Mastery.
[Light as a Swallow: Years of lightness skill accumulation have made you more proficient at controlling your body, making your movements more graceful]
It was better than nothing.
Shen Yi did not feel disappointed; he now understood the use of this panel.
To deduce new martial arts, what's more important than time is the accumulation of "materials."
Relying solely on lifespan, one's hopes can only be placed on an ephemeral stroke of inspiration.
Only by learning more martial arts can one achieve an understanding in deduction, draw inferences from one fact, and thus create something new.
This isn't something that can be accomplished by an empty mind, just sitting there daydreaming.
For example, the Blood Fiend Blade Technique combined the power of the Blood Fiend from the Beast Origin, and the Wind-Thunder Precious Scroll could evolve the path of the Initial Realm because of the existence of the Zhengyang Sword.
"One must be contented with what one has."
The improvement he made in one night might take a whole lifetime for an ordinary person without the help of Precious Medicines or miraculous encounters.
This was already a great opportunity.
Shen Yi got up and looked at the closet, where Lin Baiwei's washed and dried clothes for him were placed.
He reached out to take them, removed his undershirt, and revealed nearly perfect muscle lines, the only imperfection being that due to his laziness, even patrolling the streets was too much effort, resulting in his skin having an unhealthy pale white color.
That wasn't a big problem, just needed more sun.
Shen Yi quickly changed his clothes, turned around, and saw the woman standing still at the back door, holding her breath.
"Is there something?"
"Just looking around."
Lin Baiwei withdrew her lingering gaze expectantly, rubbing her stomach, "Is there breakfast today?"
Shen Yi turned and went out the door, bought two pancakes from a small stall, and thinking of the two martial arts books he had yet to obtain, he hesitated, "Add an egg... How much is it?"
Logically, as the head of the constables and without any bad habits, he shouldn't be short of silver to spend.
The predecessor had quite a few ways to make money, if only he could be ruthless...
"Officer Shen, what money for two pancakes? If you like them, just come and eat more." The vendor bowed his head and handed over the wrapped pancakes.
"Thank you for the kindness, but it's not necessary." Shen Yi shook his head, took out ten copper coins, and placed them on the table.
He brought breakfast home.
Shen Yi munched on the pancakes as he walked to the yamen, but halfway there he noticed something was amiss.
Whether it was the bun seller or the vegetable porter, passersby were all casting curious glances, yet when he looked back at them, they hurriedly bowed their heads and pretended to be busy with their work.
"From now on in Baiyun County, anything to do with demonic spirits and evil must be brought to him."
"Talking nonsense so early in the morning, if you're worried that your daughter or maidservants are too innocent, or that your pockets are too full of silver to spend, he'll surely be able to help you out, demons?"
"Keep your voice down, do you know what happened yesterday? There are no more demons in the West Suburb. Two country bumpkins from the villages said so themselves, all the demons that were everywhere have been beheaded and sent to our county, and the leader was Officer Shen."
Shen Yi, who had become an Initial Realm Martial Master, took in all the whispers around him like a swarm of mosquitoes.
He quickened his pace and stepped into the yamen's office.
The situation inside was no different from usual, just a bit emptier.
In the vast courtyard, there were unexpectedly only four people. Chen Ji, with an expressionless face, was sweeping the floor with a broom, the Niu brothers and Zhang Dahua crouched at the entrance with a dull gaze, looking at each other.
Seeing Shen Yi enter.
Zhang Dahua leapt up from the ground with a howl, screaming, "Officer Shen, you're finally here! You must stand up for us!"
He rushed over, looking extremely aggrieved.
"Why aren't we allowed to patrol the streets, and instead have to deal with those demonic beasts? How much benefit do those three streets in the West provide? All that is the hard-earned family business of the brothers, and Song just nullified it with a single word!"
"Officer Shen, you're the favorite of Liu Dianli before his very eyes. If someone named Song dares to be so arrogant, he isn't just slapping us in the face, he is clearly..."
Chen Ji silently bumped him aside and came to Shen Yi's side, whispering, "This is the Eunuch Clerk's intent."
The four people left in the office just happened to be those who had gone to the scene of the Liu Family tragedy yesterday.
The intention of Liu Dianli was quite clear now.
Not only did he want to marginalize these few people, but he also wanted them dead, to show others what would happen if they mixed with Shen Yi.
So, you're good at killing demons?
Then you shall kill them all.
Post a public notice for all to see, first raise you to the highest, then watch you fall with cold eyes.
If you dare not, then behave properly and stop stirring up trouble.
"He knows you killed the Yellow Skin, came in the middle of the night, threw a tantrum, and left before dawn, afraid of bumping into you."
Chen Ji showed a bitter smile.
Obviously, Shen Yi's sudden display of strength had severely shocked Liu Dianli, even to the point of utter terror.
But this was still not enough...
Even the powerful expert that the magistrate had fetched from Qingzhou, who had the strength to fight the Yellow Skin, only received a salary of six hundred taels a month.
Six hundred taels of silver with snowflake patterns could squash an ordinary person, but in the murky waters of Baiyun County, it wouldn't even cause a splash.
Beyond the Dog Demon, there were more fearsome maneating demons outside the county.
If a problem arises, even if the Demon-suppression Bureau were to intervene, they would have to first take over the entire county, relocate the civilians, and then take firm and steady actions. If they could solve the demon trouble within three to five years, that would be quite impressive.
Don't think it's just a matter of a few years.
For the magistrate and other officials, it's as if a decade of hard study had gone to waste, with their futures turning bleak and no chance of advancement.
Even if the Imperial Court cleared the demon infestations and let him return to his position, all that would be left in his hands would be a depopulated and impoverished county, which was utterly unacceptable.
If not for the fact that obstructing demon elimination was a grave crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations, and Shen Yi possessed extraordinary martial skills,
The authorities might not even bother with such a despicable plan, but would readily strip him of his position or seek someone to take his head.
"Officer Shen." Chen Ji's expression was complex. He had a sister at home who needed his care, but suddenly, he was labeled as Shen Yi's "accomplice" by those above, and his thoughts inevitably turned heavy.
He himself was in such a position, but the other party was the primary target of the targeting.
With this in mind, his eyes filled with additional sympathy,
"Before Liu Dianli left, he left me with a message. He said, if you come to your senses, carry a jug of wine and sit with him... he said if the magistrate can give others six hundred taels, could he possibly shortchange you..."