"Last night, rebellion erupted within the Demon-Subduing Division, and the Stewards of the four Demon Hunting Courts bear inescapable responsibilities. Three years of your salaries and resource subsidies will be deducted. Do you have any objections?" Dongfang Zhao spoke with a calm tone. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ NoveI[F]ire.net
Upon hearing this, Wei Lan and the others all bowed their heads and responded, "We have no objections!"
Three years’ salary was a minor issue. Although a Steward’s salary was higher than that of a common Demon Hunter, it wasn’t substantially so. A few years’ salary, at most, amounted to a couple of thousand silver. The real severity lay in the deduction of three years’ resource subsidies. Like the members of the Hidden Heart Pavilion, the Stewards of the four Demon Hunting Courts received substantial resource subsidies each year. Thus, a sudden deduction of three years’ worth was, for them, indeed a grievous punishment. However, none felt any reason to dispute this. After all, the Stewards could not shirk their responsibilities for the issues that had arisen within the Demon-Subduing Division. Upon taking up such a position, one must bear the associated responsibilities. This was inevitable.
"Furthermore—" Dongfang Zhao’s gaze fell upon Shen Changqing. "This time, someone attempted to storm the Demon-Subduing Prison. Shen Chumo’s efforts were crucial in preventing the Demon Evils within the Demon-Subduing Prison from wreaking havoc on the Capital City, a truly remarkable feat. Moreover, he played a significant part in the struggle against the escaping Great Demon. The Demon-Subduing Division has always adhered to clear distinctions between rewards and punishments. Errors must be sanctioned, and achievements must be commended. Now, Shen Chumo is hereby promoted directly to the rank of Heaven Rank Demon Hunter and may also serve as a Martial Hall Elder."
Heaven Rank Demon Hunter! Martial Hall Elder! The expressions of everyone present changed slightly.
Being promoted to Heaven Rank Demon Hunter wasn’t unusual; any martial artist in the late stage of the Grandmaster realm qualified for that rank. As for Grandmaster Peak, such individuals were rare not only in the Jianghu but also within the Demon-Subduing Division. Therefore, all Heaven Rank Demon Hunters were essentially Grandmasters in their later stages. However, what truly shocked them was Shen Changqing’s direct elevation from a member of the Martial Hall to a Martial Hall Elder. If the status of a Heaven Rank Demon Hunter was distinguished, then the status of a Martial Hall Elder ranked just below that of a Defender Envoy. Or, to be precise, a Martial Hall Elder’s status was only below that of the Capital Defender; in other places, a Martial Hall Elder’s status wasn’t much lower than that of other Defender Envoys. Even the Stewards of the four Demon Hunting Courts ranked lower than a Martial Hall Elder.
Immediately, Jiang Zuo clasped his hands and laughed, "Congratulations, Brother Shen!"
"Congratulations to Shen Chumo—no, it should be Elder Shen now!" Wei Lan also offered her congratulations.
The representatives from the Demon Sealing Hall and Suppressing Evil Hall also looked towards Shen Changqing, a trace of curiosity in their eyes. The members of both these Halls almost always ignored external affairs, so their knowledge of Shen Changqing was quite limited.
Below, Shen Changqing received his orders, "Thank you, Defender Dongfang!"
The direct promotion from Earth Rank to Heaven Rank Demon Hunter saved him considerable Merit Point expenditure. It was known that the promotion of a Demon Hunter required consuming Yin Evil Aura from the Pure Spirit Jade Pendant, the primary source for exchanging Merit Points. The advancement from Earth Rank to Heaven Rank required a substantial amount of Yin Evil Aura. Saving this many Merit Points was certainly a good thing. However, the position of Martial Hall Elder took him somewhat by surprise. As for the duties of a Martial Hall Elder, Shen Changqing wasn’t quite clear. But since Dongfang Zhao had mentioned it, he trusted that Dongfang Zhao would explain it clearly.
At this moment, a figure drifted in from outside. "Defender Dongfang, how could you start the meeting without calling me?"
Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look at the newcomer with puzzled expressions. Only the two Elders of the Hidden Heart Pavilion showed slightly more respectful demeanors.
Seeing the arrival, Dongfang Zhao’s voice took on a hint of coldness. "You have the audacity to return? With such a major incident in the Internal Affairs Hall, you, as its Pavilion Master, cannot escape responsibility. I have every reason to suspect that you may also have secretly colluded with the Demon Evils!"
"Hey, hey, hey, you need evidence to talk like that! Don’t just sling mud. Their betrayal is their business; what does it have to do with me? The moment I heard about the Demon Evils’ movements, I rushed back. So, I rush back only to be met with your suspicion? Is that it?" The Internal Affairs Hall Master’s expression was exaggerated, and his voice boomed.
Seeing the flamboyant figure before him, Shen Changqing felt a jolt in his heart. Internal Affairs Hall Master! The four Pavilion Masters of the Hidden Heart Pavilion were rumored to be experts at the peak of their respective systems. This meant the middle-aged man before him was a Grandmaster Peak expert. Peak of the Spiritual System? Or the peak of the Physical System? At the moment, his attention was focused entirely on the other party, but the Pavilion Master was adept at concealing his true power, so Shen Changqing couldn’t immediately gauge his depth.
Dongfang Zhao looked at the man before him, a fleeting hint of helplessness in his eyes. He then pointed at the man and introduced him to Shen Changqing and the others, "This is Pavilion Master Yi Ning of the Internal Affairs Hall."
"Greetings, Pavilion Master Yi!" each of them said, clasping their fists.
Yi Ning casually waved his hand and shook his head. "No need for such formality. Feel free to visit the Internal Affairs Hall when you have time. It’s quite quiet there now."
Afterward, Yi Ning looked towards Shen Changqing, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. "Not bad. After some time, the Demon-Subduing Division has produced another powerful expert. It’s been a long time since a Grandmaster of the Great Sun Furnace has appeared, hasn’t it?"
Great Sun Furnace! Everyone present was shocked. At the same time, they suddenly understood why Dongfang Zhao had allowed Shen Changqing to become a Martial Hall Elder. It turned out this man was a Grandmaster Peak expert. Wei Lan and Jiang Zuo, in particular, were even more shocked than the others. If not for the inappropriate setting, both would have liked to ask in detail if Shen Changqing had truly broken through to Grandmaster Peak. However, since these words came from the mouth of the Internal Affairs Hall Master, their authenticity was all but confirmed.
"Martial Hall Elder Shen Changqing greets Pavilion Master Yi!" Shen Changqing saluted with clasped fists, ignoring the shocked gazes of those around him.
Just moments before, he had detected a faint spiritual power sweeping over him. With this, the Internal Affairs Hall Master was very likely a Grandmaster at the peak of the Spiritual System. Otherwise, he couldn’t possibly have seen through Shen Changqing at a glance. While speaking, the Qi and blood in his flesh pulsed, dispersing all the spiritual power that clung to his body. Had anyone else dared to probe him with spiritual power, Shen Changqing would have long since turned hostile. However, given the current situation and Pavilion Master Yi’s status, he merely maintained his composure.
"Martial Hall Elder." Yi Ning raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t angered by his spiritual power being dispersed; after all, he had been the one to overstep first. What truly surprised him was Shen Changqing’s new status.
Then, Yi Ning seemed to recall something, a look of sudden understanding on his face. "So you’re Shen Changqing! I’ve heard much about your renown during my travels in the Jianghu. Impressive. In my opinion, you’d even be suited for the position of Martial Hall Master."
"Pavilion Master Yi!" Dongfang Zhao’s face darkened. One shouldn’t speak so carelessly. Even though these words weren’t a major problem in themselves, if they reached the ears of someone with ulterior motives, trouble could easily arise.
Yi Ning said carelessly, "I’ve long felt that old Martial Emperor wasn’t quite suitable for the role of Martial Hall Master. It’s one thing for the other division heads to be Spiritual System peak experts, but for the Martial Hall to be the same? Logically, the Martial Hall should be all about visceral, fist-to-flesh combat."
The others remained silent upon hearing this. As the Internal Affairs Hall Master, Yi Ning could speak casually, but it wouldn’t be appropriate for others of their status to get involved.
Dongfang Zhao raised his hand to intervene. "Enough. Let’s not speak of this matter again." Seeing that Yi Ning was about to speak again, he shot Yi Ning a glare, and the latter had no choice but to fall silent.
Afterward, Dongfang Zhao turned towards Wei Lan and the others. "The rebellion of Demon Hunters within the four Demon Hunting Courts must be thoroughly investigated. Additionally, compile a complete list of the rebels. This matter will not be tolerated in the slightest. They must understand that the price for betraying the Demon-Subduing Division is far worse than mere death."
"We understand!" Wei Lan and the others shivered and hastily responded. Although Dongfang Zhao appeared calm, they could all sense the fury simmering beneath the surface. The betrayal of the Demon Hunters had truly enraged the Defender Envoy.
"Alright, you may all leave now." Dongfang Zhao waved his hand.
Shen Changqing and the others turned and left, leaving only Yi Ning, who remained in place.
When only the two of them were left in the grand hall, Dongfang Zhao finally spoke. "Tan Tianji’s betrayal is bound to cause significant problems. With one Tan Tianji, I worry there might be a second. If the Hidden Heart Pavilion has been completely infiltrated by the Demon Evil Clan, we will be in dire trouble."
The Demon-Subduing Division could still handle the betrayal of a single Tan Tianji, despite the considerable disturbance it caused. The problem was that with one betrayer, a second or even a third could emerge. This was Dongfang Zhao’s true worry. The Hidden Heart Pavilion wasn’t like other places; it was of paramount importance to the Demon-Subduing Division. If a problem there wasn’t handled properly, it could send shockwaves throughout the entire Division.
On the other side, Yi Ning casually found a place to sit, an unconcerned expression on his face. "I told you long ago not to establish the Internal Affairs Hall. Even if you did, you shouldn’t have assigned those kinds of people there. When facing life and death, it’s very easy for a person’s mentality to become warped. Those fellows in the Internal Affairs Hall all have one foot in the grave. Assigning them to the Internal Affairs Hall was like telling them to sit there and wait for death. Initially, they might have been able to restrain themselves, but over time, problems were bound to arise."
After a pause, Yi Ning continued, "It’s actually good that Tan Tianji betrayed us. At least he was the only one to betray us; the Internal Affairs Hall wasn’t completely infiltrated. If it had dragged on longer, perhaps others would have betrayed us too. If it had all erupted then, that would have been real trouble."
"What are your plans for the Internal Affairs Hall now?"
"What else can I do? I’ll just find a few people to go in and manage the Internal Affairs Hall’s matters. After all, these are minor issues. As for the Demon Sealing Tower, you’ll have to figure that out yourself. The blade once meant for our enemies is now turned against ourselves. Truly amusing." In his view, Tan Tianji’s betrayal also proved that the Demon-Subduing Division’s original decision was wrong.
Suddenly, Dongfang Zhao’s gaze fell upon Yi Ning. "So, what about you? Have you betrayed the Demon-Subduing Division?"