The moment the Pure Yang Technique broke its limits, it had already changed. Unfortunately, enhancing the Pure Yang Technique through the panel merely boosted my strength without granting the corresponding memories. In other words, although my Pure Yang Technique had reached the eleventh level, I only possessed the cultivation methods for the first nine levels. I had no clue about the last two.
Regarding this, Shen Changqing was quite resigned.
Now that my Pure Yang Technique has reached the eleventh level, if I spend time working backward, I could possibly deduce the cultivation methods for the final two levels. But I have no need to deduce them right now. Besides, I don’t have the time.
Pushing open the door, Shen Changqing found the innkeeper to check out, then headed in another direction down the street.
Following the memories in his mind, he turned left then right, eventually stopping before a pawnshop.
Yongfu Pawnshop! A rather ordinary name.
After a couple of glances, Shen Changqing stepped inside.
As soon as he entered, a menial attendant approached him enthusiastically. "Does the customer have something to pawn?"
"I’m looking for your shopkeeper," Shen Changqing said, his gaze sweeping over the shop’s interior before landing on the attendant.
Hearing this, the attendant looked troubled. "May I ask what business the customer has with the shopkeeper? If you tell me, I can inform him."
"Just go and get him. Cut the chatter!" Shen Changqing’s expression turned cold, an intimidating aura faintly emanating from him. Moreover, he had killed someone not long ago, and the faint scent of blood still clung to him.
At this, the attendant’s expression changed drastically.
"Please wait a moment, customer!" With that, he hurried inside.
Shen Changqing didn’t look for a seat, remaining standing calmly.
Soon after, an elderly man in fine silk robes emerged, with the menial attendant following behind.
"I am the shopkeeper of Yongfu Pawnshop. You wished to see me; may I ask for what reason?" The elder scrutinized Shen Changqing, feeling a little uncertain.
Shen Changqing was currently dressed in a fresh set of green robes. His previous Demon-Subduing Division uniform had been damaged in battle and was no longer wearable.
"Here." Shen Changqing casually tossed an object towards him.
The elder caught it steadily. The moment it landed in his hand, its cold touch made his expression flicker. When he lowered his head and saw the token’s design, his face changed completely.
"Your Excellency, this is not the place to talk. Please follow me to the inner hall," the elder said, respectfully handing the token back to Shen Changqing.
As soon as Shen Changqing was seated, the elder bowed deeply. "Situ Bei of the Heavenly Inspection Guard, a subordinate of the Demon-Subduing Division, greets Lord Shen!"
"Do you recognize me?"
"The Demon-Subduing Division dispatched Lord Shen to this place to eradicate Demon Evil; how could the Heavenly Inspection Guard not have received word of this? I had planned to visit Lord Shen, but I didn’t expect Lord Shen to come in person," Situ Bei said with a smile.
"I appreciate the thought."
Shen Changqing also smiled, but his expression quickly turned cold. He berated, "Situ Bei, do you know your crimes?"
The sudden interrogation froze the smile on Situ Bei’s face.
"Lord Shen, what crime have I committed?"
"What crimes? I’ll tell you!" Shen Changqing sneered. "The intelligence you provided to the Demon-Subduing Division stated that Lin’an City was troubled by a mere low-rank Ghostly Level Strange Monster and that only a few people had died. But the truth is that the entire population of Guyue Village perished at the hands of Demon Evil. Furthermore, you concealed County Magistrate Zhao Fang’s collusion with Demon Evil. Is the Heavenly Inspection Guard so incompetent, or has it secretly conspired with Demon Evil, betraying the Demon-Subduing Division and the Human Clan?"
These accusations made Situ Bei’s face drain of color. He trembled, cold sweat pouring down him uncontrollably. If these charges are confirmed, even death by dismemberment would be too lenient for me!
"Lord Shen, this is a grave misunderstanding! The intelligence I received did indeed state that only a few in Guyue Village were killed. As for Zhao Fang colluding with Demon Evil, I truly had no knowledge of it. Does Lord Shen have concrete evidence for these claims?"
Regaining his composure, Situ Bei couldn’t help but defend himself. Lord Shen’s barrage of questions had thrown him into disarray. Now, upon reflection, something seemed amiss. Situ Bei had some confidence in the intelligence he’d received. The discrepancy couldn’t be this severe.
Shen Changqing sneered. "Concrete evidence? Zhao Fang has already been executed. Furthermore, I personally slew the Strange Monster from Guyue Village. Not a single person in Guyue Village survived. This should be easy enough to confirm with a simple inquiry. I find it hard to imagine how the Heavenly Inspection Guard, the eyes and ears of the Demon-Subduing Division, could have been so thoroughly deceived. If it hadn’t been me, Shen Changqing, but some other less experienced Demon Hunter, they would likely have died at the hands of that Strange Monster. It seems you’ve grown too comfortable in Lin’an City and have forgotten the duties of the Heavenly Inspection Guard!"
After hearing all this, Situ Bei understood that what Shen Changqing said was likely true. In that instant, the back of his robes was completely soaked with sweat.
"Say no more. Others from the Demon-Subduing Division will determine your guilt; it’s not my place. You should consider carefully how you will explain this to your superiors!" Shen Changqing waved his hand, cutting him off. "I came here to ask you some things, and I hope you can answer them truthfully."
"Please ask, Lord Shen!" Situ Bei wiped the sweat from his forehead, his demeanor becoming even more respectful.
Shen Changqing’s earlier words, though not overly harsh in tone, carried extremely serious implications. Now, he didn’t dare offend Shen Changqing in the slightest. He could only hope to appease him and perhaps earn a few favorable words to lessen his own culpability.
Shen Changqing said, "Yesterday, I killed a Demonfolk accompanying Zhao Fang. I learned from him that soon, Demon’s Essence Blood is expected to appear somewhere around Lin’an City. What does the Heavenly Inspection Guard know about this?"
"Demon’s Essence Blood appearing!" Hearing this, Situ Bei’s expression relaxed slightly. He cupped his fist and replied, "Regarding what Lord Shen mentioned, I did receive some information about that a while ago. Legend has it that hundreds of years ago, a powerful Demon Evil fought an unknown formidable expert. The Demon Evil was ultimately defeated and slain, leaving its Essence Blood behind. At that time, the expert was already gravely injured. To prevent the Essence Blood from wreaking havoc upon the world, he used certain means to seal it away. Now that the seal’s power has severely diminished, the time for the Demon’s Essence Blood to emerge has naturally come!"