Attaining Immortality, Starting From Slaying Demons

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Before joining the Demon-suppression Bureau, Hong Lei had dreamt of wandering the world with his sword, dressed in white, leading a horse by the reins.

But looking at it now, not entering Qingfeng Mountain but instead joining the even more dangerous Demon-suppression Bureau might not be such a bad thing after all.

About fifty or sixty Qingfeng Disciples were being escorted up the mountain by several colonels.

It was supposed to be a return to their sect, yet their faces were growing increasingly pale.

Shen Yi and Hong Lei followed at the rear.

"What is the Sword Pool?"

Hearing this, Hong Lei looked over with some surprise, "Aren't you from Qingzhou?"

"I'm from Baiyun County," Shen Yi did not hide the fact.

"No wonder, it's a small place." Hong Lei nodded subconsciously, then suddenly realized something was amiss. Was he talking about the same Baiyun County he knew? That godforsaken place he thought could harbor a force capable of producing such a character?

He opened his mouth, wanting to ask but not daring to, and instead, steered the topic back, "Any top-tier force has stable methods to train disciples into the Condensation Elixir Realm, ensuring there are always experts to helm each generation. Unlike the second-rate ones, if an ancestor encounters an accident, or there is no successor, they could disappear without a trace within a few decades."

"We from the Demon-suppression Bureau also have something similar, but you have to go to the Capital City for it."

At this point, Hong Lei, noticing the flicker in Shen Yi's eyes, could guess what the latter was thinking – having fought alone against the Qingfeng Elder and the Great Demon, he must also be at Jade Liquid Perfection.

He chuckled, "With your current strength, just work hard for a few decades and there will be a place for you in the Martial Temple's Solidifying Pill ranks. Forget about the latest few chances, both Miss Lin and Doctor Bai are already lined up ahead of you."

"Let's talk about the Sword Pool instead."

Hong Lei knew the temper of these geniuses; none could bear the thought of others standing above them, "As soon as Qingfeng disciples formally join by paying respects to the founder, the first thing they do is to make offerings at the Sword Pool. Using blood from their fingertip, forehead, and heart, they infuse it into the pool, thus receiving the founder's protection which significantly speeds up their cultivation."

"Furthermore, they can take out a sword once wielded by a predecessor. Nourishing it day and night with Essence Yuan, they call it their Protective Sword. It can be said that half their strength resides in that sword. I heard you broke that administrator's sword; even if he recovers, his strength won't exceed half of what it once was."

Hong Lei held out his palm, "That's why I wanted to check Dai Bing's side sword that day. I just wanted to see if she was from the Qingfeng Sect, and my guess turned out to be right... Think about it. The vital blood of disciples for thousands of years is connected to the Sword Pool. As their cultivation grows, so does the Sword Pool benefit. Only such a place can offer such miraculous aid for martial artists to solidify their pills."

"Elder Nu Jian is running out of life, and by seniority, he should have had the chance to enter the Sword Pool for purification and one final effort. Yet, that chance was given to Zhang Hengzhou, leading to today's actions... Perhaps it's simply because he's too heartbroken."

Hong Lei sighed with emotion.

Upon hearing this, Shen Yi fell silent for a moment.

But recalling the rare opportunity to gain such insight into Martial Arts, he continued asking, "If the Sword Pool has such an effect, and it has existed for thousands of years, there should be more than one person in the Condensation Elixir Realm atop Qingfeng Mountain."

"Are you worried that General Chen alone cannot overcome them?"

Hong Lei laughed again, "You are at the Jade Liquid Boundary, and I am too. If you were to face two or three of me at once, would you be afraid?"

After pondering for a moment, Shen Yi shook his head.

"Right, what if there were a dozen or twenty..."

Hong Lei kept talking, but seeing the young man's focused expression as he thought about it, and then shaking his head again,

His square face stiff with a smile, he looked away, took a deep breath, and acted as if he had seen nothing, "If there were a dozen or twenty, the Demon-suppression Bureau wouldn't just have Patriarch Chen. There are twelve Demon-suppression Great Generals. Patriarch Chen is too old, and in terms of strength, he barely ranks after the General of Yang'an Prefecture."

"What ranking is the General of Yang'an Prefecture?" Shen Yi asked curiously.

Hong Lei rolled his eyes and after a long silence finally said, "Eleventh."

"Who is first?"

"The Great General's second disciple."

"And who is second?"

"The Great General's eldest disciple."

"Why is it the other way around?"

"Brother Shen, we've arrived!" Hong Lei said with a headache, feeling troubled. Weren't these the kind of statements that could offend people, ones he couldn't just casually make?

Shen Yi looked forward with a longing gaze.

In front of Qingfeng Mountain Gate, an expansive altar laid with pristine white stone stretched wide.

At this moment, the altar was crowded on both sides with swordsmen dressed in white, kneeling in dense rows.

Clad in a Golden Eagle Ink Robe, three hundred Incamp Colonels stood firm outside the perimeter of the grand altar, their figures erect, black chains soaring, encircling the entire altar.

Beyond, over a thousand soldiers from the outer camp stood in an orderly formation, their expressions cold and indifferent.

At the very front, surrounded by several colonels, a figure clad in Black Light Mystery Armor sat sternly on a large chair, grasping a Crude Iron Halberd, with a scarlet satin cloak fluttering wildly, resembling a swath of the blood-drenched evening sky.

"..."

Shen Yi furrowed his brow slightly, having not expected such a scene atop the mountain.

Fighting life and death below, he thought the situation was dire, yet here was a crowd on their knees.

If they had time to stand around idly, couldn't they go down and save someone?

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"It's not as simple as you think."

Seeing the change in his expression, Hong Lei stepped forward slowly, leading everyone in the direction ahead, his face growing more and more solemn.

The disciples of the Qingfeng Sect clearly had no intention of resisting, yet General Chen still surrounded them without letting up, which could only mean one thing.

It must be that the old Sect Leader had gone mad!

In the center of the altar.

The man sat cross-legged, bare-chested, with fine wounds interlaced like a spider's web all over his body, resembling a piece of porcelain on the verge of shattering.

These familiar wounds made Shen Yi involuntarily hold his breath.

He had seen similar ones on the body of that Jiaomo in Shuiyun Village—it was virtually identical.

And at this moment.

Shen Yi felt a certain aura on the man, which grew more intense as he stepped closer.

Suddenly, the man opened his eyes and slowly swept his gaze over this way.
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Those bloodshot eyes made Shen Yi tense up, his hand unconsciously gripping the hilt of his knife.

Even when he had faced the black-furred Dog Demon with his mortal body upon waking up,

it was not as unsettling as the oppression that surged in this moment.

"That's Zhang Hengzhou,"

Hong Lei apparently didn't feel anything amiss and simply introduced, "A swordsman from Qingzhou, renowned for his chivalrous deeds. According to General Chen's deduction, he should be the transformed Yangchun River Jiaomo."

Shen Yi was as if he heard nothing.

The man stared deeply at his face, the ferocity born of pain that was evident on the man's face gradually turning into a look of deep resentment.

Under that gaze.

Shen Yi remained expressionless, only his breathing became heavier.

A thick killing intent welled up within him.

In full view of the crowd.

Zhang Hengzhou suddenly stood up and began walking towards the edge.

All the disciples of the Qingfeng Sect raised their heads, while the Marshals of the Demon-suppression Bureau clenched their weapons and shouted in unison, "Back off!"

Their hearts, however, were filled with confusion.

The last outbreak from the other party had been half a month ago, which General Chen had quelled by striking him down with a halberd.

After quieting down for so many days, why would he suddenly stand up again?

"I am innocent, you cannot kill me."

Zhang Hengzhou breathed heavily, his body slightly hunched, as he looked sternly towards the elderly figure clad in Black Light profound armor.

He spoke through gritted teeth, "I've slain demons for Qingzhou for one hundred and fifty years, protected the people of Linjiang Prefecture for one hundred and fifty years, and they honor me as a hero! I am innocent!"

Patriarch Chen Qiankun had white hair and beard, an ordinary face, appearing to be nothing but a common old man.

With a calm demeanor, he spoke indifferently, "Read it to him again."

A lieutenant stepped forward: "Zhang Zitao, disciple of Qingfeng Mountain, went to Shuangyang County to slay demons three years ago, beheading a cat demon, leaving over twenty villagers dead, their bodies vanished. According to investigators, two days prior to the event, someone spotted the demon five hundred li away at Mount Woniutan."

"Zhang Yusong, disciple of Qingfeng Mountain, two years and seven months ago, repeated the same act in a village in Qian County, slaying a demon, and thirty households were wiped out, their bodies never found."

"Zhang Linglong, disciple of Qingfeng Mountain..."

The pattern of demon-slaying and the missing bodies were identical.

All the names, without exception, belonged to the progeny of this dashing swordsman. In just the past three years, there had been so many that the lieutenant was left parched from reading them out.

The disciples of the Qingfeng Mountain Gate silently lowered their heads again.

"So are my accomplishments false?" Only Zhang Hengzhou, unfazed, continued to stare at the old man.

"Yours are all true. I've had them investigated personally, and you're worthy of the Qingfeng Mountain's heroic reputation," Patriarch Chen Qiankun nodded lightly.

"Then—" Zhang Hengzhou's voice suddenly turned sharp, "with my accomplishments, don't the people of Linjiang Prefecture owe it to me to foster my offspring?! They are all Half-Demons by nature, and I am working hard to teach them!"

"Why! Won't you give me some time!"

"Why! Won't you give me a chance!"

The roar, heavy with grievances, echoed through the entire mountain gate.