Chapter Nineteen: Demon Slayer Zhao Yang

Xia Qinghe then introduced Gu Xian to He Sui.

He Sui looked at the man in green robes, a trace of surprise crossing his face. "So you are Gu Xian. Meeting you today, you are truly a hero among youths."

Gu Xian was caught off guard. "Magistrate He knows who I am?"

The other man smiled and replied, "Master Gu’s cultivation is extraordinary. Having successfully cracked the case of Chen Kai, your reputation has already spread far and wide to the provincial capital. Naturally, I have heard of you."

Upon hearing this, no joy appeared on Gu Xian’s face; instead, it grew increasingly solemn.

A tree that stands above the forest will be destroyed by the wind.

This was an immutable truth.

Xia Qinghe turned to He Sui and took the initiative to ask, "Magistrate He, did you gain any other information from questioning Chen Kai?"

The man shook his head and delivered news that shocked them both. "Before I set out this morning, I received word that the escort team taking Chen Kai to the capital was ambushed last night in Jingzhou of Qingzhou. The guards suffered heavy losses, and Chen Kai is dead."

Gu Xian and Xia Qinghe exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock on the other’s face.

The cold and elegant woman looked surprised, murmuring, "How could this happen?"

Gu Xian’s expression was equally grave. He recalled the last time he saw Chen Kai in the cell, when the man had left him with a warning: "Beware of Hu Ze."

At the time, Gu Xian had not taken the words seriously, but now it seemed as though Chen Kai had been trying to warn him of something. However, that clerk Hu had been killed by his own hand—a fact Gu Xian was certain of. After pondering for a long time, he still could not grasp the meaning behind Chen Kai’s words, so he secretly cautioned himself to be extra careful in his future travels.

At that moment, the silver medallion in Xia Qinghe’s hand began to tremble slightly. Her eyes narrowed as she looked down; a line of text had appeared upon it, though it remained invisible to Gu Xian and He Sui. It was likely a protective concealment measure of the Demon Slaying Division.

A moment later, having read the message, Xia Qinghe immediately said to He Sui, "Magistrate He, Gu Xian and I have matters to attend to, so we must be leaving."

Gu Xian had hit it off with He Sui, and before leaving, he entrusted the new magistrate to look after Little Yu’er’s mother. Then, he was pulled away by Xia Qinghe, heading westward out of Nanyang City.

It turned out that Xia Qinghe had just received a transmission from the Lingzhou headquarters of the Demon Slaying Division: demons were causing chaos in the neighboring Jiangning Commandery, and the Division was summoning all available Demon Slayers to assist.

That was why Xia Qinghe had led Gu Xian in such a hurry out of Nanyang County.

Gu Xian had two "Galloping Horse" talismans attached to his legs. These talismans, which increased travel speed, were standard equipment for cultivators. Xia Qinghe, meanwhile, utilized a secret technique of the Demon Slaying Division, and her speed was on par with Gu Xian’s.

In just half a day, they had left the territory of Nanyang County, and could reach the Jiangning Commandery city by early the next morning.

At dusk, the two reached the vicinity of a forest and decided to rest before continuing their journey. Gu Xian took cookware from his Qiankun bag to set up a stove and prepare a meal, while Xia Qinghe went into the woods to gather firewood.

Just as the man in green was about to wash the rice, Xia Qinghe’s telepathic voice suddenly rang in his mind. "Gu Xian, come quickly."

The man in green stood up immediately, suppressed his aura, and followed the direction in which Xia Qinghe had gone.

A moment later, Gu Xian and Xia Qinghe stared at the scene before them, feeling a slight shock. Before them, six or seven people were surrounding a man dressed in simple hemp robes. The man under attack was in his thirties with a resolute face, bearing multiple wounds on his body. He held a long sword, and sword energy surged around him. Even while being besieged by many, he showed no fear, only a look of grim determination. He wielded his sword with fierce, chilling precision, stirring the wind and clouds around him.

Suddenly, one of the attackers wielding a large spear drew a wide arc in the air and smashed it down heavily toward the man’s head, accompanied by the faint sound of thunder. The resolute man hurriedly raised his sword to block, but the force of the strike was immense, and he was sent flying by the sheer power.

The swordsman retreated several steps, breaking out of the encirclement. His expression hardened, and he let out a roar. "If that’s the case, then let us all die together!"

As he spoke, he looked toward a certain direction, a trace of sorrow in his eyes. "It is a pity that I have failed Magistrate Liu’s expectations."

The next moment, his aura shifted entirely, and his cultivation level surged rapidly. The attackers’ faces changed drastically. "Not good, he’s going to risk his life!"

On the other side, seeing this, Xia Qinghe suddenly exclaimed, "The Heart-Severing Sword—this is someone from the Demon Slaying Division."

With that, she surged forward, her long sword unsheathed, and icy sword light filled the area. With a casual wave of her blade, an opponent fell, his body severed in two, drenched in blood.

Gu Xian followed closely behind. With a thought, the long sword at his waist flew out, transforming into a streak of light that wove through the surroundings. The sword energy was relentless, carrying a hint of murderous intent.

The two struck with their swords, reaping the lives of the attackers. Amidst cries of agony, they quickly finished off the group.

Gu Xian and Xia Qinghe approached the resolute man. Before they could speak, the man looked at Xia Qinghe, and after a moment, said with delight, "You are Magistrate Xia from Qingyun Commandery, aren't you?"

Xia Qinghe frowned. "You know me?"

The man sheathed his sword, and his internal aura returned to calm. "Magistrate Xia’s 'Killing Dao' swordsmanship is renowned throughout Lingzhou; countless villains have become ghosts under your blade. Who does not know you?"

He then took out an exquisite, palm-sized bronze medallion and said aloud, "Subordinate Zhao Yang, a Bronze-ranked Demon Slayer of Jiangning Commandery."

Xia Qinghe nodded and asked, "How did you end up here?"

Zhao Yang told them everything. "Recently, demons and evil spirits have been causing chaos in Fengyang County. We were tracking a Silver-ranked superior there to investigate, but we didn't expect those demons to have been plotting in Fengyang for years. Our group was ambushed; the Silver-ranked superior and several colleagues were killed on the spot, and I was the only one to escape."

As he spoke, sorrow and hatred appeared on Zhao Yang’s face. After a moment of silence, he continued, "I intended to go to the commandery city to seek reinforcements, but those fellows tracked me the whole way and eventually cornered me here. If not for the two of you, I would certainly have perished."

Xia Qinghe took a pill from her sleeve and handed it to him. Zhao Yang accepted it with gratitude, and after consuming it, his breathing steadied, and his wounds began to heal.

Gu Xian said, "There is no time to lose. The situation in Fengyang County is critical. Let us head there as quickly as possible."

Seeing him speak, Zhao Yang looked at Xia Qinghe with some confusion. "Magistrate Xia, who is this?"