Demon Sword Sect’s Undercover
Chapter 118 - 118 117 Dangerous Negotiations Additional for Alliance Hierarch the Silent and Suave

118: Chapter 117 Dangerous Negotiations [Additional Chapter for Alliance Hierarch, the Silent and Suave] 118: Chapter 117 Dangerous Negotiations [Additional Chapter for Alliance Hierarch, the Silent and Suave] Hou Niao nodded, acknowledging that it fell within his patrol duties and he couldn’t ignore it.

“What kind of demon is it?

It’s best to repeat exactly what was said, without exaggeration or concealment!”

Old Man Huang said repeatedly, “I wouldn’t dare deceive your honor.

It was half a month ago when three monsters came to drink water at Yinyue Pond, two pig demons and another unrecognizable one.

It wasn’t very big, and I had never seen it before.

After that, the pig demons began to drive people away, and then they made a declaration under the city, telling us to relocate and not to stay here, giving us half a month; with the deadline almost upon us, the envoy we sent to Fang Family’s Castle has disappeared without a trace, and just when we happened to meet your honor…”

This was Hou Niao’s first time handling such an incident, but having traveled with two senior cultivation brothers, he had a good sense of how patrollers dealt with these matters.

They tried not to cause a slaughter; communication and coordination were primary, handling each situation individually.

Thunderous methods should target only particularly vicious individuals, rather than striking a wide swath of the Demon Clan, as there were too many of them, impossible to kill them all, and the ordinary mortals would suffer once they left.

“Are you saying that they started driving away the people fetching water?

Without harming them?”

Old Man Huang nodded, “Yes, your honor.

You know these demons are very fast; humans couldn’t possibly compete with them in speed, and besides, the water was fetched using ox carts, which are very slow.

It seems the pig demons had no intention of harming people.

But its tone was very firm, not joking at all, and they spoke these words at the base of the fortress walls in front of many people; it should be correct.”

Hou Niao fell into thought.

He had heard from Zhiwen that the Demon Clan in Yinling committed crimes with regular patterns; they rarely organized mass slaughters of humans, especially a particular demon race slaughtering humans, as it would bring disaster upon them.

In most cases, the attackers were merely a temporary assembly of misfits, wandering lost souls and stray demons; this was a delicate balance reached over thousands of years between humans and various powers in Yinling.

Everyone was afraid, for which demon race could survive the bloodthirsty retaliation of human cultivation power, sparing no expense?

Understanding these principles, he also knew how to respond; in many cases, what the patrollers did was mediate such matters, although personal strength was also crucial in keeping the demons in check.

“Well then, I shall stay a bit longer at Yinyue Castle, see what kind of bizarre creatures are coming?”

Old Man Huang was profusely thankful, and that evening, he sent over exquisite food.

Hou Niao did not refuse; this was a typical mortal way of thinking, intending to lessen their burden but instead making them anxious, and then they would continue to offer, gifts or women, until he accepted.

Therefore, it was better to simply accept their goodwill.

He also did not notify Tideng Monk, whose injuries, even if Captain Ruan was willing to remove them, working around the clock, could not be fully healed so quickly.

Besides, this fell within the responsibility of the Quanzhen Sect, it wouldn’t be right to ask outsiders for help.

But he had not sought out the monk, that didn’t mean the monk wouldn’t come to him.

As he was heartily indulging in food, Tideng Monk and Captain Ruan came in.

Seeing that the monk, although still pale, had a trace of color in his face, and observing how Captain Ruan’s originally straight legs now had some gaps as he walked, Hou Niao realized what had happened and didn’t say much.

At this point, he could only sigh.

Tideng Monk cut to the chase, “If the demons come, I will go with you.

An extra person adds more deterrence!”

Hou Niao looked at him, then at Captain Ruan by his side, wearing a silly, love-struck expression.

How could he possibly tarnish his heroic image in front of the beauty, right?

“Okay!

But as for the matters of Yinling, Quanzhen will take the lead!”

Tideng Monk nodded, turned around, and left, “Naturally, I have no interest in making decisions for you.”

As the two walked in the street, Captain Ruan’s eyes filled with admiration but also worry, “Lamp guy, your injuries have not yet healed; it’s not good to overexert yourself.”

Tideng Monk shook his head, “Having been recuperating here for several days, and you, how could I possibly ignore it?

On a small scale, this is a clash between the Quanzhen Sect and the Yinling demon group, but on a larger scale, it represents the conflict between humans and the Jinxiu Demon Clan.

It’s just a microcosm, an undeniable duty.”

“Don’t worry about my injuries.

The likelihood that I’ll need to act is slim, having roamed Yinling for most of a year, this much I see clearly.”

Captain Ruan had been too preoccupied to pay attention to that Quanzhen dignitary.

He reacted now,

“That Quanzhen swordsman might not be very reliable.

When I first met him, where was the elegance of a swordsman?

He was just taking hits all along, only knowing to flee headlong.

He’s different from the other Quanzhen patrols.

Don’t be deceived by him, or he might trick you into leading the charge.”

Tideng Monk smiled slightly, “You’re unfamiliar with the specifics of the situation; it wasn’t like that.

Don’t worry, this man is skilled in negotiation.

If it really is a group of pig demons coming, it’s essentially about both sides taking a step back.”

Captain Ruan curiously asked, “Is this Quanzhen dignitary also a skilled debater?

Fluent and persuasive?

Would the monsters listen to him?”

Tideng Monk shook his head, “Monsters certainly won’t listen to him, but they will listen to the longsword in his hand.

“He and I were cultivating in the tomb group on West Mang Mountain, and our relationship was more of a collaboration, so I have some understanding of him.”

“You don’t know, this man is too heavy-handed.

I went there to purify souls, but he was just slaughtering souls for profit.

He killed more than a thousand innocent souls in just two months, all because he wanted to collect Soul Beads!

“Why do you think those two Great Demons relentlessly pursued us?

Wasn’t it because his excessive killing angered the higher-level spirits?”

Captain Ruan finally understood why the two of them were hunted so miserably, but, out of a grudging respect for his association with Quanzhen, he felt discontent with the swordsman’s actions,

“He only knows how to prey on the small and weak the moment he faces a real challenge, he immediately exposes his true nature.”

Tideng Monk couldn’t help but caution him, “The most terrifying thing about those who learn the sword is not how they advance, but knowing when to retreat!

“Sister, the Quanzhen Sect has defended Yinling for over a thousand years.

Shouldn’t you be grateful to them?

Why do I see so much resentment instead?

You feel this way, and so do other figures from Yinling; Yinyue Castle feels this way, and so does Fang Family’s Castle.

Why is that?”

After a long silence, Sister Ruan finally sighed deeply, “We are indeed grateful for the Quanzhen Sect’s protection, but it’s precisely because of this incomplete protection that the people of Yinling have been conflicted for a thousand years.

“Either they should eradicate the problem completely, restoring safety and freedom to Yinling so that we don’t have to live like rats hiding in fortresses every time it gets dark.

“Or simply give up, evacuate the common folk from Yinling, Shan Country is so large, can’t it accommodate these mere tens of thousands of people?

“There are rumors that this is all a strategic plan by the Quanzhen Sect, to maintain these human settlements as a power base and as training grounds for their disciples.

“I don’t believe these rumors, but many mortals do.

Tell me, how should I be grateful to the disciples of Quanzhen?

Grateful that they have secured another period of peace for us?

Then, within half a year or a year, endure this torture again?

“There’s no happiness in living here, because there’s no hope!

People who spend a lifetime confined within fortresses, how are they any different from the walking dead?”