Human Clan Defender
Chapter 48 I Want Something You Can’t Afford (5th Update)

Chapter 48: Chapter 48 I Want Something You Can’t Afford (5th Update)

In the inner hall of the Yamen.

Guided by Shi Qingsheng, two individuals entered one after the other.

"I am Cui Cheng of the Guiyuan Sword Sect, and this is Zhao Yue. We pay our respects to Lord Shen!" Upon seeing Shen Changqing, both Cui Cheng and Zhao Yue greeted him with clasped hands.

"Please take a seat, both of you."

"Thank you, my Lord!" After expressing their gratitude, the two took their seats at the lower end of the hall.

As they sat down, Shen Changqing also took the opportunity to carefully size them up.

The Guiyuan Sword Sect. He hadn’t heard much about them; he only knew from Situ Bei that they were a Jianghu Sect from Guangyuan Prefecture. Although they had no Grandmaster in residence, their power was not weak. Now, facing the two of them, Shen Changqing couldn’t discern much. After all, despite being an Innate Martial Artist, it was hard to sense much without actual combat. However, according to the information from the Heavenly Inspection Guard, Cui Cheng and Zhao Yue before him were both martial artists in the late stages of Pulse Condensation.

At this moment, a government official served tea.

Shen Changqing averted his gaze and picked up the teacup. "My office has never had much interaction with the Guiyuan Sword Sect. For what matter have you suddenly come to my Yamen today?"

Cui Cheng gave a slight smile. "Not long after arriving in Lin’an City, I heard of Lord Shen’s deeds in slaying Demon Evil, which I greatly admired. My visit today was to witness Lord Shen’s esteemed presence. Having met Lord Shen today, I now understand the truth in the rumors."

Shen Changqing nodded. "Hmm. You have now met me. If there is nothing else, you can leave."

"This—" The smile on Cui Cheng’s face stiffened. He hadn’t expected Shen Changqing to dismiss them so abruptly. Caught off guard by Shen Changqing’s unconventional approach, he was momentarily unprepared. But Cui Cheng, having seen much of the world, managed to keep any significant change in his expression in check, even if Shen Changqing didn’t play by the usual rules.

"Lord Shen is straightforward, so I’ll also get straight to the point."

"If you have something to say, feel free to speak your mind," Shen Changqing sipped his tea and casually placed the teacup back, his gaze returning to Cui Cheng.

Seeing this, Cui Cheng’s expression remained unchanged as he clasped his hands and said, "I heard Lord Shen hails from the Demon-Subduing Division, so you must have heard about the imminent emergence of the Demon’s Essence Blood."

"I’ve heard something to that effect." Shen Changqing nodded.

He knew Cui Cheng’s reason for coming wouldn’t be simple. Demon’s Essence Blood. The moment the topic was broached, Shen Changqing could almost certainly guess their purpose.

Cui Cheng stated, "The emergence of the Demon’s Essence Blood is imminent, and various factions have come forth for this purpose. To be honest, that is indeed our aim. The Demon’s Essence Blood has been in the vicinity of Lin’an City for hundreds of years. If the Demon-Subduing Division truly desired the Essence Blood, there would have been ample opportunities to act. However, up to now, the Demon-Subduing Division hasn’t shown much activity, which suggests indifference towards the Essence Blood. Of course, with the vast establishment of the Demon-Subduing Division, it is normal for them to look down upon the Demon’s Essence Blood. But for smaller sects like ours, we greatly desire it."

He paused for a moment, his eyes then gleaming with fervor. "But I wonder, Lord Shen, what is your view on the Demon’s Essence Blood?"

"Are you worried that I will compete for it?" Shen Changqing blandly countered.

Cui Cheng acknowledged directly, "Yes!"

"If I were to compete for it, what would you do? And if I chose not to, what then?" Shen Changqing spoke at a measured pace, observing the nuances of the other’s reactions.

Upon hearing this, Cui Cheng bowed. "If Lord Shen decides to compete, the Guiyuan Sword Sect is willing to pay a certain price in exchange for your non-intervention. However, if Lord Shen is determined to contend for it, the Guiyuan Sword Sect will withdraw immediately. But presently, it is not only our Guiyuan Sword Sect competing for the Essence Blood. Even if we were to withdraw, it is unlikely that the other factions would be willing to do the same. Likewise, if Lord Shen decides not to compete, that would indeed be most fortunate. If possible, our Guiyuan Sword Sect is also willing to offer certain benefits in exchange for the chance of Lord Shen’s assistance."

Cui Cheng spoke with great sincerity.

He had no choice. The person before him was not merely a County Magistrate but also a member of the Demon-Subduing Division. The Guiyuan Sword Sect might not be small, but compared to the Demon-Subduing Division, they were as insignificant as ants. Offending the Demon-Subduing Division over this was certainly not a wise move. Moreover, in Cui Cheng’s eyes, Shen Changqing might not even value the Demon’s Essence Blood. After all, with the Demon-Subduing Division slaying so much Demon Evil, the Essence Blood wasn’t that hard to come by. What other factions regarded as a treasured rarity might be easily obtainable for the Demon-Subduing Division.

Cui Cheng was straightforward. Seeing this, Shen Changqing was just as forthright.

"As far as I’m concerned, the Demon’s Essence Blood is of little consequence. And as for your request for my assistance, to be honest, your Guiyuan Sword Sect might not be able to afford the price."

He was already nearing the Outer Gang Realm. The strongest within the Guiyuan Sword Sect were only at the Outer Gang Realm. A sect whose mightiest were merely in the Outer Gang Realm had no standing to satisfy a martial artist nearing that level unless they emptied their coffers. Besides, what didn’t the Demon-Subduing Division possess? To be honest, he somewhat looked down on the minor Guiyuan Sword Sect.

His frank words left Cui Cheng’s face somewhat embarrassed. Had it been someone else belittling the Guiyuan Sword Sect, he might have already lost his temper. But when those same words came from someone of the Demon-Subduing Division, he had no grounds to retort.

As for Zhao Yue on the side, she didn’t dare interject lightly at this time. In her mind, she still recalled the scene of heads rolling from the day before and the look in Shen Changqing’s eyes, so indifferent to life. Never mind belittling the Guiyuan Sword Sect; Zhao Yue was now somewhat worried that if their conversation fell through and Shen Changqing decided to kill her, she wouldn’t know what to do.

Ignoring Cui Cheng’s awkwardness, Shen Changqing continued, "My duty is merely to preside over Lin’an City. As long as you do not disrupt the order within Lin’an City, how you contend for the Demon’s Essence Blood has nothing to do with me whatsoever. Similarly, if Demon Evil is causing trouble within the city, as subjects of Great Qin, you should lend a hand when you are able."

"Lord Shen speaks the utmost truth," Cui Cheng hastily agreed.

"That’s best. If there’s nothing else, you may leave. Do not fret over me contesting you for the Demon’s Essence Blood. But when the time comes for exterminating Demon Evil and your assistance is required, I do not wish to witness anyone shirking their duty. Whether it’s your Guiyuan Sword Sect, or the Qiyao Sect and Saber Blade Sect, all of you must remember that you are, first and foremost, Qin People."

Having said his piece, Shen Changqing picked up his teacup, effectively showing them out.

Seeing this, Cui Cheng could say no more. He could only stand, cup his hands respectfully, and say, "Lord Shen, we shall take our leave now!"

Having said that, the two departed the Yamen.

Watching their retreating figures, a slight smile curved Shen Changqing’s lips. The representatives from the Guiyuan Sword Sect had come to probe whether he intended to vie for the Demon’s Essence Blood. This showed that, in the eyes of these factions, he already carried considerable weight. The reasons for this were twofold: one was the backing of the Demon-Subduing Division, and the other was related to the earlier incident in the Yamen.

"In these chaotic times, Demon Evil causes devastation, yet these people still only clear the snow from their own doorsteps. How then can the calamity caused by Demon Evil ever be subdued!" Shen Changqing couldn’t help but shake his head.

The incident with the attack on the Yamen by Demon Evil of the Eternal Alliance made it clear: the Jianghu Sects’ attitude towards Demon Evil was to avoid confrontation whenever possible, never willingly getting involved. Demon Evil is treacherous; one misstep could mean death. He wouldn’t criticize the Jianghu Sects for being wary of Demon Evil and not wanting to be its enemy. After all, fearing for one’s life is everyone’s right. Yet, to sit by and watch Demon Evil wreak havoc when they were capable of helping—that was inexcusable.

"Jianghu Sects have survived to this day thanks to the support of the common people. Yet, if they receive support but do nothing for the people, how are they different from parasites? I can only hope you all have some sense!" Shen Changqing thought of some cases he had read about in the past.

In fact, aside from essential items, the Scripture Pavilion also held numerous accounts and records concerning Demon Evil and Jianghu Sects. It had been written how the people supported a local Jianghu Sect, but when Demon Evil arrived, that sect closed off its mountain gates and did nothing, allowing the citizens of several cities to be slaughtered. Afterwards, experts from the Demon-Subduing Division naturally ascended the mountain and exterminated all one thousand-plus members of that sect. This event sent a profound shock through the Jianghu.

Yet, it still didn’t completely deter those Jianghu Sects; there were often times when some factions would stand by and watch Demon Evil wreak havoc. Some would be punished by the Demon-Subduing Division, while others would find suitable pretexts and excuses to evade the Division’s harsh sanctions. But no matter what, having read so many such accounts, Shen Changqing had little goodwill towards the Jianghu Sects.

After Cui Cheng’s visit, other factions and sects made similar visits over the next several days. Without exception, they all wanted to probe whether Shen Changqing or the Demon-Subduing Division had any intention of contesting for the Demon’s Essence Blood. Upon confirming that neither Shen Changqing nor the Demon-Subduing Division had such desires, they all left with peace of mind.

And so, Lin’an City returned to its former tranquility.

Over those few days, besides necessary social interactions, Shen Changqing focused on quietly cultivating the Heavenly Martial Gang Qi. His Heavenly Martial Gang Qi, having broken through to the eleventh layer, had already reached the threshold of the Outer Gang Realm.

The more he practiced, the more he felt the thin layer of Gang Qi inside his body undergoing some strange transformation, causing a mild itching sensation all over. However, breaking through to the Outer Gang Realm solely through his own talent was not so easy.

After several days of secluded cultivation, Shen Changqing found that apart from his control over the Heavenly Martial Gang Qi having grown stronger, there were no other changes. As for breaking through, there wasn’t even a hint of progress. The difficulty of advancing from the eleventh to the twelfth layer was extraordinary.

The Innate Realm is divided into Inner Gang and Outer Gang. Once one cultivates Outer Gang, both defense and attack greatly increase, becoming incomparable to the Inner Gang Realm. If I rely solely on myself, breaking through to Outer Gang might take a year or so. Unless a Demon Evil provides nourishment, then I might have a chance to accelerate my breakthrough.