Human Clan Defender
Chapter 90: Hopped on the Bandwagon

Chapter 90: Chapter 90: Hopped on the Bandwagon

The fire blazed.

The surrounding temperature rose sharply.

Xu Yi said in a deep voice, "Constable Liu, take your men and evacuate. No one is to approach without orders."

"As you command!"

Constable Liu cupped his fists and immediately turned, leading the government officials to retreat.

At this moment.

Only Xu Yi and a few others remained standing there.

"Focus. As soon as a trace of Yin Evil Aura stirs, that’s when the Demon Evil will reveal itself."

Xu Yi shouted coldly.

Upon hearing this.

Tian Feibai and the others all drew their weapons, their gazes icy as they stared at the Zhou Family ancestral mansion engulfed in flames before them.

The blaze roared and swelled.

The scorching heat forced everyone’s cheeks flush red.

But no one retreated. The longer they stood, the more their hearts tightened.

In their sight.

The fire had thoroughly consumed the Zhou Family ancestral mansion.

The flames spread, igniting the interior of the mansion as well.

Even in broad daylight, the inferno in Jincheng could be seen roaring up to the sky.

"Master, something’s happened!"

Inside the Zhou residence, a steward rushed in to report.

Old Master Zhou’s face darkened, "Speak slowly, what’s the point of rushing about so hastily?"

Faced with the rebuke,

The steward pulled himself together and answered, "Master, it seems the ancestral mansion is on fire—"

"What!"

Bam! The teacup in Old Master Zhou’s hand shattered, and he rose to his feet.

He strode out of the main hall, and at once saw the flames soaring outside.

"What is going on? Why is the ancestral mansion on fire!"

Old Master Zhou’s face looked terrible.

The ancestral mansion was the foundation of the Zhou Family. Even with Demon Evil causing havoc, he had never considered giving it up.

He only planned to wait for the Demon Evil to be exorcised, and then move back in.

Now that the ancestral mansion was ablaze, that idea had been crushed.

The steward beside him replied softly, "According to reports, it was people from the Yamen, and it has something to do with those who came today."

"Yamen, Demon-Subduing Division—"

Old Master Zhou’s expression shifted again.

If it were anyone else who set fire to the Zhou ancestral mansion, he could have intervened.

But if it was people from the Demon-Subduing Division, there was nothing he could do.

He stood in place for a long while.

Old Master Zhou let out a long sigh. "Enough. Without my order, no one is to interfere in this matter."

"Yes!"

——

The fire grew fiercer and fiercer.

Towering flames rose, causing the mansion’s buildings to collapse one after another.

Amidst the searing heat, a completely different chill of Yin Evil Aura surged forth.

"It’s here!"

Xu Yi shouted, stepping forward. Sword Qi burst from his sword as he slashed toward the source of the Yin Evil Aura.

At the same time,

Tian Feibai and Xiao Wen attacked at once as well.

Only Jiang Yu was a split second slower to act.

The attacks fell.

In an instant, where before there was nothing, the true form of the Demon Evil appeared.

The battle broke out in a flash.

On the rooftop, Shen Changqing silently watched the four surround and attack the Demon Evil, showing no intent to interfere.

With his keen eye, he could easily tell who held the advantage.

"Ghostly Level Fiends must attach to objects to exist. Without an object to possess, they naturally dissipate and perish after a certain time, and without a host, their strength is diminished.

Three Pulse Condensation beginners and one half-step Pulse Condensation martial artist—dealing with this Demon Evil shouldn’t be a problem."

Shen Changqing’s expression was calm.

If that Demon Evil had been at its peak, Xu Yi and the others might not be able to handle it.

But it had already been wounded by him earlier, its strength reduced.

Now, consumed by the fire, its Yin Evil Aura was being suppressed.

Given that,

Defeat was only a matter of time.

Sure enough.

The battle lasted only a short time before Xu Yi slew the Demon Evil with a single sword strike.

And the moment the Demon Evil was slain, Shen Changqing sensed a familiar feeling surge within.

Checking his panel, he saw his Slaughter Value jump from seven straight to ten.

"I’ve gained three points of Slaughter Value!"

Shen Changqing thought inwardly.

Since his freeloading in the Demon-Subduing Prison, this was the first time he’d lingered at the side, reaping Slaughter Value as others slew a Demon Evil.

In the past,

Shen Changqing wasn’t sure if Slaughter Value from killing Demon Evil himself was different from when others did it.

But now—

He was certain.

He’d get more Slaughter Value for kills he did himself; much less if others did the killing.

Take that Demon Evil for example.

A Ghostly Level, mid-stage peak Demon Evil could yield at least eight or ten Slaughter Value points.

Yet.

What actually arrived was only three points.

In other words, for Demon Evil not slain by his own hand, he’d only get about a third of the Slaughter Value.

"If I want to reap Slaughter Value, looks like I really have to do the killing myself."

Shen Changqing sighed inwardly.

Losing two-thirds was no small matter.

What could have been nearly ten Slaughter Value points ended up being a measly three.

Still,

Gains were gains all the same.

Three Slaughter Value—enough to upgrade a level of Martial Arts.

Steeling himself,

Shen Changqing saw Xu Yi and the others quietly retreat after slaying the Demon Evil.

The government officials who had been holding off the onlookers returned and began putting out the fire.

The whole process,

was seamless and nearly uninterrupted.

After watching, Shen Changqing left the rooftop as well.

Xu Yi and his group had already slain the Demon Evil—the mission was done. The rest was returning to the Demon-Subduing Division, and at that point, it was no longer his concern.

Leaving the rooftop,

Shen Changqing walked the street and could still hear the townsfolk’s murmurs in his ears.

As for the Zhou Family ancestral mansion burned to ruins, many were shocked and curious.

Now,

With the fire extinguished, Constable Liu addressed the crowd, saying, "That fire just now was started by the Demon-Subduing Division’s lords in the act of slaying the Demon Evil. Now the Demon Evil is dealt with, you can all disperse!"

With those words,

The townsfolk looked relieved, smiles breaking out on their faces.

Whether the Zhou Family’s ancestral mansion was burnt or not had little to do with them.

The most important thing was that the Demon Evil inside was destroyed, that was what truly mattered.

If the Demon Evil was not slain,

No one could sleep easy.

Glancing at the sky,

Shen Changqing originally planned to go to Wanhua Building, but after a thought, set that idea aside for now.

If the Heavenly Inspection Guard wanted to investigate, let them handle it themselves.

Either way, once they found something, they’d need him to act.

When the time came,

there’d be no shortage of Slaughter Value to gain.

So, Shen Changqing headed straight back to Tianyi Tower.

Inside the room,

He sat cross-legged, first taking out a bottle of Satiety Pills, downing four, then refocusing his mind on his status panel.

With a thought,

The Slaughter Value was spent.

The Invincible Golden Body instantly advanced from the sixth to the seventh layer.

A massive consumption erupted in his body. The power of four Satiety Pills was rapidly drained away.

He had no choice.

Shen Changqing swallowed more Satiety Pills, balancing the depletion.

——

Name: Shen Changqing

Faction: Great Qin’s Demon Suppression Division

Identity: Yellow Rank Demon Hunter

Martial Arts: Invincible Golden Body (Seventh Layer, cannot advance), Heavenly Martial Gang Qi (Fourteenth Layer, cannot advance), Hundred Battles Saber Technique (Third Layer), Iron Sand Palm (Fifth Layer, cannot fuse), Snare Trampling Gang Step (Fifth Layer, cannot fuse), Mountain Splitting Palm Technique (entry-level, cannot fuse), Willow Catkin Body Technique (entry-level, cannot fuse)

Slaughter: 2

Eight points of Slaughter Value consumed, Invincible Golden Body successfully broke through to the seventh layer.

After the breakthrough,

Shen Changqing found his Qi and Blood within the flesh-body fuller than ever, his skin tougher, undergoing a gradual transformation.

"The Qi and Blood at Invincible Golden Body’s seventh layer is about enough for the Heavenly Martial Gang Qi upgrade."

"Next time I get more Slaughter Value, focus will be on advancing Heavenly Martial Gang Qi."

Advancing Outer Techniques brings little real power, upgrading Inner Strength is what matters most to a martial artist.

Fourteen layers of Heavenly Martial Gang Qi—a standing at the Innate Peak.

Shen Changqing was eager to know, if he could push Heavenly Martial Gang Qi to the fifteenth layer, would he step into the Grandmaster Realm.

If he truly entered the Grandmaster Realm,

his strength would face another great transformation.

"Soon!"

"Just one more Ghostly Level Fiend and the breakthrough will be in reach. When that happens, maybe I’ll finally touch the Grandmaster level."

Shen Changqing calmed his heart, thinking no further.

He had precious few Satiety Pills and Qi and Blood Pills left—carrying too many Elixirs was inconvenient after all.

Most of the Elixirs,

remained at the Demon-Subduing Division.

Stabilizing his will,

Shen Changqing re-entered a state of cultivation.

——

Night.

After the fire, nothing was left of the Zhou Family ancestral mansion but ruins.

At that moment, a figure in black stood atop the ruins, the moonlight revealing a gloomy middle-aged face.

"Damn it, just a step too late—and those Demon-Subduing Division wastes finished it off!"

He had never imagined,

That the Demon Evil he’d left in the Zhou Family’s ancestral mansion would be wiped out so quickly by the Demon-Subduing Division.

Staring at the ruins before him, killing intent gathered at the black-robed man’s chest.

"No matter. If it died at the hands of a few Probationary Demon Hunters, it was a waste anyway. Gone is gone, and I have a much better sacrifice—jie jie!"

A chilling laugh.

Echoed through the ruins, making all who heard it shudder.

Yin energy swept forth.

The black-robed man suddenly moved. A withered hand shot out from his robe, clamping onto the throat of a seductive woman.

With her throat seized, the Demon Evil woman’s face turned ashen. She struggled, but could do nothing.

With a squeeze,

The seductive woman let out a shrill, miserable cry; her body dispersed like mist, vanishing without a trace.

The black-robed man drew back his hand, a ghastly voice drifting out: "I have no intention of crossing the Eternal Alliance. I just hope you stay out of my affairs. If things turn ugly, it won’t look good for anyone."

With that,

Another wave of Yin energy surged around.

But this time, not only did it not approach the black-robed man, it gradually withdrew farther away.