Chapter 185 - 111: A Great Demon Enters the County, a Heaven-Toppling Disaster; The Boss Raises His Saber, Protecting the People and Slaying Demons Until Their Heads Roll

Chapter 185: Chapter 111: A Great Demon Enters the County, a Heaven-Toppling Disaster; The Boss Raises His Saber, Protecting the People and Slaying Demons Until Their Heads Roll

The night deepened. Flurries of snow rode the cold wind, gusting again and again.

RUMBLE RUMBLE...

The carriage wheels turned slowly.

A lavish carriage traveled from beyond the Mountain Dao into the county.

The County Soldiers on duty saw the character "Huang" for the Medicine Shop embroidered on the carriage and didn’t dare question or inspect it.

With fawning smiles, they prepared to welcome the carriage inside.

They were following the orders received from their direct superior, Lord Zhao the County Magistrate.

This young master from Jiangyin Prefecture was insufferably arrogant, a man who looked down his nose at everyone even back in the prefecture.

Ever since his arrival in Anning County, he had suffered one misfortune after another, but his family background was undeniable.

Unless it was absolutely necessary, it was best to turn a blind eye. They were to ignore whatever he did, paying it no mind.

’After all, Huang Xiuwen is just a clan’s young master. What kind of monumental trouble could he possibly cause?’

That was what Zhao Jiu thought.

And it was how he instructed his subordinates. They were to humor him like a child; whatever he wanted to do, they should just let him do it.

’The new year is almost here anyway. I figure today or tomorrow, the kid will realize he has no chance to save face and will probably get on a boat back to his old man in the prefecture.’

’When that time comes, I don’t care if he begs his old man to bring the Medicine Shop’s enforcers for revenge.’

’Or if he gets in bed with Duan Chenzhou’s enemies and tries to make trouble for that master and disciple.’

’He can go wherever he wants and do whatever he pleases.’

’If he actually has the skill to wipe out Duan Chenzhou’s whole operation and avenge the humiliation Ji Xiu dealt him...’

’...then I, Zhao Jiu, would willingly bow, apologize, and serve him faithfully, respecting him for his skill and methods.’

’But if he can’t...’

’...then what’s the point of all this fuss?’

’After getting a taste of the brutal ways of this backwater county and getting his face thoroughly slapped, he should just scurry back to his gilded cage. It would save him from further stumbling and making a fool of himself here.’

The night was ink-black, the heavy snow swirling.

The two County Soldiers bowed and scraped, carefully following Zhao Jiu’s instructions as they hurried to let Huang Xiuwen’s carriage pass.

But this time, when they looked behind the carriage and saw another group of people pulling a heavy coffin, they couldn’t help but swallow hard and ask a few questions.

"Young Master Huang, this coffin..."

One of them took a closer look, his eyes aided by the torchlight.

And when he saw, under the moonlight...

...that next to the coffin stood a figure in battle armor whose skin was covered in fine, brown fur. But it was his exposed head, which looked part-human and part-leopard, that made the soldier freeze, a chill seizing his heart.

"Young Master Huang, this... master you’ve invited... where is he from? Why didn’t we see him when you left the city before...?"

He didn’t get to finish his sentence.

SCHLICK!

A spray of fresh blood erupted!

The leopard-headed, iron-armored figure had, at some unknown moment, brandished an iron-ringed saber, from which blood was still dripping. DRIP. DRIP.

"Tsk. What nonsense," he muttered.

His pale yellow pupils stared at the county town before him—a town that had stood for decades, treating the five-hundred-li Earth Dragon Cave as its personal hunting ground. He licked his lips.

"I’d only ever heard stories before, never daring to set foot in here. I was afraid those expert Martial Artists would turn me into a porcupine with their powerful bows and crossbows."

"But these people... they’ve forgotten."

"They’ve forgotten that the Earth Dragon Cave was once saturated with the Qi of the Abyss Ruins Heaven. Otherwise, how could Earth Treasure Mountain Ginseng be found everywhere? How could the growth rate of ordinary Demons possibly keep up with their hunts?"

"True, only a tiny bit leaked out before it sealed itself again, and that’s an old tale from decades ago..."

"But we who have long resided in the Earth Dragon Cave, entrenched on the Mountain Dao, are the most sensitive to Qi Mechanisms."

"And when the final period of this year’s Four Departure and Four Extinction Days arrived, we finally witnessed another leak of Abyss Ruins Qi. Our cultivation soared, we shattered our bottlenecks, and we were reborn!"

The figure, who had been hunched over and almost indistinguishable from a human, suddenly tightened his grip on the saber. No longer hiding his nature, he threw his head back and roared with laughter!

The laughter jolted Huang Xiuwen from his meditative rest inside the carriage. He had been plotting how to use the traitors from the Central Yellow Sect as a borrowed blade to slaughter Duan Chenzhou’s disciple.

He shuddered, his eyes snapping open. Hearing the commotion outside, he grew instantly furious, yanking back the window curtain to shout a reprimand.

"Old Huang, what’s with all the noise?"

"Which blind fool is making a racket out there?"

"Didn’t I tell Wei Altar Master? I’m helping them, I’ve even arranged all the manpower for them. This is the last batch, so why are they acting up...?"

"Holy shit!"

The words had barely left Huang Xiuwen’s mouth.

He saw Old Huang, hunched over, his face rigid.

At that moment, he was staring at the iron-armored man behind him—a tough-looking fellow who, despite his rough features, had at least appeared human.

But now, under the combined glow of the moon and torches, that same man had transformed into a Giant Demon, complete with a leopard’s head and whiskers.

In an instant, Old Huang’s entire body went taut. Beneath the falling snow, a layer of an Immortal Robe materialized against his skin. His aged voice was laced with disbelief.

"A... Newborn Great Demon that broke through its bottleneck!?"

"Young Master, stop talking!"

He hadn’t even had time to process what was happening.

Then he heard his young master’s death-defying tirade from inside the carriage and trembled all over. He was so terrified his soul nearly shot out of the top of his head. He wanted to cry but had no tears left.

’Old Master, your goddamn grandson’s mouth is a walking disaster! How does he manage to cause trouble wherever he goes!?’

’The incident at the docks was one thing; at least those people followed some rules. They didn’t cross the line and threaten anyone’s life.’

’But this thing in front of us... can Ji Xiu even begin to compare when it comes to sheer ferocity and viciousness!?’

’Why do you have a special talent for offending the most ruthless beings imaginable!?’