After completing the ritual, this band of mountain bandits was finally “free.”
But most of them still couldn’t bring themselves to believe it. The nightmare that had tormented them for so many days—could it really be gone just like that? They strongly pleaded with Du Xuan to stay for three days and see if the effects held.
Determined to see the good deed through to the end, she and Yin Luan agreed to the reasonable request.
With some time on their hands, Yin Luan took the opportunity to voice the questions weighing on her mind.
“What do you mean by signing a contract? As if there’s such a good deal in this world?” Du Xuan grumbled. “If it were really that easy to train people up, the Demon Subduing Division wouldn’t be perpetually short-staffed. Just grinding away through hard practice won’t cut it if you want to wield the Division’s demon-subduing power.”
The Demon Subduing Division Lord gave her a brief rundown on the “types of power” employed by the Division.
First came martial arts: fists, feet, swords, and spears.
These were things any ordinary person could cultivate, known in the Demon Subduing Division as “Acquired Power.” Trained to a high level, one could scamper across rooftops, sneak into a widow’s house under cover of night—easy as pie.
However, this sort of power had its limits, bound by the fleshly body.
Punching through a sandbag or cleaving a tree stump in two—that was about the peak of it. Dreaming of parting mountains or filling seas with raw physical might alone? Pure fantasy.
At least within the Great Zhou Kingdom, it was utterly impossible.
Next came the “Aura Viewing Technique” and “Heavenly Astral Shield” that Du Xuan had used—powers that transcended the limits of the body. In the Demon Subduing Division, these were called “Innate Power.”
Every person was born with an “Innate Dantian,” but those who could cultivate Innate Power were one in ten thousand.
It all came down to talent. No amount of grueling practice would help if one’s Dantian couldn’t hold “Qi.”
The upper limits of Innate Power far outstripped Acquired Power. Legends spoke of Innate Experts striding across waves, slashing rivers in twain with a sword stroke, or even soaring through the empty skies.
Finally, there was “Power of External Objects.” The talismans Du Xuan used were a prime example of such “external objects.” There were other items imbued with special powers too, though they weren’t easy to come across in everyday life.
“I heard Master say that the Demon Subduing Division’s powers in the Great Zhou Kingdom stem from the Dao Arts system. But this world’s power systems aren’t limited to Dao Arts alone…”
“Can I still join the Demon Subduing Division now and learn it?”
Yin Luan’s eyes sparkled.
The more skills, the better! Learning the enemy’s techniques would help her deal with them more effectively in the future!
“You can, but the Demon Subduing Division’s main duty is maintaining stability in the Great Zhou Kingdom—it’s not a cultivation ground,” Du Xuan shot her a glance. “If you want to cultivate, I’d suggest seeking out those true ‘sects.’ Some of them carry on the tradition of Innate Cultivation Methods.”
“Sects?”
“The Great Zhou Kingdom bans the founding of sects, but you sometimes run into those folks recruiting disciples.”
Du Xuan didn’t know much more about it herself.
With the Great Zhou Kingdom’s mighty national power, forget sects—even “wandering heroes” had been suppressed to the point of near extinction.
Demons, devils, and ghosts had fared no better, of course.
“That’s awesome,” the Little Snake Demon mused dreamily. “In such a powerful kingdom, if I could latch onto some big official, I’d never have to worry about food or drink for the rest of my life!”
“Assuming you don’t drive them to an early grave first…”
Three days passed, and the mountain bandits waiting outside the stronghold remained unscathed. Many broke down in tears of joy.
“Go report to the local authorities,” Du Xuan instructed. “I’ll note the situation in a letter, complete with the Demon Subduing Division’s official seal—they’ll give you a fair judgment. There’s also another letter; have the officials forward it to the Demon Subduing Division.”
She flashed the Spiritual Longsword gleaming coldly in her hand, her expression stern as she added, “If I find out those letters didn’t make it… the punishment won’t come from ordinary means!”
“Yes, we understand…”
In the bandits’ eyes, the Demon Subduing Division—which had so effortlessly broken their Evil Technique—was just as terrifying as that Mysterious Person. Neither was to be trifled with.
Reporting to the authorities might cost them some silver and a few years of hard labor, but it beat losing their lives.
With the matters at the stronghold settled, the two parties went their separate ways.
Yin Luan and Du Xuan headed west, continuing toward Earthstone City.
~~~
As they entered the central region of East County, the roads grew much smoother. Carriages sped along, some belonging to wealthy families, others to humble peddlers.
Earthstone City made its fortune primarily from pottery, earning it a modest reputation in East County.
Along the way, the pair asked several caravans coming from the west about the latest news from Earthstone City.
“You’re heading to Earthstone City?”
Upon hearing this, some merchants hemmed and hawed, beating around the bush; others stayed tight-lipped.
In the end, thanks to Little Snake’s disarming charm, one Old Merchant finally told them the unvarnished truth.
“Earthstone City……something’s off.”
Once winter passed, merchants began trickling into Earthstone City one after another to stock up and claim their first pot of gold in the new year.
But strangely enough, Earthstone City—where nearly everyone knew how to make pottery—had hardly any stock on hand.
Pottery making wasn’t like farming. Winter did affect it, but production rarely ground to a complete halt. In the past, every household in the city would stockpile plenty of quality goods to fetch top prices the following year.
If there simply weren’t any goods, that might have been understandable—perhaps some accident had occurred, or the weather had taken its toll.
But…
“Those who’ve been there say the atmosphere in Earthstone City feels a bit……weird.”
“Weird?” Du Xuan raised an eyebrow. “Weird how, exactly?”
“Hard to put into words,” the Old Merchant shook his head. “The whole city just feels devoid of life. Everyone’s in this numb, listless state—it’s downright unsettling to behold.”
Unable to procure any goods, the merchants saw no reason to linger in such a place and departed one by one.
Deprived of its transient population, the city grew even more foreboding and desolate, prompting many travelers to take detours rather than stop for a rest.
“There’s a rumor floating around…not sure if I should mention it…”
The Old Merchant hesitated.
“No matter. Speak freely.”
Things were already abnormal enough; a few more odd details wouldn’t faze them.
“Certain pottery jars in the city—newly made ones—emit strange noises at night,” the Old Merchant whispered. “The sounds come from inside the jars, as if something invisible is trapped within…”
“Eek—!”
The Little Snake Demon shuddered in fright.
After thanking the Old Merchant for the information, Yin Luan and Du Xuan pressed on with all haste.
The closer they drew to Earthstone City, the fewer carriages they encountered—a clear sign that the place had turned into somewhere no one wanted to go.
Passing the stone stele inscribed with “Earthstone City,” they stepped into the eerie domain the merchants had described.
Unlike Huai City, Earthstone City lacked walls or gates. It resembled a large village, complete with bluestone roads wide enough for carriages.
Yet at present, the city lay as silent as a tomb.
“Husband,” the Little Snake Demon swallowed nervously. “Once we’re inside, you have to protect me…”
“Girls should…never mind. Once we’re in the city, stay within my line of sight. This place gives me a bad vibe.”
Du Xuan didn’t even have the heart to chide Little Snake.
The two women exchanged a glance, took a moment to catch their breath, then urged the carriage toward the heart of the city…
