White Feather was thoroughly drunk, and his intellectual prowess was compromised.

"Do you know why I didn't sign a contract with Old Lu and still listen to him? Because my life was saved by Old Lu! I might be a monster, but I know how to be grateful!"

"Why did the Green Robe Sect disappear? Old Lu wiped them out, that's why they're gone."

"Why? Because the Green Robe Sect did evil!"

"How would I know? Guess how that old bastard Lu saved me?"

"I may be a great demon, I eat people, but I don't harm them. Those bastards from the Green Robe Sect used human souls to refine artifacts to assist their cultivation! Even a monster like me couldn't stand it..."

Before White Feather completely passed out from drunkenness, Chen Xuanze finally managed to piece together the whole story of how Lu Zhonglou exterminated the Green Robe Sect from his disjointed words.

In the realm of the Qingyi Temple, no one knows when Lv Chonglou entered, but White Feather was unaware. All he knew was that thirty years ago, Lv Chonglou, who was designated as the next temple master within the Qingyi Temple, was expelled from the sect for using the Qingyi Temple's swordsmanship to control spears and refusing to repent.

Lv Chonglou's original plan was to leave the sect first, prove the effectiveness of his swordsmanship in controlling spears after reaching the third-grade realm, and then return to the Qingyi Temple. By then, having mastered the technique of controlling spears at the third-grade level, he would have pioneered a new school of thought, and the Qingyi Temple would never allow such inheritance to flow outside its walls.

But as the old saying goes, plans change swiftly. Lv Chonglou's departure lasted for a decade, during which the Qingyi Temple changed significantly.

Leaving the Qingyi Temple, Lv Chonglou traveled across the Nine Provinces with a steel spear on his back. During one occasion when he was annihilating demons, he met an elder from the Demon Suppression Bureau.

Considering that honing his spear skills alone against demons would be too slow, he decided to join the Demon Suppression Bureau. Twenty years ago, Lv Chonglou had already reached the third-grade level of perfection, his cultivation level matching that of his former master, the Qingyi Temple's temple master, when he left.

Filled with joy to return to the Qingyi Temple before, Lv Chonglou learned from within the Demon Suppression Bureau that the Qingyi Temple had veered onto a sinister path, using human souls to enhance their cultivation.

In a fit of anger, Lv Chonglou returned alone to the Qingyi Temple and confronted all seventy-two members of the temple. Under his questioning, not a single person among the seventy-two showed any remorse. They all confessed to using human soul refining tools.

Not only did the seventy-two show no remorse, they even shamelessly proclaimed that it was in accordance with the laws of nature and the cycle of heaven.

Not only that, the Qingyi Temple also attempted to capture Bai Yu, the White Feathered Eagle, who had a burgeoning sense of justice, intending to extract his eagle soul on an auspicious day.

Seeing how his once-respected sect had degenerated into such a state, willing to slaughter innocent people for their souls, Lv Chonglou's eyes welled up with tears, tears that were crimson red. Such actions by the Qingyi Temple were no different from those of demons and monsters, even worse.

White Feather described it thus: "Brother, do you know? I was sealed in my cultivation at that time, lying behind Old Lv's body. If he had arrived a moment later, I would have had my soul extracted. Old Lv's heart was in pain, so much so that his tears were blood-red. After the pain came anger..."

In a fit of rage, Lv Chonglou single-handedly slew the seventy-two.

Among these seventy-two, his master, whom he hadn't seen in ten years, had already reached the semi-step second-grade level, while the remaining individuals included three fourth-grade and six fifth-grade practitioners.

When the elder from the Demon Suppression Bureau learned that Lv Chonglou had rushed to the Qingyi Temple alone, he hurried to support him. But when he arrived, all he saw was Lv Chonglou standing atop the Qingyi Temple, his white robe stained with blood, staring directly at the main hall where the ancestral shrine was located. Beside him lay a young man with thin lips and narrow eyes, barely alive, along with severed limbs and body parts strewn across the ground, blood pooling on the blue bricks.

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Lv Chonglou knelt in the blood, bowing nine times to the ancestral shrine before rising, blood dripping, his stance unsteady. His voice trembled as he spoke with a tone of killing intent, "Unworthy disciple, I inform the ancestors: the Qingyi Temple uses human soul refining tools, slaughtering countless innocents! Such evil deeds are no different from those of demons and monsters. The Qingyi Temple is unworthy to exist in this world! I, disciple Lv Chonglou, shall eradicate it for the sake of the wronged souls."

The young man on the ground, barely breathing, weakly praised, "Lv Chonglou, I, White Feather, the Eagle Striking Nine Heavens, have never bowed to anyone in my life. But today, I bow to you!"

As White Feather's words fell, shadows of spears flashed behind Lv Chonglou. Beneath the blood-red spear shadows, the buildings of the Qingyi Temple, along with the corpses scattered on the ground, turned into dust.

With killings as proof, Lv Chonglou ascended to the second-grade realm of Dao, a celestial omen.

"Wow, Old Lv is truly righteous, exterminating even his own kin," Chen Xuance sighed, tossing the still mumbling White Feahter onto the bed before tidying up the scene and leaping onto the rooftop.

Normally, a fourth-grade demon like White Feather wouldn't get drunk like this. As for why he did, only White Feather himself knew. This eagle demon was no fool.

The night passed in silence.

...

The next day, after finishing breakfast and returning to his room, Chen Xuance saw the Marquis of Ma, whom he hadn't seen in many days.

Ma Baihu took the initiative to come knocking on the door.

"Xuance, there's a task for you. Head to the West Outer City massacre case, bring a few of your followers with you. Get the specifics from the officials at the Grand Court, they're waiting for you at the entrance."

With that, Ma Baihu hurriedly left. He had plenty on his plate, keeping him busy.

Ma Baihu wasn't concerned about Ma Gan's abilities at all. Last time, when Chen Xuance brought back that carp demon, Ma Gan was the one who ate its head.

The kitchen staff knew Ma Baihu enjoyed fish heads, so they'd send them over whenever they had good ones. Of course, they were well compensated for it, considering it a nice bonus. No harm in making a little extra on the side. After all, a horse without night grazing won't get fat, and a person without extra income won't become wealthy.

After finishing the fish head, Ma Baihu looked at the smooth hole in the bone, envy evident in his eyes.

With the Soul-Cracking Arrow in hand, Ma Gan wasn't worried about mere zombies. Plus, the monks, Taoists, and the girl hanging around with Chen Xuance weren't pushovers either.

The monks and Taoists, not to mention the girl, all had their own abilities.

Zhao Jun from the Yellow Team, when he saw that green-clad girl last time, teeth gnashing in anger, didn't he know that this girl, named Chen Qianqian, was the demon who seduced thousands during the Ghost Festival night?

Chen Xuance, accompanied by Wang Qingxuan, San Zang, and Chen Qianqian, mounted their steeds and headed straight for the North Gate.

By daybreak, White Feather had already disappeared.

Whether it was because he drank too much and embarrassed himself last night, or he went out carousing in the capital, Chen Xuance didn't need to worry about him. A fourth-grade demon like White Feather wouldn't die within the city as long as he didn't cause trouble or get bored enough to storm the imperial palace.

Outside the North Gate, a court official from the Grand Court brought a horse. Chen Xuance tossed him two silver coins, and the horse was handed over to Chen Qianqian.

Of course, just for this occasion.

After getting the details, Chen Xuance guessed that Ma Baihu might have learned about his impending promotion to Deputy Baihu.

"This task is clearly buttering me up, but that's fine."

According to the court official, two nights ago, there was a massacre outside the West Outer City of the capital.

A merchant named Fan and his family of seven lost their lives overnight. The head of the household, Fan Qiancheng, showed signs of being gnawed on, while the other six had their necks bitten off.

The coroner concluded that it was the work of zombies. They finished the autopsy yesterday, but it was already dark, so they reported to the Demon Suppression Bureau early this morning.

Fan Qiancheng, the head of the Fan family, was none other than the foster father of Fan Yu, the chubby boy who joined the Demon Suppression Bureau around the same time as Chen Xuance did. He was the fat cripple who raised the child and sent him to join the Demon Suppression Guard.

Chen Xuance appreciated Ma Baihu's gesture, whether it was because of his promotion or not. He had made up his mind not to give Ma Baihu any more fish from the Yanzi River. After this mission, he would treat Ma Baihu to a good meal at a restaurant.

If he wasn't satisfied with the restaurant, Chen Xuance would pay for Li Gou or Zhao Jun from the Yellow Team to accompany Ma Baihu to Yanzi Street.

After getting the details and arranging for the court official to wait, the four of them mounted their horses and headed for the East Gate.

Their three horses, which had been at the Demon Suppression Bureau for too long, began to run joyfully as soon as they left the city.

Since none of the four were skilled riders, and they were worried about injuring people with their speed, Chen Xuance casually remarked, "If any of you bump into someone or break something, you'll be stewed for lunch!"

The green horse, the green ox, and the white donkey all slowed down in unison. The horse beneath Chen Qianqian's seat had already run out of steam and slowed down as well.

Green horse, green ox, white donkey – they all trusted Ma Gan's words. Didn't the monks and Taoists nod in agreement? If they caused trouble, what use was there in practicing cultivation?

Would they go practice in the outhouse? Last time he checked, crap couldn't turn into demons.