Chapter 117: The Task at Hand

Upon learning that the cakes held a hidden secret, Cheng Xiaoshan sought to confront the lean man who had sold them. Yet, amidst the bustling thoroughfare, the man had vanished without a trace.

In the end, it was his junior sister, Jiang Yingxue, who gently grasped his sleeve and urged, “Senior brother, let it go.”

Cheng Xiaoshan clenched his frustration deep within and exclaimed angrily, “Junior sister, those two dozen cakes cost us over four hundred copper coins! This is all hard-earned money, bought with our very lives!”

Lu Chenyuan, listening nearby, was struck with curiosity and couldn’t help but ask, “Brother Cheng, your words confuse me. Since you both hail from esteemed sects, shouldn’t your travel expenses have been provided by your elders in the sect?”

But upon hearing the words “sect elders,” Cheng Xiaoshan’s face twisted into a peculiar, cold sneer. He snorted, saying, “Shopkeeper Lu, you jest. If my sect elders were so kind-hearted, why would my junior sister and I have to endure such humiliations?”

He paused, recalling some unpleasant memory, and a flash of resentment crossed his eyes. “This money was earned on the road by the two of us, ridding local gentry of malevolent spirits that plagued them. We begged and bargained for every coin. Not a single copper was gained without great effort.”

Lu Chenyuan’s curiosity deepened as he asked, “What sort of malevolent spirits have you been dealing with on your journey?”

Cheng Xiaoshan, recognizing the inscrutable nature of Shopkeeper Lu, dared not conceal the truth and replied, “Shopkeeper Lu, you may not know, but since leaving the Refining Sect, we have traveled to Zhenhaichuan. Though still within the Eastern Province, it is hundreds of miles away. The world is vast, and though the Demon Suppression Bureau’s officials wield great power, there are still places beyond their reach. Some unfortunate cultivators, having strayed in their practice or lost heart after defeat, become corrupted, turning into savage aberrations bent only on slaughter.”

“These fiends, if left in some remote village, would slaughter every man, woman, and child within half a day. If they haunt the trade routes, they cut off livelihoods. Thus, many wealthy landowners post notices offering rewards to passing cultivators like us, hiring us to exterminate these threats.”

At this, his sneer deepened. “But this line of work has its own tricks. Those landlords are shrewd as iron roosters, unwilling to part with even a single coin. To keep the rewards low, they often downplay the strength of these creatures. If we are unlucky enough to encounter a powerful beast, one that fights like ten men, a single misstep could mean death for us both.”

Lin Jianyian sighed and said, “Cheng, what you say is true. Here in Zhenhaichuan, the prosperous Sea Tide Festival means the court and the Nine Provinces’ sects pay close attention, and the Demon Suppression Bureau is strong. Yet, the Great Zhou Immortal Court’s realm is vast, and places with sufficient manpower like this are few. Many remote counties remain beyond the bureau’s reach.”

Shangguan Chuci gently fanned himself and mused, “Deputy Lin’s words suggest that few cultivators wish to join the Demon Suppression Bureau, which must be related.”

Lin Jianyian’s face darkened. “Indeed. It wasn’t so bad years ago, but lately, cultivators perish in increasing numbers. The demon kingdoms stir restlessly, often sending shape-shifting fiends disguised as humans to prey within our borders.”

“Our bureau must purge aberrations, trace demon trails, and outwit cunning vengeful spirits and malevolent entities. Our manpower is stretched thin; many comrades fall each year, yet fewer new recruits join. The burden only grows heavier.”

Lu Chenyuan understood this clearly. Although the bureau received imperial stipends and exchanged merit for superior techniques, it stood on the front lines of demon hunting, facing dangers unlike any ordinary sect.

If one had such talent to enter the bureau, surely the grand sects would welcome them. Why then endure such precarious risks?

His gaze shifted back to Cheng Xiaoshan. “Aside from slaying aberrations, what other work do you take?”

Cheng Xiaoshan replied, “We also help dispel malevolent entities born from grudges…”

His voice softened, and he cast a quick glance at Lu Chenyuan. Inwardly, he thought, “This Shopkeeper Lu is mysterious and powerful, skilled in all manners of human relationships. His inn clearly harbors traces of vengeful spirits—likely his own doing. If I reveal too much, I might anger him. That would be unwise.”

Recalling Shangguan Chuci’s strange tales, he cautiously added, “Such vengeful spirits are most cunning and dangerous, beyond what normal cultivation can gauge. When we encounter them, we only scout from the outskirts. If we feel outmatched, we never venture deeper.”

“As for fees… if the client is wealthy, we charge more. For common folk, fifty to two hundred copper coins, as an act of earning some virtue.”

Lu Chenyuan nodded thoughtfully, “I see. That’s not much indeed.”

Cheng Xiaoshan smiled wryly, “After all… our situation is somewhat special, so we cannot be too conspicuous.”

Lu Chenyuan pressed on, “I thought skilled fighters like you would also handle tasks hunting the corrupt heretics.”

Hearing this, Cheng Xiaoshan shook his head repeatedly. “No, no. Those heretics are desperate outlaws, their methods vile. That’s the Demon Suppression Bureau’s headache. We itinerants keep to ourselves, avoiding them unless absolutely necessary.”

Shangguan Chuci overheard this and smiled inwardly. She saw clearly that Cheng Xiaoshan’s words, while expressing fear of the heretics, also hid another truth.

Whether aberrations or vengeful spirits, their remains contain fragments of spiritual essence—prime materials for forging magical weapons, known as “explosive gear.”

The heretics, dangerous as they are, remain living foes. Killing them is costly and offers no spoils, so naturally, these siblings avoid such tasks.

Lu Chenyuan perceived Cheng Xiaoshan’s guarded expression and suspected hidden motives. Seeing the siblings’ aura of transformation and knowing their sect’s reliance on forging from malevolent spirits, he realized the Refining Sect was hardly a conventional school.

Yet, this was their private matter, and he chose not to pry further.

As they spoke, their footsteps never faltered.

Unnoticed, they passed through several long streets until suddenly the view opened wide. Before them stood a towering temple built by the sea, majestic and imposing.