[In the first year of cultivating the Demon Mimicry Technique, you learn to observe the every move of a demon.]

...

[In the tenth year of cultivating the Demon Mimicry Technique, you begin to try imitating a demon’s movements.]

...

[In the fiftieth year of cultivating the Demon Mimicry Technique, you discover you can visualize the demons on the Ten Thousand Demons Painting. You lock onto the Zhu Yan as your target for imitation.]

...

[In the one hundred and fiftieth year of cultivating the Demon Mimicry Technique, you grasp a sliver of the Zhu Yan’s essence.]

...

[In the four hundred and seventieth year of cultivating the Demon Mimicry Technique, your progress in imitating the Zhu Yan reaches eleven percent.]

[Name: Bai Yuan]

[Class: Demon Hunter, Sword Ghost, Boxer, Spirit Cooker, Skin Painter]

[Skills: Chaotic Blood Hidden Tiger Saber (Proficient), Manggu Zhuhe Technique (Initiate), Demon Mimicry Technique (Expert), Spirit Extraction (Grandmaster), Spirit-Seizing Technique (Grandmaster)...]

[Enhancement Points: 0]

Bai Yuan raised the Demon Mimicry Technique to the Expert level in one go.

His gaze fell upon the scroll of light and shadow.

A monster appeared before him, shaped like an ape with a white head and red feet. This was the ancient beast, the Zhu Yan.

The Ten Thousand Demons Painting’s evaluation of the Zhu Yan was that it was a creature of great misfortune; its appearance heralded war.

War would break out wherever a Zhu Yan appeared, for it was a mystical beast that drew its power from conflict.

Bai Yuan had Zhou Siming to thank for being able to use a great demon like the Zhu Yan as an object of visualization.

If not for the Ten Thousand Demons Painting from Zhou Siming, where else could he have found a demon that had gone extinct since the Ancient Era?

He chose the Zhu Yan, of course, because it was an exceptional fighter.

After all, the monkey family was known for producing masters of combat.

Unfamiliar memories flooded Bai Yuan’s mind.

His vision turned crimson. All he could see were mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Skulls were piled into grisly mounds. There was nothing but blood, and more blood.

A frenzied killing intent made Bai Yuan’s breath grow ragged.

Right now, all he wanted was to kill to his heart’s content.

Just then—

A soft voice called out, "Brother Yuan?"

Xiao Qiaoniang had woken up at some point. She looked at Bai Yuan with fear in her eyes.

She couldn’t forget the terrifying, man-eating look Bai Yuan had just moments ago.

’Could Brother Yuan be practicing some evil technique again?’

Xiao Qiaoniang thought to herself as she watched Bai Yuan’s gaze gradually clear.

She was now a master in the Martial World herself, no longer the naive woman she once was.

’Thinking back, the Blood Tiger Saber that Brother Yuan practiced must have been an evil technique. This must be one too.’

Bai Yuan took a deep breath and forced a smile. "Sorry. It won’t happen again."

He had overestimated his own willpower and had almost been consumed by the Zhu Yan’s furious killing intent.

He made a mental note to be extremely careful when practicing the Demon Mimicry Technique in the future.

Though his cheat ability loved to kill, he had no desire to become a monster who only knew slaughter.

Xiao Qiaoniang blinked, a confused look on her face. "Brother Yuan, why do you give me a very familiar feeling, yet also make me a little afraid?"

Bai Yuan pondered for a moment.

’It must be because Sister Qiao and Xiaoqing are symbiotic. Xiaoqing’s Soaring Snake bloodline is from the same era as the Zhu Yan, and they were enemies. That must be why she feels this way.’

"It’s nothing."

Bai Yuan stroked Qiaoniang’s smooth back.

Seeing this, Qiaoniang didn’t press the issue.

...

Qiaoniang felt her body was tired, so she continued to lie in bed.

Bai Yuan got dressed and pushed the door open.

Even though he didn’t need to lead troops out, there were still many matters for him to handle each day.

He had just stepped out of the courtyard gate when an official-looking man, who had been waiting outside, approached him.

"Lord Bai, Lord Yang has an urgent matter to discuss with you."

Bai Yuan nodded. "I understand."

He immediately followed the official down the mountain to the Huanglong Prefecture Magistrate’s Office.

The moment Bai Yuan saw Yang Fangyu standing in the main hall, Yang Fangyu burst into laughter.

"Ah Yuan, my friend! Good news! Great news!"

Hearing this, Bai Yuan couldn’t help but wonder what good news could make Yang Fangyu so happy.

Yang Fangyu threw an arm around Bai Yuan’s shoulder.

"You know how the position of Chief Constable of the Lingzhou Patrol Office has been vacant ever since Zhang Huanchang died in the line of duty?"

"They’ve chosen someone?"

Bai Yuan asked in return.

Zhang Huanchang had gone with the two of them to investigate the case of the missing weapons, only to be treacherously killed by Niu Cheng. The position of Chief Constable of the Lingzhou Patrol Office had remained vacant ever since.

Yang Fangyu gave a mysterious smile. "Don’t you want to know who it is?"

"Don’t leave me hanging."

Bai Yuan rolled his eyes.

"It’s you."

Yang Fangyu said, pointing at Bai Yuan.

"Me?"

Bai Yuan raised an eyebrow. This was rather unexpected.

It was well known that the Demon Slayer Guard and the Patrol Office were two extremely important posts within the Lingzhou Prefecture Magistrate’s Office. They had always been governed by two separate individuals to prevent any one person from accumulating too much power.

But now, Bai Yuan was about to hold both positions at once.

Yang Fangyu continued, "The news is reliable. A document from the Ministry of Personnel will be sent to Ling Province soon. Official Fifth-Grade! Tsk, tsk. Isn’t that great news?"

Bai Yuan nodded.

The authority contained within his Official Fifth-Grade position was even greater than Yang Fangyu’s as the Prefect of Huanglong Prefecture. One could even call it the most powerful Fifth-Grade position there was.

’That old man Du Qinghui is really something else,’ he thought.

’Do I have some kind of affinity with old men?’ Bai Yuan wondered.

「Three days later.」

Just as Yang Fangyu had said, the document from the Ministry of Personnel indeed arrived at Huanglong Prefecture.

This time, it was an official from the Ministry of Personnel, not an Imperial Eunuch from the Ritual Department like before.

In fact, most official appointments were delivered by officials from the Ministry of Personnel. Last time, Bai Yuan had benefited from Yuan Dingcai’s influence, which was why he had received the high-level treatment of a Holy Decree.

Such treatment was an honor typically reserved for high-ranking officials of the third grade or above.

Bai Yuan had gotten a taste of that glory ahead of schedule.

This Junior Minister from the Ministry of Personnel was exceptionally incorruptible. Bai Yuan had originally intended to offer him some Spirit Medicine, but he was sternly refused, so Bai Yuan had to drop the matter.

Upon receiving the appointment document from the Ministry of Personnel, his position as the Fifth-Grade General and Chief Constable was now official.

From now on, he was in charge of both humans and demons in Ling Province.

...

「Ling Province, Prefecture Magistrate’s Office.」

"Kuaidong seems to be making a move."

Jiang Changping’s expression was grim.

He had long known that the Northern Garrison Army intended to have a decisive battle with the Northern Demon Sect. Ling Province had been secretly preparing supplies and was even ready for the fall of Dingzhou City, preparing to become the new front line.

Du Qinghui listened with a blank face, showing no emotional reaction.

For an expert of his level, the only one in all of Ling Province worthy of his attention was the Northern Plains Iron Tower.

Kuaidong was too powerful; even he had to be cautious.

Kuaidong’s choice to head north at this time was clearly premeditated.

Dong Wanjun sat steadily in his chair, awaiting Du Qinghui’s orders.

The hall was silent for a long time before Du Qinghui finally spoke. "Mobilize the troops. Encircle and annihilate."

Hearing this, Jiang Changping was visibly shaken.

The Northern Garrison Army and the Demon Sect had not yet begun their final battle, yet Ling Province was about to start its own.

Dong Wanjun slowly rose to his feet. "Yes, sir!"

Before his voice had even faded, he was already striding out of the hall with decisive speed. Witnessing this, Jiang Changping sighed inwardly.

With Du Qinghui initiating a decisive battle, anyone in Ling Province could die, including himself.

He had originally considered trying to dissuade him, but he extinguished the thought. His gaze quickly turned resolute as he followed Dong Wanjun out of the hall to prepare for battle.

In the end, only Du Qinghui remained in the hall, sitting in the Grandmaster’s Chair, his expression dark and unreadable.

A secret letter he had received yesterday appeared in his mind.

The Emperor, seated high on his throne, was gradually losing his patience.

...

"A detour?"

Bai Yuan and Yang Fangyu both frowned upon seeing the message.

According to the news from Ling Province, a section of the Official Road had been blocked by an earthquake. Laborers had been mobilized to clear it, but the Northern Garrison Army’s supplies could not be delayed, so a temporary detour had been ordered.

This detour happened to pass through Huanglong Prefecture, so Yang Fangyu was ordered to dispatch troops to clear the way and stand guard, preventing experts from the Demon Sect from attacking the supply convoy.

As the Chief Constable of the Patrol Office, Bai Yuan was naturally involved as well.

Thus, Jiang Changping had ordered the two of them to head north immediately.

Yang Fangyu frowned.

The situation in the Northern Territory was already urgent. For something like this to happen now... it was truly a case of when it rains, it pours.

However, since the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office had issued an order, he and Bai Yuan had no choice but to obey.

「That night.」

Bai Yuan first bid farewell to Qiaoniang. Then, he took the Firearms Team, and Yang Fangyu took the experts from the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office, and they rushed to the location of the detour.

They arrived at the designated location just as the sky was beginning to brighten.

Building an official road was already extremely labor-intensive. Now that the road was destroyed, the supply convoy could only take the mountain paths.

The monsters and Demons of the Northern Plains hid deep within the mountains, so the danger was undoubtedly much greater.

This was also why Jiang Changping had ordered Bai Yuan and Yang Fangyu to personally oversee the transport.

From a distance, Bai Yuan and Yang Fangyu saw a massive convoy of several dozen carriages.

As they approached, a young general came forward to greet them.

"Are you the two esteemed lords, Lord Bai and Lord Yang?"

"We are."

Bai Yuan and Yang Fangyu said in unison.

The young general’s face lit up. "Excellent, excellent. I am this mission’s Grain Transport Envoy, Liao Zhong."

"Lord Liao."

Yang Fangyu performed a fist-and-palm salute.

Seeing how young Liao Zhong was, he was most likely a student from one of the academies.

Unlike the other two major schools of thought, most students from the Confucian academies eventually entered the Court as officials. Most became Civil Servants, but a small number became Military Officers.

Liao Zhong said, "The official road has been rerouted, and the mountain path is treacherous. I will have to trouble you two lords from here on. There can be no mistakes with the grain transport."

Bai Yuan and Yang Fangyu nodded.

After a brief conversation, Liao Zhong returned to the convoy to do a final check before immediately setting off.

After talking on the road, Yang Fangyu discovered that Liao Zhong was actually his junior brother.

Liao Zhong was pleasantly surprised. "Lord Yang, you are also a student of Yingshan Academy?"

Yang Fangyu smiled faintly. "Indeed. I studied under Master Zhou, Zhou Yang. How has Master Zhou been lately?"

"Master Zhou is doing very well. All the junior and senior brothers are quite afraid of him."

Hearing this, the two shared a knowing smile.

There were many small cliques within the Xuan Yang Court, and fellow students from the same academy were undoubtedly one of the most widespread. The unique rapport they shared could only be understood by those who came from the same academy.

As one of the four great academies of Xuan Yang, Yingshan Academy had produced many high-ranking officials.

It was precisely this bond between fellow alumni that made students from all over the world flock to the four great academies.

With Yang Fangyu acting as the bridge between them, the three of them gradually became more familiar with one another.