Name: Shen Changqing
Organization: Great Qin's Demon Suppression Division
Identity: Probationary Demon Hunter
Martial Arts: Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training Method (Third Level, unable to advance)
Slaughter: 0
Having expended all his Slaughter Value, the Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training Method had advanced directly from uninitiated to the third level.
He stood in place with closed eyes for a long time without moving.
After a while, Shen Changqing suddenly opened his eyes, took a lunge step forward, and threw a punch into the air.
BOOM—
As the fist shot out, there was a faint whistling sound as it cut through the air.
In an instant, the sound dissipated, and Shen Changqing drew back his fist and straightened up.
The Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training Method consists of thirteen levels. Each successfully cultivated level significantly enhances the Flesh's toughness and slightly increases power and speed.
With my current third-level Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training Method, aside from some veteran Probationary Demon Hunters, no one else from the same batch who entered the Demon Suppression Division should be comparable to me.
And even those with more seniority—as long as they've been Probationary Demon Hunters for less than half a year—are unlikely to be much stronger than me. Some might even be weaker.
In the Demon Suppression Division, the Defender Envoy's position is the highest, followed by that of the Demon Hunter. Among all the Demon Hunters, the Probationary Demon Hunter is the lowest in rank. Unless one is tremendously strong, every newcomer to the Demon Suppression Division starts as a Probationary Demon Hunter.
Simply put, Probationary Demon Hunters serve as a reserve for official Demon Hunters. Their main purpose is to enhance their strength as much as possible, build up enough of a foundation to complete the Demon Suppression Division's missions, and then become official Demon Hunters. Therefore, most Probationary Demon Hunters are quite weak, only becoming stronger after spending more time in the role. As for the true experts, they are at least official Demon Hunters.
Of course, that's not to say Probationary Demon Hunters just stay in the Demon Suppression Division to cultivate in seclusion. In addition to their cultivation, they must regularly undertake some simple tasks. Only then are they qualified to enjoy their due entitlements in the Demon Suppression Division.
Furthermore, his predecessor and he himself had both spent a month memorizing the Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training Method. Although he thought his predecessor was a bit slow-witted, even a smarter person would need ten days to half a month to fully memorize a Martial Arts method. One could enter the Scripture Pavilion once every five days and stay for two hours each visit. A Martial Arts method contained substantial content, so it was reasonable for a clever person to spend four to six hours memorizing it. But it was clear that memorizing was one thing; successful cultivation was another entirely.
According to Shen Changqing's understanding, among those who joined the Demon Suppression Division in the same batch as him, even those with exceptional talent had only barely initiated themselves into their chosen Martial Art. From this, it was clear: My third-level Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training Method might not let me dominate all Probationary Demon Hunters, but I can still be considered an expert among them.
However, seeing the Slaughter Value on the panel now cleared to zero, Shen Changqing shook his head again.
What a pity. The Slaughter Value has been depleted. I need to find a way to accumulate more.
Collecting Slaughter Value is the only way to quickly enhance my own strength.
Great Qin had established the Demon Suppression Division because this world was not as peaceful as his previous one; it was filled with various perils. The number of people who die in the Demon Suppression Division every year is countless. I don't want to find myself on that death list one day.
Moreover, every Demon Hunter must carry out missions; no one was an exception. Even Probationary Demon Hunters have only one year's buffer period. After a year, the Demon Suppression Division would force Probationary Demon Hunters to undertake missions involving Demon Evils and Strange Monsters. If they succeeded, they could shed their status as Probationary Demon Hunters and become official Demon Hunters. As for failure... the consequences were self-evident.
Once you join the Demon Suppression Division, there's no path of retreat. You either keep climbing, or you fall on the endless road of missions...
No one wants to die, and neither do I.
Once part of the Demon Suppression Division, the only way to survive was to ceaselessly improve your strength. Therefore, I have no choice.
KNOCK, KNOCK!
The courtyard door was knocked upon.
Shen Changqing opened the courtyard door and immediately saw a burly, square-faced middle-aged man standing in front of him.
"Greetings, Steward Liu!"
The visitor, named Liu Chang, was an official Demon Hunter and the Steward of the Huang Department's Demon Hunting Court. The so-called Huang Department Demon Hunting Court was the residence for all Demon Hunters. It housed both Probationary Demon Hunters and official Demon Hunters. There were a total of four Demon Hunting Courts within the Demon Suppression Division, named Tian, Di, Xuan, and Huang respectively. The Huang Department was one of them.
Shen Changqing was quite familiar with Liu Chang. Indeed, all Demon Hunters were familiar with Liu Chang, as he was the person they had the most contact with.
Seeing Shen Changqing emerge, Liu Chang's eyes suddenly flickered. In that instant, Shen Changqing felt as though Liu Chang had seen right through him.
"It seems your talent in Martial Arts is quite good!"
"Steward Liu, you flatter me. I have merely made some minor progress," Shen Changqing said humbly.
The improvement from the Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training Method was bound to be noticed.As an official Demon Hunter, Liu Chang's strength was naturally not weak. It was normal for him to notice something, but unless we sparred, he wouldn't be able to fully discern my true capabilities.
As expected, upon hearing this, Liu Chang's stern face softened slightly.
"To reach the entry-level of a Martial Art in about a month, your talent surpasses that of many Demon Hunters. With a bit more time, you might have the chance to become an official Demon Hunter. The path of Martial Arts requires a balance of exertion and rest to reach the summit."
He offered a simple word of praise. In Liu Chang's eyes, Shen Changqing showed promise of becoming an official Demon Hunter, as not many could reach the entry-level of a Martial Art within a month. Anyone who could achieve this, as long as they didn't meet an untimely end, would eventually become an official Demon Hunter—and not just an ordinary one. Just as Shen Changqing had thought, without a true exchange of blows and relying solely on observation, Liu Chang couldn't fully perceive his true foundation.
After speaking, Liu Chang paused, his expression returning to its usual indifference.
"The time limit for your previous mission is up. You should take on a new one now!"
"May I ask what this mission is?"
"Probationary Demon Hunters don't have many missions. The one you need to complete now is the same as last time: patrol the Demon-Subduing Prison," Liu Chang said flatly.
"Patrol the Demon-Subduing Prison!"
Shen Changqing's expression shifted subtly, but inwardly, he was delighted.My last mission was to patrol the Demon-Subduing Prison, and it was because of that patrol that the panel officially activated.I was just wondering how to find an opportunity to enter the Demon-Subduing Prison again without arousing suspicion.But unexpectedly, the opportunity to enter the Demon-Subduing Prison presented itself.
Seeing Shen Changqing's change in expression, Liu Chang mistook it for fear and offered an explanation.
"The Demon-Subduing Prison isn't as dangerous as you might think. The Demon Evils and Strange Monsters suppressed within are mostly bound by powerful seals. As long as you don't trespass into restricted areas, you won't have any problems. Those restricted areas are already documented in the Demon-Subduing Prison Manual. Also, remember, if you hear any sounds in the Demon-Subduing Prison, treat them as if you heard nothing at all."
Normally, he wouldn't have bothered to explain further. However, Shen Changqing's ability to reach the entry-level of a Martial Art in about a month clearly marked him as a promising prospect. Explaining now was a way of currying favor with him. Perhaps someday, when Shen Changqing developed, he might repay this kindness. Even taking a step back, even if Shen Changqing didn't develop as expected, or if he did develop but forgot about this, it wouldn't be a significant loss for Liu Chang. Saying a few extra words cost him nothing.
Hearing this, Shen Changqing clasped his hands. "Thank you for your guidance, Steward Liu!"
"En, this is the Demon-Subduing Prison Manual. Take it."
Liu Chang took out a booklet about a foot long from his sleeve and handed it to Shen Changqing.
"The Demon-Subduing Prison Manual details each area, the Demon Evils and Strange Monsters sealed there, and their current status. If you discover any abnormalities, or if anything escapes, do not enter the cells to investigate on your own. Simply report it to the person overseeing the Demon-Subduing Prison. Furthermore, if you discover an abnormality, you must not deliberately conceal it. If a deliberate concealment is discovered, you will be considered to be colluding with Demon Evils and betraying the Human Clan. The only outcome is death."
"Rest assured, Steward Liu. I understand this clearly!"
Shen Changqing's expression was solemn as he put away the Demon-Subduing Prison Manual.
The rules of the Demon Suppression Division are strict and severe.Violating any rule, for minor infractions, leads to severe injury or disability; for serious ones, it means certain death.Although my strength has increased somewhat, I'm not arrogant enough to challenge the rules of the Demon Suppression Division.
"You may go!"
"Yes!"
Upon receiving Liu Chang's command, Shen Changqing immediately headed towards the Demon-Subduing Prison.
The Demon Suppression Division was divided into several areas. The Demon Hunting Court, where Demon Hunters resided, was in the outermost ring of the Demon Suppression Division. The Scripture Pavilion was in the second ring. The Demon-Subduing Prison was located in the third ring. The fourth ring was where the Defender Envoys resided.
This layout was intentional because the Demon-Subduing Prison was extremely important. If any of the sealed Demon Evils or Strange Monsters escaped, it would be a devastating blow to ordinary people. Having Demon Hunters in front and Defender Envoys behind was to prevent the escape of Demon Evils and Strange Monsters. As soon as anything left the Demon-Subduing Prison, the alarm would instantly sound. At that time, the Demon Suppression Division could immediately re-suppress the escaped Demon Evils and Strange Monsters, or eliminate them on the spot. All Demon Evils and Strange Monsters imprisoned in the Demon-Subduing Prison had been defeated by the experts of the Demon Suppression Division. Therefore, there was no possibility that they couldn't be dealt with.
After his rebirth, Shen Changqing had visited the Demon-Subduing Prison once. As a Probationary Demon Hunter's missions were assigned every three days, this was his second time here. With the experience from his first visit, while he couldn't be said to be treading a familiar path on this second trip to the Demon-Subduing Prison, he was certainly not unacquainted with it.
Soon, the Demon-Subduing Prison appeared within his line of sight.