Chapter 167: Court Power Struggles! The Demon Invasion Begins!
Several decades ago, a silent upheaval began to unfold, and from that point on, the tone of this world shifted into something far more bizarre.
Now, everywhere you look, there are people flying through the sky and tunneling underground like it's nothing.
It's hard to judge the overall level of power in this world, but legends of top-tier experts tearing through the void with sheer might have never ceased.
Demonic beings disguising themselves as humans and mingling in the marketplace has long since ceased to be surprising.
Once discovered, they are immediately arrested by the Divine Constable Bureau and thrown into the Heavenly Prison, where they're tortured until their soul and body are completely annihilated. Chu Yang had once witnessed such an arrest—its aftermath was devastating, with over ten civilian casualties alone.
The agency in question, the Divine Constable Bureau, is commanded by Zhuge Zhengwo, under whom serve the Four Great Constables.
Though Chu Yang had been feigning the life of a hedonistic wastrel for years, avoiding all inquiries into worldly affairs to avoid arousing the emperor's suspicion, living in the capital meant he still picked up on some things about court politics.
Within the current power structure of the Ming Dynasty, leaving aside the steadily declining civil bureaucrats, there are six true power blocs that hold life-and-death authority.
Two Marquises and One House.
Two Bureaus and One Guard.
The latter group—Two Bureaus and One Guard—is straightforward enough, familiar names from Ming history: the Eastern Depot, the Western Depot, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
The Eastern Depot is headed by Supervisor Cao Zhengchun, the Western Depot by Supervisor Yu Huatian, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard by Commander Zheng Dongliu.
The Embroidered Uniform Guard oversees the conduct of officials; the Eastern Depot monitors the Embroidered Uniform Guard; and the Western Depot, in turn, watches the Eastern Depot. It's a classic bureaucratic nesting doll setup—one level supervising the next.
This tripartite balance of power was deliberately engineered by His Majesty. He enjoys watching his underlings scheme and struggle—call it a dark hobby. He even outperforms Chu Yang in pretending to be harmless.
In facing such a deeply scheming emperor, it's a good thing Chu Yang's acting skills were top-notch, or he would've landed on the emperor's blacklist long ago.
Compared to the Two Bureaus and One Guard who focus on internal affairs, the Two Marquises and One House are more externally oriented.
The Two Marquises refer to Zhuge the Divine Marquis—Zhuge Zhengwo—and the Iron-Guts Divine Marquis Zhu Wushi, a descendant of the founding Zhu family.
One commands the Divine Constable Bureau, responsible for capturing demons hiding in the mortal realm; the other leads the Dragon Guard Manor, which gathers related intelligence—effectively functioning as a spy network.
Rather than conflict, the two actually complement each other.
The issue is that Zhuge and Zhu Wushi are bitter political enemies, even to the point of mutual destruction.
The real jurisdictional overlap, however, lies between the Divine Constable Bureau and the One House—the Six Doors Agency.
The Divine Constable Bureau typically handles demon eradication, while the Six Doors focuses on capturing human criminals. But in this era of upheaval, many outlaws have become outrageously powerful.
It's like those superhero movies—supervillains require superheroes to catch them.
The Six Doors are essentially the Ming Dynasty's "Avengers," beloved by the public. Their Chief Constable, Hero Guo, is a veritable celebrity. Compared to them, the Divine Constable Bureau remains in the shadows.
Yet human hearts are made of flesh. Over time, envy took root in the Divine Constable Bureau. They started crossing into Six Doors territory under the guise of "assisting their colleagues."
Tensions began from there. The Bureau's Four Great Constables and Six Doors' Four Divine Constables are often pitted against each other in popular comparisons.
Still, despite the turmoil among their subordinates, Zhuge the Divine Marquis and Hero Guo maintain civility in court. They both understand that it's really the Emperor pulling the strings behind the scenes.
In short, both the Two Marquises and One House, and the Two Bureaus and One Guard, operate in similarly structured triangles—triangles that offer stability. Chu Yang sometimes mused that if his imperial brother weren't an emperor, he'd probably make a brilliant mathematician.
Perhaps due to a deliberate news blackout, the capital remains oblivious to the chaos beyond its walls. While demons run rampant outside, inside it's still all song and dance, with officials endlessly indulging in pleasures.
Had it not been for this unexpected journey into the martial world, Chu Yang might've lived and died without ever knowing the truth.
After letting his thoughts wander for a while, Chu Yang turned around and found Guo Furong already asleep, tear streaks still on her face, as if she'd cried herself out.
He wasn't worried about safety; after all, this was Tongfu Inn. None of the guests here had the guts for anything too sinister.
By dawn, once the authorities arrived, things would settle down.
After a long day and half a night of chaos, even Chu Yang was running on fumes. His eyelids began to droop, and soon he slumped over and fell into a deep sleep.
In the main hall, Tong Xiangyu and the others were discussing how to report the incident the next morning, when a sudden, urgent knocking at the door startled them.
"Zhantang, go open the door…"
Tong Xiangyu quietly stepped behind everyone else.
"It's me again!"
Bai Zhantang looked miserable. He'd just been terrified by the "Male-Female Malevolent Duo." Who knew what new horror awaited this time?
Still, complaints aside, he knew he was the strongest martial artist here. If there really was danger, anyone else going would be suicide.
With trembling steps, Bai Zhantang approached the door. The past two years had been anything but peaceful—not just scum like the Malevolent Duo, but demons had also been wreaking havoc.
Creak—
The door opened to reveal a black-clad constable, shifty-eyed like a monkey.
"Old Xing? You came back? You scared us to death!"
Bai Zhantang quickly dragged Xing Yusen inside.
"Didn't you head back to the yamen?" Tong Xiangyu asked, noticing something was off. Xing had been so frightened of the Malevolent Duo earlier that he refused to stay, no matter how they begged. Yet here he was again, sneaking back in.
"I'm sorry, Old Bai, Boss Tong," Xing Yusen said, forehead slick with sweat and hands clasped in a pleading gesture. "Please let me stay at Tongfu Inn for the night!"
"Really, Old Xing?" Li Dazui laughed dumbly. "Got a perfectly good home and want to crash at the inn instead? What, chasing a thrill?"
Xing waved his hands wildly. "It's not like that!"
Scholar Lü whispered, "You're a civil servant—you shouldn't be getting into shady business. Corruption always starts small…"
Xing trembled with fury. "What are you talking about? Could you shut up for once?!"
Tong Xiangyu couldn't hold it anymore and yelled, "Xing Yusen, just tell us what's going on already!"
Gritting his teeth, Xing finally admitted, "On my way back, I kept feeling like something was following me. I didn't dare go home alone, so I came back here to hide for a bit…"
"Hide?" Tong Xiangyu turned pale and snapped, "You bastard, what if you did bring something dirty back with you?! What about our little Bei? She's just a child!"
Xing's face flushed red and green by turns. Finally, he sighed, "Then… I'll leave."
But Tong Xiangyu couldn't stay heartless. "Fine, we'll all cram into the main hall later. The more people, the stronger the yang energy. No need to fear dirty spirits."
Xing brightened at once.
The next second, Bai Zhantang suddenly gasped. "Crap! There are still two people in the back courtyard!"
Chu Yang, half-asleep, felt something licking his face. The moist sensation was disturbingly real, and it reminded him of Qingyue, the top courtesan of Red Sleeve Pavilion.
But why did it smell so rank?
Qingyue never had a stench like this…
Chu Yang snapped awake—this wasn't Qingyue at all, but a giant demon that looked half-snake, half-bull. It was licking him like he was some kind of ice treat.
From the hungry gleam in its eyes, it clearly hadn't eaten in days. Honestly, if he were that hungry, he'd probably eat sh*t too.
"Come on, I've gotta be better than sh*t. I'm screwed now!"
Even in the face of death, Chu Yang found time to crack a joke. His own composure surprised him—he thought he'd wet himself by now.
But then again, he'd already lived a life of luxury. Dying wasn't such a bad deal. What was there to be upset about?
"I just have one request. Could you at least brush your teeth first…"
Suddenly, the demon paused and gave Chu Yang a strange look before leaning toward Guo Furong.
That's when Chu Yang's expression finally changed.
"What the hell is wrong with you? She's skin and bones—she's a dessert at best! You'd be better off eating me!"
As if sensing his desperation, the demon's mouth curled into a humanlike smirk—mocking, amused.
"You son of a b*tch, you're toying with me!"
Only now did Chu Yang realize the demon was enjoying itself, playing with him like a cat with a mouse.
No matter how hard he cursed, the demon ignored him, continuing to lick Guo Furong's face.
Her body trembled uncontrollably.
She had woken up long ago, but kept pretending to sleep, terrified that any movement would provoke the demon.
She'd heard every word Chu Yang said. Thinking about all the trouble she'd caused him on this trip, guilt tore at her heart.
"Senior Brother… are we really going to die here today?"
Guo Furong whispered through her tears.
"Stop crying! The more you cry, the happier it gets. Even if we die, don't give it the satisfaction. Don't tarnish Master's reputation!"
It was the only comfort Chu Yang could offer. With his weak cultivation, he had no means of turning the tide.
Guo Furong gradually quieted, her expression firming up. Her senior brother was right—her father was Hero Guo. She couldn't disgrace him.
Deprived of its entertainment, the demon grew fierce and lowered its head, jaws wide to devour them both.
Just then—
"Sunflower Acupoint Striking Hand!"
A white blur flashed past the demon's front, so fast it couldn't even react. The demon froze mid-motion.
"Hahaha! Old Bai, you're amazing!"
"Zhantang, you're the best!"
Tong Xiangyu and Scholar Lü didn't dare approach, cheering from the hallway between the main hall and courtyard.
Constable Xing, shaking like a leaf, drew his blade and stepped forward with a grimace.
Bai Zhantang stood with his back to the demon, dusting his hands with flair. "Haven't made a move in years. Still got it!"
But as Xing neared, his face suddenly twisted in horror.
Bai Zhantang sensed something wrong, and as he began to turn, he felt a crushing force slam into his waist. Numbness spread instantly as he was hurled into a pile of firewood.
The demon's serpentine tail swept again. Xing tried to block with his sword, but was effortlessly launched into the air—crashing down right in front of Tong Xiangyu and the others!
Everyone's faces went pale. One thought flashed through their minds in unison:
It's over!
Dazed and bruised, Bai Zhantang stared blankly at the demon and muttered, "Human pressure points don't work on this thing… I'm such an idiot…"
The demon loomed low, ready to devour everyone in the courtyard.
Tong Xiangyu and the others huddled together, sobbing.
"I told you to run! Why'd you all come to the back courtyard? Now look!"
"Boss, you said to come!"
"So if I say jump, you jump? I tell you to work and none of you listen, but now you're all suddenly obedient?!"
"Boss, now that's not fair."
"I'm about to die—who cares about fair?!"
"Xiangyu, don't cry… There's something I've always wanted to tell you."
"Zhantang…"
As their tragic exchange played out, a furious shout suddenly erupted behind the demon.
"Didn't I tell you to eat me first? Don't you even know who the main course is? Just look at this rundown inn—clearly not doing well. The innkeeper and staff all look starved and pale. What's there to eat here?"
"You're really bad at recognizing quality. Even among monsters, you must be some third-rate bottom-feeder."
The monster froze mid-motion and slowly turned to glare at Chu Yang. This human had been trying to provoke it the entire time—and now, it had finally succeeded.
"Sorry, junior sister. Looks like your senior is screwing you over this time. Once this bastard's done with me, you're probably next."
"It's alright, senior brother. I'm not afraid. As long as we buy the others time to escape, it's enough."
Chu Yang smiled with relief. Guo Furong, who was always going on about becoming a great hero, finally showed a glimmer of true heroism in the face of death.
The monster opened its mouth and swallowed almost all of Chu Yang's body.
Guo Furong screamed, her voice hoarse with anguish.
Seeing Chu Yang sacrifice himself stirred a deep shock among Bai Zhantang and the others—they were left speechless.
In the next instant, time froze completely!
Soul Palace.
Ming Dynasty Chu Yang opened his eyes. The monster had vanished, replaced by several strange individuals tinkering with incomprehensible devices.
"I told you this wouldn't work. These two bloodlines are way too different—completely incompatible!"
"What if a mutation happens? It's still worth a shot!"
"Betting on probability isn't science—that's superstition!"
"No worries. I'm European."
"Out, cursed lucker! Get out of my lab!"
Only after arguing for a while did they realize someone else had appeared in the palace.
"You alright? Judging by your look, you've been through a lot. Things weren't looking good for you before you came here, huh?"
Jujutsu Chu Yang smiled as he helped Ming Dynasty Chu Yang up and joked, "You'll get used to it. I was almost killed by a Cursed Spirit right before I came here."
The moment the two made contact, synchronization completed instantly.
Ming Dynasty Chu Yang immediately understood who these people were—and the nature of this mysterious palace.
"Your world is pretty interesting," Jujutsu Chu Yang said curiously. "These so-called monsters—what exactly are they? They don't seem like simple demons."
Ming Chu Yang shook his head. "No idea. I haven't seen them many times before—only from a distance. This was the first time up close. Honestly, they're disgusting. Even worse than Cursed Spirits."
The others also synchronized with Ming Chu Yang's memories and shared some of their own experience with him.
A moment later, Ming Chu Yang returned to his world.
Time, which had been frozen, resumed its flow.
Guo Furong was still crying out.
Tong Xiangyu and the others had yet to leave.
Suddenly, the monster's body burst into a dazzling light.
To everyone's astonishment, it exploded with a deafening boom!
A massive bolt of thunder roared down, lighting up the rear courtyard of Tongfu Inn as if divine retribution had descended upon the mortal realm.
"Dear heavens, is it thunder now?!"
"Oh my god, my ears are ringing!"
"Boss, boss! I can't see!"
"Close your eyes and rest a bit—it'll pass."
"What happened to the monster?"
"It was blasted to pieces by lightning! Heaven has eyes—thank the gods!"
The joy of surviving death spread across every face—except Guo Furong's. She frantically rushed toward the monster's remains, trying to find Chu Yang among the charred chunks of flesh.
"Senior brother! Senior brother!"
"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have dragged you along on this journey!"
"If not for me, you'd be safe in the capital, living in comfort…"
Guo Furong broke down. She should've been the one to get eaten first—then her senior wouldn't have died.
Tong Xiangyu slowly approached.
Even though the workers tried desperately to hold her back, she still walked toward Guo Furong.
Li Dazui shouted, "Boss, don't! That's the Male-Female Malevolent Duo!"
Tong Xiangyu's anger erupted. "Didn't you all see what just happened?! He risked his life to save us, and you're still throwing around that nonsense? We clearly misjudged them!"
Lu Xiucai shook his head and muttered, "Well, not necessarily. They say a man's words are kindest before death…"
"Shut up!"
Everyone snapped at him.
Lu Xiucai shrank back and quieted down.
Tong Xiangyu lifted her skirts and knelt beside Guo Furong, helping her search through the heap of scorched meat for Chu Yang.
The others quickly joined in to help.
Old Xing stood to the side, frowning in disgust. The stench of charred flesh was making him nauseous.
"What're you standing there for, Old Xing?!"
Tong Xiangyu shot him a cold glare. "He saved your life. Don't forget who brought the monster here in the first place!"
"Alright, alright, say no more!" Feeling deeply guilty, Old Xing forced down his revulsion and began digging through the remains.
"Ugh… I'm over here…"
Upon hearing the familiar voice, Guo Furong was overjoyed. She rushed toward the source and dug Chu Yang out from a pile of bloody filth.
He was alive—just thoroughly disgusted.
When he returned from the Soul Palace, he had already been inside the monster's stomach. In a desperate moment, he unleashed the most powerful of the five elemental forces: thunder.
The explosion in the confined space dealt fatal damage to the monster but also blasted out every foul thing inside it.
Chu Yang had nearly passed out from the stench.
But the "foulness" wasn't urine or feces. It was the monster's unique source of power—akin to blood, but even more vital.
Ordinary people exposed to it had a high chance of transforming into new monsters.
"Senior brother, are you hurt anywhere?" Guo Furong frantically checked his body. "Please say something if you feel unwell!"
"Are you blind?" Chu Yang growled, brushing off the filth. "Look at the state I'm in! You try getting covered in this crap and tell me how 'comfortable' you feel."
Guo Furong looked hurt. She had only meant to show concern, but Chu Yang clearly wasn't in the mood.
"This young lady, maybe let your brother take a bath first?" Bai Zhantang offered helpfully, trying not to gag. "Another minute like this and he's gonna marinate in that funk."
"Dazui! Get some hot water from the kitchen and rinse this hero off—blech…"
Tong Xiangyu started retching before she could finish.
Her vomiting set off a chain reaction, and everyone else followed suit.
"Senior brother, ugh… maybe you should… blech…"
"Okay, okay! Get your puking over with before you talk again!"
Shaking his head, Chu Yang didn't wait for the hot water. He shut himself in a room and used water-element energy to cleanse himself.
A short while later, he emerged completely refreshed.
"Um… young hero, you can sleep in Dazui's room tonight. Your junior sister will bunk upstairs with me. Don't worry."
Tong Xiangyu's voice came from outside the door.
"Thank you, innkeeper."
"No need. We should be thanking you. Get some rest."
After the polite exchange, her footsteps faded into the distance.
There wasn't much time left before dawn, but Chu Yang decided to get a bit of shut-eye anyway.
Physically, he was fine. But mentally, he'd been through a lot. The existence of the Soul Palace had shaken him deeply.
The chickens in the backyard had all been scared to death by the monster, so there was no rooster crowing that morning.
Instead, urgent knocking rang out from the front entrance, waking up the exhausted guests.
"Dammit! Who's banging at the door this early?!"
"Tongfu Inn's closed today!"
"Leave before my morning temper explodes!"
Since Chu Yang had taken over Li Dazui's room, the others had slept in the main hall with Bai Zhantang. The knocking startled all three of them.
They kept yelling until Tong Xiangyu appeared on the second floor, wrapped in a sheer robe, and frowned. "Zhantang, go open the door."
"Right away!" Bai Zhantang shut up instantly and dashed over half-dressed to open the door.
Outside stood a slim middle-aged man in an official's robe, wearing a black hat. His sharp eyes swept the inn.
"Oh my god! Boss! It's Magistrate Lou!"
Bai Zhantang stumbled backward in shock. When he turned around, Tong Xiangyu had already vanished from the second floor.
Magistrate Lou strutted into the inn with a regal air, followed by a group of constables.
Old Xing trailed in behind.
"Well? Go serve tea to Magistrate Lou! He came here specifically to issue a reward decree to your inn."
Old Xing winked broadly, practically glowing with joy—clearly rewarded handsomely.
With monster outbreaks raging across the Ming Empire, the Divine Constable Bureau alone couldn't contain the chaos. So the court had begun encouraging commoners with special skills to join the fight. Thus, the reward decree system was born.
Anyone who helped eliminate monsters could receive a decree—an official token granting certain privileges. It could even be used to request favors from the court—so long as they weren't outrageous, or it might be revoked.
Hearing this, Bai Zhantang's pupils contracted. This decree could completely clear his criminal record—letting him live openly from now on.
He trembled with excitement.
"Old Bai! Chill!" Old Xing patted him on the shoulder and chuckled. "It's just a reward decree. Don't act like you've never seen the world."
But truthfully, when Old Xing saw the decree that morning, he'd nearly passed out himself—ten times more excited than Bai Zhantang.