novelapdf Chapter 22 Snake Demon
Chapter 22 Snake Demon
"..."
Ling Ye was speechless for a moment.
She had never seen anyone so brazenly use connections to get ahead.
It seems that the Demon Slaying Division of Huzhou City is a shoddy operation, even worse than she had imagined.
No wonder the powerful demon took advantage of their weakness a few days ago.
She suppressed her impatience and said coldly:
"Summon all registered personnel from your Eighth Division immediately. I have a mission that requires your cooperation."
The envoys' cultivation level is generally above the seventh realm, and their strength is basically equivalent to that of the chief.
They didn't like being officials; they preferred to travel around slaying demons and monsters.
Occasionally, they will assist in capturing demons that have escaped from the city.
If they encounter trouble while dealing with demons, they have the authority to coordinate with the local demon-slaying bureau.
But in the end, some credit should go to the Demon Slayer Division that was assigned to the task.
"that……"
Jiang Mu blinked. "Sir, what you see in front of you is the entire class of the Eighth Division."
?
Ling Ye froze: "Three people?"
"Yes."
"..."
The woman felt a tightness in her chest, and her clothes trembled violently.
"A whole branch office, and only the three of you? This is utterly ridiculous! Is the Huzhou Demon Slaying Division really slaying demons, or are we just playing house?!"
"What a waste of time."
The woman turned and walked away, her slender waist, encased in a tight-fitting outfit, drawing an alluring arc as she turned.
The three looked at each other in bewilderment.
However, they only took a dozen or so steps.
The alluring yet icy black figure suddenly paused, then abruptly turned back.
She asked Zhang Daxiao:
Are there any other churches around here? Which one is the closest?
Zhang Daxiao quickly bowed and said:
"Your Excellency, the nearest one is the Third Hall, located on Chang Le Street in the East Market, about three miles from here."
Ling Ye took the token from his waist and casually tossed it to Jiang Mu:
"Go to the third hall and have them all immediately set out to meet at Black Soil Village, ten miles away."
She pointed at Zhang Daxiao and Zhang Xiaokui, her fingertips gleaming white: "As for you two, come with me."
Just as Jiang Mu took the token, Zhang Xiao Kui snatched it away.
"My lord, I'd better do this kind of errand-running work."
After saying that, he didn't wait for Ling Ye's reply, grabbed the token, and disappeared in a flash.
Ling Ye pursed her red lips:
"Alright, then you two come with me."
Jiang Mu, carrying his sword, followed and casually asked, "Sir, what exactly is the mission?"
Ling Ye didn't stop walking, only turning half her face to the side, her cold eyes behind the black veil sweeping over him:
"You'll know when you get there."
"Don't worry, it won't hurt you, young master who got in here on your own merit."
……
Black Soil Village.
The sky was hazy and filled with the dust of paper.
The air was filled with a smell similar to scorched earth.
Weeds grew rampant on both sides of the village road.
Most of the houses have collapsed and are dilapidated, with only a few scattered houses still emitting faint wisps of smoke.
Villagers are rarely seen in the village.
Occasionally, you can see some skinny, ragged villagers squatting under the eaves or leaning against the wall.
Most of these people have deformed faces, and their skin has a strange bluish-gray color. Some even have bellies that are swollen as if they are ten months pregnant, which looks very bizarre.
Seeing Jiang Mu and the other two well-dressed outsiders, the villagers didn't say anything, they just stared at them.
His gaze was gloomy and numb.
It exuded an aura of death and hostility.
Several of them had bloodshot eyes, like hungry wolves eyeing their prey in the wilderness. If Jiang Mu and his two companions hadn't been carrying knives and exuding an imposing aura, they probably would have pounced on them long ago.
Zhang Daxiao lowered his voice and reminded Jiang Mu:
"Sir, be careful. These people... they've probably all eaten the 'King of Hell's food,' don't provoke them lightly."
"King Yama's food?"
Jiang Mu was taken aback. "What is that?"
Zhang Daxiao explained in a low voice:
"These are difficult times, and in some places, people are starving. A folk remedy has emerged, which involves eating a special kind of 'King Yama's food' to stave off hunger."
There's a folk rhyme in the countryside that goes like this: "White face, black heart, ate the King of Hell's food, parents wept bitterly. Body like withered wood, heart like iron, even demons find it filthy."
"This stuff can indeed fill you up and make you feel no pain or hunger. But over time, it can cause mental instability, violence, and bloodlust, and your body will gradually become deformed."
Because the flesh and blood are full of that earthy smell, even demons find the texture unpalatable and are too lazy to eat it, hence the name "King Yama's Food."
Jiang Mu felt a chill run down her spine upon hearing this.
He turned his head and looked at the eaves not far away.
A disheveled, emaciated woman was sitting cross-legged, holding a baby in her arms.
She was holding a dark clod of dirt in her hand and stuffing it into her mouth.
Then he scooped out a little more and stuffed it into the mouth of the child in his arms.
Jiang Mu withdrew her gaze, her heart heavy.
For some reason, he recalled the scene of collecting taxes in the countryside before, and that feeling of irritation came over him again.
Ling Ye led the two to an old well in the village.
The stone railing around the well is mottled, the well water is black and emits a foul stench, and no one knows what lies below.
She waved her hand.
A bucket of murky, foul-smelling water was drawn up from the well.
He then took out a packet of pale yellow powder from his pocket and poured it all in.
Then they found two empty wooden buckets and poured the well water mixed with powder into them.
"Hiss—"
White smoke rose from the bucket, the muddy water began to boil, and then quickly solidified and expanded.
In the end, it turned into two large buckets full of white granular crystals.
It emitted a pungent sulfur smell.
"Sulfur powder?"
Zhang Daxiao sniffed, as if he understood something.
Ling Ye pushed the two buckets in front of Jiang Mu and Zhang Daxiao respectively, his voice cold and flat:
"Take it to the outskirts of the village and scatter it around the entire village. Remember, scatter it completely, without any gaps, you have to completely encircle the village."
Jiang Mu and Zhang Daxiao exchanged a glance, each picked up a bucket, and went their separate ways.
……
Half an hour later.
Just as the two finished scattering the powder and returned to the well, they saw Zhang Xiao Kui arrive with the Third Hall's men.
There were about ten people.
Most of their cultivation levels are at the second or third realm.
The leader was a middle-aged man with a cultivation level of the fourth realm, named Wang Ershang.
But the hall master Wenhe was nowhere to be seen.
Ling Ye's gaze fell on Wang Ershang, her beautiful eyes darkening, and the chill emanating from her seemed to intensify.
"Are you the Third Hall Master?"
Is there really no one left in Huzhou City? Could it be that they all got in through back channels?
Wang Ershang quickly bowed and replied:
"Reporting to Your Excellency, the Hall Master is away on important business. Although our cultivation is insufficient, we will do our best to cooperate with Your Excellency."
Ling Ye's ample bosom heaved twice, as if suppressing her anger, before she finally waved her hand helplessly.
"Well, it's still better than this eighth session."
Jiang Mu: "..."
Zhang Xiaokui was about to speak when his brother pulled his arm, so he could only keep a low profile and remain silent.
Those in the third hall suppressed their laughter and looked at the three with sarcastic expressions.
The woman led them to another dry well nearby, pointed inside, her sleeve slightly lifting to reveal a section of her pale wrist, her voice as cold as ever:
"A demonic snake that has cultivated for hundreds of years is hiding in this well. I tracked it for many days before I could confirm its whereabouts."
"Today, this wicked creature will be slain!"