Chapter 151: Suppressing and Killing with a Single Finger
Ouyang Yan failed to handle matters properly, leading to such a catastrophe in Dongbin City. I wonder what the Grand Commander was thinking, leaving her behind in Dongbin City."
Riding the winds and clouds, the Guard Commander, a middle-aged man with temples frosted with white, spoke with a tone simmering with anger.
"Commander Wu, mind your words. The decision to let Ouyang Yan stay or go was not made by the General Headquarters."
Guliang Yunmeng said with a faint smile.
Among these six, she was the leader, heading the Suppressing Demon Headquarters' reinforcement team to Dongbin City.
Her imperial bloodline status commanded a weight that the other five Guard Commanders could not ignore.
Guliang Yunmeng, around thirty years of age, was a seed of demon suppression nurtured by the Suppressing Demon Directorate, with high hopes of cultivating the legendary World-Suppressing Dharma Manifestation.
With her speaking up, no matter how dissatisfied Wu Ming was with Ouyang Yan, he dared not say another word.
The Grand Commander had already instructed that the situation in Dongbin City was complex and all local affairs were to be handled by local authorities.
Their mission was solely to deal with the Netherworld's evil cultivators.
They were strictly forbidden to interfere in any other local matters.
"Oh?"
Standing to the left of Guliang Yunmeng, another Guard Commander wore a look of astonishment.
"Commander Qi, do you have any doubts?"
"Dongbin City suffered such a massive catastrophe yesterday. By all accounts, it should be plagued by towering resentful energy, ghost mists locking down the city, and violent upheavals in the primal essence of heaven and earth. Yet, Dongbin City today is peaceful and clear, bathed in auspicious and serene Qi, with primal essence gathering inward. Not only is there no aura of decline, but it is instead bursting with vitality, showing signs of reversing the cosmic order."
Qi Yuntian wore a curious expression.
This young commander had risen from the desolate borderlands. Despite his scholarly appearance, his hands were stained with the blood and souls of demons and ghosts.
Had his fortune not been suppressed by the Directorate, he could easily have contended for the top three of the Hidden Dragon Rankings.
Guliang Yunmeng still had great faith in Qi Yuntian's abilities. At once, a vertical silver divine eye split open between her brows. With a slight opening of the eye, she clearly perceived the current state of Dongbin City.
"This Commander of ours has kept many things hidden from the General Headquarters."
The corners of Guliang Yunmeng's lips curled up, revealing a charming smile.
Her dignified and peerless face, accented by the speck of silver light between her brows, imparted an infinite allure.
It made even Qi Yuntian's Dao heart sway slightly.
Pity that her status was special; otherwise, pursuing Yunmeng would also be a delightful endeavor.
"Let's go, let's descend. The Heavenly Guard Generals dispatched by the imperial court will be arriving soon, and we mustn't keep them waiting."
Above the Guard Commanders stood the Heavenly Guard Generals.
This force should originally have belonged to the Suppressing Demon Directorate.
However, after Emperor Yuan Gao, Suppressing Demon officers who reached the Dharma Manifestation Realm were transferred out of the directorate to become Heavenly Guard Generals.
The first stripping of power from the Suppressing Demon Directorate began precisely at that time.
Of course, those Dharma Manifestation powerhouses who had cultivated the Six Paths Suppressing Demon Scriptures would become high-ranking officials within the General Headquarters.
They could thereby avoid entering the ranks of the Heavenly Guard Generals.
However, high-level quotas were limited.
The Grand Commander of the Suppressing Demon Directorate was also a supreme master at the peak of the Dharma Manifestation realm.
It was only by holding the Directorate Seal that they could unleash the martial might of a Martial Saint.
The Guard Commanders descended from the sky.
Ouyang Yan had already led the Guard Generals of the East Province Prefecture and several Suppressing Demon Envoys of Dongbin City in waiting for a long time.
The Guard Commanders of the Suppressing Demon Directorate constituted the second wave of arrivals.
The first wave, naturally, consisted of personnel dispatched by the East Province Prefecture's Suppressing Demon Directorate.
After Gong Yu met his demise, turbulence had also shaken the East Province Prefecture.
Many eyes were fixed on his vacant position.
Among them, three Guard Commanders had no intention of letting go.
Yet they all understood that Gong Yu belonged to the Ouyang family; to ascend to this position, aligning with the Ouyang family was the optimal path.
Therefore, the Guard Generals arriving from East Province were all extremely courteous to Ouyang Yan.
Even if Ouyang Yan were not of the Ouyang family, given her current strength, not a single one of these Guard Generals was her match.
The Suppressing Demon Directorate was a place that valued strength.
No matter how high the official rank, if strength was lacking, words were utterly useless.
Furthermore, Ouyang Yan held the rank of Guard General within the internal hierarchy of the Suppressing Demon Directorate.
Official position and official rank did not always strictly correlate.
However, if the official rank was inadequate, the official position could not rise.
And the official rank represented an individual's tier of strength.
"The Protector of Dongbin City greets Commander Yunmeng, Commander Wu, Commander Qi, Commander Zhou, Commander Wang, and Commander Shangguan."
Ouyang Yan cupped her hands in a bow, impeccably polite.
Though the General Headquarters' reinforcement to Dongbin City was delayed, it was nonetheless a welcome development.
At this moment, she harbored no further worries.
The remaining five commanders all wore smiles and nodded in return.
The Ouyang family's Little Saber Saint was no mere empty title.
This praise had originated directly from the lips of the elder Saber Saint Ouyang himself.
"The death of hundreds of thousands, the emergence of the Demon God's skin, the descent of the Netherworld—you've made an absolute mess of Dongbin City, Protector Ouyang."
Commander Wu said coldly.
The other five commanders remained expressionless.
They were all aware that Commander Wu had placed his bets on the Eighteenth Prince, and the factions supporting the Eighteenth Prince bore the shadows of the military.
Even the traces of major sects were entangled therein.
Among the Guliang imperial bloodline, the Eighteenth Prince possessed the most formidable innate talent. At merely twenty years of age, he had already tempered his blood Qi to the ninth refinement.
Although his cultivation was only at the Yuantai realm, he had successfully condensed the Imperial Yuantai from the [Imperial Classic of World Governance].
Should he ascend the imperial throne, he would have the opportunity to break through his limits and counter the Dao Master of the Taiyi Sect.
Ouyang Yan was the woman he had set his sights on.
The marriage between the Eighteenth Prince and Ouyang Yan should have proceeded as a matter of course.
The Ouyang family had already shown favorable intent, but in the end, Ouyang Yan came to Dongbin City, and the Emperor suppressed the marriage proposal.
The Eighteenth Prince had intended to leverage the Ouyang family's influence to secure support from the Suppressing Demon Directorate, the military, and certain factions within the cabinet. Instead, the Emperor's suppression of the marriage caused the Eighteenth Prince's prestige to suffer a blow.
Consequently, many factions within the court that had been wavering or leaning toward the Eighteenth Prince no longer viewed him with optimism.
After this incident, the Eighteenth Prince understood that the Ouyang Ancestor had struck a bargain with the Emperor.
Ouyang Yan was guarding Dongbin City, and her marriage was hers to decide.
As for the content of the bargain, it had actually already spread.
Yet everyone guessed that the prophecy might manifest in days to come.
What the Emperor valued was Ouyang Yan's innate talent, binding her future to Dongbin City and leaving her to guard it for a lifetime.
Matters of prophecy were, after all, merely one possibility of the future.
The Guliang imperial family would not go so far as to gamble the destiny of the nation on a single city merely for the sake of a prophecy.
Commander Wu's aggressive questioning caused Ouyang Yan's expression to turn cold.
"Is Commander Wu accusing this Protector of being lax in defense and thereby causing this catastrophic disaster?"
Ouyang Yan's aura did not weaken in the slightest as she hurled the question back.
"Hmph, Protector Ouyang, is this your attitude? As a local Protector, when disaster strikes Dongbin City, it is naturally due to your poor stewardship that this calamity was brought about."
Commander Wu sneered, releasing his aura to its fullest extent to envelop Ouyang Yan.
He already knew that Ouyang Yan had exhausted the Martial Saint keepsake in her possession; talented though she might be, her realm was still merely the Yuantai.
If she could suppress him even across a major boundary realm, he, a master of divine powers who had cultivated the Six Paths Suppressing Demon Scriptures, might as well slit his own throat.
"My strength is weak, and I am unequal to this heavy responsibility. Given how formidable Commander Wu's strength is, why not come to Dongbin City and take up the post of Dongbin City's Protector? There is precedent for this in Dongbin City: back then, the ancestor of the Yan family, the first Protector, served in the role while already being a master of divine powers."
Ouyang Yan's expression remained tranquil as she said with a faint smile.
"Protector Ouyang, are you attempting to shirk responsibility?"
"I merely acknowledge my low strength and my inability to bear this heavy burden. An hour ago, I already submitted a memorial to the General Headquarters detailing the complexity of Dongbin City's situation, stating that I am truly unsuited to serve as Protector, and requesting to withdraw from the Suppressing Demon Directorate to return to the Ouyang family."
A trace of liberation flickered across Ouyang Yan's face.
Accompanied by a yearning for the future.
She had wished to pursue the ultimate peak of the saber Dao, only to have her path disrupted by an arranged marriage.
She had knelt outside her ancestor's door for three days and three nights before being pointed toward a path and reaching an agreement with the Emperor.
Now that the Emperor had passed away, she felt she should not break her promise, yet this accident in Dongbin City also made her realize that if she continued to hold this post, Dongbin City still could not be defended.
Give her time—another ten years, no, five years.
That would be enough.
But the enemy would not wait.
The deaths of the four Netherworld warlords and the failure of this operation...
were not the conclusion, but rather the beginning.
A powerful individual was needed to take over Dongbin City and protect it.
Though it sounded like she was mocking Commander Wu, should Commander Wu actually accept, Ouyang Yan would be even more delighted.
Because he was a man of the Eighteenth Prince.
Within the next half-month, the new Emperor was to be revealed, and the Eighteenth Prince would not allow Dongbin City to fall into ruin.
Even thereafter, upon ascending the throne, the new Emperor would not wish to see Dongbin City suffer disaster.
The Guliang imperial family would then have to dispatch even more formidable forces to protect Dongbin City.
Though it looked like she was kicking the ball away, in essence, she was dragging the Eighteenth Prince directly into this vortex of struggle.
Guliang Yunmeng's face showed shock: "No! The General Headquarters will not agree, and the imperial family will not agree either."
As a member of the imperial family and their representative within the Suppressing Demon Directorate, Guliang Yunmeng knew very well who had uttered the prophecy; that taboo existence filled the Guliang imperial family with dread.
Later, the three grand elders of the Divine Supervision Directorate intervened, divining and deducing methods to break the curse.
In the end, they perceived the possibility of breaking the deadlock within Ouyang Yan.
The three grand elders of the Divine Supervision Directorate were living land immortals walking the mortal world; their divine powers were boundless, and their realms were so profound that they vaguely approached transcending the fifth realm to discover the Dao of human immortals.
The martial Dao of human immortals had already been blocked off.
The Dao they cultivated had cast aside the old legacy of the demon gods, beginning to explore higher heavens, deeper earths, and broader DAOs.
If they said Ouyang Yan was the one to break the deadlock, then Ouyang Yan was the one.
"No matter, I have already made my decision. No one can block my path."
Ouyang Yan's bright eyes were filled with unshakeable resolve toward the future.
Guliang Yunmeng's expression turned gloomy as she glared fiercely at Commander Wu: "Commander Wu, remember your mission. You are in no position to make any decisions on behalf of the General Headquarters. If you take any action that exceeds your mission upon coming here, Jinghong will not be able to protect you."
A flash of anger crossed Commander Wu's face.
Yet Guliang Yunmeng ignored it entirely, turning a gentle expression and speaking softly to Ouyang Yan: "Your family elders will soon arrive. Let us discuss the matter of resigning as Dongbin City's Protector and withdrawing from the Suppressing Demon Directorate later."
Ouyang Yan frowned slightly.
She knew that Guliang Yunmeng would undoubtedly use her imperial status to pressure her family, using the Ouyang family to persuade her.
With a light sigh, she nodded helplessly.
In truth, she was already aware of the secret behind her assignment to Dongbin City; this attempt was also a pressure tactic directed at the General Headquarters and the imperial family.
She sought to secure greater resources for Dongbin City to cope with sudden future crises.
Baili Feihong was right; the secrets entwined within Dongbin City could not be unraveled, and killing the Kunpeng demon soul was of no avail.
Just what kind of backup plan had the Second Generation Chief Supervisor laid down when he transferred the Yan family ancestor—a master of divine powers—to Dongbin City to establish the Suppressing Demon Directorate?
The Yan family ancestor had reached the end of his natural lifespan in less than two hundred years; was his death also related to the Second Generation Chief Supervisor's arrangements?
Given his strength, a five-hundred-year lifespan was normal; if he had sealed his blood Qi, locked his vitality and spirit, and gone into closed-door seclusion without stepping out, his lifespan could have reached a thousand years.
The art of life-sealing was not some profound supreme divine power.
For many families, upon reaching the limit of their lifespan, members would enter a death seclusion.
Unless the family faced a life-or-death crisis, these aged monsters would never emerge.
Stepping out even once, striking even once, would consume their remaining vitality.
"Commanders, please enter."
Ouyang Yan led them into the Suppressing Demon Directorate.
At this moment, the Suppressing Demon Envoys within, intimidated by the powerful aura of the Guard Commanders, nervously went about their tasks to mask their true state.
Very few Suppressing Demon Envoys remained in the directorate; those present were mostly logistical, administrative, and clerical staff.
The envoys deeply involved on the front lines were already too busy to draw breath.
The state of the Dongbin City Suppressing Demon Directorate was taken in by the six commanders at a single glance.
Aside from Ouyang Yan, not a single Protector at the Spirit Refining realm was to be found.
The entire city of Dongbin City relied solely on Ouyang Yan's bitter struggle to hold it together.
No wonder Ouyang Yan wanted to resign.
Put oneself in her shoes, facing such a predicament would cause anyone to break down.
The minimum requirement for the position of Protector was the Spirit Refining tier.
This was dictated by the correlation between strength and official rank.
A mocking smile hung on Commander Wu's lips.
He had already learned of Dongbin City's complex situation through other intelligence channels; in the past, Jiang Dongliu of the Yin-Yang Heavenly Sect sitting in Daili Mountain could frighten many people away.
Yet things were different now; the actions of the Netherworld had proclaimed to numerous evil cultivators that the Gate of the Yellow Springs they sought was very likely hidden within Daili Mountain.
The revival of the ancient profound ice maiden, Han Su, was the best proof.
As the saying goes, destiny is hard to defy, but the nether bureaucracy possessed methods to alter one's fate and cause one's lifespan to surge violently.
"No wonder Protector Ouyang wishes to resign. Relying on these Suppressing Demon Envoys, if evil cultivators were to attack, they would merely be reduced to fodder for the evil cultivators to feed their demons and ghosts."
Commander Wu said coldly.
His voice boomed loudly.
The words echoed throughout the demon-suppressing hall.
At that instant, the hall fell into absolute silence.
Many Suppressing Demon Envoys turned pale.
They could not help recalling the Northern Warlord's assault on the Suppressing Demon building, where the rune defenses were shattered and they had nearly all been killed.
Many envoys who had joined the directorate not long ago felt their hearts falter.
The notion of leaving Dongbin City for Nanshan County or other subordinate directorates began to sprout in their minds.
Ouyang Yan clenched her fists tightly; she had a strong urge to draw her blade and execute this Commander Wu on the spot.
Yet neither her status nor her strength permitted it.
She had managed with great difficulty to restore military morale, only to have it wrecked by a single sentence from this Commander Wu.
Drip-drop~~
The sound of footsteps descending the stairs echoed through the hall.
Every single step imprinted itself upon everyone's heart.
On the stairs, a young Protector wore a smile on his lips—and it was precisely this faint smile that restored confidence to all the Suppressing Demon Envoys.
"You are nothing more than waste yourself; what qualification do you have to evaluate Dongbin City's Suppressing Demon Directorate? You've cultivated the Six Paths Suppressing Demon Scriptures until they look like a pile of dog shit—you're the absolute scum of the scum, the trash of the trash."
Hearing this, rage surged straight to Commander Wu's head.
This Protector, clad in a six-clawed white python robe, actually dared to curse him so vilely in front of everyone.
"A nobody uttering filth. Today, I'll pluck out your tongue and let you know the price of insubordination."
Commander Wu took a stride forward.
Ouyang Yan stepped back a few paces, making no move to stop him. Instead, she stepped aside, wearing a wide smile as she watched the unfolding drama.
Guliang Yunmeng and Qi Yuntian exchanged glances, their hearts sinking. They finally understood why, after Ouyang Yan expended the Martial Saint keepsake against the Demon God's skin, she had still managed to withstand the Netherworld's offensive.
And why Dongbin City was so tranquil, possessing the grand momentum of reversing the cosmos.
A single name flashed into their minds.
Protector of Feiyuan Island, Baili Feihong.
A master of divine powers who single-handedly suppressed the Hidden Dragon Rankings.
A legendary Suppressing Demon practitioner who single-handedly aided the Southern Expedition Water Navy to sweep across the Ghost Strait and drive the Black Sky Cult out of the near-shore waters of Southeast Asia.
"Pluck out my tongue? Teach me a lesson for insubordination? Based on what, you piece of trash?"
Baili Feihong grinned, bursting into wild laughter that shook the entire Suppressing Demon Directorate.
"Get lost!!"
His smile vanished, murder intent blazing in his eyes as he barked an angry command.
"I give you three seconds. Otherwise, even if the heavenly king himself descends, I will kill you."
Commander Wu stepped forward.
Yet Guliang Yunmeng stepped directly in front of him, blocking his path.
She glared at him coldly: "Enough, Commander Wu. This is Commander Baili, the Protector of Feiyuan Island."
Qi Yuntian also reached out to restrain Commander Wu.
At that moment, Commander Wu was shocked back to his senses as if doused by a basin of cold water.
Not long ago, news of the Southern Expedition Water Navy's major victory and formal conquest of the Ghost Strait had already spread throughout the imperial capital.
What truly caused a massive stir within the Suppressing Demon Directorate was the fact that the Feiyuan Island directorate had taken action to suppress the Black Sky Cult.
Feiyuan Island's application for merits submitted to the General Headquarters was still circulating internally.
"One."
Guliang Yunmeng's words did not halt Baili Feihong's murderous intent.
She whipped her head around, her brows knitted in anger as she glared at Baili Feihong.
"Does Protector Baili intend to strike down a colleague?"
"Two."
The corners of Baili Feihong's mouth curled upward, his disdain growing even heavier.
The essence of this world was simply thus:
The strong rule the weak; whoever has the bigger fist is the boss.
What official position? What rank?
As long as you are strong enough, you can even kill the Emperor.
Kill him and be done with it!
And there's nothing anyone can do to you!
Indeed, he was referring to the Dao Master of the Taiyi Sect.
As for the Guard Commander before him, Baili Feihong did not know who he was, but ever since arriving in Dongbin City, the man had constantly been making trouble for Lord Ouyang.
Did he think there was no one left in Dongbin City?
"Run! Hurry and run!!"
Qi Yuntian stepped forward, blocking Commander Wu.
The hairs on his body stood on end as he sensed an unprecedented intent to kill.
Judging from the man's demeanor, words, and murderous aura, Commander Wu would die.
Even though he disliked Commander Wu.
Should Commander Wu die, the dignity of all five commanders would be utterly disgraced.
Commander Wu's body tensed, his mind racing at extreme speed, growing angrier the more he thought.
He could not run!
If he fled, his status within the Suppressing Demon Directorate would plummet to rock bottom.
His standing before the Eighteenth Prince would similarly plunge into the abyss.
Furthermore, who was he? Wu Ming.
A Guard Commander who had established illustrious battle merits for the Suppressing Demon Directorate.
Did this person dare kill him?
The more he thought, the angrier and more enraged he became; his martial will surged alongside his aura, and intense fighting spirit blazed in his eyes.
The Suppressing Demon Envoys of Dongbin City and the Guard Generals of the East Province Prefecture wore grim expressions. In the narrow space, a crushing force suppressed their bodies, placing a tremendous burden upon their hearts and causing them to show expressions of agony.
Guliang Yunmeng froze.
Qi Yuntian sighed, preparing for battle.
Commanders Zhou, Wang, and Shangguan remained silent, stepping forward to stand shoulder to shoulder with Qi Yuntian.
Their auras linked, forming an invisible wall that isolated the two opposing parties.
Ouyang Yan looked cold, her hand resting on the hilt of her saber as sword intent surged.
Baili Feihong lifted his chin, gazing up at the scene as his countdown paused.
Just as the several Guard Commanders felt a slight relaxation in their hearts—
"Three!"
A deep voice rang out.
Guliang Yunmeng drew the saber at her waist.
Yet she felt her body spin and the surrounding scenery shift; the seven of them stood motionless, yet the heavens and earth were rotating.
Regaining their footing, they found themselves already outside Dongbin City.
"Heavenly Stellar Divine Power, Universe Reversal! Third stage!"
This divine power was one they knew as well.
Yet they could not accomplish the feat of transferring an equal master of divine powers a hundred miles away without the target managing any reaction.
"The Six Paths Suppressing Demon Scriptures have been cultivated into an absolute mess."
Baili Feihong shook his head, sneering as he turned around.
Guliang Yunmeng roared: "Stop right there, Protector Baili! You are openly opposing the Suppressing Demon Directorate and defying the imperial family."
"The Five Elders of the Directorate will shoulder everything for me."
Baili Feihong said indifferently.
Because he was a genius—a true genius, the future of the Suppressing Demon Directorate.
The war had already begun, and talented individuals would become the targets of contention for all factions.
Just now, Ouyang Yan had transmitted her voice to him, revealing that Commander Wu was a man of the Eighteenth Prince.
Baili Feihong understood instantly that he had already chosen a side.
Ouyang Yan imparting this information to him meant that she intended to stand with the Crown Prince's faction.
By telling him Commander Wu's identity, she knew that if he killed Commander Wu, she herself would have no turning back.
Because of him, she had once helped Yan Fei conquer the Ghost Strait, massively boosting the Crown Prince faction's prestige among the common people.
And because of him, she was now killing Commander Wu.
Though the situation was chaotic, anyone with discernment could see that choosing the Crown Prince represented stability, while choosing the Eighteenth Prince represented the future.
The aristocratic clans stood behind the Crown Prince's faction, whereas the Guliang imperial family favored the Eighteenth Prince.
The curse was a chain binding the Guliang imperial family.
The Guliang imperial family hoped someone would break it, while the aristocratic clans hoped to maintain it.
Killing Commander Wu now meant offending the Eighteenth Prince.
Yet did Baili Feihong fear that?
The world was vast; sects, evil cultivators, and heretical cults of all sorts had offended the Guliang imperial family before—did they fear it?
They did not.
Because strength represents everything.
"Leave Dongbin City and never step foot here again, or don't blame me for being ruthless."
Gazing at the disappearing back of Baili Feihong, the five commanders wore complicated expressions.
He had never imagined that a reinforcement mission would evolve into a factional struggle.
Ouyang Yan's voice transmission signified that she had chosen the Crown Prince's faction.
Because she had chosen to break completely with the Eighteenth Prince.
Why had things evolved into this state?
Guliang Yunmeng asked herself, and the answer she arrived at was...
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
Ouyang Yan and Baili Feihong were lovers?
The reason was so simple, yet overwhelmingly powerful.
"Jinghong, if this escalates, the Great Yuan Empire will gain yet another formidable enemy."
Guliang Yunmeng murmured.
Behind her, the four Guard Commanders crossed their arms, pondering how to counter Baili Feihong's speed.
A single finger.
With just a single finger, Commander Wu had died.
They had not even clearly seen how the opponent had pierced the bloody hole between Wu Ming's brows and killed him.
"Yunmeng, should we continue executing the General Headquarters' mission?"
Qi Yuntian's eyes burned as he stared at the majestic walls of Dongbin City.
The other four could not see Baili Feihong's strike, but he had seen it clearly.
The third dao of suppression within the Six Paths Suppressing Demon Scriptures had directly suppressed Commander Wu, and a single finger condensed into the Blood-Suppressing Mountains and Rivers divine power, piercing his brow and annihilating his soul.
"The Heavenly Guard Generals are coming."
Guliang Yunmeng's expression was grave, her gaze sharp.
This matter was far from over.
The dignity of the imperial family had been slighted by Baili Feihong.
This score, she would reclaim.