Chapter Twenty-Seven: Greed for Wealth

Steward Ling was in charge of the logistics department of the Demon Suppression Bureau.

“Steward Ling, I am Bai Li Feihong. The mission to eliminate the beast in Huangxian Village has been completed. I have come to claim my reward,” Bai Li Feihong announced promptly upon entering the logistics department, where he found Steward Ling absorbed in paperwork.

“Huangxian Village? Let me see… Found it. The mountain fiend spirit? Not bad, you’ve got some skills,” Steward Ling remarked as he opened a drawer, retrieved a small iron token, and placed it on the desk along with a black money pouch.

“One D-rank merit, already recorded. Here is your merit token. And a monetary reward of ten taels of silver.”

“Thank you, Steward Ling,” Bai Li Feihong replied, bowing respectfully as he stepped forward to take the merit token and the small black pouch from the desk. He opened the pouch and saw ten silver coins inside. His expression darkened.

“Do you have any questions?”

“No, Steward Ling, I have no questions.”

“If there are no questions, then take your reward and be on your way.”

“Yes, sir.”

Bai Li Feihong turned to leave.

“A mere Demon Suppression apprentice? All style, no substance. What sort of people is the Prefect recruiting for the bureau these days?” Steward Ling muttered with obvious disdain.

Bai Li Feihong heard it all clearly. He took a deep breath, suppressing the anger within him. The value of ten taels of silver and ten silver coins differed by half, determined by their weight. Moreover, the silver coins were adulterated with other metals, making them worth even less.

It wasn’t the small amount of money that bothered Bai Li Feihong, but the attitude of the other man. Open embezzlement was one thing, but to speak so disparagingly behind his back nearly made him lose control.

But Bai Li Feihong restrained himself. This was the Demon Suppression Bureau, and the other man was a B-rank officer. The difference in their strength and status was immense. He carefully put away the merit token and pouch. This account could not be settled now, but he had already noted it down in his heart.

“Greetings, Lord Ding,” Bai Li Feihong said respectfully.

Ding Bo smiled, “Feihong, have you had the pleasure of Steward Ling’s underhanded dealings?”

Bai Li Feihong’s expression shifted slightly.

“My lord, I have just come from Steward Ling, having collected my reward,” he answered, evading the question.

“You’re an interesting fellow. I’ve always thought highly of you.”

“Thank you for your appreciation, Lord Ding.”

“Train the Blood Origin Technique diligently. The martial arts system you’re cultivating now will only bring chaos to your future self,” Ding Bo advised before hurrying off.

The Blood Origin Technique! He had intended to master the Blood River Blade to perfection before attempting to convert the blood energy gained from other martial arts into blood origin. He’d heard that Ding Bo had been brought into the Eastern Shore City bureau by the Prefect himself. Judging from his tone, there was clearly some friction between him and the local faction to which Steward Ling belonged.

Suddenly, Bai Li Feihong’s face changed. Thankfully, he had been shrewd enough not to criticize Steward Ling; otherwise, he would have fallen right into Ding Bo’s trap. At the same time, he couldn’t help but feel sorry for Steward Ling. Muttering against the Prefect behind his back—had he already provoked the Prefect’s wrath? Did the Prefect know about his embezzlement of apprentices’ rewards?

“If I had gone along with Ding Bo’s words, would my statement have become a blade to strike at Steward Ling?” If so, most of the Demon Suppression officers in Eastern Shore City would likely hold it against him. He had no wish to become a weapon for others to wield, though deep down, he hoped Steward Ling would pay for his actions—as long as he himself was not involved.

“No rush. Out of the thirty-two Demon Suppression apprentices, I am the first to collect my reward. There are still thirty-one left. As long as one of them reports Steward Ling, he won’t be able to escape justice.” Bai Li Feihong smiled to himself. He knew full well that this group of apprentices was not simple; surely someone would report Steward Ling. Ding Bo’s appearance in the hall couldn’t have been a coincidence—it was certainly an opportunity he was waiting for.

If so, that was truly frightening.

Bai Li Feihong turned and left, heading for the mission hall. The walls were covered with an array of mission slips, divided into five categories: A, B, C, D, and Beast.

[Great Li Mountain Beast Purge Mission: Recently, the Great Li Mountain has seen frequent beast outbreaks, with monsters appearing and attacking nearby villagers. You may enter the mountain to hunt down these beasts. For each beast slain, an apprentice may earn one D-rank merit. D-rank officers must slay ten beasts to receive one D-rank merit.]

The first mission listed was the Great Li Mountain Beast Purge. The mission placed restrictions only on the officers. Apprentices who took the mission received ten times the reward of the officers.

“This mission suits me,” Bai Li Feihong thought. Glancing back at Steward Ling’s office, he understood that something was about to happen at the Demon Suppression Bureau.

Leaving the bureau to take on missions brought him a measure of peace.

“It’s time to raise the Blood River Blade technique to its peak,” he mused. The existence of Blood Essence Pills could accelerate his cultivation. Skill points couldn’t be used yet; the Bone Refinement stage would require many more points.

“Miss Yan, hello. I’m here to register for a mission,” he said at the mission hall counter, where he was greeted by a strikingly beautiful young woman—Yan Ruyu, whose name matched her beauty.

“Bai Li Feihong? Which mission do you wish to take?”

“The Great Li Mountain Purge.”

Yan Ruyu’s expression remained icy as she began writing. “The Prefect has just introduced a new item. For a price of ten silver coins, you can avoid transporting the beast corpses back to the incineration facility. You may bury the beasts directly after using this tool.”

She lifted her gaze; her bright eyes and white teeth made her heart-stoppingly beautiful. Bai Li Feihong’s breath caught for a moment, but he quickly regained composure. With a smile, he replied, “Such a convenient item would indeed make things easier for us. I’ll take it.”

He produced ten silver coins and placed them on the counter. Yan Ruyu counted them, nodded, and retrieved a black jade stone from the drawer, placing it before him.

“This is Black Soul Jade. It can absorb beast souls and demonic energy. To use it, simply press it against the beast’s corpse. However, the Black Soul Jade is property of the bureau—you only have usage rights. Upon completion of each mission, you must return the jade and receive a new one, cleansed and ready to absorb more beast souls and demonic energy.”

Hearing her explanation, Bai Li Feihong’s eyes lit up. This Black Soul Jade was indeed a rare treasure with remarkable properties.

“Does it have a limit to how much it can absorb?”

“If the Black Soul Jade begins to emit black mist, it’s full and cannot absorb any more. You must return it to the bureau immediately,” Yan Ruyu warned.

“Understood.”

Bai Li Feihong tucked the Black Soul Jade into his robe, signed the mission slip, and left the hall.

“Bai Li Feihong? Are the apprentices nowadays all so bold, heading straight to Great Li Mountain to hunt beasts?” he heard someone remark as he passed Steward Ling’s office.

Suddenly, the sound of an argument erupted from inside. At that moment, Ding Bo appeared in the hall, watching him with a smile. Bai Li Feihong bowed his head and hurried away.

“Quite shrewd,” Ding Bo thought, not at all annoyed at having his intentions guessed. In fact, he valued Bai Li Feihong even more.

A disciple of the Four Seas Martial Academy. He wondered how Bai Li Feihong truly felt, now that the academy had been almost entirely wiped out by the Night Demon.