Chapter Ninety-Five: The Contest Is About to Begin【Please Subscribe】

Under Zhang Baihai’s resentful gaze, Baili Feihong followed Hu Zuowei, the Demon Suppression Envoy of Feiyuan Island, back to the Demon Suppression Office headquarters. Before him stood a dilapidated building, the sign of the Demon Suppression Office fluttering in the wind. Baili Feihong couldn’t shake the feeling that he had been deceived.

“Sir, the Southern Naval Command stationed on Feiyuan Island is immensely powerful. In fact, the word of the Commander of Yan is more influential here than that of the Prefect of Feiyuan Island. Even certain imperial policies must be approved by the Commander of Yan before implementation on Feiyuan Island,” Hu Zuowei whispered cautiously.

He feared that the newly appointed Guardian Commander might have irreconcilable conflicts with the Southern Naval Command, leaving no room for compromise. If that happened, the entire Demon Suppression Office would suffer greatly.

“How did the previous Guardian Commander die?” Baili Feihong asked, ignoring the old man’s hesitation. He had his own judgment. Hu Zuowei was tolerable; he could keep him around for now. But none of the other demon suppression envoys came to greet him at the dock. The attitude alone spelled trouble.

The difficulties Baili Feihong faced now were tenfold those encountered by Gongyang Yan when he served as Guardian Commander of Dongbin City. Enemies were everywhere. If he kept a low profile and behaved, unless the opposition acted first with overwhelming strength, the Southern Naval Command couldn’t touch him. But living a life of submission was not what he wanted.

He had promised Gongyang Yan he would return to Dongbin City in three years to fulfill his vow. He cared not for prophecies but for his words and the few friends he had there.

“Sir, this...” Hu Zuowei hesitated, unwilling to speak further.

“Hu Zuowei, you fear death. You worry the Southern Naval Command will cause you trouble. But have you considered whether I, as the Guardian Commander, would let you die tonight?” Baili Feihong’s eyes flashed sharply.

He could forgive his subordinates’ mistakes, even grave ones, as long as he had the strength to resolve them. But within his own territory, he would not tolerate envoys with ambiguous attitudes or a lack of backbone. This was a matter of principle because such people were the easiest to turn traitor. Enemies had not yet made their move, but the first to be eliminated would be these weak links.

“Sir, spare me! My entire family depends on my meager salary to survive on Feiyuan Island. If I die, they may be sold off...” Hu Zuowei knelt immediately.

“Stand. The Demon Suppression Office has no tradition of kneeling. I am no emperor worthy of your kowtow,” Baili Feihong said coldly.

If you take a salary from the Demon Suppression Office, you must serve it faithfully.

“Yes, yes,” Hu Zuowei replied, sweat beading across his forehead. It was hard for an old man like him, at his age, to still be fighting for survival.

“Summon all the demon suppression envoys. I want a meeting,” Baili Feihong commanded coldly.

“But some envoys are already out on official business...” Hu Zuowei protested.

“At seven tonight, anyone not present will be immediately dismissed from the Demon Suppression Office,” Baili Feihong sneered.

Though he had yet to understand the full situation on Feiyuan Island, it was clear the Demon Suppression Office was a sidelined department. What urgent matters could there be?

“Yes, sir. I will notify the envoys immediately.”

“Please, sir, your office is ready,” Hu Zuowei said, leading him inside.

Institutions like the Demon Suppression Office handled many classified matters, so their office buildings were independent, even built to special standards—to contain demons that were difficult to kill.

The Dongbin City Demon Suppression Tower imprisoned hundreds of demons, mostly for studying their weaknesses to target them effectively. But recently, ninety percent of the demons had suddenly died, with the remaining ten percent falling into a weakened slumber. Baili Feihong understood that it was his own blood energy, unleashed after reaching the tenth level of Blood Refinement, that purified them.

He said nothing, and Gongyang Yan did not question it, leaving it an unsolved mystery.

But the Demon Suppression Office headquarters before him made Baili Feihong frown. It was located beside a vegetable market, a rented first floor serving as their base. The office was old, worn, damp, and permeated with a stench of blood and rot—a foul mixture clearly drifting in from the market.

“Hu Zuowei, where is the original Demon Suppression Tower on Feiyuan Island?” Baili Feihong asked.

Every region with a Demon Suppression Office had a tower, typically funded by the office itself. A contractor called the Masterwork Hall built these towers. The Dongbin City Demon Suppression Tower was one of their masterpieces, constructed with the bones of Kun demons as pillars, concrete as the frame, and hollowed-out mountain walls carved from stone.

“Sir, your office was refurbished by several envoys who pooled money. It’s clean and comfortable inside,” Hu Zuowei said evasively.

Baili Feihong said nothing. The first fire had already been lit. He had planned to ignite another inside, but it seemed unnecessary. The fault did not solely lie with the demon suppression envoys—much of it likely stemmed from the Guardian Commander himself.

Typically, the Guardian Commander was someone at the Spirit Refinement level; important regions appointed a Guardian General.

Dongbin City was such a place. Gongyang Yan stood at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, with formidable martial prowess. If she came to Feiyuan Island, even the Commander of Yan would personally greet her at the dock, hosting a grand welcome banquet.

And Baili Feihong? Merely a young man barely seventeen, not yet fully grown, albeit gifted with Spirit Refinement cultivation. Probably, he had rushed through the Body Refinement stage to break into Spirit Refinement prematurely. Rumor had it he was sent here as punishment, leading many in the Southern Naval Command to believe he had used connections rather than skill.

When the leader is crooked, the subordinates follow suit. Hence, the farce at the dock.

“Anyone can bully the head of the Demon Suppression Office now,” Baili Feihong sighed, his voice echoing in the empty office.

Hu Zuowei hung his head, afraid to meet his young superior’s gaze.

“Sir, may I speak honestly?” Hu Zuowei asked.

“Speak.”

“The Commander of Yan is tyrannical. Although the Southern Naval Command suffered a great loss in the Devil’s Strait battle, its strength remains intact. The Southern Naval Command is like a powder keg looking for a vent. The Zhang Baihai you wounded is a high-ranking officer commanding a fleet with immense power. The general you killed, Yan Liming, had a cousin who was the Commander of Yan’s concubine. The cavalry you wiped out belonged to the Naval Inspection Corps, a powerful faction within the command. They will surely seek revenge. You should return to the Greater Yuan territory soon. Whoever takes the position of Guardian Commander on Feiyuan Island dies. The Demon Suppression Office has become a thorn in many eyes and must be eliminated. If the office cannot be abolished, then we old, weak, and disabled envoys may die without cause.”

Hu Zuowei poured out his heart, though he left one thing unsaid: if the Guardian Commander position was untenable, he could leave anytime. But the envoys were already settled on Feiyuan Island—they could not escape.

“Is weakness a sin? You’ve been suppressed too long and lost your fighting spirit. From the day I take office, that changes,” Baili Feihong declared.

Footsteps echoed heavily from downstairs.

“Looks like I don’t even have to wait until I officially take the post.”

Baili Feihong turned and descended. The vegetable market was eerily silent. The townsfolk scattered in fear as a military force cleared the entire street.

“The new Guardian Commander is different. Wants to assert authority by targeting our Southern Naval Command,” muttered a bald scarred man, shirtless and carrying a large cleaver.

Those familiar with Feiyuan Island knew him as the executioner of the Southern Naval Command, an elite specialized in dealing with demons and monsters—codenamed Blood Butcher Du Rensheng.

“The new Guardian Commander came with Gongyang Yan. Given her standards, he can’t be just an ordinary Spirit Refinement martial artist,” said a melodious voice.

It belonged to Zhong Ziling, the famed female war god of the Southern Naval Command, whose aura now pulsed strongly as she stepped into the Nascent Soul stage.

“If he were an ordinary Spirit Refinement martial artist, would it require both of us to take action? The Commander of Yan has already said to treat the Guardian Commander well, to make him understand that not just anyone can wield authority over the Southern Naval Command.”

Baili Feihong, dressed in plain clothes, stepped out of the Demon Suppression Office. Over a thousand musketeers, disciplined and alert, aimed their rifles at him, the oppressive atmosphere thickening the street.

He stood calmly, hands behind his back, smiling as he appraised the Southern Naval Command’s forces. As an elite unit of the Greater Yuan Navy, their strength was indeed formidable. Every soldier had a solid foundation, trained in genuine martial arts: the squad leaders refining blood, captains refining bones, hundred-man commanders refining marrow, and thousand-man commanders refining organs. The others radiated power not weaker than seventh-level Blood Warriors, though their training was orthodox military martial arts, with pure blood refinement and strong physiques.

“Is that Baili Feihong, the new Guardian Commander?” Blood Butcher Du Rensheng called out.

“Yes, that’s me,” Baili Feihong replied.

“Our Commander of Yan heard of your arrival and sent us to escort you to the Southern Naval Command headquarters for a welcome banquet,” Du Rensheng laughed heartily.

“Your Commander is most kind. Please lead the way,” Baili Feihong said, neither refusing nor accepting outright. The invitation was polite, framed as a welcome, and refusing could provoke the Commander of Yan to take personal offense, which could escalate to the imperial court—a private grudge.

But this was not the time. The fire had yet to burn to its fullest. Three days would reveal all.

“Such boldness,” a voice chimed like a wind bell, unforgettable.

Before him stood a woman clad in white robes, wielding a red-tasselled spear—a formidable expert, even more threatening than the bear-like man beside her.

Seeing this and comparing it to the old, crippled envoys of the Demon Suppression Office, Baili Feihong felt helpless. The Southern Naval Command certainly had cause for arrogance. But the world was decided by the will of the strongest.

“You’re quite impressive. Interested in joining my Demon Suppression Office? The position of Left Guardian Commander is vacant,” Baili Feihong said with a spark in his heart, recruiting on the spot.

“Hahaha, the Demon Suppression Office? Left Guardian Commander? What a grand title,” Blood Butcher Du Rensheng roared with laughter, and the surrounding Southern Naval Command soldiers smiled too.

Zhong Ziling, however, looked grave. Her heart raced, blood flowing faster—a sense of lethal danger spreading.

“Be careful,” Zhong Ziling suddenly swept her spear across the air, but only touched a residual shadow. Her pupils contracted in disbelief.

“Bronze Bell Body Technique!!!” Baili Feihong’s blood energy enveloped him like a bronze bell.

Du Rensheng’s hair stood on end as an unknown death threat descended. He saw Zhong Ziling strike, but before him appeared two images of the new Guardian Commander—residual shadows?

“Guardian Palm.” One palm broke through Zhong Ziling’s spear defense, shattering the bronze bell. Without losing force, a palm struck his chest.

Boom!

His chest, refined to the Golden Bone level, shattered completely. His body was like a mountain hit, flying hundreds of meters across the street, crashing into a building and destroying it.

“How dare you!” Zhong Ziling raised her brows and aimed her spear, which glowed with spiritual light, at Baili Feihong, who stood at the doorway as if unmoved.

“Noise. Who am I and who are you? Who gave you the right to mock me? Even in front of the Commander of Yan, you should show me some respect,” Baili Feihong said, brushing dirt off his clothes with a smile.

“Sorry, I can’t control my temper. Looks like I won’t be attending the welcome banquet hosted by the Commander of Yan,” Baili Feihong said lightly, ignoring the spiritual energy swirling around Zhong Ziling’s spear.

Zhong Ziling’s silver teeth nearly ground to bits, suppressing her fury. She wanted to order a full attack but was uncertain about the Guardian Commander’s true strength. One thing was clear: bullets could not touch him.

“Is the imperial court displeased with the Southern Naval Command?” she suddenly thought, breaking out in cold sweat.

“Fall back!” Zhong Ziling gritted her teeth and ordered the retreat.

Baili Feihong was surprised—there was a spark of insight here. The situation on Feiyuan Island was worse than he imagined. His sudden strike was meant to stir deeper conflicts. He did not kill Blood Butcher Du Rensheng because if he had, he would become the villain. This top-tier Spirit Refinement martial artist would not let it go quietly. Future clashes would inevitably involve him.

Zhong Ziling led her forces away and sent Du Rensheng for external medical treatment. This Guardian Commander was no easy opponent—dangerous indeed. The Southern Naval Command’s future would be difficult. Zhong Ziling already foresaw that, given their colleagues’ temperaments, they would seek revenge against the Demon Suppression Office.

Special privilege institutions like the Demon Suppression Office, if they wanted to strike back at the Southern Naval Command, would cause many deaths—provided the office was strong enough. Under new leadership, the office had grown formidable enough to make the Southern Naval Command wary.

Feiyuan Island was not at sea. At sea, the Southern Naval Command had weapons capable of annihilating Baili Feihong. On the island, using large-scale destructive weapons was forbidden. The imperial navy yearned to surround and suppress the Southern Naval Command, interfering in its internal affairs.

The navy had long been stationed overseas, especially the Southern Naval Command, which had drifted far from the Greater Yuan court’s control. The court sensed its grasp on the navy weakening—a grave taboo.

“Inspectors!” Zhong Ziling shuddered.

Rumor had it the court would soon dispatch military inspectors to the Southern Naval Command—Heaven’s Guardians, the emperor’s closest confidants.