"What about the disciple? Why hasn’t he come out to greet us?"
Xu Zhonglin’s eyes narrowed, his voice already laced with a hint of hostility.
None of the new recruits had ever seen such a situation. When had the Demon-slaying Bureau ever received such a cold shoulder on a mission?
For a moment, they were all a little bewildered.
"Shopkeeper Lin is responsible for many things. If the Vice General needs assistance, you can go to the inn and ask him."
Steward Chen’s attitude was deferential, but his words made the faces of the Demon-slaying Bureau’s Captains turn grim.
’This man means we’re supposed to go seek out an Immortal Disciple ourselves?’
"Insolence!"
The Captains leaped from their horses, their hands on their sword hilts. Without waiting for the Vice General’s command, they fanned out, instantly surrounding the inn ahead.
"Things are getting exciting the moment we arrive! Quick, come with me. This’ll be an eye-opener for you, kid."
Wang Hong strode forward excitedly. This wasn’t his first mission.
He’d seen what a disgraceful end awaited those arrogant disciples from Immortal Families who thought they could slight the Demon-slaying Bureau.
He dragged Chang Yi along toward the front.
Xu Zhonglin dismounted slowly, adjusting the Profound Armor on his forearms. With a cold glint in his eyes, he walked unhurriedly through the crowd.
Then, he stopped in front of the inn.
’No matter which family they’re from, disciples always panic when they see the Demon-slaying Bureau get serious.’
But in the empty hall, two women and a man were sitting around a table.
On the table were plain congee and some simple side dishes.
Yu Sheng picked up a piece of pickled vegetable with her chopsticks and looked curiously toward the door. "Are you here to stay or to eat? There are too many of you; we don’t have enough rooms. And if you want to eat, you’ll have to wait. The cook isn’t here yet."
Under the gazes of the numerous Demon-slaying Captains and new recruits,
Xu Zhonglin’s gaze swept over the Cyan Feather Robe Yu Sheng was wearing.
He hadn’t expected that a Yu Family Mountain God, one who was nearly an adult, would be staying in such a crude place and eating such a simple meal.
What made his heart skip a beat, however, was something else.
The two women sat facing each other, while the young man in a dark cyan robe was seated at the head of the table.
This bizarre scene left him unable to grasp the situation.
"What’s going on? Why aren’t they saying anything?"
Wang Hong muttered, baffled.
He didn’t notice Chang Yi beside him, who was trembling slightly.
Just then, Steward Chen finally squeezed his way through the crowd of Captains, his face a mask of annoyance.
’Is this Vice General a fool?’
’I already told him this inn *is* the City Lord’s Mansion.’
’The City Lord’s Mansion! Did he not understand?!’
’And I specifically pointed out that the one in charge is Shopkeeper Lin, not the Mountain God, Yu Sheng.’
’Did the man really do zero preparation before coming to the Border Region?’
’Do I have to spell it out for him... that these are the master and disciple Yu Duchuan was talking about—"the Master who doesn’t act like a Master, and the disciple who doesn’t act like a disciple"?!’
Steward Chen hurried to the Vice General’s side and began whispering in his ear.
「A long moment later.」
Xu Zhonglin’s eyelid twitched. He slowly clasped his hands in a salute. "Vice General of the Demon-slaying Bureau, Xu Zhonglin. I am here under orders to slay demons."
Lin Shu leisurely wiped his mouth and finally looked up. "Do any of the three of us look like a demon to you?"
Xu Zhonglin took a deep breath, yet he didn’t get angry. "Fellow Lin, you jest. I merely came to pay my respects to the Mountain God, Yu Sheng."
As soon as he said this,
the grim expressions on the Captains’ faces froze, quickly turning bizarre.
Wang Hong was stunned for a long moment, then his face lit up with excitement. He gripped Chang Yi’s arm tightly. "Yu Sheng... Shopkeeper Lin... I’m such an idiot! He’s Lin Shu!"
"The very same Lin Shu that countless Immortal Descendants at Yongzhou Pass are fighting over!"
Countless disciples travel to Yongzhou Pass for their trials each year, but few are lucky enough to survive. Of those, even fewer manage to make a name for themselves.
But the only one to become famous throughout all of Yongzhou before even completing his trial... was standing right in front of them!
Of course, this was largely due to Yu Duchuan’s famous comment.
But the news had also spread much faster thanks to the many Immortal Descendants writing home, begging their families for resources to win this particular disciple over.
Everyone was speculating whether he would be the first exception ever to be promoted directly from a World Traveler Disciple to a Mountain Master.
"You’re no fun at all, you block of wood. All you know is Cultivation; you don’t know anyone important."
Wang Hong felt a bit let down and turned to start chattering with the other recruits.
Chang Yi stood rooted to the spot, stunned.
’How could I not recognize Brother Lin?’
What he was reeling from was how, in such a short time, the man had gone from being the Fierce Wolf of the Black Water Gang to someone even a Vice General of the Demon-slaying Bureau had to back down from!
The gap between the two was, without exaggeration, as vast as the heavens and the earth.
"Ahem."
Yan Jin had also noticed Blackhead and couldn’t help but give Lin Shu’s sleeve a gentle tug.
She hadn’t forgotten that this young Chief Constable was once Senior Brother Lin’s little follower.
Lin Shu put down the white cloth, showing no sign of recognition.
Chang Yi had followed the Demon-slaying Bureau all the way out to the Border Region.
’I don’t even have to think to know what that kid is here for.’
’Given the vile reputation of Demon Evils in this world, if you want to live a normal life in Yongzhou, you have to sever ties immediately—not just with a relative, but even if your own father became a demon.’
"Withdraw."
Xu Zhonglin turned and walked out of the inn.
A shadow flickered in the depths of his eyes. He had only received the message from an old friend in the Liu Family after his column had already set out, forcing him to change his destination at the last minute.
His knowledge of Shihu City was shallow, which was why he had just made such a fool of himself.
’I’ve lost face right at the outset. Now, it’ll be difficult to take firm control of this place and have everyone follow my orders, as I usually do.’
’That young man likely did it on purpose.’
’He wanted to use this to declare his authority here.’
’The Demon-slaying Bureau can pass through and conduct its business, but this is still *his* Shihu City—Lin Shu’s Shihu City!’
’Fortunately, I have some connection with the City Lord here, Yu Duchuan. There’s still a chance to salvage this.’
’When has the Demon-slaying Bureau ever been constrained by others in its duties?’
’I won’t get involved in the Immortal Descendants’ power struggles.’
But Xu Zhonglin would never allow anyone to operate outside his command while he was in the process of sweeping the mountains for demons.
"Hah!"
As the Vice General walked away, the Demon-slaying Bureau Captains, who had been so menacing moments before, now looked utterly dejected.
The area outside the inn grew quiet once more.
Lin Shu withdrew his gaze.
’So, the big fish meant to stir up these stagnant waters have arrived.’
’A few too many of them, in fact.’
’Just for Shihu City, two Core Formation experts and dozens of Jade Liquid Foundation Establishment cultivators had arrived, and every single one of them looked battle-hardened.’
’And that’s not even counting the disciples from the Yu Family’s Immortal Descendants who were here to assist them.’
’Faced with such a mighty force, Demon Generals might still be able to put up a fight, but any ordinary Little Demon would likely be crushed to dust.’
’I’m stuck in the middle, which makes it difficult to act.’
’Fortunately, I’ve already claimed this Earth City. At least no one can control the movements of a simple inn shopkeeper like me.’
"Why not take this opportunity to earn a few more Merit and Sin Coins?"
Recalling his earlier annoyance, a dangerous thought suddenly occurred to Lin Shu.

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