At noon, outside the red walls and green-tiled roofs.
Dozens of majestic Armored Spirit Horses trotted across the long street, stopping with great fanfare outside the main gate of Qiankun Academy.
Under the astonished gazes of passersby and academy students.
Two Captains jogged out in unison from within the academy, respectfully escorting a young man dressed in a Flowing Cloud Sword Robe.
The moment the handsome young man walked out of the academy.
That highly experienced Vice General Lu, a man of great renown in Anren Prefecture, actually dismounted and gave the young man a meticulous bow.
His powerful voice was deep and resonant, carrying a great distance. "With the current Demon Fiend unrest, I am endlessly grateful that Senior Brother Mountain Master is willing to lend us a hand in slaying them!"
With that, the square-faced, black-bearded middle-aged man turned and personally led a Spirit Horse over, saying humbly, "Senior Brother Mountain Master, please mount."
"Whoa!"
The students, who didn’t understand the situation, all looked astonished.
The matter of the Yu Family gaining a new Mountain Master Disciple had not been widely publicized; in fact, there were signs it had been deliberately suppressed.
But because Lin Shu already possessed a considerable reputation, many people still knew about it.
They were also aware of the vast gap between his status as a Mountain Master Disciple and that of a true one.
The Demon-slaying Bureau was controlled by the Qi Family and had always been at odds with the Yu Family.
For someone of Lu Chengyu’s status and Cultivation, acting this way in private would be one thing, but to be so deferential in public... it was as if he valued this new Mountain Master even more than the Yu Family did!
’Still trying to kill him with praise.’
A passing lecturer frowned, glancing over with a look of distaste.
Immortal Family Yu Sheng’s vice-mastery position was already unstable. They should be acting with discretion, building up their foundation and strength.
The Demon-slaying Bureau was putting Master Lin on such a high pedestal, lavishing him with all the glory befitting a Mountain Master Disciple. If he performed even slightly below expectations, wouldn’t he just become a laughingstock?
At the end of the day, Lin Shu was still just a junior who had only recently completed his trials.
It was only because he had performed so exceptionally well that he’d gained a level of fame and status that slightly exceeded his actual strength.
The rule about accumulating ten thousand merit points to be promoted to Mountain Master had been set by numerous Immortal Families. If they didn’t want to see anyone achieve it, they should have set the threshold higher in the first place.
’Is it his fault for doing too well?’
Why resort to such tactics just to make him lose face in front of everyone?
...
Lin Shu lifted his gaze, and with a light leap, he was already settled firmly on the horse’s back.
He didn’t spare the Vice General so much as a glance, let alone offer a word of thanks. Though his expression was calm, his arrogance seemed carved into his very bones.
With this, Lu Chengyu, a master at the Realm of Perfect Core Formation, truly looked as if he had become Lin Shu’s personal stablehand.
Seeing this, the various Vice Generals and Captains, after a moment of shock, all showed looks of indignation.
"Heh."
Lu Chengyu’s body stiffened slightly. He was clearly a little embarrassed as well.
He licked his dry lips and handed the reins to this "Senior Brother Mountain Master."
"General Lu..." a few men beside him couldn’t help but begin.
"Move out."
Expression unchanging, Lu Chengyu vaulted onto his horse and yanked hard on the reins. The majestic Spirit Horse reared up on its hind legs, letting out a pained whinny!
He galloped to the head of the column, the depths of his eyes finally turning sinister.
’He had lost face in the Lecturer Courtyard yesterday. It had taken all his effort to suppress his rage, and he had planned to use this opportunity to add more fuel to the fire.’
’But he never expected this person to be so utterly shameless, not even bothering with a few pleasantries in front of so many people and leaving him without a shred of face.’
’Excellent! Just excellent!’
’Once we’re out of the city, we’ll see if that Flowing Cloud Sword Robe of his can still protect the scoundrel!’
「Meanwhile.」
Lin Shu rode along leisurely, as if he hadn’t noticed the simmering anger in everyone’s expressions, oblivious to the dangers lurking beneath the surface-level pageantry.
’After all, who would care what a pile of Sin Coins were secretly plotting?’
His gaze swept over the group.
’That Lu fellow at Core Formation Perfection... he must be worth at least six hundred Sin Coins.’
’Six Mid-stage Core Formation Vice Generals, at a minimum of three hundred each, comes to another eighteen hundred.’
’Then there are the five Captains who just reached Core Formation. They should be worth seven or eight hundred altogether.’
’Add in the dozens of Captains in charge of searching the mountain... ’
’Tsk, tsk. The total is almost equivalent to a Golden Core expert.’
’Killing all of them might be too conspicuous and would be difficult to explain upon my return.’
’But the Demon Mountain is vast. There’s no way this group will stick together the entire time. I should have no problem taking the opportunity to devour half of them.’
Lin Shu had even figured out the method.
’In Anren Prefecture, there are far too many Demon-slaying Bureau constables.’
’The methods of the Filthy Moon Wolf Lord are too similar to those of the Qi Family, so I shouldn’t use them carelessly in front of others.’
’So, I’ll channel the wolf cub’s Magical Power into the Ink Flood Dragon Sword Bracelet and control it via Soul-Splitting.’
’That way, what do the deaths of these constables under such an Evil Sword have to do with me, a Mountain Master Disciple filled with the Immortal Power of a Cyan Simurgh?’
’Slaying Demons always comes with casualties. It’s perfectly normal to be outmatched in a fight.’
’And since I am still recovering from serious injuries, doing my best to slay a single Scattered Demon will be more than enough to justify this robe I’m wearing.’
"Hm?"
As his thoughts raced, Lin Shu suddenly sensed something amiss.
As the Filthy Moon Wolf Lord developed, his own Divine Soul grew stronger in tandem.
His Spiritual Sense was formidable, in no way inferior to that of the Silver-eyed White Wolf Immortal Descendants, who were known for their powerful Divine Souls.
And with his Wind-Riding Mountain Patrol Divine Technique, he could still resonate with the sound of the wind, even if its effectiveness was greatly reduced away from the mountains.
When these two factors were combined, Lin Shu’s sensory range was terrifyingly vast.
Just after he left the academy, he had noticed several hostile gazes following him, and he could faintly sense killing intent.
’Interesting.’
Lin Shu didn’t look back, but a strange light flickered in the depths of his eyes.

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