National Division

Chapter 24. With such a noble status, how can one lightly venture into dangerous places?
A gentle breeze blows, and the wormwood sways in the wind, making a rustling sound, which seems somewhat eerily desolate.

Shen Bin looked at the wall, a thoughtful expression on his face, and said, "The demons must be using this to bewitch people, but we don't know where their lair is."

Zhao Lang said, "Since this is something evil created by that demon, we might as well destroy it."

Shen Bin waved his hand and said, "Don't rush. If the demons hide again, we won't be able to find them."

These murals imbued with demonic energy can be destroyed, but the demons lurk in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to harm people. What should we do next?
"What does my brother mean?" Zhao Lang asked.

Shen Bin looked at the still circling and flying crane shadow, withdrew his true energy, and the crane shadow disappeared instantly. He said, "The demon is not here now. Why don't we go back to the post station first?"

Since the demon wants to absorb the yang energy of strong men, let the constables disguise themselves as men in the village and lure the demon out.

With that, the group left the dilapidated temple.

Shen Bin said, "Zhou Lizheng, I'll go check on the victims first."

Zhou Lizheng quickly agreed, as he felt uneasy staying in this dilapidated temple for too long.

On the way, Li Yan asked, "Brother, have you thought of a plan to exorcise the demon?"

Shen Bin said, "Evil spirits are best at hiding. If they know that the government is besieging them, they will definitely flee to another place. We must lure them out first so that we can wipe them out in one fell swoop."

Li Yan nodded in agreement.

……

……

Meanwhile, Shen Xian was in the inn, using the newly cultivated Gengjin Bishui Shenglian Gong to nourish his internal energy. Just now, he successfully broke through to the fourth level of the Acquired Realm.

"The so-called martial arts are about training the muscles, bones and skin externally and cultivating the breath internally. The fourth level of the acquired realm still continues the first three levels of strengthening the tendons and bones and widening the meridians, but it has begun to advance towards the eight extraordinary meridians." Shen Xian felt the surging internal energy in his dantian, clenched his fist, and felt that his strength had increased a lot.

At the fourth level of the Day After Tomorrow realm, even within Jin Yong's martial arts system, this level of mastery would already be considered a third-rate expert.

Thinking of Jin Yong, Shen Xian's previous thoughts resurfaced.

Since we're going to make money, why not start by copying Jin Yong's "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," but we'll need to adapt it and upgrade its combat power appropriately.

The great man is the country and the people.

Then... the greatest immortals are those who serve their country and its people.

A thousand miles begins with a single step.

He hopes to use this novel about human relationships and chivalry to change the prevailing attitude in this world where Taoist priests are indifferent to worldly affairs.

Thinking of this, Shen Xian got up and asked Sun Yicheng for paper and pen, intending to write a chapter title and then prepare the newspaper.

Let's call it "Guhe Daily".

You can also write about demons and monsters. Because of the prevailing culture of valuing literature over military affairs and the practice of selecting officials through the imperial examination, the literacy rate in Jiaguhe County is still acceptable.

If all else fails, storytelling can be added. Guhe County is a melting pot of people from all walks of life, and at that time, both ordinary people and high-ranking officials had a great thirst for good stories.

The idea is to keep good stories alive.

Of course, the main purpose of running a newspaper is to guide public opinion, and ultimately, it inevitably includes...sharp commentary.

How powerful is propaganda? How could people of later generations not know?

At this moment, Shen Xian, as a person from a later era, had already started a brainstorming session.

Shen Xian spread out the paper and began writing the first chapter title.

Sun Yicheng looked at this young master Shen with suspicion, who had locked himself in his room all morning.

Meanwhile, Xue Zhihua, who was hiding her presence and figure in a red dress, was observing Shen Xian, the young master of the county magistrate's family, with great interest.

She hadn't followed Shen Bin earlier, but had left a tracking mark so she could check it later.

In the small county of Guhe, apart from a few people who require her special attention, this woman, who has reached the third realm of immortality, can move about almost without difficulty.

"She's at the third level of the Acquired Realm in martial arts, and has broken through to the fourth. Her martial arts talent is mediocre, far inferior to her poetic talent. What's rare is her sincere and devoted heart." Xue Zhihua thought to herself, mimicking the comments of Shangguan Nanzhu, a concubine in the palace, without paying much attention to them.

Because at this age, even someone at the fourth level of the Acquired Realm in martial arts is ultimately no match for the scions of prominent families in the capital.

"Is she writing something? Is she writing poetry again?" Xue Zhihua's bright eyes fell into thought beneath her delicate, willow-leaf eyebrows.

He immediately released his divine sense to investigate.

"Is this a storybook?" Xue Zhihua thought of this and couldn't help but move closer.

The young man with clear features sat upright, tilting his head slightly. With a flick of his wrist, the first chapter of The Legend of the Condor Heroes appeared on the paper.

Xue Zhihua's mind stirred slightly as she scanned the description in "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" with her divine sense. After an unknown amount of time, Shen Xian put down his brush, picked up the teacup beside him, and drank it all in one gulp.

Fortunately, he was already a martial artist who had acquired his skills later in life; otherwise, his wrists would have ached from writing this chapter.

When he got up, he realized it was already afternoon. Just as he was about to ask Sun Yicheng a question, he heard the neighing of horses from outside.

Before long, Shen Bin, along with Zhao Lang, Li Yan, and other yamen runners, entered the courtyard of the post station.

Sun, the postmaster, summoned a postman, who came closer, took the horse's reins, and went to feed it fodder.

Shen Xian also came down the stairs of the post station and quickly approached, his face showing concern: "Father, you're back."

Shen Bin's complexion was better than yesterday's sallow. He approached Zhao Lang and Li Yan, waved his hand, and said, "Let's go inside and talk."

As they spoke, the group entered the hall of the post station and took their seats. The postmaster had fragrant tea served.

"How is the situation?" Shen Xian asked.

Shen Bin briefly recounted what had happened, saying, "Our initial suspicion was that the wall depicting the celestial maiden giving alms was inhabited by evil spirits that were draining our yang energy. Because we were worried about alerting them, we didn't stay any longer."

"Painted murals?" Shen Xian's heart skipped a beat, and he blurted out.

However, it should not be the murals in Liaozhai. Rather, Buddhist monks loved to carve murals and Buddha images on walls, which became artistic treasures in later generations.

So, these are a few strong men who were initially thought to be prostitutes, but it turns out they are evil spirits trying to kill someone?

Shen Bin asked in confusion, "The mural? You know about it?"

Zhao Lang and Li Yan both looked at Shen Xian with inquiring eyes.

Shen Xian pondered for a moment and said, "I suspect that wall is an illusionary space, and the lair of demons is inside."

Shen Bin looked thoughtful and said, "It's not impossible, otherwise the manifestation talisman wouldn't have detected the demonic aura."

Shen Xian asked, "Why didn't Father destroy that mural earlier?"

"We haven't found any trace of demons, so we might as well leave them here in case they notice and escape. That would make it even harder for us to track them down," Shen Bin said.

Shen Xian thought for a moment and asked, "Father, how do you intend to eliminate the evil spirits?"

Zhao Lang and Li Yan both looked at Shen Bin, waiting for him to make a decision.

As the county lieutenant of Guhe County, Shen Bin has handled public security cases for many years and can be considered a veteran criminal with rich experience.

“Since the evil spirits are devouring the vital energy of strong men, then we will have the constables lure them away,” Shen Bin said.

Shen Xian thought for a moment and said, "Zhou Lizheng said that those who were killed before were all strong, unmarried men with plenty of yang energy. Most of the yamen runners are married, so it is probably difficult for them to attract evil spirits."

Li Yan said, "Brother, I am not married yet, so I can sneak into that dilapidated temple at night."

Shen Bin hesitated and said, "You are an official, and you will have an official aura on you, which will easily arouse the vigilance of that evil spirit."

Shen Xian's heart stirred slightly, and he said, "According to Father, all the yamen runners work in the government and have an official aura about them. If evil spirits become alert, all their previous efforts will be in vain."

Since it is a humane act of merit, then subduing demons and monsters should bring more merit than helping an old lady cross the road, so he should take on more of the responsibility.

With this thought in mind, Shen Xian immediately said, "Father, why don't I lure the enemy?"

Shen Bin: "???"

Are you determined to make me childless?
Zhao Lang and Li Yan both stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

Zhao Lang said urgently, "No! What will happen to your elder brother if something happens to you?"

Shen Xian said, "Father, among the people present, firstly, I am unmarried, and secondly, I do not hold an official position, so I have no official aura to protect me. No one is more suitable than me."

Zhou Lizheng's old face also showed worry, and he advised, "But Young Master Shen is the son of the county magistrate. Evil spirits and dangers lurk around him. This matter is extremely dangerous and unpredictable. We must not act rashly."

Sun Yicheng smiled and smoothed things over, saying, "Young Master Shen is of noble status; how could he lightly venture into dangerous places? We are all young and impetuous; please don't take it seriously."

Shen Bin didn't know what to say, and could only feel regret in his heart.

He shouldn't have brought this little brat along.

Was everything I said to him last night just for nothing?
Shen Xian said, "Precisely because I am the son of the county magistrate, I should go up even more. Where righteousness lies, I will go even if there are thousands of people!"

Is the son of a county magistrate not allowed to work on the front lines?
The life of a county magistrate's son is a matter of life, but the life of an ordinary person is not.

Putting aside matters of merit, he was no different from... that powerful noblewoman who could dial the phone to the front-line command post.

(End of this chapter)