If I, a death row inmate, am not to become a demon, am I to become a member of the Imperial Guard?

The air was quiet for a moment.

The firewood in the campfire crackled softly.

The several patrolling Imperial Guard captains around him all looked at Zhou Yang as if he were an idiot.

The smile on Qin Baihu's face vanished, replaced by a strange expression. She looked Zhou Yang up and down as if she were seeing him for the first time.

I can still vividly recall that image of him being so unyielding and loyal.

In the blink of an eye, it turned into the face of a street thug haggling over prices.

This change happened too fast.

"More money?"

"Yes, more money."

Zhou Yang straightened his neck, showing no shame on his face.

"My godfather's kindness to me is immeasurable; this affection is priceless!"

"but……"

He changed the subject, his expression becoming extremely sincere.

"When your Embroidered Uniform Guard arrests people, the imperial court must give them a reward, right?"

"I helped you capture the leader of the Heavenly Principles Sect, that's a great achievement."

"You're all getting promoted and making money, I can't just work for nothing, can I? That's not right."

Qin Baihu was so angry at his twisted logic that he laughed.

How many do you want?

"not much."

Zhou Yang held up one finger.

"One thousand taels of silver, plus the entire fortune of the Niu family in Jianghuai City."

"The Niu family?"

Qin Baihu narrowed his eyes.

"Do you have a grudge against the Niu family?"

"They almost got me beheaded, and I must avenge them."

Zhou Yang's tone was calm, but the hatred in it was undeniable.

"One thousand taels, I can make the decision. But the Niu family's property, no."

Qin Baihu refused outright.

"Confiscating property is a matter for the imperial court; it's none of your business as an outsider."

"Then let's choose another one."

Zhou Yang was not discouraged at all.

"I want the identity of a junior officer in the Imperial Guard, and also a cultivation manual of internal energy at the Xuan level or above."

"You have quite an appetite."

Qin Baihu snorted coldly.

"What makes you think your information is worth that price?"

"Just because I know where my godfather is going next."

Zhou Yang was full of confidence.

"He's going to Black Wind Mountain to meet up with another expert from the Heavenly Principle Sect, 'Earth Dragon'."

"Black Wind Mountain is a treacherous place with only one road. However, there are many forks in the road. Without my guidance, you could search the entire mountain and still not find their exact meeting place."

Qin Baihu remained silent.

She knew Black Wind Mountain; it was a notoriously dangerous place outside Jianghuai City, and the government was too lazy to care about it.

If Fang Tianzhen is indeed hiding there, it would be very difficult to find him.

How can I trust you?

You don't have to believe it.

Zhou Yang acted as if he were a dead pig that wasn't afraid of boiling water.

"At worst, I'll just die; I'm just a worthless life anyway. But if Fang Tian gets away, your mission will have failed."

"How will you explain this to your superiors then?"

Qin Baihu stared into Zhou Yang's eyes, trying to glean something from them.

But Zhou Yang's eyes were open and honest, filled with a desperate desire to "give me the money quickly."

She finally made her decision.

"Okay, I agree. But you can get the money and the identity card after we catch the person."

"make a deal!"

Zhou Yang was overjoyed.

"There's no time to lose, let's set off now, or our godfather will be too late!"

Qin Baihu's lips twitched.

This guy calls his godfather so naturally.

She immediately took out a carrier pigeon, wrote a secret message, and released it.

She then removed the air-binding net from Zhou Yang's feet, but did not move the shackles on his hands.

"If you try anything funny while leading the way, I'll snap your neck the moment you step in."

"Don't worry, I'm a man of integrity when it comes to business."

Zhou Yang patted his chest and assured him.

……

Half an hour later, in the direction of Black Wind Mountain.

Fang Tian, ​​who had just escaped from the encirclement and was running for his life through a dense forest, suddenly felt a menacing wind behind him.

He turned around abruptly.

Three figures surrounded him in a triangular formation.

The one leading them was none other than the old man who was also a hundred-household commander.

"Fang Tian, ​​you can't escape now."

"How is this possible! How did you find this place?!"

Fang Tian's expression changed drastically. This was his well-planned escape route, which was extremely well hidden.

"Black Wind Mountain is in the opposite direction!"

Someone sold you out.

The young man, Shi Baihu, sneered and drew his embroidered spring knife.

"Your good godson, Zhou Yang."

"It's him!"

Fang Tian's eyes widened, and he almost spat out a mouthful of blood.

He never imagined that his seemingly loyal adopted son, who had even covered his retreat, would turn around and betray him completely!

"Aaaaah! I will kill you!"

Fang Tian roared, his true essence surging, and charged towards the weakest link in the encirclement.

However, he was already injured and his mind was misled by Zhou Yang's false information. After a fierce battle, he was eventually exhausted and captured.

When Fang Tian, ​​bruised and battered and bound hand and foot, was escorted back to the Jianghuai City prison, he was completely dazed.

He saw Zhou Yang in the next cell, also wearing shackles, with a look of "grief and indignation" on his face.

"Godfather!"

Upon seeing Fang Tian, ​​Zhou Yang immediately rushed to the prison door, tears streaming down his face.

"I'm so sorry, my child!"

"You traitor!"

Fang Tian's eyes were bloodshot as he struggled to rush over.

"Godfather, please let me explain!"

Zhou Yang cried even louder.

"After that witch captured me, I suffered endless torture! She used all sorts of things, like soul-chasing needles and binding nets, on me!"

"I'd rather die than submit. To buy you time to escape, I made up a location called Black Wind Mountain to deceive them!"

Zhou Yang pounded his chest, his face full of regret.

"Who would have thought that you, a hero of unparalleled stature, would actually not head towards Black Wind Mountain, but instead take another route, only to run right into them!"

"Father, it's all my fault for being too foolish and failing to foresee the Embroidered Uniform Guard's treacherous scheme!"

Fang Tian was stunned.

He thought about it carefully, and it seemed... that was indeed the case.

He definitely didn't go to Black Wind Mountain.

So, the false information Zhou Yang gave him ended up getting him into trouble?

What the hell is this?

Seeing that Zhou Yang did indeed have an injury on his shoulder and looked haggard, Fang Tian's anger dissipated by more than half.

He was a suspicious person by nature, but Zhou Yang's explanation was logically plausible.

Most importantly, he witnessed Zhou Yang fighting nine captains alone to cover his retreat.

"My son... has truly suffered."

Fang Tian sighed, his tone complex.

"I have wronged you."

"Godfather!"

Zhou Yang was so moved that he burst into tears.

"As long as my godfather is alright, that's all that matters! My suffering is nothing!"

"Okay, okay."

Fang Tian looked at Zhou Yang, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

With such loyalty and quick wit, he could be a great asset if given a little training.

"My son, your strength is still too weak. You have the cultivation, but you have no way to fight."

"I will pass on to you a protective divine skill and a killing finger technique."

"Listen carefully!"

Fang Tian then whispered the remaining key points of the two martial arts techniques to Zhou Yang.

Naturally, this is another version that leaves room for contingencies.

Zhou Yang wrote it down with feigned gratitude, while secretly sneering to himself.

Old fox, still using this trick.

You have mastered the Golden Bell Shield (incomplete version).

[It can consume one's own lifespan to deduce the complete cultivation technique.]

[Golden Bell Shield (Fragment): A fourth-grade protective divine skill. After mastering it, one can withstand attacks of the same level. However, the fragment has a weakness and is easily broken.]

You have learned the Soul-Severing Finger Technique (incomplete).

[It can consume one's own lifespan to deduce the complete cultivation technique.]

【Soul-Severing Finger (Fragment): A fourth-grade finger technique, ruthless and vicious, specifically designed to break through protective internal energy. However, the incomplete version greatly reduces its power and can damage the user's meridians.】

Zhou Yang did not hesitate.

"Deduction!"

Current remaining lifespan: three years

[You are burning your lifespan to begin cultivating the Golden Bell Shield and the Soul-Severing Finger.]

[One year later, you successfully deduced the complete Golden Bell Shield technique and cultivated it to a minor mastery. With the protection of a fourth-grade divine skill, you are virtually invincible in battle.]

Two years later, you will have fully developed and mastered the Soul-Severing Finger technique, making your finger strikes invincible.

[In the third year, you had a stroke of inspiration and initially fused the Golden Bell Shield and Soul-Severing Finger techniques, creating a new offensive and defensive move called Spinning Top Finger. However, your lifespan ran out, and you ended your training.]

Current remaining lifespan: 26 years

A powerful force flowed through Zhou Yang's body.

Although his cultivation level did not improve, his combat power increased several times over.

Breaking through to the Hundred Battles Realm stabilized his cultivation and increased his lifespan by thirty-three years.

It took seventeen years to deduce the Innate Yang Technique.

It took forty-eight years to deduce the Mighty Bull Demon Fist and the Chaotic Void Step, but due to insufficient lifespan, only eighteen years were consumed.

It took another three years to deduce the Golden Bell Cover and Soul-Severing Finger techniques.

He has twenty-six years left to live.

As Zhou Yang felt the surging power within him, he looked at his adoptive father, who "placed high hopes" on him in the prison cell, and a dangerous smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

Old man, wait till I get out of here, the first thing I'll do is crack your skull open!