I defeated the saint with a parry.

They returned to the Demon Suppression Division.

Xu Huaixu whispered, "It's done."

Xu Ling knew that the cooperation was settled, and the Demon Suppression Division would probably undergo some changes again, so Zhang Li would probably be busy.

The Grand Elder of the Dan Sect was even more eager than Xu Huaixu. After hearing Xu Huaixu relay Xu Ling's plan, he directly sent his Dao consciousness clone over using a secret technique of the sect, which shows how much he valued it.

You don't know the cost of oil and rice until you're in charge of the household.

The Demon Suppression Division is still too weak to deal with the demon calamity that occurs every month. With the support of the Pill Sect's pills, the Demon Suppression Division's material pressure will be greatly reduced.

Previously, the pills that couldn't be given to the lowest-ranking demon slayers could now be provided, which would significantly reduce the loss rate of demon slayers.

Similarly, the disciples of the Pill Sect suffered heavy losses while venturing out to find materials and combat the demonic calamity. Now, by cooperating with the Demon Suppression Division, they have the materials and don't even need to go out to deal with the demonic calamity. With these advantages, they are not even subject to the control of the imperial court... It's a huge win for them.

As for pills... the disciples refine pills, and each batch yields a few pills, which are enough to supply the Demon Suppression Division.

From the outside, the Demon Suppression Division only purchased a batch of pills from the Pill Sect in exchange for materials.

Only a fool wouldn't agree to such a win-win situation.

Xu Huaixu became more and more satisfied with Xu Ling the more he looked at him, and being demoted to Fancheng no longer seemed like a bad thing.

"How exactly the Li family offended the mastermind behind it all remains a mystery," Xu Ling reported, recounting everything he had heard from the Song family. "The identity of the murderer is also unknown, but it is highly likely to be a demon."

Xu Huaixu was not in a hurry. Instead, he advised, "The period of demonic calamity has not been over for long. There will be plenty of peaceful days ahead. Don't push the Li family too far, and don't push the murderer too far either."

"Although our Demon Suppression Division also helps the lower-level government offices handle some murder cases, our main duty is to slay demons and eliminate evil spirits, so our duties are slightly different. You are eager to find the real culprit for the Li family's master and servant, but there is no need to rush."

Neither the Li family nor the murderer are good people, so let them fight amongst themselves for now... You can use this opportunity to carefully examine the chessboard, investigate slowly, find their weaknesses, and finally, once you have the evidence, kill them in one fell swoop.

Xu Ling quickly agreed.

As for the method to suppress the demonic calamity, the two tacitly refrained from mentioning it.

Whether it's true or not is uncertain, so we'll just have to wait and see.

That night.

Xu Huaixu contacted the capital's headquarters through the Demon Suppression Division. The person on the other end was Ji Zhaowu, the current commander of the Demon Suppression Division.

"Xuzhi, didn't we just exchange information a few days ago about the Jin Yu Lou matter, as you said? Why are you contacting me again? Do you want to go back to the capital?"

The "preface" that Ji Zhaowu shouted was the courtesy name of Xu Huaixu.

The relationship between the two is unusual.

Xu Huaixu asked with a smile, "My lord! Would you like some elixirs?"

"???"

"Xu Zhi has made a fortune in Fancheng. Should he get some pills for the Demon Suppression Division in the capital as well?"

"Oh, sir, you jest. It's already a favor that Fancheng isn't asking the capital for more resources, how could we possibly give them to you? I just have some good news to tell you, sir: I've taken over the Pill Sect."

"What? You killed the sect leader of the Pill Sect and seized the sect's lineage?"

"..."

"You, surnamed Ji, even though you're a prince and the emperor's appointed commander-in-chief, if you continue to slander me like this, even if you're the emperor himself, I'll still chop you down!!"

"There's no rush, but it's just the two of us right now. What's the rush? Just kidding."

Xu Huaixu sighed and then recounted the whole story from beginning to end, explaining how Xu Ling had inadvertently secured a huge benefit for the Demon Suppression Division while investigating the case.

Ji Zhaowu was also completely bewildered when he found out.

"You didn't go to Fancheng and find your long-lost bloodline, did you? You made up all that Xu Ling stuff to fool me. It was all your doing."

"Ji Zhaowu, don't worry about that. Anyway, I've already got the Grand Elder's order from the Pill Sect, and I'm just waiting for your approval. Tell me, wasn't this a brilliant move?!"

Xu Huaixu laughed loudly, and Ji Zhaowu on the other end could feel it clearly. He watched his old friend's laughter through the shadowy image and naturally had no reason to refuse.

"This is a great achievement. When you return to the capital, you can use this one thing to silence many people."

"Oh, are those people still causing trouble?"

"They're making a scene, picking up on all the trouble you caused in the past and trying to sow discord between His Majesty and the Emperor. But it's all trivial... With me in the capital, those good-for-nothing members of the imperial clan can't cause any trouble. But you, in Fancheng, should be careful of that scoundrel, Prince Kang."

"Now that Xu Ling has caught up with the Prince of Kang, it may not be long before we find out what really happened at the border back then."

"We should proceed with caution in this matter and first take down the Pill Sect."

So that very night, the Demon Suppression Division across the entire Great Chu territory suddenly saw a surge in "Medicine Search" missions, with a guaranteed reward of a single pill bearing a pill pattern.

The more precious the medicinal material, the higher the grade and the greater the quantity of the reward pills.

There's also a reward that says the elders of the Dan Sect will help you customize pills for free.

"They've gone mad, they've all gone mad."

The next morning, Xu Ling was woken up by Zhang Li.

The knocking was so intense that Xu Ling suspected that if it weren't for the fact that this was a Li family business, Zhang Li would have slapped the door open instead of patiently waiting for him to be woken up.

"Brother Xu! You are truly a great benefactor to us demon slayers."

And slow!

Xu Ling raised his hand to interrupt Zhang Li's next words: "Senior Brother Zhang, why are you calling me that? Just call me Brother Xu as before. I don't dare to call you Brother Xu."

He thought about it and realized that since he arrived in Fancheng, the title of his address seemed to have changed several times.

From junior brother Xu, to brother Xu, and now to elder brother Xu.

What happened to Zhang Li?

Zhang Li chuckled twice, offering no explanation, knowing that it was impossible for him to change his mind.

He made up his mind last night: Xu Ling had to be his backer, no matter who came.

From now on, it's all Brother Xu's responsibility. If you need anything, just tell him and let him handle it.

He continued, "Do you know that the matter you discussed at the Song family yesterday has been settled by the garrison commander? Now, everyone in the Demon Suppression Division can see those 'Medicine Search' missions. They're just waiting for permission from above to start accepting missions, and then they'll all rush in."

He pulled Xu Ling and ran towards the Demon Suppression Division, where they arrived at the mysterious old man in charge of intelligence.

This time, however, Zhang Li didn't go in. Instead, he led Xu Ling to a small courtyard next door, where a stone tablet stood.

Like the True Spirit Tower, this is also a precious treasure of the Demon Suppression Division, and its appearance is no different from the stone tablets that can be seen everywhere. It is ten feet tall, and the surface of the tablet is not even inscribed.

Only when you affix your identity token to the surface of the stone tablet and perceive it with your divine sense can you see its true contents. And like the True Spirit Tower, it is interconnected throughout the entire country.

As dawn broke, the small courtyard was already packed with people—at least a hundred at a glance. The crowd was bustling, yet not noisy at all. Everyone nodded and greeted each other before standing still, their eyes… perhaps carrying a hint of wariness?

"How can there be so many people?"

No wonder Zhang Li was in such a hurry the whole way; now it seems it really wasn't his fault.

This was the first time Xu Ling had seen so many people in Fancheng's Demon Slayer Division since he arrived in the city. If it weren't for these people, Xu Ling would have thought that Zhang Li was the only carefree demon slayer in the entire city of Fancheng.

Judging from the waist badges, all those gathered here are silver and gold badge demon slayers. Xu Ling, a bronze badge holder, standing here, is a completely unfamiliar face, which is somewhat conspicuous.

"Brother Xu, this must be the first time you've seen so many people," Zhang Li said through gritted teeth, pointing at a few people in the crowd. "The guys who usually steal my missions are the ones you see here."

"They are usually nowhere to be seen, but when there is a mission, they are more eager to come than anyone else."

"I don't know where they got that speed to grab missions."

"Now all the demon slayers in Fancheng who don't have any missions have come."

Xu Ling asked, "Where are those demon-suppressing masters?"

"Oh! Demon Slayers don't lack tasks. We demon slayers only deal with easily dealt with demons, but demon suppressors are different. They deal with powerful demons that can't be dealt with in a short time, so they won't compete with us for tasks."

"If we see a large group of demon suppressors gathered in the Demon Suppression Division, that's definitely not a good thing. We'd better never see that in our lifetime."

Zhang Li patted his chest confidently, not because he was cowardly, but because he couldn't imagine what could possibly require the gathering of demon-suppressing masters.

Each of these people in the Demon Suppression Division, whose names all begin with "Zhen," is a powerful figure on their own. Who are they trying to take down?

Tsk.

"But Junior Brother Xu, I am Li Xuance."

A top-tier demon slayer walked through the crowd and bowed to Xu Ling. He was dressed in a scholar's blue robe and wore the hat of a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations).

"Scholar Li, what are you doing here?" Upon seeing this person, Zhang Li immediately stepped in front of Xu Ling and said warily, "Why aren't you enjoying your life at the Li family? Why are you trying to steal our mission?"

"No need for Senior Brother Zhang to trouble yourself. I am here on the orders of the family head to deliver a letter to Junior Brother Xu."