Start slaying demons from the proficiency panel.

In Ning Xiu's team, the person who received the most favor from Ning Xiu was Chang Fenghai. The fact that two powerful demons coexisted in one shaman was unprecedented.

Chang Fenghai was able to obtain this opportunity entirely because of Ning Xiu's identity; otherwise, Hu Taigu and Mangqiu Liu would never have been willing to reside in the same mortal body.

Seeing this, A-Ying nodded, indicating that she understood.

After Long Ning transformed into a human, Ning Xiu arranged for her to have the right to operate within the Demon Subduing Division, allowing her to assist Ning Xiu in various tasks.

After Ning Xiu achieved the first rank in martial arts, there was no need to worry about the existence of the Demon Buddha being exposed. The combination of two first-rank experts would only make the Great Shang Dynasty pay more attention to them, making them even stronger.

According to the regulations of the Demon Subduing Division, Silver Tiger Demon Subduing Captains can leave their original squads and act independently.

However, Ning Xiu's strength improved far too quickly, exceeding everyone's expectations. Based on his strength, he could now compete for the title of Golden Dragon Demon Subduer.

After this trip to the Four Symbols Continent, Ning Xiu's ambitions were no longer with the Great Shang Dynasty. He planned to be transferred to the outer regions to gain more general proficiency.

According to the rules of the Demon Subduing Division, this action is allowed to be accompanied by some lower-ranking Demon Subduing Captains. In the words of the seniors in the Demon Subduing Division, this is called pioneering.

Originally, there were thirty-six states under the Great Shang Dynasty. Now, only sixteen states are under the control of the Great Shang, while twenty states remain outside, invaded by demons and monsters.

In order to have a chance to reclaim these states one by one, some powerful Demon Slayers are needed to go out and establish outposts and bridgeheads for the Demon Slayer Division, so that the Great Shang can launch a successful attack on the outer regions one day.

This is the significance of pioneering.

After all, hundreds of years have passed, and the lands have been taken over by the demon race. The situation in those states has changed drastically, and they are no longer what they used to be.

In order to survive, the foreign states, under the shadow of the demon kingdom, are not immune to the possibility of betrayal. The Shang Dynasty cannot trust them at all and must have its own people stationed there to coordinate an inside-outside operation.

"Oh, you're eating."

Just as Ning Xiu's team was eating hot pot with chopsticks, Qin Daorong, dressed in casual clothes, suddenly walked in from outside the courtyard.

He was dressed in very ordinary clothes, which didn't look expensive. This was completely different from the image Ning Xiu usually had of him. It could be said that Qin Daorong was the most approachable and friendly of the three tigers who subdued demons.

This person was usually quite easy to talk to and didn't have much of an official air about him, which left Ning Xiu with a very good personal impression.

"Lord Qin, have you had dinner yet? Pei Feng, please get Lord Qin an extra bowl and chopsticks," Ning Xiu said immediately.

"Thank you for your help, I haven't eaten yet." Qin Daorong smiled and sat down next to Ning Xiu.

"Lord Qin."

"Lord Qin."

Master Kongxu, Chen Peifeng, and the others quickly clasped their hands in greeting. Chen Peifeng immediately got up to fetch a clean bowl and chopsticks for Qin Daorong.

"I have already reported the matter you mentioned to the Emperor. He felt that you had successfully captured the traitor Fang Jingzhou alive and restored the face of the Shang Dynasty. Therefore, he allowed the master craftsman to make one for you. After you finish eating, you can come with me."

Ning Xiu was overjoyed to hear this. Ever since Long Ning transformed into a human and absorbed the Thunder and Lightning Twin Hammers, he had no suitable weapons to use.

Although his strength was already quite impressive after activating the Great Black Heaven, the power he could unleash would be even greater with the aid of a weapon.

With the Heavenly Might Divine Spear technique at his disposal, Ning Xiu naturally had no need to choose other weapons and would definitely use all the materials at hand to forge a spear.

If the master craftsman is willing to lend a hand, then the precious materials I've collected over the past few months can finally be put to good use.

"After Lord Li Xianhe returned to Jingzhou, he wrote a report about the trip to Sixiang Prefecture. The higher-ups in the department all understand the matter. The Great Merchant Guild will always remember what you, Ning Lian, He Kuang, and Master Chanwu did. It's just a pity that Master Chanwu unfortunately perished."

As Qin Daorong explained, Ning Xiu learned that the fat monk who had accompanied him to destroy the Xuanwu Pagoda was named Chanwu.

Ning Xiu then asked, "Lord Qin, what do Golden Dragon Demon Subduing Officers like Lord Li Xianhe usually do in the outer realms?"

The Golden Dragon Demon Subduer has always been the most mysterious figure in the Demon Subduing Division. Even though Ning Xiu is now at the first-rank level and is qualified to be selected as the Golden Dragon Demon Subduer based on his strength, he still doesn't understand what the Golden Dragon Demon Subduer actually does.

Qin Daorong gave Ning Xiu a meaningful look: "There are some things that even a low-ranking Demon Subduer wouldn't know, but since you're curious, I'll tell you a little bit. I'm sure you'll find it useful in the future."

Ning Xiu relied on his unpredictable divine ability, which made Qin Daorong unable to see through his true strength. This kind of thing usually only happens when there is a difference in strength, so Qin Daorong had some idea of ​​what was going on, but he didn't say it outright.

Throughout history, every generation has produced exceptionally talented individuals. Those who cultivate quickly are considered prodigies and receive special attention from the Demon Subduing Division.

When Ning Xiu took Fang Jingzhou to meet Qin Daorong, Qin Daorong had already noticed this and reported it to Emperor Shang.

Otherwise, the Shang emperor wouldn't have granted special approval for Ning Xiu's plan to have a master craftsman forge weapons in less than a day.

Under the curious gazes of the crowd, Qin Daorong spoke up: "When each Demon Subduer achieves the Golden Dragon rank, they have two paths to choose from. One is to stay in a forbidden area in Chaotian Capital and comprehend the five mysterious stone tablets that existed before the founding of the Great Shang Dynasty. The other is to go to the outer regions, establish the Outer Region Protectorate, and develop their power in one place until one day they can cooperate with the Great Shang Dynasty to take over that state."

"Oh!" Ning Xiu raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued.

He had never heard of this before; it was quite novel to him.

"Comprehension of the five mysterious stone tablets is too tedious. Even among first-rank experts, few can persist in doing so. Therefore, most Golden Dragon Demon Subduing Officers choose to go out and establish their own Protectorates. Currently, the Great Shang has a total of eighteen Protectorates in the outer regions, and Lord Li Xianhe is the Protector of the Four Symbols Prefecture."

With eighteen protectorates, plus the number residing in the mysterious forbidden area mentioned by Qin Daorong, it seems that the entire Shang Dynasty possesses around twenty or thirty Golden Dragon Demon-Subduing Guards, which is not too many.

"Then, Lord Qin, is the standard for becoming a Golden Dragon Demon Subduer simply achieving the first rank?" Ning Xiu asked.

“That’s not true. This world is far more complex than you imagine. First Rank is just the beginning,” Qin Daorong replied. “Do you know about the Dragon Elephant Upper Realm above First Rank?”

Ning Xiu had never heard of this before, so he shook his head.

Before the emergence of supernatural beings, the Great Shang Dynasty was an ordinary country. Magic and martial arts were considered unorthodox practices, and the country was dominated by song and dance, which, while beautiful, did not involve any research into martial arts.

As demons and monsters later wreaked havoc on the world, the emperor at that time recruited talented individuals from all walks of life to enter the forbidden area and study the mysterious stone tablet. Some were able to glean extraordinary insights from it, while others gained nothing.

Those who grasped the essence gradually established their own schools and doctrines. After hundreds of years of development, this has led to the current situation in our Great Shang Dynasty, where there are three thousand paths to follow. The three most talented sages—Martial Buddha, Immortal, and Venerable—have discovered a realm even higher than the first rank: the Dragon Elephant Inner Heaven.

"What is the Dragon Elephant Inner Landscape Heaven?" Ning Xiu asked.

Qin Daorong held up three fingers: "These are the three realms of the world: the Dragon and Elephant Upper Realm, the Inner Realm Saint Realm, and the Realm of Harmony with Heaven."

The Dragon-Elephant Realm tempers the body, ultimately leading to a complete transformation; the Inner Realm of Sainthood cultivates inner perception, creating a world of illusion and reality, where inner demons cannot arise or invade. Reaching this realm qualifies one as a Saint, as the Three Saints achieved in their time.

No one has yet reached the Harmonious Heaven Realm. According to what the Martial Saint said before his death, reaching the Harmonious Heaven Realm is already a step into immortality, requiring extraordinary and unparalleled abilities that allow one to stand out in the world. However, the true extent of this achievement remains a mystery.

Qin Daorong's words shocked everyone present, as if they had opened a door to a new world.

For many people, achieving the Upper Three Ranks is already a difficult feat, a lifelong goal, let alone the ultimate goal of the Upper Three Ranks: the First Rank.

When they learned that the first rank was not the end for the strong, and that there was an inner realm of dragon and elephant above it, it would be a lie to say they were not shocked.

In popular books, the three saints, Martial Immortal and Buddha, are described as first-rank powerhouses. However, the truth is that their actual strength surpasses that of the first rank by two realms.

Ning Xiu said, "In other words, only by reaching the Dragon Elephant Upper Realm can one become a Golden Dragon Demon Subduer."

"No, no, half a step is enough. Don't be fooled by the fact that the Dragon Elephant Inner Heaven only has three realms. Each realm is separated by a formidable chasm, and it's not so easy to cross," Qin Daorong explained.

No wonder the Burning Sun Supreme Scripture stopped working after I used my general proficiency to upgrade it to the maximum level. It must be extremely difficult to break through to the Dragon Elephant Upper Realm.

It's possible that other cultivation methods might be needed, and for a moment, Ning Xiu was filled with curiosity about the mysterious stone tablet in the mysterious forbidden area that Qin Daorong had mentioned.

Perhaps that place will be the opportunity for me to break through the Burning Sun Taiyao Scripture?

After having a small meal of hot pot, Ning Xiu took the Overlord Puppet and left with Qin Daorong ahead of time. The two of them went one after the other to the residence of the Divine Craftsman.

The master craftsman who was promised by the Shang emperor to forge weapons for Ning Xiu was named He Chuan, a formidable figure of the highest rank in the art of craftsmanship.

In the past, every cultivator in the entire Chaotian City was proud to possess a weapon crafted by He Chuan. However, after He Chuan reached the first rank, he also wanted to create a cultivation path for the Craftsman's Way that could be bought into the Dragon Elephant Inner Heaven. Therefore, he chose to go into seclusion and no longer easily crafted weapons for others, focusing wholeheartedly on studying the future of the Craftsman's Way.

Even if Ning Xiu possessed the strength of a first-grade martial artist, he wouldn't have been able to persuade this old master craftsman to come out of seclusion without the Emperor Shang's intervention.

Following Qin Daorong through the winding streets of Chaotiandu, the two soon arrived at a district within the capital city, a district specially provided by a large Shang dynasty for meritorious officials to reside in.

This place has a clean and quiet environment, making it ideal for people to live out their retirement years.

"When you meet Master Hechuan later, be as polite as possible. Master Hechuan is very particular about these things," Qin Daorong whispered a reminder.

“I understand.” Ning Xiu nodded immediately.

The two entered a courtyard one after the other, where they saw an old man and a young boy sitting at a stone table playing chess.

The old man wore a patched robe, and his hands were covered in calluses, indicating that he had done hard labor for many years.

The child was about five or six years old, with blond hair and a youthful appearance.

When Ning Xiu saw this person, he was stunned. He had met this person once before. He was the Immortal Lord of Crane Mountain, also known as the True Man of Crane Mountain, whom he had met in the Three Saints Hall.

However, Immortal Lord Heshan clearly did not remember Ning Xiu. At that time, Ning Xiu was just an ordinary disciple of the Champion Camp, and his strength was still weak. There were too many people like him in the Demon Subduing Division, so it was impossible for him to have a deep impression of him.

"So you want to forge weapons, right? Show me the materials, and just tell me what kind of weapon you want to forge." The old man put down a chess piece and then turned to Ning Xiu.

"Huh!" Immortal Master Heshan looked at Ning Xiu with some surprise, because even with his strength, he couldn't see through Ning Xiu's cultivation level.

This is extremely rare. Apart from those Golden Dragon Demon Subduers, Immortal Lord Crane Mountain has never encountered anything like this with anyone.

"Master Hechuan, please take a look." Ning Xiu walked to the side of the Overlord Puppet. As he opened the Overlord Puppet's abdomen, a large amount of precious materials poured out of the Overlord Puppet's body.

They fell to the ground until they formed a small, full pile.

He Chuan's eyes lit up immediately. He had a sharp eye; the materials Ning Xiu brought were all excellent for refining weapons!

[124] The Divine Shot Shocks the World and the Land

Sixiang Prefecture, Xiangdu.

A deathly silence permeated the entire palace; oppression and solemnity enveloped the entire place.

Deep within the Elephant Capital lies the Elephant Emperor's Palace.

A huge golden cauldron was placed in the center of the hall. Around the edge of the cauldron were ten golden elephant heads of different shapes. Nine of the elephant heads had holy white flames burning in their eyes. Only one elephant head, which was holding a weapon in its mouth, was completely normal.

"Ten ministers... those are ten ministers! If we lose even one, we will have a hard time holding our own against the Great Shang. Not to mention that the various demon kingdoms are also eyeing our White Elephant Kingdom from behind. When did the Great Shang produce such a figure who could kill the treasure vault guardian in one move?"

On the throne, the elephant king, dressed in a golden robe, looked at the golden cauldron and spoke with resentment.

This golden cauldron was personally crafted by the guardian of the treasure vault, representing the life flame of the ten phases. Whoever dies will have their life flame extinguished.

Therefore, even before the Heavenly Calculator had escaped back to Xiangdu, the demons in the palace already knew that something had happened to the treasure vault guard in the Ten Phases.

“Your Majesty, that human expert is very young, unlike any I’ve ever encountered before. Furthermore, he didn’t react much when he saw me and the Treasure Vault Guardian, which proves that he is definitely a newly promoted powerhouse in the Demon Subduing Division.” Below, the Heavenly Calculator said with a bitter expression.

The two members of the Ten Musketeers attacked at the same time, yet they couldn't defeat a human child and one of them was even killed. This was an unprecedented event in the Elephant Kingdom, something that hadn't happened in hundreds of years.

"Great Shang, you've kept this a secret for so long!" King Xiang gripped the armrest of his throne and growled.

The failure of the Four Symbols Altar is less than one-tenth of the loss from the death of a single Ten Symbols.

"Your Majesty, we must take revenge and teach the Great Shang a bloody lesson. Only by killing their Golden Dragon Demon-Subduing Commander can we settle the score with the death of the Treasure Vault Guardian. Otherwise, if the White Elephant Kingdom weakens, the Great Shang will inevitably become interested in our Four Elephant Prefecture."

A demon elephant, completely shrouded in iron armor, stepped out and greeted the Elephant King with clasped hands.

This person was also one of the Ten Ministers of the Elephant Kingdom, and a barbarian general in dark armor.

The demon race and the human race have different ways of choosing names. Humans pay attention to surnames and given names, while the demon race prefers to use nicknames as their self-identification, which makes them appear majestic and unique.

Therefore, all ten ministers of the Xiang Kingdom were similar to the Treasure Vault Guardian, the Heavenly Calculator, and the Dark Armored Barbarian General.