Start slaying demons from the proficiency panel.

With the help of these people, the Demon-Subduing Commander became increasingly adept at dealing with all kinds of demons, without any difficulty.

With the arrival of the Yin Tide and the beginning of the Xuan Yin Domain era, the role of these people became even more prominent.

Ning Xiu wondered if he could take this beautiful, immortal creature back to show those people, and see if he could extract its blood to develop a potion that could protect people from its alluring power.

Otherwise, as more and more of these types of undead beings appear in the future, their danger level will be hundreds of times greater than that of minor commanders who can gather undead beings.

After all, lust is a dangerous thing, and most of the soldiers in the Shang Dynasty were men, so there were some hidden dangers that had to be guarded against.

Without lingering on the edge of the Yangyao Imperial Array, Ning Xiu instructed the soldier captain to settle the ordinary people he had brought back from the outer regions, while he himself led all the Demon Subduing Guards on a swift journey to Chaotian Capital.

They were all eagerly anticipating seeing Chaotiandu and Fumosi again.

When a black infant star appeared in the sky above Zhongzhou, all the Dragon Elephant Realm experts in Zhongzhou instantly noticed Ning Xiu's appearance.

The news that Ning Xiu had broken through to the Dragon-Elephant Upper Realm and possessed the Black Infant Fate Star had already spread throughout the entire Great Shang Dynasty after the Demon Subduing Martial Arts Competition.

Even the veteran Golden Dragon Demon Slayers who had never seen Ning Xiu's face all became aware of this rising star.

Chaotiandu, the imperial city.

Shen Jiangxing stood outside the main hall, gazing at the sky. In the sky, the Black Infant Fate Star, which belonged exclusively to Ning Xiu, was getting closer and closer, indicating that the other party was heading towards Chaotiandu.

"I never expected this boy to still be alive. It is truly a blessing for our Great Shang. Looking across the entire Great Shang, only this boy is after me who has achieved the Inner Realm." Shen Jiangxing stroked his beard and smiled with satisfaction.

Although Ning Xiu had stayed in Yaotuo Prefecture since becoming a Dragon Elephant Upper Realm cultivator and had never returned to Da Shang, his fame had already become known to everyone through Qin Daorong's arrangements.

After Peng Futian returned to Da Shang, he talked about Ning Xiu with many of his friends, praising his talent highly.

Given time, this young man will surely become the strongest person in the Great Shang Dynasty, and his achievements may far surpass those of Shen Jiangxing.

Oh oh oh!

Suddenly, a heavy horn sounded throughout the entire city, and many people, unaware of what was happening, came out of their homes.

Since the arrival of the Yin Tide, this horn has only sounded in Chaotiandu when there is great danger. When the horn sounds, it means that something important is about to happen.

"The entire city has come out to welcome Lord Ning Xiu, the Golden Dragon Demon-Slaying Captain of the Demon-Slaying Division!"

Soldiers from the Great Shang Dynasty marched through the streets, raising the banner of the Demon Subduing Division and shouting slogans.

【194】Stele of the Great Merchant God

"Lord Ning? Which Lord Ning?"

"I've never heard of a Lord Ning in the Demon Subduing Division before. He's even a Golden Dragon Demon Subduing Captain. Impressive."

"Are there any living Demon-Slaying Commanders returning from outside? This is truly a blessing for the Great Shang Dynasty."

Large numbers of people spontaneously ran out of their homes, bringing out colorful cloths and bolts of silk that they always kept at home, and gathered on both sides of the main street of Chaotiandu, curiously waiting for the mysterious Lord Ning.

Ning Xiu had just arrived outside the gates of Chaotian Capital when he never expected his return to cause such a huge commotion. It was a scene of deafening gongs and drums, extremely lively.

A large number of demon-slaying officers stood on both sides of the city gate.

"Welcome back safely, Lord Ning, Protector General of Yaotuo Prefecture!"

"Welcome back safely, Lord Ning, Protector General of Yaotuo Prefecture!"

"Welcome back safely, Lord Ning, Protector General of Yaotuo Prefecture!"

...

The enthusiastic welcome echoed all the way from the city gates to outside the palace, and in no time everyone knew of Ning Xiu's return.

Qin Daorong walked out of the Demon Subduing Division with some emotion. During the time that the Xuan Yin Domain appeared, the teleportation gate of Qingque Prefecture lost contact with Yaotuo Prefecture, and he could no longer learn about Ning Xiu's whereabouts from it.

Several months passed, and not a single Demon-Subduing Officer returned to Zhongzhou alive. Everyone believed that the Demon-Subduing Officers still in the outer regions were all dead.

Now, the return of Ning Xiu and the others has shattered this notion, proving that there is still a glimmer of hope and that not all the Demon-Subduing Guards died in the outer realms.

"Ning Xiu is still alive! What a blessing for the Shang Dynasty!" Qin Daorong said excitedly.

He should be considered one of the first group of people to witness Ning Xiu's rise. From the ninth rank of martial arts to the first rank, and then to the upper realm of the Dragon Elephant Realm, Ning Xiu's progress speed can definitely be described as monstrous and heaven-defying. As long as he is given enough time and does not die halfway, Ning Xiu can definitely become the most powerful Demon Subduing Captain in the history of the Great Shang Dynasty.

Even the Imperial Preceptor Shen Jiangxing couldn't catch up with Ning Xiu in terms of potential.

Li Xianhe and Peng Futian floated in mid-air above the palace, gazing at Ning Xiu's destiny star. They had both met Ning Xiu and knew that he was a very promising junior.

He had spent most of his life barely reaching the Dragon Elephant Upper Realm, but the other party was only in his early twenties. In less than two years, he had already surpassed the heights that many people could not reach in their entire lives, and he still had the potential to continue to rise.

Such achievements are no less remarkable than the emergence of a martial arts saint hundreds of years ago.

In contrast, the Martial Saint was the one who laid the foundation and opened up the darkest period of the Shang Dynasty, saving the empire from collapse and preserving the lives of the common people.

With the Dark Ages over, everything was in ruins and needed rebuilding. What was needed was an existence capable of lifting up the entire human race, stabilizing the situation, and opening up a higher realm.

Every Golden Dragon Demon Subduer in the Dragon Elephant Realm is such an existence. They bear the heavy responsibility of carrying the future of the Great Shang Dynasty and the mission of sweeping away the evil demons.

Although the Xuan Yin Domain era has arrived and demons and evil spirits are no longer visible, it also means that an even more dangerous disaster is on the horizon.

The Demon-Subduing Guards are fighting against the immortal beings that appeared in the Xuan Yin Domain era.

"Lord Shen was able to avoid the formation of the Xuan Yin Domain by comprehending the Divine Stone Tablet. Could it be that Ning Xiu had some kind of fortuitous encounter that enabled him to escape the invasion of the Yin Tide? As far as I know, at least two Protectorates were turned into mud because they didn't have time to avoid the Yin Tide," Li Xianhe said with lingering fear.

If it weren't for the fact that the Sixiang Prefecture he was stationed in was close to the Great Shang Dynasty and received the news early, he probably wouldn't have been able to react when the dark tide arrived, let alone escape.

"This person's luck is extraordinary. During the Demon Subduing Martial Arts Competition, His Majesty even used the national fortune of the Shang Dynasty to save him. It was within my expectations that he was able to return alive," Peng Futian said calmly.

Ning Xiu hadn't expected his return to Chaotiandu to cause such a huge commotion. The streets were packed with people, all looking at him with curiosity.

Every Demon-Subduing Officer who returned alive was a hero of the Great Shang Dynasty, regardless of their rank.

Faced with the deafening roar of shouts, even A-Ying felt somewhat helpless, unsure of what to do.

Today, the people are excited about the survival of their kind and thrilled that someone is alive.

"Lord Ning, please proceed directly to the palace. His Majesty has something to say to you," a Silver Tiger Demon-Subduing Officer said as he approached Ning Xiu.

Ning Xiu recognized this person; they had met before at the Demon Subduing Division. Ning Xiu nodded and said, "Okay, please help me take my Demon Subduing Team back to the Demon Subduing Division and settle them in. I'll be right there."

Thus, Ning Xiu parted ways with A Ying and her group, heading directly to the palace alone halfway through the journey, not only because Emperor Wu had something to say to him.

Ning Xiu also had a lot of questions he wanted to ask Emperor Wu, such as about the Yangyao Imperial Array.

And to meet Shen Jiangxing, the Imperial Preceptor who single-handedly saved the entire Shang Dynasty.

When Ning Xiu arrived at the palace, he looked up and saw that the heavens were filled with a dazzling array of thirty-six auspicious stars.

This means that there are currently thirty-six Dragon Elephant Realm experts stationed in Chaotian Capital. There weren't so many before. This is all thanks to the Great Shang's transfer order, which brought back all the Protectorates stationed in other prefectures, resulting in this grand occasion.

With the masters of these thirty-six destiny stars in charge, it can be said that the imperial palace is absolutely the safest place in the world.

As soon as the Black Infant Star arrived, all the Golden Dragon Demon Subduing Guards, both overt and covert, cast their star towards the palace gate.

Ning Xiu strode into the palace, and all the palace maids and guards along the way knelt down in worship. Ning Xiu walked all the way to the gate of the main hall, where Emperor Wu was already sitting on the dragon throne waiting for him.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

"Ning Xiu, I am overjoyed to see you return safely." Emperor Wu waved his hand: "Guards, bring a seat."

Immediately, two tall guards carried over a Qilin chair and placed it behind Ning Xiu.

Throughout the entire Shang Dynasty, below the dragon throne was the Qilin throne, and those who could sit in this throne were highly valued by the emperor.

Ning Xiu truly deserves such a status. In his early twenties, he already possesses the strength of the Upper Dragon-Elephant Realm. The Great Shang Dynasty has never seen anyone like him in hundreds of years.

谷湁

"Ning Xiu, how did you manage to avoid the Yin Tide? As far as I know, if you don't take precautions beforehand, it's impossible to exceed the speed at which the Yin Tide passes by," Emperor Wu asked.

This was the question that everyone was most curious about. Ning Xiu did not reveal the existence of the True Yang Emperor, but only told them about how he felt something was wrong and ordered the people in the Protectorate to dig an underground cave on the spot.

This puzzled Ning Xiu. Had the Heavenly Lord Ning Xiu not returned to the Great Shang? It seemed that the people in the Great Shang were completely unaware of his situation.

"There's actually such a method! Ning Xiu, you're truly a genius! To think of this way indirectly saved many lives. You've done a great service!" An old man walked in from outside the main hall and said in a loud voice.

Ning Xiu turned his head and saw that the person who came was none other than the Imperial Preceptor Shen Jiangxing.

Ning Xiu had long intended to meet this powerful figure who had single-handedly constructed the Yangyao Huangji Formation. Upon seeing him, Ning Xiu immediately used his divine ability, Qi Luck Eye. Instantly, a light purple line of Qi Luck appeared on Shen Jiangxing's body, its posture straight and reaching the sky, indicating its immense scale.

"Greetings, Imperial Preceptor," Ning Xiu said, rising to his feet.

"Lord Ning, there's no need for such formalities. We can treat each other as equals." Shen Jiangxing, with his kind face and beard, walked in like an immortal.

His otherworldly and dignified demeanor was truly remarkable, fully deserving of the title of Imperial Preceptor.

"The Imperial Preceptor's aura is extremely solid; he must be just one step away from reaching the Inner Realm Saintly Stage," Ning Xiu asked.

"Hahaha, it is said to be just a step away, but this step is no less than an insurmountable chasm. It may take ten years to cross, or it may never be possible in this lifetime. Lord Ning, you are the hope of the Great Shang. Within ten years, you will surely achieve the Inner Realm Saint Realm, and it is not impossible for you to break through to the Heavenly Dao Realm within a hundred years."

"Then thank you for your kind words, Imperial Preceptor." Ning Xiu nodded.

"Please be seated, both of you. It is truly a cause for celebration that Ning Xiu has returned alive from the outer realms. Tonight, I will host a banquet for all the Demon-Subduing Officers of the Demon-Subduing Division." The Emperor Wu's tone was very pleased.

"Your Majesty, I would like to ask the Imperial Advisor about the Yangyao Imperial Array. I am very curious about how this array was obtained," Ning Xiu asked.

"This can only be described as a very fortunate coincidence." Upon hearing Ning Xiu's question, Shen Jiangxing's face immediately showed a hint of relief, and then he slowly explained the whole story.

The Great Shang Dynasty possesses a mysteriously originating divine stone tablet, a fact known to all the high-ranking demon-slaying officers of the Demon-Slaying Division.

The Divine Stone Tablet is kept in the safest and most secret place in the entire Shang Dynasty. Only those who have reached the first rank are qualified to enter that place and comprehend the Divine Stone Tablet.

Upon reaching the Dragon-Elephant Upper Realm, one can remain near the Divine Stone Tablet forever, comprehending its mysteries.

Shen Jiangxing has been in the Dragon-Elephant Upper Realm for nearly two hundred years. Under the instruction of the Immortal Saint, after becoming a Dragon-Elephant Upper Realm cultivator, Shen Jiangxing did not choose to become a Protector. Instead, he guarded the Divine Stone Stele for more than a hundred years, providing the Great Shang with countless cultivation techniques and some secrets.

It can be said that Shen Jiangxing is the greatest living fossil of the Great Shang Dynasty in secret since the era of the Three Saints. Before Ning Xiu appeared, he was the Great Shang Dynasty's reliance.

Having deciphered from the Divine Stone Tablet the impending arrival of the Yin Tide and the impending change of the entire world by the Xuan Yin Domain, Shen Jiangxing immediately informed Emperor Wu and mobilized the entire nation's resources to set up the Yangyao Huangji Array in Zhongzhou, capable of resisting the invasion of the Yin Tide.

It wasn't that Emperor Wu didn't want to spread the Yangyao Huangji Formation throughout the entire Shang territory, but rather that the cost of setting up the Yangyao Huangji Formation was simply too high. Even if all the resources of the entire Shang Dynasty were used, it would only be enough to set up a single Central Plains.

Even one more state wouldn't be enough to handle it.

"Your Majesty, I would like to go and see that divine stone tablet now." After learning the details, Ning Xiu immediately said to Emperor Wu.

"So rushed? You've come all the way from the outer realms, aren't you going to rest for a while?"

"No, the matter of the Divine Stone Tablet is truly fascinating, and I cannot wait to see it. I hope Your Majesty will allow me to."

"Then the Imperial Advisor will take you there. Tonight I will host a banquet for all the Demon-Subduing Guards. Just remember to come and attend."

Led by Shen Jiangxing, Ning Xiu followed him to a back garden of the palace. There was a pond there. As Shen Jiangxing used a special technique to cast a spell, the surface of the pond instantly and automatically parted, revealing a passage leading underground.