Start slaying demons from the proficiency panel.

If I'm not mistaken, the black and gray turbid air is the evil energy emanating from the evil spirits. The Demon Suppression Prison holds countless evil spirits, and the evil energy has long since permeated the entire prison.

To prevent these evil spirits from affecting the people of Chaotiandu, this is probably why the Demon Suppression Prison was built underground.

Ning Xiu then allocated the remaining 1000 points of general proficiency to Yuan Yang Fist.

Although Ning Xiu had cultivated the Yuan Yang Fist to the fifth level, which greatly improved his blood and qi, it was still not enough to resist the evil energy that erupted after the death of evil spirits.

After each evil spirit was eliminated, Ning Xiu would still see all sorts of strange and bizarre horrifying sights, and he would feel stuffy in his chest and have a throbbing headache.

Therefore, Ning Xiu's primary goal right now is to cultivate the Yuan Yang Fist to the point where his internal blood and qi can completely ignore evil qi.

It's not too late to improve other martial arts techniques once the evil spirits have been eliminated and the hallucinations have stopped.

Just as Ning Xiu was practicing the Spirit Eye Observation Technique, an unexpected situation occurred in the Yellow District of the Demon Suppression Prison.

A tall, thin jailer stood in a pool of blood. Around him, seven other jailers lay dead on the ground, some missing arms, others decapitated.

Bloodstains even splattered on the wall, leaving streaks of blood.

"I'm just here to take my child away, why are you stopping me?" The tall, thin jailer smiled, his eyes narrowed.

He walked on bloody footprints, killing seven people as casually as crushing a few ants, and then left indifferently.

Following the scent, he arrived at cell number eight in the yellow zone and pushed it aside, saying, "Lan'er, your uncle has come to take you home."

However, the cell was empty. The tall, thin jailer could only smell his niece's familiar scent, but not the person who owned it. His expression froze instantly.

The Demon Suppression Prison has one room for each demon, and they are not easily moved. If a room is empty, it means that the demon has already been executed.

Thinking of this, the tall, thin jailer slowly opened his squinty eyes, revealing a pair of deep blue pupils, and the smile on his lips disappeared. He became like an icebox, making the air feel cold.

"Lan'er, your uncle is late..."

Outside the cell, a circle of talismans suddenly appeared on the wall of the corridor, and then an old Taoist priest in plain clothes walked out from the wall.

Upon seeing the tall, thin prison guard and the bloody carnage not far away, the old Taoist priest couldn't help but shake his head: "You've rushed here so fast, but you're still too late. Who are you over there, daring to trespass into the Demon Suppression Prison and indiscriminately kill the prison guards? Do you know that this is a capital offense?"

The tall, thin jailer burst forth with a blue mist, and within the mist, his appearance instantly changed.

He transformed into a handsome man with blue hair, animal ears, and seven large, green tails swaying wildly behind him.

"Oh, a seven-tailed fox demon!" the old Taoist said with slight surprise.

Human cultivation has many paths, but each path is divided into nine levels of strength, and evil spirits are no exception.

Taking fox demons as an example, a two-tailed fox demon is as strong as an eighth-rank human, and a three-tailed fox demon is as strong as a seventh-rank human. And so on.

The seven-tailed fox demon before them was at the third rank, making it a well-known figure in the entire Chaotian Capital.

"You killed my niece. Humans will have to pay with ten thousand lives in the future. Tell the people of the Demon Subduing Division to remember this well." The fox demon said with his arms crossed, and suddenly a gust of air rose around him, causing a strong wind to blow through the corridor.

The old Taoist priest leaned against the wall, preparing for a counterattack, intending to subdue the fox demon after it made its move.

Unexpectedly, the moment the fox demon was enveloped by the air currents, it flew away to the other end of the corridor without looking back.

The whole process was swift and efficient, without any hesitation, clearly indicating that this idea had been in mind for some time.

The old Taoist priest was taken aback, then laughed angrily, "You little fox! I thought you were so brave, leaving behind such threats and then running away!"

After saying that, he immediately chased after the seven-tailed fox demon in the direction it had fled.

The Demon Suppression Prison is right under the Emperor's nose, yet a fox demon sneaked in and killed several prison guards. This was a serious dereliction of duty.

If we allow these demonic creatures to come and go as they please, the Demon Subduing Bureau will lose all face tonight.

Qingying wrapped his body in the wind and rode the surging wind at an extremely fast speed, covering a distance of over a hundred feet in less than two breaths.

Foxes have traditionally identified their magical abilities by the color of their fur. Green foxes are skilled in wind magic and thus primarily study wind-related arts. Red foxes, on the other hand, love fire and are naturally associated with fire magic.

The white fox, however, is one in a million, and can learn any magic.

This time, Qingying relied on his most proficient skill of using wind to appear and disappear without a trace, so he disguised himself as a jailer and infiltrated the Demon Suppression Prison, intending to rescue his imprisoned niece Bailing.

But he was too late, and he was discovered by the Demon Subduing Division. He didn't know if he could escape the Demon Suppression Prison safely tonight.

Just as Qingying was running wildly, the ground in front of him suddenly rose up and turned into an earthen wall, blocking his way.

Two figures, one in black and one in white, passed through the earthen wall, and two Taoist priests appeared out of nowhere in the passageway.

The black-robed Taoist was as thin as a skeleton, with live snakes strung in his ears, and held a beast-head bone club in his hand. His eyes were lifeless as he stared at Qingying.

The white-robed Taoist was a beautiful woman, tall with wide hips, narrow shoulders and a slender waist. The loose white robe she wore made her bulge out, appearing rather odd.

With a captivating look in her beautiful eyes, the white-robed Taoist crossed his arms and chuckled, "A handsome fox indeed, not bad, not bad. My fox fur for the start of winter this year is secured."

"Third-grade Immortal Dao." Qingying exclaimed in surprise upon seeing the two people who had suddenly appeared before her.

He hadn't expected the Demon Subduing Division to arrive so quickly, and that two Demon Subduing Captains at the third rank would arrive right away.

He couldn't fathom the old Taoist's strength; he was probably only at the second rank of the Immortal Dao.

Qingying thought that with her speed, she could shake off the old Taoist priest and escape from the Demon Suppression Prison, but she didn't expect so many Demon Subduing Guards to arrive. Qingying knew that she would have no chance of leaving easily tonight.

He immediately swirled his palms in the wind and struck the two Taoists, trying to create a glimmer of hope for survival.

……

boom!

The entire Demon Suppression Prison suddenly trembled, and Ning Xiu, who was cultivating, immediately stopped practicing the Spirit Eye Observation Technique to prevent himself from making a mistake due to a lack of concentration.

"What's going on?" Ning Xiu was puzzled as he looked at the room where the door and the wooden bed were shaking slightly.

Could it be that an earthquake struck the capital of the Great Shang Dynasty, Chaotiandu?

He quickly opened the door and peeked out, only to see prison guards maintaining order in the corridor, shouting, "Go back to sleep! The Demon Slayer is on duty in the prison. No one is allowed to leave their room until tomorrow."

Hearing the sound, Ning Xiu closed the door. He had a feeling that something big must have happened in the Demon Suppression Prison tonight.

When the sky falls, there are always tall people to hold it up. Ning Xiu is just a lowly apprentice in the Champion Camp, not even the lowest-ranking Iron Horse Demon Subduing Captain. No matter what happens in the Demon Suppression Prison, he doesn't need to worry about it at all.

With the Demon Suppression Prison currently experiencing continuous tremors, it was not a good environment for cultivation. Ning Xiu then put away his diligent heart and lay down on the bed to rest.

……

Early the next morning, Ning Xiu quickly went out to the main hall. Everyone was curious about the reason for the strange events of the previous night.

Try asking the prison guard who assigned your task beforehand; they might be patient enough to explain things to you.

"My lord, what exactly happened in the Demon Suppression Prison last night? The tremors were so severe." Ning Xiu asked in a low voice, looking at the prison guard holding the roster.

"What could have happened? A fox demon sneaked into the Demon Suppression Prison, was caught by the officials of the Demon Subduing Division, fought a battle, and is now imprisoned in the Heavenly District Prison." The jailer's expression was indifferent, and his tone was flat.

You can tell at a glance that this person has seen a lot.

“Ning Xiu, right? You’ve already executed three evil spirits. That’s a good performance. Today, you can go to Xuan District No. 36 to test the waters. If you can withstand the evil energy of the evil spirits in Xuan District, you will be in charge of executions in Xuan District from now on. The number of evil spirits there is equivalent to two in Huang District.”

Since the Demon Suppression Prison is divided into four areas—Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow—the danger level of the evil spirits imprisoned in each area naturally varies.

Being able to carry out executions in the Xuan District was a good thing for Ning Xiu, and he immediately agreed.

After bidding farewell to the jailer, Ning Xiu arrived at cell number thirty-six in the Xuan District. The moment he pushed open the door, he saw that the person imprisoned inside was a bald, black-maned giant.

This man had a fierce appearance and bulging muscles. His hands and feet were bound by iron chains, but he still exuded a menacing aura that made people afraid to approach him.

"You actually sent a brat to execute me? Does the Demon Subduing Division have no one else to use? Kid, I advise you to get lost, or even if I'm tied up, I might accidentally eat you alive." The burly man glared at Ning Xiu with eyes as big as copper bells, trying to intimidate him and show his power.

Unexpectedly, Ning Xiu remained unusually calm, instead staring at the big man with the same look one would give a fool.

"Enough with the nonsense, I'll just send you on your way." Ning Xiu picked up the goose-feather knife from the wooden table in the cell and swung it directly at the burly man's head.

Unexpectedly, the big man dodged easily, avoiding Ning Xiu's attack. He then reached out and grabbed the back of the knife, and with one hand, he grabbed at Ning Xiu.

This was the first time Ning Xiu had encountered an evil spirit that would resist since he had executed three evil spirits. As expected of a creature imprisoned in the Xuan District, it was quite special.

Ning Xiu remained calm and unhurried, throwing out a backhand Yuan Yang Fist to knock back the big man's hand. Then, he swiftly pointed two fingers at the man's neck, piercing his throat with incredible speed.

The Golden Bell Cover is a martial art that requires external force to master. When mastered to a high level, one becomes impervious to swords and spears, and immune to water and fire.

Although Ning Xiu has not yet reached that level, he possesses the fourth layer of the Golden Bell Shield, and his joints are comparable to copper and iron, making him no different from ordinary weapons.

"Cuckoo!"

The burly man clutched his neck, blood gushing from between his fingers; the sudden pain brought out his ferocity.

He opened his mouth wide and bit down on Ning Xiu's shoulder, but the moment he bit Ning Xiu, he felt a sharp pain in his teeth, as if he had bitten a rock instead of a person.

Ning Xiu hooked two fingers together and pulled hard, directly aggravating the big man's throat injury. In just a few breaths, the man collapsed to the ground, leaning against the wall and dying.

[Defeat the demon and gain +800 general proficiency]

“This isn’t an evil spirit, it’s a person.” Ning Xiu frowned as he looked at the warm blood on his fingers.

I thought it was a demon that could take human form, but I didn't expect it to be a human. So why was it imprisoned in this demon-suppressing prison?

Ning Xiu quickly tore open the big man's clothes, and immediately a three-headed, angry-eyed evil god pattern appeared on the big man's chest and belly, with his feet on black clouds and his mouth breathing raging fire.

"So it's the Black Heaven Gate, no wonder." Upon seeing the colorful patterns, Ning Xiu suddenly realized, and his doubts were instantly resolved.

【005】The Temple of the Three Saints

For hundreds of years, the Shang Dynasty was plagued by evil spirits and monsters.

The chaos of the world has reached a level of darkness that even the high-ranking officials and nobles in the capital cannot imagine.

With the Demon Subduing Division stationed in Chaotian, it seems safer. Ordinary evil spirits dare not cause trouble here, and even if they do, they will be quickly eliminated by the Demon Subduing Division once discovered.

However, the people living in the distant regions far from Kyoto were not so fortunate.

Monsters are hunted and eaten, and evil spirits wreak havoc in the region. Even though the Demon Subduing Bureau frequently sends people out to quell the unrest, it is like trying to quench a thirst with a drop in the ocean.

In this environment of panic, many evil and cowardly people are born who are willing to obey evil spirits and submit to them, actively learning evil and demonic ways, and greatly increasing their strength.

Although such people are still considered human, their nature has long since degenerated into that of half-evil spirits. They slaughter villages to refine souls and destroy cities to forge weapons. Their actions are cruel and vicious, no different from those of evil spirits.

The Demon Extermination Bureau then referred to these individuals who acted against humanity as 'evil spirits and demons'.

The Black Heaven Gate is a well-known demonic force, whose symbol is a three-headed evil god riding on black clouds. It is said that the demons in this gate all believe in this god.

Not long after the demon died, his belly suddenly swelled up round and smooth, and the colorful patterns on his body seemed to come alive. Black clouds and raging fire emerged in three-dimensional form, and a burning aura filled the air.

Having already experienced this, Ning Xiu simply ignored the scene, summoned the proficiency panel, and added all 800 points of general proficiency he had just obtained to Yuan Yang Fist, thus raising Yuan Yang Fist to another level.

……