Start slaying demons from the proficiency panel.

It's possible that you'll die the very next day after you put on the Dark Silver Chainmail and go to investigate the evil spirits.

It's also possible that you'll have both luck and skill, and be able to climb all the way from Iron Horse level to Silver Tiger level.

Therefore, a welcoming ceremony and any formalities are unnecessary, at least not for the Iron Horse Demon Slayers.

“There are seven empty rooms in this courtyard. The original owners are all dead. You can choose any of them. All the things in the rooms were left by the previous owners. You can keep them or throw them away if you want. Just get used to it as soon as possible.” Su Qianqian walked in front of the group and said as she led the way.

Listening to Su Qianqian explain some things about the Demon Subduing Division, Ning Xiu couldn't help but feel immense pressure. Suddenly, the half-month he spent living in the Demon Suppression Prison felt blissful and fulfilling.

The hideous and ugly faces of the evil spirits he had executed in his mind had become much more amiable and pleasing to the eye.

"You guys go choose your rooms first, you...you stay here," Su Qianqian said, turning around and pointing at Ning Xiu.

Perhaps not knowing Ning Xiu's name or how to address him, Su Qianqian casually used the word "you" twice as an excuse.

"My name is Ning Xiu," Ning Xiu said helplessly.

"It doesn't matter, come with me." Su Qianqian took the initiative to walk to an open space next to her and waved to Ning Xiu.

Judging from her posture, Ning Xiu knew that this little girl was up to no good.

"Among the new recruits who join the Demon Subduing Division, it's rare to see even a few who have cultivated internal energy throughout the year. Let's spar and see your strength before deciding what missions to assign you in the future."

Ning Xiu has been practicing martial arts for a year, and his strength has been steadily improving, but he has never actually fought anyone.

Su Qianqian's request aligns with Ning Xiu's thoughts. Just how much difference is there between his four layers of Golden Bell Shield and four layers of Great Sun Profound Scripture and that of a Bronze Leopard Demon Subduing Officer? It seems the answer will be revealed today.

"Then please enlighten me, sir." Ning Xiu assumed the stance of the Yuan Yang Fist, and without further ado, charged out.

Although Yuan Yang Fist primarily strengthens blood and qi and aids in killing enemies, it is generally not used for competitions. However, with Ning Xiu's internal energy enhancement, even Yuan Yang Fist will become extraordinary.

That punch could crack a stone wall.

Seeing Ning Xiu's imposing aura, Su Qianqian stepped forward and actually took Ning Xiu's fist head-on with a single palm.

When their fists and palms collided, Ning Xiu felt as if he had struck a sponge; the powerful force of his punch was completely dissipated and rendered useless.

Su Qianqian covered Ning Xiu's fist with her five fingers and twisted her wrist. Ning Xiu felt dizzy and lightheaded, and under Su Qianqian's control, he spun around in place and fell headfirst.

Just as he was about to fall to the ground, Ning Xiu suddenly stomped his feet down, his soles sinking half an inch into the ground, and assumed a horse stance, thus managing to stop himself from falling.

"Not bad, you didn't fall." Su Qianqian gave an approving affirmation.

"My lord, was the technique you just used martial arts?" Ning Xiu stood up straight and asked with great curiosity.

"No, this is the Immortal Dao's 'Turning the Universe' technique. Even a woman can make a thousand-pound bronze cauldron move ten steps. The fact that you can stand firm under my technique means that your strength is quite good even in the ninth rank of martial arts."

The arts of immortals are incredibly diverse and complex. Ning Xiu read in a book that immortals can scatter beans to create soldiers, use leaves as boats, pass through walls to enter rooms, and take gold and silver from paintings.

Even more powerful beings can summon wind and rain, and command heavenly thunder to vanquish demons and evil spirits.

Ning Xiu had never met anyone who walked the path of immortality before, but meeting Su Qianqian opened his eyes to a whole new world.

"Your fists and feet are not bad. Try taking this move." Su Qianqian put her two fingers together, and several green bamboos next to her suddenly sprang up from the ground and broke into bamboo sticks of different lengths.

As Su Qianqian directed, at least a hundred bamboo sticks rained down on Ning Xiu like a storm, an astonishing attack.

In Su Qianqian's opinion, a novice in martial arts would definitely try to avoid her technique, but Ning Xiu did not intend to dodge at all. He stopped in place, covered his face with his hands, and stood motionless.

Such an action was either overconfident or suicidal. In the next instant, a large number of bamboo sticks were shot out all over Ning Xiu's body.

Swish swish!

Hundreds of bamboo sticks shot at Ning Xiu, but were instantly deflected, broken, and shattered.

Aside from numerous tears in his clothes, Ning Xiu had not a single cut on his body, completely ignoring Su Qianqian's magic.

"Physical training!" Su Qianqian was slightly surprised.

It's not uncommon for martial artists to have cultivated external martial arts skills, but someone as young as Ning Xiu has already cultivated external martial arts skills to the point where they can withstand one's own magic. He is truly a gifted and martial arts prodigy.

After all, external martial arts training is far more difficult to master than ordinary fist and foot techniques or weapons training.

Although that move wasn't Su Qianqian's true strength, it wasn't something that a ninth-rank martial artist could easily withstand.

"My lord, how is my strength?" Ning Xiu asked, looking at his tattered clothes.

"Not bad. Among all the new recruits I've seen, you have the highest starting point. Work hard, and you'll definitely have a place in the Demon Extermination Division in the future." Su Qianqian waved her hand: "Go and choose your room. Take a good rest recently. I will start issuing missions to you in a few days."

"Yes." Ning Xiu cupped his hands and then walked into the courtyard.

Watching Ning Xiu's departing figure, Su Qianqian's originally calm and composed expression instantly crumbled. She muttered to herself, "What are kids these days eating to grow up like this? He's only just joined the company and his strength is already so formidable. It's outrageous."

……

While Ning Xiu and Su Qianqian were fighting, all seven empty rooms in the courtyard had been selected, leaving only the last one in the most remote corner.

Ning Xiu didn't care about this; after all, it didn't matter where he lived.

Upon entering the house, one can immediately see a Buddhist shrine hanging on the wall. It has been uninhabited for a long time, with a thin layer of dust covering the shrine and only three burnt incense sticks in the incense burner.

Aside from a simple bed, the most eye-catching thing in the room was the bookshelf in the corner filled with Buddhist scriptures.

"It seems the owner of this house practices Buddhism or Taoism," Ning Xiu thought, looking at the prayer mat under the shrine and the string of prayer beads on the bed.

According to the rules, Ning Xiu, as the new homeowner, has the right to choose to remove all these items and discard them as garbage.

However, Ning Xiu was not a germaphobe. If he wanted to throw these things away, he would have to do it all himself. Ning Xiu did not want to put in that unnecessary effort, so he decided to keep them. They wouldn't affect anything anyway.

Walking up to the bookshelf, Ning Xiu, who always loved reading, picked up a Buddhist scripture and began to read it.

Although he had no intention of pursuing Buddhism or Taoism, it's never wrong to learn more about things he didn't know and gain new insights.

Speaking of which, Buddhism and Taoism are quite related to martial arts. Buddhism and Taoism advocate asceticism of the physical body to attain an indestructible golden body, to recite scriptures to save the souls of the dead, and to use fists to exorcise evil spirits.

Those who have achieved great enlightenment in Buddhism and Taoism appear in the form of a golden body, and the Buddha's light emanating from that golden body alone can melt away weak demons and evil spirits.

Therefore, some martial artists combined the strengths of Buddhism and martial arts to create many martial arts styles with Buddhist and Taoist characteristics.

Examples include the Vajra Indestructible Skill, the Breaking the Precepts Knife Technique, the Mighty Vajra Palm, One-Finger Zen, Arhat Fist, and the Subduing Demon Shovel Technique, among others.

Therefore, some Buddhist and Taoist masters also spend time learning martial arts techniques to protect themselves, and the two complement each other.

There were many Buddhist and Taoist books in the room, and Ning Xiu calmed down and read them with great interest for a while.

"An Experience of Achieving Seven Grades of Enlightenment Through Buddhist and Taoist Ascetic Practice," "Buddhist Practitioners Should Avoid Lust, Sexual Desire, and Greed," "The Story I Had to Tell After Breaking My Precepts at Chunman Pavilion"...

Ning Xiu quickly read through the books, including many good books full of life lessons, as well as a few strange autobiographies.

When Ning Xiu picked up a copy of the Diamond Sutra, he suddenly felt something trembling slightly in his arms. He reached out and took it out.

It turned out to be the six-character golden bead that was found inside the belly of the Black Heaven Gate demon that day.

After Ning Xiu obtained this object, he tried various methods to make it react, but he never succeeded. After trying every possible method without success, Ning Xiu gave up hope.

Unexpectedly, such an unprecedented situation occurred today, which immediately filled Ning Xiu with joy.

The Diamond Sutra, also known as the Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra, is a well-known Buddhist and Taoist classic.

"Could it be that these six-character golden beads have some special relationship with the Diamond Sutra?" Ning Xiu thought for a moment, then placed the golden beads on the Diamond Sutra to see if there would be any other effects.

But the golden pearl only trembled. Ning Xiu tried a different approach, opening the Diamond Sutra and beginning to recite the scriptures.

As soon as this was done, the golden pearl instantly transmitted its sound to Ning Xiu's ears, and together they uttered the Diamond Sutra. The six-syllable mantra "Om" on the surface of the golden pearl even lit up with a faint red light.

It seems this is the correct way to unlock this mysterious golden bead.

Seeing this, Ning Xiu could not help but chant the sutra even more diligently, just to completely unravel the secret of this six-character golden pearl.

After an unknown amount of time, the golden bead began to return to its former tranquility, and the entire syllable "Om" turned completely red, making it extremely conspicuous compared to the other five syllables that remained golden.

"It seems that only one word can be activated at a time. When all six words of the mantra are activated, the secret hidden in this golden bead should be revealed." Ning Xiu thought to himself as he put the golden bead away.

Bang bang bang!

Just as Ning Xiu was about to pick up another book titled "My Childhood Sweetheart Betrayed and Married Another Man, I Entered Buddhism and Taoism and Became a Fifth-Rank High Monk," there was a sudden knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Ning Xiu shouted.

“Brother, we were chosen by Lord Su this morning along with you. We think that since we will all be working under Lord Su in the future, we should communicate more and get to know each other better so that we can look out for each other in the Demon Extermination Division.”

Ning Xiu got up and went to open the door, only to find that it was already dark outside. He had been reading all day without even realizing it.

Six teenagers stood in front of the door. Ning Xiu recognized them all; they were the champion camp apprentices that Su Qianqian had chosen after him.

"Brother, we're celebrating joining the Demon Subduing Division tonight with a feast at Chunman Pavilion. Why don't you come with us?" The young man in the lead, named Lu Hao, warmly invited.

"Spring Full Pavilion? Why does that name sound so familiar?" Ning Xiu wondered if it was strangely familiar.

"Brother, as a man, you must be familiar with Chunmange, right? Come on, let's drink until we drop tonight, and I'll find a few beautiful women to keep you company." The men were extremely enthusiastic and dragged Ning Xiu out without saying a word.

Thinking that these people would become his colleagues in the future, Ning Xiu naturally couldn't refuse their good intentions, so he chose to follow the crowd.

Spring Pavilion, let's go.

Although Chaotiandu was the capital of the Shang Dynasty, the world was in chaos, but it was in stark contrast to the areas outside the capital. It was peaceful and prosperous, with revelry every night.

The streets were decorated with lanterns, which were hung in every corner. Carriages came and went, all bearing the insignia of noble families.

If Ning Xiu hadn't read about this world in a book, he would have thought that the magnificent scene before him was the norm for the Great Shang Dynasty.

As the carriage Lu Hao had rented slowly came to a stop, the coachman lifted the curtain from the outside and said with a smile, "Gentlemen, we have arrived at Chunman Pavilion."

Ning Xiu leaned out of the window and looked out, and saw a four-story water building next to the main road.

Outside the building, a profusion of flowers bloomed, and many beautiful young women leaned against the railing, smiling charmingly with their beautiful eyes looking on.

The scent of rouge and face powder on their bodies, carried by the night breeze, transformed into pleasant fragrances that wafted throughout the entire street.

"Hmm~ I knew we'd arrived at Chunman Pavilion as soon as I smelled it. Brothers, get out of the carriage." Lu Hao stepped off the carriage onto the wooden platform that the driver had set up in advance, looked at the bustling Chunman Pavilion, and laughed heartily with his hands behind his back.

[008] The Lair of Evil Under the Emperor's Footsteps

It is said that evil spirits and demons are causing chaos in the world, and the people live in fear every day.

When Ning Xiu entered Chunman Pavilion, he was greeted by a garden full of spring colors. Beautiful girls were busy moving around the hall, chatting with every guest who passed by. They could make the guests happy with their lively conversation.

"Brother Lu, it must cost quite a bit to stay here for one night," Ning Xiu asked Lu Hao in a low voice.

"Hey, Brother Ning, don't worry about that. Rest assured, I'll take care of all the expenses tonight. Just enjoy yourself."

As the two were talking, a voluptuous woman with heavy makeup swayed her hips and walked over. She held a round fan and half-covered her mouth, then leaned against Lu Hao with practiced ease.

"Young master, do you have a girl you like? I'll have her come and keep you company."