Start slaying demons from the proficiency panel.

Upon hearing Pan Zhao's reply, Ning Xiu immediately recounted what he had overheard from the three leaders of the Azure Dragon Society the previous night.

Upon hearing this, Pan Zhao frowned deeply: "Divine skill? What kind of divine skill could Baili Yu possibly have? Is he just bluffing?"

The two traveled together, which greatly reduced the threatening power that martial will could generate, but both Ning Xiu and the other had serious expressions on their faces.

If Baili Yulian's martial will is strong enough to reach the fourth or fifth rank of martial arts, then he himself must be quite extraordinary and should be treated with caution.

Soon, after passing through a series of dilapidated houses, a charred black bamboo forest suddenly came into view. This bamboo forest should have been growing vigorously, but it had been damaged and was now uneven and messy, like a pile of weeds.

Inside the bamboo forest, a large group of thin, listless men and women sat cross-legged. They were of all ages and, upon closer inspection, numbered over a hundred, all of whom were martial artists at the third rank of the martial arts realm.

Ning Xiu looked at Pan Zhao with a puzzled expression. On their way here, they never expected that this place would be like this.

"Is Baili Yu in here?" Ning Xiu asked.

"No." Pan Zhao shook his head as expected.

"Yeah."

Suddenly, a very faint voice, yet very close to them, rang out from behind them.

Ning Xiu quickly turned his head and assumed a defensive posture, only to see a man standing about three steps behind him. Ning Xiu hadn't noticed when this man had appeared at all.

This ability to conceal one's presence is truly chilling.

Upon seeing this person, Pan Zhao's reaction changed drastically. He said slowly and coldly, "I've finally found you, Baili Yu."

Baili Yu had been away from the front lines for a long time. During this time, Pan Zhao and the other Demon-Subduing Officers had been secretly searching for his whereabouts. Today, Pan Zhao finally saw him alive. As long as he could capture Baili Yu, he could return to the front lines.

When Ning Xiu saw Baili Yu's true appearance, he realized that the man's appearance was somewhat different from what he had imagined.

The other party was a tall, very thin young man. Despite being a martial artist, he had a skeletal physique. His messy hair was casually tied into a braid at the back of his head, and his gray outfit looked extremely loose on him.

The most distinctive feature of Baili Yu's face is his pair of dead fish eyes, which look like he hasn't slept for years. His eye bags are bluish-purple, and his whole body exudes an aura of exhaustion.

"The Demon Subduing Division has been controlling me for years, haven't they had enough? I just enjoy competing with others in martial arts matches, I'm not a demon, there's no need for me to serve on the front lines and kill enemies for you all." Baili Yu yawned, walked past Ning Xiu and the other man, and headed towards the bamboo forest.

Watching his retreating figure, Ning Xiu immediately used his Qi Observation Technique to observe him.

Then he saw that Baili Yu's luck line was actually deep red. Among all the people Ning Xiu had seen after mastering the skill of observing luck, this luck line was the highest.

This shows that this person's fortune is extraordinary, far exceeding that of most people.

Apart from the luck line, Baili Yu's good and evil lines are fairly balanced, indicating that he is neither a bad person nor a good person.

There was nothing wrong with what Baili Yu said, but Pan Zhao's orders were to bring Baili Yu back, and everything else was none of his business.

Having finally found their target, there was no reason to give up so easily. Therefore, Pan Zhao directly grabbed Baili Yu from behind, intending to forcibly subdue him and then take him away from the place.

"Wait!" Ning Xiu shouted as soon as he saw this.

Although Baili Yu's aura was only at the fifth rank of martial arts, Ning Xiu had a strange premonition that this person's true strength was far more complex than it appeared on the surface.

But Pan Zhao was so eager to win people over that he couldn't listen to Ning Xiu's words. His hand was about to touch Baili Yu's back.

In an instant, Baili Yu's entire aura underwent a dramatic change.

Ning Xiu's heart trembled. The intimidating power this person was exuding was even more intense than that of the evil corpse Chan Huidu he had encountered at Yunxia Temple.

It was as if a slumbering ancient beast was slowly awakening.

Pan Zhao, who was closest to Baili Yu, instantly broke out in a cold sweat on his forehead.

At this moment, he, a fifth-grade martial artist, felt a fear of impending death, and the intimidating power of this fear emanated from Baili Yu.

What on earth happened to this guy?!

“Even if you are the Demon Slayer, I hope you won’t go too far. If you really anger me, I will kill you without hesitation.” Baili Yu turned his head and stared coldly at Pan Zhao.

At this moment, Baili Yu was still in the same posture with his back to Ning Xiu and the other person, but his head and neck were turned around at an almost impossible angle to face Pan Zhao.

A thought instantly flashed through Ning Xiu's mind: the gaze of an eagle and the look of a wolf.

"Eagle's gaze and wolf's look" means being able to turn around and make direct eye contact with others behind you without moving your shoulders.

This is one of the rarest innate extraordinary phenomena, and those who possess it are all unparalleled figures who will one day astound a region, with potential that should not be underestimated.

The divination methods of the Shang Dynasty were particularly fond of studying these strange characteristics in order to discover patterns. As a result, they later discovered that most of the famous figures in the history of the Shang Dynasty were people with innate extraordinary features.

All sorts of strange and unusual things were said to be related to things like Qilin bones, immortal fetuses, androgynous eyes, ghostly faces, and square anuses. Even the worst ones were said to have hair growing from their anuses and bring wealth and prosperity to their descendants.

Baili Yu possesses the innate extraordinary features of an eagle's gaze and a wolf's majesty, which tells one that this person is no ordinary individual.

"I have a mission to fulfill, so you have no choice." Pan Zhao was embarrassed and annoyed to find himself stunned by Baili Yu's glance.

Even if the opponent has escaped the surveillance of the Demon Subduing Division for several years, so what? Strength doesn't lie. Today, we must capture him and bring him back to the front line.

Pan Zhao immediately reached out and pressed down on Baili Yu's shoulder, intending to use his palm force to forcefully push him to the ground.

Before he knew it, Pan Zhao's expression turned to one of utter astonishment.

He discovered that all the internal energy in his body was actually being transferred to Baili Yu's body.

"The path of martial arts is long and arduous. How long would it take to cultivate it by just hard work? I have already given you my advice. Since you are still stubborn, don't blame me for being impolite." Baili Yu reached out and grabbed Pan Zhao's shoulders, and the speed at which the internal energy in the other's body transferred became even faster.

As the three hands continuously poured into Baili Yu's body, Pan Zhao's body began to visibly emaciate, as if it had been drained dry.

Although he didn't know what had happened, seeing this scene, Ning Xiu couldn't let Baili Yu continue. He took a step forward and swung his hammer at Baili Yu's head.

If the other side does not release Pan Zhao, the consequence will be that his head will be splattered like water.

Baili Yu immediately released Pan Zhao and retreated several steps away from him. In just a short while, Ning Xiu could clearly feel that Baili Yu's aura of strength had become much stronger.

Pan Zhao couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed to the ground. He weakly raised his head and warned Ning Xiu, "My internal energy... he absorbed most of it. There's something strange about this guy's body. You have to be careful."

"Absorbing internal energy? Could this be his divine skill?" Ning Xiu thought to himself as he looked at Baili Yu.

"Originally, my target today was only those martial artists from Yunze Prefecture, but since you two have delivered yourselves to my doorstep, let you both become nourishment to help me break through to the third rank of martial arts," Baili Yu said lazily.

After he finished speaking, the aura emanating from him changed, directly from the fifth rank of martial arts to the fourth rank of martial arts, and this aura continued to rise.

It seems that he is only one step away from reaching the third rank of martial arts.

"How could this be!" Pan Zhao was shocked to sense Baili Yu's aura.

How long has it been since they escaped the surveillance of the Demon Extermination Bureau? How did they grow to this level?

"I have studied various martial arts techniques for many years. Whether it is external techniques, internal skills, or unorthodox methods, I will spend a lot of energy researching them to find out how to quickly improve a martial artist's strength. Finally, I came up with the fastest and most efficient way: to absorb the internal energy cultivated by other martial artists and replenish myself. In less than two years, I directly improved from the fifth rank to the fourth rank. If it weren't for the fact that breaking through to the third rank requires too much internal energy, I would have already achieved the third rank in martial arts."

Baili Yu looked at Ning Xiu and Pan Zhao and said, "What do you two think of my idea? Isn't it ingenious? During the years I lived in Cangshan, I successfully created this technique that can absorb the internal energy of others, called the Netherworld Divine Art."

Ning Xiu said, "So you created the Azure Dragon Society behind the scenes, held a martial arts tournament, and invited those martial artists to compete for the title of martial arts leader. In reality, you don't care about who owns the title at all. Instead, you plan to seize the internal energy of all the martial artists who come to participate and watch the competition."

“That’s right, you’re quite clever, Demon Subduer. With the internal energy of those guys, I should have been able to reach the third rank of martial arts. The fact that you two are here is unexpected. I was actually reluctant to take action against Demon Subduer, as it’s too much trouble… But it doesn’t matter now.” Baili Yu sneered, “As long as I keep you here forever, it’s fine. You two can also contribute your internal energy.”

Even within the Three Saints Hall, there were no cultivation techniques that could absorb the internal energy of others.

By studying various martial arts techniques and weapons, Baili Yu eventually created a unique martial arts style that had never existed before. It can be said that Baili Yu created the "Netherworld Divine Art" and pioneered a martial arts school that belonged only to him.

However, this martial arts style is the kind that cannot be widely promoted, because it involves seizing the internal energy of others for one's own use. This method of cultivation is extremely vicious, making one strong while weakening a hundred.

If everyone practiced martial arts with this mindset, who in the world would seriously practice martial arts and end up becoming nourishment for others?

"You have good talent, but unfortunately you've used it in the wrong direction."

Ning Xiu took off his black silver chainmail and threw it on the ground. He was serious now. His skin turned fiery red instantly, and his body grew rapidly, reaching a height of ten feet in the blink of an eye.

Holding the Thunder Hammer, he resembled a hammer-wielding Heavenly King, exuding immense pressure.

As his body grew larger, Ning Xiu's clothes could no longer hold up and tore open, revealing the golden sun pattern on his back.

Ning Xiu casually tied the torn clothes around his waist to slightly cover his enormous member, ignoring the rest of the exposed areas. A grown man doesn't care about being bothered by trivial matters.

Seeing the once fair-skinned young man suddenly transform into a small giant, not only Pan Zhao, but even Baili Yu was stunned.

I've never seen anything like this before.

Without saying a word, Ning Xiu swung his hammer directly at Baili Yu's forehead.

As he made his move, crimson flame-like internal energy accompanied Ning Xiu's entire body, making him appear as if he were a raging fire king descending to earth.

Baili Yu quickly dodged, having no weapon in hand. He dared not confront Ning Xiu head-on. He might be able to absorb Ning Xiu's internal energy, but he would definitely be smashed into mincemeat by Ning Xiu's Thunder Hammer in an instant.

boom!

The Thunder Hammer struck the ground, unleashing a triple hammer force that shook the earth, creating a massive crater.

Despite his seemingly clumsy physique, Ning Xiu was actually extremely agile, sweeping the hammer horizontally towards Baili Yu's waist.

Although Baili Yu's strength was one rank higher than Ning Xiu's, after activating the Heavenly King state, Ning Xiu's strength could not be regarded as ordinary fifth-rank martial arts strength at all, and even fourth-rank martial arts strength should not be underestimated.

boom!

With nowhere to hide, Baili Yu could only grit his teeth and raise his arms to block, trying to slightly stop the momentum of the Thunder Hammer. However, his arms were like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, and he was instantly sent flying backward.

His arms were twisted into shapes that no normal person could have.

"This!" Pan Zhao, sitting on the ground, stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

That's a fourth-grade martial arts master! And Ning Xiu just smashed him away with a single hammer blow?!

When Baili Yu landed after flying several meters away, his body suddenly trembled twice, and a jet of blood gushed out of his mouth, mixed with many chunks of flesh.

All of this was due to Ning Xiu's triple hammer strike severely injuring his internal organs. This is how blunt weapon strikes are; sometimes the internal injuries are more severe than the external ones.

"Cough! Cough!"

Baili Yu, lying on the ground, had his chest heaving wildly like an old bellows, and a hissing sound like air leaking from his throat. He looked like he was seriously injured and on the verge of death.

Pan Zhao never expected things to end so suddenly. He struggled to his feet and said to Ning Xiu, "Don't kill him. Just handle it this way. Leave the rest to me. Let me take him back..."

To Pan Zhao's surprise, Ning Xiu held the Thunder Hammer in front of him, looking as if he might strike at any moment.

"Gulp!" Pan Zhao's words came to an abrupt halt, and Ning Xiu, staring at the Heavenly King, dared not utter a word.

"Lord Pan, I suddenly feel like you haven't told me the whole truth before." Ning Xiu looked at Pan Zhao with his dark eyes and said slowly, "Bai Liyu is right. He's not a demon; he's just a martial arts fanatic who likes to fight and research various martial arts techniques. I understand that you brought him to the front lines to train him, hoping he wouldn't waste his energy fighting other martial artists but would instead kill more demon soldiers."

"But since this person has fled the front lines, why would the Demon Subduing Division waste manpower, sending a bunch of Bronze Leopard Demon Subduing Officers to search for him all over the Great Shang territory, and even allowing you Bronze Leopard Demon Subduing Officers to search for him for years? Don't you have enough manpower at the front lines? You must be hiding something from me. Is there some secret on Baili Yu that forces you to capture him and bring him back?"

Faced with Ning Xiu's questioning, Pan Zhao's expression immediately changed slightly, and Ning Xiu saw all of this.

This guy is definitely hiding something from me. If Baili Yu's words hadn't woken me up, I probably wouldn't have realized the trickery involved.

“Ning Xiu, this is not something you should know. Take my advice and let it go. Don’t dig too deep. You have already done a great service by helping me find Baili Yu. After I bring him back, I will definitely write a letter back to the Jingzhou Department to register your merit.” Pan Zhao said helplessly.

“We are both at the third rank in martial arts. The only difference between us is a badge. You know that, so why can’t I? Speak, or you won’t be able to take Baili Yu away today,” Ning Xiu said coldly.

"You... well, fine, but if anything happens to you because of this, don't blame me..."