Chapter 10: On the Way Back

On the way back to the Jinnan Demon Suppression Division, the group of six had dwindled to five, yet the carriage remained cramped. No one wanted to sit next to Chu Chen, the culprit behind their current predicament. Under Zhao Xiaoshi’s leadership, they had successfully isolated him.

They chatted and laughed along the journey until nightfall slowly descended, and the carriage fell into a heavy, suffocating silence. Chu Chen, however, remained occupied; he submerged his consciousness into the Gallery of Illustrations, frantically practicing the Profound Thunder Sword Technique.

He had now reached the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining. The spiritual energy flowing through his meridians had taken on a vaporous state—appearing as a gas, yet in reality consisting of countless tiny, condensed droplets. Upon reaching the Spirit Refining stage, this spiritual energy would become entirely liquefied. With this abundant flow of energy, the arc dancing upon his blade when he practiced the Profound Thunder Sword Technique was no longer the weak spark of a lighter, but a hunting electric eel, its crackling arcs wrapping around the entire length of the sword.

Unfortunately, Chu Chen could not bring this sword back into reality. It was not a reward from the Gallery, but merely a manifestation of his consciousness. Unlike other techniques, this Profound Thunder Sword Technique had no clear grade restrictions and could be used all the way to the Deity Transformation stage. Once he had elevated his proficiency in the technique to the peak of Qi Refining, he began memorizing the contents of the Gallery to save himself from having to search from scratch whenever he needed something in the future.

Through his repeated entries into the Gallery, Chu Chen had discovered a pattern: he could hear the outside world from within. As long as the sounds were not directed at him, his activities in the Gallery remained unaffected. When the carriage suddenly fell silent, he proactively pulled his consciousness back to reality. The group, who had been laughing moments ago, now all wore expressions of trepidation and anxiety.

"We should prepare in advance," Zhao Xiaoshi broke the silence. "Don't hold anything back. Even though our cultivation levels are low, we’ve all spent years in the Demon Suppression Division; we must have some means of self-preservation."

"We are about to reach the spot where Sister Xiaoyao slew the toad demon," she continued. "After a cultivated demon dies, its demonic energy spreads, easily attracting other foul creatures. We left in such a hurry that we didn't expect Sister Xiaoyao to leave beforehand..." As she spoke, Zhao Xiaoshi cast a sidelong glance at Chu Chen, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "So, the demon's carcass wasn't burned. Now, thanks to someone, we have to worry about that toad corpse attracting other monsters."

Zhao Xiaoshi's reminder only deepened the fear in Cheng Meimei and Fang Lingling. "What should we do?" Cheng Meimei asked nervously.

Dong Qin stepped up then, offering a few words to reassure the young girls. "Don't be afraid. That toad demon was only a first-rank monster. Even if the demonic energy spreads, it will at most attract a second-rank monster. We are all at the first level of Qi Refining; if it's a first-rank monster, we can combine our strength to slay it. If it's a second-rank monster, we must scatter and run."

In the cultivation world where Chu Chen had transmigrated, all living beings could achieve enlightenment and cultivate. The demon beast clan had no strict internal ranking system; it was human cultivators who had forcibly categorized them for convenience. First to third-rank monsters corresponded to the Qi Refining stage. A first-rank monster matched a human cultivator in the early stages of Qi Refining—the first to third levels. A single first-rank monster stood little chance against four cultivators at the first level of Qi Refining. However, a second-rank monster corresponded to the middle stages of Qi Refining—the fourth to sixth levels. If this carriage of low-level cultivators encountered a second-rank monster, they would all become snacks.

Scattering to flee was a sound idea. If everyone ran in different directions, each person’s survival probability would be eighty percent.

"I think Brother Dong’s idea is excellent," Zhao Xiaoshi was the first to agree. After all, her master was Cao Meng, the second-strongest fighter in the Jinnan Demon Suppression Division. He had reached such heights relying on a Deity Transformation stage technique called *Lotus Steps*. Using this, Cao Meng had escaped the clutches of monsters time and again, eventually rising to his current accomplishments in the Small Heavenly Cycle stage. In terms of footwork and evasion, no one here could compare to Zhao Xiaoshi, yet she had developed a petty scheme. This mission had started because of someone, and it was because of that same person that Sister Xiaoyao had been driven away, forcing them all to face this danger. It was all because of this pest, Chu Chen.

"Chu Chen, if we really encounter a monster, what can you do?"

Hearing this, Chu Chen looked up at Zhao Xiaoshi. This was the first time she had spoken to him directly, despite her constant barbs throughout the trip. He knew she was up to no good.

"Run, obviously. What else?"

Zhao Xiaoshi rolled her eyes and let out a cold snort. "I’m asking, Chu Chen, didn't you slay a fourth-rank monster in Huangling? You were accepting gifts and shaking hands with the commoners." She glanced at the others before challenging him. "It wasn't fake, was it?"

Chu Chen sneered inwardly. If she wanted to play a game of forcing him into a corner, he would make sure she regretted it. "Of course it’s true."

"Good!" Zhao Xiaoshi, satisfied with the answer, laid out her plan. "If we really encounter a monster, I ask that the great hero who slew a fourth-rank monster take the lead. Let us see the great hero's true prowess."

As she finished, Zhao Xiaoshi nudged Cheng Meimei with her knee. Everyone knew Chu Chen had only just entered the Qi Refining stage. Making him take the lead was synonymous with sending him to his death. But since their lives were at stake, if someone volunteered to die, their own chances of survival would increase. Cheng Meimei didn't hesitate for a moment, immediately following Zhao Xiaoshi’s lead. "Yes, yes, let us see!"

"Right, let us see," Fang Lingling added. Even the usually reticent Dong Qin chimed in, "Indeed, let us see."

*So you all want me to die? Then just wait for the show.*

"Fine. If we encounter a monster, I'll take the lead."

Hearing Chu Chen agree, Zhao Xiaoshi breathed a sigh of relief, her expression relaxing. Though the others kept their faces blank, they were secretly rejoicing. Dong Qin, however, thought a bit more deeply. He considered Chu Chen to be truly brainless, easily goaded into a corner by a few words from Zhao Xiaoshi. *Is it worth throwing your life away for the sake of a little face?* He didn't feel any pity for such a person; his mind was immature. If he didn't die here, he would die somewhere else. He truly couldn't understand why General Bai Ning would take an interest in such a man.

The Demon Suppression Division’s carriage had a hidden compartment at the bottom, intended for the driver to hide from danger. In the Jinnan region, with its many mountains and hills, the population was concentrated in a few large cities, and the frequency of demonic disturbances was far higher than in other counties. As a driver for the Jinnan Demon Suppression Division, he had long since mastered the art of diving into the hidden compartment; as soon as he sensed something wrong, he would vanish in a flash.

Two days had passed, and the toad demon's corpse still lay by the side of the road. There were no signs of it having been gnawed by wild beasts; instead, it looked rounder, as if something had been stuffed inside. As the carriage slowly approached, the driver prepared to dive into the hidden compartment.

"There's—!"

Before the driver could shout "monster," a white silk thread shot from within the toad's corpse, wrapping around his head and dragging him into the carcass. The bloated corpse twitched a few times and then fell still.

"Chu Chen! Go to hell!" Zhao Xiaoshi roared, shoving Chu Chen out of the carriage. The others leaped out, shattering the carriage frame, and vanished into the cover of the night.

A white silk thread, glowing faintly in the moonlight, lashed out at Chu Chen’s back just as he struggled to stand, catching him while he was still off-balance.