Chapter 21: Returned

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Now Xu Director was certain that Cao Meng was deliberately provoking Bai Ning, trying to force her into committing an irreversible act.

Bai Ning’s punch just now sent a cold sweat down Xu Director’s spine.

If that punch had landed among the crowd, it would have caused irreparable consequences.

As the director of the entire prefecture, he simply couldn’t suppress such a major incident.

The Demon Suppression Department’s greatest taboo was internal strife.

From the very start of the mission hall, Cao Meng had been intentionally targeting her.

What was his purpose? Why was he doing this?

Was it merely because Bai Ning was too outstanding, making them seem clumsy by comparison?

If that were the case, it was rather childish.

After all, Cao Meng was a seasoned cultivator who had reached the Small Cycle realm.

A mindset like that—unable to tolerate others surpassing him—would never lead to such achievements.

He was like a young wolf that had tasted blood for the first time, fixated on the death of Chu Chen in battle, unwilling to let go.

Failing to provoke Bai Ning into attacking their own people, he now began enticing her to unleash slaughter upon the demons of Jinnan Prefecture.

There was surely some addiction in this...

Xu Director quickly pieced together the course of events in his mind and, unusually, rebuked Bai Ning.

“General Bai Ning, what are you trying to do?”

“Do you intend to massacre your fellow members of the Demon Suppression Department?”

“You are the great general of Jinnan Prefecture; your cultivation should not be used against your own people.”

“I sentence you to seven days of seclusion.”

Having spoken, Xu Director immediately dispersed the crowd.

“What are you all still standing around for? Break it up, quickly!”

Most of the time, Bai Ning was willing to listen to Xu Liang’s words.

No one moved, but she was the first to leave.

Yet some did not agree.

“Bai Ning, you personally caused the death of your disciple!”

Bai Ning suddenly stopped, energy swirling around her, her skirt fluttering restlessly.

Xu Director approached Cao Meng, eyes fixed tightly on him.

“Cao Meng, what exactly are you trying to do?”

“Nothing,” Cao Meng replied evasively, then continued:

“I just feel sorry for Chu Chen.”

Xu Director lowered his voice upon hearing this.

“Do you really want to listen to what you’re saying?”

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“I say...” Cao Meng suddenly raised his voice.

“A disciple worthy of General Bai Ning’s recognition must have extraordinary qualities.”

“Back then, even Wu Kun couldn’t catch General Bai Ning’s eye.”

“But Chu Chen gained her approval within just two days. As General Bai Ning said, this boy’s talent is exceptional.”

“People like us are probably as insignificant as snakes, worms, mice, and ants compared to Chu Chen.”

“Unfortunately... General Bai Ning has always been aloof, acting on impulse and whim.”

“Allowing her disciple to enter the mission hall without restraint, letting him face danger—didn’t she cause his death with her own hands?”

“Nonsense!” Xu Director shouted, continuing.

“You keep saying Chu Chen died in battle, but who has seen the body?”

“My disciple saw it with her own eyes.”

“She saw it herself; who can prove she is lying?” Xu Director raised his hand, pointing at Zhao Xiaoshi as he spoke.

“Xiaoshi, tell Director Xu once again what you saw.”

“Yes,” Zhao Xiaoshi responded, then spoke.

“I saw Chu Chen swallowed by the corpse-guarding demon.”

“Chu Chen would never die easily!” Xu Director’s voice grew loud, as if afraid Bai Ning could not hear.

“Xu Director, you are a cultivator of the Transformation Divine realm; surely you understand the corpse-guarding demon.”

“This kind of demon is extremely difficult to deal with. Do you really think a Qi Refining realm cultivator could escape its ambush?”

Xu Director certainly knew that a Qi Refining cultivator could not evade the corpse-guarding demon’s ambush.

But he had to persist stubbornly; Bai Ning’s emotions were already ignited, her energy swirling, on the verge of losing reason.

“I believe Chu Chen must have a way to escape the corpse-guarding demon’s ambush!”

“Ridiculous!” Cao Meng shouted back.

“How can a prefecture’s director talk like a child who can’t admit defeat?”

“Is it so hard to admit that Chu Chen died in battle?”

“Is it so hard to admit you caused your disciple’s death?”

“Poor Chu Chen, swallowed by the corpse-guarding demon. I heard that once inside its belly, one doesn’t die immediately but melts away bit by bit like ice.”

“As a master, don’t you owe it to him to do something?”

“Should you just spare that corpse-guarding demon?”

“Spare the demons that harm people?”

Bai Ning’s mind was filled with images of Chu Chen, ever since she first met him.

Chu Chen standing at the door, like a boy who had never seen the world.

Then quickly opening his meridians and surviving the backlash of a tenth-rank demon pill, eager to slay demons.

Though they had only been together two days, the shocks Bai Ning received were continuous.

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She was like a lake that had been calm for centuries, stirred by the stone that was Chu Chen, sending ripples across the surface.

Not too large, but enough to break the centuries of stillness.

When Xu Xiaoyao returned, he smashed the lake with a huge stone.

Great waves surged, crashing against the shore again and again.

For some reason, Bai Ning had high hopes for this disciple.

She longed for his early return, to hear from him how he had slain demons and leapt to the peak of Qi Refinement.

She did not await Chu Chen, but instead received news of his death in battle.

Now Bai Ning believed Cao Meng was right.

She had caused Chu Chen’s death herself, and she would avenge her disciple.

She would find that corpse-guarding demon and slaughter all demons in Jinnan Prefecture, even throughout the entire Daxing Kingdom.

Bai Ning slowly turned, her eyes cold enough to freeze a thousand miles.

“I admit it, I caused Chu Chen’s death.”

“I will make all the demons of Daxing pay for Chu Chen’s burial!”

“Wait!” Xu Director shouted, stepping in front of Bai Ning, fearing she would leap forward, knowing he could not catch her then.

“Listen to me, Chu Chen is not dead.”

“Chu Chen is already dead!” Cao Meng shouted loudly amidst the crowd.

“Bai Ning, you can’t do something foolish. You can’t drag all the demons in the world down just for a boy you barely knew for two days.”

Xu Director’s words were pleading; there were things he simply could not say aloud.

Bai Ning took a deep breath, speaking coldly.

“I will avenge Chu Chen. Who can stop me? Who dares?”

“No, Bai Ning, please don’t do this...” Xu Liang was so anxious he nearly cried.

How could he tell Bai Ning in front of everyone that the demons of this world could never be completely eradicated?

Controlling demon uprisings was the foundation of Daxing’s imperial rule.

Bai Ning ignored Xu Liang, stepping forward, her body turning into a shadow, appearing suddenly before the Demon Suppression Department’s gate.

She did not take a second step.

A man stood before her, holding a little girl’s hand.

“Master, your disciple has returned…”

Bai Ning looked him over for a moment before recognizing him as Chu Chen.

Her eyes burned with anger, her clenched fist slowly rising—but it did not strike Chu Chen.

“Get the hell inside!”