CHAPTER 229: CHAPTER 27 DEMON SEALING TOWER

「The next day.」

After Shen Changqing absorbed the first ray of purple qi from Heaven and Earth, he headed toward the Council Hall.

Within the Capital Demon Suppression Division, there were several Defender Envoys. Truth be told, he wasn’t very clear on that himself. But every time he came, Dongfang Zhao always seemed to be residing in the Council Hall. As long as Shen Changqing went there, he was certain to meet him.

"Shen Chumo has arrived."

"Greetings, Defender Dongfang!" Shen Changqing first cupped his fist in salute, then went straight to the point. "Yesterday, when I returned to the Capital City, I found the situation here somewhat amiss. I would like to ask Defender Dongfang, are Demon Evils rampaging within the Capital City again?"

"That’s correct." Dongfang Zhao nodded, not denying it. "Originally, the powerful Demon Evils were dealt with by the martial artists from Qingyun Academy, and the remaining ones were slain by other Demon Hunters. However, not many days passed before new Demon Evils emerged. Right now, the city is under martial law."

When Demon Evils were mentioned, the amiable smile on his face faded considerably.

"Originally, when you expressed your desire to slay Demon Evils, I had planned to send you to Great Wilderness Prefecture. However, given the current grave situation within the Capital City, you should remain here. After all, although there are many martial artists in the Demon-Subduing Division nowadays, too few can truly stand on their own."

Dongfang Zhao sighed faintly. The Demon-Subduing Division lost too many members in battle each year, which meant very few strong martial artists could be nurtured. But if they didn’t operate this way, and instead secretly trained martial artists until they were ready before deploying them, that wasn’t realistic either.

It was simple. The current situation in Great Qin simply couldn’t wait. The rampaging Demon Evils were too numerous. Any reduction in the number of martial artists deployed by the Demon-Subduing Division would lead to many civilians falling victim to them.

Nowadays, the Demon-Subduing Division was practically caught in a vicious cycle. They were constantly recruiting, deploying members to slay Demon Evils once they gained some capability. Then, after heavy casualties, they would recruit anew to fill the vacancies. Someone like Shen Changqing, who could develop to this extent, was exceedingly rare.

"I am duty-bound to serve the Demon-Subduing Division. May I know where the Demon Evils are present now? Just speak the word, Defender Dongfang, and I will go and exterminate them!" Shen Changqing saluted with his fist cupped, his demeanor extremely earnest.

Demon Evils... such useful things!

Dongfang Zhao said, "The current Demon Evils are different from those of the past. They have become more adept at concealing themselves. Unless they intentionally emit a Yin Evil Aura, they are hard to detect. So if you ask me for the locations of the Demon Evils, I am not certain either. The Imperial Court has now ordered city-wide martial law. Troops patrol the city day and night. His Majesty intends for our Demon-Subduing Division to also dispatch strong martial artists to collaborate with the troops and prevent any incidents."

"Have the Demon Evils caused chaos within the Capital City itself?" Shen Changqing’s expression changed slightly. He had thought the Demon Evil disturbances were still confined to the outskirts of the Capital City, never imagining they could have reached within the city itself.

"Five days ago, civilians in the Capital City’s outer city were drained of their Essence Blood. Three days ago, a minister’s residence in the inner city was invaded by Demon Evils, resulting in many casualties. Members of the Demon-Subduing Division arrived later and managed to quell the unrest. The Demon Evil upheaval is no longer confined to the outskirts of the Capital City; traces of their activities have been found in both the outer and inner cities. To prevent further incidents, Demon-Subduing Division personnel must stand guard day and night. Similarly, strong soldiers from the army collaborate, ready to slay any Demon Evils the moment they appear."

Dongfang Zhao’s expression was placid. Anyone unaware of the context might think he was discussing trivial matters.

Upon hearing this, Shen Changqing finally understood just how severe the situation in the Capital City had become. If it were only the outer city, that might still be manageable. But now, even the inner city had seen Demon Evils appear.

It was important to remember that those who resided in the inner city were predominantly the families of civil and military officials. Any casualties among them, no matter how few, would cause considerable trouble.

However, with the Demon-Subduing Division’s transcendent status, it wouldn’t be unduly affected. If it were any other organization responsible for this area, judging by the previous turmoil in the minister’s residence, they would have faced severe repercussions.

"I will follow the Lord Defender’s arrangements!"

"Your strength is not weak. If I’m not mistaken, you should be close to advancing to the second stage of the Physical System. Once you step into that realm, your strength will rival that of an ordinary Defender Envoy. Compared to the turmoil in the outer city, the inner city also poses a significant problem. Therefore, from today onwards, you will patrol the inner city. Patrol on a three-day cycle and ensure you slay all Demon Evils that reveal themselves," Dongfang Zhao said in a stern voice.

Upon hearing this, Shen Changqing seized the opportunity to voice his confusion, "Defender Dongfang, you mean that by stepping into the second stage of the Physical System, one’s strength will rival that of an ordinary Defender Envoy? Then what exactly is a Defender Envoy? I had previously inquired about this but was told that I needed to reach the second stage of the Spiritual System before I was qualified to understand. Now that I have reached the second stage of the Spiritual System, I hope Defender Dongfang can enlighten me!"

"Defender Envoy!" Dongfang Zhao wore an inscrutable expression, a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, making him look somewhat eerie.

The next moment, he rose from his seat and came to stand before Shen Changqing. "By rights, you are indeed qualified to know what a Defender Envoy truly is."

Having said that, Dongfang Zhao turned and walked outside. "Come with me!"

Shen Changqing did not hesitate, following behind him.

"Where is Defender Dongfang taking me?"

"You’ll know when we get there." Dongfang Zhao gave a faint smile.

Seeing this, Shen Changqing didn’t press any further.

One after the other, they headed deeper into the Demon-Subduing Division.

Demon-Subduing Prison!

Defending Compound!

Finally, the two stopped in front of a tall tower.

Although Shen Changqing had never been to this tower, he often saw it from afar during his time at Hidden Heart Pavilion.

It was the Demon Sealing Tower!

The Demon Sealing Tower? His heart jolted.

At the entrance of the Demon Sealing Tower stood two stone lions, much like those at the entrance to the Demon-Subduing Prison, but these were even more imposing and majestic. At the entrance, two figures sat cross-legged. They appeared ancient, as if on the verge of death from old age.

Upon seeing Dongfang Zhao’s approach, both men rose and saluted, "Greetings, Defender Dongfang!"

"I want to enter the Demon Sealing Tower." As he spoke, he presented his Identity Token.

The person on the left examined the Identity Token closely, while the one on the right channeled True Yuan into the tower.

Instantly, the copper mirror above the Demon Sealing Tower’s entrance seemed to activate, casting a beam of yellow light that fell upon Dongfang Zhao. Simultaneously, an image of Dongfang Zhao appeared on the mirror.

A moment later, the yellow light vanished. Dongfang Zhao stepped aside, and the person on the left returned the Identity Token.

"Shen Chumo, come forward." He looked at Shen Changqing, who stood motionless, and said in a deep voice.

Hearing this, Shen Changqing stepped forward to where Dongfang Zhao had just stood.

The same procedure followed. A beam of yellow light shone down, enveloping him in a warm, soothing power.

At that moment, Shen Changqing felt only one thing: comfort! He couldn’t think of another word to describe it.

Soon, the yellow light disappeared. The gates of the Demon Sealing Tower rumbled open, and a chilling aura emanated from within, causing a thin layer of white frost to form on the ground.

"Lord Defender, please enter!" The two stepped aside. They completely disregarded Shen Changqing; aside from the yellow light earlier, nothing else was required of him, not even presenting his Identity Token.

"Thank you for your trouble," Dongfang Zhao said with a nod, then took the lead and walked into the Demon Sealing Tower.

Seeing this, Shen Changqing also followed him inside.

Once the two had fully entered, the entrance to the Demon Sealing Tower slammed shut.

Inside the Demon Sealing Tower, Shen Changqing observed his surroundings. It was a completely enclosed space. Unidentified objects placed along the walls provided illumination, ensuring the tower’s interior wouldn’t be plunged into darkness.

"My Lord, may I ask what exactly that copper mirror is?" he asked, recalling what had just happened.

Dongfang Zhao answered, "That is the Demon Revealing Mirror, a creation of the Demon Sealing Hall. Under its yellow light, no Demon Evil can remain hidden. The Demon Sealing Tower is no ordinary place; the Demon Evils sealed within are of utmost importance. Should any problems arise with them, it would be a catastrophic blow to the Capital City."

The Demon Revealing Mirror! Good heavens, isn’t this just like the mythical demon-exposing mirrors from the legends? Shen Changqing couldn’t help but marvel inwardly, surprised that the Demon Sealing Hall had actually managed to create such an item.

Wait a moment—

"Since the Demon Sealing Hall has developed the Demon Revealing Mirror, why don’t we use it more widely? I believe that with the mirror, those Demon Evils hiding in the Capital City would have no place to conceal themselves. They wouldn’t even be able to infiltrate the Capital City."

If we hung a Demon Revealing Mirror at the gates of the Capital City, wouldn’t it expose any Demon Evil trying to enter? All Demon Evils attempting to infiltrate the Capital City would have no chance of hiding from the Demon Revealing Mirror.

Dongfang Zhao smiled faintly. "What you suggest is indeed a viable method. However, the Demon Revealing Mirror is difficult to produce, and mass production would require considerable time. The one currently in the Demon Sealing Tower took the Demon Sealing Hall a great deal of effort to develop successfully. Widespread deployment is currently not feasible."

"’What a pity!’ Shen Changqing sighed." In his view, the Demon Revealing Mirror was the ultimate tool for finding Demon Evils. No matter how well they hid, as long as a Demon Revealing Mirror was present, their true forms could always be exposed.

By then, Slaughter Value would be his for the taking!

However, from Dongfang Zhao’s words, it was clear that the Demon Revealing Mirror was extremely precious and rare. The likelihood of him acquiring one seemed minuscule.

Unless the Demon Revealing Mirror could be mass-produced someday, Shen Changqing felt he had little chance of ever possessing one.

"Let’s go." Dongfang Zhao didn’t linger and headed towards the second level.

On the first level of the Demon Sealing Tower, stairs made of an unknown material led directly to the floor above.

As Dongfang Zhao ascended, Shen Changqing followed closely.