In the inner hall.
The lamp flickered.
Zhao Fang sat quietly with his head bowed, a dagger buried in his chest. His slightly aged palm tightly grasped the hilt as bright red blood flowed from the wound.
This man, who had been the County Magistrate of Lin'an City for twenty years, had ultimately died by his own hand.
Shen Changqing's expression was calm; his heart did not stir much.
In his eyes, the moment Zhao Fang betrayed the Human Clan and colluded with Demon Evils, he had already committed a capital offense. His suicide only confirmed that he understood he had no way out and any resistance would be in vain.
He took out the Pure Spirit Jade Pendant. There were still only two black lines on it.
It seems Zhao Fang indeed did not become one of the Demon Evils. With this, Shen Changqing finally eliminated the last trace of doubt in his heart.
The Pure Spirit Jade Pendant showed no reaction. This meant that Zhao Fang had not, like Zhuang Mingyuan, abandoned the body of the Human Clan to transform into a Demon Evil.
He glanced at the corpse, then Shen Changqing made no move to touch it, simply rising and walking towards the study behind the inner hall.
The study was not small. The interior was also delicately arranged, filled with a faint scent of ink.
Sitting in the spot where Zhao Fang often sat, Shen Changqing took a sheet of white paper and spread it out before him.
He ground some ink.
He picked up a brush.
He recorded all the events that had occurred that day.
Although he had only been in Lin'an City for two days, a great deal had happened.
First, there were the betrayals of Zhang Long and Zhao Fang, followed by the slaying of the Ghostly Level Fiend, and the matters involving Zhuang Mingyuan and the Eternal Alliance. The sheer volume of this information put some pressure on Shen Changqing.
All these matters had to be reported to the Demon-Subduing Division. He could not afford not to report them.
If it had only been the killing of a Demonfolk or a Strange Monster, he could have found a pretext to gloss over it. However, the death of a city's County Magistrate was a significant event.
If he did not explain the situation completely, he would face considerable trouble, even as a member of the Demon-Subduing Division.
Of course, in the process of writing, Shen Changqing was selective with the details.
For instance, he reported that the Ghostly Level Fiend's strength was not approaching the Resentment Level, but merely somewhat stronger than a typical early-stage Ghostly Level Fiend.
He had no choice. If he didn't write it this way, his own strength would be difficult to explain.
He had already broken through to the Innate Realm. Looking at the numerous peerless geniuses and prodigies in the Demon-Subduing Division, not a single one had managed to break through to the Innate Realm within a year.
Therefore, Shen Changqing needed to downplay his progress slightly to avoid attracting too much trouble.
The Innate Realm, while seemingly stronger than Pulse Condensation, was merely the level of a Profound Rank Demon Hunter within the Demon-Subduing Division. Above the Profound Rank were Earth Rank and Heaven Rank Demon Hunters.
Furthermore, above the Demon Hunters were the Defender Envoys.
They were the most powerful individuals in the entire Demon-Subduing Division, the very foundation that allowed Great Qin to withstand the Demon Evils for over three hundred years without falling.
Breaking through to the Innate Realm within a year... even if he could use his talent as an excuse, trouble would be inevitable if certain observant individuals took notice.
It was worth mentioning that the writing tools in this world were not significantly different from what Shen Changqing remembered from his previous life.
He spent nearly an hour before he finally finished writing everything that needed to be documented.
A slight surge of True Qi dried the ink completely. He folded the paper neatly, tucked it into his robes, and then rose to leave.
Just then, the sound of the night watchman's clapper rang out.
"It's the third watch!"
Shen Changqing glanced at the surrounding darkness and quickly located the few Government Officials on duty at the Yamen.
The Yamen was an important place, and the Government Officials needed to patrol it day and night.
Since one person's energy is limited, patrolling around the clock required rotating shifts. Therefore, the Yamen had separate side rooms for the officials to rest.
However, such significant events had occurred during the night that even the calmest among them would find it impossible to sleep.
When Shen Changqing arrived, the few officials present were just sitting there, unable to rest.
"L-Lord Shen!"
An older-looking Government Official stood up, trembling, his voice shaking uncontrollably.
Zhao Fang had colluded with Demon Evils. Since they were all part of the same Yamen, they might be implicated too. He had heard that the people from the Demon-Subduing Division were ruthless and regarded human life as insignificant. If they decided to vent their anger, he would surely be doomed.
Shen Changqing, unaware of the man's anxious thoughts, looked at him with an impassive gaze.
"What is your name?"
"R-reporting to Lord Shen, this subordinate is named Hong Cheng!"
"How many years have you served in Lin'an City? Is there anyone currently in the Yamen with more seniority than you?"
"This subordinate has served in Lin'an City for nearly ten years. Apart from Lord Zhao and Arrest Officer Zhang, no one has served longer than I," Hong Cheng answered honestly.
Shen Changqing nodded. "Very well. From today, you will temporarily assume the duties of Head Arrest Officer until an official appointment arrives from the Imperial Court. Right now, I need you to do a few things."
"Ah! Oh, please instruct me, Lord Shen!"
Hong Cheng stood dumbstruck for a moment, then quickly recovered, his face beaming with irrepressible joy.
Temporarily taking over as Head Arrest Officer means I won't be implicated! Moreover, when the new County Magistrate arrives, I might actually become the official Head Arrest Officer! This unexpected promotion feels like a pie has fallen from the sky.
"Now that Zhao Fang has confessed and committed suicide, have his body dealt with. Do not bury it yet. Wait until representatives from the Demon-Subduing Division or the Imperial Court arrive before deciding on its disposal."
Shen Changqing paused in thought for a moment, then continued, "Additionally, take some men and seal off the Zhao Family's residence. Do not let a single person leave, or all of you will lose your heads!"
His expression was grim as he spoke the final words.
Hong Cheng's heart trembled, and he nodded hastily. "Rest assured, Lord Shen, I will absolutely not allow anyone from the Zhao Family to escape."
"That's for the best. Go now," Shen Changqing said with a wave of his hand, then turned and left the room.
He didn't go anywhere else. After exiting the Yamen, he went straight back to the inn where he was staying.
It had been a taxing day, involving several battles. Even an Innate Martial Artist had limits. The exertion was not just physically draining but mentally exhausting as well.
「The next day.」
Shen Changqing rose at his usual time and began to absorb the first wisp of purple qi between Heaven and Earth.
His internal clock was firmly set; no matter how weary he had been the day before, it had little impact on his routine.
As he absorbed the purple qi, his Pure Yang True Qi showed no change.
In fact, the Pure Yang Technique originally only had nine levels; reaching the ninth level was considered Perfection. However, Shen Changqing had forcibly broken through to the eleventh level, completely shattering the limits of the Pure Yang Technique.
The Pure Yang Technique he now practiced was no longer comparable to its original version. The Pure Yang True Qi cultivated within it had also undergone a powerful transformation, making it completely different from genuine Pure Yang True Qi.
After all, even at the ninth level of the original Pure Yang Technique, it was not possible to create fire out of thin air relying solely on Pure Yang True Qi.