In a certain sense, Demonfolk are not considered true members of the Human Clan; hence their blood is a fearsome poison to ordinary humans. Merely touching it could be lethal. Therefore, once a Demonfolk is slain, it is imperative to completely destroy the corpse, leaving no trace behind.
It wasn't until Zhuang Mingyuan's body had been thoroughly incinerated that Shen Changqing turned his gaze toward the long saber in his hands. The once clean and snowy blade was now pitted and corroded, as if it had been buried in the earth for many years and was covered in rust.
"This saber won't last much longer!" Shen Changqing said with an air of helplessness.
When he was killing the Strange Monster in Guyue Village, he had deliberately wrapped the saber in True Qi to ensure that it was not corroded by the blood. However, when he attacked Zhuang Mingyuan, he forgot to do so. Obviously, against the blood of such Demon Evil, ordinary weapons had no chance of resistance.
Unfortunately, given Shen Changqing's current status, he also had no way to obtain a truly fine Divine Weapon.
Shaking his head, he turned and headed back to Lin'an City.
Inside the Yamen, an air of peaceful tranquility prevailed, giving no sign of the recent conflict. The severed head of Zhang Long on the ground had vanished without a trace.
As Shen Changqing stepped into the inner hall, he saw Zhao Fang sitting there quietly.
"You're not running?"
"Would it have made any difference?" Zhao Fang replied with a counter-question.
"Knowing it makes no difference, why then did you conspire with Demon Evil to slaughter the people of Guyue Village? Keep in mind that they are under the jurisdiction of Lin'an City, hence your people, Zhao Fang. For a local official, your heart is exceptionally cold."
Shen Changqing's gaze was indifferent. He did not immediately kill Zhao Fang, as there was no need. Zhao Fang, unlike Zhuang Mingyuan, had no martial arts cultivation to speak of, so there was no concern for any surprises. There were some things Shen Changqing wanted to understand through Zhao Fang.
Confronted with the accusations, Zhao Fang said calmly, "Demon Evil is powerful, so powerful that common people have no right to resist. Faced with Demon Evil harming the people, I too wanted to eliminate it and protect peace. But the Demon Evil was too strong; no matter how hard I tried, I could not contend, not even a little. You might not understand that feeling—"
At that, his expression turned somewhat sorrowful.
From Zhao Fang's words, Shen Changqing almost saw a diligent, hard-working official who, for the lives of the people of Lin'an City, had to resort to flattery and deception with Demon Evil.
But as soon as the other party finished, he sneered, "Why deceive yourself and others? If you truly cared for the people, how could you sacrifice over a thousand lives in Guyue Village? If you cared for the people, why would you deliberately withhold information to prevent the Demon-Subduing Division from noticing? In plain terms, you are just afraid to die."
"What do you know!"
Shen Changqing's words seemed to stab at Zhao Fang, causing him to become agitated and stand up from his seat.
"Do you know how many people there are in Lin'an City? One hundred thousand! One hundred thousand people! If I didn't deal with Demon Evil, not one of Lin'an City's one hundred thousand people would survive. Sacrificing Guyue Village was a last resort. Yes, the Demon-Subduing Division is strong and does not fear Demon Evil. But even if the Demon-Subduing Division is strong, how much stronger can it be compared to Demon Evil? Over the years, countless civilians have been slaughtered by Demon Evils, and numerous cities have been destroyed—not just one or two. Yet where was the Demon-Subduing Division at that time—"
"Well said!" Shen Changqing clapped in approval, a faint smile appearing on his face. "Therefore, sacrificing Guyue Village alone is not enough for you, and you also plan to sacrifice even more people, even the entire Lin'an City. But what I am curious about is this: if you, Lord Zhao, are dealing with Demon Evil only for the sake of the civilians of Lin'an City, then what meaning is there in your negotiations when you decided to sacrifice Lin'an City in exchange for your own future prospects?"
Zhao Fang's face suddenly stiffened.
At that moment, Shen Changqing's expression turned ice-cold as he said, "In plain terms, you, Zhao Fang, are nothing but a traitor who has betrayed the Human Clan, a despicable person motivated by selfishness. The civilians of Lin'an City are merely an excuse to deceive your own conscience. The people of Guyue Village, I presume, cannot rest in peace even to this day. You, Zhao Fang, have failed the hundred thousand citizens of Lin'an City and the support they have given you for these past twenty years!"
"You. Deserve. To. Die!" Shen Changqing uttered each word deliberately.
With every sentence spoken, Zhao Fang's face grew paler, until he finally collapsed powerless in his seat.
Upon becoming an Innate Martial Artist, Shen Changqing's perception had become frighteningly powerful. Even at the entrance of the Yamen, he had overheard the conversation between Zhao Fang and Zhuang Mingyuan in the inner hall. Yet he had made no move, because he wanted to hear more useful information directly from them. Only after determining that no more information could be obtained did Shen Changqing directly make his move and burst into the Yamen.
Therefore, he had been listening to their conversation all along, including Zhuang Mingyuan's instigation and Zhao Fang's downfall.
Therefore, no matter how extravagantly Zhao Fang now spoke, Shen Changqing remained unmoved. In his view, this man before him, though not openly fallen to Demon Evil like Zhuang Mingyuan, harbored an evil and ruthlessness in his heart no different from Demon Evil itself.
To be honest, even if Zhao Fang were to flee out of fear of Demon Evil, abandoning the hundred thousand civilians, Shen Changqing wouldn't have said a thing. After all, fearing death and cherishing life is the right of every person. It's just that, as an official receiving an Imperial Court salary, once captured and questioned, punishment would be inevitable.
Even though fleeing out of fear would be a crime, it is certainly not as egregious as colluding with Demon Evil and planning to sacrifice the hundred thousand civilians of Lin'an City to secure one's own prospects. To put it bluntly, such sins are far more severe than merely deserving death.
Demon Evils are strong; Shen Changqing could not deny that. In the face of an unstoppable force, some people show no fear and do not retreat, while others become frightened and quietly leave. Still others will ingratiate themselves with power, joining forces with Demon Evil, and in turn wielding the butcher's knife against their own people.
Clearly, Zhao Fang belonged to the latter kind. Such people are the most despised.
Time trickled away.
Zhao Fang sat frozen, his face deathly pale, as Shen Changqing's words crushed the last vestiges of struggle in his heart.
"Lord Shen, I am aware of the gravity of my sins. Therefore, I did not flee when you were pursuing Zhuang Mingyuan. I am willing to atone with my death, as atonement to the villagers of Guyue Village, but there is one thing I hope Lord Shen can agree to—that is that all the crimes should be borne by me alone, unrelated to anyone else. I hope Lord Shen can spare them and give them a chance at life!"
As he spoke, Zhao Fang looked at Shen Changqing, a glimmer of hope in his ashen, despairing eyes.
Shen Changqing remained indifferent and unmoved.
"Whether there's guilt or not is not for you or me to determine. I will report this matter truthfully to the Demon-Subduing Division. How it is handled then will be the Demon-Subduing Division's affair!"