The Demon Slayer Martial Saint Begins with Insect Refining

Chapter 323: Soldiers coming to stop them
Although the Ten Demons were killed in Lingnan Prefecture, some of them had committed crimes in Donghuang Prefecture.

For example, Li Sanniang had slaughtered an entire town of infants in Donghuang Prefecture before being hunted down by various sects and forced to flee Donghuang Prefecture.

Sang Tianhong was naturally aware of the power of the Ten Great Demons, which is why he had the idea of ​​testing Su Yan.

Of the Ten Great Demons, eight have been publicly killed, and the remaining two at the Dharma Aspect Realm are likely in grave danger as well.

But it's not important that someone dies; what matters most is how they die.

Su Yan knew that Sang Tianhong had doubts, so he simply glanced at Ying Chenxing beside him.

"They had their own differences and didn't all gang up on me. It was by chance that I found an opportunity and paid a price to kill them. Just now, I almost delayed my journey."

Ying Chenxing's eyes widened. Although what Su Yan said made perfect sense and was logically sound, according to Su Yan's meaning...

He was injured in a bloody battle with eight demons, and after recovering from his injuries, he came out and beat them up.

Ying Chenxing wanted to ask a question, but saw Sang Tianhong nod subconsciously.

'idiot'

Ying Chenxing cursed inwardly, but a hint of amusement shone in his slightly narrowed eyes.

"That's quite an achievement."

Sang Tianhong nodded and then said, "With Fellow Daoist Su's strength, it won't be long before he breaks through the shackles and enters the Dharma Aspect Realm ahead of us. Congratulations!"

Sang Tianhong made polite remarks, but a person sitting below him sighed.

The man, dressed in gray with animal prints, had a face as wrinkled as a bitter gourd. Although he wasn't old, he had a look of deep sorrow and resentment.

Wu Yi met Ni Shanbai, raised his eyes slightly, and said, "Fellow Daoist Su has joined the Demon Suppression Guard, and I'm afraid there are many tedious matters to attend to. How can you concentrate on your breakthrough? Since you can't be single-minded, I'm afraid you'll have to suffer."

These words immediately chilled the atmosphere of the banquet, making it feel as if a cold wind had swept through.

“Ni Shanbai, why do you always look so bitter and resentful? With Fellow Daoist Su’s strength, how could he be easily burdened?”

A woman beside her giggled, dressed in pink and adorned with silver ornaments, revealing her fair skin. The ornaments on her head jingled and made a crisp sound. She was none other than Liu Mengji from the Illusion Moon Sect of the Eastern Wilderness Prefecture.

Lu Qihua slammed the wine glass down, not too hard, but the sound reached everyone's ears.

"Why do you all need to argue about this theatrical performance? Why not tell us who is invited to this banquet?"

Sang Tianhong smiled and put down his wine cup: "Fellow Daoist Lu is right. In that case, I, Sang, will tell you. This banquet is for the sake of saving the major sects and forces of Lingnan Prefecture and Donghuang Prefecture."

Su Yan remained seated, not even raising his eyes, and simply said, "Fellow Daoist Sang, your words are not light."

Sang Tianhong changed the subject, the alcohol fumes in his eyes dissipating, and looked at Su Yan, saying, "Is the Beast King Sect willing to accept this? With all its disciples joining the Demon Suppression Guard, whose Beast King Sect is it really?"

Su Yan opened his eyes wide, his sharp gaze startling Sang Tianhong.

"Oh, so you Huangxiang Sect disciples are devoted to the sect for life, never venturing into the martial world, never entering the imperial court, and never becoming members of the sect?"

Sang Tianhong's face darkened. Su Yan's words hit the nail on the head. No sect would require all its disciples to stay in the sect.

Being a disciple of a sect is only one aspect; many more disciples disperse into various industries, becoming affiliated with sects, forces, and so on.

Sects do not support idlers.

He had just changed the subject, but in fact, even if the Beast King Sect and the Demon Suppression Guard reached a deal, it was impossible for all disciples to join the Demon Suppression Guard.

Sang Tianhong's words reveal a wicked heart.

"Fellow Daoist Su misunderstands. What I am worried about is a hundred or a thousand years from now."

Subtle influence, like boiling a frog in lukewarm water—this was indeed the overt strategy employed by the one who propelled Ma Ta into the Jianghu.

"Fellow Daoist Ying is the commander of the Demon Suppression Guard. Do you all share this view?"

Ying Chenxing smiled and said, "The banquet is not about status; it's just a coincidence."

That's what they say, but their stance is completely skewed, clearly indicating they're in cahoots with Sang Tianhong.

Su Yan said calmly, "There's no such thing as being willing or unwilling. If you want something, you have to pay the price. The Beast King Sect owes a debt to the Demon Suppression Guard, so it's just a matter of accepting the consequences. If Fellow Daoist Sang wants to persuade me to do something, I'm afraid I'm powerless to help you."

A fierce glint flashed in Sang Tianhong's eyes, but he said, "If Fellow Daoist Su is not qualified, then who is?"

Su Yan interrupted him, a half-smile on his face: "I am merely a third-generation disciple; the one in charge now is my senior uncle, Huang Shouzhen."

Upon hearing this, everyone present twitched involuntarily, and they instantly lost their composure.

The term "third-generation disciples" doesn't mean that the Beast King Sect only has three generations, but rather that it refers to the generations counting down from the sect leader.

Generally speaking, the power of a sect or faction will have a generational gradient.

Excluding the generation of Supreme Elders, the position of Sect Leader and True Disciple are passed down from generation to generation.

Su Yan was an anomaly. Despite being a disciple accepted by a true master, his strength surpassed that of most of the martial artists present.

He was only in his early twenties, a generation younger than those in their sixties, seventies, or even a hundred years old who possessed the Danqiao technique.

Su Yan laughed and then said, "Please enjoy your drinks, everyone. I'll take my leave now. Let me remind you all, next time if you want someone to do something for you, you must show sincerity, not just empty words."

Su Yan got up and left. Sang Tianhong's face immediately turned ashen, and he couldn't help but curse inwardly, "So arrogant!"

As soon as Su Yan left, Lu Qihua and the others also got up and left the third floor of the banquet hall.

Instantly, the banquet room fell completely silent.

"Broken up"

Liu Mengji stood up, smoothed the slightly wrinkled hem of her skirt with her slender hand, and said calmly, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you can prescribe the right medicine. You haven't even understood Su Yan yet, but you're trying to trick him into a trap with empty words. He may be young, but he's not stupid."

Liu Mengji turned and left. This was a group organized by Sang Tianhong, and she was only there to cooperate. If things didn't go well, Sang Tianhong would naturally be responsible.

Moreover, compared to the eccentric Sang Tianhong, Su Yan is quite interesting.

Ying Chenxing toyed with the wine glass in his hand, then said, "You don't know what's good for you."

Sang Tianhong said, "I'm afraid Su Yan won't side with us for the time being. If we want to stop their actions, we can only rely on Fellow Daoist Ying and you to take action."

“easy to talk about”

Ying Chenxing said, "The interests of nobles and sects are affected by the 'Horse Trampling the Martial World' incident. After the Beast King Sect entered the game, it still wants to turn the tables. It's not that easy. If they don't listen, then we'll teach them until they do."

After the two reached an agreement, Ying Chenxing got up and left, accompanied by several captains from noble families.

Donghuang Prefecture maintains close ties with noble families through trade. Unlike Lingnan Prefecture, they did not experience the great battle in the Undying Divine Mountain Secret Realm, and their sect and noble forces have not significantly diminished; they have always been intertwined. Their current dispatch of envoys to the royal city is primarily aimed at ascertaining the current political climate.

As for inviting Su Yan to a banquet, it was only a spur-of-the-moment idea. We wanted to test Su Yan's attitude and see if we could make the Beast King Sect the vanguard.

Unfortunately, his plan failed.

The next morning, Su Yan arrived at the main hall under the guidance of his servants.

At this moment, Shan Junyi, Fu Conghan, and Xu Lu were all in the main hall, dressed in animal-patterned uniforms. The patterns on their bodies moved slightly and emitted a faint spiritual aura, clearly indicating that they were also spiritual artifacts.

Beside the three were four other officials, all standing side by side, their figures as upright as pine trees.

Behind the seven people stood rows of flag bearers, each a Danqiao martial artist, and all of them were at the late stage or even the perfect stage of cultivation.

Su Yan glanced around and realized that there were probably no fewer than a hundred people in the hall alone. If the hall weren't so spacious, it probably wouldn't be able to accommodate so many people.

blah blah blah

Footsteps approached, unhurried and soft, yet the sound seemed to touch the hearts of everyone present.

The newcomer was an elderly man in a purple robe with no beard, who was only about 1.6 meters tall, with a thin face and an imposing presence.

"I, Yu Shiyun, will announce the appointment and removal of the commander of the Demon Suppression Guard today. Listen carefully."

"Bian Yilan and Jin Haofeng of the Seventh Division... are transferred to the Eleventh Division as the Fifth Banner Commanders..."

Yu Shiyun read out seventeen or eighteen names, all of which were swapped between different departments. The expressions of the officials in charge suddenly became subtle, even somewhat unpleasant.

They were all quite surprised and stared intently at Yu Shiyun.

The old man finished reading this part in a calm and unhurried tone, and then his gaze fell on Su Yan and the other six.

"The six of you, Su Yan and Lu Qihua, will join the Seventh Division and serve as the commanders of the Seventh and Ninth Banners, respectively. Long Qiushui and Ji Ning'er will join the Nineteenth Division and serve as the commanders of the Fifth and Sixth Banners, respectively. Liu Caifeng and Zhuang Qihang will join the Eleventh Division and serve as the commanders of the Eighth and Ninth Banners. You are hereby granted demon-suppressing martial uniforms. From now on, the training of new recruits within the banners and the completion of missions to suppress evil spirits will all depend on you."

After saying this, several servants beside him carried a maroon lacquer tray with both hands and presented the group with a robe embroidered with the magical beast that wards off evil spirits.

Upon seeing the three men carrying their military uniforms, I nodded slightly and then said, "Importing the order from the Left Deputy Commander-in-Chief, because the Demon Suppression Guard needs to maintain stability in various prefectures for a period of time and prevent rebellion, a large number of captains are being transferred this time. To avoid any disruptions in the transfer, it is agreed that junior captains and lieutenants may apply to change their affiliations within three days. Your cooperation is appreciated."

"Elder Yu, wouldn't this approach scatter the entire brigade?"

Xu Lu frowned, and Yu Shiyun paused slightly before grinning and saying, "I have already retired and am just a manager. If there are still any problems with this matter, you can talk to the three officials: the Left Deputy Commander, the Right Deputy Commander, and the Zhongdu Town Governor."

Everyone gasped. Yu Shiyun's words meant that this was not a decision made by one person, but rather a consensus reached by the three people except for the Grand Commander of the Demon Suppression Guard.

Xu Lu understands.

Xu Lu clasped her hands in a respectful greeting, and Yu Shiyun nodded before leaving.

"Gentlemen, I have to take my leave now."

Shan Junyi could no longer hide the smile on his face.

If personnel changes are allowed, then there are many things that can be done.

As everyone left, Fu Conghan passed by Su Yan and Lu Qihua and said, "The Seventh Division, come with me."

One by one, the group went out, and Su Yan, Lu Qihua, Nan Anlian, and the other six arrived at the Seventh Division's headquarters.

The Seventh Division is not at full strength, consisting of only seven and a half banners. It is called half because the commander of the Fourth Banner was assassinated by evil martial artists, and the commander's team suffered more than half casualties. It has not yet been fully replenished.

“There are many nobles in the capital, and quite a few like Ying Chenxing among the generals. If we open the floodgates, they could easily offer incentives that would entice the people below.”

Nan Anlian voiced his concerns, and Fu Conghan, who was in a higher position, nodded. However, he said in a deep voice, "Since it was the decision made by those three, we have no right to interfere. You seven should count how many people will be coming and going in your respective teams over the next three days."

Fu Conghan frowned slightly, then looked at Su Yan and said, "You two need to be more careful. They're probably after you. Now that you've joined the Demon Suppression Guard, you need to be prepared and achieve results. Personal strength growth is only one aspect; leading a team also requires making achievements."

"clear"

Fu Conghan gave a few more instructions, but Su Yan didn't think they had any effect.

When soldiers come, generals will block them; when water comes, earth will be used to build fortifications.
Now that the other side has made its move, some of those who can leave will probably not be easy to deal with.

Su Yan, holding the token of the Fifth Banner, changed into a martial arts uniform and walked towards the Fifth Banner's courtyard.

Each banner has its own training ground and rest area. The Fifth Banner holds a high position. Although it is not at full strength, it still has nearly seventy people, which means it is quite powerful.

Su Yan arrived outside the courtyard and stepped inside. The atmosphere inside was as cold as ice.

A young captain, pale-faced and trembling slightly, had a white bandage hanging from his shoulder blade to his neck.

He handed it over with both hands; it was a thick stack of booklets. Su Yan glanced at it and realized that they were all resignations.

Just looking at its thickness, there are at least thirty portions.

"My lord, these are the resignations submitted today. We...we didn't expect so many."

The young man wore a wry smile, as if it were a dream.

The seniors who were instructing him on cultivation just the day before today have all submitted their resignations. Some even tried to recruit him to join them, but he inexplicably refused.

He felt something was off about being suddenly transferred to another brigade.

Su Yan's gaze was calm, like the surface of a deep lake. A slight smile played on his lips; his counterattack had come swiftly enough.

"What's your name?"

"Yuan Ninghai!"

The young man looked up at Su Yan opposite him. Although Su Yan was wearing the uniform of a flag officer, he looked even younger than him.

"Throw all the resignation letters into the trash can and leave them in the middle of this gate. Tell people that if they submit their resignation within three days, just put it in the trash can and don't show it to me."

Su Yan said calmly, "Three days later, help me count how many people are still left."

Yuan Ninghai's eyes widened in surprise. He hesitated and said, "Sir, if we don't try to retain them and still have this strength, it will probably provoke even more people to leave..."

"Those who want to leave will not come back; those who want to stay will remain."

Su Yan narrowed his eyes slightly, then said, "If you really stay, it will only cause me trouble."

This is a test, not just a show of force by the noble faction, but also a test given by Zhao Wenyuan and his group.

If they can't even handle these things, then the Beast King Sect is useless.

(End of this chapter)