The path to immortality through martial arts begins with being forced into marriage!

A quick-thinking squad leader squeezed through the doorway, saw what was happening, and immediately ran back, panting, shouting, "Sir! It's not a civil uprising!"

"It's...it's the man-eating tiger demon of Black Wind Ridge that's been killed! The people are welcoming the hero who vanquished the demon!"

"Phew, that's a good thing!"

The magistrate wiped the cold sweat from his brow, but as soon as he lay down in the armchair, he quickly sat up again, hardly believing his ears.

"What?! That tiger demon has been killed?! Quickly! Come with me to greet him!"

A large group of people rushed out of the yamen.

At this moment, Lin Songshan, supported by the coachman, stepped down from the carriage and announced loudly towards the yamen: "Lin Songshan of the Liuyun Trading Company of Donghai City, along with Cui Yi, the righteous man who slew the tiger demon of Black Wind Ridge, have come to the yamen to settle the reward!"

"The monster's head is here; please have the authorities examine it!"

Cui Yi followed behind the carriage, carrying a package with the tiger demon's head in his hand. Although he looked plainly dressed and somewhat thin, after experiencing a life-or-death battle, there was a terrifying sharpness between his brows.

Upon seeing who it was, Zhang Qiming, who had registered Cui Yi, opened his mouth slightly and stared wide-eyed.

It's him?

Zhang Qiming felt a burning sensation on his face.

My own compassionate advice now seems utterly ridiculous and ironic.

This kid, whom he thought was going to his death, actually did something that many old hunters and strong men couldn't do!

Seeing that everyone who was supposed to come had arrived, Cui Yi didn't hesitate. He stepped forward and placed the heavy package in his hand firmly in front of the yamen with a thud.

Then, he lightly pressed the hilt of the sword with his right hand!

Zzzzz!

A clear and melodious sword cry!

The package was unpacked, revealing a huge, ferocious, and terrifying tiger's head, bloodied and exposed in broad daylight.

"hiss--!"

A collective gasp of cold air rose from the surrounding area. Even the people who were mentally prepared felt a chill run from the soles of their feet to the top of their heads when they saw the remains of the monstrous creature up close.

The lingering faint aura of demonic energy caused the nearby constables to turn pale and instinctively take a half-step back.

"My goodness, it really does have a monster's head!"

"Then this young man must be a Celestial Master? Only a Celestial Master could slay such a ferocious creature!"

"What a young man! He looks about the same age as my daughter. I wonder..."

However, the magistrate's reaction was completely different; his old face smiled like a blooming chrysanthemum.

The Black Wind Ridge monster has wreaked havoc, devouring more than a dozen lives and causing widespread panic. It has even led to a significant decline in trade and travel in Qinglin County, making it a thorn in his side.

The prefectural government intervened multiple times, but the people were full of complaints. The reward was posted again and again, but no one could be removed. In the eyes of the superiors, this was definitely clear evidence of Zhou Wenyuan's incompetence as an official, which was enough to affect his performance evaluation and promotion!

Although the imperial court has a Bureau for Exorcising Demons, it still costs a lot of money to hire people from the Bureau to exorcise demons. At the very least, it would cost several months' worth of tax revenue for the county, or even more.

This is also the main reason why he has been delaying contacting the Demon Suppression Bureau for so long!

And now, Cui Yi has saved him this huge sum of money!

Before even alerting the Demon Suppression Bureau, a demon beast was eliminated. What lay on the ground was not just a demon head, but a shining stepping stone and a heavy achievement for Zhou Wenyuan's career!

Zhou Wenyuan's gaze toward Cui Yi instantly became incredibly ardent and affectionate!

It was as if he wasn't looking at a strange young man, but a lucky star radiating auspiciousness!

"Haha, truly, heroes emerge from among the young!"

"Quickly fetch three hundred taels... no! Fetch four hundred taels of silver!"

"The Immortal Master has eliminated this great scourge, a truly meritorious deed. A mere three hundred taels of silver is insufficient to express his gratitude. This official hereby adds one hundred taels as a further reward!"

"Guards! Quickly help the Immortal Master take the tiger's head! A bunch of clueless idiots!"

The group of yamen runners, who had been stunned, finally came to their senses and rushed over to wrap up the tiger head and drag it inside. The rest of the men then invited Lin Songshan and the others into the yamen.

Before entering, Cui Yi paused slightly at the threshold, then suddenly turned around in full view of the crowd, raised his hand and bowed to the people.

His movements were natural, yet they exuded a calm and composed demeanor.

"Fellow villagers, I, Cui, am but a humble cultivator, and I cannot accept such kindness from you all!"

"We cultivators, who cultivate by inheriting the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, should naturally have the responsibility to draw our swords and slay such malevolent energy and bloodlust when we encounter it."

"I, Cui, am of meager strength and dare not presume to compare myself to the sages of the past; slaying this tiger is merely fulfilling my duty!"

"I will forever remember your kindness and support today!"

"May the sword in my hand always be sharp, and the path in my heart always be clear! I, Cui, thank you all!"

This sudden turn of events caught not only the officials off guard, but also the initially enthusiastic crowd, who were momentarily stunned before feeling an even deeper sense of admiration.

This immortal master is not only young and highly skilled, but also so polite and humble!

"Wait a minute...this immortal master looks so familiar?"

"Mr. Cui? He said his surname is Cui? There aren't many people with the surname Cui in Qinglin County..."

"Oh! I remember now! Isn't this the young master of the Cui family from Cui Family Village?!"

"Yes! That's him! Cui Yi! I saw him at the market a couple of years ago when his parents were still alive. He was following behind Grandpa Cui, and he hadn't changed much!"

"The Cui family? Which Cui family? Oh—!"

"You mean the Cui family outside the city... whose ancestors included demon-slaying immortal masters?!"

"No wonder he seemed so distinguished; he's the young master of the Cui family's direct line! That explains it! His ancestors were in this business; slaying demons and monsters is a family tradition!"

"Wow, like father, like son! The Cui family is really on the rise again!"

What they didn't see was that Cui Yi's lips curled up almost imperceptibly.

In an era when information dissemination channels were extremely limited, if a person's public image was well-established, as long as they didn't commit evil deeds, it was equivalent to having a nominal get-out-of-jail-free card in the surrounding villages.

The Cui clan, which Cui Zhi mentioned before his death, is ultimately a hidden danger. Before he becomes strong enough, he must do everything he can to make plans!

As long as the magistrate isn't a fool, he can easily secure his career by making a fuss about slaying the tiger demon, which is exactly the result Cui Yi wants to see!

Only by tying together their interests to the extreme can the safety of the Cui family in Qinglin County be guaranteed!

As it was already late, and after the commotion at the government office, the sun had completely sunk behind the western mountains. The onlookers, having discussed their day's events with satisfaction, gradually dispersed and returned home.

The nights in Qinglin County are destined to be filled with more talk because of the tiger-slaying incident.

The back hall of the yamen was already brightly lit.

Zhou Wenyuan was clearly in a great mood and ordered a feast to be prepared.

Besides Cui Yi and Lin Songshan, several prominent officials from the county magistrate's office, including the county magistrate and the registrar, also accompanied them.

After a few rounds of drinks, Cui Yi, seeing that it was about time, casually asked, "Lord Zhou, when I was accepting the bounty, I noticed that besides the reward money, there were also quotas for the Demon Suppression Division. I wonder what the procedures are?"