I became a martial arts saint while playing games.

Shen Qinghan was unaware that although the dungeon did indeed have many forks and a complex terrain, if one simply wanted to walk from one place to another, there was no need to go through so many twists and turns.

Gu Yan took the best route he had memorized, a route that perfectly avoided all threats. Every checkpoint and every monster he passed was in a position to be ambushed and assassinated. He inevitably took some detours, which made the terrain even more complicated.

After assassinating several more demons along the way, they turned a corner in the long corridor and suddenly heard a commotion of voices ahead, mixed with shouts and yells, and the demonic aura also intensified.

It was a side hall carved from stone.

This hall was built against the mountain wall, its four walls dark and rough, with several torches stuck in the walls, their flames flickering dimly.

There were no tables or chairs in the hall, only a huge stone table in the center.

Four grotesque little demons sat around the table, shouting and yelling, rubbing cards loudly, gambling with great enthusiasm, actually imitating the way humans play mahjong.

There were extinguished firewood on the ground beside the table, and a cold hanging pot on the fire. In the corner were piles of gnawed bones, and an arm still remained beside the pot.

The severed hand had clean, soft lines and fair skin, suggesting it was a woman's hand in life.

Upon witnessing this scene, Shen Qinghan felt a surge of anger, wishing he could immediately step forward and tear those demons to pieces.

Both of them were carrying the swords they had picked up from the corpse of the little demon they had assassinated earlier. Shen Qinghan gripped the hilt of his sword, and although he was angry, he did not act rashly. Instead, he turned his head to look at Gu Yan, as if asking him for his opinion with his eyes.

It was strange, really. The young man had only just officially joined the company as a trainee inspector, and in principle, he should be her subordinate. But at this moment, Shen Qinghan instinctively sought his opinion on their actions, as if the young man were her superior.

Gu Yan said in a low voice, "You are in charge of the two demons on the left. Subdue them, but don't kill them."

Shen Qinghan was puzzled, wondering what use he had for keeping the monster alive. But seeing that the young man was calm and composed, she figured he must have a plan, and since it was too important to ask too many questions at this crucial moment, she nodded in agreement.

So the two went their separate ways.

Gu Yan lowered his body, using the cover to approach, and slipped behind a thick, load-bearing stone pillar in the side hall. The firelight outside the side hall was dim, and shadows were everywhere. The four demons were all focused on the card table, so no one noticed them.

Shen Qinghan moved nimbly, climbing up the outer edge of the cliff, and silently arrived above the four demons.

Gu Yan made a gesture, and the two of them leaped out from their hiding place at the same time.

The four demons were engrossed in playing cards, completely unprepared. Shen Qinghan descended from the sky, her fair arms swaying lightly as she struck two demons on the back of their necks with her hands. Her movements were swift and decisive, without even a sound.

Before the two demons could even utter a sound, they were both struck and fainted with their eyes rolled back.

Shen Qinghan, having landed a successful blow, looked up. He saw that Gu Yan had also taken down the two demons on the other side, but he showed no mercy. With a horizontal slash, he severed the heads of the two demons, sending them flying through the air.

Although Gu Yan had not learned swordsmanship, he had mastered the basics of internal cultivation, and his arm strength and agility naturally increased accordingly. Moreover, since the attack from behind had an assassination judgment, he did not need any swordsmanship techniques; with just one strike, he decapitated both demons.

Shen Qinghan was taken aback when she saw it.

She wondered, "Didn't you tell me to show mercy? What use is there in keeping a demon alive? Why did you kill the demon yourself?"

She then saw Gu Yan continue to swagger forward, walk up to the two demons she had knocked unconscious, and with a swift stroke of his blade, kill both of them.

[Potential Points +36]

[Potential Points +40]

Shen Qinghan: "???"

What do you mean by telling me to leave them alive so I can finish them off myself?

Gu Yan met her questioning gaze and said, "My lord, you are unaware of this. My family suffered a demonic calamity when I was young, and since then I have hated demons to the extreme. I regard all demons in the world as enemies who killed my father and mother, and I want to kill them with my own hands whenever I have the chance."

Whenever I personally slay a demon, I feel a sense of exhilaration and clarity.

Shen Qinghan felt something was off, but still nodded slightly.

Having a clear mind is indeed important for practicing martial arts and cultivating Taoism. If this person truly suffered a major psychological trauma in his childhood, as he claims, and only emerged from the shadows through hatred for demons and an obsession with revenge, then such an obsession is not impossible.

Shen Qinghan, as an inspector of the Demon Suppression Division, had never seen anyone so obsessed with slaying demons.

But since they've joined the Demon Suppression Division, their unwavering commitment to slaying demons and eliminating evil is certainly not a bad thing.

After dealing with the four demons, Gu Yan was still in no hurry to leave, but instead walked towards a corner of the side hall.

In the corner sat a black iron beast-shaped cauldron, billowing smoke, seemingly used by the demons to burn away their foul odors. Shen Qinghan looked puzzled, wondering what Gu Yan wanted with this object.

Gu Yan lifted the lid of the cauldron, revealing it to be empty except for a hidden clasp on one side of the cauldron. He already knew the clasp was there; after prying it open, he discovered a hidden compartment containing two small porcelain bottles neatly arranged inside.

Gu Yan took out the two small bottles. Shen Qinghan was shocked upon seeing them: "Spirit-Eroding and Tendon-Softening Powder!?"

This was the very poison that had caused her so much suffering. If she hadn't been poisoned, she wouldn't have been captured here.

In fact, one of the bottles contained the Soul-Eating and Tendon-Softening Powder, while the other contained the antidote. Sniffing the antidote from the bottle opening would temporarily grant immunity to the toxins, preventing the poison from being released and causing harm to the other side as well.

Shen Qinghan was both surprised and suspicious: "You...how did you know the poison was hidden here?"

"I only noticed a few details," Gu Yan said. "Although this hall is a side hall of the demon's lair, it is still divided into an inner and outer section. The demons drink and gamble here, and the surrounding area is a mess of miscellaneous items, but this iron cauldron is clean and spotless, without a trace of wine stains or bone fragments. It is obviously an important item that the demons dare not touch casually. I think there is probably something else inside."

Shen Qinghan observed as instructed and found that, as he had said, only the edge of this giant cauldron in the side hall was completely free of stains.

Gu Yan continued, "Furthermore, the stone beneath the cauldron is a slightly darker color, perhaps because people often stood there, leaving footprints. I was suspicious, so I lifted the lid of the cauldron to investigate, and sure enough, there was something inside."

Of course, that's nonsense. The reason he found the hidden clasp was because he knew it was there from the start.

As for this exploration and deduction, it's part of the original game's text. Players simply need to defeat the four demons in the side hall, then interact with the giant cauldron, and the character will naturally utter this deduction and discover a hidden compartment within the cauldron.

Of course, according to the walkthrough, players can only reach the side hall and take this step by first rescuing Shen Qinghan and bringing her along.

Without Shen Qinghan's help, a single player would never be able to instantly ambush and assassinate the four demons at the card table. And if they were to engage in direct combat, alerting other demons in the cave to come and assist, the game would be over.

After hearing the reasoning, Shen Qinghan was already 80% convinced, and she was even more amazed by Gu Yan.

Despite the perilous situation, the young man remained calm and composed, showing no signs of panic and even demonstrating remarkable insight into details and meticulous reasoning.

This young man not only possesses astonishing martial arts talent, but his character is also exceptional.

It's as if they were born to be members of my Demon Suppression Division.

Gu Yan put away the small porcelain bottles and said, "Let's continue."

Shen Qinghan also gathered her thoughts and asked, "Is the way out from here?"

"A way out?" Gu Yan laughed upon hearing this. "Who said we were going to leave?"

Shen Qinghan was startled: "Weren't you looking for a way out?"

"Of course not." Gu Yan shook one of the small porcelain bottles and said, "The reason why Lord Shen was trapped here is entirely because the enemy was in the dark while you were in the light, and you were ambushed by villains. Moreover, this Spirit-Eroding and Tendon-Softening Powder is terrifying, and he was unable to use his cultivation."

"Now, these monsters are in the open, while we are in the shadows. The Soul-Eating and Tendon-Weakening Powder is in our hands. What chance do we have of escaping?"

Shen Qinghan's eyes flickered: "You mean, you want to..."

"Um."

Gu Yandao.

"Leave not a single one."