Just as the old patriarch forced me to my death, I achieved the unity of Dao and fruition.

Inside the Shen family's inner courtyard, as the last batch of Demon-Suppressing Guards sealed off the outer perimeter, the last trace of a smile on Cao Xuan's face vanished.

There's no need for further words. From the very beginning, the Shen family has no intention of leaving a single survivor.

Shen Chongshan had obviously noticed this as well.

The ninth-level patriarch of the Shen family had a gloomy face. He was about to bring up the Guardian True Person again, but before he could even speak, three auras that were also of the ninth level instantly locked him down.

"Do you truly intend to wage war against the Shen family to the death?"

Cao Xuan looked at him, his tone calm.

"The Shen family colluded with demons, harmed the human race, and wreaked havoc in Yunzhou."

"The evidence is irrefutable! Today, the Demon Suppression Division is ordered to exterminate the entire Shen clan to uphold justice for humanity!"

As soon as the voice fell, the Demon Guards around them simultaneously drew their swords.

"Kill!" "Kill!"

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The entire Shen family was instantly thrown into chaos.

The Shen family has been able to entrenched itself in Yunzhou Prefecture for many years, so it's natural that they don't just have one ninth-rank member.

The clan has many sixth and seventh-level martial artists, and its guest elders and guards number in the hundreds.

But this time, even more experts from the Demon Suppression Division have arrived.

The most terrifying thing is that they are no longer the martial artists they once were.

"Demon form!"

Beside Cao Xuan, a ninth-level martial artist let out a low shout.

Click!

His arms swelled rapidly, a layer of dark red scales grew on his skin, and his pupils became long, narrow, vertical pupils.

A power far exceeding that of an ordinary ninth-level cultivator exploded from within his body.

The same applies to the others.

Some people grew bone wings on their backs, while others had legs that transformed into furry animal feet.

There was also a ninth-ranked individual whose forehead slowly sprouted two long, curved horns.

These things all came from the high-ranking demons in the dungeon of the Demon Suppression Division in Yunzhou.

In the past, when they caught demons, they could only imprison them; killing them would at most earn them some merit.

Things are different now; demons themselves are cultivation resources.

The most appealing aspect of "The Complete Guide to Demon Warriors" has never been just the rapid increase in strength.

Instead, it's about seizing—seizing the demon's cultivation, seizing the demon's talent, and even seizing a portion of the demon's lifespan!

This is what truly drives those high-level martial artists crazy.

Ordinary martial artists who reach the seventh or eighth level have all lived most of their lives.

The closer one gets to the ninth rank, the clearer one becomes about how many years one has left to live.

But demons are different; some demons can live for hundreds of years from birth.

What if we could take it?

Strength, lifespan, and bloodline talent—it has it all.

Who could refuse?

That's why the "General Outline of Demon Warriors" spread so incredibly fast after it reached the Demon Suppression Division of Yunzhou.

These high-ranking martial artists are even more proactive than those at the bottom.

However, they did not know that every bit of power gained from the cultivation technique came at a price.

The illusory mark, buried deep within the cultivation technique and imperceptible even to themselves, was completely integrated into their souls with each cultivation session.

They are still themselves, with memories, desires, and their own personalities.

But no matter what they want to do, they will eventually instinctively draw closer to one person.

Obey one person, Gu Changjin.

boom!

In the center of the Shen family's old house, two figures collided violently.

Shen Chongshan unleashed a punch, and his ninth-order blood energy transformed into a crimson divine bird, instantly tearing apart a courtyard dozens of feet long.

However, two demon warriors beside Cao Xuan pressed down from the left and right.

One person spread out his scales on both arms and caught the divine bird.

The other person's bony wings flapped, and he appeared behind Shen Chongshan.

puff!

A hand covered in black lines pierced through his chest.

Shen Chongshan's pupils contracted sharply.

"You...this is not human martial arts!"

He finally realized that there were demons in the aura of these people!

But it is neither a demon nor a monster.

Cao Xuan walked up to him in one step.

"It's too late."

The Demon-Suppressing Blade slashes horizontally.

An old man's head flew up.

The only ninth-rank member of the Shen family is dead.

The remaining people were even less able to resist.

Screams rang out one after another.

As soon as the head of the Shen family ran out of the inner courtyard, he was stabbed through the back by a seventh-level Demon Suppression Guard.

Shen Yurong couldn't even put up a fight.

Her fifth-tier cultivation, built up through six blood transfusions, was no different from that of an ordinary person in front of a true master of the Demon Suppression Division.

"Wait! Don't kill me! Someone in my Shen family is a direct disciple of the master!"

"You cannot..."

The blade flashed, and the sound abruptly stopped.

Shen Yurong fell to the ground, and even in death she did not understand why the Shen family, which had been decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations during the day and was preparing to welcome her seventh fiancé, had come to the point of being wiped out just a few hours later.

An hour later, the entire Shen family compound fell silent. Corpses littered the front and back yards, and the people from the Demon Suppression Division began to skillfully clean up the scene.

Only one person remains alive: Shen Zhao.

He stood in the center of the hall, looking completely dumbfounded.

Father died, sister died, ancestor died; the entire Shen family was wiped out overnight.

Cao Xuan deliberately did not kill him immediately.

The point is to make him watch as everything he owns is destroyed.

"Do you know why I kept you here until now?"

Shen Zhao's lips trembled slightly.

Cao Xuan walked up to him, grinning as he said:

"Because it's you."

"It was you who brought the lord to Yunzhou Prefecture."

"It was you who dared to try and turn our master into food for your Shen family."

"All of this that has befallen the Shen family today is a result of your own actions."

Shen Zhao's body trembled violently, and his last bit of hope shattered completely.

It really is him. Gu Changjin!

The "first-tier martial artist" that he brought back from Qinghe County.

The three ninth-level experts who appeared in that courtyard during the day.

The "adult" they spoke of, and the "lord" of the group before them.

From beginning to end, it was all Gu Changjin!

"How is that possible..."

Shen Zhao murmured.

"He was clearly just..."

Cao Xuan was too lazy to listen.

Shen Zhao suddenly drew his long sword from his waist.

"My Shen family has not colluded with demons!"

"You're framing me!"

"Oh."

A ninth-level martial artist next to him laughed out loud.

"Your Shen family is exchanging living people for blood. With all the filth you've done, are you saying you're worse than demons? Am I wrong to accuse you?"

Shen Zhao charged forward with a roar, ignoring everything, and the outcome was as expected.

The knife hadn't even fallen yet.

A demonic hand shattered his chest.

Shen Zhao fell to the ground.

The Shen family was thus completely wiped out.

As for the Shen family's prodigy who became a disciple of the Guardian Master...

He didn't come back tonight either.

A hundred miles outside the city, they were attacked and killed by high-level demons, leaving no trace of their bodies.

……

The next morning, after waking up, Gu Changjin went to the Demon Suppression Division in Yunzhou as usual, as there were still many books he hadn't finished reading.

He paused suddenly as soon as he stepped through the gates of the Demon Suppression Bureau.

There are quite a few large trees that have appeared on the street outside the gate at some point.

Each tree is lush and verdant, with thick trunks and leaves that are almost too green.

Gu Changjin sensed it for a moment, then his lips twitched.

Good heavens! So you live at No. 13 West Alley of the Demon Suppression Division, and you're good at turning living people into giant trees, huh?!

This group of people is getting better and better at having fun.

He shook his head, put his hands behind his back, and continued walking inside.

Meanwhile, deep within Yunzhou Prefecture.

Inside a tall tower that is closed year-round.

The garrison commander of Yunzhou slowly put down the secret report in his hand.

The Shen family colluded with demons, and the Demon Suppression Division was ordered to exterminate the entire clan. Meanwhile, Shen's own disciples were attacked and killed by demons on their way back to the city.

Each one seems reasonable on its own, but they all happened in one day.

It was too coincidental, and too rushed.

The real person remained silent for a long time.

"Go check."

A dark figure bowed outside the door.

"Yes."

The footsteps gradually faded into the distance.

He was alone in the room again.

Master Yunzhou looked up at the gloomy sky outside the tower, a hint of irritation flashing in his eyes.

After a moment, he muttered to himself.

"Unfortunately... I can't use my true form's power yet."

"Hopefully it's just a coincidence and doesn't ruin things."