I, a prison guard in the Heavenly Prison, secretly became invincible thanks to the system.

Ye Kang couldn't hide his excitement; his heart even beat faster.

There's no way around it, he's just too eager to improve!

Since the last time they slew the catfish demon in the lake, the Azure Scale branch has not had any missions involving demons.

Ye Kang's Demon Furnace is hungry!

He was constantly thinking about finding a companion for the catfish demon and refining a demon martial arts manual.

How could he not be excited upon hearing the words "demons"?

Cui Mengyu and Liu Mingkong were both stunned for a moment, then they both laughed awkwardly.

"Young Master Ye, I'm so sorry, I just said it casually..."

"No need to apologize, please continue."

"Young Master Ye, are you perhaps interested in demons?"

Ye Kang nodded noncommittally.

Liu Mingkong asked in confusion, "That's strange. Many people don't believe in the word 'demons' when they hear it. Of all the people in the Great Jin, I'm afraid no more than 10% believe in the existence of demons."

Cui Mengyu rolled her eyes at him and said, "Don't talk nonsense, Liu Lang. Young Master Ye is no ordinary person. Since you are interested, I will say a few more words."

She cleared her throat and said, "This demon appeared the day before yesterday, robbed a small merchant caravan of the Cui family, and killed many people. According to the survivors, the demon had a green skin all over its body, flesh like a withered tree, and two sharp lower teeth. The Cui family has been in business for many years, so they must know some secrets. This demon should be a mountain ghost."

"Mountain ghost?"

"That's right. Although this kind of demon is not common, it appears most frequently among the known types of demons because this beast is extremely intelligent and especially likes to suck human blood. It often robs and kills passing merchants and travelers."

As she spoke, Cui Mengyu even pulled a portrait out of her sleeve.

When you unfold it, you see a drawing of a humanoid monster with a blue face and fangs, whose appearance is extremely ugly.

Cui Mengyu added, "Judging from its size, this creature should be a newborn mountain spirit. It is not very strong. Our caravan was formed temporarily, so the guards were insufficient, which is why it took advantage of the situation. In theory, a master of the innate realm could have dealt with it."

She said that, but her brows furrowed.

"But mountain spirits usually don't appear alone. If he were to encounter a fully grown mountain spirit, Liu Lang's strength would probably be insufficient to withstand it."

Cui Mengyu glanced at Liu Mingkong.

At this time, he did not show off his power. After arriving in the South, he realized how high the sky was. He had only just entered the Innate Realm and dared not be presumptuous.

After listening, Ye Kang nodded and said, "That's right, then I'll accompany Brother Liu."

After Ye Kang finished speaking, he noticed that everyone looked surprised and wondered if they had misheard him.

Are Liu Mingkong and Ye Kang really that close? He actually wants to go with him?

Liu Mingkong was overjoyed and immediately picked up a glass of wine, saying, "Brother Ye! What have I, Liu Mingkong, done to deserve this... I toast you with this glass of wine!"

He downed the drink in one gulp and quickly said, "With Young Master Ye by my side, there is nothing to fear. But how could I trouble you unnecessarily? Please accept these five thousand taels of silver!"

Liu Mingkong took out five silver notes and stuffed them directly into Ye Kang's hand.

Ye Kangle was amused; this guy was quite sensible.

Anyway, we have to find this demon. Since there's money to be made, why not take it?

Moreover, five thousand taels is no small amount; the reward for a single mission in the Qinglin branch is far less than that.

Ye Kang put away the silver notes, revealing a righteous expression, and said, "No need to be polite. As an official of the imperial court, it is my duty to slay demons and monsters. If you encounter any demon-related matters in the future, you can come to me at any time!"

Everyone quickly raised their glasses, thinking to themselves, "When did court officials become so proactive in advocating for the people?"

……

After a satisfying meal, Ye Kang and Liu Mingkong agreed on a time, and Ye Kang went back to sleep.

After a good rest and to recharge, Ye Kang got up early the next day and went to the North Gate.

Liu Mingkong was already waiting there. He had changed into a smart martial arts shirt, with a green sword at his waist, and rode a pure white horse. He looked even more extraordinary than Ye Kang's red-maned steed.

Beside him were two guards from the Cui family's caravan, both survivors of the mountain demon's attack.

Liu Mingkong said, "Young Master Ye, I prepared quite a few things last night, including poison and traps. They will definitely come in handy!"

"No need, it's too much trouble."

"Huh? Then how are we supposed to slay the demons and eliminate evil..."

"Find the demon first, then kill it."

"..."

Liu Mingkong was speechless for a moment.

Well, the big shot certainly has the confidence to say that.

The four traveled swiftly northwest, while two caravan guards provided detailed accounts of the situation.

One of them said, “Young masters, we were on our way to Huainan to transport supplies. When we were halfway there, on the official road at the foot of Leiming Mountain, that monster suddenly jumped out and started biting people. We were caught off guard. By the time we reacted, the monster had already killed people and dragged the corpses into the mountains.”

The two caravan guards were still shaken when they talked about it. In reality, their strength was only around top-tier, and if they really fought, they might not have the upper hand.

Ye Kang nodded, and before long, the group arrived at the foot of Thunder Mountain.

Between Huainan and Jinling, there are countless mountain ranges, but Leiming Mountain stands out with its unique name, which is why it is so special.

Legend has it that every year on the night of the Awakening of Insects, thunder and lightning strike Leiming Mountain, the light so bright it almost swallows up the earth.

No one knows why this is so. Many talented people have come here to investigate, but they have all come up empty-handed. All that can be said is that this is a blessing from heaven and earth.

Liu Mingkong said, "This mountain is huge! I've never seen one this big in Mengzhou. How are we going to find it?"

The two guards remained silent; their task of leading the way was over, and they couldn't offer any further assistance.

Ye Kangze said, "No matter what you're looking for, there's a four-word secret: observation, listening, questioning, and palpation. Are there any houses at the foot of the mountain?"

"Young master, there is a wild village two miles away."

"Go and ask."

Ye Kang took the lead, and the four of them soon came to a remote little village nestled against the mountains and by the water. Although it was poor, it looked very harmonious.

Upon seeing the four outsiders, the nearby villagers immediately raised their hoes and shouted, "Mountain bandits!"

One of the guards quickly said, "They're not bandits, they're the Cui family's merchant caravan!"

Only then did the villager put down his hoe.

The Cui family caravan was an old acquaintance of this official road and had done business in the village several times, so they remembered them.

The villager said, "What are you doing here? If you want water, go fetch it from the ditch yourself. It's spring water, it's clean."

Ye Kang laughed and said, "Thank you, fellow villager. You just mentioned bandits. Are they from Thunder Mountain?"

The villager nodded and sighed, "There wasn't one in the early years. Who knew that a group of bandits would suddenly appear in the last few years? They don't kill people, but they want us to give them rice, flour and vegetables every month. They're really wicked."

"Oh?" A glint flashed in Ye Kang's eyes.

"Didn't you report it to the authorities?"

"We dare not report it. Thunder Mountain is so big, where would the government find the manpower to search for it? If those bandits find out that we reported it to the authorities, our village will be finished."

The villager looked helpless, then waved his hand and said, "Why should I tell you all this? The Cui family doesn't care about these things. Go fetch water yourselves."

"Wait!" Ye Kang called out to his fellow villager.

"We don't know when the bandits will return; this matter is our Cui family's responsibility."