A Compendium of One Hundred Demons: My Path to Immortality in a World of Demons and Monsters

During the day, Shen Qingyi had said that I could contact her if I needed anything. Now, in this situation, perhaps only the Shen family can provide protection.

More importantly, the news that Black Wind Stronghold might be colluding with the Xiongnu must be reported to the authorities as soon as possible!

The two were careful on their way and it took them half an hour to reach the Shen residence.

The Shen family mansion occupies a large area, with high walls and deep courtyards. The two stone lions in front of the gate appear particularly majestic in the dark night.

Xu Yuan stepped forward and knocked on the door knocker. After a short while, the side door opened a crack, and a sleepy-eyed doorman poked his head out: "Who is it? So late at night..."

"My name is Xu Yuan. I met Miss Shen briefly during the day. I have urgent business to discuss with you. Please inform me of your presence," Xu Yuan said, bowing slightly.

The gatekeeper sized him up and, seeing that he and the old village chief were dressed in tattered clothes, he was about to refuse them, but perhaps sensing the lingering murderous aura emanating from Xu Yuan, he changed his words to, "Please wait a moment."

Before long, the side door opened again, and out came the old servant who had been called Uncle Fu during the day.

"Young Master Xu?" Uncle Fu asked, somewhat surprised. "It's so late, have you encountered some trouble?"

Xu Yuan briefly recounted his assassination attempt at the inn, omitting the details of refining the cougar.

Upon hearing this, Uncle Fu's expression also turned serious: "Is this really the case... Please come in first." He then stepped aside to make way, "I'll go and inform Miss right away."

In the inner courtyard of the Shen residence, in an elegantly furnished study, Shen Qingyi, wearing an outer robe, listened to Xu Yuan's narration with a slight frown.

"Black Wind Stronghold dares to collude with the Xiongnu..." Her voice turned cold. "This matter is of great importance and must be reported immediately. You can stay here for now; you'll be safe." She then looked at Uncle Fu. "Uncle Fu, prepare the carriage. I'm going to see Magistrate Wang."

"Miss, it's only the hour of Chou (1-3 AM)..."

"We can't worry about that now." Shen Qingyi stood up. "Xu Yuan, come with me. There are some details that I need you to explain to me in person."

Xu Yuan didn't refuse and nodded: "Okay."

A quarter of an hour later, a carriage drove out of the back gate of the Shen residence and headed straight for the county government office.

Inside the carriage, Shen Qingyi looked at Xu Yuan and suddenly asked, "You said that after you subdued those three men in black, they revealed this information. Where are they now?"

Xu Yuan remained calm: "I killed them all."

Shen Qingyi gave him a deep look, then didn't press further, changing the subject: "You're already a Blood Refining Realm martial artist?"

Xu Yuan nodded: "I was lucky enough to have swallowed a piece of mountain spirit flesh and blood."

Shen Qingyi pondered, "Although the flesh and blood of mountain spirits can help people refine their blood, it is ultimately an external thing, and it carries considerable hidden dangers. True martial arts cultivation requires the guidance of orthodox techniques, progressing step by step."

She paused for a moment, then said, "In my Shen family's library, there are a few martial arts manuals and techniques that you may borrow if you wish."

Xu Yuan's eyes lit up: "Then thank you very much, Miss Shen!"

"No need to be so polite." Shen Qingyi smiled slightly. "You killed the bandits, saved the villagers of Xiaowangzhuang, and now you've intercepted such important intelligence."

She changed the subject: "As for the tiger demon in Shuangshan Village, the Demon Suppression Division is indeed short-handed right now, but it won't completely ignore it. If the situation is true, I will try to persuade Registrar Zhao to send someone."

"Thank you for your trouble, Miss Shen," Xu Yuan said solemnly.

"It's alright." Shen Qingyi waved her hand and said nothing more, and the carriage fell silent.

Outside the car, the night was deep.

In another courtyard in the county town, a scarred man with a burly face suddenly smashed a wine glass on the ground.

"Three good-for-nothings! They can't even handle a country bumpkin!"

A man with a pointed face and monkey-like features at the bottom quickly said, "Second Master, please calm down. That kid was able to kill Fourth Master and more than a dozen of our brothers single-handedly. He is indeed quite capable. Moreover, according to reports from our spies, he has now entered the Shen residence..."

"The Shen family?" The scarred man was none other than Chen Bao, the second-in-command of Black Wind Stronghold. A hint of apprehension flashed in his eyes. "That old bastard from the Shen family is indeed not to be trifled with."

"Then let's..."

"Keep an eye on them for now." Chen Bao said with a gloomy face. "Once things calm down, there will be plenty of opportunities. Right now, the most important thing is to hurry up and 'stock up on food.' My brother said that when the Huns come, it will be a great opportunity for us to fish in troubled waters."

"yes!"

Chen Bao walked to the window, glancing towards the Shen residence, a murderous glint flashing in his eyes: "Kid, I'll let you live a few more days!"

…………

In the back hall of the county government office, Magistrate Wang, who had already gone to bed, hurriedly put on his clothes and came out after hearing that Shen Qingyi had urgent business to attend to. When he heard that Black Wind Village might be colluding with the Xiongnu, his face turned pale and the teacup in his hand fell to the ground with a "clatter".

"Miss Shen...you can't say things like that!"

"I have solid evidence." Shen Qingyi repeated the information provided by Xu Yuan. "County Magistrate Wang, if this is true, you should know the consequences."

County Magistrate Wang, cold sweat pouring down his face, said, "I understand... I will report to the County Magistrate immediately!"

"Wait," Shen Qingyi called out to him. "This matter is of great importance, and the fewer people who know about it, the better. I want to meet with General Chen directly."

Chen Hanchuan is the garrison commander of Qingyang County and the true military controller in the city.

County Magistrate Wang hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "Very well, I will arrange it immediately!"

Half an hour later, in the secret room of the county government office.

A middle-aged general in military uniform, with a resolute face, listened to the report, his eyes flashing with cold light: "Black Wind Stronghold... they really have a lot of nerve!"

He looked at Xu Yuan: "Kid, are you sure those steppe people are Xiongnu?"

"The men in black only said they were from the grasslands, they were masked, and they spoke the grassland language, but considering the rumors of the Xiongnu's southward migration and the Black Wind Stronghold's sudden increase in stockpiling of grain and weapons, it's almost certainly true!" Xu Yuan calmly analyzed. The three men in black were all ghosts he had personally created, so they couldn't possibly be lying.

After a moment's contemplation, General Chen slammed his hand on the table: "Issue the order! Immediately, search all inns and taverns in the city and find all the spies from Black Wind Stronghold!"

"General, won't this alert the enemy?" Magistrate Wang asked worriedly.

"So what if they're alarmed?" General Chen sneered. "Two hundred bandits dare to cause trouble right under my nose? Perfect opportunity to wipe them all out in one fell swoop!"

He looked at Shen Qingyi and Xu Yuan: "Miss Shen, thank you for your timely report. This young man..."

"Xu Yuan from Shuangshan Village." Xu Yuan cupped his hands in greeting.

"Xu Yuan, the information you provided is very important. Once this matter is resolved, I will reward you handsomely." General Chen paused, "However, before that, to prevent Black Wind Stronghold from resorting to desperate measures, you'd better stay in the Shen residence and not go out."

"I will obey the general's orders," Shen Qingyi replied on Xu Yuan's behalf.

After leaving the county government office and returning to the carriage, Shen Qingyi looked at the gradually brightening sky outside the window and said softly, "Xu Yuan, thank you."

"Miss Shen, you're too kind. It's what I should do."

"No, I mean..." Shen Qingyi turned her head and looked directly at him, "Thank you for the information you provided. It's very important to the Shen family."

Xu Yuan was silent for a moment, then said, "Miss Shen is a reasonable person; telling you is the right choice."

Shen Qingyi smiled slightly and said no more.

Back at the Shen residence, Uncle Fu had already arranged guest rooms. The old village chief, being frail and exhausted from the night's ordeal, fell into a deep sleep.

Xu Yuan, however, was wide awake. He sat by the window, gazing at the moonlight in the courtyard, his mind a jumble of thoughts.

From the moment he transmigrated until now, he has almost never stopped.

From initially struggling to find enough food, to venturing into the mountains to hunt, followed by the appearance of the changui (a type of evil spirit), the hatred of the tiger demon, the threat of bandits, and the shadow of the Xiongnu's southward incursion...

All of this weighed heavily on his mind, and what he lacked most right now was strength.

"Cultivation techniques..." Xu Yuan murmured.

With proper cultivation techniques, he could finally truly come into contact with the martial arts of this world, and his strength might even reach a new level. At that time, he would have a better chance of dealing with bandits or tiger demons.

And that piece of black iron...

Xu Yuan took out the iron piece from his pocket and examined it by the moonlight. After his experience in refining the cougar, the pattern on the iron piece seemed to have become a little clearer, but it was still difficult to recognize.

"I'll go check out the Shen family's library when it gets light," Xu Yuan decided.

As for the tiger demon, since Shen Qingyi has agreed to help, there might really be a turning point.

If all else fails, he will have to find another way—for example, try to hunt down more ghosts or monsters and use the Hundred Ghosts Diagram to quickly increase his strength.

But that would be too risky.

"Take it one step at a time." Xu Yuan took a deep breath, suppressing his anxiety.