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

Late at night, in a villa in the eastern part of the city.

Xu Yuan sat cross-legged in the quiet room, with the portrait spread out in front of him.

The portrait of himself is vivid and lifelike, with expressive features.

"The Liu family..." Xu Yuan murmured to himself.

The Liu family is a powerful clan in Cangzhou with deep-rooted influence, and the patriarch, Liu Zhenshan, is a master at the late stage of the Qi Condensation Realm.

Liu Ruyan is the eldest daughter of the Liu family and an inner disciple of the Green Mountain Sect, holding an extremely high status.

And now, she wants to investigate herself.

Xu Yuan, however, remained calm.

He was no longer the penniless, wild boy from Shuangshan Village.

Xu Yuan now possesses the [Thousand Illusions] ability, allowing him to change his appearance and aura at will. He also has a ghost servant like Hua Mei, a mid-stage Ghost General, secretly protecting him. Furthermore, his identity as a member of the Northern Camp of the Demon Suppression Division can also serve as a cover for him.

The Liu family won't find it easy to touch him.

Moreover, Xu Yuan now knows that the Liu family and Youying Tower are colluding, which is a perfect way to kill two birds with one stone.

"Master," Hua Mei's voice came from outside the door, "that Meng Hu is here again, saying it's urgent."

Xu Yuan put away the portrait, got up and opened the door.

In the courtyard, Meng Hu paced anxiously. When he saw Xu Yuan come out, he quickly went to greet him.

"Brother Xu, something terrible has happened!"

"What's wrong?"

"The Liu family—the Liu family of Cangzhou has sent people to the Demon Suppression Division to demand our release!" Meng Hu whispered.

"It's said that the last person their eldest son, Liu Qingyun, had contact with before his disappearance was you! Now, the Liu family, along with several smaller families, is putting pressure on the Demon Suppression Bureau to thoroughly investigate this matter!"

Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow.

So fast?

It seems that Liu Ruyan had just arranged for Youying Tower to secretly investigate her, and now the Liu family has begun to exert direct pressure.

A two-pronged approach, that's a clever plan.

"What did Commander Lei say?" Xu Yuan asked.

"The camp commander slammed his fist on the table and said that it was not the Liu family's place to interrogate the people of the Demon Suppression Division," Meng Hu said. "But the Liu family was relentless and said that if the Demon Suppression Division did not give an explanation, they would appeal to the Green Mountain Sect and ask the sect elders to arbitrate."

Xu Yuan nodded.

Lei Zhen's attitude was exactly what he expected.

The Demon Suppression Bureau and the Green Mountain Sect have always kept to themselves, but if the Liu family really brings up the Green Mountain Sect, things will become complicated.

"Brother Xu, tell me honestly," Meng Hu lowered his voice, "what's your connection to Liu Qingyun's death?"

Xu Yuan looked at him and suddenly smiled.

Do you believe me?

Meng Hu was taken aback for a moment, then nodded emphatically: "I believe you! You're one of our Northern Camp members, who else would I believe if not you?"

"That's enough." Xu Yuan patted his shoulder. "Go back and tell Commander Lei that I, Xu Yuan, didn't kill him. If the Liu family wants to investigate, let them investigate all they want."

Meng Hu looked at him, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

"Okay, I'll go and get back to you right away!"

After Meng Hu left, Xu Yuan returned to the quiet room and sat down cross-legged.

The Liu family's move was both a test and an application of pressure.

He was trying to find out how much he knew about Liu Qingyun's death, while also attempting to put pressure on him to throw him into disarray.

But what the Liu family didn't know was—

Xu Yuan was no longer the "newcomer in the early stage of Qi Condensation" in their eyes.

"It is impolite not to reciprocate." Xu Yuan's lips curled into a smile. "Since the Liu family wants to play, then we'll play along."

He closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into his mind.

In the Hundred Ghosts Picture Book, the progress of the Hungry Ghost Picture Book has reached 100%. After being fully lit up, the [Body of Eternal Hunger] will allow him to cultivate at a speed far exceeding that of ordinary people.

The Painted Skin Demon's illustration is 27% complete, and the [Thousand Illusions] ability has been upgraded, making it impossible for those in the same realm to see through it.

The number of Chang Gui illustrations is 86% complete, increasing the number of controllable Chang Gui to nine, and adding a mid-stage Ghost General, Hua Mei.

Once the Yaksha Oni illustration is lit up by 1%, the [Yaksha Power] can be unleashed at crucial moments.

"There are still twenty days until the Demon-Slaying Tournament," Xu Yuan thought to himself. "Before that, I need to complete the condensation of the fifth aperture."

He took out spirit stones and pills from his storage bag and began cultivating.

The vital energy surges through the meridians like rivers flowing into the sea.

Silent all night.

The next morning, Xu Yuan had just finished his cultivation when he heard a knock on the door outside the courtyard.

Upon opening the door, they were surprised to find Xiao Yunhan standing there.

"Uncle Xiao? Why did you come in person?"

Xiao Yunhan's expression was not good: "The Liu family has sent people again. This time they brought an outer sect elder from the Green Mountain Sect, saying they want to 'assist in the investigation'."

Xu Yuan's gaze sharpened.

Outer sect elder of the Green Mountain Sect?

"What did Commander Lei say?"

"The camp commander asked me to take you there so we can talk things out face to face," Xiao Yunhan said in a deep voice. "Don't worry, with me here, I won't let them cause any trouble."

Xu Yuan nodded and followed Xiao Yunhan toward the Demon Suppression Division.

Along the way, Xiao Yunhan lowered his voice and reminded him, "The outer sect elder of the Green Mountain Sect who came is named Zhou Yuanqing, and he is Zhou Yuankai's cousin. That kid Zhou Yuankai doesn't get along with you, and his cousin's visit this time is probably an opportunity to cause trouble."

Zhou Yuankai's cousin?

Xu Yuan understood.

He still remembered Zhou Yuankai's sarcastic remarks at the banquet that day.

Now that his cousin has arrived, things are unlikely to end well.

The main hall of the Northern Camp of the Demon Suppression Division.

The atmosphere today is unusually somber.

Lei Zhen sat at the head of the table, his face cold and stern.

To the left of the lower seat sat three strangers—the leader was an old man in a gray robe, with white hair and beard and sharp eyes; behind him stood two disciples in green robes, both at the peak of Blood Refinement.

On the right is Liu Ruyan, dressed in a fiery red dress.

She was still stunningly beautiful today, but her phoenix eyes revealed an undisguised coldness.

Xu Yuan and Xiao Yunhan entered the hall and instantly became the focus of everyone's attention.

Liu Ruyan's gaze fell on Xu Yuan, and she paused slightly.

"You are Xu Yuan?" the gray-robed old man asked, his voice aged yet full of vigor. "I am Zhou Yuanqing, an outer sect elder of the Green Mountain Sect."

Xu Yuan clasped his hands in greeting: "Greetings, Elder Zhou."

Zhou Yuanqing sized him up, then suddenly smiled: "Early stage of Qi Condensation? Quite promising for your age. But I heard that before Liu Qingyun, the eldest son of the Liu family, disappeared, the last person he was in contact with was you?"

Xu Yuan's expression remained unchanged: "Elder Zhou, you are mistaken. I did appear in the west of the city the night Liu Qingyun disappeared, but that was to investigate the case of the Painted Skin Ghost, and had nothing to do with Liu Qingyun."

"A painted-skin demon?" Zhou Yuanqing raised an eyebrow. "You think it is just because you say so?"

Xu Yuan took out a token from his pocket and placed it on the table.

That was a mission token from the Demon Suppression Division, clearly indicating the mission time and location.

"At three-quarters past 9 PM that night, I was ordered by the Northern Camp to investigate the serial disappearances in Willow Leaf Lane. This matter is documented. If Elder Zhou does not believe me, he can go to the archives to retrieve the files."

Zhou Yuanqing took the token, examined it carefully, and his expression changed slightly.

At this moment, Liu Ruyan suddenly spoke.

"Young Master Xu, did you see my brother in the west of the city that night?"

Xu Yuan looked at her.

Their eyes met, and Liu Ruyan's eyes were full of scrutiny.

Xu Yuan replied frankly, "No."

"Then why did my brother's attendant die in the west of the city? And why was you the last person he saw before he disappeared?" Liu Ruyan pressed on relentlessly.

Xu Yuan smiled.

That smile was faint, yet it made Liu Ruyan feel inexplicably uneasy.

"Miss Liu," Xu Yuan said slowly, "you keep saying that I last saw your brother, may I ask what evidence you have? Is there witness testimony or physical evidence?"

Liu Ruyan paused for a moment.

"My brother's attendant left a clue before he died—"

"Before he died?" Xu Yuan interrupted her. "Those two attendants also died?"

Liu Ruyan's expression changed slightly as she realized she had misspoke.

Zhou Yuanqing frowned: "Junior Nephew Liu, what's going on?"

Liu Ruyan was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "After my brother went missing, the Liu family sent people to search. In an abandoned house in the west of the city, they found two mummified corpses, who were his followers. Their deaths were extremely gruesome, and their life essence had been drained, which is suspected to be the work of evil spirits."

These words made the atmosphere in the room even more subtle.

The essence and blood are drained—this is precisely the characteristic of the Painted Skin Ghost's crimes.

Xu Yuan understood, but remained outwardly calm: "Miss Liu means that your brother was also in the west of the city the night he disappeared? Then I'd like to ask, what was your brother doing in such a remote place like the west of the city in the middle of the night?"

Liu Ruyan was speechless again.

Zhou Yuanqing looked at her, his gaze now more scrutinizing.

Liu Ruyan took a deep breath, suppressing her anger: "What my brother does is none of your business. I'm only asking you, did you see him that night?"

Xu Yuan shook his head.

"no."

These two simple words convey an undeniable certainty.

Liu Ruyan stared at him for a long time, then suddenly smiled.

That smile was cold.

"Alright, since Young Master Xu says there's no such thing, then there's no such thing." She stood up and looked at Zhou Yuanqing. "Elder Zhou, let's stop here for today. My Liu family will continue our investigation. If we find any evidence, we'll come back to consult you again."

With that, she turned and left, her fiery red skirt billowing in the wind like a burning flame.

Zhou Yuanqing glanced at Xu Yuan, then left with his two disciples.