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

The two remained silent the entire way, and as evening approached, they finally saw the outline of the county town.

As dusk fell, a gray-black city wall appeared before Xu Yuan, about two zhang high, with crenellations on top, and two mottled characters carved above the city gate—Qingyang.

However, the scene outside the city gates made him and the old village chief feel a chill in their hearts.

Below the city gate, hundreds of refugees swarmed outside the barricades like ants, their cries, pleas, and curses mingling together. Several emaciated children huddled between the barricades, gazing longingly at the faint wisps of smoke rising from the city walls.

"Let us in! My dad works in the city!"

"Sir, please have mercy! My child is starving to death..."

"Isn't there porridge distribution in the city? Why aren't they letting us in?"

Behind the barricades, a dozen soldiers stood with spears, their faces cold and hard. The leader was a bearded captain with a knife at his waist, his eyes full of fatigue and impatience.

"What happened?" Xu Laogen's voice was dry.

Xu Yuan narrowed his eyes, fully activating his senses, and then "saw" the tense aura swirling around the soldiers, the despair and deathly aura permeating the refugees, and even a faint layer of bloodthirsty aura shrouding the entire Qingyang County.

"Martial law has been declared in the city!" Xu Yuan said in a deep voice.

"How could this be..." Xu Laogen's face turned pale, and his eyes instantly dimmed.

Just then, they suddenly heard the sound of horses' hooves and wheels rolling behind them.

A group of people came from the official road, led by two mounted guards, with a simply decorated carriage in the middle and several servants following behind.

The carriage slowed down and stopped right near Xu Yuan and Xu Laogen.

A corner of the car window curtain was lifted, revealing the face of a young woman. She was about seventeen or eighteen years old, with delicate features and a scholarly air about her, but her eyes were unusually calm.

"Uncle Fu, go and ask what happened." The woman's voice was cold.

An old servant dismounted in response and went to the city gate to inquire. He returned a moment later with a solemn expression: "Miss, the gatekeeper said that the magistrate has ordered that martial law be imposed in the county town from today onwards, and no one who is not a resident of the town is allowed to enter."

The woman frowned: "Why the sudden martial law?"

The old servant lowered his voice: "I heard... the Xiongnu cavalry are heading south. Their vanguard has already crossed Black Wind Ridge and is less than three hundred li away from here."

The woman's expression changed.

Their conversation was overheard by Xu Yuan and Xu Laogen, who were standing nearby.

"The Xiongnu are moving south..."

Xu Laogen's face was deathly pale, his bony hands gripping his cane tightly, his knuckles white.

Ahead lies the tiger demon attempting to break the seal, and behind lies the Xiongnu poised to invade from the south.

This world truly leaves no way out for anyone.

Xu Yuan's expression also became solemn. Compared to the old village chief, he had a deeper thought—if the tiger demon hazard could not be eliminated before the Xiongnu moved south, the people of Shuangshan Village would only have one path left: to become refugees!

The plight and fate of these refugees outside Qingyang City are vivid examples.

We must go into the city for help!

Thinking this through, Xu Yuan no longer hesitated. He stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting to the woman in the carriage, and said, "Miss, I am Xu Yuan from Shuangshan Village, and this is our village head. Our village has recently been afflicted by a demon and we need to go to the city to seek help from the Demon Suppression Bureau. Could you please do us a favor?"

The woman's gaze fell on Xu Yuan. Although his clothes were tattered, he had a tall and straight figure and clear eyes. In particular, the murderous aura that had not yet dissipated made her slightly moved.

"A demonic calamity?" the woman asked curiously.

Xu Yuan nodded and explained succinctly the matter of the ghost attacking the village and the tiger demon about to break the seal.

The woman frowned even more after hearing this: "Please wait here for a moment."

She asked the old servant to come forward again, but this time he handed over a token. The guard took the token, looked at it, his expression changed slightly, and he quickly ran up the city wall.

Before long, a middle-aged civil official wearing a blue robe and sporting a goatee hurried down from the city wall, came to the carriage, cupped his hands and smiled, "So it is Miss Shen returning to the city. I am sorry for not welcoming you sooner."

Shen Qingyi nodded slightly: "County Magistrate Wang, my two friends have urgent business in the city. Could you make an exception?"

Magistrate Wang looked troubled: "Miss Shen, it's not that I'm disrespecting you, but the magistrate has given strict orders..."

"Their village has just been afflicted by a demon. If it is not dealt with promptly, it could lead to a major disaster." Shen Qingyi's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable air of authority. "My father has some connections with Registrar Zhao of the Demon Suppression Division in the county. I will personally explain this matter to him."

Upon hearing the words "Demon Suppression Division," Magistrate Wang's expression changed. He glanced at Xu Yuan and his companion, then gritted his teeth and said, "Since it's a demonic calamity, we can't delay. Let them pass!"

The drawbridge slowly lowered, and the city gate opened a crack. Shen Qingyi's carriage went first, followed by Xu Yuan and the old village chief and other attendants. Amidst the envious and jealous gazes of countless refugees, they entered the city.

The atmosphere was completely different once we entered the city.

There were few pedestrians on the streets, most shops were closed, and those that were open were almost deserted. Squads of soldiers patrolled the streets with vigilant eyes, and the air was filled with a sense of impending doom.

"Miss Shen, thank you for your help!" Xu Yuan thanked her again.

Shen Qingyi lifted the carriage curtain and sized him up: "You said earlier that you killed the three-headed vengeful spirit?"

"Yes."

"All by himself?"

Xu Yuan nodded.

A glint of surprise flashed in Shen Qingyi's eyes: "You've practiced martial arts?"

"I learned a few farming skills from the old hunters in the village," Xu Yuan said vaguely.

Shen Qingyi gave him a deep look, but did not ask any further questions. She simply said, "The Demon Suppression Bureau is located in Willow Leaf Lane in the west of the city. You may do as you please. I need to go home first. If the Demon Suppression Bureau does not take care of you, you can come to the Shen residence in the city to find me."

Having said that, the carriage rumbled away.

As Xu Laogen watched the carriage disappear into the distance, he murmured, "The Shen family... they're the most powerful family in Qingyang County. I've heard that Old Master Shen was a government official in the capital in his early years, and even the county magistrate had to give him some respect after he retired and returned to his hometown."

Xu Yuan silently made a note of it, and the two of them immediately headed west of the city.

The Demon Suppression Bureau's office was not hard to find, and its entrance was not large, just a three-courtyard complex. Above the gate hung a plaque that read "Qingyang Station of the Demon Suppression Bureau," its paint mottled and exuding an air of decay.

Xu Yuan knocked on the door for a long time before a sleepy-eyed old yamen runner opened it, asking impatiently, "Who are you looking for?"

"Sir, I am the village head of Shuangshan Village. The village has been afflicted by a demon..." Xu Laogen hurriedly explained his purpose.

The old constable yawned and reluctantly stepped aside, saying, "Come in."

The courtyard was even more deserted, overgrown with weeds. Only the main hall was somewhat presentable, where a middle-aged man dressed in a black outfit sat drinking wine with peanuts. Seeing someone arrive, he didn't even look up: "What brings you here?"

"Sir, I am the village head of Shuangshan Village, our village..." Xu Laogen repeated the story.

Upon hearing this, Registrar Zhao scoffed, "Tiger demon? A cougar? Old man, are you starving and talking nonsense?"

Xu Yuan stepped forward: "Last night, three demonic beasts attacked the village, but I killed them. The tiger demon in the back mountain is indeed about to break its seal and descend to wreak havoc!"

Clerk Zhao sized Xu Yuan up and down, quite disdainfully: "You killed three-headed demons? With your abilities?"

"Me!"

Clerk Zhao put down his wine jug, stood up, and, standing eight feet tall with broad shoulders and a thick waist, exuded an imposing aura. "Boy, the work of the Demon Suppression Division isn't something just anyone can do. You say you killed the 'Changgui' (a type of evil spirit), where's the evidence?"

Xu Yuan raised his left arm, and the Ghost Compendium quietly activated, revealing the wound that had almost healed.

Registrar Zhao leaned closer for a look, his expression changing slightly: "It really is Yin energy..." He stared at Xu Yuan and questioned, "How did you kill him?"

"Use a knife."

"Bullshit!" Chief Clerk Zhao scoffed. "Ordinary weapons can harm demons? Unless..."

Halfway through his sentence, he suddenly made a move, striking Xu Yuan in the chest with a palm! This palm strike was fast and ruthless, creating a sound of wind breaking through the air, undoubtedly a test of Xu Yuan's strength and weakness.

Xu Yuan was prepared and neither dodged nor evaded, but met the attack with his own palm. The two palms collided with a muffled "bang," and both men retreated three steps.

Zhao, the registrar, flashed a sharp light in his eyes: "A Blood Refining Realm martial artist? Who are you?"

"Hunters from Shuangshan Village," Xu Yuan said calmly.

"A hunter?" Chief Clerk Zhao laughed heartily. "What hunter could possibly have the cultivation of the Blood Refining Realm? Kid, you'd better tell the truth."

Xu Yuan's mind raced. This Registrar Zhao was clearly a martial artist with considerable insight, able to see through his disguise at a glance. Therefore, concealing it was pointless; perhaps it would be better to…

"I once accidentally swallowed a piece of mountain spirit flesh and blood, and my strength increased greatly afterward," Xu Yuan said, half-truthfully. "Last night, the evil spirits attacked the village. I fought back desperately and managed to kill them, but I was also injured in the process."

Zhao, the registrar, stared at him for a long time before slowly nodding: "That makes sense. The flesh and blood of mountain spirits contain demonic power, and ordinary people will surely die if they eat it. However, if one has a special constitution, one may be able to absorb some of it and enter the Blood Refining Realm."

He sat back in his chair and took a sip of his drink: "You just said that the tiger demon is about to descend from the mountain and wreak havoc?"

"yes!"

After a moment of silence, Registrar Zhao said, "I am aware of this matter. You may all return now. I will send someone to handle it."

Xu Laogen immediately panicked: "My lord, this is a matter of life and death! There are still dozens of households in the village. The tiger demon could come down the mountain at any time!"

"The Demon Suppression Division has its own regulations." Registrar Zhao waved his hand. "You should go back and appease the villagers first. Within three days, someone will come to your village to investigate."

Having said all that, there was no point in dwelling on it any longer, so Xu Laogen could only express his gratitude profusely and pull Xu Yuan away.

Upon leaving the Demon Suppression Bureau's office, Xu Laogen immediately became worried: "Yuanwa, do you think they will really send someone?"

Xu Yuan glanced back at the deserted government office entrance and shook his head: "Hard to say."

Judging from Zhao Zhubu's attitude just now, it can be seen that the Demon Suppression Division is now only in name and probably has neither the time nor the manpower to manage a small mountain village.

"What should we do then?"

"Let's find a place to stay first, and think of another way tomorrow." Xu Yuan helped Xu Laogen and they found a simple inn nearby to stay in.

That night, Xu Yuan sat cross-legged on the bed and took out the black iron piece given to him by the boy from Xiaowangzhuang from his bosom.

The iron plate remained cold, its patterns blurred. He tried to activate it with his qi and blood but there was no response. However, when the image of a hundred ghosts unfolded in his mind, the patterns on the iron plate lit up slightly for a moment before going out.

"What exactly is this thing...?"

Just as Xu Yuan was about to delve deeper into the matter, his Yin Qi perception suddenly issued a warning.

Xu Yuan blew out the oil lamp, quietly walked to the window, and looked through the crack—he saw three men in black leaping down from the opposite rooftop and landing in the courtyard of the inn.