Chapter 699: Slay Demons and Seek the Records Judge—Qingzhou's Jiang Yao!

Even if Liu Sha, Dugu Lie, and the other one were all harboring ulterior motives and had not gone all out, it was still enough to show that this woman was extraordinary.

“This person is most likely not from Donglai County…”

Su Mu’s eyes narrowed slightly; at this closer distance he could see even more clearly the faint strand of Destiny golden light flickering on the body of the woman in the Profound Robe.

“I have been discourteous.”

The Profound Robe woman was not angered by his words. She smiled lightly, nodded, then neatly announced her identity: “I am Jiang Yao, Junior Sixth Grade Records Seeker of the Qingzhou Demon Slayer Bureau, also holding the post of Copper Order Judge.”

As she spoke, Jiang Yao removed from her waist a Bronze Order Token carved with a vividly lifelike ferocious tiger. The instant the token appeared, a murderous aura spread of its own accord; the tiger head on the token seemed to come alive, its pair of tiger eyes fixing on Su Mu and exerting an invisible pressure.

Qingzhou Demon Slayer Bureau, Junior Sixth Grade Records Seeker and Copper Order Judge!

Su Mu’s expression did not change, but in his heart waves surged—this was indeed as he had expected. Back in the Land of Cyan Clouds, he had once seen a similar strand of golden-red Destiny on Li Zhihe, who was then Director of the Cyan Cloud Demon Slayer Bureau.

At that time Su Mu had already made some guesses about the Profound Robe woman’s identity; he had not thought she would really be from the Demon Slayer Bureau. This person was a Junior Sixth Grade Records Seeker in the Qingzhou Demon Slayer Bureau—judging from rank, she was the superior’s superior of Li Zhihe.

Perhaps if his original plan had not changed and he had become a Golden Order Blade Catcher, he might have ended up serving under this Lord Jiang.

“Worthy indeed of a special Government Office personally established by the Grand Ancestor of Great Yan to hunt Demon Fiends and supervise the local hundred officials—truly a place where experts gather like clouds. A mere Records Seeker who is also a Copper Order Judge has already reached Half-Step Grandmaster… above the Copper Order, what level of strength must there be?”

Su Mu could not help but secretly sigh in his heart, shocked by the power of the Demon Slayer Bureau. As the name suggests, a Records Seeker was clearly a post inclined toward clerical work, most likely responsible for managing internal records and texts within the Bureau.

Yet even such a Demon Slayer Bureau “civil official” possessed Half-Step Grandmaster strength. One could well imagine the might of the Qingzhou Demon Slayer Bureau!

“So it is Lord Jiang. I am Zhang Junbao; I’ve long admired your name!”

Su Mu clasped his hands in salute, already inwardly on his guard. He was considering whether Jiang Yao’s coming to Donglai County was related to Li Xuan, the Demon Slayer Bureau undercover agent who had infiltrated the Jiao Blood Gang earlier, or perhaps she had come directly for “Li Feiyu the officer-killer.”

“Zhang Junbao?”

Jiang Yao had heard of most of the experts within Qingzhou and in the several counties around Donglai; these people were all recorded in a special roster inside the Demon Slayer Bureau. Yet after racking her brains for a long while, she found she had absolutely no impression of this name.

“So it is Brother Zhang. I must thank Brother Zhang for lending a hand just now. To speak frankly, I came this time to investigate the matter of Sea Pirates in the Outer Sea Region. I wonder how much Brother Zhang knows about these pirates?”

Putting away the Token, Jiang Yao naturally followed up with a question.

“I do not know much about this band of Sea Pirates. This time I was merely passing through Sanshan County on my travels and happened to hear of the auction, so I happened to come ashore.”

Sanshan County, the Commandery City south of Donglai County, lay not far from this Outer Sea Region.

Only, Jiang Yao did not believe Su Mu’s words in the slightest. If it were merely by chance, how could one explain Su Mu charging out earlier from the dark hall that was this band of pirates’ lair?

Judging from Wang Heng’s reaction before he died, this Zhang Junbao bore a grudge against these Sea Pirates; perhaps he had come ashore seeking revenge.

“So that’s how it is. What plans does Brother Zhang have for the days to come?”

“I intend to continue wandering, seeking that sliver of opportunity to open the path to Grandmaster.”

Jiang Yao quietly circulated a special Secret Technique of the Demon Slayer Bureau to appraise Su Mu, only to discover that his entire body was shrouded in a layer of mist that she could not see through.

“If Brother Zhang seeks the profundities of the Grandmaster realm, why not join my Demon Slayer Bureau? I can recommend you to Lord Chief Judge, or even to Lord Governor. With Brother Zhang’s talent, you will certainly be able to step into the Upper Three Grades in the future. What does Brother Zhang think?”

Jiang Yao’s tone was sincere and earnest. In the battle just now, Su Mu had displayed extraordinary strength, and he had been concealing his true power all along. Her intuition told her that forging ties with this man would not be a bad thing.

Moreover, she did not sense any repulsive aura from him. If she could win him into the Demon Slayer Bureau, it would surely be a good deed.

Without giving Su Mu a chance to refuse, Jiang Yao directly held out the Token from earlier. “Brother Zhang, there’s no need to be in a rush to decline. This is my identity Token. If you wander to Qingzhou in the future and have the inclination, come seek me. If you encounter trifling matters within Qingzhou’s borders, you can also display this to save yourself some unnecessary trouble.”

“Of course, even if you have no intention of joining, you must still come to Qingzhou once, so that this young lady can fulfill the duties of a host—take Brother Zhang around the Ancient County to repay today’s aid.”

“Very well, then I shall respectfully accept.”

Since Jiang Yao had spoken to this extent, it would be difficult for Su Mu to refuse. Having one more Token of the Qingzhou Demon Slayer Bureau on him did not seem to be a bad thing.

Before long he intended to set out for Qingzhou. His identity was sensitive; he would avoid using this Token if possible, but there might come a day when it would prove useful.

“Brother Zhang, I plan to stay in Donglai County for a time. Would you care to travel together?”

“Thank you for the invitation. I still have matters to attend to, so I will not accompany Lord Jiang.”

Su Mu lightly shook his head and declined tactfully.

“I see… then we shall meet in Qingzhou. When the time comes, we will drink and talk our fill!”

Jiang Yao’s nature was forthright and generous; she was not angered by the refusal, merely saying that when they met again in Qingzhou they would drink freely together. After the two exchanged a few more brief words, Jiang Yao prepared to first settle the Profound Turtle Island affair at hand.

Su Mu did not intend to join the bustle; the two soon went their separate ways.

In a secluded part of Profound Turtle Island, Su Mu sent a voice transmission through the Fish-shaped Jade Pendant.

“Old Ancestor, this junior would like to ask what that Grand Array and that portal were?”

“Hmph, brat, don’t tell me you didn’t guess even a little…” The Sun Family Ancestor snorted. Having his thoughts seen through, Su Mu merely smiled and listened attentively.

“That Grand Array is called the Blood Fiend Grand Array, and it is a broken version of the ancient Ninefold Capital Heaven Blood Fiend Array. It is said that the Ninefold Capital Heaven Blood Fiend Array was originally created by the ancestors of the barbarians to be used for sacrifice and communion with the Everlasting Heaven.”

“‘Everlasting Heaven’?”

“Mm. Everlasting Heaven is the deity worshipped by the barbarian race, or one could say it is the embodiment of the Heavenly Dao in the barbarians’ hearts. But such things are far too illusory. In any case, this Blood Fiend Grand Array still retains a portion of the capabilities of the Ninefold Capital Heaven Blood Fiend Array. Combined with certain sacrificial artifacts handed down from antiquity, it possesses the ability to break open spatial restrictions.”

“Tsk tsk. The layout of this island was opened by someone imitating the workings of heaven and earth, in secret accord with the Great Dao. The main island is the image of the utterly yin divine beast, the Black Tortoise, standing guard at the center, bearing the virtue of water…”

“Its momentum is deep and majestic, like a primordial Profound Turtle bearing the earth and subduing the waves, gathering the true water qi of the Outer Sea. It is a portal to a Secret Realm.”

“As for that Blood Fiend Grand Array, it is most likely something left here by the owner of the Secret Realm. That little thief merely happened to discover the wonder of this island.”

“A Secret Realm portal… Old Ancestor, you mean that person entered the Secret Realm?”

“Correct. However, the Secret Realm portal is now destroyed. If you want to enter again, you’ll have to think of another method… moreover, if the Secret Realm has only this one portal, the one who entered will also have to find another way to escape.”

“Anyone capable of setting up such a Secret Realm portal is no simple figure. With that little thief’s strength, if no fortuitous encounter awaits him, he will face nine deaths and one life upon charging in.”

With that said, the Sun Family Ancestor fell silent, and the Fish-shaped Jade Pendant once more sank into stillness.

…

“Hahahaha, I’m still alive, I, Liu Sha, am still alive!”

In an unknowable place, a blood-drenched figure suddenly sat bolt upright from the ground. Feeling the abundant Spiritual Qi around him, many times denser than in the outside world, Liu Sha threw back his head and laughed madly.

Before long, with a flash of Spiritual Light, an ancient-looking scroll map appeared. Liu Sha swallowed hard, unfurling the map, his gaze falling upon a palace deep within the map.

Upon it four characters were marked in Cinnabar: Profound Tortoise Sovereign Hall!

…

Before long, with a flash of Spiritual Light, an ancient-looking scroll map appeared. Liu Sha swallowed hard, unfurling the map, his gaze falling upon a palace deep within the map.

Upon it four characters were marked in Cinnabar: Profound Tortoise Sovereign Hall!

Before long, with a flash of Spiritual Light, an ancient-looking scroll map appeared. Liu Sha swallowed hard, unfurling the map, his gaze falling upon a palace deep within the map.

Upon it four characters were marked in Cinnabar: Profound Tortoise Sovereign Hall!