Devouring Soul Emperor

"Hall Master Chen, there’s no need to be so polite. You can just call me Chu Qingyun."

"Haha, in that case, I’ll be so bold as to call you Qingyun," Chen Jinshi said with a laugh.

Chu Qingyun smiled, a silent agreement.

While they spoke, the two Ice Demon Ape corpses were processed. Of the two, one had a Demon Core in its head—not the tall one, but the one that had been blinded.

"Qingyun, you killed these Demon Beasts, so the Demon Core should be yours."

Chen Jinshi wiped the Demon Core clean and handed it to Chu Qingyun with a broad smile.

An ordinary Tier Two Demon Core was worth around one hundred Upper Grade Primordial Stones, but this Ice Element one was likely worth over three hundred.

Three hundred Upper Grade Primordial Stones was a considerable sum even for the Golden Lion Martial Arts Hall. After all, not everyone was as lucky as Chu Qingyun, who had obtained over a million Upper Grade Primordial Stones from the Martial King’s Tomb.

Chu Qingyun naturally accepted the Demon Core. He wouldn’t be needlessly modest about something useful to him. Besides, he had killed the Demon Beasts by himself, so the Demon Core was his by right.

Soon, the group was back on the road.

Peng Gang had lost all his previous arrogance. Like a defeated rooster, he trailed dejectedly at the very back of the group.

"Chu, to have such strength at your young age, you must be heading to Flame City for the Great Xia Dragon Guard assessment, right?" Chen Jinshi asked with a smile as they traveled.

The Great Xia Dragon Guard assessment?

Both Chu Qingyun and You Yun were taken aback. They genuinely hadn’t known that the Great Xia Dragon Guard held assessments in Flame City.

"The Great Xia Dragon Guard has a branch in Lianshan County City. Every few years, they recruit new members at irregular intervals. If you want to become a Dragon Guard, you first have to register, then take the assessment. Only those who pass are accepted."

"This time, the registration and assessment site is in Flame City. Over the past few months, many powerful Martial Artists from all over Lianshan County have gathered in Flame City, all for the Great Xia Dragon Guard assessment."

"Joining the Great Xia Dragon Guard not only grants you a noble status and many privileges, but I’ve heard they also have abundant cultivation resources internally. The benefits are definitely numerous."

Seeing that Chu Qingyun and You Yun seemed unaware, Chen Jinshi explained with a smile.

"Chu Qingyun, you should really take this assessment and join the Great Xia Dragon Guard. Otherwise, you might run into trouble when you go to Lianshan County City in the future," You Yun said, speaking up for a change.

Chu Qingyun’s brow furrowed slightly. He recalled how he had offended Jintai, the Young Patriarch of the Jin Family—one of the Four Great Clans of Lianshan County City—back in the Martial King’s Tomb in the Cold Cyan Mountain Range.

As for the other two, the Ye Family and the Zhou Family, while he hadn’t exactly offended them, his relationship with them wasn’t good either.

And if he wanted to go to the Central State to pursue a higher Martial Arts Realm, Lianshan County City was an unavoidable stop on the path...

Realizing this, Chu Qingyun couldn’t help but smile wryly. "It seems I have no choice but to take this Great Xia Dragon Guard assessment."

Only by becoming a Great Xia Dragon Guard could he prevent the Four Great Clans from daring to move against him easily. After all, the Great Xia Dragon Guard was a force that answered directly to the Great Xia imperial family.

"Tch, ’no choice but to go’? Do you think just anyone can get into the Great Xia Dragon Guard? The most important requirement for registration is that you must be a Great Xia Samurai and possess a Great Xia Samurai Token to even qualify," Peng Gang sneered sarcastically.

A Great Xia Samurai Token? Chu Qingyun smiled, reached into his robes, and pulled out a token. "Is this what you mean?"

It was a black token engraved with the character for "Martial." If this wasn’t a Great Xia Samurai Token, what was?

Chu Qingyun found Peng Gang’s character utterly despicable. Since the man had jumped out and offered his face up for a slap, it would be a shame not to oblige him.

"A Great Xia Samurai Token! It’s really a Great Xia Samurai Token..."

"Amazing! He’s only a level-three Martial Artist now, so he must have obtained this Great Xia Samurai Token back in the Martial Artist Realm. To be that strong even in the Martial Artist Realm... he’s a true genius!"

After he produced the Great Xia Samurai Token, everyone’s gaze toward Chu Qingyun filled with admiration. Even the ever-icy Chen Lengyu had a flicker of a different light in her eyes.

The Great Xia Samurai Token... she had also tried to obtain one when she was a level-nine Martial Artist. But it was too difficult. She had struggled for over half a year, and her best achievement was a single seven-fight winning streak.

Nearly every Martial Artist in the Great Xia nation had fought in the Great Xia Martial Palace, so every one of them knew full well how difficult it was to obtain a Great Xia Samurai Token.

Therefore, they held a heartfelt respect for anyone who possessed a Great Xia Samurai Token.

Because those people were true powerhouses, true geniuses!

"Hmph!"

Peng Gang’s face was cold as he let out a muffled snort. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

He had thought he could humiliate Chu Qingyun, but to his surprise, he had actually produced a Great Xia Samurai Token.

However, that snort caught You Yun’s attention. "Peng Gang, what about your three slaps and your apology?"

Peng Gang’s expression changed, and he sneered, "Leng Yu didn’t agree to marry me, and I never made any promises to you. Why should I slap myself? Why should I apologize to you?"

"Silence, you disgrace!"

"Slap yourself three times right now and then apologize to these two esteemed individuals! Otherwise, don’t even think about coming back to the martial arts hall!"

Chen Jinshi chided, his face cold.

Previously, when Peng Gang refused to save him and tried to flee with Chen Lengyu, Chen Jinshi, thinking he was about to die, had felt the decision was somewhat correct. But now that he was safe, he felt a bit resentful.

This was, after all, the disciple he had raised since childhood, yet the boy hadn’t hesitated for a moment to use his master as cannon fodder.

And when Peng Gang had threatened Chen Lengyu and tried to force her into marriage, Chen Jinshi’s heart had filled with even more rage, and he began to see Peng Gang as an ungrateful traitor.

Chen Jinshi was the Hall Master and his master, after all. Before, when he was in a good mood, Peng Gang could still get away with some arrogance.

Now that Chen Jinshi was furious, Peng Gang had no choice but to submit. Besides, he knew in his heart that he was no match for the combined strength of Chu Qingyun and You Yun.

His face filled with resentment, Peng Gang heavily slapped himself three times. Then, with his head lowered, he gritted his teeth and obediently apologized.

This time, he had truly tried to steal a chicken only to lose the rice used to lure it.

After dealing with the two Ice Demon Apes, they encountered no other powerful Demon Beasts. About two hours later, the group finally emerged from the Mist Forest.

Freed from the oppressive fog that had surrounded them, both Chu Qingyun and You Yun felt much more at ease.

Not long after leaving the Mist Forest, the group arrived at a post station set up by Flame City.

These kinds of post stations catered specifically to Martial Artists, allowing them to stable or purchase horses.

Once mounted, their travel speed increased significantly. Just as Chen Jinshi had said, they reached Flame City before nightfall and successfully entered the city.