The Speedrun Begins with Choosing Hunter

Tiger Demons, Lion Demons, Peacock Demons...

One after another, figures with soaring demonic energy appeared on Bai Yuan’s Ten Thousand Demons Painting.

The once-empty illusory image of the Ten Thousand Demons Painting instantly became crowded, adding over a hundred figures in one fell swoop!

Bai Yuan was so excited his fingertips trembled.

It would have originally taken him a long time to collect so many images of demons, but now he had found a shortcut.

Besides killing demons himself, the Ten Thousand Demons Painting could also be supplemented through the legacy of a Demon Hunter.

Zhou Siming’s Ten Thousand Demons Painting even contained many strange demons that Bai Yuan had never even heard of. Just by looking at their silhouettes, he could imagine how powerful these creatures were.

This gift from Zhou Siming was indeed substantial.

"Study it well. I may not be as good a fighter as Dong Wanjun, but when it comes to Demon Hunting, I’m several times better than him!"

"In the future, if you can find a suitable successor... just pass it on."

His voice grew lower and lower, tinged with a hint of sorrow.

’How powerful the Demon Hunters once were.’

’But now, they have all but vanished from the world. It isn’t just because their numbers have dwindled; it’s because most Demon Hunters were selfish, leading to this result.’

Bai Yuan nodded solemnly.

’This Ten Thousand Demons Painting is truly useful. It could even save my life in a pinch.’

’Dealing with demons is incredibly dangerous. Being able to suppress them beforehand with the Ten Thousand Demons Painting will give me a massive advantage.’

Zhou Siming nodded in satisfaction.

’The reason I chose Bai Yuan isn’t because of his talent for Demon Hunting, but because this kid knows how to survive. He’s a promising candidate to carry on the legacy.’

’In fact, he was the forty-eighth generation to inherit the Ten Thousand Demons Painting, and he didn’t want the legacy to die with him.’

"All right, go and figure it out for yourself."

Zhou Siming waved his hand, clearly in no mood to say more.

Bai Yuan took the Tiger-shaped Token Old Dong had given him from his robes.

"Senior, as I promised."

He tossed the Tiger-shaped Token, which Zhou Siming caught securely, a smile playing on his lips.

In the end, Bai Yuan had decided to return the Token to Zhou Siming.

’Since Zhou Siming was sincerely willing to pass on the legacy, I had to respond with equal sincerity.’

’He always repaid kindness and settled scores. That was just his way.’

Zhou Siming chuckled but said nothing more.

’This Token has been with me for decades. I can smell its unique scent even from a hundred meters away.’

’I sensed it before Bai Yuan even walked in the door.’

’The reason I didn’t say anything was to test him.’

’If Bai Yuan hadn’t handed over the Token on his own, not only would I have taken back the Ten Thousand Demons Painting, I would have killed him with a single palm strike, even at the risk of making a mortal enemy of Dong Wanjun.’

’Composed and discreet, yet ruthless when he acts, and he even has a sense of honor. What a promising candidate indeed.’

Zhou Siming couldn’t help but feel even more smug about his choice.

’Dong Wanjun, huh?’

’You’re just raising a disciple for me in the end!’ 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"I’ll be leaving Ling Province for a while."

Zhou Siming suddenly spoke just as Bai Yuan was turning to leave.

Bai Yuan paused.

He keenly noted that Zhou Siming had said Ling Province, not Huanglong Prefecture.

’Clearly, the Demon Hunter legacy isn’t in Ling Province. It’s somewhere much farther away in Xuan Yang, or perhaps not in Xuan Yang at all.’

But since Zhou Siming didn’t elaborate, he didn’t ask.

’Now that Zhou Siming has the Token back,’ he thought, ’he must be returning to his clan to be formally recognized.’

...

「Wan Jun Peak.」

The moment Bai Yuan pushed open the gate to his small courtyard, he saw the back of a figure in a gray robe standing within.

’I don’t even have to guess. The only person who could possibly be here is Dong Wanjun.’

Bai Yuan had already used Divine Stratagems of Hundred Transformations to lay numerous traps in the courtyard. An ordinary Martial Artist would be skinned alive trying to get in.

And yet, Dong Wanjun stood there, perfectly nonchalant, without having triggered a single one.

’Clearly, Old Dong’s mastery of Divine Stratagems of Hundred Transformations is far superior to mine.’

"Did Zhou Siming pass the Ten Thousand Demons Painting on to you?"

Dong Wanjun said coolly, without turning around.

"Yes," Bai Yuan replied.

The corners of Dong Wanjun’s mouth lifted slightly. He was in an excellent mood.

This had been his intention all along when he let Bai Yuan deal with the Demon Hunter Token himself.

’This disciple of mine truly hasn’t disappointed me.’

Nothing in Huanglong Prefecture escaped his notice; he was fully aware of what Bai Yuan had been doing at the Demon-slaying Bureau.

’Since my disciple has a talent for being a Demon Hunter, of course I should support it.’

He was known as the Thousand-Handed Butcher, a master of ten thousand methods.

Yet, in the art of Demon Hunting alone, he had never been able to make any headway.

Even from his current lofty perspective, he still found the legacy of the Demon Hunter lineage to be quite remarkable.

’As for whether Bai Yuan takes Zhou Siming as his master?’

’I couldn’t care less.’

’By my count, I’ve had eighty masters, if not a hundred. As long as he doesn’t do something as heinous as betraying his master and lineage, I don’t care at all.’

Seeing that Old Dong showed no signs of attacking, Bai Yuan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

’Even though I was sure Old Dong wouldn’t mind, facing him in person is still terrifying.’

’I heard Old Dong went down the mountain again recently, wiped out all nine branches of that Supreme Elder’s clan, and rooted out a number of Demon Sect remnants in the process.’

’Old Dong has been stirring up one bloody storm after another within the Divine Mansion Sect, yet strangely, Sect Leader Murong Tian turns a blind eye, showing no intention of intervening whatsoever.’

"Make a few side dishes."

Dong Wanjun said out of the blue.

Bai Yuan froze for a moment, then nodded repeatedly like a chicken pecking at grain.

He had built a stove in the courtyard long ago and had even stocked his house with plenty of Spirit Vegetables. Everything was ready.

Soon, wisps of cooking smoke began to drift up from the small courtyard.

In less than half an hour, a bowl of congee with lotus seeds and floating green Spiritual Vegetables, along with two exquisite side dishes, was ready.

Bai Yuan carefully placed the dishes before Dong Wanjun.

Dong Wanjun picked up a piece of bamboo shoot—as white as jade—with his chopsticks, put it in his mouth, and began to chew. A strange light gleamed in his eyes.

’How incredible!’

’Not only is this disciple of mine talented in the Martial Dao, but his culinary skill has reached the peak of perfection.’

He had lived an ascetic life. While other Elders had taken countless beautiful concubines, he remained alone. His only indulgence was a singular passion for matters of the belly.

For decades, he had traveled far and wide, seeking out famous local chefs and delicacies wherever he went.

But compared to his disciple’s skill, all the food he had eaten before wasn’t just a world apart—it was practically pig slop.

"Oh, and that soup of Li Da’s—have it ready for me next time, too."

Dong Wanjun added suddenly.

’So he knows about the Water Spirit Soup after all. Nothing gets past Old Dong.’

Bai Yuan nodded slightly.

’I still have plenty of Fire Spirit Soup. I’ll give Old Dong a few vials. Fire Spirit Soup is still highly effective even for powerful Martial Artists.’

Like a whirlwind sweeping away the clouds, Dong Wanjun devoured every last bite of the side dishes and congee on the table, then rose to his feet, satisfied.

He pulled a Black Iron Token from his robes and tossed it behind him without looking.

"Go find Yu Hui tomorrow."

With that casual remark, Old Dong pushed open the gate and left.

Bai Yuan caught the Token securely and took a closer look.

Written on the Token in bold script were two words: "Divine Mansion"!