Hu Yi flicked off the blood and visceral fragments clinging to his gloves, the droplets splashing onto the seaweed piled nearby, instantly dyeing it a dark red. According to his investigation, this half-demon used unloading as cover last month during the hour of the Sixteenth, casting three marked magic pearls into the sea at the Seven Miles Bay Reef Area in the south of the city.
He guided the Demon Race's swift boat to attack the Human Clan's supply ship, leading to the complete destruction of the ship and all seventeen cultivators onboard along with the materials.
He did not look at the bodies, nor did he acknowledge the nearby Demon Race who were fearfully silent, his cold gaze swept across the other pale-faced half-demons, as if stating an indisputable truth.
"The Human Clan has given you a chance to survive, which is already a great kindness."
"This is not out of pity for you, but because you still have labor value to offer; any rebellious thoughts are merely courting death."
"If you can retain a life, you should be content; failing to understand boundaries, that is the kind of decline you will face."
Every word struck at the heart of every half-demon like a heavy hammer.
Simple, direct, cruel, speaking no logic, only exposing the naked distinction of strong and weak, and the blend of grace and might.
Among the cultivators, some showed sharper gazes, gripping their weapons more forcefully.
While others lowered their eyes, deep in hidden thoughts.
Hu Yi naturally understood that among the Human Clan, the environment and forces were incomparably complex.
For him at this moment, he only needed to do well the tasks arranged by his master.
Having dealt with Qing Shi, it was time to move on to the next step.
His gaze swept over each half-demon.
Hu Yi took step after step forward.
Every step seemingly treading upon the heart of each half-demon.
Not until his figure vanished from the scene did the half-demons gradually catch their breath.
Meanwhile,
in the cellar of a blacksmith shop belonging to a half-demon,
the pervasive rust of metal was replaced by a thick, inescapable smell of blood.
Several half-demon bodies laid sprawled in various directions on the ground, among them, a toad half-demon clutched tightly a jade talisman meant for transmitting messages.
The walls were covered with hideous knife marks, some even deeply embedded, marks left by the desperate attempts of a half-demon breaking through in the midst of terror and despair.
A disciple of the True Martial Sect hadn't given them the chance for self-destruction or to send out warnings; a flash of the blade had stifled all potential noise.
He had received an order directly from the Supreme Mysterious Daoist Venerable, to exterminate the half-demons here.
He used the jade talisman to record the scene, his figure stepping out.
In a mere day's time,
six of the seven locations provided by Hu Yi had been struck with thunderous might.
Only one location was intentionally left untouched.
After the news spread,
the underlayer region rife with demon energy in Panhai City fell suddenly silent, eerily dead.
...
"Master, of the seventy-eight people on the list, sixty-nine have been confirmed eliminated. One location was intentionally left. We thought they might pretend nothing happened and remain, but to our surprise, it only took half an hour."
"The nine half-demons of the seventh location disappeared before action. Completely elusive, I have already ordered the Fox People Clan to expand the search area."
"During the search, we found a feather imbued with boundless demonic power. I dared not make an arbitrary decision, so I reported it immediately."
At the City Lord Mansion,
Hu Yi issued an urgent report.
This operation had been exceptionally smooth initially, but in the end, it seemed to fall short.
Now, he had moved from initial excitement,
to a state of some anxiety.
Fearing Jiang Shu's stern rebuke for incompetence.
"Feather?"
Radiant halos floated around Jiang Shu.
Each halo contained a Great Dao.
He opened his eyes, a gentle yet powerful force emanated with a flick of his finger.
The feather Hu Yi held aloft floated into the air.
As if drawn by invisible threads, it flew into his palm.
The demonic power in the feather had no offensive or defensive force, rather, it retained an extremely faint yet exceedingly pure space fluctuation.
The sensation of touch and the familiar aura on it,
instantly aligned with a powerful entity in Jiang Shu's memory.
Deep in the battlefield of the Desolate Sand Sea, it was the Kunpeng Demon, Xuan Ming, who controlled spatial annihilation, severely injuring Lie Yang Daoist Venerable, and ultimately escaped using the Sand Scorpion Demon Venerable's self-detonation.
"Xuan Ming, is it?"
"It seems there was an arrangement long in place."
Kunpeng, one of the strongest races of the Demon Race, naturally inclined towards the Space Dao, its physique even comparable to the Dragon Clan.
Yet now, leaving a feather in Panhai City, it seems this Demon Dawn is not like some ordinary demon forces organized together.
"No matter."
"Having secluded myself for several days, it's time to stretch a bit."
"Issue orders, these nine half-demons and their direct relatives, are to be captured with bounties."
"Those daring to harbor or fail to report knowledge of them will be treated the same as accomplices."
Jiang Shu's voice bore no fluctuations, those few half-demons who escaped likely did so through Xuan Ming's power,
slipping out unnoticed.
"From this moment, all half-demons in Panhai City are to be completely re-registered and recorded."
"Managed separately by clan and by household, with clearly defined areas of activity."
"Implementing the linked seating system, one demon causing trouble leads to the slaughter of the entire household; if one person collaborates with the enemy, the entire clan is buried!"
"Ten households form one unit, led by a captain of their choosing, rewarded for reports, punished for concealing."
"This task will be wholly handled by you, Hu Yi."
"At your command!"
Hu Yi kowtowed repeatedly, completely setting aside his previous fears and worries.
Since the master had decided to personally intervene,
there would naturally be no room for error.
"In addition,"
Jiang Shu paused, continuing:
"Transmit my City Lord Order, effective immediately within my jurisdiction of Panhai City, a citywide curfew is to be enacted!"
"Without special tokens granted by the City Lord or stationed army commanders, any Humans or half-demons leaving designated residences without authorization, patrol teams may execute on sight without need for further instruction!"
"Personnel at each defensive array node are to double stationed, shift changes are temporarily altered, the password changes three times a day!"
"Understood!"
Commands were swiftly disseminated.
As the last rays of the setting sun disappeared, the heavy city gates closed with a crash, the sound reverberating in the hearts of every city resident.
Within the city's streets, apart from the heavy, orderly footsteps of patrols, the clashing of armor, and occasionally heard low calls of "password!", all was dead silent.
Two days later again, deep within Panhai City's Lord Mansion, inside a secret chamber constructed with a costly talisman formation.
The flowing lights on the walls were concealed, isolating internal and external probing.
Hu Yi was summoned to come, his face carrying a gravity mixed with a hint of barely concealed excitement.
He carefully took out a thin piece of beast hide from an oil paper package sealed by secret techniques.
"Master."
Hu Yi lowered his voice, quickly saying.
"The thunderous measures you took two days ago have already caused a thunderstorm effect."
"Half an hour ago, the node of the abandoned 'Water Spirit Well' in the north of the city suddenly activated, although their actions were extremely covert and vanished in an instant, we had long monitored it, using special demon plants as sentinels, capturing a trace of irregular movement."
He pointed to several faintly glimmering dots formed by special liquid on the beast hide.
"The direction points to two places, one being the Southwest Chaotic Reef Beach outside the city, but according to my subordinates' judgment, that is likely just a diversion for assistance."
"The other is deep beneath the strata of the city's abandoned teleportation tower core, the level of fluctuation is very high, far beyond what ordinary demons can activate, it's an extreme high-level imprint of demon art transmission, taking substantial costs, indicating the big fish missed on our list has been forced into a corner."
Jiang Shu's gaze settled on the words "Teleportation Tower."
The teleportation tower in Panhai City was destroyed in the battle by the Demon Race.
But for the Human Clan's cultivators, a destroyed teleportation tower can still be gradually repaired, becoming a strategic hub in the future.
Thus, array masters worked tirelessly round the clock to repair the Great Array.
In such a situation, they managed to open paths, activate such hidden and swift demon art transmission...
It seems among the Human Clan itself.
Perhaps some have already turned to the Demon Dawn Organization.
"Teleportation Tower..."
Jiang Shu's voice was devoid of emotion, only the temperature in the secret room dropped several degrees more, the swirling runic glows even seemed to stall briefly.
"A perfectly good place, might as well eliminate them all at once."
Chapter 1247: 664: Xuan Ming's Backup Plan! Everything Will End! (2)
8 min read