Chapter 101 - 81: Three-Day Demon Purge
"What happened?" Chen Cheng asked.
Mu Song shook his head. "I’m not sure either. A constable from the Dongyue District Sub-Department just came to report something to Lord Shen. After hearing it, she immediately sent people to summon all the Chief Constables to report to her.
As soon as I received the order, I came to report to you, Mr. Chen."
"I understand," Chen Cheng said. He immediately went to the back courtyard, changed his clothes, and hurried to the Ruyi Square Sub-Department with his Constable’s Saber.
When he arrived at the Chief Constable’s personal courtyard, he saw Shen Qingshuang standing there, her expression grim.
Liu Yunfeng and Su Chenglin were standing to the side, waiting in silence.
Chen Cheng guessed something major had happened and walked over to Liu Yunfeng’s side.
Before long, Pu Hao and three other Chief Constables arrived.
Only then did Shen Qingshuang speak. "News just came from Dongyue District. An hour ago, Chief Constable Yan Jian was ambushed by Black Lotus Sect villains. He is critically injured, and his life hangs by a thread."
Hearing this, everyone turned pale with shock.
Chen Cheng was inwardly alarmed as well.
In the Sub-Departments of the Four Outer City Districts, the Chief Constables were all renowned experts.
And Yan Jian’s Martial Arts Power was even a cut above that of an ordinary Chief Constable.
For such a man to be ambushed by Black Lotus Sect villains in broad daylight—how could it not be shocking?
The most baffling part was that the Black Lotus Sect was a Demon Sect reviled by all, one that had always dared only to commit its evil deeds from the shadows.
Now, the City Lord’s Mansion had ordered the Protectorate Army to enter the city and impose a curfew, with the intent of purging the Black Lotus Sect.
At such a critical time, they should be scrambling to hide, so why would they attack a City Guard Department Official in broad daylight? Where did they get this confidence?
Given what happened to Yan Jian, all the Chief Constables present, including Chen Cheng, felt a sense of looming danger.
Shen Qingshuang paused briefly before continuing, "It’s not just Dongyue District. Over the past few days, Black Lotus Sect villains have been causing trouble in all of the Four Outer City Districts. Although nothing has happened in Ruyi District yet, we must still be on guard.
The Protectorate Army has heavily fortified the city at night, so the Ruyi Square Sub-Department will temporarily suspend night patrols. All shifts are to consolidate their manpower and strengthen patrols in their jurisdictions during the day.
Furthermore, all Chief Constables should avoid acting alone whenever possible.
Alright, go and arrange your manpower now.
Chen Cheng, you stay behind."
After the other Chief Constables had left, Shen Qingshuang gestured for Chen Cheng to enter the main hall. She sat down herself and said, "I couldn’t speak in too much detail with the others here.
Yan Jian was ambushed by more than thirty Black Lotus Sect villains. All of them were Great Success Martial Artists of the Skin Grinding Realm. Yan Jian managed to kill..."
Chen Cheng was slightly moved as he learned the details of Yan Jian’s ambush from Shen Qingshuang.
Yan Jian had single-handedly killed twenty-four Black Lotus Sect villains. His Martial Arts Power was even stronger than Chen Cheng had anticipated.
But in the end, he was critically wounded in a sneak attack by Ding Mo, an assassin from the Wind and Rain Tower.
’They didn’t attack anyone else, only Yan Jian. There must be another motive behind it.’
"Lord Shen, regarding Chief Yan’s attack, could the Zhou Family be the ones behind it?" Chen Cheng voiced his suspicion.
Shen Qingshuang shook her head. "I have already sent people to investigate this thoroughly, but it’s unlikely to be the work of the Zhou family.
This recent rampage by the Black Lotus Sect villains has affected all of the Four Outer City Districts. Members of the Four Great Clans have also suffered surprise attacks from the Black Lotus Sect, resulting in considerable casualties.
Do you know why incidents are happening everywhere except for Ruyi District, which remains peaceful?"
Chen Cheng shook his head. He had been puzzling over that question but couldn’t figure it out.
Shen Qingshuang said, "That’s because the Black Lotus Sect’s branch in Ruyi District was secretly taken over by the Protectorate Army several days ago. All of its members were killed."
"The Black Lotus Sect has always been secretive. How did the Protectorate Army find them?" Chen Cheng asked, curious.
Shen Qingshuang sighed softly. "It’s because the Black Lotus Sect’s Ruyi District branch was located in the residence of a side branch of the Zhou Family—specifically, Zhou Fang’s branch.
And the one who reported this to the higher-ups was none other than Zhou Xu."
Chen Cheng had previously suspected that Zhou Fang might be a member of the Black Lotus Sect and had reported it to Liu Yunfeng, who in turn had reported it to Shen Qingshuang.
Shen Qingshuang had ordered Liu Yunfeng to secretly monitor the activities of Zhou Fang’s family, intending to find evidence linking Zhou Xu to the Black Lotus Sect.
But Zhou Xu took the initiative to turn in Zhou Fang’s branch of the family, clearly wanting to sever all ties with the Black Lotus Sect.
This move greatly surprised Chen Cheng.
"Doesn’t that mean Zhou Xu stole your credit, Lord Shen?" Chen Cheng said regretfully.
Shen Qingshuang smiled slightly. "Before Zhou Xu acted, I had already reported this matter to Lord Jiang, the Chief of the South City Guard. It’s impossible for Zhou Xu to steal my credit."
With that, she sighed softly. "It’s just a pity. By proactively giving up a side branch of the Zhou Family, Zhou Xu has foiled my plan to use this opportunity to take down the Zhou Family."
Chen Cheng thought for a moment, then asked, "By doing this, isn’t Zhou Xu afraid of offending the Black Lotus Sect?"
Shen Qingshuang replied, "The Black Lotus Sect may be secretive, but they are not untraceable. The Inner City Demon Suppression Department will be taking action soon. They will join forces with the Protectorate Army to completely eradicate the Black Lotus Sect’s influence in Linji City, so Zhou Xu naturally doesn’t have to worry about their retaliation.
The Black Lotus Sect’s leadership has clearly sensed the danger from the Protectorate Army entering the city and imposing a curfew. They’ve sent their followers to cause trouble everywhere, most likely to create chaos in Linji City so they can escape in the confusion."
Chen Cheng had heard a little about it. The Demon Suppression Department had a long history, having been established at the founding of the Great Yu. It was a Government Office exclusively dedicated to suppressing demons and eliminating monsters.
In Linji City, the Demon Suppression Department’s authority far surpassed that of the City Guard Department.
Its subordinate Officials were all incredibly powerful. Even the lowest-ranking Official in the Demon Suppression Department possessed the strength of the Muscle Strengthening Realm.
If the City Guard Department could be considered Linji City’s basic Government Office, then the Demon Suppression Department was its core.
All Martial Arts Cultivation resources for the Muscle Strengthening Realm and above came from the Demon Suppression Department.
The Demon Suppression Department had been dealing with Demon Sects for centuries, so it was only natural that they had ways to track down the Black Lotus Sect.
’It’s just puzzling why the Demon Suppression Department allowed the Black Lotus Sect to grow to its current strength.’
Since Shen Qingshuang didn’t mention such a confidential matter, Chen Cheng knew better than to ask.
"Since the Zhou Family plans to extricate itself from the Black Lotus Sect affair, they wouldn’t stir up more trouble. The attack on Yan Jian should be unrelated to them.
As for why the Black Lotus Sect targeted Yan Jian for assassination, I am still investigating."
As Shen Qingshuang spoke, she glanced at Chen Cheng and continued, "Yan Jian was lucky. Ding Mo’s sword strike didn’t pierce his heart meridian. Although he was severely injured, at least he survived.
Since Yan Jian has pledged his allegiance to the Shen Family, I will naturally see this matter through to the end now that he’s in trouble.
I have already sent people to arrange the best physicians for him, provided him with the best Healing Elixirs, and with a period of careful recuperation, he will recover."
...
After leaving Shen Qingshuang’s courtyard, Chen Cheng returned home and continued to focus on his Cultivation of the Wind Chasing Saber Technique.
A man of Yan Jian’s strength had nearly been killed in a sneak attack in broad daylight.
Chen Cheng reckoned his own combat prowess was no weaker than Yan Jian’s, but he still knew he had to be more cautious. ’I need to improve my Martial Arts Power as quickly as possible to protect myself,’ he resolved.
「Three days later.」
The Protectorate Army stationed outside the city sent in more reinforcements. Led by Officials from the Demon Suppression Department, they began a full-scale purge of the Black Lotus Sect members in the Four Outer City Districts.
Although the Black Lotus Sect’s branch in Ruyi District had already been cleared out, it was still included within the scope of the purge.
The Demon Suppression Department and the Protectorate Army were the main forces in this purge of Black Lotus Sect members; the City Guard Department was only responsible for providing assistance.
The Demon Suppression Department’s methods for tracking Black Lotus Sect members had always been a closely guarded secret, but they were now revealed. They relied on a type of Demon Beast called the Bloodthirsty Demon Wolf.
It was said that the Bloodthirsty Demon Wolf was extremely sensitive to the scent of a Martial Artist’s blood and Qi, and could track the unique scent of a Martial Artist who had cultivated the Black Lotus Sect’s Secret Techniques.
Bloodthirsty Demon Wolves were extremely rare. The ones used to track the Black Lotus Sect members this time were a hybrid species of Wolf Beast, crossbred from Bloodthirsty Demon Wolves and common wild wolves.
After training, these hybrid Wolf Beasts could also smell the unique blood and Qi scent of Black Lotus Sect members within a range of dozens of yards.
Officials from the Demon Suppression Department, clad in purple uniforms, led Wolf Beasts covered in Iron Armor as they searched house by house through every street and alley.
Whenever a household was found harboring a Black Lotus Sect member, elite, armor-clad soldiers of the Protectorate Army would immediately descend and slaughter the sect member along with their entire family!
In just three days, the several hundred Black Lotus Sect members in Linji City, along with their families, were completely massacred.
This purging operation was universally praised by the common people, who called it the "Three-Day Demon Purge."
With the Black Lotus Sect members purged, the Protectorate Army withdrew to their encampment outside the city, and life in the Four Outer City Districts of Linji City slowly returned to normal.
Many leaders from Jianghu Gangs, such as Gang Leaders and Incense Masters, had been members of the Black Lotus Sect and were wiped out during the purge.
The power structure of the Jianghu Gangs was completely reshuffled, leading to endless struggles as they fought to snatch up new territory.