Volume 1, Chapter 46 – Brushing Past

It actually involves a demon kingdom.

After Tao Shuohua finished, Bai Xiang immediately marshaled what she knew.

If demon chaos is the flood built from the sheer numbers of Demon Pools and demon beasts that arise in the wild by natural frequencies, then a demon kingdom is the source of that flood, at least one of the sources.

Great Yu’s territory is vast. By rights, in a modern society with rails and planes, with bridges and roads, settlements should have expanded rapidly, far beyond the Nine Provinces and Thirty-Six Circuits.

Why then? Because the wilds are perilous, the cost of forced expansion is too high.

Rather than expand settlements, it is better to hold the Nine Provinces and Thirty-Six Circuits, and set up Protectorate Offices in neighboring states by sea and air transport, using them as anchors to guard and funnel population; the influence radiates all the same.

“Some scholars believe the reason the wilds frequently sprout Demon Pools and demon beasts each year is that the demon kingdoms hidden in other spaces are leaking demonic aura and power outward.”

Watching Bai Xiang through his sunglasses, Fang Xiaochun explained the commission’s background.

“I spoke with Xu Zhe. Judging from the demonic aura concentration in the illusory-realm Demon Pool, the conclusion is that it is not a large demon kingdom.”

“At present he has Huang Qian lead the Chilong Army to encircle a thirty-hectare zone around Nanshan. Fortifications are already going up.”

“If you accept the commission, you will follow Cao Chuan. He will take you through the work. You will basically operate on the outer rim of the illusory-realm Demon Pool, and you are permitted to withdraw immediately if you encounter danger.”

Bai Xiang stared at his sunglasses and asked, “If possible, I would like to know the timing.”

“There is no fixed time.” Fang Xiaochun smiled. “They have already gathered a number of so-called experts; they have been stationed there researching for some time.”

The subtext was that the illusory-realm Demon Pool might be cracked today, the chance to ride along and earn merit might vanish at once, so Bai Xiang had best decide quickly whether to go.

Bai Xiang still did not answer, looking as if she were thinking it over.

Tao Shuohua ground her teeth and glared at her.

What is there to think about; say yes.

Even the cool guy in black shades, Cao Chuan, glanced at Bai Xiang.

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Good grief, bolder than me.

By contrast, Fang Xiaochun only grew more pleased with her composure.

Borrowing a sword to slay a demon shows high spirits; meeting him, she is neither proud nor anxious.

This steadiness, it does not feel like a high schooler at all. So long as she does not die early and grows, her floor is a swordsman on Tao Shuohua’s level.

“Do not worry about your grandpa.” Fang Xiaochun decided to put her fully at ease. “Even if the time stretches to six or seven days, during the match you can break away and come back to see whether I kept my word.”

With the words at that point, Bai Xiang had no reason to refuse. Still seated, she clasped her fists in salute.

“My thanks, Your Excellency.”

“Think nothing of it.” Fang Xiaochun smiled more affably and had Tao Shuohua lift a black-wrapped bundle from the adjacent seat.

The bundle was square, like a stack of books. Pointing a finger at it, Fang Xiaochun said, “That is only a State Chancery commission for you.”

“And this is my gift as a father, for saving Wenya.”

With that, the aims of his incognito trip were all achieved. He rose; with Cao Chuan and Tao Shuohua casually covering the angles, he nodded to Bai Xiang and went downstairs without another word.

Bai Xiang watched the three disappear at the stairwell; her phone buzzed.

She picked it up; a text had arrived from Cao Chuan’s number.

[You have less than six hours to prepare.]

[At 18:00 tonight, I will drive to the dojo to pick you up.]

Tao Shuohua would certainly not go; she had to protect Fang Xiaochun and Fang Wenya.

Cao Chuan…

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He sounded like the head of the recon team; it was unclear how many teammates there were.

Her plate was not yet empty. Since the hunger after forging her Dao foundation hit especially hard, she simply kept eating, and tugged open a corner of the black wrap to peek inside.

It looked like a white box.

Wait, that packaging…

When she undid it fully, she looked at six stacked boxes of medicine and shook her head, at a loss for words.

[Nurture-the-Spirit Calming Tablets]

[Six tablets per box; take once daily; at most one tablet per dose.]

[Use: replenishes essence; offsets Nurture-the-Spirit and body-training consumption.]

[Shelf life at room temperature: 45 days]

[Suggested retail per box: 1,499,999 yuan]

[Great Yu Chengtian]

[Nanling Pharmaceuticals]

Should have guessed.

She wrapped the black cloth back around it.

It is the modern age; compressing herbs into capsules or tablets is the standard supplement for martial training now.

By contrast, the kind of medicinal paste Grandpa boils is out of step with the times.

These six boxes totaled nine million yuan. For the Shenming Dojo, the money could be scraped together by force, but even with cash it would likely be hard to buy outside.

Bai Xiang had never heard of this drug, and had never seen a TV ad for it.

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For Fang Xiaochun to court me like this, he wants to stamp the State Chancery’s mark on me, which means he is bullish on my future.

Even if I refused the commission, he would probably still give me the medicine.

Either way, the supplement problem was solved. Relaxing, Bai Xiang gnawed fried chicken and drank soda, thinking about the possible demon kingdom in Nanshan and the impact it could have.

Zhang Daoming had said people from the Benling Sword Dao had come to Chilong; they must be here for the demon kingdom as well.

As rumor had it, the top universities in each state are not afraid of the State Chancery; some even defy its discipline and dare to face off with the state governor, and even the governor is helpless.

Universities are nobles in their own right; she just did not know whether Qizhou University and Fang Xiaochun were on good or bad terms.

Quietly finishing all the food on her tray and draining two cups of soda, Bai Xiang stood, dumped the trash into the bin, took her wooden sword and the wrapped bundle, and went downstairs.

Not long after she disappeared, a group of young men and women in imitation ceremonial dress and carrying long swords pushed open the fast-food restaurant’s door.

One lively girl ignored the people still in line and shouted at once, “No more lining up, hurry and pack ours to go, make it quick!”

So arrogant, several faces turned on her in anger.

Then, seeing what they wore, the looks froze.

White garments as underlayer, a green gauze outer layer.

Add the crest embroidered over the left breast; they were students from Qizhou University, and judging by the outfit from the Sword Institute.

The would-be hero lowered his colors at once.

No one in line voiced a complaint, and even the staff looked honored. They quickly set aside other orders to pack, hauled out big bags, and stuffed them full.

“Xiao Ming!”

The tallest young man among them frowned at once.

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Make this much of a splash, if someone posts it, the Sword Institute will lose face.

“Huh?”

Seeing he was about to lecture her, the lively girl slipped sideways, ducked behind a cool, pretty woman, then peeked out and pouted.

“Senior Brother Hao? What did you want to say?”

The young man glared at her, speechless. He looked at the cool beauty, and all his words stuck.

The others broke into cheerful grins.

Ah, even Senior Brother Hao gets humbled.

So the rumors were true.

He really is different with Junior Sister Chai.

“No need to pursue it, Senior Brother.” The cool beauty smiled slightly, like ice thawing, a gentle grace unfurling.

“Instructor Zheng had us put our names in at the Jobs Directorate, and head to the field camp to rendezvous with him.”

“We really should not linger in the shop.”

“Right.”

“Senior Brother Hao” stared at her face without blinking and nodded hard.

“Then we will make an exception this once.”

“Do not bother these folks; we will grab the bags and go.”