Chapter 55: To Promote Or Not, That Is The Question.
Edited by: Mochiusagi
For half of the day, Shen Changqing didn't take even half a step out of his bedroom.
During that time, Shi Qingsheng also came in and out several times, each time bringing a large amount of food with him.
In the bedroom.
Shen Changqing finally ended his round of Cultivation and began to check his panel.
___________________________
Name: Shen Changqing
Power: Great Qin Demon Suppression Division
Status: Yellow Rank Official Slayer
Martial Arts: Thirteen Cross Practice (Level 20, cannot be upgraded), Heavenly Martial Astral Qi (Level 13, cannot be upgraded), Seven Killings Blade Technique (Level 3), Iron Sand Palm (Level 2)
Killing Value: 0
___________________________
Just as Shen Changqing had guessed.
From Level 16 to 19 of the [Thirteen Cross Practice], the consumption was 5 Killing Value points per level. But when it broke through Level 20, the consumption doubled.
Of course, since the consumption doubled, the enhancement it brought also increased.
From the 41 points of Killing Value, the [Thirteen Cross Practice] alone had consumed 25 points. The remaining 16 points were used for the [Heavenly Martial Astral Qi], which was upgraded by two levels.
"Level 12 of the [Heavenly Martial Astral Qi] enables one to enter the Outer Astral Realm. At my current level, Level 13, I should be almost near the peak of the Outer Astral Realm. But there is still a gap to break through to the Grandmaster Realm."
"On the contrary, Level 20 of the [Thirteen Cross Practice] has made my body's defense extremely strong."
"Now, even if I didn't use Astral Qi, it would probably be very difficult for a Qi Circulation Realm Cultivator to break through my defense."
Shen Changqing secretly thought.
However, without a real fight, he was not 100% sure if his body alone could really resist a Qi Circulation Realm Cultivator.
However, this was not what he was most concerned about at the moment.
What Shen Changqing was the most concerned about right now, was how to break through to the Grandmaster Realm.
To be honest, he didn't know much about the Grandmaster Realm.
When he was at the first floor of the Library, not to mention the Grandmaster Realm, even for the Innate realm, he only had half of an understanding. At most, he was only familiar with the name of the Realm.
It was not until the Demon Suppression Division had sent the [Heavenly Martial Astral Qi] that he truly understood the Innate Realm.
But after the Innate Realm, Shen Changqing was confused.
What was the Grandmaster Realm?!
How does one break through to the Grandmaster Realm?!
He didn't have a clue.
"The second floor of the Library may have records of the Grandmaster Realm, but when it comes to Grandmaster Realm level techniques, the odds are that they exist on the third floor. With my status as a Yellow Rank Official Slayer, entering the second floor is already the maximum."
"Unless– I would be promoted to a Red Black Official Slayer, then that's a different story!"
Shen Changqing played with the Clear Spirit Jade Pendant in his hand. Submitting this thing would likely get him promoted to the Red Black Rank.
As long as the promotion was successful, the treatment that he received, in all aspects, would be elevated.
Accordingly, the danger of his missions would also rise sharply.
Right now, the most dangerous thing he could do was to assist the Red Black Official Slayer to deal with a Grudge Level monster or demon.
For the current Shen Changqing, he would have no problem with dealing with a Ghost Level or Grudge Level monster/demon.
But if he was promoted to a Red Black Official Slayer, if he's unlucky, the mission was likely to involve higher-ranking monsters/demons.
Just like what happened to Liu Chang.
As the Yellow Court's Steward, he was a Red Black Official Slayer. He should have been as stable as an old dog, but he ended up dying in the hands of a Fury Level monster.
This shows that although there were many benefits of being promoted, there were also many dangers.
Shen Changqing could just silently stay as a Yellow Rank Official Slayer, while only killing the lower ranked demons/monsters and harvesting Killing Value.
This was a difficult choice.
After all, with a Ghost Level monster, a weak one might provide him with 8 or 10 points of Killing Value, while a stronger one will give him 12 or so.
But with a Grudge Level monster, the Killing Value earned would be much more.
Someone as strong as Wen Rong provides 30 points of Killing Value, which was comparable to killing two or three Ghost Level monsters with a great amount of effort.
The only thing was the risk was also not low.
"Let's put on hold for now!"
"Everything can wait until I return to the Demon Suppression Division."
Shen Changqing took a deep breath. Currently, his mission was to hold down the fort in Lin'an City.
From the news he received from the Heavenly Inspection Guard, in a couple of days, the Demon's Essence Blood should come out.
Counting the time, the official Governor appointed by the Court should also be almost here.
"The news that I killed the demon in the Zhang Family should have reached the Heavenly Inspection Guard. I guess my break through to the Innate Realm can no longer be concealed. But with the Clear Meridian Pills, the break through can still be barely justified."
"There is no such good thing in the world of wanting to quickly improve my strength, while not attracting anyone's attention!
Shen Changqing had long been psychologically prepared for the current situation.
It was feasible to keep a low profile in the Demon Suppression Division and silently accumulate Killing Value to raise his realm, but the progress would be too slow.
Therefore, it was only a matter of time before his strength would be exposed.
Anyway, he had the Clear Meridian Pills as an excuse. Although breaking through to the Innate Realm was a bit shocking, it was not completely unexplainable.
Moreover, the breakthrough to the Innate Realm did not mean that he had to be promoted to a Red Black Official Slayer.
Like in the promotion from an Apprentice Slayer to a Yellow Rank Official Slayer, the Red Black Official Slayer would also require an assessment mission.
There was a buffer period of 5 years for the Yellow Rank Official Slayer.
Any Yellow Rank Official Slayer could choose not to take part in the assessment mission for 5 years. During this time, one could silently accumulate strength. Only when the 5 years period had expired, would the assessment mission be mandatory.
If one succeeded, one would naturally be promoted to a Red Black Official Slayer.
But if one failed, if one had bad luck, one would die. If one was lucky and survived, his next mission would also still be an assessment mission.
From this point, it could be seen that the Demon Suppression Division was ruthless in their ways.
Also, in the 5 year period, the Demon Suppression Division would not force the Yellow Rank Official Slayer to participate in the assessment mission under normal circumstances.
As for what situation was considered as not normal, Shen Changqing did not know.
He soon got up and left the bedroom.
Shen Changqing then found Shi Qingsheng, "Book Master Shi, immediately draft a public announcement to post, explaining what had happened in the Zhang Family yesterday."
The Zhang Family Residence had a demon hiding within and was burned to the ground.
For the people of Lin'an City, it was counted as a major event, so the Government Office must give a proper explanation and pacify the people.
At the same time, Shen Changqing also went to the study and began to write down the Zhang Family's affairs, then passed it back to the Demon Suppression Division's side.
If it was just the extermination of the Zhang Family, there was no need to explain it to the Demon Suppression Division.
However, the Zhang Family was the hideout of the Eternal Life Alliance in Lin'an City. The matter involving a hideout of the Eternal Life Alliance could be big or small.
To be on the safe side, Shen Changqing decided to send the message.
Regarding the content of the letter, he wrote everything as it was. But for the strength of the Zhang Family demon, he did not fully reveal it.
After writing, Shen Changqing changed into civilian clothes and went to the Yongfu Pawnshop. He handed the letter to Situ Bei and asked the other party to pass the news back to the Demon Suppression Division through the Heavenly Inspection Guard.
At the same time, the announcement of the Government Office was also officially posted.
Many people immediately gathered around, talking about the announcement.
"Is there anyone who knows how to read? Please help interpret it."
"I didn't expect that the Zhang Family had been exterminated by the demon, what a pity!"
"Yes, only a few days ago I was talking with a Zhang Family Housekeeper, I did not expect that in just a few days, he's already gone–"
The people around, shook their heads and sighed.
Some had connections with the Zhang Family, one way or the other, while others were purely lamenting the fragility of human life.
"Was the Zhang Family exterminated by the demons only yesterday?"
In the crowd, Cui Cheng looked at the posted announcement and his brows were slightly knitted.
He originally thought that the Zhang Family had colluded with the demons, and was then killed by Shen Changqing. But looking at the content posted on the bulletin, it was more like the Zhang Family was suddenly exterminated by the demon, then the Government Office got the news and rushed over to exterminate the demon.
The content of the announcement seemed to be written in a reasonable manner.
But in the eyes of Cui Cheng, it was full of loopholes.
As early as when Shen Changqing summoned himself and others, it could be seen that the Zhang Family had been a hideout of the Eternal Life Alliance longer than a day or two.
If the Zhang Family did not collude with the demons, they would have died a tragic death.
His guess was that the Zhang Family had long been destroyed.
Not only Cui Cheng had doubts, Zhao Yue, who was with him, was also confused.
"Senior Brother, did the Zhang Family not collude with the demons and was just exterminated by the demon not long ago?" She looked sideways at her Senior Brother Cui Cheng, who wore a gloomy expression.
"It's hard to say."
Cui Cheng shook his head, he was also confused.
"Let's leave first!"
He then pulled Zhao Yue away.
The other people were still gathered around the announcement, each discussing non-stop.
•×•×•×•
Inner Hall.
Shen Changqing had just sat down when two people, Cui Cheng and Zhao Yue, came knocking at his door.
"What are the two of you doing here?"
"Lord Shen, I would like to ask about the Zhang Family--" Cui Cheng spoke impatiently, but halfway through his sentence, he didn't know how to continue it.
"Both of you sit down."
Shen Changqing's eyes gestured for them to sit.
The two then clasped their fists: "Thank you, Lord Shen!"
Finished saying their thanks, each took their own seat.
Shen Changqing looked at the two people with a calm expression: "I presume that your purpose here was the announcement posted by the Government Office, right? Well, if you have any questions, just ask. There is no need to beat around the bush."
"In that case, I will also be straightforward!"
Cui Cheng cupped his hand and asked his inner doubts.
"Yesterday, looking at the meaning of Lord Shen's words, it is clear that the Zhang Family has been a hideout of the Eternal Life Alliance for some time. But from the announcement of the Government Office, the Zhang Family was not a hideout, but rather the family had just been exterminated by the demons."
"What's going on here, exactly?"
"The Zhang Family is indeed a hideout of the Eternal Life Alliance. The Zhang family, however, did not collude with the demons. In fact, the Zhang Family was long exterminated by the demons."
Shen Changqing replied.
After a brief pause, he asked a question.
"I wonder if the Returning Yuan Sword Sect has heard of Corpse Puppets?"
"Corpse Puppets?!"
Cui Cheng was puzzled for a moment, but he soon remembered something, and his face immediately changed greatly.
"Lord Shen is saying that the people of the Zhang Family had been refined into Corpse Puppets?!"
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