"There's not much information, and it seems to have been intentionally concealed. But that's to be expected; how could such secrets be disclosed recklessly?" After inquiring around the city, Wang Linchi found only a scarce amount of information related to the Ten Evil Demon. This scarce information was discovered in the City Master's Mansion—some scattered phrases left behind by the City Lord's Demon Suppressing Sorcerer brother.

When he returned to Wang's Residence at night and was about to enter, he distinctly noticed two health bars.

The Demon Suppressing Sorcerers have arrived? That was quick. Wang Linchi was taken aback. He had thought it would be tomorrow or the day after, not expecting them today. Judging by their looks, they seemed to have been here for quite some time.

Summoning the Saint Master, he pushed the door open. Despite the brightly lit mansion, it was very quiet, and he could still detect a distinct smell of blood.

"You're not Yang Chenxu?" a tall and thin middle-aged man immediately noticed Wang Linchi's presence. Seeing that he wasn't the person he had expected, his expression became somewhat dissatisfied.

Wang Linchi knew Yang Chenxu; he was the City Lord's Demon Suppressing Master brother.

"No, I'm not. And you are?" Wang Linchi countered. Judging by the man's words, it seemed he too was unaware of the whereabouts of the City Lord's brother.

"Which Demon Suppressing Sorcerer are you to cross borders and enter my Qing State's territory without notifying me? And you even dared to slaughter the fat sheep we've raised for so long?" another, shorter and somewhat chubbier, middle-aged man spoke, his tone irked. It seemed he wanted Wang Linchi to explain himself, or this matter wouldn't be over.

There were only two Demon Suppressing Sorcerers present. The Abyssal Demons they nurtured were quite average—level 40 Bosses. While perhaps impressive in the past, they were nothing special in a level 70 dungeon. These two should be middle-ranked members among the Demon Suppressing Sorcerers; otherwise, they wouldn't have been dispatched to carry out this investigation.

Wang Linchi was curious: how had these two Demon Suppressing Sorcerers managed to maintain their middle-aged looks without turning into old men? Did they not use Abyssal Demons that much?

"I'm here to find the Ten Evil Demon. Don't know if you've heard of it." Facing these two, Wang Linchi could only think their timing was impeccable. He'd thought he would have to travel all the way to the Demon-suppressing Alliance Branch, but who knew they would deliver themselves to him.

The expressions of the two Demon Suppressing Sorcerers darkened.

"So you're here to poach," the tall and thin Demon Suppressing Sorcerer said, barely suppressing his rage. "And here I thought you were just trying to get a cut."

Trying to get a cut was fine. After a fight, if he lost, he would let the other person go. After all, the other party couldn't possibly take all of the fat sheep.

However, they had invested a lot of resources and time into this Ten Evil Demon. If they successfully unsealed and nurtured it, their status in the Demon Suppression Alliance would skyrocket. They could easily be transferred from the branch to the headquarters, live the life of elites, and enjoy benefits like life extension.

As a result, Wang Linchi's action was equivalent to making an enemy of the entire Qing State Demon Suppression Alliance.

"In that case, you might as well stay here," the short and chubby Demon Suppressing Sorcerer huffed coldly. He then directly drew upon his lifespan to bolster his Abyssal Demon, commanding it to kill Wang Linchi.

CRACK!

It was a good idea, but before the creature could approach, the Saint Master crushed it to death with one hand.

SPLAT!

The Abyssal Demon's death caused an immediate backlash for the short and chubby Demon Suppressing Sorcerer, making him spit out a mouthful of blood and visibly age.

"No, no, no... how is this possible..." Fear was evident in his eyes. No matter how strong the opponent was, it was impossible for his Abyssal Demon to die in a single confrontation!

The pact of a human nourishing a demon was inherently an unequal treaty. A Demon Suppressing Sorcerer's death wouldn't affect their Abyssal Demon. However, if the nurtured Abyssal Demon died, the Demon Suppressing Sorcerer would either die or suffer devastating injuries, along with a significant decrease in lifespan.

The tall and thin Demon Suppressing Sorcerer's pupils contracted. He instantly wanted to turn and flee. If the opponent could instantly kill his teammate's Abyssal Demon, they could instantly kill his too. He didn't want to die yet.

His idea was good, and his reaction timely; the only problem was he didn't have time to escape.

"No, help me, I can..."

Unlike the short, chubby Demon Suppressing Sorcerer, the backlash was far more savage when the tall, thin one's Abyssal Demon was killed. As he spoke, he bled from all seven facial orifices and aged markedly, as if fifty years had passed in an instant. Eventually, his life force completely faded.

"Lucky for you, there's still one left alive." Wang Linchi looked at the short, chubby Demon Suppressing Sorcerer. The Saint Master picked the man up; he looked extremely weak and old from the backlash.

The tall, thin Demon Suppressing Sorcerer's death was primarily Wang Linchi making an example of him to frighten the other. Wang Linchi was confident he could have prevented them from dying from the backlash, just as he had with this short, chubby Demon Suppressing Sorcerer.

"Let me go! I'm valuable! I know information about the Ten Evil Demon!" the short, chubby Demon Suppressing Sorcerer quickly blurted out, trying to show his worth.

He certainly wouldn't shout something like, "If you dare kill me, the Demon Suppression Alliance will hunt you to the ends of the earth!" or "My father is so-and-so!" or "My master is so-and-so!" because it would be meaningless. If such threats were useful, Wang Linchi wouldn't have attacked them on sight.

"Good, you're self-aware," Wang Linchi said. "However, I don't think you know much." He had primarily seized him to inquire about the Demon-suppressing Alliance Branch in Qing State, and secondarily about the Ten Evil Demon.

Given the status of these two—the tall thin one and this chubby one—within the Demon-suppressing Alliance Branch, it was unlikely to be high. Otherwise, why would they have been assigned to investigate this matter?

"You should still be able to hold on for a while; we can take our time." Wang Linchi accepted the Abyss Crystal handed over by the Saint Master before asking, "Why did you previously assume I was Yang Chenxu?"

"He betrayed the Demon Suppression Alliance, and with an incident happening right here, we assumed Yang Chenxu was behind it," the man cooperatively divulged.

"Why did he betray?" Wang Linchi was baffled. Demon Suppressing Sorcerers could betray the Demon Suppression Alliance?

"Lifespan," the man replied. "He overused the power of his Evil Demon but couldn't acquire any lifespan-extending treasures from headquarters. That's why he betrayed the Demon Suppression Alliance."

Upon hearing this, Wang Linchi understood. The Demon Suppression Alliance had a severe seniority system. Yang Chenxu had neither background nor seniority, so he was at the bottom, exploited and compelled to use up much of his lifespan commanding Abyssal Demons to complete tasks and gather resources for the upper echelons of the Demon-suppressing Alliance Branch in Qing State. Seeing his value about to be completely squeezed dry, and with those above him withholding the resources that should have been his, he would lose his life if he continued. Naturally, he had to defect.

"Are there many new-generation Demon Suppressing Sorcerers who flee from the Demon Suppression Alliance?" Wang Linchi suddenly wondered.

The man looked at Wang Linchi, hesitating to speak, but then his gaze met the Saint Master's ferocious expression. It was clear that if he didn't speak, the Saint Master would surely mince him.

"Many," he finally said. "Most of them were tricked into coming here to be... fattened pigs."

Listening to him describe them as "fattened pigs," Wang Linchi felt the Demon Suppression Alliance was indeed undermining its own foundation. Without fresh blood, how could it sustain growth?

One could only say this world was truly harsh. Talents that should have been seen as sources of hope were not only unvalued but actively harvested.

Anyone with the aptitude to complete the training and pass the trials to become a Demon Suppressing Sorcerer was, by definition, extraordinary, given the immense difficulty. Of course, that was after the system changed to "nourishing demons with humans." Originally, one merely needed aptitude and to apprentice under a Demon Suppressing Sorcerer until they graduated.

How different from now, where it's like they're carefully selecting fish from a chopping block. And they only care for the precious ones; the high echelons of the Demon Suppression Alliance disdain to even look at ordinary fish.

"Didn't anyone resist?" Wang Linchi asked again.

"There were some," the short, chubby Demon Suppressing Sorcerer admitted, "but most were no match for the Demon Suppression Alliance, as they were already old and frail, their lifespans nearly depleted." He himself had suppressed such rebellions a few times.

And Yang Chenxu was one of those who resisted, but he managed to escape.

"I see." Wang Linchi no longer dwelled on this. "Now, tell me about the Demon-suppressing Alliance Branch in Qing State. I'm extremely curious about it." Given the current situation in this instance dungeon, it was unlikely he would directly confront these larger issues within the Demon Suppression Alliance. His contact would be limited to the Demon-suppressing Alliance Branch in Qing State.

As for where the headquarters was, Wang Linchi wasn't sure. Even if he knew, he couldn't go there; the scope of this instance dungeon was limited to Qing State.

"Treat me first! I can't hold on much longer!" The short, chubby middle-aged man felt his life force draining faster and faster. He could only pin his hopes on Wang Linchi for aid. "In my waist pouch, there are healing medicines!"

Wang Linchi removed the waist pouch and held it. "No worries, you still have plenty of time. Tell me some information, and I'll give you some medicine."

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