"How long do you plan to stay?"
Watching her eat so heartily, Shen Yi inexplicably felt a bit hungry himself, and reached out for a piece of fire-baked bread, only to have his hand gently tapped by the other party's fair, jade-like fingers.
Lin Baiwei picked up a clean flatbread and handed it over, "I've set up a small shed in the backyard, and I'll try not to disturb you. As for how long I'll stay... maybe another month?"
She wasn't very sure.
Shen Yi took the flatbread, his expression betraying neither pleasure nor anger.
This woman never spoke the truth; despite seeming to have a clean background, she had actually been sent away by the Lin Family years ago. When she returned, no one knew what skills she had learned, yet she dared to venture out of the city alone to subdue demons.
At first, he thought she was just a greenhorn fresh from the boonies.
But after recent interactions, Shen Yi found her to be meticulous in thought and her demeanor indicated she had suffered hardships and was certainly not the foolish type oblivious to the ways of the world.
The most important point was, she had entangled herself with a group of mysterious and inscrutable fox demons and still managed to come back alive?
His predecessor had imprisoned her in the house, which seemed like a windfall, but in Shen Yi's eyes, it was simply a death-seeking venture.
Not to mention how a lowly errand-runner like himself was supposed to cope with the wrath of the Lin Family once the affair came to light.
The fox demons didn't kill her, what was the reason?!
Shen Yi couldn't figure it out, and decided not to bother trying, saying calmly, "No."
Hearing this, Lin Baiwei was not surprised; instead, she chuckled lightly, "What's the matter, you've always wanted to keep me as your bride, having second thoughts now?"
The desperate look on his face when he had grabbed her was certainly no feigned expression.
She had assumed that upon hearing her slightly yielding, Shen Yi, no matter how much he tried to appear composed, would still reveal some sort of unusual emotion.
However, the young man merely lifted his gaze slightly.
A moment later, a hint of mockery flashed across those clear, distinct eyes.
Lin Baiwei's eating slowed as she used her index finger to wipe away the crumbs at the corner of her lips. She looked back at him, and the pitiful charm on her pretty face gradually faded under Shen Yi's slightly mocking gaze.
"Ah."
She straightened her hair at the temple, sighing with a hint of helplessness, and in an instant, there was a quiet shift in her demeanor.
Lin Baiwei straightened up, her slender eyes sharpening, "Although I don't know if you're just a lowly errand runner, or someone working for the demons, I can't figure out why you suddenly got involved with them."
She glances sideways at the blood-stained clothes on the young man: "How does it feel pretending to be composed? Desperately wanting to know the method to transcend?"
Lin Baiwei plainly stated the fact of his Mortal Fetal Perfection, crossed her legs, and adjusted her clothing unhurriedly, her gaze growing cold.
"Call me master, and I will help you reach the Initial Realm Threshold, how about that?"
The martial arts name she had hastily made up before was too crude. Now that she was prepared, it would be a joke if she still couldn't deceive this young lad.
Lin Baiwei was confident.
She quietly looked towards the young man.
Then, she saw Shen Yi gently lift his hand, take the sheathed knife from his waist, and place it carelessly on the table.
"You left home to learn an art."
Shen Yi's voice grew cold: "Did you learn how to act in a grand play?"
He placed his fingers on the hilt of the knife, and Lin Baiwei suddenly felt enveloped by a thick murderous aura, involuntarily swallowing her saliva: "What... what are you trying to do?"
"I have no interest in you."
Shen Yi shook his head: "But I am very interested in your sect."
"I've already said I don't have a sect."
Lin Baiwei wanted to explain, but then saw Shen Yi take out a small cloth bag from his bosom, place it next to the knife sheath, and casually unfold it, revealing a trembling ball of flesh inside.
"Prove your worth."
Shen Yi stood with his hands by his side, seemingly harmless. Yet, the knife and the ball of flesh on the table already represented his stance.
```
Choose one of the two options and please, less trickery—I'm already running out of patience."
"…"
Lin Baiwei stared at the round mass of flesh, with the tips of her fingers hidden in her wide sleeves trembling imperceptibly.
She was stunned for a moment before asking, "Beast Origin? Where did you get this…"
Before she could finish, her gaze returned to the blood-stained garments on the other's body, the answer self-evident.
"A Beast Origin of around four hundred years, is this from a Canine Demon?"
Lin Baiwei clenched her fingers slightly, masking the surprise in her heart, recalling how the other had left with pancakes in the morning, and returned by night with the Beast Origin of an Initial Realm Demonic Beast.
Since when had the constables of Baiyun County become so fierce?
She glanced at the youth and stated succinctly, "Normally, a Beast Origin of this quality could be used directly as the main ingredient for a Qi Gathering Elixir or to assist in refining higher-grade Jade Liquid Elixirs… In circumstances where conditions do not permit, direct consumption and refining can also exhibit seventy to eighty percent effectiveness, but the impurities are greater, slightly detrimental to one's cultivation practice, thus requiring more time."
"Of course, no matter the use, it's not something that martial artists below the Initial Realm can enjoy… and this is the truth," Lin Baiwei said with added seriousness.
At her words, Shen Yi nodded and casually covered the Beast Origin again.
It was almost exactly as he had guessed.
If she had continued spouting nonsense, calling it poison, Shen Yi would have truly considered drawing his sword.
However, the fact that Lin Baiwei could recognize at a glance the provider of the Beast Origin did indeed surprise him; could she possibly know about all the demons in the area around Baiyun County?
"You can stay, but I won't get involved with your dealings with the Fox Demon, nor will I inquire about your identity."
After putting away his belongings, Shen Yi continued, "As a condition, I want two genuine Initial Realm Cultivation Techniques."
"Peach Blossom Splitting Mountain Axe, Demon-Slaying Peerless Sword…" Lin Baiwei had just begun counting on her fingers when she sensed the youth's indifferent gaze and pursed her lips, withdrawing her offer: "I don't have any Cultivation Techniques right now; you'll have to wait until after I'm saved."
"That's acceptable."
Shen Yi was not overly aggressive.
He wasn't in the habit of putting all his eggs in one basket; the Demon-suppression Bureau was good, but if he could connect with some martial arts sects and thereby obtain more information about martial arts cultivation, that would naturally be the better choice.
"Baiyun County suddenly decapitated a Canine Demon, aren't you afraid the other Demonic Beasts will rage in fury?"
Lin Baiwei picked up a fire-baked cake, tightly stuffed it with salty meat, then bit into it with a hearty "Ahwu," her mouth full as she mumbled incomprehensibly, "Although demons factions have their alliances, they are united in their stance towards the Imperial Court. In my opinion, it was wrong to start with the Canine Demon, quite like scaring the snake in the grass."
"What do you mean?" Shen Yi was mildly interested.
"That Dog Demon had only just entered the Initial Realm, and Yuan Tongtian has stayed dormant in Dongshan for years, preparing to breakthrough to Initial Realm Perfection. It should be this sort of affair he fears the most."
Lin Baiwei's face flushed red as she struggled to swallow the cake, finally letting out a long breath, "And there's also the old Green Scaled Dragon Mother; over a hundred years ago, there were rumors that it was already a Jade Liquid Boundary Great Demon. If I were you, I would report to the Imperial Court, request the assistance of a few Demon-suppression Bureau generals, and eliminate the Snake Demon first. Then the likes of the old ape and the yellow dog would naturally flee."
Shen Yi listened quietly but realized she hadn't continued further: "And the Fox Demon?"
The young lady rolled her eyes.
Having cleared all the food, she patted her full chest lightly, "Burp... I'm sleepy, sleepy."
Shen Yi sat back on the edge of the bed and bowed with his fists in thanks, "Many thanks for the warning."
Lin Baiwei slowly made her way to the back courtyard, glancing back at him, "At least you have a conscience."
She arrived at the quiet courtyard.
The relaxed look in her eyes faded, her expression growing complex.
No matter how lightly she spoke of the Canine Demon, it was a genuine Initial Realm Demon. And the man before her was just an ordinary constable, without any mentorship, still needing to secure Cultivation Techniques from a stranger like herself, any fortunate encounter incomplete at best.
Under these conditions, he had managed to slay the Dog Demon.
If one could pave a proper path for his cultivation, his future achievements would be extraordinary.
Such talent, were it to perish in the muddy waters of Baiyun County, would be a catastrophic waste.
Unfortunately, she was in no position to help herself at the moment, let alone meddle in external affairs... she was so hungry.
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