Outside Yongzhou City, on an unnamed small mountain.
Looking at the scene before him, Dong Jing felt a dryness in his throat.
He initially thought Shen Qing only had some clues, but he never expected to witness such a sight.
"If I''m not mistaken, this new officer came from another county town. What is his background? I can''t recall any renowned family with the surname Shen around here."
Dong Jing fell into contemplation, still gaining no insights after a long while.
After some time, the officers he sent to Shi li Village rushed back on horseback, pulling up beside Dong Jing, and stopped, saying, "Officer Dong, we just went to Baili Village to check. It was indeed the work of that Eagle Demon we encountered before."
"Lord Officers..." Seeing Dong Jing not respond, the officer found it strange and followed Dong Jing''s gaze forward, his expression slightly stiffening.
He clearly saw ahead, the Sixth Group was dragging a creature that was neither human nor fully eagle toward a young man.
They were all too familiar with that creature; it was indeed the Eagle Demon.
As if realizing something, a tremor went through his heart.
Could it be?
The members of the Sixth Group actually killed the Eagle Demon?!
Dong Jing immediately ordered, "Let''s head back, get to the Guardian Martial Department before they do."
Now that Shen Qing and the others had slain the Eagle Demon, the demon case in Baili Village was considered solved. They didn''t have much room to intervene.
The only thing to do was to report that the investigation of the Eagle Demon in Baili Village was completed to the Chief Officer before the Sixth Group did.
Trying to earn some recognition points in his presence.
If one wants to progress, doing something is better than doing nothing.
The officers from the First Group didn''t quite understand Dong Jing''s intentions and followed him closely, rushing towards the Guardian Martial Department.
Meanwhile, Shen Qing and his group had noticed Dong Jing''s actions but paid little attention to them.
At that moment, Liu Sangui and the others were diligently dragging the Eagle Demon''s corpse to Shen Qing.
Shen Qing deftly dismounted, his gaze locked onto the majestic figure before him.
Initially, when the Eagle Demon soared across the sky, its size seemed slightly grand, but he hadn''t expected it to be this enormous.
Even prostrate on the ground, the Eagle Demon was as tall as a person.
The Eagle Demon''s body was covered in pitch-black wings, edged with a bluish glow.
Even in death, the corpse exuded an extraordinary aura.
A dense demon energy even permeated the air around the Eagle Demon''s body.
It was certain that, given time, this Eagle Demon would have become formidable.
Shen Qing reflected that this was his first time battling such a demon.
The previous encounter with the Tiger Demon, though it had some spiritual wisdom, was still an animal, something tangible and visible.
In essence, it was only comparable to a Martial Artist in the Qi Cultivation Realm.
The Eagle Demon was different.
With its thirty feet wide wingspan, a Martial Artist in the Qi Cultivation Realm would have no way of dealing with it and would only be on the defensive on the ground.
If the Eagle Demon attacked from above, one might not survive.
Even with a bow and arrow, considering the distance, an Eagle Demon of such speed and agility would not be easy to hit; it would be a delusion. Sear?h the N??elFirё.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
A mere Qi Cultivation Realm Eagle Demon was already so troublesome. Who knows how many demons lurked around Yongzhou and how many innocent people might perish because of them?
Reflecting on it now, Shen Qing thought what Wu Sheng mentioned wasn''t entirely unfounded.
He didn''t know enough about Yongzhou.
Shen Qing refocused his thoughts and directed his gaze on the Eagle Demon''s corpse.
The sharp eyesight skill activated.
The various abnormalities on the Eagle Demon''s body could not escape his keen eyes.
As if discovering something, Shen Qing drew the long knife from his waist and plunged it into the Eagle Demon''s corpse, making a swift incision.
Warm blood sprayed out.
Shen Qing knelt down, disregarding the bloodstains, he reached into the incision and pulled out a fist-sized Demon Core.
The Eagle Demon''s Demon Core differed in color from the Tiger Demon''s Core.
The Tiger Demon''s Core was reddish overall, while the Eagle Demon''s Core was a dark greenish-blue.
Within this Eagle Demon''s Core, Shen Qing noticed it contained more potent energy than the Tiger Demon Core.
If used to enhance cultivation, it would indeed be powerful!
Shen Qing flicked his wrist, shaking off the bloodstains on the Demon Core, and unhesitatingly put it in his pocket.
Then he noticed some feathers among the Eagle Demon''s plumage that appeared mystical and decided to pluck them and store them in his pouch as well.
Liu Sangui leaned over and whispered, "Officer Shen, our Lord Chief Officer has a fondness for collecting rare treasures, including a liking for Demon Cores. If you take it away like this, it might provoke his displeasure."
Shen Qing glanced at him and said, "I''m aware."
The slaying of the Eagle Demon cost him quite a lot of dark iron Heavy Arrows.
Every arrow was money.
What''s the big deal about plucking some feathers and extracting a Demon Core?
At worst, he''ll play it by ear later; if it can''t be kept, then so be it.
Shen Qing surveyed the people and said, "That''s enough. You clean up this carcass and let''s all head back."
Guan Yunjian couldn''t help but step forward and ask Shen Qing, "This Eagle Demon is so large. We don''t have a cart, how will we move it back?"
"You still come to me for this kind of thing?" Shen Qing responded with a stern face, "Can''t you use the official horses you brought? Haul it back with your horses."
Uncle Shu and Guan Yunjian were left speechless.
Using their official horses to carry the Eagle Demon meant they''d have to walk back to Yongzhou.
Shen Chasi was clearly using them as labor.
"What are you staring at me for? Hurry up and get to work!"
Shen Qing sheathed his Dagger and slung it across his body.
Then he mounted his horse, coldly glaring at Uncle Shu and Guan Yunjian, who lowered their heads in surrender and worked without another word.
With the help of Liu Sangui and Jiang Dacong, Uncle Shu and Guan Yunjian loaded the gigantic Eagle Demon''s body onto the backs of two official horses.
They used a few sticks to make a simple framework for the horses.
"Let''s go, back to the Guardian Martial Department Office." Shen Qing tightened the reins and shouted, "We''ve clarified the Baili Village case. Take the Eagle Demon''s body back and report it. It''s a good opportunity to show the privileged in the yard that our Sixth Group isn''t weak and isn''t inferior to them. Ya!"
Uncle Shu and Guan Yunjian, reduced to laborers, couldn''t care less about Shen Qing''s inspiring words and were even disdainful.
However, Liu Sangui and Jiang Dacong, who had no quarrel with Shen Qing, were quite excited by his words.
They hurriedly followed closely behind Shen Qing.
"Those two lagging behind, pick up the pace. Make sure to get back to the city before dark!"
Uncle Shu and Guan Yunjian, leading their horses, gritted their teeth and said, "Yes! Lord Officers!"
The last four words were uttered with emphasis.
...
Yongzhou City.
Clad in strenuous attire, Huang Furo and a bearded middle-aged man each rode a tall steed, galloping to the Guardian Martial Department Office''s entrance and reining in their horses.
"Whoa!"
Huang Furo asked, "Lord Commander, is this the location of the Guardian Martial Department Office? Shall we go in?"
"Yes, we should. The trace of demons outside the city must be resolved swiftly. With Great Zhou in internal and external crises, since I stand guard here, eating the lord''s grain, loyal to the lord''s duties, bearing the lord''s concerns, I will not allow a mishap in the matters I oversee."
The middle-aged man didn''t hesitate, dismounting quickly and entering the Guardian Martial Department Office, with Huang Furo closely following.