Chapter 83

The street was bustling with traffic, and on the second floor of a tavern, many people were seated, drinking together.

Near the window, a young man in a blue robe had a small pot of wine, three small dishes, and a knife on the table. The young man gazed out the window at the scene outside, drinking alone.

"The scenery in Jincheng is quite different from Guangyuan Prefecture and the capital."

Shen Changqing looked out the window at the bustling crowd, noticing that the clothing of each person was somewhat different from what he had seen before.

Moreover,

The weather in Dahuang Prefecture was dry and hot, making the skin of the people here dry and sallow, unlike the fine and fair skin of people from other places.

This was his first day in Jincheng.

After receiving the mission, Shen Changqing had simply packed his things and rushed to Dahuang Prefecture.

If Guangyuan Prefecture was close to the capital, then Dahuang Prefecture bordered Guangyuan Prefecture.

To enter Dahuang Prefecture, one had to cross Guangyuan Prefecture.

For this reason,

He had spent a considerable amount of time traveling.

It took him more than half a month to finally arrive in Jincheng.

Shen Changqing收回目光从窗外。

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Shen Changqing glanced at another table not far away.

Two men and two women.

The men were somewhat handsome, but not outstanding, while the two women were graceful and quite eye-catching.

The four of them looked young, and their skin indicated they were not from Dahuang Prefecture.

Of course,

As a large prefecture, Dahuang Prefecture often had visitors from other prefectures, so it wasn't unusual.

"Xu Yi, male, joined the Demon Suppression Bureau in June, year 381 of the Great Qin."

"Tian Feibai, male, joined the Demon Suppression Bureau in June, year 381 of the Great Qin."

"Jiang Yu, female, joined the Demon Suppression Bureau in June, year 381 of the Great Qin."

"Xiao Wen, female, joined the Demon Suppression Bureau in June, year 381 of the Great Qin."

Shen Changqing recalled the information he had obtained.

He didn't have much information, as he was just a part-time guardian, and too much information wouldn't be useful.

The current time was June, year 383 of the Great Qin.

Clearly,

The four of them had waited until the one-year mark to undertake their mission, rather than doing it earlier.

"Before I knew it, I've been in this world for two years."

Shen Changqing suddenly felt a sense of nostalgia.

Two years had passed like the blink of an eye.

During this time, he was either on missions or diligently practicing, so he hadn't really noticed the passage of time.

It wasn't until he reviewed the information about the four that he realized he had already spent two years in this world.

Two years.

The changes were significant.

He had gone from a person with no cultivation to now being at the peak of the innate realm.

Looking at Xu Yi and the others, Shen Changqing felt another wave of nostalgia.

When he undertook his evaluation mission, no one had been his guardian, and now he was their guardian.

However,

Such missions were rare.

Most of the time, apprentice demon hunters completed their evaluation missions alone.

Shen Changqing suspected that the reason he received the Lin'an City mission was likely related to his early breakthrough to the meridian realm.

Mainly,

The Demon Suppression Bureau was indeed short-staffed at the time.

Although demons were still rampant, the situation had improved significantly compared to last year, and the bureau was no longer stretched thin.

Just the fact that four apprentice demon hunters could complete a single mission together was a clear indication.

Besides the strong demon mentioned in the intelligence, it also showed that the Demon Suppression Bureau had received a lot of new recruits.

After a brief glance, Shen Changqing averted his gaze to avoid arousing suspicion.

On the other side,

The four apprentice demon hunters were whispering to each other.

"Have you all received the mission details? It's said that a large family in Jincheng lost many people, and they reported it to the authorities, which is how the Heavenly Inspection Guard got the information. According to the situation, the demon there is likely at the early or mid-meridian realm."

Xu Yi said, looking at the others.

He was the slightly older one in the group, so he was the temporary leader.

Upon hearing this,

The delicate Jiang Yu showed a hint of fear on her face.

"Big Brother Xu, can we really deal with that demon with our strength?"

"It shouldn't be a problem."

Xu Yi glanced at her and offered some reassurance.

"I, Brother Feibai, and Miss Xiao have all broken through to the meridian realm. Although you haven't broken through, you're almost there. With the four of us working together, even a mid-meridian demon shouldn't be too difficult to kill."

Three early-meridian and one near-meridian, working together against a mid-meridian demon, should be manageable as long as they were careful.

Upon hearing this,

Jiang Yu's nervousness eased considerably.

Tian Feibai asked, "Should we go directly to the residence, or what?"

"Let's gather some information first."

Xu Yi pondered for a moment and shook his head.

Then,

He looked at Tian Feibai, "Brother Feibai, go to the magistrate's office and see if you can get some information from the magistrate."

"No problem."

Tian Feibai nodded.

Then,

Xu Yi looked at Jiang Yu and Xiao Wen, "You two go to the Zhou family and ask for the details, especially any characteristics of the demon."

Jiang Yu and Xiao Wen exchanged glances and nodded.

"Alright."

"Brother Feibai, I'll go to the Heavenly Inspection Guard to gather some information. We'll meet back at the inn at the first watch of the night." Xu Yi said softly.

The others had no objections.

Soon,

They whispered a bit more and then settled the bill and left.

Although their voices were low, Shen Changqing could hear them clearly.

"Xu Yi has some experience in the world. While he may not be perfect, he has reduced many potential mistakes. The others, however, are still quite inexperienced."

He shook his head slightly.

From their conversation, it was clear that Xu Yi was the leader not just because of his age, but also because of his rich experience in the world.

As for the others, they were clearly lacking in experience.

But it was normal.

Not every apprentice demon hunter in the Demon Suppression Bureau had much experience in the world, just like his predecessor, who also lacked experience.

"However—"

"If they underestimate the demon, they are bound to suffer a great loss."

Shen Changqing raised his wine cup and took a sip.

It's worth noting that the wine here was less spicy and more mellow compared to the wine from his previous life.

If a comparison had to be made, it would be a tie.

Without truly fighting a demon, one could never understand how tenacious they were, especially with their unpredictable attack methods, which were hard to guard against.

Normally,

Three early-meridian and one near-meridian martial artists could handle a mid-meridian human.

But—

If they were to face a mid-meridian demon, a single mistake could lead to heavy losses.

Watching them leave,

Shen Changqing finished his last cup of wine and called out.

"Waiter."

"What can I do for you, sir?"

The waiter hurried over with a smile.

"Settle the bill."

"Sure thing!" The waiter smiled, checked the bill, and bowed. "Sir, your total is 123 coins."

One pot of wine.

Three small dishes.

Spending over 120 coins wasn't too expensive, but it wasn't cheap for the average commoner.

So, in the Great Qin, ordinary people rarely ate at taverns.

Taking out two silver pieces, he placed them on the table.

The waiter picked up the silver, examined it carefully, and then smiled broadly as he put it away.

"Sir, please wait a moment while I get your change."

"Sure."

Shen Changqing nodded.

Seeing this, the waiter looked a bit disappointed but didn't say anything more, and left with the two silver pieces.

A short while later, he returned.

"Sir, here is your change, 77 coins. Please take it."

The 77 coins were in a simple money bag.

Shen Changqing weighed it and put it in his pocket.

"Thank you."

He said and then got up and left.

Throughout the entire process, he didn't look at the waiter again, nor did he take out a few coins to tip.

After Shen Changqing left, the waiter spat.

"Looks fresh, but so stingy—"

He complained.

He shook his head in frustration and turned to serve other customers.

Working in a tavern didn't pay much, and the tips from generous customers were a significant part of his income, helping him make ends meet.

Customers like the one just now were unwelcome anywhere.

At this moment,

Shen Changqing had already left the tavern and was walking down the street.

He was well aware of the waiter's thoughts.

But from start to finish, Shen Changqing had no intention of tipping, as earning money was hard, and even with over 20,000 silver taels, he still needed to be frugal.

"Sigh, money is hard to earn anywhere. Once the silver is spent, I'll have to find a way to get more."

Even though 20,000 silver taels seemed like a lot, it didn't last long when spent.

Not every time would he have the good fortune to earn 30,000 silver taels like in Lin'an City.

So,

Shen Changqing now cherished every bit of silver, and unless it was necessary, he would save as much as possible.

Tipping was out of the question.

Walking down the street,

Shen Changqing reviewed the information in his mind and then stopped a passerby to ask politely.

"Excuse me, where is Tianyi Tower?"

The person, who was initially reluctant to answer, saw the knife on Shen Changqing's waist and the subtle pressure from his demeanor, and dared not refuse.

"Tianyi Tower is on West Street. Go straight for two blocks and then turn right."

"Thank you!"