Chapter 39: The Demon-Slaying Bureau

An hour later.

He Chang'an, with a bruised and swollen face, emerged from the dungeon in a new set of clothes—plain black garments without any ornamentation, cinched with a bronze belt, limping as he walked. Damn it, Jiang Jifeng and Wu Jincao, those two blockheads, had been far too ruthless. Seventh-rank martial artists, their fists as hard as stone, always targeted the softest spots on his body.

It was supposed to be a simple test of combat strength before starting the job, but it had turned into a "pretty boy versus beasts" ordeal. He Chang'an's potential had been squeezed dry; apart from keeping his "little black rod" in the spiritual sea of his dantian hidden, he had used all his tricks, yet still spent most of the hour being pinned and beaten by the two.

Only when they were finally satisfied did they inform him, with lingering relish, that the higher-ups had sent them to notify him: He Chang'an had already been "hired" by the Demon-Slaying Bureau, becoming a "Yellow-rank Demon-Slayer."

His first reaction was utter confusion.

"Is this for real? The most mysterious institution in the Great Tang, and their recruitment is this sloppy? Is it because I dare to hit and scold scholars… Or maybe, because I’m too handsome?"

Clearly, it was neither.

The scarred Jiang Jifeng—currently He Chang'an’s direct superior—said himself that He Chang'an’s entry into the Demon-Slaying Bureau was thanks mainly to the recommendation of Yang Zhen, the county constable of Weiyang.

“Yang Zhen said you’re a good seedling. If you stay stuck in a place like Weiyang County, you’ll rot through sooner or later.” Jiang Jifeng clicked his tongue, amazed at He Chang'an’s luck.

The Demon-Slaying Bureau of Great Tang was not a place where just any random stray could enter. Personal ability mattered, but above all, one’s lineage had to be spotless for eight generations.

He Chang'an understood instantly.

A proper background, indeed...

“By tradition, Demon-Slayers do have the authority to recommend and observe newcomers, but usually it takes two or three years before deciding to officially recruit them. You, kid, are an exception.” Wu Jincao said coldly.

He Chang'an followed behind the two, listening in silence, a little uneasy: "No written test, no social rounds, no interview, no paperwork, no probation period—something feels off..."

Ah, a strange feeling indeed.

At least one thing reassured him: the Demon-Slaying Bureau apparently didn’t require eunuchs.

He had casually observed Jiang Jifeng and Wu Jincao, his two colleagues, and noticed their Adam’s apples were intact, their beards genuine—they hadn’t been castrated.

...

Stepping out from the damp, gloomy corridor of the dungeon, finally seeing daylight again, He Chang'an squinted, taking over a dozen breaths before his dizziness faded.

After a month and a half as a shut-in, he’d grown a bit pale and pudgy, and his steps were unsteady.

Before them stood a nine-story tower, constructed entirely from massive gray stone. Sparse runes were carved on the walls, giving it a mysterious air. The grounds around the tower were open, spanning seventy or eighty acres, with scattered flowers, bamboo, but not a single tall tree.

“This is the Demon-Suppressing Tower.” Jiang Jifeng walked ahead, his voice low. “All noise and clamor are forbidden here. Since you’ve just joined, there are rules you must remember.”

He Chang'an nodded silently, not daring to be careless. From a small runner in Weiyang County, he was now a Demon-Slayer—excited yet nervous, he even felt the urge to pee...

“When you meet Chief Xu later, be straightforward. He doesn’t care for flattery or pretense.” Jiang Jifeng reminded him.

“Yes, alright.” He Chang'an nodded, then asked with curiosity, “Aren’t you our boss?”

“I’m nothing. Don’t listen to Wu Jincao’s nonsense. Our chief is Xu Fan, Lord Xu.” Jiang Jifeng chuckled, adding, “Demon-Slayers are ranked Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow. We’re all Yellow-rank, Chief Xu is a Black-rank Demon-Slayer.”

Heaven, Earth, Black, Yellow—clear hierarchy.

He Chang'an guessed that these ranks likely combined both strength and authority...

Entering the first floor of the Demon-Suppressing Tower, He Chang'an was astonished to find that the nondescript building outside held a vast interior—a grand hall spanning a hundred yards.

On the thick stone walls, each cardinal direction had a doorway, covered in mysterious runes, emitting an aura that sent chills down his spine.

“Could it be that behind these four doors lie the places where evil spirits and demons are suppressed?”

He Chang'an didn’t dare ask.

He followed Jiang Jifeng and Wu Jincao up to the second floor.

In a simple room, He Chang'an met Xu Jian—Lord Xu—for the first time.

Lord Xu was a plump, fair-skinned middle-aged man, sitting in a chair, engrossed in reading a dossier, his brows tightly knit.

“Chief Xu, Yellow-rank Demon-Slayer He Chang'an is here,” Jiang Jifeng said, giving He Chang'an a meaningful look.

He Chang'an quickly stepped forward, bowed, and said, “He Chang'an greets Chief Xu!”

“I see. Let him start with some chores for now.” Xu Jian glanced at He Chang'an, nodded slightly. “A tenth-rank martial artist, somewhat weak in cultivation. Later, help him find a suitable training manual.”

With that, he lowered his head and continued reading, no longer paying any attention to them.

Jiang Jifeng, Wu Jincao, and He Chang'an all bowed and retreated, turning to leave.

“Jiang, you go ahead. I’ll take him to find a training manual,” Wu Jincao said coldly.

“Alright, come find me later. His pile of books is still with me.” Jiang Jifeng headed downstairs, while Wu Jincao led He Chang'an further up.

The ninth floor of the Demon-Suppressing Tower was the so-called “Library Pavilion.” Wu Jincao and He Chang'an went straight in; there was no “library elder” as often found in fantasy tales.

There weren’t many bookshelves inside, maybe twenty or thirty, and the books were few and placed rather haphazardly.

“So this is the territory of martial artists—even the library is so neglected,” He Chang'an thought.

“This shelf holds manuals suitable for beginners. Pick one yourself.” Wu Jincao said, standing before the largest shelf, then turned away to another, taking down a book to read.

He Chang'an uttered an “uhh,” then began to browse the manuals.

“Hunyuan Body Refining, True Essence Art, Bronze Skin Iron Bone Beginner’s Guide, Free-Style Techniques, Dragon-Tiger Formula…”

He looked through them all—most were pure body refining arts, with only a few capable of cultivating essence in addition to training the body, which left He Chang'an somewhat frustrated.

“New martial artists usually follow the path of body refining. This doesn’t seem to suit the Qi-Eating Art…”

He took down a copy of the “Dragon-Tiger Formula,” pretended to stretch his neck, scanning the surroundings, forming an idea.

He slowly moved to a nearby shelf, where he finally spotted two manuals that piqued his interest—

“Nine-Turns Golden Pill Formula,” “Heaven-Burning Earth-Destroying Demon-Slaying Magic Eight-Arms Hunyuan Art.”

Following the rule that “the longer the name, the more formidable,” He Chang'an reached for the “Heaven-Burning Earth-Destroying Demon-Slaying Magic Eight-Arms Hunyuan Art.”

“Wait, this manual isn’t meant for humans?”

The moment he took the manual, He Chang'an felt a sudden daze; in his mind’s eye, the words “Heaven-Supporting Demon-Suppressing Art” flashed large, an ancient, wild aura surged forth…