Chapter 51: A Heart Worthy of Condemnation

Returning to his own quarters, He Chang’an brewed a pot of clear tea and sipped it slowly. His gaze flickered with thought as his fingers drummed lightly on the stone table.

Rebirth Pills, merit points, silver… These things were all of great importance. Yet to He Chang’an, the demons and ghosts suppressed on the first floor of the Demon Suppression Tower posed little threat.

“So, should I just freeload for a while?” He picked up the crimson Rebirth Pill, feeling it in his palm for a moment, but found nothing amiss before finally tossing it into his mouth.

The pill tasted sour, with a faint hint of sulfur, and its texture left much to be desired. However, once swallowed, it quickly dissolved into a surge of searing heat that, moving with the flow of spiritual energy through his meridians, made He Chang’an let out a couple of contented groans.

Warm and invigorating—quite a pleasant sensation. One could imagine that for demon slayers who couldn’t refine the Yin fiend energy, the Rebirth Pill would be very effective. For He Chang’an, however, it was only marginally useful.

After all, he was practically cheating at this point.

“It wouldn’t hurt to collect a few more Rebirth Pills, sneak them out, and sell them for some silver…” He rested briefly, then left for the “canteen” run by the Demon Tower wardens, collected a meal and a gourd of fiery liquor with his waist token, and returned to his room to eat in leisure.

He had a bold idea brewing…

“Brother Chang’an, enjoying your meal?” Chen Double-Blades sauntered in with a cheerful smile. “I forgot to mention earlier—besides pills, I have other fine goods as well, all exchangeable for merit points. Interested?”

He Chang’an was chewing a piece of some unknown wild beast’s meat, thoroughly bewildered.

“No one offers such favors for nothing—either a thief or a schemer… This head warden is being far too familiar,” he thought.

“What sort of fine goods do you mean, Chief Chen?” He hurriedly swallowed his meat and filled Chen Double-Blades’ bowl with liquor. “As long as it aids my cultivation, I’m certainly interested.”

Chen Double-Blades drained the bowl in one swig, smacked his lips, and grinned. “Techniques, magical tools, talismans—you name it, I have it.”

He leaned in, lowering his voice and glancing around. “And beast-demon materials… Interested?”

“Interested, my foot,” He Chang’an cursed inwardly. “I don’t understand any of this, and the more you babble, the less I get…”

“Very interested,” he replied with a forced smile, filling another bowl for Chen Double-Blades and passing it over with both hands. “It’s just that I’m lucky to have barely started on the path of cultivation, so I don’t really know what’s useful…”

He blinked innocently as he spoke.

“Ah, so that’s how it is. No wonder you ended up posted to the Demon Suppression Tower,” Chen Double-Blades laughed. “Techniques, tools, talismans, pills—we’ll leave those aside… As for beast-demon materials, they’re only obtained when the higher-ranked, fifth or sixth grade lords go out and slay high-level demons. Essential for alchemy, forging, and body refinement.”

The more He Chang’an listened, the more confused he became, but he kept up a façade of awe, looking at Chen Double-Blades with eager eyes. “Chief Chen, as long as I have enough merit points, I’ll be sure to come to you to exchange them!”

Only then did Chen Double-Blades smile in satisfaction, down another bowl of liquor, and leave with a grin.

He Chang’an walked him to the door. Watching Chen Double-Blades disappear into the distance, he turned back inside, his expression gradually growing grim.

His instincts screamed that there was something wrong with Chen Double-Blades…

…

He Chang’an slept a full eight hours before leisurely rising, washing, and gathering his belongings to report to Chen Double-Blades for his assignment.

This time, his task was to “torture” a demon.

A three-tailed red fox with five centuries of cultivation.

Armed with experience, He Chang’an didn’t rush into the dungeon. Instead, he stood at the entrance, gathering his focus, circulating both his spiritual energy and righteous aura to shield his internal organs, meridians, and sea of consciousness.

Fox demons were renowned for their charm—one slip, and a newly initiated martial artist could easily have their soul ensnared.

That was surely what was meant by “possessed by demons.”

He Chang’an inwardly cursed that bastard Chen Double-Blades for urging him to suppress more demons and earn more merit points, then assigning a “weak little martial artist” like him a demon with five hundred years’ cultivation.

Sinister to the core!

Though not a bad person by nature, He Chang’an’s lives as a special forces soldier, bodyguard, and assassin had taught him that caution keeps you alive.

It’s always the naïve ones, those who spill their heart after three drinks, who end up in trouble…

“Better to suspect others of ill intent than to gamble with your life.”

Taking a deep breath, He Chang’an strode into the dungeon without looking the demon in the eye, methodically laying out various blades and magical implements.

Then, with a sudden motion, he plunged a knife straight into the fox demon’s thigh.

A sharp, piercing scream rang out.

Even though He Chang’an had prepared meticulously, fortifying his mind and sea of consciousness, he still felt a moment of dizziness, as the vision of a fox-faced maiden appeared before him, nestling against his chest, whispering softly…

An illusion.

…

With a silent flick, the “little black rod” shot into the fox demon’s body, greedily devouring and refining its demonic energy, transforming it into spiritual energy to nourish He Chang’an’s flesh, bones, meridians, organs, and the sea of spirit.

After just a few breaths, he snapped out of the illusion, quickly breaking free from the fox’s charm.

Outwardly, though, he maintained a foolish, slack-jawed grin, drool slipping from the corner of his mouth.

If he was to act, he might as well do so thoroughly.

He rapidly refined the demon energy, all the while feigning pitiful defeat, careful to leave plenty for the “array.”

Yes, it was a tiresome task.

After a dozen breaths, the fox demon’s aura weakened, collapsing on the ground with pitiful whimpers that tugged at the heart.

If he didn't have to pretend his soul was gravely wounded, he’d have felt compelled to help himself up.

He Chang’an dared not meet the fox demon’s eyes, fearing he’d truly fall prey to its charm, so he simply closed his eyes and pummeled it with fists and feet.

A joke—five centuries of cultivation in a fox demon…

His only concern was whether his meager cultivation and pretense of Yin energy invasion would be enough to fool Chen Double-Blades.

After all, the man was a bona fide seventh-grade martial artist.

…

“Brother Chang’an, why do you look so pale?” Nearly an hour later, He Chang’an, face ashen and steps unsteady, dragged himself in to “submit the task.” Chen Double-Blades hurried over, full of concern.

“Brother, are you all right?”

“Chief Chen, merit points… exchange them all for Rebirth Pills!” He Chang’an gritted his teeth.

“Yes, yes, you’ve been invaded by Yin fiend energy…” Chen Double-Blades took his waist token, quickly tallying the results—seventeen merit points in total. “Brother, all for Rebirth Pills?”

“Yes…” He Chang’an slumped onto a stone bench by the door, groaning feebly.

Chen Double-Blades took out nine Rebirth Pills, placed them in a small white porcelain bottle, and handed it over with a smile. “Three merit points per pill, that’s nine in all. Keep them safe, brother.”

He Chang’an snatched up the bottle, hastily poured out a pill, and swallowed it, beginning to silently refine its energy.

Chen Double-Blades sat behind the stone table, watching as the color returned to He Chang’an’s face and his aura grew less cold, a faint, barely perceptible smile curving on his lips…