I Slay Gods and Demons in the Deceit Night

"You goody two-shoes?" The man named Zou who had just caused his companion's death sneered: "You can't even manage your own life. Old, weak, sick, and frail, you can't keep your own destiny safe. Why pretend to be altruistic?"

Smack!

Second Uncle Zheng came over, his hands muddy, slapped Zou, and cursed: "I may not be able to kill you, but I can certainly beat you up! Damn it, Old Liu treated my wounds and healed my mom's illness. If anyone dares to speak ill of him, I won't let it go!"

"Stop right there!"

Someone shouted sternly from the other side.

Everyone became cautious and looked toward the source of the voice.

A group of young people emerged from the bushes.

"Everyone, please don't misunderstand. We are from the Flame Spirit Prefecture, heading to Heavenly Destiny City to witness the Supreme Pavilion's grand ceremony. We're on our way back. We saw demons attacking and came to investigate..."

The senior brother from Flame Spirit Prefecture said, cupping his hands: "I noticed the attack just now, and it seems there are injured among you... We have someone skilled in medicine, do you need assistance?"

In the desolate wilderness, after a demon attack causing casualties, encountering a group of strangers is unsettling.

Any merchant convoy wouldn't allow such strangers to approach easily.

Leader Luo was about to refuse immediately.

But then a young man said: "Boss, they really are from the Flame Spirit Prefecture, they seem to be the Deputy City Governor's disciples..."

Leader Luo frowned and asked: "How do you know?"

The young man whispered: "When we were in Heavenly Destiny City, I heard they offended Song Family's prodigy, then the Saint Master killed the prodigy, and they were taken away by the Demon Suppression Department."

"I heard Saint Master appeared, I rushed to see but missed him."

"But when they were taken away by people from the Demon Suppression Department, I saw them."

"Under the Deputy City Governor of Flame Spirit Prefecture, they shouldn't be bandits."

"I see those three brothers severely injured, they probably won't last, Old Liu's actions are sluggish, may not save them."

"Should we give it a try?"

The young man hesitated.

He was clearly brought by an elder into the business.

After speaking, he was slapped by the elder and scolded: "Mind your own business, Leader Luo knows what to do, who needs your guidance?"

"..."

Leader Luo looked peculiar.

Second Uncle Zheng had just buried two deceased Martial Artists, hesitated, and finally came over, saying: "Three severely injured, Old Liu can only save one at most, can't just watch them die..."

Leader Luo was somewhat swayed but feared accidents might happen, thus appeared uneasy.

"Sometimes when we deliver goods, we pass by Flame Spirit Prefecture. Now is a chance to make acquaintance with these young prodigies, if we build some rapport, it might be useful in the future! At least we can wave their banner for support..."

Second Uncle Zheng sighed and continued: "Furthermore, if they die, the compensation from above has to be shared with their families as a condolence, but if they're only disabled, they get less than half."

Leader Luo's eyes lit up, and he stepped forward, cupping his hands: "Oh, you are the esteemed disciples of Flame Spirit Prefecture's Deputy City Governor. We're having bad luck, encountering a swarm of demonic birds, desperately need a doctor... If you're willing to help, it'd be a great favor!"

——

Lin Yan had changed his appearance.

He wasn't sure how many people in this merchant convoy had seen his "Saint Master" form during the grand ceremony.

This time, he appeared as neither Lin Yan nor Wu Chang, but a soldier he had seen at Taixuan Divine Mountain.

As the Flame Spirit Prefecture group helped with the rescue, Lin Yan also went alongside Old Liu to assist.

But upon approaching, he didn't seem too concerned.

"The injuries are severe, survival depends on tonight."

Old Liu wiped blood from his hands and said: "Luckily, they're Martial Artists, their vitality is stronger than ordinary people, chances of survival are not small..."

He sighed lightly and said, "With a severed arm, their martial path is likely ended, they'll have to choose another livelihood."

After finishing, he performed a greeting to the Flame Spirit Prefecture group and said: "Thank you all for your assistance in saving their lives."

Flame Spirit Prefecture's senior brother instinctively glanced at the Saint Master.

The Saint Master was currently impersonating his junior, showed no reaction.

So he took a deep breath, performed a greeting and said: "As members of the Human Clan, traveling the world, we should assist each other."

"If all people were as kind as you..."

The old man lamented: "I've been with the merchant convoy for around twenty years, and aside from the Demon Suppression Department, I've mostly encountered bandits who rob and kill..."

"In some places, even the soldiers and generals responsible for patrolling, upon seeing us outsiders, always want to extort silver taels, sometimes failing that, they plan to kill and loot the goods."

He coughed as he spoke and quickly added: "But Flame Spirit Prefecture's reputation is always good."

——

Kang City!

Only two days of travel, and they arrived at the destination.

The convoy's goods would be unloaded here partially, and purchase local goods, along with those from Heavenly Destiny City, sell them to farther Yue City.

Finally, they would buy goods in Yue City, return to Kang City, sell a part, then the rest back to Heavenly Destiny City, selling at high prices.

And the goods they buy in Yue City aren't just the city's specialties.

Other caravans bring goods from farther, priced high in Yue City.

In Yue City, they buy those distant goods at high prices, return to Heavenly Destiny City, sell them at even higher prices.

Thus, they earn quite a lot.

"We've reached Kang City..."

Little White Ape whispered: "That old man seems to settle in Kang City. Master, haven't you found out this old man's secret? How about just taking action, binding the old man, and interrogate fiercely?"

"This old man doesn't seem right."

Lin Yan said: "But I feel, it may not be Old Liu who's suspicious... Let's not alert anyone, wait until we're in Kang City."

——

In Kang City, they went their separate ways.

The convoy had its own route.

While the Flame Spirit Prefecture group stayed in the inn in the city.

"Saint Master..."

In the inn, several young members of Flame Spirit Prefecture quickly bowed in salute.

For the past two days, they kept calling the Saint Master junior brother, feeling very uneasy, sensing it was disrespectful.

Now separating from the convoy, finally relieved, they quickly bowed and saluted, relaxing their heart realm.

"Rise."

Lin Yan raised his hand, saying: "Traveling together makes us companions, no need for such formalities..."

He casually took out a piece of silver and said: "Prepare a table of dishes, wait for me to return, and we will drink together."

With that, Lin Yan flipped out of the window, following Old Liu's Qi Mechanism.

——

Kang City, Outer City Northwest Area, outermost ward.

"Grandpa Liu is back!"

"Did Grandpa Liu bring something to eat?"

"Always thinking about food, Grandpa Liu has been out for so long, how about asking how he is first." Said a young boy, giving a light tap to the speaker, quickly reaching into his coat and pulled out a tattered bag, smiling: "Grandpa Liu, I moved rice for someone yesterday, earned over fifty coppers... You taught me the Pile Technique, recently I have been improving, almost mastered it."

"Good, good..."

Old Liu kindly ruffled the children's heads.

While at the edge of this dilapidated house, a few elders emerged.

Two with canes, in their seventies.

The other three, around fifty or sixty, appearing younger than Old Liu.

"Old Liu, did you bring money back this time?"

A man in his fifties stepped up and took the money bag, angrily said: "How come it's just this amount? This time you traveled back and forth, it's three silver taels less than last time? Did you spend it on amusement in Heavenly Destiny City?"

Old Liu sighed, explaining the matter of the three silver taels in Heavenly Destiny City.

"Don't you have a conscience?"

The man cursed: "Last year, when you took us in, what did you promise? No more hunger or cold... Now that it's getting chilly, do you intend for us to freeze on the streets wearing these rags?"

Instinctively he wanted to slap him but recalled this old man also traveled the world with the convoy for many years as a Martial Artist, quickly lowering his hand.

Then suddenly, he burst out cursing: "You said before that my son would start school, learn to read and write, and become an accountant, gaining the skill for a livelihood... School started this year, yet with this money, how can my son even start school?"