Chapter 15: The Demon Woman

In the council hall, Shen Tang sat high in the center, while Qing Li stood quietly behind her, pressing his sword hilt.

Shen Tang's beautiful eyes scanned around. A few people had sullen expressions, but the vast majority of elders and stewards wore joyful faces.

They had never imagined that things they had struggled to sell, managing only three to five copies when half-dead, could all be sold out simultaneously in the hands of the young sect master.

The preparation time was short, so they only produced just over ten thousand sword talismans. The items were cheap, and they didn't earn much money.

But a long-term agreement had already been signed. This was a stable source of future wealth. Even if this item was cheap, the large quantity meant that at least surviving properly in Xia State was no longer a problem. The effect far surpassed their original plan of refining pills and making medicine.

Everyone knew they had official connections, but they never thought business could be conducted this way.

After all, everyone was just sword guests, and their way of thinking wasn't really along this path.

And discussing this method alone, it was Shen Tang herself who came up with it, not someone who taught her. Just this one matter made it very clear who had the ability to lead everyone to stand firm.

Zhong Uncle, who was leaning against the hanging plaque, squinted at the Elder Sun, who had been the most active previously, and coldly laughed, "Regarding the agreement that day, does Elder Sun still have anything to say?"

Elder Sun's face was expressionless, "This is borrowed from Xu City Master's power, not her own ability."

"Then you don't recognize Xu City Master?"

"..."

"When the sect master entered the sect, Xu City Master was already a master. You are more familiar with him, right? How did you not find him?"

"I..." Elder Sun was speechless, his heart truly unconvinced.

This kind of idea often makes one think, "Damn, it's so simple, I should have used it earlier," when they see others using it. However, before others used it, one would never have thought of it themselves.

People often don't feel this is because they are incapable; they only feel that the other side got lucky or that they weren't planning to handle things properly in the first place, so they naturally didn't think further.

Elder Sun choked for a long time, and then said indignantly, "Just business, Fu One Hall Master is sufficient. Is this something the sect master should do?"

Zhong Uncle coldly laughed, "Why didn't you say so when making the agreement? The agreement has been made; it's hard to chase after four horses. Now it should be you who steps down and yields to the wise!"

Immediately, bystanders advised, "That... Sect master, Elder Sun is also for the sect. Why must you be so forceful?"

Shen Tang finally spoke, "Who says I am letting Elder Sun step down and yield to the wise?"

A sigh echoed through the hall, "Just know the sect master is magnanimous..."

"This seat says, you, you, you..." Shen Tang lifted a finger and pointed one by one, pointing out a total of eight people, "All eight of you, hand over your duties."

The faces of the eight people who were pointed at changed greatly. Even Zhong Uncle looked at Shen Tang with some unease and whispered a sound transmission, "Sect master, we cannot withstand such a big turmoil..."

"No break, no stand." Shen Tang was unmoved, "This sect suddenly encountered great disaster. Originally, we should unite our efforts to overcome difficulties together. Yet, there is such a group of people, flying around like flies for gain, privately scheming for power, leaking alchemist information, obstructing sword talisman matters... This sect is swaying in wind and rain. How can it withstand such bad damage from you? All of you, take them down!"

"Clang!" The sound of swords being drawn filled the hall. Elder Sun laughed mockingly, "Shen Tang! You shouldn't think that this minor matter allows you to establish supreme authority, it's truly laughable! Shishu teaches you a lesson, now the foothold has been formed. Even without you, this sect can continue to do the sword talisman business. No one will be controlled by you because of this."

"Heh..." Shen Tang's beautiful eyes turned, one elbow resting on the armrest of the chair, leaning her cheek, her expression carrying a lazy charm that Lu Xingzhou had never seen on her, "You think this seat really cares about all of you, or is very afraid, that's why I gambled with you these days?"

Elder Sun was startled for a moment, his expression heavily staring at her, not speaking.

Shen Tang continued faintly, "That's only because I am using these matters to observe and judge exactly which people should be killed. I don't want to kill the wrong people, only this. Now that it has been confirmed, all of you can also die."

As soon as the words fell, the entire room was filled with a cold light.

Elder Sun and the others were terrified in their hearts. Just as they were about to raise their swords to resist, their throats felt slightly cool, and a little blood overflowed from their throats, instantly solidifying into frost.

Du Gu Qing Li held his sword and stood in the middle of the hall. Blood dripped from the tip of the sword, turning into blue frost in mid-air, falling to the ground and shattering like dust.

The eight corpses fell to the ground with a thud.

Even at death, Elder Sun could not believe that Shen Tang would actually kill them directly like this without saying more. He also couldn't believe that they, a group of senior elders, couldn't even withstand a single sword strike from a white-haired girl.

They were still waiting to cooperate with people inside and outside... but they were instantly killed. The people outside were probably not even aware...

Even Zhong Uncle and the others all stared with wide eyes at Du Gu Qing Li in the middle of the hall. Many neutral parties trembled like chaff.

The sect master had such a terrifying sword warrior by her side. How could she possibly care about the strength of others?

Looking at Shen Tang's lazy, leaning posture, the blood color in the hall seemed to have just performed a song and dance in front of her. Her eyes still contained a smile, without any fluctuation.

Was this still the gentle and desolate young sect master everyone had known before?

This was not a demon woman!

Shen Tang's beautiful eyes swept over, taking in everyone's expressions, and she smiled slightly, "Sun Jingci and the other eight people colluded with outsiders and plotted improperly. They have been executed. Sword Front Hall, External Affairs Hall, etc., will be filled directly by the vice hall masters. Tang Yunzhong will concurrently serve as the master of Seek Sword Hall, responsible for recruiting newcomers. And..."

She paused, and her voice turned cold, "This seat has already succeeded the position and is the sect master. Some people previously still called me young sect master. Don't think this seat doesn't know what that means. From now on, I do not wish to hear such a slip of the tongue again. Adjourn!"

The entire sect was silent.

Looking at her sitting in the wheelchair, she still appeared weak and frail, but no one dared to underestimate this lame young sect master... no, sect master, any longer.

At the foot of Danxia Mountain, Liu Qingcang led a group of Danxia Gang elites and skillfully rushed straight to their old site. From afar, he could see the courtyard gate, but it was blocked by a group of fierce generals from the Town Demon Office outside.

Sheng Yuan Yao wore a large cloak and stood out from the crowd, "Liu Gang Master, you came down the mountain to appreciate the scenery at midnight. How is the scenery?"

Liu Qingcang's face was as if he had eaten shit.

He was pulled by City Master and cooperating with the elders inside and outside the Shen Clan Trading Company. He hadn't even approached the place before being blocked by the Town Demon Office. What was this mess?

Was the Town Demon Office still the Town Demon Office under Xia State City?

But these words could not be said openly. Liu Qingcang could only say sullenly, "Still good, still good... Commander Sheng also took a stroll. I wonder if the City Master is well?"

"The Town Demon Office is directly managed by the court, not a local yamen. There is no need to pay respects to the city master." Sheng Yuan Yao smiled, squinting her eyes, and patted the non-existent dust on his shoulder, "The night is dark and the wind is high. Liu Gang Master should go back and rest early to avoid any accidents. The Town Demon Office would be reluctant to see that."

Liu Qingcang secretly called himself unlucky and could only force a smile, "Commander Sheng also rest early."

Sheng Yuan Yao turned and re-entered the queue, not looking back, "A medicine seller just does a medicine seller's business. Don't get too distracted... Don't let your main job go wrong in the end, and regret it too late."

Liu Qingcang swallowed a mouthful of flies and helplessly led his group back.

Actually, at this moment, Sheng Yuan Yao's face was also like she had eaten flies.

She strolled into the Shen Clan Trading Company and lowered her head to look at the corpses in the council hall that had not yet been processed, and said coldly, "Shen Sect Master abused private punishment and killed arbitrarily. She thoroughly disregards national law?"

The Town Demon Office was difficult to operate this year. In theory, they were mainly responsible for demonic matters, and their functions were different from local official offices. But they were also responsible for various major cases, just like she was investigating the Ho family murder case.

But how to be responsible for this? The private punishments in gangs and sects like this were countless, and murder cases were happening constantly. The world situation was like this; they fundamentally could not manage it. Conflicts between sects were even harder to manage. As long as it wasn't an open large-scale conflict, fights between sects on the jianghu were everywhere, and people died every day. Who could manage it...

Although she had just prevented a gang blood fight conflict and counted it as a merit for pacifying the area, adding another stroke to her resume, her mood was not good.

She also knew it was meaningless to blame Shen Tang. This was the world situation, not Shen Tang's fault. If Shen Tang hadn't been decisive enough, it might have been Shen Tang herself who died. Who would she find to reason with? But she still couldn't help but mockingly stab a sentence. No matter what mysterious background Shen Tang had, heaven and earth were the largest, and her chest was the largest.

Something largest.

Shen Tang didn't have the demon woman posture from earlier. She responded in a low voice, "Sorry, I originally... didn't want to cause you trouble."

Sheng Yuan Yao was stunned for a moment. What was with this tone? Did you know me?

She thought about it. The Danxia Gang had heavily offended Shen Tang by digging away Bai Chi, yet Shen Tang did not kill for revenge according to the habit of sects disposing of traitors... Before, she thought they had no strength, but now seeing Du Gu Qing Li's level, she was afraid they could make Bai Chi die without even knowing how he died, yet they did not do so.

Could it be that she really didn't want to cause me trouble?

Sheng Yuan Yao was full of strangeness, but the words that came out of her mouth were, "National law is greater than family rules. I hope Shen Sect Master will think thrice before acting in the future."

Shen Tang was very gentle, "Understood. Many thanks, Commander Sheng, for your assistance this time."

Sheng Yuan Yao was indeed helping Shen Tang, but she could only say, "Eliminating conflicts and disputes is our duty. Instead of thanking me, you might as well thank Lu Xingzhou. Three days ago, he knew about this and said he would send me a merit. I don't know who it was for."

Speaking of this, Sheng Yuan Yao also paid attention and sized up Shen Tang several times.

She was clearly beautiful and gentle, dignified and poised, but she didn't know why, a word just popped up in her heart: "ruin the country and bring disaster to the people."