“……” Shen Yi glanced at Meng Xiuwen's sheepish grin, then down at the bloody head at his feet.

He had a fair idea why the man looked so embarrassed.

The Demon-Slaying Office was, in the end, nothing like the Demon Suppression Division. The latter acted on the War Temple's orders and ruled the Nine Provinces outright; within Great Qian, the War Temple's word was final.

But in the Divine Land, the court's power was plainly held in check by the Immortal Court.

So the Demon-Slaying Office had a great deal to be careful about. An outfit that couldn't show itself in the light always had to weigh every kind of risk and keep from drawing the Immortal Court's attention.

A matter like this one surely hadn't been serious enough that it could only be solved by making a mortal enemy of a Taiyi immortal.

“I didn't fucking mean to.”

Meng Xiuwen ground his teeth and cursed. “I was just going to take that worthless net and leave. Who'd have thought that kid would start yelling something about the world being too arrogant and come charging at me like he was out of his mind… He was a cultivator on par with the sixth rank, for crying out loud. How could he be that brainless?”

Ye Jing suddenly cut his complaining short. “It's about the same over here.”

“Huh?”

Only then did Meng Xiuwen come to his senses and notice the wreckage all around. Then he looked up at the sky.

The night was as murky as ever, but compared with before there was something disordered in it now. It was the sign of a heaven and earth left without a master.

“You killed the Jade Dragon founding patriarch?”

He stared wide-eyed at the girl in green.

“And the spirit-beast under his seat too. Seventh rank.” Ye Jing was looking at the head on the ground.

“Well, well, well!” Meng Xiuwen was silent a moment, then smacked his lips in wonder. “Who'd have guessed? Your skills have come along again.”

“I didn't do it.” Ye Jing shook her head, stepped back…