Demon-Slaying Meritorious Service Record (First Chapter!)

The City of Caigui is located at the far eastern edge of the Zhutian Central Prefecture. It is quite a distance from Taicang City, requiring a three-day carriage ride.

For martial practitioners, every second of cultivation is crucial, and they did not waste these three days.

Since it was impossible to cultivate martial force inside the moving carriage, Jiang Feng used the time to train them in the minute control of bright force.

During this period, they had engaged in numerous actual combats and accumulated a wealth of experience. Over these three days, they exchanged their respective insights and conducted a serious and rigorous debrief.

While both of them benefited immensely, Bai Guo, who listened from the side, also found the discussions profoundly enlightening. She quietly estimated that in terms of actual cultivation rank, none of the three could match her. However, if they were to fight in a real combat scenario, she might well be the first to concede defeat!

Aside from routine cultivation, Jiang Feng also discussed a great deal about divine treasures with Bai Guo.

With Gan Fuxing’s passing, his Treasure Compendium had been inherited by Bai Guo. However, since Bai Guo was currently only at the First-Line level, she could not understand most of the contents within Gan Fuxing’s Treasure Compendium and could only keep it to study slowly over time.

She had taken the initiative to bring out both her own and Gan Fuxing’s Treasure Compendium for Jiang Feng to read.

After looking through them, Jiang Feng engaged in a long and earnest discussion with her based on those materials.

Having followed Gan Fuxing since the age of five and having been immersed in the field day in and day out, Bai Guo had an extremely solid foundation and a remarkably vast knowledge of divine treasures. After all, Jiang Feng had only studied under Fang Liuxian for a few short days, falling far behind her in this regard.

Yet, knowing less also had its own advantages. Jiang Feng possessed an innate keenness and sensitivity toward divine treasures. He was frequently able to see past superficial elements and pinpoint the true core and crucial crux amidst complex problems. At other times, he would take an unconventional path, coming up with wildly imaginative ideas that ordinary divine treasure artisans would never even dare to ponder.

In this way, they formed a perfect complementary partnership in divine treasure crafting. By the end of the three days, both of them felt they had gained immensely.

The two of them would often lean over the papers on the low table, chatting with glowing expressions and speaking in specialized jargon that others could not understand. Whenever this happened, Hong Cheng and Teng Zhi could only shrink quietly into the corner, watching the scene before them with a mixture of envy, jealousy, and resentment.

During a three-day journey, there was only one beauty among their companions. Yet this beauty only spoke to Jiang Feng alone... This was simply heartbreaking!

Three days later, a massive city loomed over the distant plains.

Viewed from afar, even the towering city walls could not conceal the towering skyscrapers within. Sunlight struck the exquisite eaves and roof tiles, reflecting a brilliant glare.

From a certain perspective, Jiang Feng and his two companions were genuine bumpkins. As they gazed at the distant City of Caigui, all of them were rendered utterly speechless.

Having traveled far and wide with her master since childhood, Bai Guo had seen cities ten times larger than this. Glancing sideways at the City of Caigui, she gave a cold snort and said, "It is merely a secondary city, what is there to be surprised about? If you go to Zhuyang City later, will you start drooling as well?"

Over the past few days, she seemed to have gradually adapted to the changes in her bloodline, and her personality was returning to its original state.

This demeanor in no way detracted from her beauty; instead, it added a vibrant and dazzling charm to her appearance.

With a shout from the coachman, the carriage stopped outside the city. Hearing Bai Guo’s words, he turned around with a smile and said, "Among the five prefectures of Zhutian, counting the prefecture capitals, Caigui City can be considered the second largest, second only to Zhuyang City. Such a magnificent and beautiful city, it is only natural for these lads to like it."

Bai Guo gave a soft hum, leaped down from the carriage, and said, "Caigui City is strictly regulated; identities must be verified upon entering and leaving the gates. Come on, let's go over!"

The group walked up to the city gates, where four guards were standing and laughing with two clerks by a desk.

The armor they wore looked quite shiny, but their gazes, expressions, and postures were thoroughly slack. Compared to the life-and-death murderous aura exuded by the garrison troops of Taicang City, they fell far short.

For a city as vast as Caigui City, the volume of incoming and outgoing traffic was immense. Even though the clerks only checked those entering and ignored those leaving, the workload was still heavy. Yet they went about their duties lazily while laughing, showing not the slightest sense of urgency. Before them, the crowd had already formed a long queue stretching dozens of meters.

Everyone frowned slightly. The coachman raised his head, glanced at the line, and said in a low voice, "There are certain rules for entering the city... I will go handle it."

He threaded his way through the queue, walked up to the clerk, pulled out a money pouch, counted out several silver coins, and handed them over.

The impatience on the clerk’s face instantly turned into a smile. The coachman beckoned to them, signaling them to come over.

Hong Cheng said discontentedly, "We have to pay just to enter the city..."

Teng Zhi looked around and muttered, "Openly giving and taking bribes, yet no one seems dissatisfied..."

He was right. Neither the coachman nor the clerk made any deliberate attempt to conceal their actions, yet the people waiting in line behind them turned a blind eye, none of them showing any strange expressions.

Clearly, the exact same thing had happened far too many times, and they had all grown accustomed, or perhaps numb, to it.

The clerk sized up the group and said to the coachman, "Are these your children? They look quite promising!"

The coachman chuckled. "How could I ever be blessed with such fine sons and daughters? These are examinees from Taicang City, here to take the prefecture examination!"

At this moment, Jiang Feng and the others also produced their Heavenly Illumination Tokens. The gleaming golden tokens made it immediately apparent that they were examinees who had passed the provincial examination with high scores and had come to participate in the prefecture trials!

The clerk instantly changed his attitude. Hesitating for a moment, he ultimately did not return the silver coins. With a beaming smile, he said, "Congratulations, congratulations! I wish you all a smooth success in the prefecture examinations!"

Bai Guo gave a cold snort, took the pen, and wrote her name in the roster. Her handwriting was naturally exquisite, but this time she wrote with sweeping, dragon-flying strokes, clearly displaying a casual nonchalance.

Jiang Feng and the others did not exchange pleasantries with him either. After writing down their names, they followed the coachman into the city.

Having been met with a cold shoulder, the clerk muttered discontentedly behind them, "Hmph, what are they putting on airs for? They're just prefecture examinees, what's so great about that..."

"Of course it's a big deal," a guard beside him interjected. "Everyone participating in the prefecture trials is among the top tier of the provincial examinations. Even if their performance in the prefecture trials is mediocre, there are still plenty of academies begging them to enroll! With such a stellar starting point, their future achievements will far surpass ours! Heh, if I were you, I wouldn't have dared to accept those silver coins!"

"Shut your trap, nobody's going to treat you as mute!" the clerk snapped back irritably. He hesitated, a trace of doubt crossing his face. "Should I have given the money back to them after all?"

Even if Jiang Feng and his companions came from humble backgrounds, a few silver coins were no longer something they cared about. What continued to displease them was the clerk's attitude. Having been tempered by the bloody trials of Taicang City, they found such nonchalant and irresponsible behavior particularly intolerable.

Walking into the city in silence, the bustling crowds and magnificent, ornate buildings now seemed to have lost a hint of their luster in their eyes.

The Yushui Prefecture maintained a guild hall in Taicang City, and the coachman led them directly toward it.

He had walked this path countless times, and he was well-acquainted with most of the people at the guild hall, being recognized from afar.

Immediately, several people swarmed around him, grabbing his arm and asking, "Old Niu, you've finally arrived! How is Taicang City doing right now?"

The coachman, whose surname was Niu, looked at them with surprise and asked, "The demon cave has been sealed, and Taicang City is safe. Didn't you receive the news?"

Those people nodded and shook their heads simultaneously. "Of course we received news, but it was just a simple, bare-bones result with nothing else! Tell us the details quickly—is my family back home alright?"

Old Niu said discontentedly, "Since you were so worried, why didn't you go back to lend a hand?"

Those people clamored in response, "Who says we didn't go back? Taicang City was sealed off by demonic energy, and we couldn't get in at all! Later, after putting our heads together, we realized that even if we couldn't go straight to the front lines to fight the demons, we could at least help with logistics! Before you arrived, our first batch of supplies had already been sent back!"

Only then did Old Niu break into a smile. "I knew it, there isn't a single coward in Taicang City! But wait a moment; these youngsters are here to take the prefecture examination. Let me settle them in first before I talk with you all!"

Only then did those people notice Jiang Feng and the others. One of them said, "Ah, right. You must be the examinees here for the prefecture trials, right? Which one of you is Jiang Feng?"

Jiang Feng was slightly startled and asked, "I am. What is it?"

That person said, "There is a letter for you!"

This letter came from Taicang City, urgently dispatched by Hua Su after they had departed. Having taken a special route, he had set out later than them, yet arrived even earlier.

The envelope was thick and stuffed to the brim. When Jiang Feng tore it open, aside from an extremely brief letter, the rest consisted of several identification documents.

Hua Su had scrawled in a wild, cursive hand: "I'm giving these to you. If anyone tries to bully you, take these and slap them across the face with them. Aim for the cheeks, don't disgrace me!"

"Pfft!" Bai Guo, who had never experienced Hua Su's style before, burst out laughing. "What on earth is this?"

When Jiang Feng opened them up, all of them were dumbfounded.

There were four identification documents in total, inscribed on an extremely rigid and thick type of paper, looking almost as if they had been carved into metal.

Of the four documents, one was made of silver, and the remaining three were of an ordinary brownish hue. The characters inscribed upon them were simple to the point of cold indifference—

"Jiang Feng, male, fifteen years old, has rendered distinguished service of the Second Class in the successive anti-demon wars of Taicang City. Certified hereby."

The silver document belonged to Jiang Feng, noting a Second-Class merit; the remaining three belonged to the other three individuals, all marked with "Rewarded Merit."

These four documents stunned everyone present, not for any other reason, but because of the simple, unadorned, yet sharply formidable seal stamped upon them—

Crossed swords and halberds encircled by a ring of thorns, pointing outward with sharp, menacing tips as if trying to pierce the sky.

The seal of the Anti-Demon Army!

This meant that these four documents had been issued directly by the Anti-Demon Army. They certified the contributions made by the four of them in the demon wars of Taicang City and bestowed upon them special commendation.

The Anti-Demon Army held an exceptionally unique status in the Mingxin World. Holding such certificates of merit, they would enjoy preferential treatment everywhere across the Nine Heavens Profound Pole Continent, and could stay at most taverns and inns free of charge.

When encountering disputes or trouble, as long as they presented this certificate of merit, any bystander would stand on their side without hesitation. Even if they committed a heinous crime, they would be granted a one-time exemption from the death penalty.

The Anti-Demon Army rarely issued such commendations, especially to individuals outside the army itself!