18: Nine ranks! People from the Demon Slayer Division have arrived! Kill!
"The Taihang Mountain Range is scenic and spiritual, with many Essence Spirits appearing. Why is there no Mountain God?"
The voice reached the Earth God Zhu Gang's ears, and he was momentarily stunned.
He hadn't expected Xu Qing to ask that question.
"Great Immortal, you may not know, but this area of the Taihang Mountains belongs to the Great Gan territory. At the beginning of the nation's founding, the imperial court enfeoffed deities in various places. Those who complied were listed and granted godhood, while those who defied were annihilated in their Divine Soul."
Earth God Zhu Gang honestly replied, "All the mountain spirits in this part of the Taihang Mountains were annihilated by the experts of the Fengxian Division because they refused to be governed back then."
Xu Qing's heart stirred upon hearing this.
The authority of this Great Gan surprised him; they could actually enfeoff deities themselves.
Isn't that power only for Immortals and Gods?
Xu Qing then asked some more questions, all related to the Great Gan's Three Divisions.
However, Zhu Gang was just the Earth God of Dongshu Township and knew nothing about more secretive matters.
But he did understand many fundamental things about the Great Gan Human Race.
Among them, what he knew best was the Fengyang City God Temple.
Dongshu Township is under the jurisdiction of Fengyang County, and Zhu Gang is a subordinate low-level Underworld Official, so he naturally knew more.
The Fengyang City God is a seventh-rank righteous god!
Seventh-rank is his official position, and also his strength.
The cultivators of Great Gan are mainly divided into four types.
Martial, Confucian, Buddhist, and Daoist!
Other types like shamans, sorcerers, Qi Refining masters, and so on are very rare.
These Cultivation paths are roughly divided into nine stages.
According to strength, they are successively from ninth-rank to first-rank, with ninth-rank being the weakest and first-rank the strongest.
And above the first-rank, there are also titles.
Martial Artists are Martial Ancestors, Confucians are Confucian Sages, Buddhist Cultivators are Buddhas, and Daoists are called True Immortals!
And the strength of the Fengyang City God is at the seventh-rank level among the ranks.
"Among the Yao Race, what are those above first-rank called?" Xu Qing asked curiously.
Earth God Zhu Gang pondered for a moment, then said, "It seems to be called... Great Sage!"
Great Sage, that's a good title.
It sounds impressive.
As for the strength divisions of the Yao Race, Zhu Gang was unclear.
Xu Qing estimated it was related to the amount of Cultivation Level.
"What about the Demon Slaying Division?" Xu Qing had just opened his mouth to ask when he suddenly sensed something.
He abruptly looked up, his torch-like eyes gazing at the distant horizon.
A forked tongue flicked out, and a mysteriously unique aura appeared in the air.
It wasn't the aura of a demon, nor an Underworld Official.
It was more like... a Human Cultivator!
Zhu Gang, as an Earth God, knew everyone entering his jurisdiction like the back of his hand. His face changed drastically, fearing Xu Qing would misunderstand.
"Great Immortal, these are not the reinforcements I brought!"
"The City God and the Demon Slaying Division collude, entering the mountains to hunt every so often. It has nothing to do with me!"
The Earth God Zhu Gang quickly explained the whole situation.
Only then did Xu Qing realize why the wolf demon had eaten so many people yet still lived well until now.
It turned out to be intentional.
"Go back." He didn't make things difficult for Zhu Gang and released his restraint.
Earth God Zhu Gang, as if granted a great pardon, quickly burrowed into the ground and disappeared.
Xu Qing, on the other hand, retreated into the jungle.
He didn't return to the Taihang Mountains but waited silently in the peripheral area.
He would not actively provoke overly powerful enemies.
But if the other party came to kill him, Xu Qing would not sit idly by either.
Not long after.
Dozens of humans dressed in black flying fish robes and carrying blades at their waists quietly gathered at the edge of the Taihang Mountain Range.
In the dark jungle, Xu Qing watched them coldly.
Their words reached his ears.
This allowed him to learn their identities and origins.
As Zhu Gang said, they were all from the Demon Slaying Division, led by a Chief Flag Bearer.
The official ranks of the Demon Slaying Division generally matched their strength; a Chief Flag Bearer was a seventh-rank official, naturally possessing seventh-rank strength.
Comparable in strength to the Fengyang City God.
But why did it feel like... their strength was just average!
Xu Qing looked at the subordinates around the Chief Flag Bearer; there were two other seventh-rank individuals, while the rest were mostly eighth-rank.
"Big Brother, I have something to ask of you. After we kill that wolf demon, a few days later, for my wedding with Wan'er, could you be the officiant? You know I lost my parents when I was young; if it weren't for your care, how could I have gotten to where I am now?"
"You talk too much, is this the time for such things?"
"I'm just afraid of an 'if'."
"What 'if'? With us brothers working together, what's a mere wolf demon?"
"Haha, after all these years, Little Nine is still such a coward? Do you want your brother to bring you the wolf demon's 'root of offspring' so you can replenish yourself before the big wedding?"
The Chief Flag Bearer and his colleagues had deep affection, like brothers for many years.
Because of this, the strength they exerted together was even greater.
Otherwise, the Demon Slaying Division would not have sent them to exterminate demons.
"Brothers, do a good job and try to finish before dawn. We can then go to Yunniang's stall for a bowl of tofu pudding!"
The Chief Flag Bearer laughed heartily, then led his men towards the Taihang Mountains.
Their words fell into Xu Qing's ears, not a single one missed.
Deep brotherly affection and camaraderie among comrades were fully displayed.
Xu Qing could understand the sentiment, but this did not prevent him from preparing for a massacre.
He had already transformed into a Snake King; it was already quite good that he didn't actively slaughter common people.
To expect him to show mercy would be truly foolish.
A cold killing intent quietly emerged in his vertical pupils.
"Since you chose this path, you should be prepared to be killed."
The gold in the vertical pupils was like molten gold, cold and devoid of emotional fluctuation.
The Chief Flag Bearer and his group were experienced, their formation orderly.
They advanced deep into the forest, cautious yet maintaining speed.
"Where are we?" the Chief Flag Bearer asked.
A Junior Flag Bearer checked the map and said, "Roughly thirty li more."
"Tell everyone to be careful, I have a bad feeling," the Chief Flag Bearer warned.
"Big Brother, with your strength, even if we don't act, you can take care of that beast," the man about to get married laughed.
The Chief Flag Bearer's face immediately turned serious, and he reprimanded, "How many times do I have to tell you, kid?
Better safe than sorry. I brought you out of your homes, and I have to bring you back safely!
If you lose even one finger, how can I explain it to Wan'er?"
"Yes, yes!"
The man immediately suppressed his smile and nodded seriously.
However.
Just as he looked up, his pupils constricted violently, and his face instantly turned deathly pale!
In the dark forest ahead.
Two huge torches had lit up at some unknown point!
Golden torches!
Whoosh---
An inexplicable gale swept through the woods, and sharp howling sounds echoed incessantly!
For a moment, sand and dust flew, and the strong wind made everyone unsteady, almost causing them to fall.
"Enemy attack!"
The Chief Flag Bearer's roar had just left his mouth.
"Whoosh!"
A sharp whistle came from far away and arrived in an instant!
With a "thud".
The young man, who was about to marry his childhood sweetheart, only looked at the Chief Flag Bearer in despair, and then his head was smashed to pieces by a rock!
Blood and brains splattered, and bone fragments hit the Chief Flag Bearer's face!
Pain, soul-searing pain!
"Little Nine!"
Extremely angry roars erupted.
Watching their beloved Little Nine turn into a headless corpse, everyone's eyes were bloodshot, filled with hatred and rage!