11: The intelligence in Chapter 11 is fake?!

Ji Taichang opened the mission document.

The mission content was simple: Niulan Village, located a hundred miles from the Qingyun Sect, had recently been plagued by wild demons. The highest cultivation level among the demons was the ninth level of the Qi Refinement Stage. Ji Taichang was ordered to slay the demons, with a reward of 250 merit points.

If the mission failed, 500 merit points would be deducted!

As a prominent Righteous Path Sect in this region, it was perfectly normal for the Qingyun Sect to issue missions to slay demons.

Ji Taichang didn't see any issues and casually tucked the mission document into his pocket.

A hundred miles might seem like a long way, and in truth, it was not close at all.

Only those at the Golden Core Stage could fly through the air for long periods. Those at the Foundation Establishment Stage could only rely on external items like Flying Swords or flying boats to fly short distances, and it consumed a great deal of spiritual power.

After leaving the Qingyun Sect's territory, Ji Taichang didn't use his full strength. Instead, he displayed the speed of the first level of the Foundation Establishment Stage and leisurely made his way toward Niulan Village.

Over two hours later.

A small mountain village nestled among high mountains and lofty peaks appeared before him.

The village was unusually quiet. There wasn't a single sound; not even the crowing of roosters or the chirping of insects could be heard. It was so quiet it was a bit frightening!

Ji Taichang's nose twitched as he sniffed, and his brows suddenly furrowed.

The air was permeated with... a faint scent of blood!

Ji Taichang turned to leave immediately.

This godforsaken place clearly had problems!

As for the penalty for mission failure, it was merely five hundred merit points. Ji Taichang couldn't be bothered to take the risk.

"Jie jie jie... You're a cautious brat, aren't you!"

Right at that moment.

A cold, eerie, and sinister laugh suddenly drifted from the mountain forest ahead. It was elusive, echoing from all directions.

Immediately following that.

The surrounding vegetation swayed, and a rustling sound rang out as over a dozen wolf demons pounced out, surrounding Ji Taichang.

Each of these wolf demons was five or six feet tall, as sturdy as an ox. Their eyes were blood-red, emitting a terrifying aura of Evil Qi.

At the very front, a wolf demon stood upright like a human. Its body and limbs looked human, but it had a wolf's head and tail. Covered in black fur and holding an axe, it radiated the powerful aura of the third level of the Foundation Establishment Stage!

Ji Taichang's face suddenly darkened!

Didn't the mission document say the highest cultivation level of the demons was the ninth level of the Qi Refinement Stage?

Damn, he had been set up!

"Damn it all, who's trying to frame me?"

The image of Li Tiao immediately surfaced in Ji Taichang's mind, followed closely by Zhang Shan!

Zhang Shan's father, Zhang San, was the Vice Hall Master of the Alchemy Hall and a Golden Core Stage Sect Elder. His Alchemy skills were consummate, and even the powerful Elders of the Sect had to beg him for help in refining pills. He had extremely broad connections!

If Zhang San had personally intervened, he could have asked an Elder from the Merit Hall to assign this mission to him while conveniently hiding its true difficulty. It was completely plausible.

This way, Ji Taichang would "perish" at the hands of the demons as a matter of course, without anyone being the wiser!

In an instant, Ji Taichang had guessed the general sequence of events, and his expression grew even gloomier.

For the sake of a Waste Pill Processing Deacon position, this father and daughter pair actually wanted him dead?

How vicious!

"What, are you scared witless?"

The Wolf Demon Leader licked his lips and looked Ji Taichang up and down with greedy eyes. "I see you have fair skin and tender flesh. It would be a pity to kill you directly. Why don't you stay with me for a few days? If you serve me well and make me happy, I might give you a way to live. Jie jie jie..."

Looking at the Wolf Demon Leader's black fur and muscular build, Ji Taichang felt a wave of nausea!

"Serve you? My ass!"

"Die for me!"

Ji Taichang drew the longsword from his waist and slashed fiercely toward the Wolf Demon Leader.

"Oh?"

"Instead of running away, you're actually taking the initiative to attack me?"

The Wolf Demon Leader grinned, his gaze filled with contempt.

"A mere first level of the Foundation Establishment Stage... I really don't know who gave you the courage to attack...!"

The Wolf Demon Leader casually raised the battle-axe in his hand, but before he could finish his sentence, his tall and burly body was instantly sent flying by Ji Taichang's sword!

Two thuds.

When the Wolf Demon Leader's body hit the ground, it had been split vertically in two; he went straight to sleep, never to wake again.

"Awoo... Awoo!?"

This sudden turn of events scared the dozen or so surrounding wolf demons witless.

Their eyes bulged, and their heads buzzed. They were so shocked they could hardly believe their eyes!

Wasn't this human in front of them only at the first level of the Foundation Establishment Stage?

How could he possibly one-shot the Wolf Demon Leader with a single sword strike?!

"Damn it! The intel is fake?!"

A thought surfaced in the minds of the wolf demons, and it was also their last.

Wisps of fire ignited on the longsword in Ji Taichang's hand, erupting into a ten-zhang-long flame Sword Qi. With him as the center, it swept out in all directions!

Boom!

In an instant, the bodies of these dozen or so wolf demons exploded, turning into a sky full of fireworks with pieces scattered everywhere.

"Is this the strength of the Half-step Golden Core Stage... Truly powerful!"

Ji Taichang licked his lips. Feeling the surging power within his body, he suddenly became excited!

Snap!

Ji Taichang snapped his fingers and circulated the Blazing Fire Art. Wisps of fire bloomed and fell onto the fragments of the wolf demon corpses, incinerating them completely to ash and erasing all traces.

Ji Taichang thought for a moment before striding into the village.

The massive mountain village was plunged into a deathly silence. Not only were there no people, but even animals like chickens, ducks, cattle, and sheep had vanished, as if they had evaporated from the world. It had become a ghost village.

It wasn't until the end of the village that a clamor of noise rang out.

Over a dozen villagers were tied to an old locust tree. Their mouths were stuffed with rags, and they could only let out helpless and terrified whimpers.

A total of six wolf demons were gathered there, guarding the villagers.

Upon seeing this, Ji Taichang's gaze instantly turned cold!

He didn't consider himself a good person, but seeing his innocent human compatriots being harmed by demons, an uncontrollable surge of anger still rose in his heart!

"Hmm?!"

"How did this human get here? Didn't the King and the others go to ambush him?"

The six wolf demons were all shocked to see Ji Taichang appear.

The villagers, who were already despairing and terrified, shuddered and suddenly became excited, struggling incessantly and letting out whimpers.

"Drop your weapon and put your hands up!"

"We have hostages!"

The wolf demons reacted quickly, immediately raising their sharp claws to the villagers' heads to threaten Ji Taichang.

"Hostages?"

Ji Taichang grinned. "If I kill the hostages along with you, there won't be any hostages left, right?"

Wolf demons: ?

Before they could figure out the meaning of his words, Ji Taichang suddenly struck!

With a "swish," a flash of flame Sword Qi suddenly bloomed, appearing before the wolf demons in an instant.

This sword strike was incredibly fast!