Chapter 1 Yu Family Escort

The Yu family caravan regularly traveled to and from the counties of Cheng'an Prefecture, naturally possessing experience in dealing with demons. All twelve carriages in their caravan were affixed with talisman paper from beginning to end. No matter where a demon head infiltrated, it would be sensed by the talisman paper!

The flames transformed from the burning talisman paper followed the demonic aura, colliding with that blurry figure. With a *chi* sound, the flames were extinguished.

"Demon Subduing Arrows!"

Accompanied by a loud shout, nine archers in the caravan simultaneously took out a special arrow from their quivers. These arrows were engraved with numerous runes, containing demon-subduing magic power. The nine people drew their bows and shot arrows in one go, each aimed directly at the demon head.

The archers who could carry Demon Subduing Arrows were all experts who had entered the martial dao, with extremely strong power and speed. The nine arrows arrived in front of the demon head almost in the blink of an eye.

"Puff, puff, puff!" The demon head's figure was ghostly, only dodging three of the arrows. The other six arrows still pierced into his body. When they hit, each arrow burst forth with powerful magical fluctuations, the arrow shafts all turning into powder under the intense impact, while the ruined metal arrowheads fell to the ground.

"Ooh, that really hurt a bit."

The demon head stabilized his figure in mid-air. He was a tall, thin man with a hooked nose, and the wounds on his body healed quickly. His bloodshot eyes swept over the many people in the caravan.

Although the fog was spreading, most people still saw the demon head's appearance clearly, seeing that pair of blood-colored eyes.

"It's a demon head."

"A demon head has come."

Many people in the caravan panicked.

"Don't panic, the Yu family caravan can deal with this demon!" someone shouted.

The people present had all heard legends of demon heads since they were young. No one dared to run around. In the caravan, they could still stick together and have the Yu family experts resist. If they left the caravan... encountering a demon head would be a dead end.

"There's actually a demon head," Zhao Zhen said with surprise and trepidation. "This is the first time I've seen one in my life."

"Stay away," the Zhao family's old master said with nervous solemnity. The longer one lived, the clearer one was about the terror of demons.

Xu Jingming, however, walked forward in the chaos, Wu Qi following at his young master's side. Xu Jingming observed the demon head: "Ordinary talisman paper can't hurt him at all. Six Demon Subduing Arrows hit... minor injuries!"

Xu Jingming was also judging the strength of this demon head.

If he encountered a Di Mo (earth demon), he would naturally turn around and flee without saying a word!

Over there, Yu Family Third Master, the person in charge of the Yu family caravan, also realized that the six Demon Subduing Arrows had not had much effect, and he felt uneasy.

"Demon!"

Yu Family Third Master shouted, holding a golden token in his hand, and said loudly, "This is a True Fire Token. If you don't retreat, I'll let you taste the flavor of True Fire."

"What about the True Fire Token? All of you must die today!" The demon head laughed loudly and pounced on the caravan guard closest to him.

*Shu shu shu!*

Nine more Demon Subduing Arrows enveloped the demon head.

"Escape!" Yu Family Third Master shouted unwillingly. When the people in the caravan heard the sound, they understood that the demon head was too strong! The Yu family caravan could not resist it. The caravan had long formulated an escape plan, carrying valuables with them, and everyone was running for their lives.

"It's over, it's over. We moved the whole family to the prefectural city, and we encountered this," the Zhao family's old master said with a pale face, leading his son and other family members to begin fleeing.

"Chen Qi, hurry up and run," Zhao Zhen also shouted to Xu Jingming in the distance. At this moment, Xu Jingming was relatively close to the demon head.

"This time, we actually encountered such a powerful old demon. The Demon Subduing Arrows aren't very useful, and even the True Fire Token can't scare him away." Yu Family Third Master felt bitter in his heart. Ordinary newly born Ren Mo (human demons), or ordinary Ren Mo, could generally be severely injured or even killed by Demon Subduing Arrows. "I can only carry valuables and escape! I estimate that many people will die, there will be personnel losses, and there will be cargo losses. I'm afraid I'll have to compensate tens of thousands of taels of silver."

Although the profits of running a business were great, the risks were also great! "I've escorted the caravan for twenty years, and I've encountered demon heads more than thirty times, but this is the third time I've been forced to flee," Yu Family Third Master thought to himself. He carried a True Fire Token, and under normal circumstances, demon heads would not stare at him to death! After all, if he was forced to, Yu Family Third Master could only release this True Fire Token.

Yu Family Third Master quickly rushed towards his nephew in the caravan, preparing to escape with his nephew.

"Third Uncle, look!" His nephew looked in shock at the distance.

Yu Family Third Master turned his head to look, only to see in the fog, a net flowing with starlight had already enveloped and bound the demon head. A young man wearing a starlight robe stood closest, looking at the demon head without fear. The other people had already hid far away.

"Demon Subduer!"

The demon head let out a hoarse roar, the roar resounding throughout the entire caravan, also attracting many people who were originally about to flee to look over.

"It's a Demon Subduer."

"There's a Demon Subduer! We're saved!"

The people were all excited, looking at the young man wearing a starlight robe. Xu Jingming's attire at this moment made it clear that he should be the legendary 'Demon Subduer.'

"Hmm?" Zhao Zhen and the Zhao family's old master all looked in astonishment at Xu Jingming at this moment. The companion who chatted with them and ate with them along the way was actually a Demon Subduer?

"Open for me!!!"

The demon head, in the form of a tall, thin man with a hooked nose, was now expanding and enlarging his body. His hands were like sharp claws, grabbing the net, wanting to tear it open.

He struggled desperately, rushing to the left for a while, and to the right for a while, his hands and feet desperately kicking and tearing, tearing for a full few breaths of time, before *beng*, a starlight rope broke, causing the starlight of the entire net to dim slightly. This made the demon head overjoyed, and he tore even more desperately.

"That demon head is about to escape," someone shouted in panic. The people in the caravan were all uneasy.

Could it be that this Demon Subduer could not defeat this demon head either? Xu Jingming looked up and secretly assessed: "With my third realm demon subduing magic power, performing the great accomplishment realm Net Technique, it is indeed strong enough! At least for a few breaths of time, it will prevent this demon head from breaking free. Now, he has only torn open one or two starlight ropes, and the entire net has not collapsed."

Although he had trained in three spells, this was the first time he was facing an enemy, so he naturally had to confirm the advantages and disadvantages of the spells in order to better face enemies in the future.

"Roar!!!"

Accompanied by the demon head's ear-piercing sound that resounded for a mile or two around, many people in the caravan covered their ears in fear. The demon head finally tore two more starlight ropes, and drilled out from the torn hole.

Only then did Xu Jingming form a magic seal with his hand, his magic power drawing upon the power of heaven and earth.

"Extinguish!" Xu Jingming shouted.

Only to see lightning spontaneously generated in the sky, twisting like a snake, dazzling and bright. The moment it was generated, it struck down towards the demon head.

"!!!"

The lightning struck, the sound exploding and rumbling.

In just one strike, the demon head, who had just drilled out most of his body, was blasted with several holes in his body, as if leaking air. The demon head's consciousness was also blasted into a blank state for a moment, completely stunned.

Thunder magic, after all, was an extremely powerful spell for dealing with demon heads! In terms of destructive power, it was far more terrifying than the binding Net Technique.

After striking down the first bolt of lightning, Xu Jingming did not stop at all, his magic power moving at a thought.

*Bang! Bang!*

After the initial lightning strike, the second and third bolts descended!

Instant spells, the lightning naturally continued non-stop! The three bolts of lightning each targeted the demon head, chasing after the demon head to bombard it.

"How is this thunder magic so terrifying!" The demon head had just regained consciousness when he saw the dazzling, blazing white second bolt of lightning already in front of him. *Bang!* The lightning exploded, rumbling in the demon head's consciousness.

This second bolt of lightning completely shattered the demon head's body!

The third bolt of lightning turned the demon head into nothingness! Only a trace of the remaining natal demonic energy wanted to escape! Xu Jingming's mental power could clearly sense it.

"Collect!"

Xu Jingming controlled the net, the damaged net quickly recovering, enveloping the surrounding area, also enveloping that trace of demonic energy.

The net quickly shrank, imprisoning this trace of demonic energy into a starlight ball.

Only then did Xu Jingming take out a black jade bottle from his bosom, pull out the stopper, the starlight ball fell into the black jade bottle, and then he plugged the stopper.

"This demon head's natal demonic energy is composed of obsession. If the obsession is not dispersed, then it is immortal and indestructible," Xu Jingming thought to himself. "It needs a Demon Subduer to refine the demon with his mind! To completely eliminate him."

"Seventh-order and even eighth-order cosmic lifeforms come to the Demon Subduing World for the sake of refining demons with their minds! To improve their own mental power."

"But, this is also the riskiest. One must be cautious and careful."

Mind demon refinement is a collision of mind and mind.

One side is the Demon Subduer's thoughts! The other side is the demon's obsession! The collision of the two thoughts is also the most dangerous collision. If the demon loses, then its obsession will dissipate and it will completely perish. If the Demon Subduer loses, then his mind will be injured!

"It is not suitable to refine demons with the mind while on the road," Xu Jingming thought to himself. "One must have a stable environment, adjust to the best state, and then refine demons with the mind."

Xu Jingming put the jade bottle into his bosom.

The jade bottle was relatively cheap black jade purchased in Bai County, but the jade was delicate and had the effect of hindering demonic energy. After Xu Jingming personally carved the runes from the *Ten Thousand Stars Demon Refining Scroll*, and then infused a demon subduing magic power, it could seal this wisp of natal demonic energy for a relatively long time.

Of course, demon subduing magic power needs to be replenished regularly, otherwise the demon head will escape.

"Yu He greets you, sir," Yu Family Third Master had already beamed with joy, trotted over, and respectfully saluted.

He was particularly grateful to this Demon Subduer at this moment, because of this Demon Subduer, the caravan lost fewer people and no goods!

"Third Master, this is Chen Qi, the young master of Bai County," the steward next to him came over and whispered.

Xu Jingming frowned slightly when he saw this, and said, "I am no longer surnamed Chen, my surname is Wu, just call me... Wu Ming."

The name Wu Ming was his public code name in the Yuanchu Research Institute! It was originally a name used publicly when traveling outside. Of course, the probability of encountering someone in the Demon Subduing World who knows the meaning of the 'Wu Ming' code name is very low.

After all, there are very few forces that know the code names of the peripheral members of the Yuanchu Research Institute.

"Wu?" Yu Family Third Master nodded when he heard this, "I have heard of Mr. Wu's matter in Bai County. That Chen family is indeed too deceiving and blind, forcing Mr. Wu away.

"Mr. Wu, are you planning to live in the prefectural city in the future?" Yu Family Third Master asked again.

"Yes," Xu Jingming nodded.

Yu Family Third Master smiled and said, "Mr. Wu, you took action this time and killed that demon head, which is a kindness to my Yu family! My Yu family has nothing to repay you, but it so happens that we have some properties in the prefectural city. We are willing to send you a villa to settle down."

"A villa?" Xu Jingming said, "A villa in the prefectural city is not cheap."

"Sir, you took action, saved the lives of many people in the caravan, and also protected the goods, saving my Yu family from losing tens of thousands of taels of silver! Compared to this, what is a villa? Our Yu family is still taking advantage," Yu Family Third Master said.

Xu Jingming looked at him, then nodded and smiled: "Okay, I accept."

Inviting a Demon Subduer to deal with a demon head was not cheap in the first place!

Because seventh-order and eighth-order beings descend into the Demon Subduing World and deal with demon heads, failure will result in a loss of 100 million cosmic coins, and serious injuries to the mind. Therefore, the natives generally pay a high price to invite them to take action.

"There are still several days to go to the prefectural city. Sir, please get on the carriage and rest," Yu Family Third Master was very enthusiastic and immediately vacated a carriage, specially inviting the Demon Subduer to rest.

"Okay."

Xu Jingming nodded, and immediately took Wu Qi, and also invited his friends Zhao Zhen and Zhao's father and his family to the carriage. The carriage could still seat a few people.

"Surnamed Wu?"

"Chen Qi is actually a Demon Subduer!"

"The Chen family is really blind, driving such a powerful Demon Subduer out of the Chen family."

"If they know this news, the Chen family will probably regret it so much that they will go crazy. A powerful Demon Subduer. The demon head that the Yu family caravan could not resist... Young Master Chen Qi could solve it. Such a Demon Subduer was actually driven out of the clan."

"He is no longer called Chen Qi, he is called Wu Ming! We must call him Mr. Wu."

"He is following his mother's family name."

Many people in the caravan, after watching Xu Jingming get into the carriage, whispered to each other. They were excited about surviving the disaster, and also grateful for Mr. Wu's life-saving grace, so naturally they instinctively stood on the side of 'Mr. Wu.'

Inside the carriage.

Zhao's father and others were a little restrained.

"Chen..." Zhao Zhen couldn't help but say, "You changed your name? Wu Ming?"

Xu Jingming nodded.

"It's good to change your name and break ties with that Chen family." Zhao Zhen agreed with his friend, then couldn't help but say, "How did you suddenly become a Demon Subduer? I heard that it is very difficult to cultivate to become a Demon Subduer, and you need to have opportunity and luck."

"Yes, the requirements for aptitude are also very harsh," Xu Jingming nodded.

Mental power is the biggest threshold.

Like Xu Jingming, when he first became a seventh-order, before experiencing the test of the mysterious place, his mental power was estimated to only be able to cultivate to the 'first realm' demon subduing magic power. After experiencing the test of the mysterious place, and then cultivating the Yuanchu Star lineage inheritance, reaching the ordinary level of mental power of a seventh-order cosmic lifeform, could he cultivate to the second realm demon subduing magic power.

Now that he can reach the third realm, in addition to cultivating visualization for more than two months, there is also the reason for the assistance of Ice Flower Spiritual Liquid.

From this, it can be seen how high the cultivation threshold for Demon Subduers is!

"Then I definitely can't do it," Zhao Zhen sighed.

Xu Jingming smiled and didn't say much.

.........

"Third Uncle, are you going to give a villa to that Demon Subduer?" The nephew couldn't help but say, "Our Yu family's villa in the prefectural city is worth at least two thousand taels, are you just giving it away like that?"

"Demon Subduers don't care much about money." Yu Family Third Master glanced at his nephew, "If he likes you, he is willing to help you deal with the demon head without money. If he is unwilling, even if you take out ten thousand taels or even more silver, they won't even look at you! So it is very important to maintain good relations with powerful Demon Subduers on a regular basis. Usually, if you take good care of them, it will be easy to invite them to help at critical moments."

The nephew nodded slightly.

"This Mr. Wu is the young master who was expelled from the Chen family. He is young, but he is such a powerful Demon Subduer. Obviously, his talent is extremely high." Yu Family Third Master said, "Maybe for a long time, he will be the influential figure among the many Demon Subduers in our Cheng'an Prefecture."

The nephew understood: "Third Uncle, I understand."

*******

Xu Jingming also did not hide his identity as a Demon Subduer. Only with enough fame will others come to him, so that he can find demon heads more efficiently.

The next journey was much smoother, and the Yu family also served Xu Jingming comfortably. Along the way, all kinds of fruits, fine wines, and food were carefully prepared.

Eleven days after leaving Bai County, the caravan finally arrived at the prefectural city in the evening.

"The prefectural city has arrived."

"We have finally arrived at the prefectural city." "Prefectural city, here I come!"

The caravan became lively, and many people were excited.

Xu Jingming also lifted the curtain of the carriage and saw a huge city in front of him, which was also the largest city in the entire Cheng'an Prefecture.

"Prefectural city." Xu Jingming nodded slightly, first settling down, and then visiting Qi Xiao of the Qi family.