Demon-Wraith Plagued World: From Commoner to Supreme

“Xiao Feng, has the demon arrived?” Mother Lin’s voice trembled as she saw Lin Feng enter the room.

Lin Man, awakened by the commotion, widened her eyes and instinctively covered her mouth with her small hands, suppressing any sound. Yet, the fear in her eyes was unmistakable.

Lin Feng lit a half-burned candle, revealing his mother and sister shivering in fear. He quickly reassured them, “Mother, don’t worry. The city folks will soon come and drive the demon away!”

“Don’t be afraid, little sister!” he added, gently patting Lin Man’s head, trying his best to calm her down.

But the demon was too terrifying. Even Lin Shi, who had reached perfected Body Forging, had fallen. How could the three of them, defenseless as they were, possibly withstand such a threat?

Mother Lin could only pray silently, hoping that Lin Shi’s spirit would watch over and protect their children.

The noise outside grew louder, yet inside the room, it was deathly silent. Lin Feng felt a shadow of death looming over his family. Although he had reached the late Body Forging stage, he was still no match for the Demon-Wraiths.

Especially the Wraiths. Demons had physical forms, and warriors in the External Refinement Realm could at least put up some resistance. Lin Feng knew that warriors were categorized into the External Refinement Realm, Vital Surge Realm, and Essence Refinement Realm. Beyond that, he had no knowledge of any higher realms or what they entailed.

Only those who reached the Essence Refinement Realm could develop an inner power akin to the martial arts novels from his previous life, capable of combating Wraiths. Unlike demons, Wraiths had no physical form. If a low-level warrior was ensnared by a Wraith, it was almost certain death.

Outside, cries and screams filled the air. The demon’s rampage shook their very house, bringing the threat dangerously close to his family.

Lin Feng gripped the Pig-killing Knife tightly, his eyes fixed on the door. If the demon broke in, he would have no choice but to fight.

Suddenly, a loud shout echoed, followed by the sounds of battle. Lin Feng’s spirits lifted. “Mother, people from the city have arrived. Don’t worry, those demons will be dealt with soon!” he assured.

Mother Lin finally relaxed a little. After a while, the sounds of fighting ceased, indicating the battle had ended. The gang then organized efforts to rebuild the shantytown.

Stepping outside, Lin Feng realized that the attacking demon must have been of relatively low cultivation, as neither the government office nor the local families had intervened-only the gang had responded.

The government and local families only took action when demons breached the city walls. They generally ignored the plight of the shantytown’s impoverished residents. Allowing them to live there was merely a strategy to use them as bait to attract Demon-Wraiths, delaying their advance into the city-a human buffer zone.

Yet, despite this, the shantytown was still a rare refuge for the destitute, offering more safety than the surrounding villages.

Looking around, Lin Feng saw Liu Er and his wife had already perished. Liu Er’s body was torn into pieces, and his wife’s body was crushed, the infant she cradled in her arms lifeless.

The sight jolted Lin Feng’s nerves. He had thought that by dealing with Scar-Ge, he had helped them avoid disaster within his capabilities. At least the Green Serpent Gang wouldn’t have time to oppress them for a while.

But he hadn’t expected them to fall victim to the demon that very night. And what about his own family? Had it not been for their luck, it could have been them lying dead instead.

Watching as the three-meter-tall, rat-like Demon was dragged away by a Hall Master of the Green Snake Society, Lin Feng felt an overwhelming sense of urgency surge through him.

Forget about dealing with a Hall Master at the Essence Refinement Realm-even facing a late Body Forging leader was already beyond his capabilities. And then there was the matter of the unknown figure within the County Yamen who seemed to be targeting him. The feeling of being watched from the shadows was suffocating.

“I need to strengthen myself quickly, and I must move into the outer city, or better yet, the inner city. Only then can I ensure the safety of Mother and Xiao Man,” Lin Feng thought to himself.

But even a modest one-entry courtyard in the outer city would cost at least two hundred taels. For those at the bottom of society, such a sum was unattainable even after generations of hard work.

Lin Feng frowned deeply. His means of making a living were far too limited. The salt, liquor, and grain industries within the city were all monopolized by the Families and the County Yamen. He had once racked his brain, even considering introducing inventions from his past life that didn’t exist in this world, hoping to earn silver and secure a livelihood.

But without sufficient strength, bringing out such innovations would only provoke those whose interests were threatened, leading to certain death. Unless his power grew strong enough to overturn everything, he would have to rely on an established force for protection.

Among the three major powers, the Demon Exorcism Division seemed to be his best option.

“Tomorrow, I’ll head into the city and buy some high-quality food to accelerate my cultivation,” Lin Feng resolved.

After making up his mind, he closed the door and stayed by Mother Lin and Xiao Man’s side, ensuring they could sleep peacefully.

As dawn broke, the chaos of the previous night subsided, and life returned to its usual rhythm. People resumed their daily routines-working, farming, surviving. In these turbulent times, death was so commonplace that no one could afford to rest, nor did they dare to.

Lin Feng went to the Slaughterhouse as usual, while Mother Lin continued her laundry work. Despite having money now, Lin Feng knew better than to act differently and risk arousing suspicion.

At the Slaughterhouse, Wu the Third visibly relaxed upon seeing Lin Feng show up for work as usual. After all, the Demon had wreaked havoc near Lin Feng’s home the previous night.

The two exchanged pleasantries, grateful to see each other alive. In a world like this, surviving another day was the best outcome one could hope for.

Lin Feng was particularly efficient today, slaughtering livestock with remarkable ease and speed. Within just an hour, he had finished all his tasks.

Upgrade Points: +2.

“Xiao Feng, yesterday I said your skills were catching up to Butcher Zhu’s, but today you’ve outright surpassed him! It seems you’re a natural with the Pig-killing Knife,” Wu the Third exclaimed, impressed by Lin Feng’s swift and meticulous work, which left the area spotless-a far cry from Butcher Zhu’s usual sloppiness.

Even the other workers nearby couldn’t help but marvel at Lin Feng’s knife skills.

“Haha, Uncle Wu, I didn’t expect it either! I guess yesterday’s hands-on experience really helped me accumulate some skill,” Lin Feng replied with a laugh.

“Here, take these pig offal. The folks in the inner city don’t care for them,” Wu the Third said, handing over some pig intestines and other parts to Lin Feng.

The more Wu the Third observed Lin Feng, the more he liked him. Finding a worker as skilled and diligent as Lin Feng was no easy feat. He was determined to keep Lin Feng happy and working at the Slaughterhouse.

Lin Feng understood Wu the Third’s intentions. He had no plans to give up this job-it was a steady source of at least two Upgrade Points per day, with no risk involved. Where else could he find such an opportunity?

Besides, his family rarely had the chance to eat meat. He gratefully accepted the offal and took it home.

“Damn it! This isn’t the work of a Demon Beast-the wounds are too clean! Investigate! Find out who my brother interacted with yesterday! Round them all up!”

In the charred remains of a house, a towering man bearing a striking resemblance to Scar-Ge roared in fury.