Demon-Wraith Plagued World: From Commoner to Supreme

The reserve camp of the Demon Exorcism Division was located in the Inner City! Establishing such a large camp in this prime location demonstrated the division’s power and influence.

In the Inner City, apart from the County Yamen and its affiliated units, only the four indigenous families-Zhao, Yu, Li, and Wu-could compare in status.

The County Yamen was situated in the center of the Inner City, while the Demon Exorcism Division was positioned in the eastern part.

With Lin Feng’s current pace, it didn’t take long for him to reach the reserve camp of the Demon Exorcism Division.

At the entrance of the camp stood two stone lions, guarded by two men whose postures were upright and imposing. They wore dark robes with “Demon Exorcism” embroidered on the chest, exuding an aura of authority.

“Halt! This is the reserve camp of the Demon Exorcism Division. No loitering!” one of the guards barked as Lin Feng approached.

“Sir, I am Lin Feng, here to participate in the assessment,” Lin Feng replied, cupping his hands in respect. He then pulled out five taels of silver from his pocket and discreetly handed it to the guard. “Thank you for your hard work, sirs. Please have a drink on me.”

The guard, initially stern, softened his expression upon feeling the weight of the silver. People who knew how to navigate social situations were often well-received.

“Ah, I see. We’ve been expecting new recruits. Follow me,” the guard said, leading Lin Feng inside.

It’s often said that dealing with the powerful is easier than dealing with their subordinates. Lin Feng didn’t mind spending money; after dealing with Yan Song last night, he had found fifteen taels of silver on him. With a total of fifty-six taels, spending a little to smooth the way seemed prudent.

Though Zhao Sheng had assured him that everything was arranged, Lin Feng wanted to ensure there were no mishaps.

Before long, the guard led Lin Feng across a large open space to a grand hall where several people were already waiting.

“Stay here and wait for the assessment officer,” the guard instructed before returning to his post at the gate.

Lin Feng moved to the side, observing the others in the hall. There were eight people, loosely divided into two groups.

Seven of them were clustered together, dressed in broidered garments, adorned with jade pendants and various accessories, clearly from wealthy families. The other, though not poorly dressed, wore more modest clothing, likely from a background similar to Lin Feng’s-humble origins.

“Another country bumpkin! All dreaming of using the Demon Exorcism Division to rise to the top. What a joke!” sneered a broidered youth with a hooked nose, glancing at Lin Feng.

The other six laughed along. They hailed from affluent families in the city, and although not as prestigious as the four great families, they had already greased the wheels. Joining the Demon Exorcism Division was a foregone conclusion; today was merely a formality.

Lin Feng regarded them with a cold stare, remaining silent. When faced with such arrogance, the best response was indifference. Once he had enough strength, he would simply crush them.

At this moment, a member of the Demon Exorcism Division approached with a frown, clearly not in the best of moods. Despite his short stature and unassuming appearance, his presence commanded silence from everyone around.

“Come over here and state your names!” the examiner ordered, pulling out a register for everyone to sign up. As the people ahead of Lin Feng registered, the examiner didn’t even glance up. However, when Lin Feng’s name was mentioned, he looked up and gave him a brief glance.

Once everyone had signed up, the examiner led them to the assessment area. It was a simple setup, with only a massive stone lock that appeared to weigh over a thousand Jin.

The examiner first checked everyone’s bone structure and then used a knife to make a few cuts on their skin. After confirming something, he finally spoke.

“All nine of you have sufficient cultivation. The strength of a non-warrior cannot cut through your skin, so you pass!”

“But Liu Mancang, your bone age exceeds twenty, so you are disqualified! Leave now!” the examiner said slowly, finally turning his gaze to Liu Mancang, who, like Lin Feng, came from a poor family.

“Sir, I’m only nineteen! How could I be over the age limit?” Liu Mancang exclaimed, initially happy but then shocked, his eyes filled with confusion. Despite his exceptional talent and limited resources, he had cultivated to his current realm, only to be disqualified. And he was sure he wasn’t over twenty!

“Are you questioning my judgment?!” the examiner’s expression changed, his voice turning cold.

The seven Broidered Youths looked at Liu Mancang with mocking smiles, clearly taking pleasure in his misfortune. They were also curious as to why Lin Feng hadn’t been disqualified.

“Sir, I refuse to accept this!” Liu Mancang’s face turned red with anger, and he finally blurted out his protest.

Lin Feng shook his head silently. This man didn’t know when to back down and was bound to suffer for it.

Sure enough, the examiner’s aura shifted, and a tremendous force of blood and energy erupted. In the next moment, before anyone realized what had happened, Liu Mancang was sent flying. When everyone looked again, the examiner was already standing where Liu Mancang had been.

Liu Mancang spat out a mouthful of blood, clearly severely injured. Had the examiner not held back, his life might have ended right there. Even so, no one dared to say a word, not even Lin Feng, whose pupils contracted in shock. The examiner’s power was overwhelming.

“Get out of here!” the examiner shouted again.

Liu Mancang dared not speak further and staggered out.

Lin Feng felt a pang of helplessness. Without the Zhao family’s backing, he might have faced the same fate today. Even if his realm and age were within limits, he would still have been eliminated because the slots were limited. The wealthy families would never allow outsiders to take what they considered theirs.

Next, the examiner instructed everyone to lift the stone lock in turn. Though their realms were adequate, those who had artificially boosted their strength through secret techniques would be weeded out.

Everyone managed to lift the stone lock, but the Hook-nosed Young Man only managed to lift it halfway before having to put it down quickly, nearly injuring himself. He didn’t care about his poor performance, having already secured a deal with the Li Family, one of the four great families, with tens of thousands of silver taels-half of his family’s wealth. The Young Master of the Li Family had guaranteed his success, leaving no room for error.

Finally, Lin Feng took his turn, effortlessly lifting the stone lock and gently setting it down, the most relaxed of them all.

With the final assessment complete, the examiner looked at Lin Feng and said, “There are only seven slots available this time.”

Lin Feng’s eyes widened as he heard this, his heart racing. Could it be that Zhao Sheng’s connections with the Zhao family weren’t strong enough?