Chapter 1 - Chaos of Demons and Monsters

Mottled earth walls, dim oil lamps.

 

A small bed covered with old red cloth, emitting the smell of decaying wood.

 

Shen Yi stared at everything in front of him, dazed for a long time, finding it difficult to accept the fact that he had crossed over into a low-ranking constable in Baiyun County.

 

But everything around him felt so real.

 

The fragmented memories in his mind became clearer and clearer.

 

In a chaotic world filled with demons and monsters, evil spirits abound.

 

The previous owner of this body was a rascal, struggling from the bottom, finally managing to climb up to become a minor leader, which sounded very inspiring.

 

But why did he suddenly die?

Thinking of this, Shen Yi felt a sudden headache.

 

He reached out his hand, only to find it covered in blood.

 

The bright crimson between his fingers, like flipping a switch, suddenly Shen Yi broke free from the drowsiness of a hangover, and intense pain surged.

 

“Haaa!”

 

He widened his eyes, breathing heavily and rapidly.

 

He looked down.

 

At the foot of the bed was a thin maid, pulling at her torn clothes with a frightened look on her face.

 

Beside her, an old man in tattered clothes was trembling uncontrollably, gripping a wooden stick with blood dripping from its tip.

 

The gaze they cast at Shen Yi was like seeing a terrifying monster, full of despair and fear.

 

“I say…”

 

Shen Yi clenched his teeth, the intense pain driving his heart wildly.

 

He stared at the old man, intending to ask him to put down the stick.

 

But at that moment, the maid suddenly went crazy, tearing at the remnants of her clothes and tying around Shen Yi’s legs like a mad beast, crying out with a sobbing voice, “Master! I’ll give it to you! I’ll give you anything! Can you let my father go back to the countryside?”

 

The old man’s hand loosened, and the wooden stick fell to the ground with a thud.

 

His face was numb, his eyes vacant, as if the blow just now had drained all his strength.

 

Given Shen Yi’s notorious reputation in Baiyun County, when the other party opened their eyes again, her father and daughter would have no way out.

 

“Could you please shut up for a moment.”

 

Shen Yi’s eyelids twitched from the pain.

 

Already feeling both painful and annoyed, he couldn’t bear the maid’s wailing.

 

The previous owner of this body intended to forcibly marry the Liu family maid tonight, so this old man’s blow could be considered eliminating evil for the people, worthy of praise.

 

But he himself was innocent, why should he suffer this blow for nothing?

 

Shen Yi felt annoyed, but couldn’t curse, after all, in the eyes of others, Shen Yi the constable just woke up slightly dizzy after a short while, not knowing that he had been replaced by someone else.

 

He grabbed the clothes on the bed and casually slapped them on the Liu family maid, waving his hand like swatting away flies, weakly saying, “Get out, get out, get out.”

 

This felt like an illusion, back in his previous life, he would at least demand a semi-suite apartment from the two of them.

 

He rubbed his temples, but the illusion in front of him became even clearer.

 

【Current Martial Arts】

 

【Bone-Penetrating Grappling Technique (Mastered)】

 

【Demon-Slaying Sword Technique (Beginner)】

 

【Can infuse lifespan into martial arts to gain corresponding progress】

 

【Unable to continue infusion when lifespan is less than one year】

 

【Current remaining lifespan: thirty-four years】

 

Shen Yi read the text above clearly, feeling puzzled.

 

Well, according to the residual memories, the previous owner of this body did know these two skills.

 

The Bone-Penetrating Grappling Technique was taught by the Yamen, and every constable had to practice it, it was a core skill.

 

It was precisely because he performed this grappling technique skillfully that the previous owner was promoted and became a minor leader.

 

As for the Demon-Slaying Sword Technique, it was personally taught by the Chief of the Demon-Hunter Bureau after the county was plagued by demons. It was a genuine martial art for demon-slaying.

 

But at this moment, the previous owner already had a certain status, and being hurt by wine and lust. Instead of learning martial arts to protect himself, he had another way to survive under the demons and monsters.

 

In other words, this panel was real, not an illusion?

 

But this seemed quite useless.

 

Infuse lifespan, gain corresponding progress in martial arts, it was no different from just taking a salary, regardless of how many years of life you gave up.

 

The problem was, in his previous life, he had already lived in a sorry state, with no hope or attachments, like a walking corpse, getting a salary to enjoy a few more years, it wasn’t a loss.

 

But learning martial arts was originally for self-preservation. If there’s no life left, what’s the point of learning?

 

Can’t I slowly practice by myself?

 

“Hiss.”

 

Shen Yi turned his head to dismiss the panel.

 

Coincidentally, he saw the father and daughter’s figures.

 

Both of them stood there like wooden stakes, as if their souls had left their bodies.

 

“I told you to get out of here…”

 

Shen Yi grinned and pressed the back of her head. She was about to speak when he suddenly remembered something.

 

He came to forcibly marry the Liu girl tonight, so this was the Liu family house, and the one who should leave should be…

 

Thinking of this, Shen Yi felt embarrassed.

 

Fine, fine, fine, I’ll leave.

 

He rolled his eyes, stood up, grabbed his sword, and walked out of the courtyard unsteadily without arranging his clothes properly.

 

Crossing over was one thing, but getting knocked out and having to walk back home was another. He didn’t know what sin he had committed, it was pitiful!

 

“…”

 

The Liu family maid held her father’s hand tightly, trembling under her torn clothes.

 

She didn’t understand why Master Shen suddenly changed his temperament, unexpectedly not torturing her, nor beating her father, just leaving gloomily like this.

 

But she still couldn’t find any relief in surviving.

 

On the contrary, as Shen Yi walked farther and farther away from the courtyard gate, the pupil of the Liu family maid gradually shrank, clearly reaching the peak of fear.

 

Creak.

 

The dilapidated courtyard door was pushed open.

 

Shen Yi walked out of the courtyard, took a deep breath of the dry night air.

 

He had intended to clear his head a bit, but the foul smell that wafted into his nose made him instinctively furrow his brow.

 

Did he forget something?

“It’s over? Then it’s my turn.”

 

A coarse voice sounded in his ears, and the stench intensified several times over.

 

Shen Yi’s whole body stiffened, and he looked sideways.

 

Only to see a humanoid figure as big as a small hill squatting at the entrance of the courtyard.

 

Its body was densely packed with muscles, broad shoulders, shiny black fur, its neck bent forward, actually with a dog’s head on top.

 

It turned its head slowly to look at Shen Yi, its claws reaching into its waistband for something.

 

Then it stood up, towering over Shen Yi by a head, with shoulders twice as wide, casting a huge shadow on the ground.

 

“Next time, be quicker. Starving will make me angry.”

 

At the words, Shen Yi’s expression became complicated as he lowered his head. He finally remembered the survival method of the previous owner.

 

That was to collude with demons and evil beings and do some food business.

With him and his accomplices in the Yamen pulling strings, busy creating false cases, demons and monsters could eat their fill without alerting the Demon-Hunter Bureau.

 

For example, tonight, he had already paved the way for the father and daughter of the Liu family, waiting for the dog demon to finish its meal, and the next day, Baiyun County would definitely not stir up any trouble.

 

Understanding everything.

 

After a moment, Shen Yi squeezed out a smile, bumped the creature’s arm with his shoulder, and said with a smile, ” You should know better about my skills, there’s no way you can match up.”

 

With that, he tried to walk forward, intending to lead the way, “Come on, tonight’s drinks are on me, consider it an apology.”

 

But the bulky figure remained unmoved.

 

The dog demon lowered its eyes, coldly observing Shen Yi, “Do you take me for a fool?”

 

With that, it turned and lifted the gate roof, stepping into the courtyard.

 

Realizing his intentions had been exposed, Shen Yi instinctively reached out to stop him, not even realizing why his hand dared to reach out.

 

Damn it! What does it have to do with me?

 

He quickly tried to retract his arm, but it was already caught by a furry and thick dog paw.

 

The dog demon suddenly turned back, pressing close to Shen Yi’s face, its large mouth with sharp teeth dripping viscous saliva like strands of thread.

 

“Shen, do you really think you’re something?”

 

“Have you forgotten what kind of demon I am? I can clearly hear everything inside. Do you dare to betray me?!”

 

Two companions came to commit a crime together, yet one gave up halfway, the implications were obvious.

 

With a cold voice, the dog demon’s thick thigh suddenly kicked out!

 

An unimaginable force struck his abdomen, instantly making Shen Yi’s brain dizzy, veins popping on his neck, and he flew backward into the courtyard like a sack of potatoes, smashing through the door along the way.

 

He swore, this was definitely the closest he had ever been to death.

 

“You ungrateful bastard, you deserve to be sacrificed to my internal organs.”

 

Listening to the indifferent voice coming from outside the courtyard, Shen Yi slumped to the ground, clutching his abdomen, looking towards the father and daughter beside him, who looked dumbfounded.

 

He withdrew his gaze, panting heavily. “Couldn’t you two… remind me to… go out the back door?”

 

The old man and the girl were swallowing saliva frantically, seemingly only able to suppress the screams in their throats this way.

 

Their faces were full of confusion, unable to understand why the man in front of them, who should have been in league with evil spirits, was also kicked in.

 

“Forget it, the sword…”

 

Shen Yi weakly raised his hand, seeing the two of them looking like idiots, he had to remind them again, “Pick up the sword for me.”

 

Liu, the girl, quickly picked up the sword and handed it over, unable to understand why the other party wanted to attack someone. It couldn’t be the monster outside, could it?

Shen Yi swallowed the bloody taste, gripped the handle of the sword, and under the gaze of the father and daughter, he inexplicably spat out, “Disgusting.”

 

Whether it was this chaotic world in his memory, or the survival methods of his predecessor, and even having to imitate him to barely survive, it was not only disgusting but also utterly boring.

 

“… ”

 

Watching the dog demon knock down the courtyard wall and walk into the yard, bending down to lick its paws, ready to feast.

 

The thought of his head being slowly chewed up by that filthy dog mouth, mixed with sticky saliva, made Shen Yi’s breathing increasingly rapid, a hint of madness creeping into his eyes.

 

Alright then, let’s play like this.

 

My life was picked up by me, but yours is your own. If you want to play with my life, who do you think you are?

 

The panel unfolded quickly before his eyes.

 

Infuse life into martial arts, make corresponding progress.

 

“Yes, it’s the Demon-Slaying Sword Technique, please help me fill it up.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

(End of this chapter)