Chapter 03: The Monster Leader "Chu Yong"

The women dance gracefully in accordance with the changing music, sometimes solemn and dignified, at other times cheerful and lively, or alluring and seductive

No, I cannot." Qin Yun shook his head

"Are you sure your leader is here?" Qin Yun cast a sealing technique, enveloping himself and the cat demon girl in a barrier that prevented any sound from escaping.

"Delicious, delicious, beauty, what you make is delicious, and your mouth is even sweeter and tastier." As he spoke, the plump man in the yellow robe turned and kissed the lips of the woman in the pink robe.

The woman in the pink robe finally broke into a charming smile

All-knowing

"Friend, regarding the matter with Qin An, you have also killed one of my subordinates. Can we let this matter go?" The plump man in the yellow robe stood up and stared at Qin Yun, while the woman in the pink robe beside him appeared somewhat anxious. The seven monsters who had originally been seated also stood up, all fixated on Qin Yun. As for the old man in the black robe, he trembled with anxiety; although he controlled a gang with thousands of followers, at this moment, he was filled only with panic and fear.

Qin Yun opened his magical eye, allowing him to easily peer through the courtyard walls and investigate the interior of the residence

Qin Yun turned to look at the fat man in the yellow robe and said, "Why did you target Qin An and seek to control him?"

I brought this practitioner here; the leader will surely not spare me. I must take the opportunity to escape while the practitioner confronts the leader, the cat demon girl pondered

Hoo.

Thank you, Chief Xie Zhu. The old man in the black robe said with flattery

The seven subordinates sitting nearby all stood up to congratulate.

This is it, my leader resides here," said the cat demon girl in a lowered voice

A fierce glint flashed in the eyes of the rotund man in the yellow robe as he suddenly shouted: "Kill!"

The old man in the black robe was overjoyed

"Haha, I, Chu Yong, have been in Guangling County for sixty-eight years now," the confident man in the yellow robe said. "Whether it is the human race or the monsters, I know everything about the powerful ones."

... ...

Swish swish swish

The musicians and dancers all stopped, bowed, and withdrew. They had long since lost hope, as they had not been able to leave this underground palace since their arrival, forced to live this life devoid of light. They did not even dare to express a hint of resentment, for the methods of the monsters were too terrifying

Acquiring this star-patterned steel will undoubtedly enhance the leader's strength significantly

The one who has come is Qin Yun, who has captured the cat demon girl

Yes, master

"In terms of strength, I rank among the top three in the group. A single axe strike on the star-patterned steel leaves only a faint mark, which quickly restores itself. Is it really that easy to crush it?" The old man in the black robe was secretly astonished.

Hahaha... the plump man in the yellow robe laughed heartily, his laughter causing the entire hall to tremble faintly.

Qin Yun nodded slightly

Rest assured, your loyalty to me will not go unrewarded. As long as I am here, no one can threaten your position as the leader. For the next ten years, your gang will be exempt from any offerings

The expressions of everyone in the hall changed.

Men and women of all ages, seven extraordinary masters moved instantly, five of whom directly leaped forward, one monster transformed into a cloud of mist, and another monster vanished into thin air

Suddenly, a young man in black, holding a frail girl with one hand, casually walked in through the side door of the hall as if he were strolling in his own backyard

Some precious materials can only be utilized by celestial beings, deities, demons, and monsters, such as star-patterned steel. This monster leader is capable of directly consuming it for cultivation and enhancement

The figure of the plump man in the yellow robe, who was originally seated there, suddenly became blurred, leaving behind a series of phantoms that traversed a distance of over 10 zhang.

Brush

With the support of the monster leader, my position as the chief is secured, and I am exempt from ten years of tribute? This tribute can naturally go into my own pocket

Qin Yun then threw the cat demon girl he was holding to the side, slamming her onto the ground. The cat demon girl quickly got up and simultaneously pleaded in a low voice: "I have brought my senior here, and I kindly ask my senior to honor the promise, retract the spell, and spare my life."

At this moment, the old man in a black robe entered through the side door of the hall, holding a wooden box with one hand. He bowed humbly and said: "Chief Chu, the star-patterned steel you requested has finally been obtained after eight years of effort, totaling eighty-three pounds."

He had already arrived in front of the old man in the black robe

Beside the hall, the musicians are performing

Good. The rotund man in the yellow robe and his seven skilled subordinates were admiring.

It was truly not easy, having spent eight years, exhausting every possible means, and losing quite a few brothers to finally obtain this batch. As soon as I got it, I immediately delivered it to Chief Chu

Haha, Qin An's father is Qin Liehu, one of the three silver badge captains in Guangling County. As you know, I do not take a silver badge captain seriously, but the officials of the court are well-armed, and he leads a group of constables, which gives me quite a headache. Therefore, I wish to borrow his son's life to have a good talk with him, which is why I resorted to this underhanded tactic. The fat man in the yellow robe smiled and said, 'However, since my friend has taken action, I can naturally give my friend some face and let this matter pass. May I ask where my friend comes from? There should be no experts like my friend in Guangling County City.'

"Star-patterned steel." The plump man in the yellow robe was fixated on the treasure inside the wooden box. He picked up a piece of silvery metal and stuffed it into his mouth. His teeth, which were originally quite ordinary, suddenly transformed into something resembling jagged saw teeth. Crunch, crunch, crunch, he forcefully crushed the piece of star-patterned steel, chewed it up, and swallowed it. His teeth then returned to normal.

In the underground of this mansion, within the hidden palace

As soon as the words were spoken

"An underground palace?" Qin Yun was somewhat surprised. "To build a luxurious palace underground without being discovered by the authorities is certainly not something that can be accomplished in just three to five years. It seems that your leader has been entrenched in Guangling County for quite some time."

Hmm? Everyone in the hall fell silent, looking at this unexpected guest

"Is he your leader?" Qin Yun ignored the monster leader and instead looked at the cat demon girl in front of him, "Did he order you to take action against Qin An?"

"You, you do not keep your promise..." The cat demon girl’s eyes were filled with unwillingness and anger, and then she collapsed to the ground, her body twisting to reveal her true form, transforming into a black cat corpse

Yes, Qin An

"No monsters?" Qin Yun felt puzzled. As he observed his surroundings, he found that this was an ordinary wealthy merchant's residence, and he could not detect any trace of demonic energy.

The rotund man in the yellow robe reached out and grabbed the wooden box, quickly opening it. At a glance, he saw several pieces of silver-white metal blocks with unique patterns inside, and his eyes lit up with excitement. He chuckled ominously and said, "This star-patterned steel is a prohibited item of the imperial government. If it is privately hoarded by civilians and discovered, it is a grave crime that could lead to the confiscation of property and extermination of the family."

After just a moment, Qin Yun, holding the cat demon girl whose demonic powers had been sealed, arrived outside a wealthy merchant's mansion, hiding in the shadows outside the courtyard wall

Puff. The cat demon girl suddenly trembled, and the true essence power that sealed her demon energy instantly shattered her heart

A plump man in a yellow robe is sitting on a magnificent throne with a smile, while a woman in a pink robe, with her bosom partially exposed, is nestled against him, feeding him pastries

The old man in the black robe felt a tremor in his heart: "So fast, it seems that a single move could kill me. However, not to mention the leader of the monsters, even the other seven monsters beside him could easily kill me."

Oh? Do you think I am not from Guangling County City? Qin Yun said

The ensemble of the guqin and xiao presents music that is at times profound and grand, and at other times melodious and cheerful

"Everyone, step back." The rotund man in the yellow robe commanded.

The sound roared, as if thunder had reverberated throughout the entire hall, causing the hall to tremble. Many of the cups and plates on the table were shattered instantly.

Qin Yun cast a glance at the fat man in the yellow robe, and through his mystical vision, he could clearly see that the fat man was a wild boar demon, exuding an overwhelming and unmatched aura. The seven others sitting beside him were also demons.

The man in the yellow robe, his face slightly changing, soon sat calmly on the throne, embracing the woman in the pink robe, and with a smile that did not reach his eyes, said: "My palace has seven layers of guards, as well as various traps and mechanisms. I did not expect my friend to capture my subordinates and arrive here silently. I, Chu Yong, admire you. May I ask where you come from? What brings you to my place?"

Yes. The cat demon girl lowered her head pitifully

The rotund man in the yellow robe noticed an old man in a black robe appearing at the side door of the hall

It has been several decades. The cat demon girl obediently said

"My lord, please try this, it is made by my own hands." The woman in the powder robe took a piece of pastry from a plate and stuffed it into the mouth of the plump man in the yellow robe

On both sides of him, there were also seven extraordinary masters, men and women of all ages, enjoying exquisite food and fine wine while watching the dance before them

Can it become invisible? Qin Yun felt a bit surprised in his heart

How many times have I died at the hands of monsters?" The plump man in the yellow robe murmured to himself, his pupils slightly constricting, "Monsters are already rare; it seems he has dealt with many of them.

The cat demon girl nodded repeatedly: "Certainly! This residence appears ordinary, and it even accommodates a wealthy merchant family. However, in reality, this house is divided into two parts: the inner and outer courtyards. My leader and the others live in the inner courtyard, and beneath the inner courtyard, there is an even larger underground palace, which is the true long-term residence of my leader."

Congratulations, leader. Best wishes to the leader

The rotund figure in the yellow robe consumed a piece of star-patterned steel and then returned to sit upon his throne, yet his entire body was subtly adorned with flowing silver threads.

Qin Yun looked at her and said: "For some people's promises, one must keep them, even at the cost of one's life. But for others, adhering to promises is foolish and pedantic! This applies to monsters as well! If I were that foolish, I would have died at the hands of monsters countless times by now"

"Are friends here for Qin An?" The stout man in the yellow robe sat there, his voice resonant.

"Is the food I made not tasty?" the woman in the powder-blue robe complained playfully.