One Pound Meat, One More Attribute Point

"Gulp!" Luo Shuang swallowed hard.

We're supposed to be training in martial arts, but big brother, you seem to be cultivating like an immortal.

Su Heng snapped out of his reverie and saw her glance down at herself before he turned around to face the crowd behind him.

The elders who were resting in the village had been drawn by the exaggerated fluctuations caused by the fight.

Zhou Guiyu, Luo Shuang, Wang Xindong, plus two Deputy Governors who had been out on missions.

About forty or fifty elders in front of him.

Along with the various disciples and servants left behind at the Demon Suppression Bureau and other locations, this was the entirety of Su Heng's forces.

"Governor!" Wang Xindong said with a grave expression, cupping his fists toward Su Heng, "May I ask if you have any plans going forward?"

Some elders who came later did not know what had just happened.

But judging from Wang Xindong's demeanor and the fluctuations from the fight, they could roughly guess.

Moreover.

Many of these people were brought out of the Demon Suppression Bureau by Su Heng.

Most had some understanding of Su Heng's true strength.

After all, the Demon Suppression Bureau, this violent institution, ultimately respected power. Since Su Heng was powerful and there were no major issues with his conduct or background, he naturally commanded respect, and many even looked at Su Heng with a kind of fervent admiration.

This was due to his formidable strength.

Su Heng pondered for a moment without immediately giving an answer.

This was his first command since taking the position of Governor of the Demon Suppression Bureau, and it held some commemorative significance.

Looking at the body of Li Daoxuan, who was standing still and had completely lost all signs of life, Su Heng's brows raised, a plan forming in his heart in an instant.

"The Hong Family colluded with demons and assassinated an imperial official, what should their punishment be?" Su Heng asked in a heavy voice.

"Exterminate the entire clan," Wang Xindong's mouth twitched into a smile as he hurriedly echoed.

"Correct!" Su Heng nodded slightly, a trace of bloodthirsty killing intent flashing across his face, "Then, there's no need to wait any longer. This Governor plans to take action right away. Who is willing to join me!"

"I am willing to join the Governor!" Wang Xindong shouted loudly, the first to respond.

Immediately after, Deputy Governors Zhou Guiyu and Luo Shuang, both with resolute expressions, followed suit. Then a multitude of elders joined in, old grudges and new grievances combined, and with the powerful assurance of Su Heng's recent display of strength, the atmosphere was instantly ignited. Like fire catching oil, the volunteers surged like clouds and the clamor pierced the sky!

"We are willing to follow the Governor! To go through fire and water, and not shy from death!"

"Good!" This overwhelming response also left Su Heng feeling quite exhilarated.

"How shall we deal with the body of Governor Li Daoxuan?" asked an elder from the crowd in a low voice.

"Bring it along!" Su Heng waved his hand grandly, laughing heartily, "This old fellow was an enemy of the Hong Family for a century while he was alive. Now that he's dead, I'll send the entire Hong Family off with him, so he won't be too lonely down below."

"Hahaha!" Wang Xindong laughed with tears in his eyes, "Our master in the netherworld seeing that bastard Hong Jiuxiang will surely be pleased."

"Depart!" Su Heng's killing intent boiled over, and he said no more.

He leaped up, his robe fluttering furiously, tearing through the air as he ascended. The other elders of the Demon Suppression Bureau also followed suit, closely behind him.

...

...

...

In a resplendent meeting hall of the Hong Family's fortress,

Colorful lanterns dotted the space, smoke rising from the incense burners.

A long red carpet at the center of the hall extended from the entrance to the seat of honor above.

From behind the screens on either side of the seat, the lingering sound of music filtered through. Young dancers dressed in light red gauze skirts twirled gracefully, their gestures tender and lovely, dancing in time with the tune.

On either side of the carpet, sat the elders of the noble families, and a few demons joined the crowd as well, all there to partake in the celebration banquet hosted by Hong Jiuxiang. By now, they had drunk several rounds, and the food had passed in five courses. Some elders, flushed with excitement, were in high spirits, creating a festive and lively atmosphere. Continue your journey on

"Now that the thorn in our side, Li Daoxuan, has finally been removed, from now on, Baihua County shall be ruled by our families."

On the seats.

An elder with a broad frame and open chest,

With a black mole on his face with three hair strands on it, raised his cup and offered a toast toward the seat of honor, "I toast to the Family Head!"

This elder was named Hong Ao, a Guardian Elder of the Hong Family with formidable strength.

In the skirmish of the day before, he had performed outstandingly, tearing many powerful enemies to pieces with his great blade.

At the seat of honor, Hong Jiuxiang too was stroking his beard.

His face wore a light smile as he lifted the bronze wine ewer with two fingers, clinking it in the air with Hong Ao's cup and took a sip.

But Hong Ao let out a hearty laugh, tilting his head back to down the fiery liquor in his cup.

Then he surveyed the room with his empty cup, provoking another round of thunderous laughter among the many elders, pushing the atmosphere to yet another high.

Just at that moment,

From a hidden door at the back of the hall,

A young servant hurried in, half-bent over.

The servant squatted beside Hong Jiuxiang and covered his mouth with his hand, whispering a few words into Hong Jiuxiang's ear.

Whatever the man said, it was just a few simple sentences. But the smile on Hong Jiuxiang's face abruptly withdrew, and his expression became grave. Even the hand stroking his beard stopped moving, hanging mid-air.

"Is this matter true?" Hong Jiuxiang asked in a grave tone, his voice soft.

"Naturally, it's true!" The servant hastened to nod in agreement, his expression slightly panicked.

"Family Head, now that this major concern involving Li Daoxuan has been resolved, I wonder what else has happened?" With great composure, Hong Jiuxiang regained control of his demeanor after realizing his slip. However, some of the more perceptive elders present noticed the lapse, and promptly, an elder from the Song Family inquired.

"It's nothing serious."

Hong Jiuxiang waved his hand dismissively, and the servant bowed and quietly retreated without making a sound.

And in the banquet hall, Hong Jiuxiang, who was seated at the head, regained his composure and lightly chuckled, "It's actually an old friend of mine who was severely injured last night, and now, I fear, is beyond saving. I must beg your pardon as I leave to see him one last time."

"My apologies!" Having said this, Hong Jiuxiang raised his wine vessel, drank it down in one gulp, stood up, and fist saluted the seated elders before slowly turning to leave.

"Family Head Hong Jiuxiang truly is compassionate and loyal, no wonder so many people follow him so devotedly."

The other elders sighed with emotion.

Only a few narrowed their eyes, sensing something unusual about Hong Jiuxiang.

But they couldn't pinpoint exactly what was off. After a long thought, they couldn't come up with an explanation and had to let it go.

The others chimed in with brief conversations.

However, with Hong Jiuxiang's departure, the mood in the banquet unavoidably dipped.

That's when Hong Ao, the fat-faced outspoken elder, suddenly set his eyes on Murong Hanshuang, who sat alone in a corner, drinking sullenly with a dark expression.

"Deputy Governor Murong..." Hong Ao began with a chuckle.

"Who are you?" Murong Hanshuang looked up. At that moment, the words "Deputy Governor" sounded particularly grating to his ears.

"I am Hong Ao, the Guardian Elder of the Hong Family. It doesn't matter if Deputy Governor Murong doesn't recognize me."

"Guardian Elder Hong Ao." Murong Hanshuang nodded.

Hearing the exchange between the two, the other elders watched with the anticipation of spectators. Murong Hanshuang, isolated in his seat, suddenly became the focus of the banquet, which gave him an ominous feeling as he sensed something wasn't right.

And as expected—

With a joking tone, Hong Ao teased, "There's something I don't understand."

"Was Deputy Governor Murong's mother killed by an evil spirit, or by Li Daoxuan?"

"What does that have to do with you?" Murong Hanshuang's expression turned visibly displeased as his sore spot was mocked, but under the current circumstances, he had to endure and didn't lash out.

"I'm just curious, why not just talk about it?" Hong Ao burst out laughing, and the others, also treating the situation as entertainment, echoed his amusement.

The banquet hall suddenly filled with noise and laughter.

Facing such mockery, anger surged in Murong Hanshuang's heart.

His face turned from pale to green and then from green to red until, at last, he slammed the table furiously and rebuked, "What, do you find this funny?"

"Hahaha, using one's dearly departed mother as a shield; this is truly the first I've seen such a thing—of course, it's funny! Incredibly funny, everyone, don't you agree?" Hong Ao leaned back, laughing so hard that his spit flew everywhere, thoroughly amused.

"You!" Murong Hanshuang's eyes turned blood-red with rage as his left hand clenched into a fist.

However, before he could act, a piercing gaze landed on him, sending a chill down his spine, deterring any rash movements.

Murong Hanshuang stiffly turned his head and followed the gaze.

He saw, on the other side, near the most prominent seat, a short man with terrifying scars on his face that revealed teeth. The man was none other than Hong Peng, a senior elder, whose power was second only to Hong Jiuxiang and his son.

"Don't forget whose territory you're on," Hong Peng sneered.

Murong Hanshuang was as if drenched by a bucket of cold water, and the fiery anger within him cooled in the face of cold reality.

He bowed his head, his hair falling over his face, and drank down a cup of wine. The wine, worth a thousand pieces of gold, tasted inexplicably bitter on his tongue.

"I was speaking to you just now, what are you pretending to be deaf for!" Hong Peng slammed the table and bellowed.

Murong Hanshuang's shoulders twitched, his face flushed with embarrassment and rage, but he still kept his head down, and through gritted teeth, he said, "My mother was killed by an evil spirit."

"Hahaha!" Hong Ao laughed uproariously.

Pointing at Murong Hanshuang with his chubby, ring-adorned finger, he taunted, "I knew it, the boy was lying. Truly, what a disgraceful son! If his mother knew from beyond the grave, she'd have to come back and slap him across the face!"

"After all, he's a great hero," someone said with a mocking tone.

"But speaking of which, wasn't the Iron Armor Demon King supposed to be pursuing the remnants of the Demon Suppression Bureau? How come he hasn't returned yet?" Some elders, sensing that the atmosphere was getting tense, tried to change the subject and looked at another figure in the seats.

But calling it a "person" wasn't entirely accurate.

This "person" stood tall like a tower, nearly three meters in height, clad in grey-black armor from head to toe.

On closer inspection, the armor seemed to grow from within the flesh, layered upon layered, and was actually a huge demonic creature with an armored body. This was the Iron Armor Demon King—Tie Long, the fifth-ranked among the seven Demon Kings of the Sky Demon Alliance and famed for his impregnable defense.

"The Iron Armor Demon King loves to slowly torment his prey. The Demon Suppression Bureau's elites will give him plenty of amusement for a while," Tie Long spoke in a deep voice, then fell silent again.

"The Demon Suppression Bureau folks falling into the hands of the Iron Armor Demon King is what they deserve." Picturing the bloody scene, Hong Ao couldn't help but laugh.

Bang!

Just then, the banquet hall suddenly trembled.

Hong Ao's drunken state cleared by seven parts as he looked around in astonishment, "What's going on, an earthquake?"

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