Top-Tier Perception Starts From Basic Fist Techniques

In the rear courtyard of the prefectural yamen in Shanan, an official stood before the prefecture lord.

"My lord, the sorcerers from the Temple of Flesh and Blood are growing worse by the day! I beg you to give the order, call up the garrison outside the city, and put them down."

The prefecture lord furrowed his brow. "Is there a true demon behind this Temple of Flesh and Blood?"

"That... we can't be certain of. We have taken and killed some of their blood descendants in secret, though. Their methods are uncanny, but they can be killed, so we are confident that the blood descendants are not true demons, at the very least."

The prefecture lord nodded in understanding. Even though the blood descendants who had appeared so far were not true demons themselves, it seemed like the roots of the Temple of Flesh and Blood ran deep and there was most likely a true demon at the bottom of it.

Waiting on the imperial court was no use to anyone. Shanan Prefecture would have to rely on its own strength. With that, the prefecture lord made up his mind. "So be it! Take my written order, call up the army, and put the Temple of Flesh and Blood down. Anyone who resists is to be killed where they stand."

The temple had been acting without the least restraint and had trodden on the interests of very nearly every powerful family in Shanan Prefecture. How were they to sit still? They would naturally find a way to crush it, and the prefecture lord was the greatest of the powerful men in Shanan. There was no way he could dismiss the matter.

The official was elated. "Thank you, my lord!"

With the prefecture lord's approval, the matter became easy, and he went off to call up the army and put down the Temple of Flesh and Blood in Shanan Prefecture.

***

At the headquarters of the Temple of Flesh and Blood in Drum Mountain County, Chen Ping came hurriedly knocking on a door. "Progenitor, I've something to report to you. Something has happened in Shanan City."

Lu Changsheng heard him through the door. "Come in."

Chen Ping pushed it open and gave his report at once. "Progenitor, Shanan Prefecture has called up its army and moved against our blood descendants. We have many dead and wounded, and the blood descendants in the prefectural city have been swept out almost to the last man."

Lu Changsheng's eyes narrowed slightly. "Oh? Shanan Prefecture called up its army and swept out the temple?"

The Jing Dynasty had the look of a dynasty in its last years. Every region with any strength in it had carved out its own domain, and Shanan Prefecture was no different. It belonged to the court on paper, but in practice, the officials of Shanan had long since colluded with the local powers and set themselves up as their own masters.

Then, it would seem like the action of wiping out the temple was Shanan's own decision against the Temple of Flesh and Blood. Most likely, the temple's expansion had cut badly into what those officials considered their own assets.

Lu Changsheng sighed. In the end, blood descendants are not true demons...

In strength, speed, and recovery rate, a blood descendant stood in comparison with a demon, but they were still ultimately not a demon. A blood descendant could die, and that was their greatest weakness.

"Chen Ping, I'm assigning you a company of the temple guard force and eight blood descendant Divine Guards with it. Sweep Shanan Prefecture flat for me."

Chen Ping was delighted.

The temple guard force was made up of blood descendants at Second Growth. Every one of them was a match for an ordinary true demon, and a company of them had eight hundred men. Eight hundred of them at the charge were worth more than an army of a hundred thousand humans.

Not to mention, the Divine Guards were stronger, as only a blood descendant at Third Growth was qualified to become one.

"On second thought, no. I'll go myself." Lu Changsheng thought it over, deciding to make the trip in person. Shanan Prefecture was no small matter. Capturing it would put the Temple of Flesh and Blood squarely onto the stage of these chaotic times, exposed to every power there was.

True demons, the imperial court, and every trade of man would turn to look. If he weren’t there, it would be difficult for them to deal with the situation.

Chen Ping instantly sobered up and realized that the progenitor was taking the Shanan situation seriously.

"Chen Ping, you march with me. Kao Ping stays and holds the temple."

Lu Changsheng set out each arrangement in turn.

"Yes, Progenitor." Chen Ping responded and went off to see to it at once.

A company of the temple guard force and eight blood descendant Divine Guards were assembled shortly after. As this was the temple guard force's first mission, Lu Changsheng meant to settle it in a single battle.

"March!"

The company rolled out, heading straight for Shanan Prefecture.

The yamen in Shanan Prefecture was full of laughter and pleased voices. Chest after chest of goods and valuables stood stacked inside it, signaling everything the army had taken while putting the Temple of Flesh and Blood down. They were all priceless treasures. Even the prefecture lord had not expected a haul on that scale.

Every faction in Shanan Prefecture was thoroughly satisfied. Calling up the army had cost them a great deal of silver, but they had gained back twice as much.

"My lord, the Temple of Flesh and Blood has taken heavy losses. Won't they retaliate?"

A voice sounded out as somebody had grown uneasy. After all, those losses were the work of the men in the room, and the temple had not been rooted out entirely. Any retaliation was likely to be fierce.

One of the commanding officers spoke up, full of confidence, as though the temple would be blown to ash the moment the army arrived. "I've looked into it. The Temple of Flesh and Blood sits in Drum Mountain City. Give the order, my lord, and the army will march for Drum Mountain County at once and level the place."

The prefecture lord sat with it for a long while. He was uneasy himself. There was a chance that a true demon stood behind the temple. Moving rashly and failing to root it out would then leave them in real trouble.

"My lord, are you worried about the demon behind the Temple of Flesh and Blood?" a muscular gentleman asked with a smile creasing his eyes.

"Why? Does Squire Zhao have any ideas?"

"My lord, do you recall the Dark Demon Society?"

The prefecture lord's face changed in an instant.

The Dark Demon Society had long since been named a priority target by the Demon God Ministry of the Jing Dynasty. Anyone caught colluding with it was brought to the ministry's attention.

The society was said to have murky connections to the demon nation. Some said it simply was the demon nation's hidden instrument for working its way into human dynasties. By all accounts, there were demons inside it, and very powerful ones.

The prefecture lord responded sharply, "Squire Zhao, do you understand what you are doing? Dealing with the Dark Demon Society is asking a tiger for its own skin. If the court finds out..."

However, sharp words were all it was. No order came to seize Squire Zhao, and Squire Zhao understood the point without needing it spelled out.

Squire Zhao smiled slightly. "My lord, the Dark Demon Society is a tiger, and the Temple of Flesh and Blood is a pack of starving wolves. We set the tiger on the wolves and pick up what's left while the two of them tear at each other. Where is the harm in that?"

"My lord, if you fear that the society has designs on Shanan Prefecture, there's no need. Shanan sits in a peculiar spot, deep in the heartland of the Jing Dynasty. What would capturing it even get them?"

"The court and the Demon God Ministry would descend on them immediately if that were to happen. They have no plans against Shanan. All the society wants is a connection with us, my lord's friendship, and some accommodation from Shanan Prefecture at some point down the road."

The smile never left his gaze. It was plain to see that he had been in contact with the society for some time, but the prefecture lord was also tempted. Squire Zhao had a point.

Thanks to Shanan's location, there was no reason for the society to have plans against the prefecture. So long as the prefecture itself was safe, what harm was there to grant other favors? Setting the tiger on the wolves would serve them well.

At last, his mind was made up. "Very well! I will meet with the Dark Demon Society."