Chapter 162: Backed by the Imperial City

Following Zhong Ning, Shen Changqing headed deeper into the Demon Suppression Division.

Truth be told.

In the vast Demon Suppression Division, the farthest he’d ever been was the Demon Prison.

Beyond the Demon Prison, Shen Changqing had never ventured.

Once again, he arrived at the blood-stained cyan walls, recognizing this as the location of the Demon Prison.

However.

Zhong Ning didn’t enter the Demon Prison. Instead, he shifted slightly and came to the entrance of a passage.

There.

Someone stood guard.

Having broken through to the Grandmaster Realm, Shen Changqing could tell that the two guards at the passage were no weaker than the Innate Realm.

After Zhong Ning presented his identity token, the two respectfully allowed them to pass.

Entering the passage.

The surrounding light dimmed.

The faint sound of footsteps echoed, amplified by the dim environment, creating an eerie atmosphere.

"The Demon Suppression Division is divided into numerous areas. Ordinary Demon Slaying Envoys can only go as far as the Demon Prison. To go beyond the Demon Prison and enter the areas behind it, only Town Guardians or members of our Seclusion Pavilion are permitted."

Zhong Ning’s words gave Shen Changqing a greater understanding of the Seclusion Pavilion’s status.

Needless to say.

Judging by the confidence in his words, one could understand the power and transcendence of this place.

Zhong Ning said, "Beyond the Demon Prison is the Guardian Courtyard, where all the Town Guardians reside. And behind the Guardian Courtyard is the Demon Sealing Tower."

"Demon Sealing Tower?"

Shen Changqing looked puzzled. Judging by the name alone, it sounded like a place to seal evil.

If the Demon Sealing Tower was a place to seal evil, and the Demon Prison was also a place to seal evil, wouldn’t that be contradictory?

Zhong Ning’s expression remained normal, and he provided explanations for Shen Changqing’s questions.

"The Demon Sealing Tower, as the name suggests, is a place to seal demons. In terms of nature, it’s similar to the Demon Prison, but in fact, the Demon Sealing Tower is far superior to the Demon Prison."

"The Demon Prison mainly seals some weak monsters and low-rank demons, while in the Demon Sealing Tower, what is truly sealed are extremely powerful demons.

Any one of those demons, if released, could cause devastation to an entire prefecture or region."

Two sealing locations.

But the Demon Sealing Tower mainly sealed demons, while the Demon Prison sealed mostly monsters, with only the fourth and fifth levels containing demons, and those were just low-rank demons.

From this, it could be seen.

The demons sealed in the Demon Sealing Tower were definitely not as simple as low-rank demons.

Of course.

Even low-rank demons were incredibly powerful.

In the Scripture Repository, Shen Changqing had gained some understanding of the power of demons, though it was limited.

"What is the general level of strength of a demon?"

"The strength of a demon—"

Zhong Ning paused slightly upon hearing this, then continued forward, answering the question.

"Demons are beings that completely surpass the human race. No Grandmaster expert can contend with any demon, or rather, no Grandmaster currently existing in the Jianghu can contend with them."

He added a sentence at the end.

Hearing this.

Shen Changqing’s face showed even more confusion.

What did he mean?

What did he mean by ‘no Grandmaster currently existing in the Jianghu can contend with them’?

"What does Senior mean by that?"

Ask if you don’t understand.

Shen Changqing fully displayed this good quality.

"You should understand that Grandmasters are divided into two major systems. Reaching the extreme in either system is very powerful. But in today’s Jianghu, there isn’t a single martial artist who can truly reach the end of either system.

Reaching the limit of both systems simultaneously is even more of a dream."

"As far as I know, any system that reaches its limit will possess extremely powerful strength, a strength that completely surpasses ordinary Grandmasters. Martial artists who reach this realm are qualified to contend with demons.

Of course, the demons they can contend with are only low-rank demons.

To contend with more powerful demons is impossible unless the martial artist can break through the limits of the human body—"

Zhong Ning’s face was melancholy.

Breaking through the limits of the human body was a direction that the Seclusion Pavilion had been trying to research since its establishment.

Unfortunately.

It was too difficult.

Up to now, not a single martial artist had been able to break through the limits of the human body.

Zhong Ning’s explanation gave Shen Changqing a clear understanding of the strength of demons.

Immediately.

He thought of the Town Guardians.

Dongfang Zhao avoided answering how to become a Town Guardian. Perhaps the Zhong Ning in front of him would know.

"Does Senior know how one can become a Town Guardian?"

After the words fell.

He added another sentence.

"What is the difference between a Town Guardian and a Grandmaster?"

Zhong Ning was not surprised and shook his head with a smile.

"Any Grandmaster, after understanding the limits of martial artists, will ask the same question, ‘How can one become a Town Guardian?’ and ‘What is the difference between a Town Guardian and a Grandmaster?’"

"There are some things that you don’t need to know too much about until you become a Town Guardian, or are qualified to become one. I can only tell you that Town Guardians are the only beings who can confront demons.

They are also the true foundation of Great Qin, allowing Great Qin to not fear the chaos of demons.

Without Town Guardians, even if there are more Grandmasters in the world, they could not resist the demon’s attacks.

Demons surpass the human race. On some level, Town Guardians also surpass the human race."

"Of course, if you truly enter the Seclusion Pavilion, even if you can’t become a Town Guardian, you will understand the secrets of the Town Guardians."

While Zhong Ning was speaking, the two had already walked out of the passage.

Unlike other places in the Demon Suppression Division, behind the walls of the Demon Prison were large courtyards, like a palace complex.

If.

People could often be seen walking around outside, here, not a single person could be seen.

Zhong Ning pointed to the palace group in front.

"That is where the Town Guardians live. Don’t look at the many palaces. In reality, many palaces have been left empty, waiting for new Town Guardians to move in."

The reason for being empty.

Shen Changqing didn’t ask, because it wasn’t necessary.

There was only one possibility for the Guardian Courtyard to be empty: the Town Guardian stationed there had been killed in battle, that was all.

"That is the Demon Sealing Tower."

Zhong Ning suddenly reached out and pointed to a huge pagoda that looked about a hundred zhang tall.

A hundred zhang pagoda.

Whether it was inside the Demon Suppression Division or outside the capital, it could be seen clearly.

As early as when he first came to the Demon Suppression Division, Shen Changqing had seen the pagoda from afar, but he didn’t know what its origin was.

Until now.

After receiving Zhong Ning’s explanation, he truly understood.

So.

This pagoda was the Demon Sealing Tower that sealed demons.

"The Demon Sealing Tower is the most important place in the Demon Suppression Division, without exception. Therefore, the Guardian Courtyard is also located here. The purpose is to guard the Demon Sealing Tower, to prevent demons in the tower from breaking free and escaping.

If such powerful demons were to leave the Demon Sealing Tower, even if this is the capital, there would be big trouble."

While Zhong Ning spoke, his footsteps did not stop, and he continued to move forward.

"And the Seclusion Pavilion is also behind the Guardian Courtyard. But the difference is that the Demon Sealing Tower is on the left, and the Seclusion Pavilion is on the right, that’s all."

"Then what is behind the Seclusion Pavilion, or rather, what is behind the Demon Suppression Division?"

Shen Changqing asked.

According to the other party’s statement, the Seclusion Pavilion and the Demon Sealing Tower were both at the innermost part of the Demon Suppression Division.

But inside and outside are relative. The innermost part, to some extent, is equivalent to the outermost part.

If the place outside the Demon Suppression Division was not safe enough, then the Demon Sealing Tower might as well be placed in the very center.

"Behind the Demon Suppression Division?"

Zhong Ning smiled slightly, and his words were shocking.

"Behind the Demon Suppression Division is the Imperial City!"

Imperial City!

Shen Changqing’s face changed.

The capital was divided into inner and outer cities, and the true core foundation was not the outer city or the inner city, but the Imperial City.

The Imperial City also had another name, which was the Imperial Palace.

Behind the Demon Suppression Division was the Imperial Palace!

He didn’t know how important the Demon Suppression Division’s location was before, but now, Shen Changqing truly understood.

Backed by the Imperial City.

It was indeed very safe.

Even without thinking, one could understand that there were many experts in the Imperial City, and they were by no means comparable to ordinary factions.

The location where the Demon Sealing Tower existed was inhabited by Town Guardians in front and suppressed by the Imperial City in the back. It was simply as safe as it could be.

Even if something went wrong.

Both sides would immediately send experts to suppress it, so as not to cause major problems.

While speaking.

The two quickly passed through the Guardian Courtyard. The Demon Sealing Tower, which was already very tall, became even more direct because of the proximity, and the sense of towering majesty became even more direct.

Shen Changqing couldn’t help but think.

If this hundred-zhang Demon Sealing Tower were to fall, it could crush a large number of people to death.

While he was daydreaming.

Zhong Ning’s footsteps stopped.

Seeing this.

Shen Changqing followed the other party’s gaze and saw a palace-like building, similar to the Demon Slaying Hall, appearing in his sight.

The gate of the palace was open, and the plaque above was inscribed with several large characters: Seclusion Pavilion.

"This is the Seclusion Pavilion, come in with me!"

Zhong Ning said, and took the lead to walk towards the Seclusion Pavilion.

Hearing this.

Shen Changqing followed closely behind.

Entering the Seclusion Pavilion, the view became wide and open, and palaces could be seen standing around, and people could be seen entering and leaving the palaces.

"Doesn’t the entrance to the Seclusion Pavilion need someone to guard it?"

"Naturally, someone is guarding it, but you just can’t see it. This time, I am leading you. If I weren’t here, you wouldn’t even be able to enter the gate of the Seclusion Pavilion. Don’t think that the late stage of Grandmaster is very strong.

In the Seclusion Pavilion, there are many martial artists who have entered the door of the physical body system."

Zhong Ning scoffed.

Shen Changqing didn’t feel annoyed by this.

Afterward.

Zhong Ning said again.

"The Seclusion Pavilion is divided into four main places: the Martial Pavilion, the Demon Suppression Pavilion, the Demon Sealing Pavilion, and the Internal Affairs Pavilion."

"Among them, the Martial Pavilion mainly studies the limits of the human body. Those who can enter the Martial Pavilion have strong talents in martial arts, or possess extremely strong strength. Only such people have the hope of breaking through the limit in the future."

End of Chapter