"What are you doing?"
When Ding Xiaoxue turned around, she saw Shu Feng take out his phone and open his contacts, and she asked hastily.
Shu Feng stated the obvious. "I'm reporting this to our superiors and calling for backup, of course!"
Ding Xiaoxue rolled her eyes at Shu Feng. "Come on, do you have to report every little thing? The captain and the others are busy! This is a minor issue we can solve on our own. Judging by Zhong Jietong's condition, she probably just ran into a fairly weak Void Demon. With me here, I can deal with it in a matter of minutes."
Shu Feng asked humbly, "How can you tell it's a weak Void Demon she encountered?"
"If it were a Spirit Master-Level Void Demon, a normal person like Zhong Jietong would have been instantly overwhelmed by its Void Demonic Qi. The Power of Void Demon would have corrupted her, and she'd have gone completely insane by now. The fact that she's still up and about means she likely only came into contact with a Low-level Ghostly Void Demon. I can slay one of those with a single strike of my sword!"
Ding Xiaoxue was filled with excitement, her eyes on Zhong Jietong, eager for a fight. She had honed her Swordsmanship for years, but the Qianyuan Republic was largely peaceful, and Void Demon incursions were rare. She wouldn't dare throw her life away against a powerful Void Demon, but a low-level one like this was the perfect chance to test her skills.
Ding Xiaoxue suddenly grinned. "Besides, if we can complete this mission by ourselves, we'll get far more Contribution Points than if you call for backup."
Shu Feng's expression flickered. He gritted his teeth and said, "Fine! Let's do it! Just the two of us. But we have an agreement: if I feel like something is wrong, I'm calling for backup immediately."
"Deal! Now, let's go approach our target."
A faint smile on her face, Ding Xiaoxue walked over to Zhong Jietong with Shu Feng.
Ding Xiaoxue walked up to Zhong Jietong and said with an easy smile, "Hello, Zhong Jietong. I'm a good friend of Shu Feng's, Ding Xiaoxue from Class 57."
"Can I help you with something?"
Zhong Jietong's gaze flickered over to Shu Feng, who was standing next to Ding Xiaoxue. She arched her delicate eyebrows, straightened her posture to show herself in the best light, and offered a faint smile.
Ding Xiaoxue was widely recognized as the number one beauty of Lei Jiang Third Middle School, and for some reason, Zhong Jietong just couldn't stand the thought of being outdone by her.
Ding Xiaoxue's expression turned serious. "Zhong Jietong, I'm from a Demon Extermination Family. Yesterday, did you feel a sudden chill, as if you were being crushed by a great weight, trapped in endless darkness and unable to breathe? And when you woke up today, did you feel completely drained, lethargic, with no energy for anything?"
Zhong Jietong hesitated for a moment. "A little, yes."
Ding Xiaoxue pressed on. "That's it! You've been corrupted by a ghost's baleful qi. We need to perform an exorcism. Where did you go after school last night?"
"After school, I went straight home. I didn't go anywhere else."
When Ding Xiaoxue got serious, she radiated an imposing aura that made Zhong Jietong answer almost without thinking.
Ding Xiaoxue said grimly, "Then this is bad! The ghost might be in your house! It could very well endanger your family! Zhong Jietong, let's go! Take us to your home right now! I need to perform the exorcism immediately!"
"Okay! I'll take you there right now!"
Zhong Jietong shot to her feet, her face etched with anxiety.
"I'm coming too!"
Wang Lu also stood up. She was a kind and fiercely loyal friend.
Shu Feng frowned and flatly refused. "No! Wang Lu, you can't come. You'll only get in the way, and we'd have to waste effort protecting you. Just stay here and go to class."
Wang Lu's eyebrows shot up as she demanded, "Then what about you, Shu Feng? Ding Xiaoxue is from a Demon Extermination Family, but who are you? What gives you the right to go?"
Zhong Jietong's gaze also fell on Shu Feng, a flicker of curiosity in her eyes.
Shu Feng said calmly, "I'm Ding Xiaoxue's assistant. She's taught me some things about exterminating demons. I can protect myself, and if it comes down to it, I can join the fight."
Zhong Jietong looked at Ding Xiaoxue, her expression laced with doubt.
Ding Xiaoxue smiled beautifully, lying without even blinking. "That's right. Shu Feng is my assistant."
For some reason, Zhong Jietong felt a sudden sense of relief. 'So he's just her assistant. No wonder they're so close.'
Wang Lu didn't press the issue, watching as Zhong Jietong left with Shu Feng and Ding Xiaoxue.
Hongfeng Manor was one of the most upscale residential complexes in Lei Jiang City. A taxi stopped at the entrance, and the three of them stepped out.
"GRRR!"
The moment they reached Unit 16 of the complex, Big Black's fur stood on end. Its eyes turned crimson, and it let out a warning growl, staring intently at the apartment building.
Shu Feng looked at the apartment building, a solemn expression in his eyes. "This is the place. I can feel the presence of a Void Demon. Let's call for backup!"
'I could still use some more time to get stronger,' Shu Feng thought. 'It'd be best if I could just go into seclusion and cultivate until I'm invincible before coming out to play. I much prefer ganging up on an enemy to fighting them one-on-one.'
"Wait! Let me use the Celestial Secret Art to check!"
Ding Xiaoxue took out nine copper coins and a Turtle Shell. She placed the Turtle Shell on the ground, and with a wave of her hand, the nine coins flew into the air. Guided by a mysterious force, they fell one by one onto the shell, forming a neat stack.
"My Celestial Secret Art indicates that there shouldn't be any Spirit Warrior-Level Void Demons in this building. And since there aren't any, with me here, a low-level one is nothing to fear!"
With a faint smile, Ding Xiaoxue picked up the nine copper coins and the Turtle Shell and put them away.
Shu Feng asked curiously, "Celestial Secret Art! What kind of Secret Technique is that?"
Ding Xiaoxue explained, "The Celestial Secret Art originates from the Black Tortoise Realm. Cultivating this Secret Technique requires a special Talent and comes with all sorts of restrictions. I only have a basic understanding of it myself. But barring any surprises, there shouldn't be any Void Demons above the Spirit Warrior Level in this building."
Zhong Jietong looked utterly bewildered. "Void Demon? Celestial Secret Art? What are you two talking about? I don't understand a single word."
Ding Xiaoxue continued to explain in a half-true, half-false manner, "A Void Demon is what people commonly refer to as a ghost. As for the Celestial Secret Art, it's one of the Magic techniques used by my Demon Extermination Family."
"Xiaotong, why are you back? Shouldn't you be in school right now?"
An elderly, white-haired woman walked over from the side, asking curiously.
Zhong Jietong replied politely, "Aunt Wang, something came up at home today, so I had to come back early."
Just then, a vicious glint flashed in the eyes of Big Black, who had been standing guard by Shu Feng's side. It abruptly lunged, revealing its true form. Opening its massive jaws, its sharp fangs wreathed in wisps of black energy, it pounced on Aunt Wang, knocking her to the ground and sinking its teeth viciously into her neck.
"He's killing her! The vicious dog is killing her!"
Zhong Jietong was stunned by the scene unfolding before her. She let out a terrified scream, her voice filled with fear.