The Disoriented Awakening and the Demon Suppressing Division

Truthfully, Su Mo awoke feeling profoundly disoriented. Her consciousness stirred just as they approached the city gates, emerging from Xu Qingzhu’s steady embrace. A faint scent of blood clung to the air, though Su Mo couldn’t fathom how Xu Qingzhu had managed to escape the monster-ridden forest with her in tow. Her mind still replayed the horrors of that night: the terrifying upheaval in the sky and the relentless pursuit by a Nascent Soul cultivator.

“Stop spacing out,” Xu Qingzhu said, offering her a water gourd. A bamboo basket, brimming with freshly gathered herbs, rested on his back. His simple, evergreen attire subtly complemented Su Mo’s own green garments.

“Xu Qingzhu,” Su Mo whispered, “are we playing the part of a herb-gathering couple?”

They huddled near the rear of the bustling line, where countless individuals, laden with all manner of possessions, patiently awaited inspection by the city gate guards. Beneath the bright midday sun, Su Mo’s skin flushed a delicate crimson, feeling far more sensitive than she could ever recall. She harbored a suspicion that she was undergoing a peculiar transformation; her backside persistently hitched, as if a tail were on the verge of sprouting.

“Indeed, we’ll pose as apothecaries,” Xu Qingzhu elaborated, a hint of unease in his voice. “Just try not to speak later.”

“As you wish,” Su Mo replied, having no desire to speak anyway.

‘Especially not with you!’

By noon, they were only a few paces from the front, observing the nervous couple ahead who, leading an ox, awaited clearance from the city guards. The city guards appeared to be composed of two distinct factions: one group, clad in armor and armed with sabers, exuded a vibrant, robust vital energy, yet displayed no discernible spiritual fluctuations. The second group, though smaller in number, was far more striking. They wore lavish, uniform black and white robes, complemented by mysterious, dark greenish-black masks.

“Is that the Demon Suppressing Division for a mortal city?” Su Mo murmured, subtly nudging Xu Qingzhu with her elbow.

Xu Qingzhu merely nodded, his gaze fixed intently on the ox the couple had brought. As they observed, the armored soldier attempted to lead the ox forward, when suddenly, an unexpected transformation took hold.

“Moo—!” The old ox bellowed, violently shaking its head, its eyes glowing with an abnormal, bloodshot crimson. It lunged forward in a frenzy, slamming into the soldier with brutal force.

“Boom!” A resounding crash echoed as the impacted soldier was sent flying, slamming against the stone wall before collapsing into a few brief convulsions. Immediately, a member of the Demon Suppressing Division intervened. Su Mo sensed a surge of spiritual energy, surprisingly on par with her own, as a brilliant purple light descended and swiftly penetrated the maddened ox. Within moments, a putrid stench filled the air, prompting everyone to recoil several meters in disgust.

“An ox demon. Take it away,” the Demon Suppressing Division member stated, their tone utterly devoid of surprise, as if such occurrences were commonplace. Yet, their eyes drifted, settling with a distinctly meaningful glint upon the next individuals in line: Su Mo and Xu Qingzhu.

A palpable tension filled the air. The remaining guards stiffened, their palms growing damp with sweat.

Encircled by the scrutinizing gazes, Xu Qingzhu instinctively stepped in front of Su Mo, speaking with measured caution:

“My wife and I have been out gathering herbs, only just returning recently…”

“Your names?” It was surprisingly the Demon Suppressing Division member who spoke, a rare occurrence as they typically disdained such trivial interactions.

“Of the Xu family, Xu Qingzhu.”

The Demon Suppressing Division member gave a slight nod, then turned their gaze to Su Mo. Their gaze shifted from side to side, a gloved hand rising to stroke their chin beneath the mask. The individual seemed to be deep in thought, a flicker of doubt in their posture.

“This woman bears a striking resemblance to the demoness of the Su family,” the masked figure mused, a note of confusion in their voice. “Yet her aura, spiritual energy, vitality, and overall presence are all incorrect… Could I have misjudged?” They then pressed further:

“I asked what *her* name is.”

“Su Yao.”

Upon hearing the surname “Su” uttered, the individual admitted to a fleeting flicker of excitement. With the considerable heavenly treasures offered as a bounty, ‘Su Mo’ had become an incredibly lucrative target, a veritable ‘hot commodity’.

“Let her speak for herself,” the Demon Suppressing Division member commanded, their attention sharpening, ears subtly twitching as if to catch every nuance. A growing unease settled amongst the numerous guards; the atmosphere thickened with a palpable tension, hinting at an impending, significant shift. Their gazes, one by one, fell upon the seemingly frail and pitiful Su Mo.

“I… I am called Su Yao,” Su Mo managed, swallowing hard and speaking with utmost caution.

“Alright, pass,” the Demon Suppressing Division member declared, their sudden disinterest palpable as they waved a hand dismissively, almost casually. A strange sensation, as if a thorn had lodged in her throat, left Su Mo utterly speechless. And so, without further incident, she followed Xu Qingzhu into Dangyang County.

‘My name, Su Mo, truly brings nothing but trouble,’ she mused, a sigh escaping her internally. How was she supposed to alter public perception when powerful cultivators, from the highest echelons, had explicitly called for her demise? It felt utterly impossible.

While she wrestled with these thoughts, Xu Qingzhu, with the familiarity of long habit, turned down a narrow alleyway. As they delved deeper, the vibrant main thoroughfare receded, replaced by a chaotic jumble of ramshackle houses and a pervasive, indistinct odor that clung to the air.

“Are there slums here?” Su Mo questioned, finding the environment a stark and undeniable downgrade from the bustling streets they had just left.

“Indeed,” Xu Qingzhu replied, walking ahead with an air of ingrained familiarity. “With demons running rampant, only those with a modicum of power dare to establish villages outside the city walls. The weak and the impoverished, however, flock to the county town, desperate for any semblance of safety.” He harbored no judgment for Su Mo’s inquiry; as the sheltered young lady of an immortal cultivation family, how could she possibly comprehend the profound suffering of the common people? The chasm between the cultivation world and the mortal realm, defined by immense power disparities, was far more terrifying than anyone imagined.

“Where are we going?” Su Mo asked, sensing someone tailing them from around the corner, though she detected no malice. He noticed the follower, casually tossed a few copper coins onto the ground, clapped his hands, and continued walking. Before long, no one paid them any further attention. Only then did Xu Qingzhu answer:

“To retrieve some of your father’s inheritance.”

“My father?” Su Mo was genuinely surprised; she had scoured her memories countless times, yet found no trace of him. He paused, turning back with a regretful expression.

“Your father, whom you never had the chance to meet, passed away… it’s been over a year now.”

Su Mo offered no reply, yet she couldn’t discern any genuine sorrow in his eyes. This was unsettling. How could a filial son like Xu Qingzhu not harbor hatred for his father’s killer? He must still be unaware of the truth, surely believing the ‘Su Mo’ family to be the culprits. In this moment, Su Mo dared not move, fearing he might cleave her in two with a single strike.

‘It’s a good thing that, in his eyes, I’m Su Yao!’ Su Mo found a sliver of reassurance.

The two ventured deeper into the secluded alley, finally stopping in a hidden corner. With an incomprehensible knocking pattern, Xu Qingzhu deftly extracted several small fragments from the stone wall. When fitted together, they formed a seamless whole, like a peculiar key. “Is this a secret treasure left by your mother?” Su Mo wondered, feeling that Xu Qingzhu’s father must have been incredibly thoughtful, even planning for his family’s retreat. In contrast, Su Mo’s own father seemed ‘careless,’ dying without a trace, despite being a Nascent Soul cultivator.

“Clang.” The key was inserted into an inconspicuous crevice, and with a press, the adjacent section of ground lifted, revealing a large wooden box. The runes shimmering on its surface quickly faded, clearly designed to dissolve upon exposure to light.

“What is this?” Su Mo’s beautiful eyes widened with curiosity as she shamelessly edged closer, her gaze betraying a distinctly avaricious glint.

“Just a trifle of a family heirloom, hardly worth mentioning,” Xu Qingzhu said, casually putting it away, completely ignoring Su Mo’s intense stare.

“Young Master Xu… surely there’s enough to share,” Su Mo began, gathering her courage. The thought of having to flee alone again made her want to hoard everything. She was a hoarder!

“When you marry into my family, these will be part of your bridal gifts,” Xu Qingzhu declared, patting his backside before walking away with a flourish. Su Mo, following behind, gritted her teeth in frustration, utterly helpless.

“What a miser! He wouldn’t even part with a single hair!” Su Mo kicked at a loose stone, fuming. When they finally emerged from the alley and stepped onto a bustling street filled with hawkers, Su Mo felt as if she had been transported to another world. Within a single city, two starkly different worlds existed.

The dazzling array of goods held no appeal for Su Mo. She was focused on accumulating funds, preparing for her escape. Walking with her nose tilted slightly upward, Su Mo wasn’t paying attention and bumped right into Xu Qingzhu.

“Why did you stop?” she asked, rubbing her nose and looking up. Following his gaze, she saw it was fixed on a stall displaying all sorts of hairpins, little girls’ accessories, and some ‘last week’s’ antiques. Tilting her head, Su Mo witnessed an utterly unbelievable sight:

“Want me to buy you one?” Xu Qingzhu asked, looking down as he took out his wallet and inspected its contents. How strange!