The Demon Suppression Department was newly established and did not belong to any of the Three Departments and Six Ministries.
Due to its dangerous and special nature, it was not set up within the imperial city.
There was quite a distance from the residential district to the Demon Suppression Department.
The female official was named Xi Liu.
Two years ago, she was transferred to serve as Su Lingxi’s personal attendant.
Historically, following someone with overwhelming power has never been easy.
But following Su Lingxi seemed even more difficult than with her predecessors.
The reason was simple: across all dynasties and generations, not a single official could compare to the shocking and unprecedented figure that was Su Lingxi.
Her reputation as the Imperial Mentor was both immense—and terrible.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that she had turned the entire imperial court upside down.
It was said that fourteen years ago, after the virtuous emperor passed away, chaos engulfed the land.
Various military factions rose, territories were fractured, and misery abounded.
Su Lingxi suddenly emerged, joined forces with the late emperor’s loyal ministers, and helped the sickly Sixth Prince ascend the throne.
On the very day the prince sat upon the Dragon Throne of the Grand Hall, three rebel factions stormed the capital.
Several gates had fallen.
The old ministers were ready to die defending the Grand Hall, but Su Lingxi forcibly summoned the three major sects, who had remained neutral until then, to come to their aid.
No one knew how she managed it.
But during those days when every second counted and urgent military reports came in daily, she commanded the troops and stayed in the palace, eating and sleeping there.
Not until the new emperor received the recognition of the Dragon Qi and took hold of the Seal of State did things finally settle.
As a result, Su Lingxi later entered the Grand Secretariat, was appointed Prime Minister, and held immense power.
Even the old-fashioned, rigid ministers were left speechless.
After all, it was a tale that still amazed listeners today.
At that time, Su Lingxi was just a teenager.
Xi Liu returned to her senses and remembered something.
“Earlier today, Lord Zhang from the Court of Judicial Review brought people to the Demon Suppression Department.”
“The Zhang family?”
Su Lingxi nodded slightly, “Looking for trouble again?”
Demonic disturbances had arisen, and the founding of the Demon Suppression Department was theoretically a timely move.
Yet the court was embroiled in endless disputes over it.
The real reason?
The new department meant Su Lingxi gained yet another source of power.
For many, it wasn’t about whether the department should exist, but rather that it shouldn’t be built under Su Lingxi’s control.
“They came on strong, picked out plenty of faults. We did our best to cooperate, avoided direct conflict. It’s just…” Xi Liu hesitated, “They gave orders to those boys from Fuyu, and it upset them. Things got a bit ugly. But we resolved it.”
In the darkness, a voice chuckled softly, “How interesting. What a pity I missed it.”
Even though she’d been shocked by the Imperial Mentor’s eccentricities countless times, Xi Liu still couldn’t help glancing sideways at Su Lingxi’s profile.
When Su Lingxi became Prime Minister, though there were murmurs in the court, she proved capable and stable.
Especially after dealing with locust plagues and floods, she and the old ministers enjoyed a long period of peace.
At that time, praise for her outweighed criticism.
Until three years ago, when something happened that even the official histories dared not record.
Just as she had once helped the sickly prince to the throne, Su Lingxi, citing the emperor’s frailty, demoted him to king and helped his sister—the late emperor’s daughter—ascend the throne instead.
She put her full effort into assisting the new empress, earning her the title of “Imperial Mentor.”
On the day the empress was enthroned, the old ministers were so furious that they collapsed in the Grand Hall, weeping, beating their chests, fainting and reviving in cycles, unable to accept it.
According to tradition, the younger must not precede the elder.
When had a sister ever taken the throne while her brother still lived?
The annals of history held no such absurdity.
Not only the old guard opposed it—even the new faction disagreed.
But Su Lingxi’s determination and swiftness caught everyone off guard.
By the time they realized what had happened, the deed was done.
From that moment, Su Lingxi made enemies of more than half the court.
During that period, there were assassination attempts nearly every day.
Every morning, red paint was splashed on the gates of her residence, with large characters like “Scourge of the Nation” and “Heaven Will Punish.”
When Xi Liu had first joined her, she had been terrified by such scenes.
After all, everyone knew Su Lingxi was no harmless figure.
If she could depose and enthrone emperors, what couldn’t she do?
Anyone daring to provoke her like this was practically asking to be killed on the spot.
But Su Lingxi seemed to care little.
As if all those venomous accusations weren’t directed at her at all.
She was cautious.
Those people thought they came and went in secret, but she always knew the exact time they arrived and left.
Sometimes, she’d even ask Xi Liu to go out and see what insults were written that night.
She could instantly tell whether the words came from a civil or military official—civil officials were refined and reserved, often losing verbal battles during the day, so they used obscure language.
Military men, rarely educated, were blunt and crude: just “Kill” or “Die,” painted in blood red.
When someone went on at length, Su Lingxi could even identify them by name.
Following her, Xi Liu had learned much.
When Su Lingxi was in a bad mood, she wouldn’t hold back.
After a long day, she’d return, wash up, sit beneath a tree in the courtyard, and with a flick of her fingers, fold a blank sheet of paper into a little beast.
On its head were the blood-red characters “Kill” and “Die.”
The creature would hop off the table and vanish into the night.
And the next day at court, there’d be another explosive episode.
Only when she saw these strange, supernatural methods did Xi Liu remember—
The Imperial Mentor was originally from Fuyu.
But she had left there many, many years ago.
It was said that there was deep enmity between Su Lingxi and Fuyu.
That she had been expelled. Many used this to attack her, accusing her of defying tradition and morals, saying no wonder Fuyu had rejected her.
That was how they talked and criticized her, but the truth of it all—who could say?
This time, with so many elite members of Fuyu dispatched, Xi Liu only hoped there wouldn’t be conflict.
Half an hour later, the two arrived at the Demon Suppression Department.
It was already the hour of the boar (around 9–11 PM), but the place was still brightly lit.
Xi Liu took out her waist token and passed through several levels of security before entering.
The structure of the Demon Suppression Department was similar to the Court of Judicial Review—except one caught humans, and the other, demons.
Even the typically stingy Ministry of Revenue hadn’t dared to skimp on this one, allocating a significant budget.
As such, the department was larger and more fortified.
Upon entering, one first saw rows of tall bronze lamps, each like a wide-open eye, illuminating every shadow.
Solid blue stone paths led to small rooms on the sides where officials could rest during night duty.
Deeper inside were the dungeons and holding cells engraved with formation patterns—damp, cold, and strict.
In such a vast area, not a single plant grew.
There was nothing to burn, nowhere for demons to hide.
The department was divided into North and South wings.
Normally, people worked in the South Wing.
The North was much quieter.
But since the Fuyu group arrived, that had changed.
Now the two sides stayed clearly apart.
Without good reason, no one crossed the boundary.
“Madam, are we going to the North Wing?”
Xi Liu asked, thinking Su Lingxi was here for the Fuyu people.
But Su Lingxi pointed casually toward another path.
“This way.”
It was late, yet the South Wing was still bustling.
Some older officials, exhausted, were nodding off over scrolls.
But at a certain moment, when two figures swept past, they jolted awake.
One by one, they straightened their robes and rose to greet the leading figure.
“Madam.”
Su Lingxi pressed her fingers downward, signaling them to continue working.
She found a spot to lean on amidst the towering piles of scrolls.
She hadn’t been to the department in a while, but the officials responsible for organizing reports on demon activity instinctively brought her the latest files.
Though not physically present, she knew exactly what was happening in each region.
She flipped through the documents, then set them aside.
After the demon cabinet was destroyed, Su Lingxi had swiftly pulled demon-related records from the palace archives.
The three major sects had also scoured their texts.
Together, they had barely managed to reconstruct a ranking list of demon types—but it was far from complete.
Everyone hoped to uncover something new.
For they all knew—things would only grow more dire with time.
Thus, if the South Wing lacked anything, it certainly didn’t lack scrolls.
There were tons of them.
Su Lingxi casually mentioned what had happened tonight, then took out pen and paper to write down some details of her encounter with the ghost-faced skeleton, placing them into the case file.
After that, she picked up a nearby scroll and began reading.
She read quickly—just one glance was enough to know whether the content was what she wanted, so she also put books down just as fast.
By the third scroll, she changed the leg she was leaning on, showing no intention of moving anytime soon. Xi Liu watched, wanting to speak but holding back.
She remembered that the Imperial Mentor had originally come for the people from Fuyu.
But Xi Liu didn’t say anything—after all, she was no longer new to the Imperial Mentor’s side.
She knew the Imperial Mentor always acted at the most appropriate time and in the most correct way.
In the blink of an eye, half an hour had passed.
The moon hung high in the sky. Su Lingxi closed the book, her fingers lightly stroking the spine.
She stared at the rising steam from the tea on the small table for a moment, then finally seemed to recall something.
She turned and said to a nearby minor official:
“Send someone to the North Courtyard. Tell them I’m free tonight and ask whether they want to come here or have me go over.”
Everyone was stunned.
The North Courtyard housed the people from Fuyu, but the “they” the Imperial Mentor referred to was clearly not an ordinary team.
An older official sitting nearby—gray at the temples beneath his official’s cap—exchanged looks with his colleague before bowing and explaining, “My Lord, the North Courtyard… they finish duties early.
At this hour, they’ve likely gone to sleep.”
“Don’t worry, they won’t be able to sleep tonight,” Su Lingxi waved her hand. “Go. Just deliver my message exactly as it is.”
The inner servant quickly left for the north.
Su Lingxi watched him go, then slowly withdrew her gaze.
The night heat hadn’t dissipated.
The inner servants brought out an ice box. Xi Liu, knowing Su Lingxi’s habits, prepared her usual incense.
But before she could light it, Su Lingxi glanced at her and casually said, “No need.”
Xi Liu paused, sensing something.
She asked hesitantly, “Does that mean… they won’t come to the South Courtyard?”
“Don’t know,” Su Lingxi said as she flicked a talisman into the air. Flames suddenly burst forth—this was a special emergency communication method of the Demon-Suppressing Division.
After her fingers stilled, she continued, “But if I were them, I’d take the initiative.”
From her tone, Xi Liu understood—those people probably wouldn’t be coming.
And from the Imperial Mentor’s words, this would not bode well for them.
Indeed, that was the case.
The inner servant didn’t wait long at the North Courtyard.
Fifteen minutes later, he returned with their response:
“They didn’t say they’d come, nor did they say for you to go—they simply asked that I return.”
The officials on night duty in the South Courtyard all pricked up their ears.
Upon hearing this, they were somewhat displeased but said nothing.
Since ancient times, whether in royal records or in the archives of the three major sects, Fuyu had always held a transcendent, ethereal status.
To the far south lay a mysterious place, long hidden in deep-sea fog, unconnected to the mortal world or even the immortal sects.
It was a secluded realm, known as Fuyu.
A towering gate separated it from the human world.
Without the emperor’s jade pass and diplomatic status, outsiders couldn’t even approach it.
Its mystery was unmatched.
Ordinary people, even if they entered a major sect and trained in swordsmanship, talismans, or martial arts, could at most live a little over a hundred years.
But Fuyu was different. Favored by heaven, their people had lifespans more than three times that of mortals.
In many ways, they were more akin to celestial beings or powerful spirits.
But unlike demons, they helped people rather than harm them.
Some commoners even privately referred to them as “divine envoys.”
There were also rumors that the realm of Fuyu was vast beyond measure.
Whenever sea fog rose, young men and women could be seen riding giant fish into the deep sea or flying on white cranes into the clouds.
Carefree and unfettered, with supreme freedom.
It wasn’t hard to imagine how proud the youths raised in such an environment must be.
This time, the court was the one asking for assistance.
If not for Fuyu’s long-standing role as overseer and helper to the royal family, they might not have come out at all.
The team they sent was the elite of the elite—every one of them outstanding.
Arrogant, and deservedly so.
Upon hearing this, Xi Liu looked to Su Lingxi and offered, “Perhaps we can find another reason to arrange for them to meet you on another day.”
It wasn’t that the court couldn’t swallow its pride—only that the situation was delicate.
The emperor had just ordered the establishment of the Demon-Suppressing Division, placing full authority in the Imperial Mentor Su Lingxi’s hands.
And this Fuyu team was known for being hard to manage.
Things had only just begun—if everything was done on their terms, how could the Imperial Mentor establish her authority or command the larger forces moving forward?
“No need.”
“Better now than later.”
To everyone’s surprise, Su Lingxi set down what she was holding and headed out.
The auspicious beast embroidery on her sleeve slipped from the desk.
Looking up at the star-filled sky, she smiled slightly and said:
“Tonight will do. The signs are good.”
Xi Liu was again taken aback.
The Imperial Mentor seemed particularly interested in Fuyu tonight.
The path from the South Courtyard to the North Courtyard was straight and required barely a turn.
Before long, the silhouette of the buildings lit up in the North Courtyard came into view.
Su Lingxi stopped walking and instructed the inner servant behind her to go in and announce her arrival.
As if remembering something, she casually added:
“By morning at the latest, Duke Xuan will know his disgraceful grandson has been imprisoned. We don’t have much time. Find out what happened quickly. Also, isolate him—don’t let anyone near.”
Xi Liu’s expression grew grave.
“Yes, understood.”
Just then, the tightly shut main door creaked open from inside—pushed outward by a hidden force—facing directly toward Su Lingxi.
A warm voice came from within:
“Imperial Mentor, please come in.”
The door stood half-open.
The voice was audible, but the person remained unseen.
Su Lingxi raised an eyebrow slightly.
When Xi Liu asked whether she should bring the five-colored veil, Su Lingxi shook her head.
The next moment, she stepped up the stairs and crossed the threshold.