After all the disciples in the main hall had left, Shen Mo deliberately stayed behind.

"Elder Huang, I have doubts in my heart and hope you can enlighten me," Shen Mo said respectfully, offering a salute to Huang Changqing.

Huang Changqing nodded to another elder. Only after that elder had departed did he begin to speak with a smile.

"That man is Elder Shi Fangyang from the Shi Family. With him around, many things cannot be said freely."

A chill ran through Shen Mo's heart. It seemed Elder Huang had anticipated his doubts long ago.

Consequently, he asked directly, "I am only at the middle-stage of the Qi Gathering Realm. Why am I on the list for the garrison assignment? And the garrison area is Hongye City."

As an elder of Stars Peak, Huang Changqing naturally knew about the recent conflict between Shen Mo, Tian Kang, and Shi Xiaoqian, and the subsequent punishment from the Enforcement Hall.

A knowing expression appeared on his face. "I knew you would ask this," he said.

"The garrison list is drafted by the Peak Master and submitted to the Law Master for review and final approval. During this process, the list also passes through the Affairs Hall, which is responsible for assigning various duties within the sect. Initially, your name was not on the list. However, when the list returned from the Affairs Hall, several names had been added, including yours."

The Riverside Sect had one hundred thousand disciples, resulting in a vast number of tasks and responsibilities. Even with the Law Master and the three Peak Masters overseeing them, their Divine Senses, however swiftly they operated, couldn't manage everything. Therefore, numerous departments and positions were established within the sect to assist the Law Master and others in managing the diverse affairs of the Riverside Sect. For example, the Enforcement Hall upheld sect law. The Deacon Hall managed the daily cultivation, training, and experiential learning of outer and inner disciples, as well as issuing private tasks. The Affairs Hall, meanwhile, was akin to the human resources department from Shen Mo's previous life.

Whether it involved Spirit Sea Realm disciples assuming elder positions in various peaks and halls, or Qi Gathering Realm disciples transitioning to become outer or inner deacons, all such appointments had to be reviewed and approved by the Affairs Hall, which then issued the official appointment documents.

When the elites of the Three Peaks were assigned to garrison duties in the mortal realm, they naturally fell under the jurisdiction of the Defense Division to legitimize their roles. Even though these were temporary positions, they still required verification by the Affairs Hall.

After a moment's thought, Shen Mo understood. The Spirit Sea Realm patriarch of the Tian Clan, one of the sect's core disciples many years ago, was now the Hall Master of the Affairs Hall. To call it a coincidence? He wasn't that naive!

"Initially, the Peak Master could have removed your name," Huang Changqing sized Shen Mo up with a playful smile, his tone teasing. "But after discussing it with the Peak Master, we both agreed you could handle this position. Even though your cultivation is only at the Fifth Layer of the Qi Gathering Realm, your strength is certainly not weak. Weren't you the one who thoroughly thrashed Tian Kang and Shi Xiaoqian a few days ago? Such Skill is already comparable to the peak's elites. As it happens, the Defense Division branch in Hongye City hasn't shown much improvement. Sending you there... who knows, you might just be able to create a new dynamic!"

Hearing Elder Huang's words, Shen Mo felt a twinge of exasperation.

Why had the Defense Division branch made no progress? Wasn't it because the Tian Clan in the city was too dominant? And because it also had to contend with the various complex and formidable surrounding Cultivating Families, minor immortal sects, rogue cultivator factions, and more! Setting aside other factors, just consider the Tian Clan. Their family's patriarch served as the Hall Master of the Riverside Sect's Affairs Hall. That alone was enough to make the cultivators in the Defense Division feel constrained! One had to understand that the cultivators in Qing State's Defense Division were mostly Qi Gathering Realm disciples from the Riverside Sect, with a portion also being cultivators dispatched by various local powers. If cultivators from the Riverside Sect offended the Tian Family, they could forget about returning to the sect to hold any significant positions in the future. Even within the Defense Division system, they couldn't dream of being transferred to a core position in the Capital of the Red Flame Country! As for cultivators from local powers, it went without saying. Who, unless they were utterly bored and looking for trouble, would dare to oppose the wealthy sects of Hongye City?

That was why the Defense Division's branch in the city had been reduced to a mere symbolic outpost, almost like the government offices of the Red Flame Country. It was perhaps even less effective than those government offices. After all, mundane affairs among mortals in the city were still managed by the government offices. Only matters involving cultivators were supposed to be handed over to the Defense Division, but in Hongye City, such affairs were likely controlled by the Tian Family and other local powers.

The fact that the Peak Master and Elder Huang hadn't rejected the Affairs Hall's decision to assign him here... Clearly, they valued his conflict with the Tian Family. They wanted to seize this opportunity to strengthen the Riverside Sect's control and influence in this area!

Shen Mo was frowning in deep thought.

Huang Changqing patted his shoulder and laughed loudly, "Heaven lays a heavy burden on those it has big plans for... Do well, and don't let us down."

"Elder Huang, you and the Peak Master think too highly of me," Shen Mo gave a bitter smile and said helplessly. "The Tian Family clearly harbors ill intentions. If they don't cause trouble for me, I'll be thanking the ancestral masters for their protection. For this garrison duty, I can only do my utmost! Should I stir up any trouble in the future, I hope you and the Peak Master will be lenient."

Seeing Shen Mo showing weakness and offering apologies even before setting out, Huang Changqing involuntarily let out a wry laugh.

「...」

Upon returning to his Inner Door cave mansion, Shen Mo quickly refined the Bone Viewing Mirror. This was a standard magic artifact in the cultivation world of the Red Flame Country, similar to the Universe Bag. This mirror was likely a middle-grade Profound-level magic artifact, powerful enough to reveal mutated Heavenly Demons below Class III. As for demon heads above Class III, they were not something a Qi Gathering Realm disciple like him could handle.

However, he had to be especially careful about one thing: Once traces of demons were found, even a Class I Heavenly Demon, he had to do his utmost to eliminate it. He absolutely could not allow it to devour creatures and grow stronger! Otherwise, if a Class III Heavenly Demon was nurtured within his garrisoned territory, not even Zhou Shili could protect him.

Ten middle-grade Spirit Stones were better than nothing. They would only support ten days of cultivation deduction in [Martial Performance]. Fortunately, taking on garrison duty down the mountain also provided opportunities to earn demon-slaying merit. He wouldn't necessarily have to go to the Tianshan Mountain battlefield to earn enough battle merit to exchange for extremity treasures.

My Tianxuan, Tianquan, Yuheng, and Kaiyang Dao swords are still some way from advancing to high-grade Profound-level. The extreme of light needed for Kaiyang is not easy to acquire. For the other three Dao swords, which require the extremes of wood, fire, and earth, the Demon Slaying Hall should still have the respective elemental Thunder Killing Pearls. The demon-slaying merit obtained from eliminating demon heads lurking in the mortal realm far exceeded what could be earned on the Tianshan Mountain battlefield... If I can expose a few more Demon-corrupted cultivators, the demon-slaying merit should be enough!

However, this garrison assignment will definitely not be smooth sailing.

Shen Mo took out the Command Jade Slip and examined it in his hand for a moment. Apart from recording his name, age, and his origin as a disciple from Stars Peak, it also detailed his position: Commander of the Hongye City branch of the Defense Division. His responsibilities included slaying demons, eliminating evil, pacifying unrest, surveillance, and partial duties of overseeing military requisitions and grain levies. The garrison duration was also specified: one year.

This meant that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, he would have to stay in Hongye City for an entire year.

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