"Since those things are sensitive to light, it means they are not accustomed to daylight, especially not on bright, sunny days," Su Min analyzed, her voice calm and logical. "What is more important is that their mutations seem to only affect their bodies. Though their physical strength has increased, they still rely primarily on vision to gather information, just like humans. That is a critical weakness."
"How do you know all this?" the branch president asked, unable to hide his curiosity.
Since these transformed villagers had become mere tools for the sea demon, Su Min would not hold back in dealing with them. As for whether the clam demon itself would try to escape, she was not worried. Firstly, these half fish creatures were not fast on land. Secondly, a creature that powerful would likely have developed a special kind of pride. They were once humans, the ones who considered shellfish mere seafood. Now, the tables had turned, and they had become the blood food for these very creatures. That stark contrast in status would undoubtedly make the demon obsessed with its own power and puff up its self confidence, making it less likely to flee from a direct challenge.
"Because just a moment ago, I was scouting the coast, planning to find some local fishermen to help me lure the clam demon out," she explained. "But I happened to witness a group of villagers transforming into those mermen right on the beach."
"Which village?" the branch president demanded, his face darkening instantly.
He slammed his hand down on the wooden table with such force that a web of cracks appeared on its surface. The reaction confirmed he was also in the Body Refining stage, and his anger showed just how repulsive and alarming this situation was to him.
Indeed, these creatures were far less of a threat in the daytime. Not only were they afraid of dim light, but they were deathly terrified of direct sunlight. The sun's rays would cause the moisture on their slimy bodies to evaporate rapidly, and with a little carelessness, they could literally dry out and die, turning into nothing more than salted fish jerky. If an attack were staged during the day, there would be no need for someone at the Body Refining stage to intervene. Ordinary soldiers, or even brave commoners, could easily kill them.
"Here."
Su Min took out her map and pointed to a specific cove along the coastline.
"Good. I will have the governor come here immediately to discuss this," the president said, his expression grim as he studied the location. "His Majesty has been loosening his grip on regional military authority lately out of necessity. The governor can now mobilize large troops without waiting for approval from the capital."
The fact that he was willing to call the governor in overnight to meet with Su Min showed how seriously he was taking the threat.
"At this hour?" Su Min asked, a little surprised.
"Yes. Just a couple of days ago, those creatures actually raided the outskirts of the county city itself. It frightened everyone here half to death. As for the governor, he is no stranger to danger. If the situation were not so bad, he might have already died in one of the ghost markets springing up along the roads. It is likely his entire staff is already on edge, ready to flee. But with you here, Miss Su, tonight will be far safer for his journey."
"Go ahead and summon him then. That thing has already consumed quite a few people. If it keeps feeding and growing stronger, I suspect it will soon become impossible for anyone to handle."
Su Min squinted her eyes, thinking of the implications. After a monster advances, it gains significant enhancements, especially to its natural defenses. This clam demon, in particular, might have already developed an incredibly tough shell. Furthermore, with its home turf being the sea, her Southern Bright Li Fire would be largely ineffective underwater. She could not possibly evaporate the entire ocean. In that case, the only truly viable option she had left was to use the Demon Slaying Thunder from her gourd.
The conclusion was clear, the demon could not be allowed to continue growing. The Demon Slaying Thunder was powerful, but its effect was still bound by her own cultivation level. As for her personal safety from the lesser creatures, Su Min did not even have the interest to look at them. She just wanted to deal with the core threat, the clam demon, as quickly as possible.
Before long, the clattering of horse hooves and carriage wheels could be heard from the street. A middle aged man, flanked by guards and accompanied by his entire family, rushed into the guild's compound. It seemed this man had taken the urgent summons very seriously, bringing his loved ones with him for their protection.
"I am the local governor. Greetings, Danxian." He bowed respectfully. ("Danxian" (丹仙) literally means "Pill Immortal" or "Alchemical Fairy." It's a title used to honor someone highly skilled in alchemy, especially the crafting of pills, medicines, and elixirs.).
"Ah, Danxian?"
Su Min was a little surprised but still looked him over carefully.
Clearly, they did not know her true name or history. But that was normal. Only the branch president and Prince Yong himself were privy to that information. The others simply knew her as a supremely skilled alchemist.
"You have brought your whole family? It seems you are taking this situation very seriously," Su Min noted, looking at the governor's frantic reaction.
Looking at the governor's stressed demeanor, Su Min could not help but let out a soft, humorless laugh.
"Hmph, the imperial court is useless!" the governor spat out, his frustration boiling over. "They have caused chaos throughout the world and left these demons unchecked to prey upon the people!"
Clearly, the man was full of resentment and did not bother hiding it in front of these allies. Especially after learning that Su Min had single handedly taken down several of the Demon Slaying Division's top experts, he grew even bolder in his words.
"No more useless talk," Su Min interjected, steering the conversation back on track. "Do you see this village on the map? When I arrived there today, I happened to witness them performing a special sacrificial ritual to the sea. After the ritual, those strange pearls washed ashore. The villagers ate them, and their bodies quickly began transforming into those half fish demons."
"I see. It is worse than I feared. What kind of help do you need from us, Danxian?"
"Where did this 'Danxian' title even come from?" Su Min asked, finally addressing the epithet she found somewhat ridiculous.
"You do not know? Your reputation for crafting miraculous pills has spread far. The people have given you the name," the governor explained.
"Forget it, I cannot be bothered to argue about a title," she said with a dismissive wave. "Here is the plan. You can deploy your troops at first light tomorrow, and I will secretly follow along. But it is not ideal for me to intervene openly, you understand. I have had a few… minor conflicts with the court."
"Minor conflicts?" The governor's mouth twitched involuntarily.
She was so fierce she had killed three top Demon Slaying Division experts, and the court had not even issued a warrant for her arrest. It was clear the central authorities had decided to let it slide, knowing they could not touch her. When the Demon Slaying Division lost their men, they had sent him a terse message telling him to "deal with the maritime situation as he saw fit." They would not go up against her and had left the region without even looking back.
The Division was useful for bullying commoners and maintaining a facade of order, but when it came to actually catching powerful rebels or slaying real monsters, they were all show and no substance. The entire country had grown disgusted with them. And with the Master Zhao incident revealing that the Demon Queen could not stray far from the emperor, the possibility of assassinating her was off the table, which ironically opened up new possibilities for resistance.
That meant directly confronting the Demon Slaying Division was now a real option. Over the years, they had greatly reduced their forces, concentrating them only in key cities. In remote, troubled places like this, where no one in the capital cared, there was not a single Division member to be found.
"Enough chatter," Su Min said, ending the tangent. "I can help you eliminate those demons. Perhaps you could handle the mermen on your own with enough men, but to completely eradicate the source, to kill the clam demon itself, we will need the help of the fishermen and their boats."
This was the core reason Su Min had sought them out. The local government surely had some larger ships. They just needed to use them to hold the creatures off and distract the demon long enough for her to position herself and strike with the Demon Slaying Thunder, breaking through its spiritual defenses. Once its guard was down, she would have many more ways to finish it off.
"No problem. We have a few patrol junks. And I will entrust the command of tonight's defense to you. To avoid alerting the enemy, please do not take any action openly unless absolutely necessary."
"Understood."
Su Min did not refuse the responsibility and went to a prepared guest room to rest and meditate temporarily. That night, they were fortunate. Perhaps because a new batch of half mermen had just been created, the sea demons did not launch another attack. The night passed without incident.
The next morning, as soon as the sky began to brighten, everyone in the compound was awakened by the sound of the entire city garrison gathering. This time, it was not just the regular soldiers; even the young and strong men from the militia had been called up. The governor himself, wearing a suit of armor, stood at the front, ready to lead the charge.