"Vice Commander Sun, big trouble—something terrible has happened..."
The Demon Suppressing Guard who had just delivered the report rushed in again. This time, he was even more flustered, so panicked that he could barely speak clearly.
"What kind of behavior is this, panicking like a headless fly?"
Sun Wude set down the case files in his hand, rubbed his temples, and barked out a rebuke.
"Vice Commander Sun, your son was instantly defeated by Ye Xiaofan. All four of his limbs were broken..."
"What did you say?"
Sun Wude shot to his feet. A savage aura erupted from his body, frightening the Demon Suppressing Guard into unconsciously taking a step back.
"Your son was instantly defeated by Ye Xiaofan."
The Demon Suppressing Guard swallowed and repeated himself in a low voice.
"How could that be possible?"
Sun Wude sat back down, his brows knotted tightly together. He seemed unable to believe that his son had lost.
"Tell me the entire process in detail."
At those words, the Demon Suppressing Guard hurriedly launched into an animated account of the duel between Sun Chenyu and Ye Xiaofan.
When he reached the part where Ye Xiaofan had effortlessly defeated the sneak-attacking Sun Zhigao, he became even more excited, gesturing wildly as he reenacted Ye Xiaofan's movements.
Sun Wude's face darkened, yet he could not vent his anger. At last, once the Demon Suppressing Guard had finished speaking with lingering enthusiasm, he asked coldly,
"You're saying even Sun Zhigao was no match for him? He was injured in one move despite launching a sneak attack?"
Sun Zhigao was the Reserve Team Instructor Sun Wude had just promoted. His strength was at the bottom tier of the Body Refining Third Level, but he was still not someone a child who had cultivated for only a few days could handle.
"That's right. And it was incredibly easy. He defeated Sun Zhigao as casually as if he were taking a leisurely stroll through a courtyard."
The Demon Suppressing Guard seemed not to have noticed Sun Wude's displeasure and wanted to say more, but Sun Wude interrupted him, waving a hand to dismiss him.
Once the Demon Suppressing Guard had left, Sun Wude's face returned to calm, as though his earlier fury had all been an illusion.
"Ye Xiaofan, I underestimated you. I thought you would become the next Left Thousand Households Officer, but I never expected you to be even more monstrous than him. What a tremendous surprise you've given me."
"A living monster should be worth quite a few cultivation resources. With those resources, Big Brother will have a better chance of breaking through to the Qi Condensation stage."
Having calmed down, Sun Wude pondered for a moment, then picked up a brush and began writing. As for Sun Chenyu, whose limbs had been broken, he had apparently already tossed him to the back of his mind. It was not as if all five limbs had been broken. It was no great problem.
"Ying Yi."
After setting down his brush, Sun Wude called softly.
At that moment, an appointment document and a sealed letter appeared on his desk.
The door to the side room opened, and a Demon Suppressing Guard whose features could not be seen stepped out.
"Patriarch."
"Deliver this letter to Lord Mountain King. Do not let anyone discover it."
"Yes."
Ying Yi turned and left.
Martial Arts Stage.
Using the Wind God Steps, Ye Xiaofan shook off the many enthusiastic Minor Banner Officers, escaped the Demon Suppression Division, and went straight home.
For now, he had no intention of taking the assessment to become an official Demon Suppressing Guard. The demonic calamity in Qingyang County was severe, and the strength of the Body Refinement First Layer was still insufficient.
In any case, he currently had enough resources to cultivate to the Body Refining Third Level, and it would not take very long.
There was no need to rush.
But plans could not keep up with changes. Not long after Ye Xiaofan returned home, a Demon Suppressing Guard in charge of logistics came to his door carrying a standard Demon Suppressing Guard uniform and an appointment document.
"Brother Ye, we'll be colleagues from now on. We should get closer and look after one another."
"Hahaha, Brother Li, you're too polite. This little brother will need Brother Li to take care of this newcomer in the future."
The Demon Suppressing Guard handed the items to Ye Xiaofan. After the two exchanged a few rounds of hollow mutual praise, he departed.
Ye Xiaofan opened the appointment document. Without needing to take the assessment, he had already become an official Demon Suppressing Guard and had been assigned under a Minor Banner Officer named Luo Ming.
Ye Xiaofan knew of Luo Ming. He was at the Body Refinement Fifth Layer and had once served under Ye Xiaofan's father, Ye Tianhe. He had visited their home several times.
"Plans really can't keep up with changes. I hope I won't be sent on a mission too quickly. Let's wait until I break through to the Body Refining Third Level."
Ye Xiaofan glanced at the panel. The realm section currently read: Body Refinement First Layer (105/200).
In another day and a half, he would break through to the Body Refinement Second Layer. He estimated that he would reach the Body Refining Third Level six days later.
"I don't feel safe at all. This is still too slow. If I had a higher-grade cultivation technique, my cultivation speed could be even faster."
Elsewhere,
After arranging his plan, Sun Wude went to the small courtyard where the Old Chinese doctor of the Demon Suppression Division lived.
After all, Sun Chenyu was his son. His talent was not bad either, so Sun Wude still needed to show some concern.
The moment Sun Wude entered, he saw his son wrapped up so tightly that only his eyes and mouth were exposed.
The corner of his eye could not help twitching.
Ye Xiaofan had been far too ruthless. He clearly did not take him, a Vice Commander, seriously at all.
"Father!"
When Sun Chenyu saw Sun Wude appear before him, his vision blurred. Tears as large as beans rolled down continuously, and his weak voice carried a sobbing tremor.
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"Father, you have to stand up for me!"
Seeing Sun Chenyu's pathetic appearance, Sun Wude's anger flared.
"Disgraceful!"
Sun Chenyu felt bitterness beyond words. How could he have known Ye Xiaofan was such a freak? Even Sun Zhigao at the Body Refining Third Level had been no match for him.
Reaching the Body Refinement First Layer in just four days would have been one thing.
Yet Ye Xiaofan had also cultivated his other techniques to a profound realm beyond Sun Chenyu's sight.
Had he known, he would never have swaggered forward to show off.
Ignoring the pitiful look in his son's eyes, Sun Wude turned toward the Old Chinese doctor who had walked out of the room and asked respectfully,
"Old Doctor Sai, how is my son?"
Sai Hua Tuo glanced at Sun Chenyu, revealing two large yellow teeth as he smiled.
"He won't die. His hands and feet are merely broken, and his internal organs suffered a slight shock. He cannot cultivate for ten days to half a month, and he should not fight within the next two months."
"Many thanks, Old Doctor Sai."
Sai Hua Tuo waved a hand, signaling for Sun Wude to hurry up and take his son away so they would not disturb him from tending to his flowers and plants.
The father and son returned home.
"You cannot touch Ye Xiaofan. I have a use for him."
Sun Wude left those words behind, then tossed Sun Chenyu to the servants for care before vanishing from sight.
Inside the room, Sun Jiu knelt on the floor, not daring to lift his head to look at Sun Chenyu. Cold sweat dripped continuously like pearls from a broken string, soaking the ground beneath him.
"I'm giving you one more chance. I don't want to see Ye Xiaofan again."
Though Sun Chenyu dearly wished to torture Sun Jiu to death, his serious injuries meant he could only put it aside for now.
He would make use of this trash first. Once he recovered, he would personally torture Sun Jiu to death.
Had Sun Jiu not bungled things, he would not be in such a miserable state.
As for the words his father had left before departing, Sun Chenyu had not taken in a single one.
"Thank you for your mercy, Young Master. This time, I absolutely won't mess it up again."
Hearing Sun Jiu's promise, Sun Chenyu's eyelids began twitching uncontrollably.
"Tell me. How are you planning to kill Ye Xiaofan?"
Sun Chenyu felt it would be safer to personally inquire. Last time, he had been careless and had not taken Ye Xiaofan seriously, which was why he had ended up in this wretched state.
"Young Master, last time, I hired a Body Refinement Second Layer assassin from the Black Tiger Gang to assassinate Ye Xiaofan. This time, I intend to hire that assassin's hall master. What do you think?"
"How strong is this hall master?"
"In reply to Young Master, the Body Refinement Fourth Layer."
"Mm, that will do! Remember not to expose your identity."
After pondering for a moment, Sun Chenyu felt that the Body Refinement Fourth Layer should be enough, so he nodded in agreement.
The next day,
Ye Xiaofan rose early, put on the uniform of an official Demon Suppressing Guard, and headed toward the Demon Suppression Division.
After becoming an official Demon Suppressing Guard, aside from going out on missions, one had to report to one's team leader, the Minor Banner Officer, at the Demon Suppression Division every morning at dawn.
When he arrived at the hall for roll call, the Demon Suppressing Guards inside were scattered sparsely about, standing in several small groups.
Ye Xiaofan searched for a long time but could not find Luo Ming.
After asking around, he learned that Luo Ming had led a team out on a mission and had not yet returned.
Ye Xiaofan did not linger at the Demon Suppression Division and went straight home. He did not know when Luo Ming would return, so he needed to raise his strength as much as possible.
Now, his cultivation was steadily rising at a rapid pace. The Wind God Steps had already reached perfection. Only the Sword Drawing Technique had not been simplified, and its cultivation speed was as slow as a snail crawling compared with the Withered Wood Meets Spring Technique and the Wind God Steps.
Time flowed on, stars shifted and constellations turned, and a day passed in the blink of an eye.
The night watchman's call startled the sleeping Ye Xiaofan awake.
The fifth watch—the darkest hour before dawn.
The breakthrough would happen now.
Ye Xiaofan sat up cross-legged.
The next moment,
His body trembled, and his five internal organs roared. Strands of qi and blood as thick as six hairs were continuously refined, following his blood to flow through his limbs and bones.
Breaking through to the Body Refinement Second Layer was not as violent as his breakthrough to the Body Refinement First Layer.
White vapor puffed from his mouth and nose. As his tendons, bones, skin, and flesh continuously trembled, quite a few impurities were still expelled from his body.
A short while later, he broke through smoothly.
Ye Xiaofan looked at the panel, and his face darkened somewhat.
He should have been happy about breaking through.
But,
Lifespan: 3 days (mild poisoning) (suppressed; using qi and blood carries a sixty percent chance of triggering an outbreak)
"Damn it. Don't let me find out who poisoned me."
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