Tonight's raid on the Black Tiger Gang External Affairs Hall had exceeded Ye Xiaofan's expectations. He had unexpectedly gained thirty-three thousand taels of silver.
After looting the Black Tiger Gang External Affairs Hall, Ye Xiaofan did not return home or to the Demon Suppression Division. Instead, he secretly slipped into a rather secluded inn.
He was not sure whether anyone was lying in wait at his home. Better safe than sorry.
As for the Demon Suppression Division, carrying three large chests stuffed with silver would easily draw the attention of those with ulterior motives.
"System, quickly simplify the Sword Drawing Technique."
Ye Xiaofan had the highest expectations for the Sword Drawing Technique, especially after discovering that the panel could fuse cultivation techniques.
According to the technique's description, as long as one's talent and comprehension were sufficient to continuously integrate and master different sword arts, the Sword Drawing Technique had no upper limit.
With the panel, he did not need talent or comprehension. He only needed silver.
Now that he did not lack money, two words described him perfectly: wildly extravagant.
Simplifying Sword Drawing Technique... Simplification successful... Draw the character 'one'!
The panel remained as reliable as ever.
Ye Xiaofan immediately fetched a bowl of water and used his finger to draw the character 'one' on the table.
At once, insights into the Sword Drawing Technique continuously surfaced in his mind.
Unfortunately, the Sword Drawing Technique's proficiency remained stuck at Mastery (4000/4000), utterly unmoving.
However, Ye Xiaofan was not discouraged. Though his proficiency had not broken through Mastery, as he continued drawing the character 'one,' he gradually understood and corrected every part of his previous cultivation that he had not understood or had gotten wrong.
The next day,
Before dawn had fully broken, Ye Xiaofan secretly left the inn and hid the three chests of silver atop the inn's roof beams, intending to retrieve them that evening.
After finding a roadside stall and eating breakfast, he returned to the Demon Suppression Division.
After roll call, he returned to the small courtyard within the Demon Suppression Division.
News that the Black Tiger Gang External Affairs Hall had been wiped out spread through Qingyang County like it had grown wings.
The County Yamen's constables and Black Tiger Gang members all stirred into action, searching everywhere for suspicious people.
Taking the opportunity to ruthlessly scrape the people clean, especially within the Black Tiger Gang's territory—west of the city.
Within half a day, they had arrested dozens of people.
Most of them were refugees who had recently fled here from elsewhere, and some were not even cultivators.
The whole of Qingyang County was gripped by fear, and cries of grievance rose everywhere.
Ye Xiaofan had heard of this, but he did not take it to heart.
He did not believe the Black Tiger Gang or the County Yamen constables could find him.
Even if they did find him, he was not afraid. As a Demon Suppressing Guard, they would not dare openly lay hands on him.
As long as he remained in the Demon Suppression Division, his safety would be guaranteed.
Moreover, at his cultivation speed, it would not be long before he reached the level of Qingyang County's foremost cultivators. Then he could directly charge into the Black Tiger Gang.
Kill Zhang Dahu, destroy the One-armed man, and force out why they had tried to assassinate him.
Resolve the source of the problem, and every problem would cease to be a problem.
As for those innocent people, Ye Xiaofan could only offer an apology.
Born into a chaotic age, lacking great strength was itself a kind of mistake.
Time flowed on.
The setting sun sank westward, and the evening glow set half the sky ablaze.
While Ye Xiaofan was leisurely drinking tea in the courtyard, the small courtyard received a guest he did not wish to see.
Luo Ming.
Luo Ming's return meant that Ye Xiaofan could be sent on a mission at any moment.
After experiencing the One-armed man's pursuit, Ye Xiaofan felt extremely insecure.
Body Refining Third Level was still far too low, and he still needed around six days to break through to the Body Refinement Fourth Layer.
"Uncle Luo, you're back."
"Very good. If General Ye were still here, he would surely be greatly comforted."
Luo Ming had watched Ye Xiaofan grow up. The instant he saw Ye Xiaofan, his eyes lit up, and then he patted Ye Xiaofan's shoulder as he spoke with gratification.
Though he could not see Ye Xiaofan's exact cultivation level, a force lay dormant within him that made even Luo Ming's heart quiver slightly.
He was at the Body Refinement Fifth Layer. The fact that he felt this way meant Ye Xiaofan could already threaten his life.
Luo Ming had brought some wine with him,
The two ate and talked in the courtyard.
"Uncle Luo, do you think my father's death was an accident or the work of someone?"
Luo Ming fell silent, drinking wine one cup after another.
"Xiaofan, I have my suspicions, but I haven't found any clues. Before you have sufficient strength, do not try to investigate your father's death."
"The skies over Qingyang County are becoming harder and harder for me to see through."
Luo Ming let out a long sigh, his tone filled with deep exhaustion and helplessness.
"I understand, Uncle Luo."
Only when the waning moon hung over the treetops did Luo Ming stagger away.
This Minor Banner Officer, who had braved life and death in the Demon Suppression Division for over twenty years, had gotten drunk tonight.
Watching Luo Ming leave, Ye Xiaofan's desire to grow stronger became even more intense.
After speaking with Luo Ming, Ye Xiaofan gained a clearer understanding of the calamity of demons and devils in Qingyang County.
No one dared live in the villages and towns within four hundred li of Qingyang County City anymore. Great streams of refugees were continuously rushing toward Qingyang County City.
It was as though all of Qingyang County had already been surrounded by layers upon layers of demons and devils, becoming an isolated island in the deep sea.
This time, Luo Ming had led a team out to hunt demons and devils. Of the ten-man squad, five had died, and two of the remaining five had been crippled or injured. Even he had suffered severe wounds and nearly failed to return alive.
Before leaving, Luo Ming had wept aloud. The five who had died were brothers who had followed him through life and death for years.
"Still too slow. I have to find a way to get high-grade cultivation techniques and increase my cultivation speed."
After seeing Luo Ming off, Ye Xiaofan immediately left the Demon Suppression Division. After disguising himself, he retrieved the silver and headed for the Black Market.
On his second visit to the Black Market, he could clearly feel that there were twice as many people as last time.
Most of the stalls sold materials taken from demons and devils.
Although demons and devils ate people, the tendons, bones, hides, scales, and armor of some of them made excellent materials for weapons and protective gear.
Thus, many Rogue Cultivators formed groups to kill demons and devils. Not only could they receive the Demon Suppression Division's bounty, but they could also sell the materials for considerable profit.
Ye Xiaofan did not browse for long and headed straight to Sihai Pavilion at the deepest end.
When he said he wished to purchase cultivation techniques, the maid receiving him once again invited out Sihai Pavilion's shopkeeper, Qian Panghai.
The instant Qian Panghai saw Ye Xiaofan, he recognized him as the person who had come last time to sell Black Tiger Gang cultivation techniques.
A person's disguise could be changed at will, but habitual movements were not so easily altered, especially one's way of walking.
As Sihai Pavilion's Black Market shopkeeper, Qian Panghai had seen countless people. Ye Xiaofan had not escaped his eyes.
Especially when he saw the three chests on Ye Xiaofan's back, and connected the sale of Black Tiger Gang cultivation techniques with yesterday's theft at the Black Tiger Gang External Affairs Hall.
Qian Panghai had already formed a guess, but his expression did not change in the slightest, and his face remained full of smiles.
"Honored guest, what cultivation technique would you like to purchase?"
After inviting Ye Xiaofan into a room, Qian Panghai got straight to the point.
"A low-grade sword art, the speed type. Also, I want to buy some Blood Qi Pills."
Qian Panghai's eyes lit up. He immediately took a book bound in the hide of some unknown beast from his robes and handed it to Ye Xiaofan.
"Honored guest, please take a look. Tell me which one catches your eye."
Ye Xiaofan did not stand on ceremony and began flipping through it. The booklet was similar to the Demon Suppression Division's Technique Repository, recording the basic details of cultivation techniques.
Ye Xiaofan was quickly drawn to one sword art within.
Thirteen Shadowless Swords: thirteen forms and seventy-two variations. Its sword strikes were swift as lightning, so fast they left no shadow. Upon reaching great mastery, one could slash out thirteen sword shadows.
"Shopkeeper, how much is this Thirteen Shadowless Swords?"
"Haha, honored guest, you have a fine eye. This sword art was originally a Mid-grade cultivation technique, but unfortunately only the first six forms remain. Therefore, it is being sold as a Low-grade cultivation technique, for sixteen hundred taels or fourteen Blood Qi Pills."
Ye Xiaofan frowned slightly.
"Shopkeeper, could it be a little cheaper? I also want to buy ten Blood Qi Pills."
"Honored guest should know that in all of Qingyang County, aside from the Demon Suppression Division, only my Sihai Pavilion sells Blood Qi Pills. I'll give them to you at the Demon Suppression Division's price. Two thousand six hundred taels in total. How about it?"
"Fine!"
Just as he had when receiving Ye Xiaofan last time, Qian Panghai stood at the doorway and watched Ye Xiaofan leave.
Only after Ye Xiaofan's figure had completely vanished did he turn and return upstairs.
At that moment, a person clad entirely in black and wearing a black iron evil ghost mask appeared before Qian Panghai.
"Sell the information to the Black Tiger Gang."
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