Night Talk

The powerful Golden Tiger Prince of the Mountain Lord Mountain Range died in a most ignominious fashion. Humans and demons alike turned to stone, standing dumbstruck where they were, their eyes filled with disbelief.

Golden Tiger was a Ninth Level Body Refinement expert who had already undergone the Second Blood Replacement.

So long as he wished it, he had a forty-percent chance of opening the Life and Death Gate, breaking through to the Qi Condensation stage, and embarking upon the path of immortal cultivation and eternal life.

"Could Commander Xiao have already undergone a third blood replacement?"

For a Ninth Level Body Refinement cultivator to break through to the Qi Condensation stage, they needed an exceptionally powerful body to withstand the infusion of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy after opening the Life and Death Gate.

Opening the Life and Death Gate, meanwhile, required blood qi of utmost purity.

Therefore, the first hurdle for someone at the Body Refinement Eighth Layer to advance to the Ninth Level Body Refinement was undergoing one blood replacement.

The blood qi refined through the First Blood Replacement gave one a sixty-percent chance of opening the Life and Death Gate, but the body's strength had no hope whatsoever of enduring the infusion of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy.

In the end, their meridians would be utterly shattered. At best, they would become crippled; at worst, their body and Dao would perish together.

Only by continuously cleansing the marrow, replacing the blood, refining blood qi, and strengthening the body could one gain a greater chance of breaking through to the Qi Condensation stage.

The limit for Ninth Level Body Refinement cultivators was three marrow cleansings and blood replacements.

With three blood replacements, there was a ninety-percent chance of breaking through to the Qi Condensation stage. The remaining ten percent had nothing to do with physical strength or the purity of one's blood qi, but rather with a cultivator's mental will.

Looking at the figure standing proudly atop the enormous headless tiger corpse, Bai Tianhei's face was full of envy before his gaze gradually dimmed.

He was already over seventy. A normal lifespan was around a hundred years, but decades of fighting and cultivation had left many hidden injuries accumulated within his body.

He certainly would not live to be a hundred.

At the same time, as he aged, his blood qi had begun to decline. In this lifetime, it was impossible for him to undergo a Second Blood Replacement.

Everyone, human and demon alike, had been cowed by Xiao Qiaofeng's terrifying strength. Ye Xiaofan was the first to swiftly regain his senses.

Looking at the fox demon standing dazed before him, his lips curved into a beautiful arc as the treasured sword in his hand instantly erupted with terrifying blood qi power.

The fox demon was sent flying with a cry, smashing several demons to the ground before finally stopping.

The point where the sword tip had struck on its Qi and Blood Armor spread outward like a spiderweb across its entire body. Though it had not shattered, it was already on the verge of collapse.

"What a pity."

Even with a sneak attack, he had failed to break the fox demon's Qi and Blood Armor. Ye Xiaofan shook his head in dissatisfaction.

The deathly silence was broken, and the eyes of everyone in the mining area lit up.

With Xiao Qiaofeng holding down the fort, their courage surged. Without a second thought, they raised their blades and chopped at the demons beside them.

Beast-form demons generally did not possess much intelligence unless they had broken through the Body Refinement Seventh Layer, but that did not mean they were fools.

Their His Highness the Crown Prince and two great lords had been casually cut down by a human who had appeared out of nowhere. They immediately turned tail and ran without the slightest hesitation.

As the demons fled, the crowd roared and howled excitedly as they chased after them, hacking away.

"Brothers, kill them!"

"Hahaha, this feels great!"

"Brother, I've avenged you!"

Some laughed until they began to cry, and the blades in their hands struck even more viciously.

Ye Xiaofan likewise chased after the fox demon and stabbed wildly at it. Though he inflicted no substantial damage, it was still quite a spectacle.

It drew amazed clicks of the tongue from the others and also caught the attention of Qingyang County Demon Suppression Division's chief, Xiao Qiaofeng.

"Commander Xiao, this is Ye Xiaofan, Ye Tianhe's son. He broke through to the Body Refinement Fourth Layer in less than twenty days of cultivation. He is a young prodigy even more monstrous than Left Thousand Households Officer."

Seeing Xiao Qiaofeng notice Ye Xiaofan, Bai Tianhei stepped forward and spoke softly.

Xiao Qiaofeng remained expressionless, though a glint flashed in his eyes. Of course he knew Ye Xiaofan, and the boy was even more monstrous than the reports he had received suggested.

Ye Tianhe had been a close friend of his. When Ye Xiaofan was little, he had often teased and played with him. Later, however, he had devoted himself to cultivation and rarely appeared before the public, gradually fading from sight.

"Body Refinement Fourth Layer, yet comparable to the Body Refinement Sixth Layer. Ye Tianhe, you truly raised a fine son. But Qingyang County is too small, and Great Yue is too small. I will give him an opportunity—I hope you will not blame me."

Xiao Qiaofeng stared at Ye Xiaofan and silently murmured to himself.

"Gang Leader Tie, what do you think of Ye Xiaofan?"

Xiao Qiaofeng turned to Tie Wuqing, wearing a gentle smile as he spoke.

Others might not know Tie Wuqing's background, but he had his suspicions. She was likely a member of the Jin Household, the great Aristocratic Clan of Jinyang Prefecture that had been silently exterminated overnight ten years ago.

How had he learned this?

When an expert had suddenly emerged in Qingyang County to establish the Iron Hand Gang, he had secretly tested her. He had driven Tie Wuqing into a desperate corner, forcing her to use the Jin Household's inherited High-grade cultivation technique, the Shattering Gold Palm, which was what led to his suspicions.

Tie Wuqing took a swig of wine and shook her head without speaking. She had no desire to pay Xiao Qiaofeng any attention.

This man had thick brows and large eyes, yet he was sinister to the extreme.

Three years ago, when she was only at the Body Refinement Eighth Layer and had just arrived in Qingyang County to establish the Iron Hand Gang, he had attacked her. Xiao Qiaofeng thought he had done so seamlessly that no trace could be found, but she had recognized him the moment they exchanged blows. She had deliberately revealed her inherited cultivation technique and sent him away.

Xiao Qiaofeng did not mind Tie Wuqing's attitude. The smile on his face remained as he watched Ye Xiaofan's battle with the fox demon with great interest.

The great battle came to an end. Not a single invading demon escaped.

Their side had also suffered grievous casualties, with nearly half dead or wounded. Zhang Tianhong, who had been on good terms with Ye Xiaofan, had tragically died. In the end, only his waist token was found.

Not even a corpse remained!

After checking on the severely injured Luo Ming, Ye Xiaofan headed toward his stone house.

A familiar yet unexpected figure stood before the stone house.

Xiao Qiaofeng!

Ye Xiaofan did not dare be neglectful and hurriedly stepped forward to salute him. "Commander Xiao!"

After all, the other man was not only the head of Qingyang County's Demon Suppression Division, but more importantly, possessed terrifying strength.

"Mmm, not bad. I even held you when you were little. Thinking back, it has already been more than ten years since I last saw you."

"Your father and I were sworn brothers. If you do not mind, you may call me Uncle Xiao."

Xiao Qiaofeng patted Ye Xiaofan on the shoulder and smiled.

"Uncle Xiao!"

Ye Xiaofan called out, then pushed open the door. "Uncle Xiao, please come in!"

"Good!"

They entered the stone house, and the door was closed once more.

Xiao Qiaofeng stared at Ye Xiaofan with a complicated look in his eyes for a while. Just as Ye Xiaofan was about to speak and break the atmosphere—

"Your father's death was directly related to me."

Xiao Qiaofeng's voice was low and hoarse, and no emotion could be seen on his face.

At those words, a ripple rose in Ye Xiaofan's heart. He quietly watched Xiao Qiaofeng, waiting for him to continue.

"Your father did not leave Qingyang County to hunt demons. In truth, I secretly arranged for him to leave Qingyang County and go to Jinyang Prefecture City to find Left Thousand Households Officer."

"Qingyang County is very dangerous now. It could be destroyed at any time."

Xiao Qiaofeng waved a hand, telling Ye Xiaofan not to speak.

"You find that unbelievable?"

"I only discovered it recently myself, but it was already too late."

"For certain reasons, I cannot leave Qingyang County. Nor can anyone I secretly send out leave alive. Your father was the most recent person I sent out, but unfortunately, he still failed to escape their notice."

"Uncle Xiao, why can't you leave Qingyang County? Why can't anyone else leave? Then what is going on with the merchant caravans traveling in and out of Qingyang County?"

Ye Xiaofan voiced his doubts.

"Because Qingyang County is being watched by an Evil. At the same time, the Evil is using the people of Qingyang County City to threaten me."

"As for the merchant caravans traveling back and forth, they are merely controlled by the Evil. Moreover, there should be an Evil's informant within Jinyang Prefecture's Demon Suppression Division."

Xiao Qiaofeng spoke slowly, his expression grave and helpless.

"An Evil!"

Ye Xiaofan murmured. Tie Wuqing's guess had indeed been correct.

"You know about Evils?"

Xiao Qiaofeng was somewhat surprised.

"I do. Gang Leader Tie told me about them. She also said that I had been targeted by an Evil."

Ye Xiaofan nodded and recounted Tie Wuqing's speculation.

Xiao Qiaofeng lowered his head and pondered for a moment.

"It is good that you know about Evils; that makes many things easier to explain. With your talent, it is perfectly normal for an Evil to target you. If not for my position as a Hundred Households Officer, I would have long since been transformed into a demon by the Evil."

"Uncle Xiao, is the Evil in Qingyang County very strong?"

"Very strong. Before it, I cannot even make a move."

Recalling the first time he had seen the Evil, a trace of terror involuntarily appeared on Xiao Qiaofeng's face, and his eyes were filled with despair.

"Sigh. I had originally been somewhat hesitant, but now that you have been targeted by an Evil, there could be no one more suitable for this mission."

After a moment, Xiao Qiaofeng came back to his senses and let out a long sigh.

If Ye Xiaofan had not been targeted by the Evil, he could have hidden him away and waited until his strength was sufficient before plotting an escape from the Evil's blockade.

Now, for his own sake and Ye Xiaofan's—

He could only take a gamble!

"Uncle Xiao, what mission?"

Ye Xiaofan hurriedly pressed him.

"You have been targeted by an Evil, so your situation is very dangerous. I will arrange for you to leave as soon as possible. I will tell you about the mission then."

"During this time, raise your cultivation as quickly as you can. If you need any cultivation resources, just tell me."

"Thank you, Uncle Xiao."

An uncontrollable smile rose on Ye Xiaofan's face.

With Xiao Qiaofeng's words, he would no longer lack cultivation techniques or Blood Qi Pills. He only needed to solve the problem of money.

As for where the money would come from, he had already made plans.

Seeing the smile on Ye Xiaofan's face, Xiao Qiaofeng forced out a smile as well. He patted Ye Xiaofan on the shoulder and left.

In the end, he did not reveal that the county magistrate was the Evil controlling Qingyang County.