County Governor

At Sihai Pavilion in the Black Market, when Qian Panghai saw Ye Xiaofan appear before him wearing a faceless mask and carrying six boxes on his back,

Qian Panghai froze on the spot, staring at Ye Xiaofan in disbelief.

He truly wanted to ask what exactly was going through Ye Xiaofan's head.

He had wiped out the Black Tiger Gang just last night, yet today he had swaggered into Sihai Pavilion to sell the stolen goods.

Did he really think the Sun Family, a great clan that had entrenched itself in Qingyang County for nearly a century, could no longer lift a blade?

Qian Panghai knew that many mysterious figures had appeared in the Black Market today. There was no need to think about it—the Sun Family was surely among them.

"Shopkeeper, calculate how much these medicinal herbs, healing pills, and antidote pills are worth. I want to exchange them for sword techniques."

"Oh, oh, all right."

Ye Xiaofan's voice snapped Qian Panghai awake. He hurriedly called for people to appraise the value of the five boxes of medicinal herbs and one box of pills.

"Honored guest, may I ask what kind of sword technique you seek?"

Qian Panghai personally poured Ye Xiaofan a cup of tea, asking with a hint of apology for his earlier lapse in composure.

"Any sword technique will do. Mid-grade would be best, but low-grade is fine too."

Qian Panghai fell into thought. Sihai Pavilion did have mid-grade sword techniques, but he was considering whether he should sell one to this mysterious person before him.

"Honored guest, Sihai Pavilion does possess mid-grade sword techniques, but I cannot make that decision. Please wait a moment while I seek the owner's instructions."

Ye Xiaofan nodded.

At the same time, news that the mysterious expert who had destroyed the Black Tiger Gang had appeared in the Black Market spread back to the major factions of Qingyang County.

Sun Family.

Sun Wude, who had just returned from outside, saw Ying Yi waiting anxiously in the room.

At that moment, Sun Wude's face was somewhat pale.

He had originally intended to report Ye Xiaofan's matter through the ancestor, who had long since transformed into a demon.

Unexpectedly, the Venerable One had summoned him personally.

The Venerable One!

A terrifying being who had personally created the current chaos of demons in Qingyang County and concealed it from Jinyang Prefecture—Evil!

After spending merely half a quarter-hour before Evil, he felt as though he were about to be corroded by evil qi.

"Patriarch, the person who destroyed the Black Tiger Gang last night has appeared in the Black Market. What should we do next?"

Seeing Sun Wude, Ying Yi hurriedly stepped forward and bowed.

"You will personally follow this person and uncover his true identity."

Sun Wude sat in the seat of honor and drank three consecutive cups of cold tea before seemingly recovering somewhat from the shock of meeting Evil.

"Yes."

Ying Yi accepted the order and turned to leave.

Elsewhere,

Ye Xiaofan left the Black Market with satisfaction, carrying a box on his back. He had exchanged the goods at Sihai Pavilion for two mid-grade sword techniques and ten low-grade sword techniques.

"Interesting. If my cultivation technique had not risen to top-grade and my realm had not broken through to the fifth layer of Body Refinement, I truly wouldn't have discovered you."

Before he had gone far, Ye Xiaofan noticed an almost imperceptible aura following behind him.

Ye Xiaofan sneered inwardly and immediately turned into a dark alley, making his way at an unhurried pace toward the desolate, secluded slums in the eastern part of the city.

Anyone who dared follow him had already set foot upon the road to death.

Expressionless, Ying Yi followed silently after him like a ghost in the darkness.

Ye Xiaofan pretended not to notice that he was being followed, while Ying Yi believed the mysterious man could not detect him.

The two proceeded in perfect unspoken understanding, heading farther and farther into the wilderness.

"Sir, you've followed me for so long. Come out."

The surroundings were bleak and deserted—a fine place to bury bones.

Ye Xiaofan suddenly stopped and spoke blandly.

"Have I been discovered?"

Ying Yi's brows knit slightly, and alarm stirred in his heart.

"Impossible. This man is truly cautious. It looks like we're about to reach his lair."

The cultivation technique Ying Yi practiced was not suited for combat, but it excelled at concealing his aura. Even ordinary Ninth Level Body Refinement cultivators could not discover him.

Suppressing the unease in his heart, Ying Yi continued hiding in the shadows and waited.

"Not coming out?"

Ye Xiaofan sneered and abruptly turned around.

Wind Shadow Steps.

In the darkness, Ye Xiaofan's figure could not be seen at all.

"Not good!"

His shadow was nowhere to be seen, yet killing intent had already descended upon him.

Ying Yi was both shocked and furious. He no longer cared about hiding himself. His blood qi erupted, instantly forming a suit of blood qi armor around his body. With a light tap of his feet, he slid backward, while two one-foot short swords appeared in his hands.

"Pointless struggle."

Ye Xiaofan's gaze was indifferent as he rapidly closed in on Ying Yi.

Sword Drawing Technique!

The sword emerged like a dragon's roar, cold light tearing through the dark night.

Ying Yi's pupils abruptly contracted. His eyes were filled with the sword shadows cutting toward him.

"Break for me!"

Ying Yi roared, his twin swords dancing.

The piercing clash of steel rang out. At that moment, it sounded to Ying Yi like the most beautiful sound in the world.

"I blocked it!"

A smile had just surfaced on Ying Yi's face when he felt the twin swords in his hands trying to fly free beyond his control.

A spot of crimson appeared in his pupils.

"No—"

Ying Yi desperately tried to retreat, but in Ye Xiaofan's eyes, he was not much faster than a snail.

Ying Yi's eyes bulged violently. After sliding backward for some distance, he stared blankly at Ye Xiaofan.

A thread of warm blood trickled down from between his brows.

"You..."

Ying Yi opened his mouth, then collapsed weakly.

Ye Xiaofan stepped forward and lifted Ying Yi's veil away, revealing a familiar face.

Sun Ying, the Banner Chief of the Demon Suppression Division who had always followed behind Sun Wude.

"The Sun Family?"

Looking at Sun Ying, Ye Xiaofan's eyes remained calm. He glanced in the direction of the Sun Family, then turned and vanished into the darkness.

As one of Qingyang County's great clans, the Sun Family had Ninth Level Body Refinement cultivators stationed within it. It was not yet time to strike against them.

Elsewhere.

Sun Wude paced back and forth restlessly in his room. Ever since Ying Yi left, he had been unable to calm himself. As time passed and Ying Yi still did not return,

a faint sense of unease rose in his heart.

Ying Yi might have met with trouble.

"Could it really be Ye Xiaofan?"

"No, I need to see the ancestor again. It would be best to secretly hide several Ninth Level Body Refinement demons within the clan, just in case."

Thinking that if the other party truly was Ye Xiaofan, and could kill three Body Refinement Seventh Layer cultivators,

Sun Wude's heart trembled. He hurriedly walked out of the room.

Ye Xiaofan returned home.

He merged the two mid-grade sword techniques and ten low-grade sword techniques he had newly acquired into the Sword Drawing Technique.

"The ten low-grade sword techniques didn't increase its power by even a fraction, while the two mid-grade sword techniques increased it by ten percent. It seems low-grade sword techniques are already useless to the current Sword Drawing Technique."

When his gaze fell upon his balance, Ye Xiaofan's eye twitched.

The four hundred thousand taels of silver he had obtained just yesterday had dwindled to only six thousand taels.

"Time to get more money again."

Two days later,

With Xiao Qiaofeng backing him, Ye Xiaofan did not need to go out on missions.

He was presently practicing calligraphy leisurely at home. He had turned the simple character "one" into a flourish of countless forms.

The proficiency of his Sword Drawing Technique was rapidly approaching the perfected level.

Meanwhile, under two days of diligent cultivation, the Five Elements Marrow Cleansing Tendon Changing Art and Wind Shadow Steps were also nearing the perfected level.

Thanks to the cultivation speed granted by the top-grade Five Elements Marrow Cleansing Tendon Changing Art, his cultivation realm was about to break through to the sixth layer of Body Refinement.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A knock sounded at the door.

"The door isn't locked. Come in."

Without even raising his head, Ye Xiaofan continued practicing calligraphy. Countless insights into sword techniques surfaced in his mind and fused together.

"Brother Ye, Commander Xiao has asked for you at the Demon Suppression Division."

Ye Xiaofan set down his brush and looked up. It was his old acquaintance, Zhu Youzhi.

"Sorry to trouble you, Brother Zhu. I'll go at once."

Demon Suppression Division main hall.

Xiao Qiaofeng and a young man with an eerily handsome appearance sat in the seats of honor, conversing.

Below them, all the experts of the Demon Suppression Division above the rank of Little Banner gathered in the hall.

Sun Wude kept his head lowered, not daring to look at the eerily handsome young man. Fine cold sweat covered his forehead, and his back was drenched.

Yet everyone else was gazing at the young man with burning eyes and failed to notice anything unusual about him.

The eerily handsome young man was the foremost expert of Qingyang County—the County Governor.

Rumor had it that his cultivation had long since broken through to the Qi Condensation stage.

This was the realm every cultivator dreamed of attaining.

Only by entering the Qi Condensation stage could one be considered to have set foot upon the road of immortality. From then on, one would shed the mortal body, and with every further step in cultivation, one's lifespan would grow.

The doors of the main hall were pushed open.

Ye Xiaofan walked inside.

Xiao Qiaofeng and the County Governor stopped their conversation and both looked toward Ye Xiaofan.

Their eyes met.

Those ordinary eyes seemed capable of staring directly into one's soul.

At that instant, Ye Xiaofan felt as if he had fallen into an ice pit. Every hair on his body stood on end, and his soul seemed to freeze in that moment.

His heart pounded wildly and his blood qi surged, yet he could not break free from that pair of eyes.

"Cough, cough. Xiaofan, this is the County Governor. Hurry and pay your respects."

Xiao Qiaofeng's voice pulled Ye Xiaofan back from the ice pit.

Ye Xiaofan was horrified inwardly. Even someone as powerful as Xiao Qiaofeng had never given him such a feeling.

Just what level had this elusive County Governor reached? His gaze alone was so terrifying.

"Demon Suppressing Guard Ye Xiaofan pays respects to the County Governor and Commander Xiao."

Ye Xiaofan did not dare look toward the County Governor again. He hurriedly bowed with clasped fists.

His voice still carried a trace of tremor, as though he had truly just emerged from an ice pit.

The County Governor's lips curled slightly, making the eerie air around him even more pronounced. He looked at Ye Xiaofan with great satisfaction and smiled.

"Good, good. Heroes arise from youth. Very good indeed."

The County Governor's voice was magnetic, making those who heard it feel exceptionally comfortable.

A flicker of unease, fear, and despair passed through Xiao Qiaofeng's eyes.

In the end, it turned into a trace of ruthlessness.

Ye Xiaofan seemed to be valued by Evil even more than he had imagined. Evil had not hesitated to appear personally.

He could wait no longer. He had to act.