Arrogance

"Awesome!"

Ye Xiaofan stretched lazily, feeling the surging blood qi within him. He glanced at his panel: Body Refinement First Layer (30/200), then casually took out a Blood Qi Pill and tossed it into his mouth.

"At this rate, I'll break through to the Body Refinement Second Layer in three days. Unfortunately, I only have one Blood Qi Pill left. How am I supposed to make money?"

After today, Ye Xiaofan would not even have money to eat meat for cultivation, let alone buy Blood Qi Pills.

Half of his good mood instantly vanished. With a bitter face, he washed up, ate a little breakfast, and headed into the courtyard to start walking...

Uh, it was the simplified Wind God Steps.

With every step he took, the number behind Wind God Steps increased by 2.

Every time it jumped, his mood brightened a little. Before long, Ye Xiaofan had immersed himself in cultivation, tossing the fact that he was broke straight beyond the nine heavens.

Elsewhere,

Sun Chenyu entered the Demon Suppression Division glowing with health, his nose pointed toward the sky as he swaggered along with an outward-turned gait. Just last night, right at the three-day deadline, he had successfully begun the Basic Breathing Technique.

He was this year's second Reserve Demon Suppressor, after Ye Xiaofan, to gain entry into the Basic Breathing Technique.

As a great cultivation lineage of Qingyang County, the Sun Family lacked neither cultivation resources nor low-grade cultivation techniques. They even possessed one mid-grade cultivation technique. But who would refuse an extra share of the Demon Suppression Division's resources?

As the Great Yue's violent enforcement institution, the Demon Suppression Division had high-grade and top-grade cultivation techniques in its collection.

The Sun Family had continually sent its younger members into the Demon Suppression Division precisely for those high-grade and top-grade cultivation techniques, to strengthen the lineage.

Sun Chenyu entered the cultivation room and casually swept his gaze around.

Ye Xiaofan was not there, making his mood even better.

He silently thought, Sun Jiu did a fine job. When I get back, I should feed that dog some more dog food.

When Li Yan saw Sun Chenyu enter, displeasure appeared on his face. Especially when he saw the other man looking at him through his nostrils, it disgusted him as though he had swallowed a giant turd.

Ever since the previous Vice Commander had died in battle and Sun Wude became the new Vice Commander, the Sun Family had turned the entire Demon Suppression Division into a smoky, miasmic mess, forming cliques instead of treating the slaughter of demons and protection of the local people as their duty.

What dissatisfied Li Yan most was Sun Wude's private adjustment of the Reserve Demon Suppressors' benefits.

Originally, geniuses who began the Basic Breathing Technique within three days could receive five Blood Qi Pills every month. Now, it had become three.

As for Xiao Qiaofeng, the Baihu in charge of the Qingyang County Demon Suppression Division, he was bold and generous by nature, but also a cultivation fanatic. He basically threw the Demon Suppression Division's affairs, great and small, to his subordinates while devoting himself to cultivation.

So long as Qingyang Town did not fall into some earth-shattering chaos, Xiao Qiaofeng would keep one eye open and one eye shut.

Though those beneath him harbored resentment, they could only complain in private.

"Sun Chenyu, hurry up and sit down to cultivate."

Though Li Yan disliked him, he still spoke calmly as the Reserve Team Instructor.

"Heh, Captain Li, I've already begun. Hurry up and issue me the voucher so I can collect my technique and pills."

Sun Chenyu still held his nose high, as though his neck never grew tired. With a sneer, he spoke.

"Oh, right, Captain Li. This is a letter Vice Commander Sun asked me to give you."

As if suddenly remembering, Sun Chenyu took a letter from his robes and casually tossed it toward Li Yan.

Li Yan opened the envelope and read it. His veins immediately bulged with rage, and he fixed Sun Chenyu with an unfriendly stare.

The letter was not long. Yet between every line, it declared that Sun Chenyu was Qingyang County's strongest genius in nearly fifty years and should receive the treatment of choosing one mid-grade breathing technique, two high-grade Blood Qi circulation techniques, and five Blood Qi Pills per month.

Faced with Li Yan's near-man-eating glare, Sun Chenyu returned it directly with disdain written across his face.

He loved that look on the other man's face—the impotent rage of someone who wanted to hack him to death but could not do a thing to him.

Originally, his father was only a Vice Commander, and he would not have dared to be so arrogant.

It was only after he demonstrated that he could begin the Basic Breathing Technique within three days that his father told him certain family secrets, making him so overbearing.

His eldest uncle in the Jinyang Prefecture Demon Suppression Division was preparing to break through into the Qi Condensation stage. If he succeeded, then once Xiao Qiaofeng was transferred away, his father would very likely lose the "Vice" from his title, and the Qingyang County Demon Suppression Division would become the Sun Family's possession.

But that was not even the most important part.

The Sun Family's true confidence came from the fact that his elder brother, who had vanished ten years ago, had actually joined one of the legendary Immortal Sects that stood high above all.

"Captain Li, give me the voucher."

"Hmph."

Li Yan snorted coldly and unwillingly handed Sun Chenyu the voucher for selecting techniques and pills.

He then impatiently waved his hand, telling Sun Chenyu to hurry up and get lost.

Out of sight, out of mind.

A trace of viciousness flashed through Sun Chenyu's eyes.

Keep being arrogant a little longer. When the time comes, I'll make you kneel and lick my hook.

"Many thanks, Captain Li."

Sun Chenyu gave an oddly mocking laugh, then turned and left.

When the young men heard that Sun Chenyu had begun the technique, they gathered in twos and threes to whisper among themselves, their eyes filled with envy.

Only after cultivating did they understand how difficult cultivation truly was, and only then did they realize how monstrous Ye Xiaofan's talent was.

"Alright, everyone, continue cultivating. Strive to begin as soon as possible."

Li Yan had already been in a bad mood. Looking at the young men, he forced himself to calm down before speaking.

He then left the cultivation room, leaving the young men to cultivate by themselves.

A day passed, and Ye Xiaofan awoke from cultivation.

A familiar voice came from outside the door.

A strange light flashed through Ye Xiaofan's eyes as he opened the gate.

Two familiar faces came into view: Li Yan and Zhang Zhenzhong.

At that moment, one held a jar of wine while the other carried a bag of meat. The instant they saw Ye Xiaofan, both their eyes lit up.

The main reason was that Ye Xiaofan had changed far too much in only three days.

His body had become more robust. Though his face was still somewhat pale, it was no longer noticeable without looking closely.

"Little Brother Ye, we came uninvited. We didn't disturb you, did we?"

"Haha, Captain Li and Captain Zhang honoring my humble home with your presence makes it shine with splendor. Please, come in."

Ye Xiaofan welcomed the two into the small pavilion in the courtyard.

"Little Brother Ye, the two of us will be leaving on an assignment tomorrow. Tonight, we came to see you, this genius, and bid you farewell."

"Captain Zhang, Captain Li, one of you is in charge of the Technique Pavilion while the other is in charge of the Reserve Team. You shouldn't need to go on assignments, should you?"

Ye Xiaofan asked in confusion.

"Sigh, it's a long story. Let's drink while we talk."

Zhang Zhenzhong let out a long sigh. As he explained why they had to leave on an assignment, he opened the wine jar and poured three bowls of wine.

A moment later, Ye Xiaofan understood why the two were leaving on an assignment.

They could no longer endure the current power struggle within the Demon Suppression Division, so they had chosen assignments stationed in towns outside the city.

They also told him everything Sun Wude had done since becoming Vice Commander.

"Baihu Xiao ignores all this and lets Sun Wude run wild."

After learning that Sun Wude had deducted his pills, Ye Xiaofan was extremely displeased as well.

Li Yan drained his bowl of wine in one gulp and gave a bitter smile.

"Baihu Xiao only cares about cultivation and has no desire to deal with these matters. If your father had not died, he would not even have personally stepped forward to investigate this time."

"Your father had reached the Body Refinement Eighth Layer at only thirty-five. He had a chance of breaking through into the Qi Condensation stage in the future. He was a genius the Demon Suppression Division focused on nurturing. Now he died without rhyme or reason, yet Baihu Xiao only investigated because of the pressure."

After Li Yan finished, Zhang Zhenzhong added another remark.

What followed was a stretch of silence. Li Yan and Zhang Zhenzhong kept drinking, not knowing what they were thinking.

Ye Xiaofan, meanwhile, was considering his own situation.

He had yet to truly take off, and danger could find him at any moment.

"I have to make money and get techniques as quickly as possible!"

If he could cultivate high-grade cultivation techniques or even top-grade cultivation techniques, then after simplification, his cultivation speed would become even faster.

So long as he secretly grew stronger before the enemies lurking in the shadows could react, he would cut down whoever came with a single stroke of his sword.

"Captains, do you know where else I can get cultivation techniques besides the Technique Pavilion? You know I cultivate the Sword Drawing Technique, so I need some sword techniques."

"There is a place, but it isn't very safe. You haven't even reached the Body Refinement First Layer yet. It would be very dangerous for you to go."

The Withered Wood Meets Spring Technique that Ye Xiaofan cultivated could conceal the fluctuations of his blood qi, and he had already reached the Perfection Realm. The two could not tell that he had long since broken through to the Body Refinement First Layer.

"I hope Captain Zhang can tell me."

Zhang Zhenzhong exchanged a look with Li Yan. Li Yan took over and said, "The Qingyang County black market."

"The black market?"

"That's right. The person behind Qingyang County's black market is the county magistrate. Everything inside is genuine, and it is safe. But once you leave the black market, murder and robbery are as common as eating and drinking."

Li Yan looked at Ye Xiaofan and spoke each word slowly. Seeing that Ye Xiaofan's expression did not change, he silently nodded in approval before continuing.

"They sell all kinds of things inside. Sometimes, even mid-grade cultivation techniques appear. If you want to go, make sure you wait until you break through to the Body Refinement First Layer. And disguise yourself well—do not let anyone recognize you."

Ye Xiaofan nodded. He had already planned to visit the black market later and sell the Black Tiger Roaring Mountain Technique and the Black Tiger Saber Technique in his possession.