In the courtyard, Lin Baichuan moved with the grace of a wandering dragon, his fists striking like thunder. He was dragon-like and tiger-fierce, phantom-like and illusory, as though he had entered some profound and mysterious state. He completely forgot himself, unable to pull free.
The rising sun climbed into the sky, its morning rays spilling across the land and into Lin Baichuan's courtyard.
"Phew..."
He exhaled a breath of turbid air, and Lin Baichuan finally finished his training. With a twist of his body, crackling sounds immediately rang out, like beans popping in a pan, as every bone and tendon in his body chimed together.
With a thought, he sank his consciousness into his sea of awareness and opened the Attribute Panel.
Name: Lin Baichuan Identity: Junior Demon Slayer of the Demon Suppression Division Cultivation: Ninth Rank Cultivation Art: Golden Bell Shield (Seventh Layer, 3%) Martial Skills: Seven Kill Saber Art (Mastery), Wind Shadow Steps (Minor Mastery), Brute Ox Fist (Minor Mastery) Intent: Saber Intent (23%) Merit: 0 ...
His gaze swept over the panel, and Lin Baichuan immediately beamed. After just one night of cultivation, Wind Shadow Steps and Brute Ox Fist had actually skipped past the beginner stage and entered Minor Mastery.
"So this is what my current bone structure and comprehension are like? Truly terrifying..."
Lin Baichuan murmured, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes as excitement surged within him. In one night of cultivation, he had actually brought two martial skills to Minor Mastery. Moreover, neither Wind Shadow Steps nor Brute Ox Fist was an ordinary martial skill; both were High-grade Mortal Tier.
Of course, Lin Baichuan also knew that last night had been unusual. Having reshaped his bone structure, he had undergone a complete rebirth, and he had happened to seize that opportunity to enter that profound and mysterious state.
That was why he had been able to cultivate two High-grade Mortal Tier martial skills straight to Minor Mastery in a single night.
If he continued cultivating in the future, he naturally would not see such results again.
Still, now that his bone structure had been reshaped and he had undergone a complete rebirth, his talent and comprehension could no longer be mentioned in the same breath as before. Otherwise, he could never have seized the opportunity to enter that profound and mysterious state.
"My talent and comprehension now probably do not pale beside the prodigies of those great Aristocratic Clans. With the system helping me as well, my future cultivation will surely be a broad, level road, advancing by leaps and bounds..." Lin Baichuan muttered as his consciousness withdrew from his sea of awareness, the smile on his face growing ever broader.
"Lin Baichuan, get the hell out here..."
Suddenly, at that very moment, an unexpected change arose. A shout came from outside the courtyard, followed by a thunderous bang. The courtyard gate was kicked flying and came smashing straight toward Lin Baichuan.
Lin Baichuan shifted his feet and instinctively used Wind Shadow Steps, effortlessly dodging the flying gate. In just a few steps, he had reached the entrance like a phantom, blocking the people who were about to rush into the courtyard.
The newcomers were a squad of Demon Slayer Guards, but the man at their head was a Demon Slaying Captain.
From the single embroidered star on his chest, it was clear that he was a One-Star Demon Slaying Captain—the man in charge of Lin Baichuan's Seventh Camp, Song Gang.
Following behind Song Gang was Li Da. His eyes were gloomy as he stared at Lin Baichuan with a cold sneer. His entire face was hideously twisted, enough to send a chill down one's spine.
Beside Li Da stood a Senior Demon Slayer, presumably the captain of another squad in the Seventh Camp. Behind them stood seven Intermediate Demon Slayers, likely this man's squad members. The entire group trailed behind Song Gang like lackeys, murderously imposing as they prepared to enter the courtyard with him. Yet Lin Baichuan had suddenly appeared and blocked their path.
Li Da was the first to stir up trouble, shouting sharply, "Lin Baichuan, your crimes have been exposed. Surrender at once..."
Lin Baichuan's gaze sharpened, falling upon Li Da like a blade. He sneered. "Captain Li, did you drink too much fake liquor last night? You came here at the crack of dawn to make a drunken scene and spout nonsense."
"Lin Baichuan, how dare you!"
Lin Baichuan's barrage of insults immediately set Li Da's fury ablaze. Gritting his teeth, he growled, "Yesterday, you committed violence at Hundred Herbs Hall, seriously wounding Lu Changkong, the young master of the Lu Family. You also killed four of his guards and seized the Mysterious Sun Fruit, a spiritual medicine from Hundred Herbs Hall. You have quite the nerve..."
"Shut your mouth. Why are you yammering on so much? Do you have any evidence?"
Lin Baichuan snorted and bluntly cut Li Da off. He could not even be bothered to glance at the man. He was nothing more than trash. If Qin Qing had not said that this trash was still useful and forbidden him from making a move, Li Da would have been dead when they returned from Yunshan County.
His brows rose. From Li Da's words, he had already grasped Song Gang's purpose. He then narrowed his eyes at Song Gang and sneered. "Captain Song, you brought people here early in the morning to block my gate. Surely you did not come here, like this piece of trash, just to spout this nonsense?"
"You are quite arrogant..."
Song Gang's gaze was icy as he looked deeply at Lin Baichuan. "Do you think that because you have latched onto Qin Qing, I would not dare do anything to you?"
"Captain Song, you misunderstand. I am one of your soldiers. How would I dare act arrogantly before you?" Lin Baichuan sneered. "If you, Captain Song, wanted to get rid of me, would it not take just a word? You could casually assign me a mission and have me die outside within minutes.
After all, this probably is not the first time Captain Song has done such a thing, is it? Otherwise, how could you be so practiced at this business?
Speaking of which, on this trip to Yunshan County, if I had not been cautious enough, and if your eye for choosing men had not been so poor that you sent a bunch of trash along, then I, Lin Baichuan, would probably already be a dead man!"
Lin Baichuan sneered dismissively, showing absolutely no respect for Song Gang as a captain. Every word he spoke dripped with mockery and sarcasm.
He had not forgotten his agreement with Qin Qing—to oppose Song Gang. Such a fine opportunity had presented itself, so naturally he had to seize it. With Qin Qing backing him, that woman would not let anything happen to him. Of course, his greatest source of confidence was his own strength.
Now that he had reshaped his physique and bone structure, he had undergone a complete rebirth. Although his cultivation realm remained at the Ninth Rank Skin Refinement Realm, his true combat power had increased severalfold. Even a Seventh Rank Organ Forging Realm martial artist was no match for him.
Even against someone who had just entered the Sixth Rank Blood Refining Realm, he had the strength to fight.
As far as he knew, although Song Gang had broken through to the Blood Refining Realm three years ago, he had relied on external aid to do so. Even now, he was merely at the initial stage of the Sixth Rank Blood Refining Realm. Lin Baichuan was confident that even if he could not defeat him, preserving his own life would absolutely not be a problem.
It was precisely because of this that Lin Baichuan was so confident, daring to confront Song Gang, a One-Star Demon Slaying Captain, despite being only a Junior Demon Slayer.
"Lin Baichuan, how dare you speak to Captain Song like that..."
A furious rebuke rang out like a tiger's roar. It came from the other Senior Demon Slayer standing behind Song Gang, beside Li Da.
Lin Baichuan did not recognize this man. He was likely a captain from the Seventh Camp and very possibly Song Gang's true confidant. Seeing Lin Baichuan act so arrogantly and even mock Song Gang, he immediately jumped out, pointing at Lin Baichuan as he shouted, "Kneel down and kowtow to Captain Song in apology, or you will suffer today.
Do you really think that latching onto a woman means you can act without restraint?
This is Cangwu County, not Eastern Wasteland Prefecture..."
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