Blade Catcher Qiu San

Blade Catcher Qiu San, a native of Fujiang County, is twenty-nine years old and currently in the Mid Bone Forging Realm.

He embarked on his martial arts journey at the age of eighteen after a chance encounter with his mentor, Old Blade Wielder Zhang Fugui, and has been practicing for eleven years.

The so-called Blade Catchers are essentially individuals hired by the common folk, local gentry, and landowners of various regions for profit.

Their core duties are no different from those of the martial practitioners in the Wei Dao Si.

Most Blade Catchers work in pairs, a master and a disciple.

They travel between towns and villages, earning money upon completing their commissions.

If they don't have any commissions, they're forced to venture into the mountains to hunt wild game.

Not only do they have to endure harsh weather conditions, but they also often struggle to find their next meal.

However, whether it's apprehending criminals or eliminating Demons and Monsters, their work is extremely perilous.

A single misstep can cost them their lives.

As a result, fewer and fewer martial artists are entering the Blade Catcher profession these days.

Qiu San, having been a Blade Catcher for over a decade and still being alive, is clearly a man of genuine skill.

According to covert observations by the Snake Guard, Qiu San despises evil, harbors a strong sense of justice, and disregards personal gain.

He has taken it upon himself to eliminate demons and protect orthodoxy, and to bring peace to the people of Jinling. Yet, precisely because of this, Qiu San has failed to save a single coin in his eleven years as a Blade Catcher.

Apart from an old horse and a rusty saber, he has nothing and is all alone.

"Isn't this exactly the kind of expert I've been looking for?" Xia Qi'an mused to himself as he put down the intelligence report delivered by the Snake Guard.

At this moment, he was on a carriage heading to Lishan County. The Wei Dao Si headquarters had established a new position, an Executive, and introduced several new policies and measures.

In the past, Wei Dao Si personnel were mostly concentrated in major cities like Jinling, which made it difficult for them to detect incidents in remote areas under their jurisdiction in a timely manner.

This time, in addition to establishing four Executive positions, each Executive is required to lead their subordinate Hound Guards to be stationed in the counties under their jurisdiction.

Xia Qi'an was no exception to this.

He, along with Bata and Xiao Cao, headed to Lishan County to take up his post.

He had already received word of his upcoming assignment to a county seat and had preemptively commissioned the Snake Guard to purchase property in Lishan County.

His plan was to first go to Lishan County to get Bata and Xiao Cao settled, while the Snake Guard would hire personnel to transport larger items and belongings later.

There are a total of eight counties within Jinling Prefecture.

Among them, Lishan and Linjiang counties were assigned to Xia Qi'an's jurisdiction.

Once he was settled in Lishan County, he would begin recruiting martial arts experts.

Regardless of the outcome with Si Nanyue or whether the higher-ups in the Wei Dao Si agreed with his proposal, he would proceed with his plan. At worst, he would pay out of his own pocket; with his current wealth, he could afford it.

Xia Qi'an and his two companions departed at dawn, bringing only their valuables, a change of clothes, and three memorial tablets.

No matter which world you were in, moving was always a troublesome affair.

Fortunately, with the help of the Snake Guard, Xia Qi'an didn't have to worry too much.

Lishan County had suffered a severe flood several months prior.

Out of an original population of 300,000, only a little over 100,000 remained.

However, Lishan County had recovered well after the disaster, gradually regaining its former prosperity.

While it couldn't compare to major cities like Jinling, the city possessed a unique charm and a rich, vibrant atmosphere.

The scenery here felt like stepping into an ancient town in a Jiangnan water village.

Gentle streams flowed between ancient bridges; winding bluestone paths led people into quiet alleys.

The ancient buildings lining the streets were arranged harmoniously, exuding a profound cultural ambiance.

Bluestone and ancient trees, green tiles and moss, added a tranquil and deep sense of history to this small county town.

Guided by a young female Snake Guard, Xia Qi'an stepped into the newly acquired mansion.

Inside the mansion, pavilions, towers, lotus ponds, and beautiful scenery were a delight to behold.

After a brief tour, Xia Qi'an was very satisfied with the layout and scenery of the mansion.

The architectural style of this mansion bore a striking resemblance to the Tang and Song Dynasty style from his previous life on Earth, as if transporting him back to that prosperous and poetic era.

Before leaving, the young female Snake Guard informed Xia Qi'an, "Lord Xia! Qiu San will report to the Lishan County Wei Dao Si branch tomorrow!"

Xia Qi'an nodded, "The Snake Guard's work is indeed reliable..."

After the female Snake Guard departed, Xia Qi'an, as usual, dedicated himself entirely to his cultivation.

Leaving Jinling, he was stationed in the county town.

This matter could be described as a mix of joy and sorrow.

The sorrow was that, being far from Jinling, it would be much easier for noble families to take revenge on him.

The joy was that it was also far from the Jinling Wei Dao Si branch.

As the saying goes, "The mountains are high and the emperor is far away."

In Lishan and Linjiang counties, as long as he didn't cross the bottom line of the Wei Dao Si, he was essentially a local emperor, free to do as he pleased!

As for the county magistrate?

The county magistrate was eagerly anticipating an audience with Xia Qi'an at the Wei Dao Si yamen tomorrow!

The Wei Dao Si was an organization that completely transcended secular imperial power, a powerful collective composed entirely of cultivators.

This world was chaotic and dangerous, with demons, monsters, cultivators, and more.

Most people in secular power were ordinary mortals.

If they encountered rampaging demons, how could they resist?

But cultivators possessed extraordinary power, standing high above, detached from worldly affairs.

Getting them to organize and fight demons was harder than climbing to heaven.

The vast majority of cultivators only cared about protecting themselves.

However, the Wei Dao Si's philosophy was to protect the majority of mortals in the world.

It could be said that the founder of the Wei Dao Si must have been a great man with a vision for the world.

In this age of widespread suffering, with demons rampant and ghosts and spirits running wild.

Without a strong official organization to suppress the world.

It would inevitably lead to even more unrestrained demons.

In that case, how could the world be at peace?

Although the Wei Dao Si was not a perfect organization, and there were many internal issues.

But no one is perfect, and where in the world is there a flawless force?

Regardless, from an overall perspective, the existence of the Wei Dao Si made a significant contribution to the survival of humanity in this world.

The next morning, as the sun just rose, streaks of golden light filtered through the gaps in the leaves.

Xia Qi'an woke up early, finished his ablutions, and then hurried out.

Heading to the Lishan County Wei Dao Si branch.

The Lishan County Wei Dao Si branch was located in the heart of the county town, directly opposite the county yamen.

When Xia Qi'an arrived at the entrance, he couldn't help but stop, gazing at the plaque hanging high above.

The three characters "Wei Dao Si" on it were written with powerful and vigorous strokes.

Looking at this plaque, Xia Qi'an felt a peculiar emotion.

Oppressing the people and acting wickedly is not my desire!

Slaying demons and monsters, dominating the current era, that is the path of a true man!

Taking a deep breath, Xia Qi'an pushed open the gate and strode in, entering the Wei Dao Si branch with a powerful gait.