Ten Years of Patrol!

[Listening to the footsteps inside, you confirmed that two people had indeed arrived.]

[Could the formation inside this tower be the Legendary "Teleportation Formation"?]

[Could a second-rate Martial Dao sect possess something tied to the power of space?]

[You became increasingly convinced that something was wrong with the Chixin Sect.]

[Of course something was wrong. What decent person would inexplicably take part in slaughtering a village?]

["Gulu gulu ji... tulu tulu pi..."]

[The two people inside began speaking.]

[But you could not understand them.]

[After listening to the two of them jabber on for a while, you suddenly understood them.]

["Did I say that correctly?"]

["Yes, yes, yes! My lord learns so quickly."]

["Heh. If I didn't have that ability, would the general have sent me here?"]

["Lord Zongbing, you must keep a low profile during this inspection.

This world does not lack powerful experts. If they discover us or see through our identities, we will go in and never return.

At present, our army has only scattered scouting outposts in this world. We have not won over enough 'human traitors' yet, and they have yet to become a force. We must take a long view.

Our greatest achievement so far is this tower containing seven 'Demon Bridge Formations,' allowing us to travel between the major outposts.

Unfortunately, the resources under our control are insufficient. We cannot bring over large numbers of troops or clansmen whose realms are too high."]

[You heard every word clearly, but when they were strung together, you realized you seemed to have overheard something extraordinary!]

[The way these two spoke did not sound like the Human Race.]

[You wanted to take a closer look, but feared being discovered. You could only remain silent and motionless so that "Silent Step" would take effect.]

["Hm? I smell the scent of the Demon Race?"]

["My lord's nose is truly sharp! The descendants of those Demon Race remnants from thirty thousand years ago have taken root in this world again. Their relationship with the Human Race is poor, which is a small detail we can exploit."]

["Hm... why do I smell humans as well?"]

["You jest, my lord. Of course there is a human scent here. We disguised this place as the secluded cultivation grounds of the Chixin Sect Ancestor."]

["No, it is not a lingering scent. Someone is here right now!"]

[Your Heartbeat accelerates, racing so fast that you feared the people inside would hear it!]

[You had not expected that Silent Step would produce no sound and prevent Spiritual Sense from detecting you while you remained still, but the other party had a dog's nose!]

[The two people in the tower searched every floor, yet found no one.]

["My lord, we should go to the outpost in the Eastern Wilderness. This is the Central Plains, after all, where crouching tigers and hidden dragons abound. If you and I remain too long, we may leave traces and expose ourselves."]

["Wait..."]

[Before his words had even faded, you felt a bone-piercing pain drill into your back.]

[Your face instantly turned blue-purple, and a mouthful of hot blood surged into your throat.]

[You had suffered internal injuries.]

[But you endured it without making a sound.]

["Whether someone is here or not, since they dare not show themselves, they must be a weakling. The Pain-Piercing Demonic Sound I released just now was enough to kill them."]

["My lord is truly thorough! Admirable, admirable!"]

[You heard a humming sound rise within the tower and vaguely saw the formation's light flash once.]

[You stood motionless on the eaves outside the tower for a full two hours. Only after confirming that the people inside had left did you flip back into the tower.]

["Damn... good thing I had the Alien Father Golden Entry. Otherwise, that blow just now would have ended this simulation..."]

[This also confirmed that the two humanoid creatures who had appeared in the tower really were of the Alien Race.]

[And they were a race apart from the Human Race and the Demon Race!]

[Could the slaughter of Luoding Village also have been connected to them?]

[Unable to make heads or tails of it, you needed more clues to get closer to the truth.]

[You endured the pain and memorized every formation pattern before leaving the ancient tower.]

[Year Five, age twenty-two.]

[You continued cultivating in the Chixin Sect while keeping an eye out for clues.]

[Your cultivation rose to the sixth level of Spirit Gathering.]

[After five years of perfect patrol attendance, you had accumulated enough contribution points to exchange for a mid-tier Cultivation Method.]

[You browsed through the mid-tier Cultivation Methods in the Library Pavilion.]

["Elder Yin, I'll exchange for this copy of the Nine Yang Heart Formula."]

[Yin Rui was the Library Pavilion's guardian Elder. His head of red hair displayed his exceptional proficiency in the Heart Fire Technique.]

["Chen Yi, the Nine Yang Heart Formula is a Heart Method used to cultivate vitality. You have not yet reached the Soul Tempering Realm. I'm afraid you will have no use for this Cultivation Method."]

["Elder Yin, listen to yourself. Could I possibly fail to reach the Soul Tempering Realm for my entire life? I'll exchange for it first. Besides, I'm not very interested in the other Cultivation Methods."]

[The Chixin Sect was not large, and after five years, you knew most of its members.]

[You often invited Elder Yin from the Library Pavilion out for drinks and conversation, hoping to ask him some questions about Martial Dao over the wine table.]

[Not only cultivation, but pills, Artifact Refining, and formations as well—this Elder was immensely learned and could answer something about anything you asked.]

[As time went by, the two of you became friends despite the difference in age.]

[Yin Rui stroked his white beard, then suddenly beckoned with one hand. A secret manual flew over.]

["The last time I watched you spar with Captain Xiao Lin, it seemed you had not learned any movement techniques. Take this."]

[Yin Rui handed you a movement technique called Rocket Step.]

["Elder Yin, this movement technique sounds incredible just from its name! Is this also a mid-tier Cultivation Method? Why didn't I see it on the bookshelf over there?"]

[Yin Rui smiled.]

["There are distinctions even among mid-tier Cultivation Methods. The mid-tier Cultivation Methods you can exchange for are all the most ordinary ones. The fine ones are on the floor above."]

["All right, then I'll exchange for this one first. The Nine Yang Heart Formula can wait until next time."]

[Yin Rui turned around, clasped his hands behind his back, and waved toward the door.]

["Patrol guard Chen Yi exchanged for one copy of Rocket Step today."]

[You understood his meaning and left with cupped fists.]

[Sure enough, knowing a little about the ways of the world was quite useful. Those drinks you had treated Yin Rui to had not been wasted.]