Breaking Through Four Levels in a Row! Killing Move!

Facing the White Servants' flattery and fawning, Lin Guanhuo showed no disgust.

Nor did he have the smug delight of a petty man who had gotten his way. He merely nodded calmly.

Because he understood the hardships these people endured.

In this man-eating world, if those at the bottom wanted to survive, dignity was sometimes something they had to cast aside.

They fawned over the strong only to seek shelter, to earn a mouthful of food.

"Let's go down the mountain."

Lin Guanhuo called out.

Several White Servants hurried over to help the injured Chen Jianxing up, their faces full of reverence. "Official Chen, be careful."

They had once revered Chen Jianxing because he was a field agent of the Demon Suppressing Division, an official.

But now, that reverence held a measure of genuine sincerity.

After all, at that critical moment between life and death, Official Chen had truly risked his life to hold back the demon and let them escape first.

Lin Guanhuo, meanwhile, led Li Hu and the rest in tying up the enormous headless dog corpse with Coarse Hemp Rope. They hoisted it up, and the group headed down the mountain.

At the same time, Lin Guanhuo's impression of the Demon Suppressing Division improved somewhat.

Compared to the scum at the Mad Saber Martial Arts School, who did nothing but bully the decent folk and had even wanted to murder them for their goods, as well as those other martial arts schools that held themselves high above all else—

Though the Demon Suppressing Division's people acted somewhat overbearingly, they still had a bit of humanity in them.

No one spoke along the way. Having just gone through all that, everyone only wanted to leave as quickly as possible.

Early the next morning.

At first light, Lin Guanhuo and his group appeared on the streets carrying the corpse of the Black-headed Dog Demon.

Such a colossal creature instantly drew the attention of countless people throughout the streets of Blackwater City.

"Th-that... that's the Black-headed Dog Demon?!"

Someone cried out.

The bustling city gate instantly erupted into an uproar.

The townspeople surged forward, crowding around the enormous corpse being carried through the middle of the street.

Its entire body was covered in black fur. Its two severed claws were incomparably sharp, and though it had lost its head, it still exuded a savage might that made hearts tremble.

Once countless people recognized the Black-headed Dog Demon, waves of discussion instantly broke out.

"It really is that beast! It's dead! It's really dead!"

"Heaven has eyes! My poor daughter... that beast has finally met its retribution!"

Some wept bitterly, while others clapped and cheered.

Even more people raised their thumbs toward the corpse-bearing procession.

Cheers and applause rose one after another, deafening to the ears.

"Well done! Now those are real men!"

"Thank you, brave warriors, for ridding the people of this evil!"

Li Hu of the Miscellaneous Room Courtyard carried the corpse, listening to the cheers around him.

As he looked at the pairs of eyes filled with gratitude and admiration, his once-hunched back straightened of its own accord.

They had spent their entire lives as looked-down-upon White Servants, doing the dirtiest and hardest work while enduring the cruelest scorn.

This was the first time they had ever been treated like heroes.

"This feeling... is fucking good." Li Hu sighed from within the crowd.

Before long, a carriage from the Demon Suppressing Division arrived to meet them.

Several Division Servants clad in brocade robes took over the dog demon's corpse, then carefully helped Chen Jianxing aboard.

"Be careful, sir." The Demon Suppressing Division's servants were respectful in their manner.

Before leaving, Chen Jianxing waved at the White Servants.

His face was somewhat pale. Then, with his own hands, he gave each White Servant present their payment.

"This tael is what I promised you before. Keep it safe."

Lin Guanhuo, Li Hu, and the others accepted the silver. Many of their eyes lit up; though the journey had been dangerous, they had finally seen silver.

After distributing it, Chen Jianxing took out some Broken Silver from his robe and gave everyone an extra tael.

"This tael is an additional reward for you."

At the same time, Chen Jianxing reminded them, "Now that you have money, buy some more cotton clothes and food for yourselves and your families. Don't go drinking in flower houses or throw your money around just because you have some."

The White Servants held two Taels of Silver in their hands.

They were so excited that their hands trembled.

"Thank you, Official Chen!! Thank you, Official Chen!"

"Thank you, Official Chen."

Finally, Chen Jianxing looked at Lin Guanhuo and cupped his fists. "Thank you, Brother Lin, for stepping forward so righteously today. Until we meet again."

"Until we meet again." Lin Guanhuo returned the salute.

After parting ways with the people from the Demon Suppressing Division, the other White Servants, now flush with cash, headed straight for taverns or pleasure houses, tossing everything Chen Jianxing had just said to the back of their minds.

Lin Guanhuo could understand them. To people like them, in this Chaotic World, every day lived was a day earned, and every day enjoyed was a day earned.

Lin Guanhuo returned to the Miscellaneous Room Courtyard, paying no heed to the clamor outside.

Instead, he went straight back to his little room and shut the door.

He sat cross-legged on the bed.

Then, he summoned the System interface.

[Current Draw Sword count: 5000]

Looking at that number, Lin Guanhuo took a deep breath.

Until now, he had never fought with such lavish resources.

Killing the Black-headed Dog Demon earlier had allowed him to fully witness the power of this saber art.

Now, Lin Guanhuo did not hesitate in the slightest.

"Without destruction, there can be no creation."

A trace of resolve flashed through Lin Guanhuo's eyes. "System! Pour it all into the Precept Breaking Saber Art!"

[Draw Sword count consumed: 5000.]

At once—

Within Lin Guanhuo's consciousness, a tiny figure of light appeared.

The little figure's saber light poured down like a waterfall, unending and continuous.

With one slash, its lingering force was boundless, like the Yangtze and great rivers, surging without end.

Countless fragments of knowledge and moves flooded madly into his mind, as though these techniques had been tempered over many years rather than accomplished in a single moment.

His meridians and cells changed as well.

Lin Guanhuo's body trembled violently.

The blood and qi within him were like boiling magma, wildly washing over his meridians and bones.

Because he had consumed so many Draw Sword counts this time, it took even longer.

One day, two days, three days.

Not until the morning of the fourth day did Lin Guanhuo, who had remained in a state of enlightenment all along, slowly open his eyes.

[Deduction complete]

[The eight basic forms of the Precept Breaking Saber Art have been perfected]

[New realm reached: Eight Consecutive Killing Moves]

[First layer comprehended: River Breaking Style]

Seeing this, Lin Guanhuo's eyes lit up as he sensed the changes within himself.

"To think I broke through four layers in a row, perfectly comprehended the eight basic forms, and reached an entirely new realm."

"These five thousand were damn well worth it!"

With no one around, Lin Guanhuo took a deep breath, gripped his long saber, and went to the backyard that no one usually set foot in.

Following the brand-new insight in his mind, his waist and abdomen moved as one, his entire body like a fully drawn greatbow.

"Break!"

He slashed out.

There was no flashy sound, only an oppressive force so heavy it seemed to weigh everything down.

The instant that slash came forth, it was like drawing a blade to sever water—the air became water, brutally cleaved apart.

A visible white wave of air formed and rolled out to both sides.

Like rivers overturned and seas churned!

"What tremendous power..."

Lin Guanhuo stared at the force of that slash, his heart shaken.

If it had been the previous Basic Saber Art, it would only have been Foundation Establishment.

The killing move he had now comprehended was the true essence of this Saber technique.

With a single slash, even a hundred-zhang boulder before him could be cleaved apart!

"It's just a pity that my Martial Dao realm is still low. Otherwise, I could unleash even greater power..."

A realization stirred within Lin Guanhuo, and he was about to leave when, all of a sudden—

"Hmm?"

Just then.

Lin Guanhuo suddenly sensed that something seemed to be changing within his body.

After several days of nourishment from medicinal baths, coupled with the various insights he had gained from his previous battle with the Black-headed Dog Demon, Lin Guanhuo felt every pore on his body spring open at once. A surge of heat rose from his dantian, instantly flowing through his entire body before finally gathering beneath his skin and membranes.

His whole body tensed. His already fully developed bronze-colored skin now deepened to an even darker hue!

What came with it was an almost doubled increase in his qi and blood.

"I've broken through—Body Tempering second-grade!"