Nourishing Qi

When Li Pin safely arrived home, a sedan hurried to the place where he had fought the Cat Demon.

Several vehicles had already stopped there.

There were vehicles bearing both the Garrison Office and Martial Arts Association insignias.

As soon as the car stopped, a man wearing a Garrison Office badge came forward to greet them.

"Director..."

"Upon learning that the Cat Demon had been dealt with, the Warden turned back midway."

The man getting out of the car was Zhang Youping, deputy director of the Liuchuan County Garrison Office.

Knowing what the captain wanted to ask, he explained briefly before continuing, "Captain Liu, how are things?"

"Six dead and three injured in Zhou Family Village. Four more died in Wang Family Village, and two injured have just been sent to the hospital. We don't know whether they can be saved."

Captain Liu said.

"Ten."

Zhang Youping's heart sank.

Ordinary vicious beasts like Cat Demons, Dog Demons, and Rat Demons were almost impossible to guard against.

On any given day, they might sense the Star God, bathe in starlight, and evolve into vicious beasts in an incredibly short time.

Moreover, although they were innately weaker than vicious beasts evolved from wolves, bears, tigers, and leopards, they still posed an immense threat to ordinary people after transforming.

Right now...

"I heard on the way here that the Cat Demon was killed? Compared with Dog Demons and Rat Demons, Cat Demons hold the advantage in agility. Even Dan Jin martial masters might not be able to kill one in a life-or-death fight. Sanshun Town has an expert like that!?"

Zhang Youping said.

"A captain has found the driver and is questioning him. We'll know the details soon."

Captain Liu said.

Zhang Youping nodded and quickly walked over to the Cat Demon's corpse.

Members of the Garrison Office's enforcement team had already set up a cordon around it.

Dozens of nearby villagers stood outside, discussing it in hushed voices, lingering fear still in their hearts.

At that moment, a middle-aged man was crouching beside the Cat Demon's corpse, examining something.

"President Meng."

Zhang Youping greeted him.

"Director Zhang."

The middle-aged man known as President Meng nodded. Rising to his feet, he said with some emotion, "What fierce and overbearing Dan Jin. No wonder he was able to kill this Cat Demon."

"Did a Dan Jin martial master really make the move? I heard reports on the road that the one who acted was a local. Apart from President Meng and several hall masters, does Liuchuan County have another Dan Jin expert?"

Zhang Youping asked.

At that moment, a team member hurried to Captain Liu's side and whispered something. Captain Liu quickly stepped forward and said, "We've checked it out. The one who acted is from Sanshun Town, named Li Pin. We looked into his records... It's rather strange. He's only a Level 2 Martial Artist."

"A Level 2 Martial Artist?"

President Meng said without hesitation, "Impossible! Judging from that Cat Demon's injuries, they were absolutely inflicted by an eruption of Dan Jin!"

"That Li Pin... is only twenty-two..."

Captain Liu added.

"Twenty-two?"

President Meng froze slightly before saying, "I'll make a call."

"A twenty-two-year-old Level 2 Martial Artist is already quite accomplished for his age."

Zhang Youping said.

Because the Martial World's ranking system resembled that of academia, people often liked comparing the Martial World with the academic world.

But since the Martial World carried greater weight than academia, a Level 2 Martial Artist was equivalent to a lecturer at a key university.

In a town or village, he definitely counted as somebody.

"A Level 2 Martial Artist... how could he have killed a Cat Demon?"

Captain Liu said in confusion. "Even if we go by the driver's and passengers' statements that he struck while the Cat Demon was still midway through charging in, the gap... is far too great."

"You're underestimating Li Pin, this Level 2 Martial Artist."

At that moment, President Meng returned from his call, looking somewhat excited. "I found that he never took the Level 1 Martial Artist examination. He went straight for the Level 2 examination, and he's also entered next year's sixteenth Jiangzhou Martial Arts Tournament!"

Zhang Youping paused. Thinking of how every martial arts tournament always saw dark horses rise unexpectedly, he quickly understood what President Meng meant. "You mean..."

"Exactly. I suspect he has spent his ordinary days diligently cultivating and training, paying no heed to matters beyond the window. Now that the Jiangzhou Martial Arts Tournament is approaching, he intends to make a single cry that astonishes the world."

President Meng said, "Level 2 Martial Artist is merely because a martial artist's first assessment allows them to test at no higher than Level 2. His true strength has already reached Hua Jin, and with secret arts, he can even unleash Dan Jin... With such strength, if he were the descendant of a distinguished family, it would not be difficult for the provincial Martial Arts Association to show some consideration and let him pass the Associate Senior Title assessment."

"Associate Senior Title!?"

Zhang Youping and Captain Liu both sucked in a sharp breath.

A Level 2 Martial Artist already carried the weight of a lecturer at a key university.

A martial artist with an Associate Senior Title...

Was nearly the equal of a full professor.

If he were willing to join the Liuchuan County Martial Arts Association, after at most one or two years of building experience, he could be appointed vice president.

The Martial Arts Association stood only half a rank below the local government. The other party would already be able to stand on equal footing with Zhang Youping, the deputy director of the Garrison Office.

The key was...

"That Li Pin is only twenty-two?"

Zhang Youping said.

President Meng smiled and nodded.

"Congratulations, President Meng. Such a fine sapling has emerged within your jurisdiction. Once he truly earns his Associate Senior Title, this will certainly become a brilliant stroke in your résumé."

Zhang Youping immediately said with a beaming smile.

"As for the specific circumstances, we'll have to meet him in person before we can say for sure."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go together. Such a hidden dragon has been lying concealed in Sanshun Town—I can't wait to see him for myself."

"He has expended a great deal of strength and is likely already resting. We can pay him a visit tomorrow afternoon."

President Meng said.

Hearing this, Zhang Youping's thoughts stirred.

A twenty-two-year-old Hua Jin expert...

In the future, there was an eighty or ninety percent chance he could Embrace Qi into Dan, and he might even have hopes of cultivating Gang Jin.

With such strength to rely on, his future prospects were limitless.

Having consumed so much strength now, he naturally needed nourishment.

He thought of the Hundred Year Ginseng his nephew had recently sent him...

On the other side.

Li Pin greeted Mother Li, changed into another set of clothes, and went to rest.

By the time he had somewhat recuperated his mental state, it was already the next morning.

He did not get up immediately. Instead, he focused his mind on his right hand.

As his senses sharpened, he clearly detected the damage to the bones, muscles, and nerves in his arm.

With an injury like this, even with a martial artist's physique and specialized healing medicine, he feared it would take more than a month to recover.

The pain was like tiny knives slicing through him, tormenting his mind.

Fortunately, he had more or less grown accustomed to such injuries in his previous life. He would not be like an ordinary person, too afraid to move even a single hand again.

How could one practice martial arts without getting injured?

He tried to direct the life force nurtured by the Innate Qi Nourishing Technique within his body toward his arm, nourishing those damaged areas.

The result...

The effect was negligible.

After pondering for a moment, Li Pin circulated the Innate Qi Nourishing Technique and slightly altered the rhythm of his breathing and exhalation.

At the same time, he focused his mind to the utmost, carefully observing the flow of every thread of Life Vitality.

Whenever the life force was about to pass through his arm, he slowed it down, allowing the life force circulating through the heavenly cycle to remain there longer.

Although the Life Vitality would not grow stronger because the heavenly cycle had been interrupted, it indirectly produced the effect of using qi to heal his injuries.

"So it works after all."

Li Pin smiled faintly.

Choosing the Innate Qi Nourishing Technique as his supplementary cultivation had indeed been the right choice.

And this qi-nourishing art that involved Life Vitality...

Likely still held much potential waiting to be unearthed.