After working until midnight and sweeping through Qingshan Village twice from end to end, the operation to wipe out the weird things finally came to an end.
Some people were assigned to continue patrolling, while everyone else gradually began to rest.
The people from Yuyang Village were settled in four small courtyards.
After hastily eating another late-night meal and drinking a few sips of hot water, Jiang Yan went inside to rest.
Martial Arts Modifier: ... Weird Value: 111 ...
He opened the Martial Arts Modifier and looked at the cultivation techniques section.
Martial Skill: Fast Sword
Layers: Four in total
Status: First Layer
Upgrade (Available) Deduce (Unavailable)
Secret Technique: Sword Finger
Layers: ? in total
Status: Not yet mastered
Upgrade (Available) Deduce (Unavailable)
Cultivation Technique: Vajra Body
Layers: Four
Status: Not yet mastered
Upgrade (Available) Deduce (Available)
Jiang Yan's gaze passed over the Fast Sword martial skill and Sword Finger secret technique, settling directly on the Vajra Body external cultivation technique.
"It can actually be deduced now."
He focused his mind and pressed the word "Deduce."
At once, a profound idea entered his mind, and he immediately understood what the deduction function did.
"It can actually combine cultivation techniques of the same type into a single technique, taking the best from each and upgrading them into a higher-level technique."
What?
Jiang Yan's expression suddenly turned strange. Although he was a transmigrator, he wasn't some invincible protagonist blessed with good fortune from the very beginning.
He had only just asked about external cultivation tonight, and now the modifier could deduce a new technique.
As soon as the thought occurred to him, he shook his head and laughed. He had possessed the Vajra Body technique for a long time. If he'd had enough Weird Value before, he would probably have already learned about the deduction function.
Tonight, he had simply killed enough weird things for the Weird Value boost to meet the requirements for deducing a technique.
A chosen one? Not a chance.
Without thinking, he moved to press the Deduce button.
He really wanted to see what this deduction function could do.
But he still didn't press it. He didn't know how much Weird Value it would cost, and if it took a lot, he'd be heartbroken.
He needed to spend his remaining Weird Value wisely by upgrading other martial skills, like Fast Sword, which could quickly boost his strength.
A single sword strike, thousands of sword shadows, swift as lightning, killing an enemy before they could react—that was what it meant to be a swordsman.
Suppressing the urge to deduce the external cultivation technique, he shifted his focus and lightly tapped the upgrade button for Fast Sword.
Upgrade! Second Layer!
Upgrade! Third Layer, Fourth Layer!
No further upgrades available!
The modifier's panel blurred for a moment, then became clear again.
Martial Skill: Fast Sword
Layers: Four in total
Status: Fourth Layer
Upgrade (Unavailable) Deduce (Unavailable)
Weird Value: 99
A flood of swordsmanship experience poured roughly into his mind, imprinting itself into his body's instincts.
Forcefully resisting the urge to draw his sword, Jiang Yan gripped the hilt and gently rubbed its patterned surface.
"I think my sword is at least three times faster now."
In a martial artist's battle, the tide could turn in an instant. If Jiang Yan's sword became several times faster, it would give him a far greater advantage, whether he was killing weird things or fighting villains.
After all, when it came to drawing a sword, the difference of a split second could mean the difference between life and death.
Whoosh!
Jiang Yan took a deep breath. His martial arts realm hadn't improved, but with Fast Sword perfected at the fourth layer, his overall strength had practically doubled.
Then he glanced at the ability panel, and his face immediately darkened.
The reason was simple: the deduction function for external cultivation techniques had changed to "Unavailable."
Looking at the 99 points of Weird Value he had left, he suddenly felt a toothache coming on.
Although he still had 99 points of Weird Value, he felt as if he were already broke.
"By that logic, deducing a new technique must cost at least 100 points of Weird Value."
Letting his thoughts wander, Jiang Yan rolled over. Since deducing a technique cost so much Weird Value, could he find a few more external cultivation techniques and deduce them all together?
Deduce several external cultivation techniques at once, combine their strengths, and he'd surely get a high-level technique.
"Mm..." Jiang Yan closed his eyes. "Internal cultivation methods are hard to find. External cultivation methods can't be that precious, surely. I'll find a way to get a few."
With that thought, Jiang Yan's consciousness grew hazy, and he drifted off to sleep.
The sky was pitch-black.
In one of the courtyards in Qingshan Village,
a tall, sturdy figure and a small, frail one were speaking in low voices.
They were Xia Fengshe and Ou Yanling.
"What did you say? We're sneaking away right now?"
Xia Fengshe stared at her bruised, swollen face. "Ou Yanling, have you lost your mind? It's pitch-black outside. What if we run into a weird thing?"
Ou Yanling looked straight back at Xia Fengshe. Seeing his ugly, pig-like face, she looked anxious, but a hint of amusement shone in her eyes.
"Big Brother Xia, if we don't leave now, do you think we'll still be able to leave tomorrow morning?"
Xia Fengshe fell silent.
He didn't like hearing that, but the truth was, if they didn't seize the chance to escape tonight, they definitely wouldn't get away tomorrow.
If they stayed and let a Blood Refining Realm martial artist order them around, they might as well die.
He was a Body Refining Realm martial artist, not some nobody.
Ou Yanling continued, "There probably aren't many weird things in the wild. Just now, someone gathered the power of a Rune Soldier to wipe them out. During that time, our guards were as good as useless, so all the nearby weird things must have been drawn over."
"Now the village seems to have quieted down. The weird things that sneaked in have probably all been killed."
"While that Blood Refining Realm martial artist hasn't gotten around to you yet, why don't you hurry up and run?"
"But... but..." Xia Fengshe suddenly stammered.
Hmm?
Ou Yanling turned to look at him carefully, seeming to realize what was on his mind. "You're not worried about the slow-acting poison in your body, are you?"
"Don't be foolish. Do you think he'll give you the antidote later? Don't be naive!"
After going to all the trouble of subduing a Body Refining Realm martial artist, there was no way he'd give him an antidote. At most, he'd give him some medicine to suppress the poison.
Then Ou Yanling added, "Actually, as long as we learn how this medicine works, we can go to Guihua City, find a great physician, have them analyze the properties of the pills you took, and make a new antidote."
Ou Yanling stared closely at Xia Fengshe and said softly, "Xia Fengshe, don't tell me you swallowed all the poison last night without leaving any behind."
"Of course not." Xia Fengshe took a small cloth pouch from his chest and pulled out a paper packet.
He raised it in his hand. "I secretly saved a little. It's enough to verify what's in it."
At least he wasn't stupid.
"Then let's hurry. The sooner, the better. Once we get to Guihua City, we'll pay a great physician handsomely to analyze the medicine and make an antidote."
"If you stay here, forget about the antidote—you'll end up dead sooner or later."
After speaking, she secretly peered outside the door. It was quiet, and there wasn't a soul around.
She beckoned Xia Fengshe over, then quietly opened the courtyard gate and hurried outside, melting into the darkness.
"Damn it."
Xia Fengshe swore under his breath and slipped out after her.
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