The clamor of the Qingzhou Prefecture City selection had finally died down. With a second-place finish, Li Yifan had officially become a member of the Qingzhou Xuntian Guards, taking with him two Yellow Grade Upper techniques, the Nine Yang Burning Heaven Technique and the Scorching Sun Finger, as well as the Burning Wood Saber Technique at Great Accomplishment. However, his fierce battles with Lei Zhen and Zhao Song had left him gravely wounded, with injuries to his internal organs and meridians. He urgently needed time to recuperate.
He was assigned a secluded courtyard near Xuntian Guard headquarters, a quiet place well suited to healing and cultivation. Before going into seclusion, he received the Xuntian Guard regulations booklet. It explained the ranks and promotion system in detail, giving him a clearer understanding of the road ahead.
Xuntian Guard ranks (from lowest to highest):
Probationary Xuntian Guard: The lowest rank, usually held by Skin Refining or Body Refining martial artists. They handled basic duties such as patrols, keeping watch, and escorting prisoners while gaining experience. Requirement: Skin Refining or Body Refining.
Xuntian Guard: A full member and backbone of the organization, usually a Bone Forging or Tendon Refining martial artist. They could lead squads on missions and handle public-order cases and wanted criminals. Requirement: Bone Forging or above, plus accumulated merit.
Xuntian Envoy: An elite officer, usually a Blood Refining expert. They could serve as the core of a squad or carry out specialized missions. Requirement: Blood Refining, along with merit and an evaluation.
Hundred Household Commander: A mid-level officer who commanded a hundred men, usually a Meridian Opening expert. They were responsible for public order in a district or important missions, and had the authority to mobilize several squads. Requirement: Meridian Opening and outstanding merit.
Thousand Household Commander: A senior officer who commanded a thousand men, defended a region, or carried out major missions. They were usually experts of the Innate Realm. Requirement: Innate Realm and distinguished service.
Provincial Commander/Deputy Provincial Commander: The highest-ranking officials of the Xuntian Guards in a province, holding great power and authority. They were at least True Essence experts, or even stronger. Requirement: True Essence or above.
Promotion depended not only on strength, but also on merit, mission performance, and loyalty. Strength was the foundation; merit was the ladder.
"The top ten in this selection are directly granted the rank of Xuntian Guard. I'm at the Bone Forging Initial stage, and already a full Xuntian Guard. But I need to accumulate merit before I can gain real authority. First I'll be promoted to Xuntian Envoy, then I can aim for the rank of Hundred Household Commander." Li Yifan understood what mattered most right now: healing and growing stronger.
He declined visits from Zhao Song, Lei Zhen, and the others, and immediately went into seclusion to heal. Sitting cross-legged in the quiet chamber, he took a pill and circulated the Basic Breathing Technique. But the Yellow Grade technique was poor at healing, and his recovery was slow.
[His injuries are severe. The Basic Breathing Technique is inefficient at healing, and his recovery is slow.]
"I have to switch to the Nine Yang Burning Heaven Technique as soon as possible!" Li Yifan took out the jade slip containing the Nine Yang Burning Heaven Technique and immersed his mind in it. Information about the technique flooded his thoughts: Yellow Grade Upper, pure yang and unyielding, blazing and domineering! The Nine Yang True Qi it cultivated was deep and enduring, with immense explosive power, and it could repel evil. But cultivating it was like being burned alive, and it could easily damage the meridians.
Grinding his teeth, he began to dissipate his old power and convert it, drawing in yang energy. His body instantly felt like a furnace had been lit inside him. His organs seared with pain, and his meridians were pierced as if by needles! The process was agonizing.
[Beginning the switch to the Nine Yang Burning Heaven Technique. Dissipating and converting power is painful; drawing in yang energy scorches the meridians, and progress is slow.] [Skill: Nine Yang Burning Heaven Technique (Yellow Grade Upper) - Entry Level (0/2000).]
Relying on his iron will, he circulated the technique again and again. Seven days later, the temperature in the quiet chamber soared. A scarlet glow shone from Li Yifan's body, and at last, a wisp of pure, blazing, pale-gold energy took shape in his meridians—the first strand of Nine Yang True Qi!
[Successfully converted the first strand of Nine Yang True Qi! Nine Yang Burning Heaven Technique increased to: Entry Level (5/2000)!] [The pure-yang nature of Nine Yang True Qi suppresses and repairs cold-type injuries. His internal injuries are beginning to heal faster.]
His true qi had taken shape, and its quality far surpassed anything he had possessed before! Energized, Li Yifan continued to consolidate his cultivation and heal with Nine Yang True Qi. He also began cultivating the Scorching Sun Finger. Its nature matched his inner power, allowing him to progress rapidly.
[Skill: Scorching Sun Finger (Yellow Grade Upper) - Entry Level (0/1000). It harmonizes with Nine Yang True Qi, making cultivation twice as effective.] [Nourished by Nine Yang True Qi, his injuries are healing much faster.]
Half a month later, his internal injuries had healed, and his cultivation had stabilized at the peak of the Bone Forging Initial stage. The first layer of Nine Yang True Qi had begun to take shape, and his strength had increased greatly.
His official appointment arrived then: he was granted the full rank of Xuntian Guard and assigned to the Qingzhou Prefecture Xuntian Guard headquarters, under Battalion C, commanded by Commander Wang, who was at the Meridian Opening Initial stage. Battalion C was mainly responsible for patrolling the city and maintaining public order, handling disputes between martial artists and low-level wanted criminals. What surprised Li Yifan even more was that, thanks to his excellent result in the selection, he was given special permission to have two probationary Xuntian Guards as direct subordinates to help him with his duties.
Li Yifan changed into his black Xuntian Guard uniform, fastened the standard saber at his waist, and went to report to Battalion C. Commander Wang looked stern. After checking his papers, he said in a low voice, "Li Yifan, you ranked second among the new Xuntian Guards. The Deputy Provincial Commander thinks highly of this batch of recruits, so he's put the top three under my command. The rest of the new Xuntian Guards are led by Xuntian Envoys. Though you've just joined and been granted the full rank of Xuntian Guard, you still need to start with basic duties and build up your merit. Battalion C is responsible for public order in the eastern district. Xuntian Guards must act according to the law. If anyone resists, kill without mercy! These two are the probationary Xuntian Guards assigned to you. Lead them well."
"Understood!" Li Yifan acknowledged the order. He looked at the two young martial artists behind him. One was lean and spry, with lively eyes. His name was Chen Feng, and he was at the Body Refining Middle stage. The other seemed more composed. His name was Zhang Tie, and he was at the Body Refining Initial stage. Both looked at Li Yifan with awe and curiosity.
"Greetings, Lord Li!" Chen Feng and Zhang Tie saluted in unison.
Li Yifan nodded, understanding that these were his first direct subordinates and the beginning of the team he would build around himself. Strength was the foundation, merit was the stepping-stone, and leading his team well was just as important.
He was assigned to Zhang Meng's squad as acting deputy to learn the ropes. The squad leader, Zhang Meng, was a seasoned Xuntian Envoy at the Blood Refining Initial stage, an old hand with an easygoing personality. The squad members were Sun Xiao Yi, a quick-witted martial artist at the Skin Refining Perfection stage, and Zhou Tie, a quiet martial artist at the Body Refining Middle stage. Zhang Meng welcomed him warmly. "Brother Li, I've heard about you for ages! And you brought two rookies, too? Come on, I'll show you around the eastern district!"
Over the next few days, Li Yifan took Chen Feng and Zhang Tie on patrols through the eastern district with Zhang Meng's squad. The area was a den of dragons and snakes, crowded with shops and controlled by gangs. Zhang Meng had plenty of experience and explained the things they needed to watch out for. Li Yifan learned as he taught, showing Chen Feng and Zhang Tie how to observe, judge the situation, use the Investigation skill, and pick out details. He sensed that unseen eyes were watching the new faces.
[Investigation skill Proficiency +8. Familiar with the district, observant, and beginning to develop an awareness of how to lead a team.]
That day, they received a mission: martial artists were fighting and causing trouble at the Fortune Gambling Den in the eastern district, a Four Seas Gang establishment. The gang's leader, Liu Sihai, was a Meridian Opening expert, and the gang was a force to be reckoned with.
The squad hurried to the scene. The gambling den was a wreck, and two Body Refining martial artists were locked in a fierce brawl, their fists whipping through the air. The gambling den's enforcers didn't dare step in. Zhang Meng shouted, "Xuntian Guards! Stop!"
The brawlers ignored him. Seeing that he was losing, one of them pulled out a poisoned dagger and stabbed at his opponent's heart!
Zhang Meng was about to intervene, but Li Yifan moved faster! He launched into the Spirit Fox Steps and shot forward like lightning. His left hand's Scorching Sun Finger, glowing red, struck the dagger wielder's wrist, while his right palm, infused with the force of the Burning Wood Saber Technique, chopped toward the other man's fist!
"Clang!" "Thud!"
The dagger flew from its wielder's hand, and the man who had thrown the punch staggered back! Both were subdued in an instant! Chen Feng and Zhang Tie reacted quickly, rushing forward to help escort them away.
[Scorching Sun Finger Proficiency +10! Spirit Fox Steps Proficiency +5! Investigation Proficiency +5! Quick reactions under pressure and real combat sharpened his skills, and he began to establish his authority.]
Zhang Meng praised him. "Brother Li, impressive! Quick reaction, precise strikes!" Chen Feng and Zhang Tie looked at him with even greater admiration.
Li Yifan responded modestly. They handled the case according to the law, and the gambling den was made to pay compensation and put its affairs in order.
After this incident, Li Yifan had established himself in Battalion C and gained a clearer understanding of his own strength: with Nine Yang True Qi, a Great Accomplishment saber technique, and Minor Accomplishment finger and movement techniques, he was a formidable force within the Bone Forging Realm. He had also begun to earn the trust of his subordinates. But he knew this was only the beginning. The Xuntian Guards were full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, and the waters of Qingzhou Prefecture were deeper than the sea. He needed to grow stronger quickly and accumulate merit, first rising to Xuntian Envoy and then aiming for the higher rank of Hundred Household Commander, all while building a reliable team.
Night fell. Li Yifan returned to his small courtyard and continued his arduous cultivation. Nine Yang True Qi flowed like a blazing stream, rushing on without end. The road ahead was long, and only strength, merit, and reliable companions could help him climb step by step through this vast, turbulent world, until he stood above all others.
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