The Flood Dragon and Python Show Their Horns

When Zhao Hu arrived at the scene with his panting group of constables, the sight before them left them utterly stunned.

On the dim forest clearing, a burly Monster Wolf lay in a pool of blood, already dead. And Li Yifan—this ordinarily unremarkable junior constable—stood quietly beside the corpse. Though his clothes were torn and mud-stained, with a few scrapes on his face, his posture was straight, his gaze calm, exuding a composed bearing they had never seen in him before. Especially his eyes—under the fading daylight, they gleamed with an unsettling brightness.

The thick smell of blood in the air and the lingering ferocious aura of the Monster Wolf made several inexperienced young constables pale, instinctively stepping back half a step.

Zhao Hu's heart also jolted violently. Given the beast's size and claws, this Monster Wolf was at least a First Order Mid Stage Monster Beast, with strength comparable to a human Bone Refining Realm expert! He knew that facing it himself would take considerable effort, and he might even get injured. This Li Yifan... only at Skin Refining Initial Stage—how did he manage it? Had he gotten lucky, and the Monster Wolf was already badly wounded?

"Li Yifan!" Zhao Hu suppressed his shock and suspicion, putting on a stern face as he barked, "What happened? Where's the monster? Where's Butcher Zhang's wife?"

Li Yifan pointed to a bush not far behind the Monster Wolf's corpse, his voice carrying a perfectly measured note of exhaustion and hoarseness: "Head Zhao, the monster has been slain. Madam Zhang... is behind there, frightened, but her life is not in danger."

A constable hurried over and, sure enough, helped Madam Zhang out from behind the bush. She was terrified out of her wits, her clothes torn, but seemingly unharmed.

Zhao Hu walked over to the Monster Wolf's corpse, crouched down, and examined it carefully. When he saw the shallow saber wound on the beast's lower back and the bloodied hole on its left hind leg—at an old injury site, so deep it reached the bone and had nearly pulverized the muscle and sinew—the corner of his eye twitched involuntarily.

The saber wound was nothing to fear, but that finger hole... it was clearly made by someone with immense finger strength, precisely driven into the old injury to strike the vital spot! What sharp eyesight and explosive power did that require? This was definitely not something an ordinary Skin Refining cultivator could do!

He jerked his head up, staring at Li Yifan with a look of shock and uncertainty: "Did... did you kill it?"

Li Yifan bowed slightly, his tone humble but brooking no doubt: "By luck. This beast had an old wound on its left flank. When it pounced, it exposed a flaw. Your subordinate fought with all his might and barely managed to slay it." He showed his right index and middle fingers, still stained with blood, the tips even a bit swollen and skinned, adding credibility to his words.

[Skill: Basic Tracking Technique Proficiency +1... Minor Accomplishment-level Tracking Technique sharpens your observation of traces and lies. You detect wariness in Zhao Hu's eyes.]

Luck? Fighting with all his might? Zhao Hu sneered inwardly, but looking at Li Yifan's calm, unruffled gaze and the faintly stronger aura emanating from him compared to before, he swallowed the doubts on his tongue. Regardless of the process, the result was that Li Yifan had single-handedly killed a Monster Beast comparable to a First Order Skin Refining Mid Stage cultivator and rescued the hostage. This merit, under everyone's eyes, he couldn't erase.

"Good! Good lad!" Zhao Hu forced a somewhat stiff smile onto his face and patted Li Yifan on the shoulder. "I didn't know you were hiding your skills! You've done a great service this time. When we get back, I'll definitely put in a good word for you with Prefect Wang! Brothers, clean up the scene, carry the Monster Wolf corpse, and return to the city!"

On the way back, the atmosphere was subtly tense. The other constables' glances at Li Yifan had lost their usual disdain, replaced by a mix of awe and curiosity. In the world of martial arts, strength reigned supreme. With this Monster Wolf's corpse, Li Yifan had initially earned their respect.

Li Yifan silently followed the group, circulating the Basic Breathing Technique, which had already reached the "Minor Accomplishment" realm. He felt strands of heaven and earth's vital energy merging into his body, slowly but steadily tempering his skin and repairing minor damage. On the Panel, Proficiency was still increasing at an extremely slow pace.

He was clear-headed. Zhao Hu's current "appreciation" was nothing but a performance after weighing the pros and cons. The potential he had shown had likely already stirred his superior's wariness. The days ahead wouldn't be peaceful.

But he wasn't afraid. With the Proficiency Panel, his growth rate would surpass everyone's imagination. Zhao Hu? Just a whetstone.

By the time they returned to Black Mountain City's County Government, night had fallen.

The Monster Wolf corpse was carried to the square in front of the government office, drawing countless onlookers and gasps of amazement. Single-handedly killing a monster that had abducted someone and rescuing a citizen—this was no small feat. Prefect Wang, upon hearing the news, even held a rare court session to handle the matter.

In the main hall, lanterns blazed brightly. Prefect Wang sat on the dais, a middle-aged man with a pale complexion and a hint of indulgence in wine and women. Zhao Hu embellished the story of what had happened, naturally omitting the detail of sending Li Yifan ahead to scout to his death, and instead emphasizing how he had commanded with composure and how Li Yifan had "bravely slain the monster."

Prefect Wang listened, his bleary eyes sizing up Li Yifan standing below, then nodded slightly: "Mm, not bad. Li Yifan, your courage is commendable. You've rid the people of a scourge and brought honor to our office. Reward: twenty taels of silver, one merit record. Serve well in the future, and don't let Captain Zhao's guidance go to waste."

Twenty taels of silver was a fortune to the original owner, but to Li Yifan now, it was just a bit of resources. What he valued more was the "one merit record," which would affect future promotions and opportunities to obtain better techniques.

"Thank you for the reward, Your Honor! Thank you for the guidance, Head Zhao!" Li Yifan clasped his fists and bowed, playing his part thoroughly.

Prefect Wang waved his hand, signaling everyone to withdraw, clearly not very invested in such "trivial matters."

After the court was dismissed, Zhao Hu called Li Yifan aside, shoved the twenty taels of silver into his hand, and said with a forced smile: "Yifan, you've really brought face to the constable's office this time. Keep up the good work. There'll be plenty of chances ahead." His words carried an obvious probing intent.

Li Yifan took the silver, his face showing just the right amount of "gratitude" and "simple honesty": "It's all thanks to Head Zhao's daily guidance that your subordinate was lucky enough to survive. From now on, I will follow Head Zhao's lead in everything."

Zhao Hu stared at him for a few seconds, as if trying to find a flaw in his expression, but finally just laughed heartily: "Well said, well said! Go on, you've worked hard today. Get some good rest."

Watching Li Yifan's retreating figure, Zhao Hu's smile gradually faded, turning dark and grim. He sensed that this junior constable, whom he could once push around at will, seemed to be slipping out of his control. He had to find a way to suppress him, or... find an opportunity to eliminate this potential threat entirely.

Li Yifan didn't return to that shabby, cramped duty room. Instead, using the silver he had just received, he rented a clean little courtyard in a relatively quiet part of the city. He needed private space for cultivation and a safe place to stay.

Closing the courtyard gate, he shut out the noise of the outside world. Sitting cross-legged on the simple bed, he first checked his gains.

[Name: Li Yifan]

[Realm: Body Tempering Refining (Mid Stage)]

[Technique: None]

[Skills: Basic Breathing Technique (Minor Accomplishment: 35/500), Five Tiger Severing Gate Saber (Minor Accomplishment: 28/500), Basic Tracking Technique (Minor Accomplishment: 15/500)]

[Status: Light Injury (Rapidly Recovering)]

A life-and-death battle had not only broken through his realm but also pushed all three skills straight to Minor Accomplishment, far more efficient than daily hard training. It seemed that real combat and pressure were the best catalysts for raising Proficiency.

Out of the twenty taels of silver, he kept five for daily expenses. The remaining fifteen, he planned to exchange for cultivation resources tomorrow. The top priority was to improve his strength as quickly as possible.

He picked up the thin, yellowed Basic Breathing Technique and studied it again carefully. Before, he had only achieved entry-level understanding, with many parts grasped superficially. Now, at Minor Accomplishment, reading the technique again brought many new insights. The rhythm of breathing, the subtle pathways for guiding vital energy—all seemed to contain deeper principles.

[You deeply study the Basic Breathing Technique, combining insights from the Minor Accomplishment realm. You gain inspiration. Proficiency +5.]

Indeed! It wasn't just practice—thinking and contemplation could also increase Proficiency! This Panel's power was beyond imagination!

He cast aside distracting thoughts and began circulating the Basic Breathing Technique according to his new understanding. The Minor Accomplishment-level Breathing Technique was far more efficient than the entry-level version. The speed of absorbing vital energy had nearly doubled, and its effect on tempering the body was much stronger. Strands of vital energy merged into his skin, like countless tiny warm currents flowing beneath the surface, tingling and numbing, yet bringing a solid sense of reinforcement.

Time slipped away unnoticed as he cultivated. It wasn't until the sky outside the window began to pale that Li Yifan slowly stopped his practice. Having stayed up all night, he felt not the slightest fatigue but instead was full of energy. The minor injuries on his body had healed completely, and his skin seemed to faintly shimmer with a very subtle luster.

[Skill: Basic Breathing Technique Proficiency +10]

[Realm: Body Tempering Refining (Mid Stage: 15/100)]

At this rate, with enough resources and time, the path through Skin Refining would be smooth sailing!

Early the next morning, Li Yifan went to Black Mountain City's only "Hundred Herbs Hall." With ten taels of silver, he bought three sets of the most basic "Body Tempering Powder" ingredients. This powder was the most common auxiliary medicine for the Skin Refining realm, accelerating vital energy absorption and skin tempering. With the remaining five taels, he bought some dried rations and jerky that could be stored for a long time.

Back in his courtyard, he immediately brewed one set of Body Tempering Powder. The black, murky liquid gave off a pungent smell. Holding his breath, he downed it in one gulp. As the medicinal power spread, it exploded like a hot current inside his body, resonating with the vital energy guided by the Basic Breathing Technique. The tempering effect instantly skyrocketed!

[Using 'Body Tempering Powder', cultivation efficiency increased. Basic Breathing Technique Proficiency +15. Realm Experience +5.]

"Good stuff!" Li Yifan's heart leaped. The importance of resources was starkly clear. Without them, relying solely on bitter cultivation, progress would ultimately be limited. From now on, he had to find ways to earn more silver and trade for cultivation resources.

Over the next few days, Li Yifan's life fell into a rigid routine. By day, he reported on time, handled trivial official matters, or patrolled the city with Zhao Hu. He deliberately kept a low profile, obeying Zhao Hu's every arrangement, as if he had reverted to the silent, taciturn young constable. Yet while patrolling or handling tasks, he consciously applied Basic Tracking Technique to observe details and sharpen his eyesight; in idle moments, he silently rehearsed the stance changes of Five Tiger Severing Gate Saber in his mind.

[Skill: Basic Tracking Technique Proficiency +1... +1...]

[Skill: Five Tiger Severing Gate Saber Proficiency +1... (Mental rehearsal efficiency low)]

At night, cultivation was an unshakable ritual. One dose of Body Tempering Powder, paired with his Minor Accomplishment Basic Breathing Technique, steadily pushed his cultivation forward.

Five days later.

[Realm: Body Tempering · Skin Refining (Late Stage)!]

A surge of power, stronger than before, flooded his body. The toughness of his skin had clearly increased; an ordinary wooden club striking it would likely leave only a white mark. He felt that if he faced that Monster Wolf again now, he would no longer be as pathetic as before.

Yet, the tree craves stillness, but the wind will not cease.

That day, Zhao Hu called Li Yifan and two other constables before him, his face grim. "Shopkeeper Liu from the south city warehouse reported that a batch of medicinal herbs worth several hundred taels was stolen last night. The watchman was knocked out, and no obvious traces were left at the scene. Yifan, you did well tracking that Monster Wolf last time. This time, take Xiao Wang and Xiao Zhang to investigate. Solve the case quickly and recover the losses!"

Li Yifan's mind stirred. A theft of medicinal herbs worth several hundred taels was no small matter. Zhao Hu handing him this case seemed like "valuing" him, but in truth, it was likely ill-intentioned. Fail to solve it, and he'd face punishment; solve it, and he'd offend whoever was behind it, inviting no small trouble. Moreover, assigning him the two most junior constables was clearly meant to make a fool of him.

"Understood, sir." Li Yifan accepted without changing expression. Crisis—danger and opportunity intertwined. This was precisely the time to test his recent learning and accumulate capital.

Leading the two young constables, Li Yifan arrived at the south city warehouse. Shopkeeper Liu was frantic as an ant on a hot pan. Seeing the officials, he hurried over, his face mournful as he recounted the loss.

Li Yifan did not rush to question him. Instead, he first had his two subordinates calm Shopkeeper Liu and question the clerk for details, while he activated Basic Tracking Technique (Minor Accomplishment) and carefully examined the scene.

The lock on the warehouse door was intact, indicating the thief hadn't forced entry. The window showed faint pry marks—a seasoned hand at work. The floor had been cleaned, but under his Minor Accomplishment tracking technique, he still spotted a nearly imperceptible mud print with a peculiar fishy smell in a corner, along with a few gray-black animal hairs.

Not human footprints? Li Yifan crouched, dabbed a bit of mud with his finger, sniffed it, and studied the hairs closely.

[Skill: Basic Tracking Technique Proficiency +3... From the fishy smell of the mud and the hair's form, you deduce this may be related to a rodent-type Monster Beast skilled at burrowing and fond of eating medicinal herbs.]

A rodent Monster Beast stealing herbs? A term flashed through Li Yifan's mind—Medicine-Seeking Rat! This was a low-grade Monster Beast with a keen sense of smell, especially fond of spiritual herbs and medicines. It was often tamed by thieves for finding and stealing valuable herbs.

That explained the intact doors and windows and the sparse traces! The thief had used the Medicine-Seeking Rat to sneak in through underground passages or vents—an inside job!

He immediately focused his inspection on the floor near the walls and corners inside the warehouse. Finally, in a cluttered corner, he found a slightly loose brick. Prying it up revealed a narrow hole beneath, just large enough for a rat to pass through. The edges still bore the same fishy mud and rat hairs!

"The thief used a tamed Monster Beast to commit the crime!" Li Yifan stood and said to his two subordinates, "Immediately check who in Black Mountain City is skilled in beast taming, especially rats! Who has recently sold large quantities of herbs, or who is desperately short of money?"

With a clear direction, the investigation quickly gained momentum. Soon, clues pointed to a village outside the city, known for taming hunting dogs and a few low-grade Monster Beasts, and to a local thug named Hou San. This man had some cultivation but was a gambler, recently deep in debt—yet suddenly flush with cash.

Li Yifan acted decisively, leading the two constables straight to the village. Guided by Basic Tracking Technique, they soon found Hou San in a hidden cave behind the village, feeding herbs to a fat, gray rat. Caught red-handed!

Seeing his exposure, Hou San's vicious nature surfaced. He drew a dagger and lunged. He was also at Skin Refining mid-stage, no slouch in skill.

But Li Yifan was now Skin Refining late-stage! His Five Tiger Severing Gate Saber had reached Minor Accomplishment!

Facing Hou San's charge, Li Yifan neither dodged nor evaded. A single, brutally simple "Fierce Tiger Splits Mountain" struck first, arriving before the attack! A flash of saber light, carrying a fierce momentum!

"Clang!"

Hou San's dagger was sent flying, his tiger's-mouth split open! The immense force from the blade sent him staggering backward, his face full of shock!

Li Yifan stepped forward and slammed the flat of his blade against Hou San's neck, knocking him unconscious. The entire process was clean and crisp—no more than three moves.

[Skill: Five Tiger Severing Gate Saber Proficiency +10... Practical application deepens saber insight.]

[You have successfully solved the theft case. Your understanding of Basic Tracking Technique and investigative procedures has improved. Skill 'Detection' unlocked. Current level: Beginner (1/100).]

A new skill unlocked! Li Yifan's heart leaped. This Panel was indeed closely tied to his experiences.

He escorted Hou San back to the County Government with the stolen goods and the Medicine-Seeking Rat to report. With both the culprit and evidence in hand, Hou San confessed to all his crimes without resistance.

Word spread, shaking the yamen once more. In just a few days—first killing a Monster Wolf, then cracking a theft case—Li Yifan's abilities had exceeded everyone's expectations. Prefect Wang rewarded him with another thirty taels of silver and publicly praised him.

But this time, Zhao Hu could barely keep the smile on his face. He watched Li Yifan, calm and steady as a mountain before the hall, and the wariness and murderous intent in his heart could no longer be hidden.

He knew that the pond of Black Mountain City was too small to hold this python that was about to transform into a flood dragon. Either strangle it before it truly rose... or watch helplessly as it soared, even turning back to devour him.

In the night, Zhao Hu's gaze turned profoundly cold and dark.

Back in his small courtyard, Li Yifan counted the reward silver in hand once more, felt the growing power within his body, and watched the Proficiency numbers on his Panel jump. He was already prepared for the coming storm.