Reunion with the Vice Hall Master

Inner city.

Second hall of the government office.

Two figures sat facing each other. One wore military attire, his face weathered, carrying an imposing aura of authority without needing to show anger. The other was armored and cloaked, his brow sharp with a fierce edge.

"Those beasts are truly slippery."

"They even understand the principle of divide and conquer. When things turned unfavorable, they scattered and fled into Songshan. If there's no one pulling the strings behind this, that's simply impossible. But as for who's behind it all, I still have no leads..."

"I've received word that the Wei Army outside the pass has already moved south."

In response to Fu Hanchuan's words.

The man spoke calmly, saying, "If they want to enter the pass, they must come through Songshan into Ning'an Prefecture, then drive straight in, reaching the heart of Great Zhou. So, the one behind the demon siege is obvious."

"But This Seat is not worried about those three demons."

"In truth..."

"The reason I stopped investigating last night was that I sensed a threat. Within Songshan, there is still a great demon hidden—or perhaps a person?"

"What?!"

Fu Hanchuan's pupils contracted slightly.

The man was about to nod, but suddenly his gaze sharpened, and he shot to his feet.

"Hmph!"

A cold snort carrying terrifying force.

Exploded through the hall in an instant.

Qin Mansion.

Reception hall.

Qin Jiu's face was slightly pale. After opening his eyes, he couldn't help but let out a long breath.

"Such powerful perception."

"To sense something even like this."

"This Ghost Illumination talent isn't as all-powerful as I imagined. If the gap in cultivation is too large, it's easy to be detected."

He poured out a Rejuvenation Pill and tossed it into his mouth.

While recovering from the mental strain, he pondered the words he had overheard earlier.

Though the other party had sensed something.

Under the Ghost Illumination talent, Qin Jiu hadn't detected any malice from those two toward himself or the Qin Family.

That was not a bad sign.

"But a demon siege, and it involves the Wei Army too..."

Qin Jiu's brow furrowed tightly.

That was the remnant force of the previous dynasty of Great Zhou.

Great Zhou had been founded over sixteen hundred years ago. Since the first emperor, they had been hunting down those remnants. Yet a centipede dies but never stiffens—no matter how many times they were wiped out, after a while, they would always rise again.

Now that Great Zhou's national strength was waning.

Those people clearly weren't about to let this opportunity slip.

"What will the government do?"

His expression shifted between uncertainty and gloom.

As he pondered.

Wang Yue had already returned.

"Young Master, I've drawn eight thousand taels in silver notes from the accounts office, but the personnel to be pulled from the mansion still need your arrangement."

"Personnel, huh..."

Qin Jiu pulled his thoughts back.

After a moment of deliberation, he said, "Let the non-family guards go first."

"Oh, and."

"Ask the branch family members, explain the pros and cons clearly. If anyone is willing, let them go along too."

He couldn't trust Feng Yuan's words.

No matter how great the benefits, one had to survive first to enjoy them.

And when facing demons.

Who could claim with certainty that they would come out unscathed?

Qin Jiu had no intention of rashly sending members of the Qin Family into the Demon Suppression Bureau.

"There's more."

"How much ready silver does the estate currently have in total?"

At the last moment.

Qin Jiu called Wang Yue back again.

The Wei Army was advancing south, and they would inevitably have to pass through Songshan territory to enter the pass. If the demonic affairs were indeed connected to the Wei Army, he had to prepare in advance—whether by moving the entire family out of Songshan County or through that vice hall master.

Either way, it was better to stay far from the vortex.

At least until he had the strength to face it head-on.

Qin Jiu had no intention of holding his ground in the county town.

"To answer the young master."

Wang Yue pondered and said, "Speaking only of ready silver, the estate, including gold, should still have around one hundred fifty thousand taels. If we count the spirit beasts in the Hundred Beasts Garden, as well as the weapons, materials, precious medicines, and pills in the storeroom, it's roughly two hundred thousand taels."

"Two hundred thousand taels..."

Qin Jiu nodded slightly.

This was all the foundation Qin Guihong had accumulated.

Though it didn't seem like much, this sum was what remained after the Qin Mansion's annual expenses. In fact, it far exceeded the Qian Family's physical asset-based wealth, since the spirit beasts were self-bred, and combined with a few taverns in the city, it could almost be called exorbitant profit.

"Uncle Wang, go instruct the accounting office."

"From now on, for all Qin Family martial artists, double the monthly pill allotment. Furthermore, from today onward, any Qin Family disciple who breaks through to the First Refining shall be rewarded with twenty taels of silver; those who reach the Second Refining, one hundred taels; those who reach the Third Refining, one thousand taels; and those who break through to Internal Strengthening shall receive a rank-entry weapon."

"Our Qin Family needs to prepare as soon as possible."

After sending Wang Yue off.

Qin Jiu returned to the East Wing.

He now needed to focus on improving himself and didn't want to waste time on trivial matters.

"After three breakthroughs, I need to guide my qi and blood to forge the bones."

"Until internal force is born..."

"That will be when I step into the Second Refining."

In the courtyard.

Qin Jiu slowly pushed through the blade stance.

Without Wang Yue's blade momentum to bolster it, this stance practice progressed slowly, but it could still advance steadily, so he didn't switch to the Dragon-Tiger Health-Nurturing Stake.

Thus passed over half an hour.

After Wang Yue returned.

Qin Jiu had him continue driving his blade momentum to temper his own physique.

"Young master, qi and blood are not only the foundation of martial arts but also the essence of the human body. Thus, at the start of martial training, one must refine qi and blood to temper the skin and membrane. Each breakthrough is a manifestation of qi and blood condensation. Only after three breakthroughs, when Skin Polishing is complete, can one seal the essence and achieve a leakless state."

Suddenly.

Wang Yue spoke inexplicably: "At this point, a martial artist who has completed Skin Polishing must use breathing techniques to guide qi and blood, constructing a qi and blood circulation within the body, thereby tempering the limbs and bones to reach the Second Refining realm of Bone Forging and force generation."

"Qi and blood circulation?"

Qin Jiu had just finished a round of stance practice.

He was startled at first.

Then immediately understood.

"He's figured out I've made three breakthroughs?"

He looked at Wang Yue with suspicion.

The latter now had his eyes fixed on his nose and his nose on his heart. After saying just those two lines, he wore an expression of being lost in thought.

Qin Jiu felt his guess was likely correct.

Wang Yue was not only an Internal Strengthening martial artist; he had lived a long life and was sharp as a tack. It would be stranger if he hadn't noticed up close.

Sure enough.

When he ate lunch.

Wang Yue fetched a thick manual from outside and placed it on the stone table in the pavilion, saying, "This is the martial arts secret manual of the Tyrant Blade. Young master can browse it during rest. It also records the circulation route for constructing qi and blood flow."

"I understand."

Qin Jiu nodded slightly.

He didn't volunteer the fact that he had made three breakthroughs.

He finished the spirit beast meat on the table.

He then picked up the secret manual and studied it for half an hour, before once again leaving the pavilion to practice his stance training.

It continued until nightfall.

Only then did he end his training session.

"Uncle Wang, prepare a carriage. Later, you'll accompany me to the Four Seasons Pharmacy."

"You wish to go to the Four Seasons Pharmacy?"

"Indeed."

Wiping the sweat from his face, Qin Jiu nodded. "With demons and monsters besieging the city, the people inside and outside the walls are panicked. What Li Yuan said that day has stuck with me."

"Tonight, I will meet this man again."