Internal Energy Transforms into Qi

Baili Ce grasped the martial arts realm of the newcomer in a mere instant.

He could not help but laugh in extreme anger; although there was another Internal Strengthening expert behind him harboring terrifying killing intent, the fact that a mere Three Refinements martial artist dared to launch a frontal assault meant the man truly did not hold him in any regard.

Yet, his expression changed quickly.

The man's blade technique had only reached the threshold of proficiency and had not yet attained perfection, but the blade light descending was as heavy and powerful as a thousand-pound hammer smashing down.

In just a split second.

It made his muscles and bones go numb.

Furthermore, the internal energy transmitted from the blade was incomparably cold, causing his own thick internal energy to nearly congeal and making it extremely sluggish to circulate.

"This is... Secret Power?!"

"You are but a Three Refinements martial artist, not yet having entered Internal Strengthening; without a sect's inheritance, how could you possibly manifest such Secret Power?"

Baili Ce seemed to think of something.

His expression turned horrified.

He immediately surged his internal energy, attempting to break free from the coverage of the blade light.

"A mere Three Refinements, not only able to clash head-on with this old man, but your internal energy also carries such extreme, icy Secret Power—you are definitely not from Songshan County... The Mystic Firmament Sect? Could you be from the Mystic Firmament Sect?"

He thought of a possibility.

He hurriedly added, "Fellow Daoists, I am a deacon of the Divine Fist Sect. I have come to Songshan County to select disciples for my sect. If there has been any offense given to your noble sect, I hope..."

"Hum."

At this moment.

The powerful gale generated by the clash suddenly tore away the black cloth on Qin Jiu's face.

Baili Ce was instantly stunned.

"You, you..."

"Internal Strengthening, you are truly powerful to have taken several of my moves head-on without harm."

Qin Jiu exhaled a breath of turbid air.

Then, he no longer held back his blood, energy, and strength.

Blade shadows intertwined.

In an instant, the room was filled with streaks of blade light and afterimages.

As for Baili Ce opposite him, he had been incredibly shocked upon seeing the face of his opponent, his speech even stuttering, but upon hearing that last sentence, his face instantly turned livid.

What did he mean by "truly powerful"?

Taking several moves head-on without harm?

Baili Ce felt as if he had swallowed a dead child; his heart felt stifled. He was no ordinary Internal Strengthening expert; his inheritance came from a major sect in Ning'an Prefecture, and he rarely met an equal among his peers, let alone in a remote county.

The Internal Strengthening experts here.

He was confident he could kill them without effort.

Yet, to hear such a statement now, and from the mouth of a Three Refinements martial artist, was simply too insulting.

But Baili Ce had to admit.

The terrifying strength of this young man before him was even half a notch above the direct disciples of the Divine Fist Sect.

The blade light alone, carrying terrifying, monstrous strength.

Left him exhausted just trying to cope.

Not to mention that insidious internal energy that moved like silk.

"A small county in a remote land, to think it could produce such a hidden dragon. Ruan Chen has misled me."

Baili Ce sighed inwardly.

Then, he spoke aloud, "Young Friend Qin, this is perhaps a misunderstanding. A martial arts prodigy like you is rare even within my Divine Fist Sect. Why don't we lay down our weapons and have you accompany this old man to the Divine Fist Sect?"

"This old man guarantees that once you enter the sect..."

"You will at least be an inner sect true disciple."

"At a time like this, are you joking?"

Qin Jiu's brows were etched with a chilling indifference.

The long blade in his hand did not pause.

Instead, it became increasingly violent.

His ceaseless internal energy, supported by Withered Wood Meets Spring, was pushed to its absolute limit, and the cold light stirred up by the blade shadows nearly materialized into substance.

"Boom!"

Suddenly.

The four wooden walls could not withstand the fierce gale of force.

The roof was torn apart in a thunderous explosion.

Wood splinters sprayed outward, and dust filled the air.

In an instant.

A flash of blade-light whipped up a spray of blood.

A fine head soared straight into the sky.

"Thud."

As the headless corpse collapsed.

Qin Jiu stood tall with his blade sheathed, his eyes slightly closed as he activated his Ghost Illumination talent.

"There are still a few pairs of eyes watching this place."

"The two of you need not stand guard anymore."

"Go and deal with them first."

The words fell flatly.

The two men who had previously blocked Baili Ce's retreat shot outward simultaneously, and within a few breaths, screams echoed from the distance.

Qin Jiu's gaze was dark, his face devoid of expression.

Tonight's events.

No one must know it was the work of the Qin Family.

Otherwise, the price would be more than he could bear.

Since these people chose to stay and watch, even if they hadn't seen his face, he had to be thorough just in case.

After all, there are always all sorts of accidents in this world.

And Qin Jiu.

Did not like such accidents.

Confirming there were no omissions.

He then stepped forward to search Baili Ce's corpse.

Ruan Chen previously said that the reason they could avoid the Demon was due to medicine distributed by the Divine Fist Sect. It is a pity I did not find any special medicine on those two men; I hope to have better luck with Baili Ce.

Qin Jiu pondered as he searched.

If he could find that medicine.

The Qin Family could leave Songshan County sooner, and as for retreating past the pass, it would be fine to figure out a plan once they reached Ning'an Prefecture.

A moment later.

He gathered the items from Baili Ce's body.

Then he hurried away from the inn.

After all, nearly a quarter of an hour had passed from the start of the battle to its end; continuing to delay might lead to complications.

Qin Mansion, East Wing.

Not long after Qin Jiu returned.

Wang Yue and Qin Xuanzhou also returned in quick succession.

"Patriarch, I have secretly had men retrieve all the gold and silver from the Han Family's secret vault. Would you like to go and count it yourself?"

"You go and count it."

Qin Jiu waved his hand, then added, "Have the bodies been disposed of?"

"They have been handled."

Qin Xuanzhou nodded.

He then bowed with a look of reverence before leaving the East Wing.

After he left.

Wang Yue finally spoke, his voice far from calm, "Young Master, your current strength is truly enough to stand on your own."

"It is still too early for that."

Qin Jiu shook his head slightly.

He did not wish to discuss this topic.

In truth.

During the fight with Baili Ce, he had been exerting his full power to activate Withered Wood Meets Spring for the majority of the time; otherwise, his meridians would have been shattered long ago.

Therefore, as for his strength.

It cannot be considered truly at the Internal Strengthening level.

"Right."

"Earlier, that Baili Ce mentioned the Mystic Firmament Sect; do you know anything about it? Furthermore, what is this so-called Internal Force Secret Power all about?"

"The Mystic Firmament Sect..."

Wang Yue pondered and said, "This old servant does not know much about it."

"I only know that the Mystic Firmament Sect is one of the two major sects in Ning'an Prefecture, and its strength should be on par with the Divine Fist Sect. Years ago, the Master had also considered going to Ning'an Prefecture to join one of these two great sects, but due to various matters, it never came to pass."

"As for the Internal Force Secret Power you mentioned."

"That must be explained starting from the Internal Strengthening realm. The so-called Internal Strengthening is to use internal force to nourish the internal organs, achieving the goal of strengthening one's own body from within."

"In this realm, if one obtains the support of a secret technique, one can cultivate the Five Elements Secret Power within the five viscera. This secret power concerns the foundation of the future 'Internal Force Transforming into Qi.' Without this secret power, it means one's martial path can only stop at the Internal Strengthening realm. As for the secret techniques, this old servant cannot explain them clearly; after all, in this county town, the only person truly above the Internal Strengthening realm is the County Magistrate."