Great Sun Molten-Gold Visualization Diagram

Pushing open the door, Xu Jin was met by the faint fragrance of ink and medicinal herbs.

The entire wall of the first floor was lined with bookshelves, densely packed with basic body-tempering manuals. From the simplest Iron Body Formula to the respectable Eighteen Qi-Congealing Forms, they were all standard entry-level techniques for newcomers. Their grades were not high, but they were reliable.

Xu Jin lost interest after a quick glance.

Even with resources, cultivating these commonplace manuals would take three to five years to reach the threshold of the Intent Comprehension Realm. That was far too slow for him.

"I knew you wouldn't think much of these." Su Mo smiled and led him toward the second floor. "Basic manuals are enough to lay foundations for ordinary newcomers, but for a promising seed like you who has inherited a legacy, they'd be nothing but a waste of time."

The second floor held less than half as many books, but their grades were clearly much higher. Quite a few were astral-energy techniques usable only in the Intent Comprehension Realm.

Su Mo walked to the wooden cabinet at the very back, took out a key and opened it. He retrieved a yellowed ancient scroll and handed it to Xu Jin.

"Great Sun Molten-Gold Visualization Diagram, passed down from ancient times. It specifically counters all under heaven's foul yin creatures and demons." Su Mo slowly stroked the teapot as he spoke. "It was originally the crown jewel of the Technique Pavilion's second floor. Anyone else would need to save contribution points for half a year to exchange for it. Take it and cultivate it—it happens to pair well with your Flying Sword Art."

Xu Jin unfurled the ancient scroll. It depicted a crimson-gold great sun, its patterns intricate and complex. After only two glances, he felt the blood and qi within his body faintly heating up, resonating with the pure yang energy of Swallow the Sun, Refine the Form.

Joy rose in his heart.

This had practically been tailor-made for him.

Swallow the Sun, Refine the Form already absorbed sunlight to temper the body. With this visualization diagram, his cultivation speed could at least double again.

"Elder Su, this is far too valuable." Xu Jin looked up. "How many contribution points is it? Deduct them from my future missions."

"Deduct what?" Su Mo waved a hand, casually tore off the contribution-point tag attached to the scroll, and tossed it aside. "This old man has a good eye for people. Your future achievements won't stop here, kid. Consider it an investment I'm making in advance. Remember—cultivate with body-tempering liquid and blood-and-qi nourishing pills, and lay your foundation solid in one go."

He paused, then added, "Don't tell anyone. Otherwise, those old fogeys will accuse me of favoritism."

Warmth filled Xu Jin's heart. He cupped his hands solemnly. "Thank you for your support, Elder Su. I'll remember this kindness."

"Enough with that hollow stuff." Su Mo laughed and scolded him. "Cultivate well. Breaking into Intent Comprehension sooner is worth more than anything."

After leaving the Technique Pavilion, Xu Jin headed straight for the independent small courtyard on the western side.

The courtyard was not large, with one main room and one side room. Its walls stood high, and it was wonderfully quiet—perfect for secluded cultivation.

He poured the five portions of body-tempering liquid into the bath barrel one after another and dissolved them in warm water. He immersed himself, swallowed a blood-and-qi nourishing pill, sat cross-legged, and placed the Great Sun Molten-Gold Visualization Diagram before him.

At a thought, Swallow the Sun, Refine the Form began circulating on its own. At the same time, the crimson-gold great sun from the visualization diagram slowly rose within his mind.

Pure yang energy bored into him through every pore. The medicinal power of the liquid seeped into his sinews and bones, while the pill's potency dissolved in his abdomen. The three forces twisted into one and wildly scoured his limbs and bones.

His blood and qi continued to condense, gradually changing from a surging torrent into something heavy and viscous, flowing through his veins like mercury.

Sixth level of Body Tempering... seventh... eighth...

His cultivation rose as though it had been strapped to a rocket.

For an ordinary cultivator, advancing from the fifth level of Body Tempering to the ninth would be unthinkable without a year or more, even with resources in abundant supply.

But Xu Jin had Swallow the Sun, Refine the Form as his foundation, a high-grade visualization diagram empowering him, and top-tier medicinal liquid and pills to support him. The barriers between realms were like paper mache—pierced with a single poke.

It took only three days and three nights.

The medicinal liquid in the bath barrel had completely turned into clear water, its medicinal power absorbed down to the last trace.

Xu Jin opened his eyes. A faint golden flame flashed through their depths before vanishing.

The Intent Comprehension Realm—achieved.

With a casual gesture, the lead pellet flew out from beneath his tongue. The inch-long little sword hovered above his palm, its blade wrapped in a faint crimson-gold aura that radiated scorching heat.

Its sword aura had previously been nothing but sharp. Now, it possessed the burning attribute of yang fire.

"Molten-Gold Sword Aura..." Xu Jin flicked a finger. The white streak shot out with a whoosh, leaving a charred sword mark on the courtyard wall, sparks still dancing along its edges.

Against foul yin creatures, its killing power would at least double.

He nodded in satisfaction and recalled the flying sword.

His realm had broken through, and his killing move had been upgraded. Staying in the courtyard any longer would be a pure waste of time.

Leave seclusion. Take a mission.

The Demon Suppression Bureau's mission hall stood east of the training grounds, with people constantly coming and going. Its walls were densely covered in mission notices.

Xu Jin scanned them once. Missions were divided by difficulty into Ding, Bing, Yi, and Jia grades, corresponding to demonic ranks: Ding-grade missions involved street patrols and investigations; Bing-grade missions corresponded to lesser demons; Yi-grade missions to spirit monsters; and Jia-grade missions meant great demons had appeared.

By rule, probationary demon slayers could only accept Bing-grade missions or lower, and they had to form teams—they could not carry out missions alone.

He headed straight for the Bing-grade mission area, his eyes rapidly sweeping over the notices.

[Yin evil plagues Willow Family Village in the western outskirts. Within half a month, three villagers have fallen ill after their yang energy was drained. A Night Charm is suspected to be active. Teams of Body Tempering seventh level or above are advised to proceed. Reward: fifty contribution points, thirty taels of silver. Double rewards for capturing it alive.]

Xu Jin's gaze paused.

A Night Charm was a yin-attributed lesser demon. It hid by day and emerged by night, specializing in draining the vital energy of living people. It feared robust yang blood and qi, as well as flames, most of all.

It had walked right into his line of fire.

Molten-Gold Sword Aura and Swallow the Sun, Refine the Form were both yang-attributed. Against this kind of yin evil, it would be a crushing blow from a higher dimension.

The mission suited him perfectly.

The only problem was that probationary demon slayers were required to form teams. He had only just joined the bureau and knew no one but Chu Feng. Asking him for everything would make him owe too many favors.

Better to recruit a teammate himself.

He walked to the recruitment board outside the hall, picked up a brush, and swiftly wrote several lines on a sheet of white paper:

"Xu Jin, accepting the Night Charm mission at Willow Family Village in the western outskirts. Recruiting one teammate. Someone capable of assisting with battlefield control will do. Merits split seventy-thirty—I take seventy, you take thirty. Requirements: don't hold me back, and follow orders."

He openly signed the notice with the two large characters Xu Jin, then slapped it onto the most conspicuous spot on the board.

Less than half a minute after the notice went up, several people gathered around it.

"Xu Jin? Which Xu Jin? What a big mouth."

"Seventy-thirty? How does he have the nerve? A newcomer who just joined the bureau wants to be team leader? Is he insane?"

"Night Charms are slippery as eels and wicked as hell. Even Body Tempering seventh level cultivators can easily get themselves killed. He's just a probationary demon slayer, and he dares accept it?"

Questions and doubts rose one after another. Everyone felt that this newcomer was arrogant beyond measure.

Among the crowd, a steward who had just come from the training grounds looked up at the notice, froze for a moment, then blurted out, "Damn, is this really that Xu Jin? The monster who killed two hundred and seventeen in the supplementary assessment and took first place by a landslide?"

The moment those words left his mouth, the surroundings fell silent.

"The freak who got Special Class A just three days after joining?"

"Damn... then never mind. He really does have the right to be arrogant."

"What's wrong with a seventy-thirty split? I'd be willing to support him too. Clinging to a powerhouse and earning contribution points—wouldn't that be great?"

The discussion instantly reversed. Mockery turned to envy and excitement, and many people began itching to make a move.

On the other side of the crowd, Wang Lei, who had just finished reading the mission board, also looked over. His gaze landed on the recruitment notice, and his brow shifted slightly.

He had just received Jia grade and was worrying over finding a suitable Bing-grade mission to sharpen his skills.

He was thoroughly convinced of Xu Jin's strength.

Following this man on a mission would not only be safe—he might even learn something.

After a brief moment of consideration, he strode toward the recruitment board.