The Technique in Hand, Stepping onto the Path of Cultivation

"System?"

Hearing that voice, Xu Ye's heart immediately surged with excitement.

Eighteen years!

After eighteen years, the system had finally arrived.

Just as he was thrilled, a panel invisible to everyone else appeared before him.

[Realm: None]

[Technique: None]

[Martial Skills: None]

[Heaven Rewards Diligence: effort brings rewards. As long as you cultivate, you can improve, ignoring all realm barriers and bottlenecks.]

When Xu Ye saw the explanation on the panel, his heart instantly raced.

He had no talent and simply could not cultivate. Wasn't this system tailor-made for him?

What he lacked least was hard work!

If I had a cultivation technique now, wouldn't I be able to begin cultivating? Xu Ye was excited.

But he quickly calmed down.

He did not have something like a cultivation technique, though his father did.

But such things were exceedingly precious. Ordinary people could never obtain them.

They were controlled by those with strength and power and would never be passed on to outsiders.

The Demon-Suppression Bureau prohibited them from being spread even more strictly, which was why Xu Ye had never received instruction from his father.

That was also why a place in the Demon-Suppression Bureau could drive people to fight over it.

Because within the Demon-Suppression Bureau, there were many cultivation techniques and martial skills available to choose from.

And someone like Xu Ye, who could enter the Demon-Suppression Bureau directly without taking an examination, obtain a position that did not require him to fight and struggle outside, and enjoy the Bureau's benefits, was naturally a prized morsel.

It would have been strange if others were not tempted.

But Xu Ye glanced up at Su Qingxue and sighed inwardly.

How difficult would it be for him to go to the Demon-Suppression Bureau now?

Su Qingxue certainly would not give him that chance.

If today's deal fell through, he would have to die!

Right, isn't there an opportunity right in front of me? Xu Ye suddenly thought of something and snapped back to his senses.

He abruptly looked at Su Qingxue, his eyes returning to their previous calmness.

"Well? Have you thought it through?" Seeing this, Su Qingxue asked lightly.

"I agree to sell you this place," Xu Ye said, his expression calm.

"You've come around?" Su Qingxue chuckled.

"You can have the place, but we need to discuss the terms," Xu Ye said.

"Fine! Name your price." Su Qingxue laughed loudly.

She was not afraid of Xu Ye naming a price.

"This place is extremely valuable. My father traded his life for it. If I had any other choice, I would never be willing to part with it, so I want ten thousand taels of silver." Xu Ye raised one finger.

"Ten thousand taels? Are you insane? Not to mention your father's life—even if you added your own, would the two of you be worth ten thousand taels?" Su Qingxue sneered, her face full of disdain.

Xu Ye cursed inwardly. You damned old hag.

Do you really think that aside from yourself, everyone else's life is cheap?

But he did not say it aloud. Instead, he spoke evenly. "This was my father's life..."

Before he could finish, Su Qingxue cut him off. "Enough nonsense. Three thousand taels at most. You are in no position to bargain."

Xu Ye paused at that, then said, "Three thousand taels is fine, but you must also give me a cultivation technique."

Others might not have cultivation techniques, but the Su Family certainly did.

"A cultivation technique? Aren't your martial veins blocked from birth? What do you need that for?" Su Qingxue narrowed her eyes.

Clearly, she had investigated everything about Xu Ye thoroughly.

"That is none of your concern," Xu Ye said. "If you agree, then the matter is settled. If you do not, then even if I die, I will not give it to you."

Su Qingxue's expression immediately turned cold. Was he threatening her?

But she quickly calmed down and said lightly, "You understand the value of a cultivation technique yourself, I presume. So you may choose either three thousand taels or the technique. Do not bargain with me again. My patience is limited."

As she spoke, she raised a hand and tossed out a contract. "Sign it, and this matter will be settled."

Beside it were three thousand taels' worth of silver notes and a book titled Qi Refining Formula.

A cultivation technique!

This was a cultivation technique.

Xu Ye took a deep breath and suppressed the excitement in his heart.

Of course he understood the value of a cultivation technique. In White Cloud County, it was something with a price but no market.

Thus, he had never expected to obtain both. The reason he had opened his mouth like a lion was to make Su Qingxue lower her guard.

With that, he did not hesitate in the slightest and quickly signed his name.

He then swiftly put away the Qi Refining Formula.

This was the capital of his rise!

Su Qingxue did not care. She put away the contract and the three thousand taels' worth of silver notes, then held out a hand. "The contract is complete. Where is the Demon-Suppression Bureau's warrant?"

"The Demon-Suppression Bureau is still processing the paperwork. I will not receive the warrant until three days from now," Xu Ye said.

Hearing this, Su Qingxue stared at Xu Ye. Seeing that he did not seem to be lying, she finally said lightly, "Fine! In three days, I will personally accompany you to the Demon-Suppression Bureau."

Xu Ye did not refuse and gave a slight nod.

Only then did Su Qingxue leave Xu Ye's small dwelling.

Once Xu Ye was out of sight, Su Qingxue turned and sneered. "Things belonging to my Su Family are not so easily taken."

Clearly, she had no intention of letting Xu Ye go.

Once she had the Demon-Suppression Bureau warrant, Xu Ye would still have to die.

After Su Qingxue left, Xu Ye reached out and took out a token engraved with the three words "Demon-Suppression Bureau."

Clearly, this was the Demon-Suppression Bureau's special pardon token.

He had no intention of immediately heading to the Demon-Suppression Bureau.

Because he knew very well that if he dared leave his room now, the Su Family would hack him into a thousand pieces.

And the reason he had delayed for three days was to leave himself a little room to see whether the system could give him a pleasant surprise.

"Brother..." At that moment, a clear, delicate voice came from the inner room.

Immediately afterward, a pretty young girl in a plain long dress walked out. Her bearing was simple and elegant, and she was every inch a budding beauty.

She was Xu Ye's only younger sister, Xu Zhizhi.

"Zhizhi!" Xu Ye immediately put on a smile.

"Brother... did I drag you down?" Xu Zhizhi walked forward, lowering her head and clutching the corner of her skirt, guilt written across her face.

Clearly, she had heard everything just now.

Others had actually used her to force her brother to submit.

She did not know what to do.

"Silly girl, you are my sister. How could you be a burden? No matter what happens, your brother will protect you." Xu Ye smiled and rubbed Xu Zhizhi's head.

"But I..." Xu Zhizhi wanted to say something more.

"I promised Father and Mother that I would protect you," Xu Ye said. "Your brother will not break his word."

Xu Zhizhi lowered her head and said nothing.

Xu Ye smiled. "All right, your brother is hungry."

He brushed it off with a smile. No matter what happened, his sister came first.

"Okay! I'll cook you noodles, with an egg and scallions." Xu Zhizhi immediately nodded and turned to walk into the inner room.

She was very worried about her brother.

But now that her brother was hungry, that was the most important matter.

Seeing this, Xu Ye smiled. Without any hesitation, he took out the Qi Refining Formula Su Qingxue had just left behind.

He sat cross-legged and carefully read through the Qi Refining Formula.

This technique was exceedingly simple. Xu Ye understood seven or eight parts out of ten after only one look.

After all, although he could not cultivate, he was not stupid. Moreover, his father had told him some things about cultivation.

Soon, he began cultivating according to the method recorded in the Qi Refining Formula.

[Realm: Mortal]

[Technique: Qi Refining Formula (Not Initiated (1/10))]

[Martial Skills: None]

After Xu Ye followed the method in the Qi Refining Formula and cultivated once,

the information on the panel changed.

More than that, changes also occurred within his body.

Within his naturally blocked meridians, which had originally been unable to draw qi into his body, a wisp of spiritual qi suddenly appeared!