When Chen Chun heard Qin An's question, he froze like a wooden statue.
"That's what you're asking? Nothing else?"
He had thought Qin An would ask about the Evil Extermination Division, or at least about his journey.
But why ask about cultivation realms?
Who didn't know about those?
Wait. Qin An didn't.
Chen Chun suddenly remembered that Qin An had only just begun cultivating.
What a damn joke.
The man had barely started and had already matched over a decade of his hard cultivation.
Qin An nodded. "The cultivation realm matters more."
Through gritted teeth, Chen Chun said, "The Body Infusion Realm."
Qin An took a sip of tea. "What is the Body Infusion Realm?"
He had learned of it from the Wind-Breaking Goose Blade Technique, but he understood only half of what it entailed.
Chen Chun eyed the teacup in Qin An's hand. "Can I have some water?"
His injuries had stabilized, and after everything that had happened, thirst had caught up with him once he relaxed.
Qin An poured a cup and set it on the table.
Chen Chun picked it up, drained it in one gulp, and let out a long breath. "That hit the spot!"
But he did not forget the matter at hand.
"The Qi Concealment Realm means refining blood into Qi. But refining Qi alone is nowhere near enough. Eventually, you'll reach your limit, and then you need to cultivate something else."
"The Body Infusion Realm means using Qi to nourish the muscles throughout your body."
"Your limbs, head, and torso—all of them."
"Blood turns endlessly into Qi, and Qi nourishes the muscles without cease."
"Cultivate it to perfection, and your flesh becomes comparable to a divine weapon."
After saying all that in one breath, Chen Chun took another sip of tea.
Qin An rubbed his chin. "So Blood Crystals are still treasures."
Body Infusion also required cultivating Qi.
Blood produced Qi; Qi nourished the body.
Without blood as its foundation, it would be a pavilion built in the air.
Chen Chun nodded. "Exactly. Blood Crystals have always been treasures to cultivators."
Qin An asked, "You didn't find the Evil Extermination Division?"
Chen Chun drew a breath. Finally, he's getting to the point.
"All three Demon factions know who I am. They hunted me down, and the Eagle Demon caught me in the end. Getting out now will be harder than climbing to heaven."
To reach Ling Prefecture from Ding County, he first had to pass through the territories of all three Demon factions. But now, never mind reaching Ling Prefecture—showing his face would get him killed.
Qin An said calmly, "Not just them. There's also the Yamen."
He did not need to ask how the news had leaked.
It had leaked. What mattered now was the danger they faced.
And that danger threatened not only Chen Chun; Qin An himself was mired in it.
Clerk Wang wanted him dead. What had happened today was proof.
If his Mountain-Lifting Fist had not reached perfection, today's fight might have been bitter.
Even after they cleaned up the scene, how long could they keep it hidden?
What Qin An wanted now was a way to eliminate the threat.
Chen Chun smiled bitterly. "You think I don't know? But I'm a bird in a cage now. There's no escaping."
"What happened today will put the Yamen on alert. The Three Great Demon Factions will tell them about me, too. With all of them working together, I'm more likely to die than survive."
Only his death would ease the Yamen's predicament.
Even if the Evil Extermination Division came to investigate, all they would find was his corpse.
The Yamen would have countless excuses to cover it up.
Qin An shook his head. "No. There's still a chance."
Chen Chun blinked. "What chance?"
Qin An held out his hand. "Give me the Evil Extermination Division's Mind Method."
Chen Chun realized what he meant. "Are you insane? Learn that Mind Method, and you'll only end up dead."
Qin An shook his head. "Learn the Mind Method, and I might live. Don't learn it, and I'll die right away. Which would you choose?"
As things stood, danger hemmed them in on every side.
The only thing Qin An could trust was his Golden Finger.
The fusion just now had given him hope.
Even if Chen Chun only had a Qi Concealment Realm Mind Method, Qin An could use his Golden Finger to fuse it with his own and reach the Body Infusion Realm.
Only then would he have a better chance of survival.
Chen Chun fell silent.
After a long while, he sighed.
"I'll recite the Mind Method. Just memorize it."
He understood Qin An's reasoning, and he knew Qin An was right.
The Evil Extermination Division's later investigation was a problem for later. Staying alive came first.
Perhaps, once they presented the evidence, the Division would take the unusual circumstances into account and show leniency. Then Qin An might escape punishment.
As for why Qin An wanted another Qi Concealment Realm Mind Method when he already had one, Chen Chun chose not to dwell on it.
Qin An nodded, signaling for Chen Chun to begin.
Chen Chun took another drink, gritted his teeth, and recited the Evil Extermination Division's Mind Method.
"This is called the Blazing Flame Cultivation Method. It's a Qi Concealment Realm Mind Method, and every Undercover Agent cultivates it."
"The Mind Method is fiercely powerful and yang in nature, the bane of all things foul..."
Chen Chun's voice filled the quiet room.
After the time it took an incense stick to burn, Chen Chun stopped.
With his Scholar Talent, Qin An had memorized it all in moments. He rose and headed toward his room.
"There's a room next door. Fix it up yourself."
Bang!
The door shut.
Chen Chun was helpless, but he was used to Qin An's cold manner. He began tidying the room next door.
After closing the door, Qin An sat cross-legged on the bed. He placed the Sharp Knife within easy reach, then began cultivating the Blazing Flame Cultivation Method.
The method was fiercely powerful and yang in nature. As soon as Qin An began, a current of heat formed in his lower abdomen.
Mist appeared before his eyes and condensed into lines of text.
[You cultivated the Blazing Flame Cultivation Method, triggering Qi Concealment Realm Mind Method comprehension mastery.] [Blazing Flame Cultivation Method (Perfected)] [While cultivating, you gained insight. Using your Cold Source Cultivation Method as a foundation, you began deducing a way to fuse the two.] [Your blood and Qi were consumed in great quantities. Unable to find a way forward, you sat in contemplation for years.] [Your Scholar Talent, combined with vast amounts of blood and Qi, finally helped you grasp the truth one day, and you named the Mind Method the Water-Fire Duality Cultivation Method.] [Water-Fire Duality Cultivation Method (Basic Understanding)]
Just as Qin An had expected, fusing the two had produced a Body Infusion Realm Mind Method.
The "water-fire duality" meant his Qi carried the power of both water and fire.
It held the cold of the Cold Source Cultivation Method and the scorching heat of the Blazing Flame Cultivation Method. Intertwined, the two became far more powerful.
Qin An closed his eyes tightly. The power of the Blood Crystal stored within him was consumed in full.
Hot and cold surged through his lower abdomen, intertwining again and again. The muscles of the five fingers on his right hand felt as if a massive hammer were striking them, and rumbles of thunder sounded from them.
Moments later, the thunder gradually faded. Qin An opened his eyes.
"The Body Infusion Realm. I've reached it."
Having just entered the Body Infusion Realm, Qin An felt the difference and was filled with joy.
Reaching this realm had transformed him. If he faced Eighth Master Eagle again, he felt he might not even need the Mountain-Lifting Fist. One stroke of the Wind-Breaking Goose Blade Technique could cut him down.
But after his initial joy, Qin An did not stop. He took out the other martial arts manual he had taken from Captain Zheng and began reading.
"Sure enough, I still have no talent for cultivation. I can only cheat."
After reading for a while, Qin An felt as though his head had swelled to the size of an ox's. He set the manual aside and turned his attention to other matters.
Should I train an old profession or unlock a new one?
Before you continue