Night fell. Darkness hung like a curtain, and stars filled the sky.
Lanterns hung high at the Yamen, where the oil lamps burned through the night.
The main hall.
Constables stood guard in the courtyard, stern-faced, blades in hand.
Sect Leader Liu entered the courtyard with his hands clasped behind his back. He walked straight toward the main hall, paying the constables no mind.
That morning, he had seen Qin An and sensed that he had reached the Body Infusion Realm.
It had surprised him, but that was all.
Sect Leader Liu had spent years in the Body Infusion Realm. He thought little of those who had only just entered it.
So what if Qin An had reached the Body Infusion Realm?
His Mind Method might have advanced, but if his Cultivation Method could not keep up, he would still end up dead.
Not long ago, someone from the Yamen had come to say that the county magistrate invited him over.
The River Blade Sect had the backing of a major power in Ling Prefecture. Even the county magistrate could only invite him.
He did not know why he had been summoned, but he had nothing else to do, so he came to see for himself. He could also press Clerk Wang to find the missing disciples as soon as possible.
The moment Sect Leader Liu entered the main hall, he felt a surge of killing intent.
"A demon?"
Four chairs stood in the hall.
County Magistrate Zhang sat in one. In another sat a white-furred monkey.
The monkey had a coat of white fur and protruding fangs, yet it wore silk. It held a folding fan in one hand and a teacup in the other, sipping tea at its leisure.
Sect Leader Liu frowned.
He knew who the monkey was: the leader of Cangyuan Mountain and one of the most powerful demons in Ding County.
Rumor had it that Young Master Hou had spent years in the Body Infusion Realm. He was mysterious and unfathomable, and belonged to a branch of a demon faction in Ling Prefecture.
Sect Leader Liu naturally knew that the Yamen colluded with demons. But the interests involved were tangled, and the River Blade Sect had claimed a share of the spoils. He had never spoken of it.
The monkey demon had been summoned today. Sect Leader Liu knew something important was afoot.
County Magistrate Zhang looked grim. Once Sect Leader Liu had taken his seat, Zhang crushed the teacup in his hand.
"Those beasts from Green Snake Valley didn't even come!"
"They think they can throw their weight around because demons in Ling Prefecture back them. Let's see how long that lasts!"
"Outrageous!"
The more County Magistrate Zhang spoke, the fiercer the fury in his eyes burned.
He had invited three factions, but only two had come. The snake demons of Green Snake Valley clearly had no respect for him.
The monkey demon gave its folding fan a gentle wave and spoke in an affected voice. "Why be angry, my lord? Sect Leader Liu and I are more than enough to kill one Body Infusion Realm wretch."
It pinched its voice and imitated the measured speech of a scholar, but the result was laughable, like an ugly woman aping a beauty's frown.
Sect Leader Liu frowned. "You mean Qin An?"
County Magistrate Zhang collected himself and nodded. "That's right. I invited you both here today to deal with Qin An and the Evil Extermination Division's Undercover Agent."
An Undercover Agent?
Sect Leader Liu's frown deepened.
Clerk Wang had told him nothing about an Undercover Agent. He was only learning of it now.
"If there's an Undercover Agent, we must kill him."
If word of Ding County's sordid dealings got out, the powers in Ling Prefecture would sever their ties with him at once.
This could never be allowed to spread.
"And it's not just the Undercover Agent."
County Magistrate Zhang took a fresh teacup. "Qin An was also behind the disappearance of the River Blade Sect's disciples."
Killing intent surged from Sect Leader Liu. "Wait here a moment. I'll bring back that brat's head."
The news made his fury boil over.
The River Blade Sect ruled its corner of Ding County. Who dared provoke it?
Yet a mere butcher had dared to make trouble for them.
He deserves to die.
County Magistrate Zhang held Sect Leader Liu back. "Not so fast. He's quite strong. We need to proceed carefully."
Sect Leader Liu swept his sleeve. "He's only just entered the Body Infusion Realm. I can kill him alone."
County Magistrate Zhang shook his head. "This concerns more than the River Blade Sect. There's also the Undercover Agent. We must be certain."
At that, Sect Leader Liu calmed down.
County Magistrate Zhang was right. The Undercover Agent threatened every major faction in Ding County. They had to leave him without even a place to bury his bones.
The White-Furred Monkey took a leisurely sip of tea and smacked his lips. "Tea and human brains—the perfect pairing. Ding County has sent fewer brains lately."
County Magistrate Zhang turned to him. "If Young Master Hou works with us, you'll have all the human brains you can eat."
Young Master Hou bared his sharp fangs. "That's what I wanted to hear. Tell me, what do we do?"
The demons of Cangyuan Mountain liked eating human brains, though they also liked pretending to be scholars.
Since County Magistrate Zhang had drawn closer to Flying Cloud Gorge, he had sent fewer brains. But Flying Cloud Gorge was gone now, so Cangyuan Mountain ought to be able to eat its fill.
Young Master Hou decided he could lend a hand.
County Magistrate Zhang drew a deep breath. "Striking inside the county seat would cause trouble. If we leave any loose ends, we may be doomed beyond redemption."
"Cangyuan Mountain has three hundred monkeys, and the River Blade Sect has two hundred disciples. They can ambush Qin An outside the city."
Young Master Hou opened his blood-red maw in a grin. "Why would he leave the city so easily?"
County Magistrate Zhang spoke slowly. "What if the people of several villages were eaten—and it happened because of him?"
Sect Leader Liu froze. "Wouldn't the price be too high?"
He understood what Zhang meant.
Once enough people had died, the Yamen would send Qin An out with men to subdue the demons.
If Qin An refused, County Magistrate Zhang might have another way. Sect Leader Liu did not know what it was.
County Magistrate Zhang sneered. "What if Green Snake Valley takes the blame?"
"This is what we do: kill people, blame the demons, and deceive the Evil Extermination Division."
"Since Green Snake Valley didn't come today, we'll wipe them out after we kill Qin An and the Undercover Agent."
Sect Leader Liu's and Young Master Hou's eyes lit up.
Ding County was only so big. With one fewer faction, the rest could eat their fill.
Neither spoke, but both gave their tacit consent.
County Magistrate Zhang clenched his fists and looked into the distant darkness, sneering inwardly.
"Qin An, you won't escape this time, even if you grow wings."
The next day.
Chen Chun stood in the street, staring blankly as Qin An butchered pork with practiced ease. He was numb with disbelief.
He never would have imagined Qin An would drag him here in broad daylight.
"Old Qin..."
"What?" Qin An did not look up from his work.
Chen Chun swallowed. "We're in danger, right?"
Qin An nodded. "That's right."
Chen Chun ventured, "Then shouldn't we be training seriously?"
He was at his wit's end.
With danger lurking on every side, Qin An still had the heart to return to his old trade. That was taking dedication a little too far.
Qin An raised his blade and brought it down. "Work and rest in balance."
He made every cut with great care, dividing the pork into pieces as small as possible to get the most out of the pig.
He could not sell meat cut this way, but he had no intention of selling it. He only wanted to squeeze out every last bit of proficiency.
Chen Chun pressed a hand to his forehead, at a loss for words.
There was nothing he could do. Qin An was the only person he could rely on now.
Even if Qin An dragged him to a brothel, he would have to follow.
Qin An continued butchering with care.
His proficiency rose steadily.
Just then, light footsteps suddenly sounded.
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