The lamplight was dim, casting Qin An's face in and out of shadow.
The words formed from Smoke vanished.
[Demon-Subduing Three Suns Blade (Great Completion)]
A flood of information poured into Qin An's mind. Figures flashed through it like scenes in a revolving lantern.
The figures wielded Sharp Knives, displaying every essential move of the Demon-Subduing Three Suns Blade.
After a few breaths, Qin An had mastered the Demon-Subduing Three Suns Blade in full.
The Three Suns subduing demons: Blood Essence blazed like the sun. He could store it within his body, transforming it into three currents of Yang Energy, then unleash them all at a critical moment.
At his current strength, Qin An could store three days' worth of Blood Essence within his body.
Each day formed one sun, for a total of three.
He could unleash them all at once or in three separate bursts. Each burst equaled Qin An's fighting strength in the Body Infusion Realm.
If he unleashed all three together, it would be as though Qin An struck with his Sharp Knife at the peak of the Body Infusion Realm.
"This will make a useful trump card." Qin An narrowed his eyes.
It was a killing move.
He needed only three days to store enough Blood Essence to bring out the Demon-Subduing Three Suns Blade's full power.
At a critical moment, it could turn the tide of battle.
Qin An rose. Feeling the vast Qi within him surge like a sea, he made up his mind.
"The county magistrate must be making his move. I need to raise my Scholar Profession to level four as soon as possible."
Smoke gathered into information about the Scholar Profession and appeared before Qin An.
[Scholar lv.3 (60/400): Your reading speed has increased slightly]
After he read Azure Bird Leap, his Scholar Profession had gained a little progress. Reading the Demon-Subduing Three Suns Blade had brought it to sixty points in total.
The next level was no longer far away.
Qin An intended to reach it before deciding whether to unlock a new profession.
The muscles in the five fingers of his right hand were exceptionally strong, and Qi flowed through them without the slightest obstruction.
The Body Infusion Realm was about nourishing the muscles throughout one's body with Qi.
Qin An had only just reached Initial Proficiency in the Body Infusion Realm. So far, he had finished nourishing only the five fingers of his right hand.
If he raised his Scholar Profession to level four, the advancement of his Scholar Talent would surely bring him to Great Completion in the Body Infusion Realm.
Cultivation was the foundation. Once he reached that point, he could stand above Ding County and wipe away every threat it faced.
With that thought, Qin An left his room and found Chen Chun practicing his blade with all his might.
Qin An had reached the Body Infusion Realm, and his Demon-Subduing Three Suns Blade had reached Great Completion. He had considerable insight into blade techniques.
A single glance was enough for him to see through Chen Chun's blade technique.
"No progress at all." Qin An brushed a finger across his Sharp Knife.
It had been quite some time since he rescued Chen Chun, yet despite all Chen Chun's diligent practice, he might as well have been marching in place.
"Without my Golden Finger, my cultivation would be a slow grind too."
Qin An knew his own limits. He knew his advantage came from the Golden Finger.
"Once matters in Ding County are settled, I'll train my Profession Proficiency while searching for Cultivation Methods and Blood Crystals."
Profession Proficiency was the foundation, but Cultivation Methods were just as crucial: they were how he put that proficiency to use.
Blood Crystals were essential to a cultivator's training.
Qin An wanted all of them.
"Stop practicing. Come out with me," Qin An said.
Chen Chun was working hard at his blade, a faint sheen of sweat on his forehead. At Qin An's voice, he lowered the blade. "Where are we going?"
Qin An had already stepped outside. "To read."
Chen Chun's eyes widened. "You're still reading?"
He did not know what to say.
Over this time, he had learned that Qin An had an odd temperament and behaved strangely.
But if Qin An did not explain, Chen Chun would not ask. Given Qin An's formidable strength and terrifying talent, he dared not say much anyway.
Now that Qin An said he wanted to read, Chen Chun was startled, but he felt Qin An must have his reasons.
Qin An gave no answer. He had already reached the door.
After a moment's thought, Chen Chun followed Qin An quietly out.
Time flew by. Three days passed.
The Yamen.
County Magistrate Zhang opened his mouth for Beauty in his arms to feed him a grape, then caught her delicate finger between his lips. She scolded him coyly again and again.
He had been in a fine mood lately.
Cangyuan Mountain and the River Blade Sect needed time to go back and position their people. Once everything was ready, Qin An would meet his death.
That was why County Magistrate Zhang had visited the pleasure house.
A new woman had arrived there recently, alluring enough to steal a man's soul. He had taken a fancy to her at first sight and used his authority as county magistrate to bring her to his residence.
He planned to tease her to his heart's content today, then enjoy her properly tonight.
Footsteps sounded outside the door.
A constable hurried in, his face slick with sweat.
The moment he entered, he placed the secret letter clutched in his hand on County Magistrate Zhang's desk.
"My lord, a letter from the River Blade Sect."
County Magistrate Zhang's gaze sharpened. He patted Beauty's bottom and had her stand, then opened the letter and read it carefully.
A few breaths later, County Magistrate Zhang burned the letter to ash.
"Take a few men to Qin An. Tell him the common people are dying because of him, and order him out of the city to slay the demons."
"He is a resident of Ding County, so he must obey my orders. If he refuses, I will report him to Ling Prefecture and have him punished."
County Magistrate Zhang began making his arrangements.
According to the letter, the River Blade Sect and Cangyuan Mountain had put everything in place. All that remained was for Qin An to walk into the trap.
County Magistrate Zhang had to handle this most important step himself.
The constable froze briefly, then came to his senses and cupped his fists. "At your command."
The Yamen and the demons were birds of a feather. As one of their number, the constable knew this was a trap laid for Qin An.
It was a vicious trap that left Qin An no third path to choose.
Beauty nestled against the magistrate. She picked up a grape and fed it into his mouth. "My lord, why is Qin An so important that you must personally invite him?"
County Magistrate Zhang wrapped an arm around Beauty's slender waist. "He's a dead man walking. Nothing more."
Beauty giggled. "As expected of the county magistrate. How imposing."
County Magistrate Zhang was about to reply when a sudden sense that something was wrong seized him. He jerked his head down to look at Beauty in his arms.
There had been a mocking edge to those words.
Beauty in his arms had changed.
Her alluring face became broad and flat, and her willowy waist became short and stout.
In less than a few breaths, the woman had turned into a man.
"How dare you!"
Every hair on County Magistrate Zhang's body stood on end, and his Body Infusion Realm power erupted.
He knew this person was not who he appeared to be and meant to strike at once.
Agony shot through every part of his body.
The short man stood and said with disgust, "I spent all that time getting the poison into you. How could you possibly escape?"
County Magistrate Zhang opened his mouth. It felt as though ants were gnawing at him from head to toe.
Footsteps came from outside the door.
The short man hurriedly straightened and cupped his fists toward the entrance.
"My lord!"
County Magistrate Zhang looked toward the voice and saw a woman with a commanding bearing enter.
She was no longer dressed in yellow. She wore black, with a bronze badge hanging at her waist.
A dragon coiled across the badge, its eyes wide and imposing.
At the sight, County Magistrate Zhang trembled like chaff in a sieve. "Why has a Bronze Captain from Ling Prefecture come to Ding County?"
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