Making You Train Life Skills, You Grinded Your Way to Divine Professions — Section 3

Steadiness was the essential element of survival.

The blood-red Flesh Orb drifted endlessly through the air.

The butchers were still stunned by Qin An's slaughtering skills, unable to snap out of their shock.

Captain Zheng was the first to recover. Seeing the blood-red Flesh Orb, he tightened his grip on the long blade in his hand and said sternly, "Go invite Clerk Wang."

Qin An took in Captain Zheng's reaction, silently wiped the blood from his dagger, and stood to one side with his hands lowered.

The blood-red Flesh Orb was highly unusual.

Just one glance at it brought a fierce, baleful aura rushing straight at him.

Qin An concluded that it was no ordinary thing.

Yet although he now possessed the Butcher's talent, he was ultimately just a commoner and should not draw attention to himself.

He had only come here to slaughter the beast. This matter had nothing to do with him.

Before long, a middle-aged man in official robes emerged from the main hall.

His face shone with grease, his belly bulged outward, and he panted for breath as he walked.

Besides the Magistrate, the Yamen also had the Three Bureaus and Six Offices.

The Six Offices were Personnel, Revenue, Rites, Military, Punishment, and Works; the Three Bureaus were the Livery Bureau, Swift Bureau, and Sturdy Bureau.

Clerk Wang oversaw the prison inmates and public security.

Captain Zheng had invited Clerk Wang to inspect the matter in accordance with official procedure.

Clerk Wang walked over, gasped several times, then pointed at Qin An and said disdainfully, "You were the one who dissected this Pig Demon?"

Qin An nodded. "That's right."

Though the other man was merely a clerk, he was still a genuine official in Ding County.

Besides, Qin An had slaughtered the Pig Demon in full view of everyone. There was no denying it.

Clerk Wang wiped the sweat from his forehead and waved a hand. "Reward him with two taels of silver."

Captain Zheng was slightly taken aback. The hand gripping his blade's hilt lightly rubbed against it, but he said nothing.

A Constable stepped forward with a jet-black wooden box and carefully placed the blood-red Flesh Orb inside.

Another Constable pinched two taels of silver between his fingers and held them out to Qin An, waving him off as though swatting flies. "Take it and get lost. And you lot too—get lost, all of you."

The Constable's attitude was vile, but neither Captain Zheng nor Clerk Wang found it unusual.

The Yamen asking a commoner like you for help was already doing you an honor. Once they no longer needed you, you had better have the sense to get lost.

Qin An tucked the two taels of silver into his clothes and left the Yamen with his dagger.

He was a butcher who had come to slaughter a Pig Demon.

Now that the Pig Demon had been slaughtered, he had also raised his Butcher profession to level three. He was preparing to head back and test his new talent.

As for anything else, it had nothing to do with a butcher like him.

Seeing that Qin An had already left, the other butchers exchanged glances and promptly departed from the Yamen as well.

Before long, only Clerk Wang, Captain Zheng, and the Constables remained inside the Yamen.

The flesh on Clerk Wang's fat face quivered as he leaned closer to Captain Zheng. "Other than that butcher called Qin An coming into contact with the Flesh Orb, did anyone else touch it?"

Captain Zheng hurriedly cupped his fists. "No one else touched it."

Clerk Wang nodded, his voice cold. "That Pig Demon has a lover. Anyone who touches its aura may suffer retaliation. That butcher... send someone to collect his corpse in a few days, then slip some money to his relatives."

Captain Zheng held his blade hilt and replied without raising his head, "This subordinate accepts the order."

Clerk Wang picked up the jet-black wooden box and said, "The Blood Crystal of a Qi Concealment Realm demon will be of great use to you. Take it and use it. The Yamen will need an expert to hold the fort in the future. Otherwise, those plague-stricken commoners will start crying hardship again. The Evil Extermination Division looks down on county towns, so we must rely on ourselves."

Captain Zheng did not say a word, but his hands trembled as he accepted the jet-black wooden box, as if the so-called Blood Crystal were some priceless treasure.

Qin An raced all the way home.

Having transmigrated here, he had a small nest in Ding County. It was not luxurious, but a one-bedroom home with a living room was at least livable.

It was already afternoon, and curls of cooking smoke rose from the streets.

Just as Qin An reached his door, the door of the neighboring house opened.

Chen Chun poked his head out from inside.

When he saw Qin An, his little moustache twitched furiously.

"You're back?"

Qin An said strangely, "Would it be strange for me to come back?"

He felt that Chen Chun was acting rather oddly today.

Chen Chun's nose twitched slightly as he sniffed. Then he suddenly retreated into his house and slammed the door shut.

Qin An frowned.

Now things were even stranger.

But he wanted to go home and examine his new talent, so he did not dwell on it. He turned and opened his own door.

Just as Qin An was about to enter, Chen Chun's door opened once more.

Holding a cloth bundle, Chen Chun handed it to Qin An. "This is for you. I picked it up when I was buying lumber in another county before. They said it can strengthen your yang energy."

Qin An accepted it instinctively. Opening the cloth bundle, he found a book inside.

The book was yellowed with age, and its cover was somewhat blurred, but he could still make out the four words: Wind-Splitting Blade Technique.

Qin An weighed the blade manual in his hand and asked, "Old Chen, since when did you practice the blade?"

He felt that Chen Chun had become somewhat mysterious.

He had originally been the owner of a Coffin Shop, yet now he was suddenly stuffing a copy of the Wind-Splitting Blade Technique into his hands.

What ordinary Coffin Shop owner would practice the blade?

Chen Chun gave a dry laugh. "I heard from the elders that if a butcher kills a demon, he may become entangled with its Sha Qi. This blade manual only cost two coppers. It probably doesn't do much, but practicing it should at least bring good fortune."

"Really?" Qin An frowned.

Chen Chun said with great seriousness, "Of course it's true. I wouldn't harm you."

Qin An rubbed his chin. "Your moustache twitches when you lie. Old Chen, you're lying."

They had been neighbors for so long that he knew Chen Chun's character all too well.

Chen Chun ran an index finger over his moustache, then slammed the door shut. "Whether you practice it or not is up to you. It's just for good fortune anyway."

Before long, there was no sound from behind the door.

Clutching the blade manual, Qin An pondered for a moment before walking into his house.

Whatever Chen Chun's situation was, he would first take a look at his talent.

The house was simply furnished, but it had everything it needed.

There were even several leftover dishes on the table.

After a busy day, Qin An was somewhat tired. Only after finishing the leftovers did he begin examining his talent.

"Qi Concealment Realm Blade Mastery. As long as I practice blade techniques now, I'll achieve unexpected results."

When his Butcher profession reached level three, Qin An had gained an understanding.

It was as if he were an experienced blade wielder. The moment he held a blade, a sense of familiarity would arise.

After thinking briefly, Qin An set his dagger aside and picked up the Wind-Splitting Blade Technique Chen Chun had given him.

He suspected Chen Chun's identity, but Chen Chun had entered his room without being willing to mention it.

It was late now as well. Remembering Chen Chun's words about fierce and baleful aura, Qin An instinctively opened the blade manual.

Looking at it would not cost him a hair. He would first see what this blade manual actually was.

Qin An opened the Wind-Splitting Blade Manual, revealing one drawing after another inside.

The artwork was extremely crude, like the random scribbles of a three-year-old child.

Yet every picture had a name written beside it.

The moment Qin An opened it, a glimmer of understanding arose in his heart.

One image after another flashed before his eyes.

In merely a moment, it was as though a revolving lantern had begun to spin before him, showing the figure of someone practicing the blade.

Qin An lowered his head and continuously flipped the pages with his fingers, his expression intensely focused.

Half an incense stick later.

When Qin An finished turning the final page, the oil lamp on the table suddenly flickered.

Qin An came back to his senses and silently set down the blade manual in his hand.