Great Accomplishment, a Mission

The room was fully furnished, with brush, ink, paper, and inkstone among its everyday supplies.

Qin An picked up a brush and began writing out the Ice-Fire Dual Cultivation Method.

He had derived this Mind Method from the Cold Source Cultivation Method and the Blazing Flame Cultivation Method. It was already a Body Infusion Realm Mind Method.

Though it carried the attributes of both, Qin An had created it himself, so he naturally knew it inside and out.

Before long, Qin An had written the entire Mind Method from memory. While the ink was still wet, he read through it carefully.

Thanks to the Scholar Profession's traits, and because he had created it himself, he read it without difficulty.

Once Qin An finished reading the Ice-Fire Dual Cultivation Method, smoke gradually gathered, twisting like a black snake.

[Scholar lv.4 (0/600): Your reading speed has increased slightly]

[Talent: Body Infusion Realm Mind Method Comprehension—Great Accomplishment]

[Advanced]

It worked!

Qin An felt a stir in his heart.

His Golden Finger could be strict at times, but when it mattered, it was considerate enough.

Qin An set down the brush, found a brazier, and burned the Ice-Fire Dual Cultivation Method to ashes.

He intended to practice the Ice-Fire Dual Cultivation Method once more.

Now that the Scholar Profession had reached level four, he wanted to see whether his talent could bring the Ice-Fire Dual Cultivation Method to Great Accomplishment.

Qin An sat cross-legged on the bed and circulated the Qi within him along the Ice-Fire Dual Cultivation Method's route.

Smoke appeared, slithering together into words.

[You practiced the Ice-Fire Dual Cultivation Method, triggering the Body Infusion Realm Mind Method Comprehension—Great Accomplishment talent]

[Ice-Fire Dual Cultivation Method (Great Accomplishment)]

The smoke dissipated.

Soft pops sounded from muscles throughout Qin An's body. Starting with his left hand, they crackled like beans bursting inside a bamboo tube.

Left hand, right hand, left leg, right leg, torso...

Only after every muscle in his torso had been infused did the Qi gradually slow.

Body Infusion meant first using blood to nourish Qi, then using Qi to infuse the muscles of the limbs, head, and torso.

Once achieved, ordinary blades and spears could scarcely wound him; his whole body became like iron and steel.

The Ice-Fire Dual Cultivation Method reaching Great Accomplishment meant Qin An had attained Body Infusion Realm Great Accomplishment.

His Qi and blood were consumed at a furious rate. Every Blood Crystal Qin An had accumulated from the battle in the willow grove vanished.

A moment later, Qin An opened his eyes and let out a long breath.

"Blood Crystals really are an essential resource. I hope I can get more through the Evil Extermination Division."

If he wanted to climb higher, Blood Crystals were indispensable.

Qin An had exhausted his Blood Crystals, but in return, his strength had grown.

Qin An drew the Black Blade and, without channeling Qi, casually slashed at his left arm.

Clang!

Metal rang against metal. Only a white mark appeared on his arm.

At his previous level, blood would have gushed from it.

"Only my head remains to be infused, but advancing the talent takes 600 points. That's a bit troublesome."

Qin An slid the Black Blade back into his belt and pondered.

Two paths lay before him.

The first was to practice the Scholar Profession.

Once the profession reached level five, his talent would reach Body Infusion Realm Perfection, and he could use it to break through to Perfection as well.

The second was to obtain more Mind Methods.

By deriving a Mind Method and expending a great deal of Qi and blood, he might reach the next step.

"I'll rest today."

After thinking it over, Qin An lay down on the bed without taking off his clothes.

Now that he had joined the Evil Extermination Division, all he had to do was put his life on the line.

Once he did, he would have no shortage of Cultivation Methods or Blood Crystals.

Besides, he could find time to build his profession proficiency along the way.

It was a way to kill two birds with one stone. Whichever path bore fruit first would benefit Qin An.

"Once I'm stronger, perhaps I can consider putting an end to the Monkey Demon's threat."

Qin An lay on the bed, but his hand never left the Black Blade.

The Monkey Demon's influence in Ling Prefecture remained like a thorn lodged in his throat.

He needed to find a chance to remove that threat.

With that thought, Qin An slowly closed his eyes.

The next day.

Qin An rose early, washed up, and was about to go out.

He planned to read in the Confidential Archives.

Yesterday, besides making progress in the Scholar Profession, he had gained considerable insight into the situation in Ling Prefecture.

Since he had nothing else to do, he might as well read more.

But before he could leave, Gao Quan hurried to his door.

At the sight of him, Qin An rested a hand on the Black Blade and stood still.

Gao Quan strode up, tossed out a curt sentence, and turned to leave. "Come on. We've got a mission. It's urgent!"

Qin An frowned. After a moment's thought, he followed Gao Quan out of the room.

Judging by Gao Quan's manner, this was no simple mission.

Missions from the Evil Extermination Division naturally involved Demons.

Qin An needed Blood Crystals and Cultivation Methods, so a mission was no trouble to him.

In the courtyard.

Tang Lingwei wore dark robes, her expression grave. Her grip on the long saber at her waist was tight.

A dozen or so Prefecture Clerks of the Evil Extermination Division stood ready to depart.

When Qin An arrived, Tang Lingwei waved a hand. "Move out."

No one spoke. They followed Tang Lingwei toward the outskirts of Ling Prefecture...

Before setting off, everyone had been issued a swift horse.

It was Qin An's first time riding, but with his current strength at Body Infusion Realm Great Accomplishment, controlling the horse was not difficult.

They rode out of Ling Prefecture and headed north.

Gao Quan rode beside Qin An.

"Be careful when we get there. This time, it isn't a Demon," Gao Quan said gravely.

They were in a weak position within the Evil Extermination Division, so they had to band together to survive. As a result, Tang Lingwei's team was relatively close-knit.

Qin An frowned. "If it isn't a Demon, what is it?"

Gao Quan looked ahead and said, enunciating each word, "A False God."

This was the second time Qin An had heard of False Gods. Last time, Gao Quan had said he would explain later.

Now it seemed Gao Quan had a mouth blessed with prophecy.

The short-statured Yao Feng came over. "False Gods are evils born from people's thoughts."

"Anything people imagine might become a False God. Some are good, and some are bad."

"For instance, when common folk worship the Kitchen God, the being they worship may well become a False God."

"A benevolent False God ensures its worshippers have food and clothing. A malevolent one devours their Blood Feast."

Qin An understood.

As Yao Feng put it, False Gods were beings born from human imagination. Yao Feng had no need to explain the finer details.

This was Qin An's first encounter with a False God, and he was somewhat curious.

Ahead, the outline of a village gradually came into view.

Dark clouds hung over the entire village like a sheet of black cloth.

Qin An looked up and felt a heavy pressure bearing down on him.

Tang Lingwei turned back. "Proceed with caution."

Everyone dismounted, drew the long sabers at their waists, and entered the village.

Once inside, the oppressive pressure grew heavier.

Qin An frowned at the sight within the village.

The ground was charred black, and corpses lay everywhere.

Young and old, men and women alike—every one of them was now a corpse strewn across the ground.

Not far away stood an enormous old tree.

It towered high, its branches thick with leaves.

Its roots coiled around the necks of corpse after corpse, suspending them above the ground.

On one of its branches, a White-Haired Old Monkey held a head and gnawed at it carefully.

Sensing their gazes, the old monkey split its bloody mouth into a grin.

"The lackeys are here."

Tang Lingwei drew her long saber and sneered. "A False God working with a Demon? That's a rare sight."

The giant tree trembled. Three slits opened in its trunk, forming eyes and a mouth.

A chilling voice sounded.