You Were Told to Train Life Skills, Yet You Grinded Them into Divine Professions

The Yamen colluded with demons, first creating disturbances, then casually arresting a few insignificant demons to earn merit.

Qin An felt that they really might be capable of such a thing.

"That blade technique..." Qin An asked, "Is it real?"

Chen Chun nodded. "Of course it's real, but it isn't a technique from the Evil Extermination Division. Who would dare spread the Evil Extermination Division's techniques around? That would mean losing your head. It's my family's inherited technique."

Chen Chun then explained the reasons, and Qin An understood.

Techniques were extremely important. Whether it was the Evil Extermination Division or the various sects and powers, all of them valued them greatly.

Spreading them privately could result in everything being crippled at best, and body and head being parted at worst.

Chen Chun had not thought Qin An could master it. He had only hoped Qin An could fend things off a little, yet he had never expected Qin An to actually master the Wind-Splitting Blade Technique.

Qin An fell silent.

What had happened today was simply too bizarre. He had come into contact with things he had never imagined, and now he needed time to digest them.

Especially the matter of the Yamen colluding with demons, and the Sow Demon coming to his door—when the two matters came together, a sense of danger kept growing in his heart.

The Yamen might not necessarily have colluded with the Pig Demon, or they would not have killed it.

But whether they had colluded with other demons was impossible to say.

He was now trapped in muddy waters. If he wanted to seek a way out, it seemed the only path was to rely on the Golden Finger.

Seeing Qin An deep in thought, Chen Chun looked around, then crept closer on tiptoe and whispered, "Do you want that Blood Crystal? If you don't, give it to me."

A Blood Crystal?

Qin An thought of the crimson Flesh Orb.

His home was bare to the walls. Other than the Flesh Orb left behind after dealing with the Sow Demon, he could not think of anything else.

Chen Chun stroked the small mustache on the right side of his face with his index finger. "A Blood Crystal is an excellent tonic for cultivators in the Qi Concealment Realm."

After pondering for a moment, Qin An toyed with the pointed knife and asked, "What is the Qi Concealment Realm?"

Though he had entered this circle, he was like a blind man feeling up an elephant—he understood nothing.

Now that he was in a dangerous situation, and Chen Chun was someone in the know, Qin An wanted to take this chance to ask.

Only then did Chen Chun remember that Qin An had just entered this circle. Smacking his forehead, he said, "I nearly forgot. What level has your Wind-Splitting Blade Technique reached?"

Mentioning this made Chen Chun feel somewhat sour.

It had only been a short while, yet Qin An had already gotten the Wind-Splitting Blade Technique through the door.

After all these years, Chen Chun had only just reached minor mastery in the techniques passed down by the Evil Extermination Division.

Comparisons truly could make one furious in an instant.

Qin An kept a calm expression. "I've only just entered the door."

From Chen Chun's expression, he could tell that his cultivation speed seemed a little too fast.

The Butcher Profession's talent had raised the Wind-Splitting Blade Technique to perfection, but a tall tree caught the wind. To be safe, Qin An deliberately understated it.

Chen Chun nodded. "Just as I thought. You've only just entered the door, so you probably haven't sensed the existence of qi yet. Perhaps the Sow Demon was careless, which was why it fell into your hands."

Qin An went along with it. "That's right. It thought I was merely an ordinary commoner."

He did not know what qi was, but there truly was a current of heat within his body.

But now was not the time to reveal it.

Chen Chun gathered his words. "Qi Concealment is the threshold that distinguishes cultivators from ordinary people. Creating qi from blood and storing it within oneself—that is Qi Concealment."

"When qi fills the head, body, and limbs, eventually brimming throughout the entire body, that is the peak of Qi Concealment."

"Unfortunately, storing qi through techniques is ultimately slow."

Hearing this, Qin An asked, "What do you mean by storing qi through techniques?"

After Chen Chun's explanation, Qin An could determine that the warm current was qi.

But he did not understand what Chen Chun meant by storing qi through techniques.

If he did not understand, he asked.

Chen Chun said, "There are two kinds among the cultivators of this world: methods and techniques. Methods are the core and can raise one's realm. Techniques are combat skills. Techniques can raise one's realm too, but extremely slowly. Without the core of a method, one can at most remain in the Qi Concealment Realm for life."

Qin An listened intently and kept analyzing in his mind. He quickly understood.

Put simply, methods were internal cultivation, while techniques were moves.

Moves could generate qi, but would not take one very far—at most, they could reach the Qi Concealment Realm.

"Do you have an internal cultivation method?" Qin An asked.

Chen Chun froze, the corner of his mouth twitching. "Cultivation methods are all treasures. Whether it's the Evil Extermination Division or sect powers, they keep them locked away tightly. It's already good enough that I gave you the Wind-Splitting Blade Technique. Where would I get an internal cultivation method?"

Qin An gave an acknowledging sound. "Then what is a Blood Crystal?"

He had figured out the cultivation matter, but he still only half understood the Flesh Orb called a Blood Crystal.

Judging from Chen Chun's reaction, this thing was very precious.

Chen Chun glanced toward the kitchen. "Demons can cultivate as well. Any cultivating demon with abundant blood and qi may form a Blood Crystal. Fusing a Blood Crystal with qi is an excellent tonic for those in the Qi Concealment Realm, saving a great deal of time."

Qin An understood. So this thing was basically a supplement.

Chen Chun licked his lips. "You don't have an internal cultivation method. If you use it without a method to circulate it, you'll explode and die. You might as well give it to me. If my strength improves, it will benefit you too."

Qin An thought for a moment, then shook his head. "I could give it to you at any other time, but not now. I've been swept into the whirlpool as well."

Though he had no internal cultivation method and could not absorb the Blood Crystal through one, he had already been dragged into this conflict. He needed to keep it.

Great Qian was in turmoil. He had not been transported here for long, yet he had nearly lost his life.

Now that the Golden Finger had awakened its talent, Qin An felt he should seize the opportunity.

Though he was young, he still knew how to keep a firm grip on things.

He would keep the Blood Crystal. If it became useful later, he would have something to use.

Hearing this, Chen Chun's eyes showed a trace of regret, but he said no more and changed the subject.

"You provoked the Pig Demon because of slaughtering. Now that the Pig Demon is gone, you might not be in danger anymore, but you still need to be careful. Hide the Blood Crystal well, and don't let anyone discover it."

Qin An nodded to show that he understood.

Chen Chun rose and headed for the door. "I'm leaving. Don't spread word that I'm an Undercover Agent. I won't trouble you, but I can't guarantee that the Evil Extermination Division won't."

There was no threat in his words. Instead, it was a warning.

Qin An watched Chen Chun leave. After shutting the door, he tied the bell back onto the ground, then returned to the bedside and placed the pointed knife where it was within easy reach.

"The world is in turmoil, and demons are breeding everywhere. The only thing I can rely on is the Golden Finger."

"Scholar is a newly acquired profession, and it does not need much proficiency. Tomorrow, I'll go to the bookstore and read, raising the Scholar Profession's proficiency."

Qin An made up his mind.

What he could rely on now was only himself and the Golden Finger he had brought with him through transmigration.

The Scholar Profession was the second profession he had acquired. After reaching level three, it would awaken a new talent.

Qin An did not know what that talent would be, but the Butcher Profession's talent was already so powerful. The Scholar Profession's talent surely would not be bad.

Moreover, the Butcher Profession needed 400 proficiency points to continue improving, and Ding County was unsettled now.

The Yamen was colluding with demons. Even if he had merely been accidentally dragged into it, there was no guarantee it would not happen again.

He would train the quick one first. The slow one could wait.

As for unlocking a new profession, Qin An had no time for that now.

Outside the window, darkness had completely enveloped everything, as though ink had been splashed across the sky.

Qin An slept in his clothes, gripping the pointed knife in his hand.

The next day.

A ray of sunlight shone through the window, carrying a refreshing warmth.

Qin An got up early. After a simple wash and tidy-up, he left home.

On the way to the bookstore, Qin An stopped at a roadside stall and ate two steamed buns.

Qingfeng Bookstore was the largest bookstore in Great Qian, with numerous branches under its name.

Ding County's was merely one inconspicuous little shop among them.

Great Qian revered martial arts and promoted literature. Every prefecture and county had bookstores for scholars to read in.

Though they charged money, scholars seeking to earn official rank flocked to them like ducks.

Qin An was not a scholar, but Qingfeng Bookstore was open to the public, so he would not be turned away at the door.

Before he even reached the bookstore entrance, Qin An heard a burst of commotion.