Making You Train Life Skills, You Grind Them into Divine Professions

He had kicked an iron plate.

Though the other man had no cultivation method to bolster him, that blade technique was by no means merely at minor mastery.

Methods were the core, but techniques were just as important in combat.

With techniques but no method, one would indeed be forever halted at the Qi Concealment Realm.

But Zhao Jinsheng himself was only in the Qi Concealment Realm.

He had a blade technique at minor mastery, while the other had one at perfection.

What was he supposed to fight with?

Qin An remained expressionless as he lifted his foot and kicked Zhao Jinsheng in the lower abdomen.

Zhao Jinsheng's corpse slipped off the pointed blade, rolled several times across the ground, and fell still.

Qin An crouched down. After confirming that Zhao Jinsheng was dead, he used Zhao Jinsheng's clothes to wipe the blood from the pointed blade.

It was an old habit from his days as a butcher. Every time he finished slaughtering, he would always clean his knife. After all, it was the tool that put food on the table.

As he wiped it, Qin An thought.

"There's really no difference from killing pigs."

He felt that he had already adapted to it. At the very least, he did not feel like vomiting.

After wiping the blade clean, Qin An looked at the corpse on the ground. After pondering for a moment, he searched it.

In his previous life, whenever Qin An read novels where the protagonist killed an enemy and failed to loot the body, he had always thought it was an exceptionally foolish thing to do.

Qin An did not consider himself foolish, so naturally, he had to search it.

After searching the corpse, Qin An found a book tucked against Zhao Jinsheng's chest.

By the moonlight and the oil lamp, Qin An made out the words on it.

"Cold Source Cultivation Method."

On the ground, the corpse stared wide-eyed in death, its pupils already scattered.

Qin An kicked the corpse aside and looked at the book in his hand, a glimmer flashing through his eyes.

Apart from a few taels of silver and a blade, Zhao Jinsheng had carried only this book.

Something Zhao Jinsheng kept on his person could not be simple.

After pondering briefly, Qin An opened the book in his hand.

The cover bore the four words Cold Source Cultivation Method. The two words "cultivation method" in particular reminded Qin An of the cultivation methods Chen Chun had mentioned.

After opening it, lines of text entered his sight.

After reading only a few words, Qin An was immediately drawn in by the book's contents. Under the oil lamp's light, he began reading with rapt attention.

Once he had finished the entire book, his Scholar Profession proficiency increased somewhat.

But that was not what mattered. What mattered was the content of this book.

Just as Qin An had guessed, this book truly was a cultivation method.

The so-called Cold Source Cultivation Method condensed qi with a trace of coldness after one cultivated it.

The cold could slow an opponent's movements and inflict frostbite upon enemies.

According to the book, this was a cultivation method for the Qi Concealment Realm.

Excitement appeared in Qin An's eyes.

A pillow delivered just as he was getting sleepy—Zhao Jinsheng was a good man indeed.

What he lacked right now was precisely a cultivation method.

Though Chen Chun had once said that whether methods or techniques, both were extraordinarily precious things.

If one rashly cultivated another person's cultivation method and was discovered, one would likely suffer retaliation.

At best, their cultivation would be crippled. At worst, they would lose their life.

But did Qin An have a choice?

He did not.

In these chaotic times, with no background to rely on, a heaven-sent opportunity now lay before him, like food being fed right to his mouth.

If he did not eat it, he would be letting the giver down.

Qin An immediately sat cross-legged and began circulating the qi within his body according to the route described in the Cold Source Cultivation Method.

The Cold Source Cultivation Method stated that cultivation could not be accomplished in a single day.

The most important thing in cultivating the Cold Source Cultivation Method was producing cold qi.

Once cold qi was produced, one had entered the beginner stage.

Upon reaching perfection, the cold qi could cover one's weapon and ravage a person from within.

After the time it took for one incense stick to burn, Qin An opened his eyes, revealing a trace of helplessness.

"Could it be that I have no talent for cultivation?"

The Cold Source Cultivation Method explained that if one could increase the qi within their body by a wisp within the time it took for one incense stick to burn, then they were capable of cultivation.

If nothing happened in that time, then they had no talent for cultivation.

Qin An was certain that the qi within his body had not increased. It had not even stirred in the slightest.

This wisp of qi had only been gained after he entered the beginner stage through a technique. Now, after cultivating for so long and getting nothing, Qin An knew he lacked the talent.

Having no talent was like possessing a mountain of treasure yet being unable to enter it.

Qin An felt helpless, but soon concealed that helplessness.

After giving it some thought, Qin An found a brazier and burned the Cold Source Cultivation Method.

He had memorized all its contents. Keeping the cultivation method would only invite disaster.

Steadiness came first in all things.

As for having no talent, Qin An did not think it mattered.

His reliance was not a cultivation method. A cultivation method was merely icing on the cake.

The most important thing was the Golden Finger.

"I'll first train the Scholar Profession to level three and obtain a talent."

Having made up his mind, Qin An's gaze settled on the corpse.

Then, Qin An dragged the corpse, as though he were dragging a dead pig, all the way to the back courtyard.

The houses here were not new. In fact, they were rather dilapidated, and every household had built a back courtyard.

Calling it a back courtyard was generous. It was really just a tiny yard for piling up odds and ends.

Qin An took a shovel and, before long, dug a pit. He tossed Zhao Jinsheng's corpse into it and buried it.

Zhao Jinsheng's identity was far from ordinary, and the River Blade Sect behind him was a force even the Yamen had to show some respect.

Having killed Zhao Jinsheng today, Qin An did not want to stir up trouble. He needed to erase all traces.

After burying him, Qin An dealt with the bloodstains in the house, then rehung the bells and slept fully clothed.

He still had to go to the bookstore tomorrow to read. He needed to rest well.

As for the fact that he had killed someone...

In chaotic times, when did people not die?

Not to mention that they would not find this place—even if they did, he would deal with it then.

The next day.

After eating, Qin An returned to the bookstore.

The owner of Qingfeng Bookstore was not surprised.

There were many people who came to the bookstore. Some even came from powerful factions, thinking they could pick up a hidden bargain here.

Little did they know, cultivation methods were so important—how could one possibly stumble upon them so easily?

Since the owner paid him no attention, Qin An was even more at ease.

He found a spot by himself, picked up a book, and began reading.

With the profession's bonus, Qin An read extremely quickly. Moreover, after reading the Cold Source Cultivation Method last night, his proficiency had increased slightly.

Today, he did not even need to wait until afternoon before his proficiency was full.

Scholar lv.1 (100/100): Your reading speed increases slightly.

Advancement requirement: Read three ordinary books.