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Qin Yang's days finally regained some calm, allowing him to immerse himself fully in his cultivation.

In the mornings, he practiced the Po Jun Saber Technique.

At noon, after taking supplements, he trained in the Azure Wave Blood Transference Method for an hour, which also helped restore his stamina.

Then, in the afternoons, he continued practicing the Po Jun Saber Technique.

After nightfall, he entered a state of Zen Meditation to cultivate the Azure Wave Blood Transference Method, slightly boosting his training speed.

This intense regimen made the Blood Replenishing Decoction he had been using insufficient, forcing him to switch to more precious herbs.

But that didn't matter—after all, his family ran an herb shop, with a wealth of rare ingredients at his disposal, allowing him to supplement as much as he needed.

During this time, Luo Jian, the guild leader of the White River Gang, paid a visit.

They discussed matters for less than half an hour before quickly reaching an agreement.

Qin Yang became the Grand Offering of the White River Gang, receiving a thirty percent dividend each month.

The Twin Snake Gang's territory was also fully transferred to the White River Gang's name.

The White River Gang operated with a sense of Jianghu integrity, unlike the Twin Snake Gang, which had ruthlessly squeezed the common folk. The streets became more stable, and public order was no longer as chaotic as before.

In the blink of an eye, three months had passed.

Winter had long since arrived, and the sky was filled with heavy, goose-feather snow.

At the Qin Manor's Small Courtyard.

Xiao Huan wore a thick cotton-padded jacket, her little head covered with a fluffy hat, her cheeks flushed red from the cold, looking exceptionally adorable.

She breathed warm air into her hands as she watched Qin Yang practice his saber technique.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~~~

The fierce, powerful blade wind swept up the snow and wind, almost forming a blizzard.

After three months of training in the Po Jun Saber Technique, Qin Yang's movements had become fluid, and the aura he unleashed was even more intense.

Boom!

With the final Mountain Fall Stance, he struck.

The very air seemed to split apart, violently tearing to both sides.

Qin Yang wiped the sweat from his face.

His hands were undergoing a transformation—his fingers growing longer, the muscles in his arms appearing more defined, capable of unleashing immense power.

He called up the System Panel.

Host: Qin Yang

Arhat Fist: Perfection (Zen Meditation)

Azure Wave Blood Transference Method: Seventh Layer (56/2000)

Po Jun Saber Technique: Minor Accomplishment (0/1500)

"Finally reached Minor Accomplishment in the Po Jun Saber Technique."

"The Azure Wave Blood Transference Method is getting harder and harder."

Qin Yang murmured to himself.

The Azure Wave Blood Transference Method was easy at the start, but as he progressed, it became increasingly difficult, requiring more and more experience points.

Yet Qin Yang never thought of giving up.

To him, mastering a martial art to perfection would give birth to a new divine ability.

Besides, the Blood Transference Realm was a stage for building a foundation, so he had to lay a solid groundwork.

Now that he had reached the Sevenfold Azure Wave stage, his blood and qi surged with extraordinary intensity, far surpassing ordinary people.

His energy grew more abundant, and he could even maintain his Zen Meditation state for longer periods.

"Young Master."

"Guild Leader Luo is here to visit."

A guard called out from the entrance.

"Luo Jian?"

Qin Yang was taken aback for a moment, casually threw on an outer robe, and walked out of the Small Courtyard.

Since taking over the Twin Snake Gang's territory, Luo Jian hadn't come by.

But he had always delivered the monthly dividends on time.

This visit likely meant something had come up.

Luo Jian was a burly, rough-looking man standing eight feet tall, his skin darkened from years of sun and rain at the docks.

"Guild Leader Luo."

Qin Yang entered and greeted him.

"Young Master Qin, I've come unannounced because there's something urgent I need to tell you."

"This news should be good news for you."

Luo Jian said with a hearty laugh.

"Oh? What good news?" Qin Yang's interest was piqued.

Luo Jian wouldn't joke with him.

If he said it was good news, then it was good news.

"Young Master Qin has been looking for a Tempering Technique all along, hasn't he?"

Luo Jian asked with a smile.

"Could it be that Guild Leader Luo has found one?"

Qin Yang's face lit up with joy.

If that were true, it really would be good news for him.

In these chaotic times, even third-rate techniques were family heirlooms, and Tempering Techniques were even rarer.

Qin Yang had been searching for three months—not even a second-rate one, let alone a third-rate Tempering Technique.

"I'm not that capable."

"But I do have a bit of inside information."

"Recently, a big bandit has fled to the outskirts of Linjiang City."

"This bandit goes by the alias Hun Yuan Yi. His real name is unknown. He's trained in a Tempering Technique, making him hard to wound with ordinary blades. He's vicious and has killed quite a few officers along the way."

Luo Jian spoke quickly.

"Hun Yuan Yi?"

"What a strange alias."

Qin Yang was a bit speechless hearing it.

"Probably because the Tempering Technique he practices is called Hun Yuan Armor, hence the alias."

"In the past few days, this guy has committed several major crimes in Linjiang City, killing around twenty or thirty people. Even the County Office has put up a rare bounty of five hundred taels of silver."

Luo Jian shook his head.

"Interesting."

"Does Guild Leader Luo have any leads on this bandit?"

Qin Yang smiled.

Since Luo Jian had come in person, he surely knew more than just the public information.

"A Wandering Swordsman found traces of Hun Yuan Yi. I bought that information."

Luo Jian lowered his voice.

"Please, speak, Guild Leader Luo."

Qin Yang's eyes lit up.

"It's at a Broken Temple about a dozen li outside the city."

"He's probably been hiding there these past few days."

Luo Jian said with a slight smile.

"Good!"

"Then tonight, I, Qin, will act on behalf of heaven and kill this bandit who stops at no evil!"

Qin Yang laughed heartily.

If he killed Hun Yuan Yi, he'd have no trouble getting a Tempering Technique.

Night fell.

Qin Yang carried a Steel Saber on his back and quietly slipped out of Qin Manor.

This Steel Saber was custom-made by a city blacksmith, costing several hundred taels of silver—no small expense.

While it couldn't cut through iron like mud, its blade was forged from refined steel, heavy and thick with a pronounced curve, making it ideal for chopping.

A few snowflakes drifted through the sky, blanketing the streets in white.

Dark, cold, and dim.

Walking along the main road, Qin Yang occasionally spotted frozen corpses.

Now and then, terrified screams rang out.

Such was the danger of Linjiang City after dark.

Bandits, gang fights, all kinds of conflicts. People died every night.

Qin Yang could also feel many vicious gazes emerging from the dark corners, fixed on him.

His eyes were sharp and piercing; with a casual sweep, those furtive glances instantly vanished.

Once out on the streets beyond the Qin Manor gates, not many people likely recognized him.

But his burly, 1.85-meter frame, with a large cleaver slung across his back, clearly marked him as a trained fighter.

Anyone with half a brain wouldn't think of targeting Qin Yang.

The gates of Linjiang City never closed, and there were no guards on duty—people came and went freely.

Only during certain festivals, when the influx of people into the city swelled, would guards be seen.

Of course, they weren't there to keep order—they were solely there to collect entry fees.

Qin Yang left the city and headed straight for the Broken Temple, following Luo Jian's directions.

That temple, they said, had been thriving with incense offerings a few years back, until bandits ransacked it, slaughtering all the monks, leaving it abandoned and decayed.

Out in the desolate wilderness, walking alone on a snowy night, Qin Yang felt not a trace of cold.

The blood and qi inside his body blazed like a furnace, driving away the chill.

In less than an hour, Qin Yang spotted the silhouette of a temple at the foot of a mountain.