Demon Suppression Bureau Assessment

Inside the room.

Luo Chen's excitement gradually subsided.

"Now that I've reached the completion of Bone Forging, I must learn a technique to conceal my aura and keep it as a trump card."

Luo Chen had thought of this long ago.

He took a secret manual from his robes.

Breath Concealment Art!

This was a technique for restraining one's own aura and cultivation.

He had obtained it from Uncle Liu.

Liu Xingsheng also approved of his desire to cultivate an aura-concealing technique. A martial artist always needed to keep a few trump cards up his sleeve.

At the threshold between life and death, a hidden trump card could often catch an enemy off guard and turn danger into safety.

"This technique isn't particularly profound. I'll invest ten years first and test the waters."

Luo Chen increasingly felt that his lifespan was not enough.

[Successfully invested ten years of lifespan to evolve the technique.]

[First year: Your Breath Concealment Art reached mastery. You concealed your aura, making it difficult for ordinary martial artists to see through you.]

[Fifth year: Your Breath Concealment Art reached completion and had reached this technique's limit. Your aura became increasingly restrained.]

[Tenth year: You attempted to modify and perfect the Breath Concealment Art. The completed Breath Concealment Art gave you hope of breaking through the technique's limit.]

That was it?

Luo Chen's heart ached. Ten years!

In his previous life, how many decades did a person even have?

In a single night, he had already squandered forty years of lifespan.

No, he could not let all his previous efforts go to waste.

Though the completed Breath Concealment Art was decent, this technique was far too rudimentary.

The Demon Suppression Bureau was filled with experts. It was inevitable that he would encounter someone who could see through it.

Having made up his mind, the lifespan displayed on the panel began to decrease rapidly.

[Fifteenth year: A flash of insight arose in your heart, but your comprehension was insufficient, and you could not grasp it.]

[Nineteenth year: Winter passed and spring came. As you observed the Revival of All Things and watched Withered Wood Meet Spring, you fell into a state of enlightenment.]

[Twenty-second year: You gradually perfected your enlightenment, recording it in a book and naming it the Withered Glory Art! Withered Glory Art completed!]

[Lifespan: 16/83]

Countless insights and streams of information surged through his mind.

Luo Chen's already quiet aura became even more deathly still.

To outsiders, he appeared to be nothing more than a martial artist who had just broken through to Bone Forging.

"The lifespan gained from killing that Blood Ape has all been turned into my own strength!"

Luo Chen looked at the lifespan on the panel and felt the surging power within his body.

As he recalled that night six years ago, his feelings became complicated.

Hiding in the cellar that day, watching his parents use themselves as bait, he had felt powerless and despairing. He never wanted to experience that again.

This had become his obsession, driving him to grow stronger and climb ever higher.

The night passed without incident.

Morning.

At the dining table, Luo Chen looked at Uncle Liu across from him and spoke softly.

"Uncle Liu, I've already broken through to Second-Refinement Bone Forging!"

Hearing this, Liu Xingsheng's chopsticks paused slightly as he picked up food.

Then he burst into laughter three times.

"Hahaha, truly heaven-bestowed talent!"

"As far as I know, in Qingyuan City, there are only a handful who can stand shoulder to shoulder with you."

Liu Xingsheng repeatedly praised him. Ignoring Madam Wang's expression beside him, he insisted on drinking several cups so early in the morning.

Ever since he had damaged his foundation and his martial path had been severed, he had never been as happy as he was today.

Seeing Liu Xingsheng's actions, Madam Wang surprisingly did not object.

As she looked at Luo Chen, she quietly pondered, increasingly convinced that only a direct daughter of the Wang Family was worthy of him.

Little One did not understand why the Family was so happy. She merely clapped her hands with all her might.

Luo Chen smiled helplessly and gently rubbed the little girl's head.

After finishing the meal, Luo Chen saw that there was still time and asked.

"Uncle Liu, I've only just broken through Bone Forging. Is there anything I should pay attention to?"

"Right, right, I nearly forgot to tell you."

Liu Xingsheng slapped his forehead, came back to himself, and his tone grew somewhat solemn.

"Ordinary martial artists lack sufficient talent and resources. Once they achieve major success in Bone Forging, they break through directly, gaining between ten thousand and eighteen thousand jin of strength, depending on the individual."

"But you are different. Your talent is extraordinary. You should continue tempering and polishing yourself throughout the Bone Forging stage."

"Only when every bone in your body has taken on a flawless brilliant golden hue will it count as completion. A body of Golden Bones—this is the realm of geniuses, and it is also your foundation. When you break through to the next realm in the future, it will bring you enormous benefits."

"The first realm of martial arts is called Body Refinement!

"What is Body Refinement?

"It is naturally the shedding of one's mortal body and the forging of a martial treasure body!"

Liu Xingsheng imparted his experience piece by piece.

Luo Chen listened attentively, still reflecting on it as he walked toward the Demon Suppression Bureau.

He arrived at the place where he trained every day.

Luo Chen looked at the reserve members, his gaze utterly calm.

Though the Demon Suppression Bureau was dangerous, its benefits were beyond reproach.

Because they fought Demonic Beasts, these reserve members had no actual combat ability before becoming official members of the Demon Suppression Bureau, so they only needed to cultivate.

They did not need to patrol the streets or guard residences like ordinary constables and soldiers.

Every day, they were also supplied with meat and medicinal meals.

The benefits could be called excellent.

"Brother Chen, morning!"

"Brother Chen, my Demon Suppression Blade hasn't improved in days. Could you give me some pointers?"

Amid greeting after greeting,

Luo Chen responded to each one with a smile.

Yet he did not lose himself amid the flattery and attention. Instead, his mind grew ever clearer.

Everything came from strength.

Two hours later, no one around Luo Chen dared disturb him anymore.

He was happy to have some peace and quiet as he considered how to become an official Demon Suppressing Guard.

"An official Demon Suppressing Guard?"

A Youth acquainted with Luo Chen was named Xiao Tian.

Hearing Luo Chen's question, Xiao Tian looked at him with a trace of shock in his eyes.

"Brother Chen, did you break through?"

Luo Chen did not answer, merely nodding lightly.

Xiao Tian sucked in a cold breath. Counting from beginning to end, Luo Chen had only been here for a month.

After a long while, he composed himself and spoke with a complicated expression.

"Brother Chen, positions in the Demon Suppressing Guard are replenished once a year, and every time there are only a limited number of slots.

"There are still six months until the next Demon Suppression Guard Assessment."

"Six months?"

Luo Chen frowned. Six months was far too long for him.

Should I go seek Colonel Yue Wuchang?

But he was no longer the ignorant newcomer he had been a month ago.

A Demon Suppression Captain held tremendous authority, commanding over a hundred martial artists and guarding a vast region.

Even with Uncle Liu's connections, he could not simply go seek the man out on his own.

Just as Luo Chen was considering a way to break the deadlock,

Afternoon came.

A Demon Suppressing Guard found Luo Chen in the Dining Hall.

"Luo Chen, right? The Colonel wants to see you!"

Luo Chen's brows gradually relaxed, and he nodded to the Demon Suppressing Guard.

The two arrived at the pavilion where the Colonel worked, and Luo Chen climbed alone to the second floor.

"Greetings, Lord Yue."

Luo Chen bowed, his tone faintly respectful.

"Sit!" Yue Wuchang closed the letter in his hand, pointed to the chair opposite him, and smiled slightly.

"I passed by the Training Ground this morning. Did you break through?"

Understanding dawned on Luo Chen. He nodded. "I was fortunate enough to break through Bone Forging last night."

"Haha, there is no such thing as luck on the martial path."

Yue Wuchang said with a smile, a trace of appreciation in his gaze as he looked at him.

His tone paused slightly before he continued.

"Here is a piece of intelligence. Take a look first!"

Luo Chen accepted it and carefully read through it.

The letter's contents were brief. A Demonic Beast had appeared in a village at the foot of Cloud Mist Mountain in the southeast over the past few days. Its strength was preliminarily estimated to be at Skin Tempering.

"The assessment for the Demon Suppressing Guard is to kill a Demonic Beast alone. If you are confident, I will make the decision to let you take the assessment early."

"My lord, I am willing to go."

Luo Chen closed the booklet, his tone without a single ripple.

"Haha, good. I will await your triumphant return."

Yue Wuchang smiled faintly, rose to his feet, and patted the Youth on the shoulder.