The golden crow rose from the east, casting its light upon the human world. Qingyuan City, which had slept for a night, began to stir.
After finishing his morning routine, Ye Xiuchen donned his uniform. He had to admit, the uniforms of the Demon Suppressing Division were truly stylish. Wearing it, Ye Xiuchen exuded an aura of authority. The Demon Suppressing Division uniform was primarily black, adorned with red patterns.
He placed some important items in a small compartment under his bed, then set up a few minor traps on his door. With the door locked, he set off for the Demon Suppressing Division.
The streets were paved with greyish-white flagstones, each the size of a washbasin.
People bustled along the streets, the cries of vendors, the chatter of pedestrians, and the aromas of various delicacies mingled together.
Ye Xiuchen, catching the scent of food, bought several large meat buns at a crossroads and ate them as he walked.
What he found rather strange was that the pedestrians looked at him with a mixture of reverence and enthusiasm. Ye Xiuchen wasn't sure if his guess was correct, but he took a deep breath. It seemed the Demon Suppressing Division had a far greater influence than he had imagined.
Finishing his buns, Ye Xiuchen arrived at the imposing gate of the Demon Suppressing Division and walked in leisurely. The guards, seeing Ye Xiuchen in his Demon Suppressing Envoy uniform, stepped forward to check him. Their attitude was much better than the previous day. Ye Xiuchen produced his token, and after verification, he was allowed to pass.
Ye Xiuchen walked through various buildings and arrived at the entrance of the Scripture Pavilion. The Scripture Pavilion was a six-story building with a very ancient exterior. Ye Xiuchen tidied his robes and entered.
As soon as he stepped inside, an old man sitting with his eyes closed, seemingly meditating, was there.
"Yellow Rank Demon Suppressing Envoy Ye Xiuchen requests entry to the Scripture Pavilion."
"Mm."
The old man slowly opened his faded eyes, a barely perceptible flash of red light glinting within them.
In that instant, Ye Xiuchen felt as though he had a sharp blade at his back, causing all his hairs to stand on end.
The feeling was akin to a small boat adrift in a storm, precarious and in danger of capsizing at any moment, with the threat of death looming.
"Show your token."
"Please, senior, take a look."
"A newly promoted Yellow Rank Demon Suppressing Envoy?"
Ye Xiuchen nodded affirmatively.
"Newly promoted Yellow Rank Demon Suppressing Envoys are entitled to freely learn three cultivation manuals of the Body Refining realm. The specifics are up to you to choose. Any further learning will require merit points. Understood?"
Ye Xiuchen bowed respectfully and replied, "This junior understands."
The old man handed the token back to Ye Xiuchen, who received it with both hands.
"Go, the Body Refining realm cultivation manuals are on the first floor. Don't go to the wrong place," the old man said lazily, then closed his eyes again, appearing to be fast asleep.
Ye Xiuchen bowed once more and walked towards the bookshelves where the Body Refining realm cultivation manuals were kept.
The Scripture Pavilion.
It was the place where all the cultivation techniques of the entire Demon Suppressing Division were collected.
To contend with demons and monsters, one must cultivate profound techniques to possess the capital to fight.
Originally, the Scripture Pavilion was freely accessible, but with development, the Demon Suppressing Division gained more experts, and techniques also required specialization. Thus, merit points became necessary to cultivate techniques. Merit points were obtained through missions, and Ye Xiuchen's promotion to Yellow Rank Demon Suppressing Envoy was merely a low-level mission.
The first floor of the Scripture Pavilion was vast.
When Ye Xiuchen arrived, many people were already there, browsing through the books.
No one noticed Ye Xiuchen. They were all using their limited time to find the martial arts they needed.
Ye Xiuchen had learned beforehand that he could choose three cultivation techniques.
Regarding the selection of techniques, Ye Xiuchen already had a plan in mind.
"Fire Fiend Technique," "Divine Movement Hundred Changes," "Thirteen Sword Gates," "Six Harmonies Saber," "Earth Fire Technique"...
All sorts of cultivation techniques were available, making it difficult for Ye Xiuchen to choose for a moment.
As someone who had experienced the information age, Ye Xiuchen knew exactly what he needed.
As a Demon Suppressing Envoy, dealing with demons and monsters was commonplace. Techniques related to fire, yang, or lightning attributes would deal bonus damage to demons and monsters, so Ye Xiuchen was determined to choose techniques of this nature.
Ye Xiuchen's gaze continuously scanned for what he needed. His eyes lit up as a "Fire Fiend Technique" entered his sight.
Ye Xiuchen opened the "Fire Fiend Technique." The cultivation manuals in the Scripture Pavilion only contained introductions and partial content; the true original texts were with the administrator. As he flipped through the pages, Ye Xiuchen's eyes grew brighter.
This "Fire Fiend Technique," once mastered, not only strengthened the body but also imbued attacks with fire fiends, which would burn enemies and possess a certain toxicity.
Ye Xiuchen then chose a "Five Tigers Breaking Door Saber" and a "Supreme Yang Fist."
After making his selections, he returned to the entrance of the Scripture Pavilion.
"Senior, I have completed my selection. Please review them." Ye Xiuchen respectfully placed the three manuals and his token on the table in front of the old man.
The old man opened his eyes, glanced at the techniques Ye Xiuchen had chosen, and asked, "Confirmed?"
"This junior has confirmed."
The old man picked up Ye Xiuchen's token and, with a flick of his finger, produced three jade slips. He handed them to Ye Xiuchen and said, "To use them, simply place them against your forehead to absorb. They can only be used by you, only once, and cannot be passed on to others. Discovery of such an act will result in immediate execution. Do you understand?" A chilling killing intent emanated from his words.
Ye Xiuchen's heart tightened, and he quickly replied, "This junior understands."
"Take them."
Ye Xiuchen received them with both hands, bowed, and turned to leave.
Once outside the bounds of the Scripture Pavilion, Ye Xiuchen breathed a sigh of relief. The old man's aura was too imposing; he felt immense pressure in his presence.
He hadn't expected even the Demon Suppressing Division in Qingyuan City to have such a master. From this, he could gauge the immense strength of the entire Great Qin Demon Suppressing Division.
Ye Xiuchen touched the jade slips for the cultivation techniques in his怀, then quickened his pace towards home.
In less than the time it takes for a cup of tea to steep, Ye Xiuchen was back at his residence.
Ye Xiuchen did not immediately open the main door. He first checked the small traps he had set, finding them undisturbed. In a world where supernatural powers existed, caution was paramount.