Ye Xiuchen stopped at a pavilion, which was more bustling than other parts of the Demon Suppressing Division, with people constantly coming and going. He tidied himself up and entered the pavilion.
Inside, rows of small windows greeted him, each with a small sign beside it. Ye Xiuchen walked directly to one of the windows, where a middle-aged man was dozing.
Ye Xiuchen knocked a few times in front of him. The man suddenly woke up, startling Ye Xiuchen. Seeing Ye Xiuchen's young face, the man relaxed, yawned a few times, and asked listlessly, "What business do you have?"
"Submitting a mission."
"What mission?"
Ye Xiuchen took out the black ash wrapped in coarse cloth and a token, saying, "To be promoted to an official Demon Suppressor."
The middle-aged man gave Ye Xiuchen a surprised look. Ye Xiuchen smiled slightly.
The middle-aged man took the black ash, opened the cloth, and then took out something like a thermometer from a cabinet below. This item was called an Yin Ruler, used to measure Yin energy concentration. He inserted it into the black ash, and a black line rose from the middle. When the black line stopped rising, he took it out, looked at it for a few moments, and then placed it in front of Ye Xiuchen for confirmation. Ye Xiuchen looked at it for a few moments and nodded.
The middle-aged man put away the Yin Ruler and picked up a brush to record: In the sixty-seventh year of Great Qin, on the seventeenth day of the fifth month, Ye Xiuchen of the No. 1 Training Camp, Qingyuan Town Demon Suppressing Division, Tianyang Prefecture, single-handedly slew a low-level Ghost of the Grudge rank, meeting the promotion requirements. Promoted to Yellow Rank Demon Suppressor.
He then took Ye Xiuchen's original token, retrieved a token made of black iron, and lightly touched them together. A flash of light passed, and Ye Xiuchen's name appeared on the Yellow Rank Demon Suppressor token. He then handed the token to Ye Xiuchen and said, "Drip a drop of blood."
Ye Xiuchen complied. The middle-aged man then took out a set of standard long robes, a jade pendant, and a small porcelain bottle. With a slight smile, he said to Ye Xiuchen, "Congratulations, you have become a Yellow Rank Demon Suppressor."
Ye Xiuchen took the robes, jade pendant, and small porcelain bottle, thanked the middle-aged man, and left the pavilion after exchanging pleasantries.
He left the Demon Suppressing Division and walked onto the street outside, heading towards home. He took care of his meal along the way and arrived at a small courtyard near the city walls. This was a courtyard he had rented. The monthly rent was not expensive, as it was not a prosperous area. He used to rely on part-time jobs to pay the rent, but not anymore. After becoming a Yellow Rank Demon Suppressor, he would receive a monthly salary of one to two taels of silver.
Ye Xiuchen opened the door and entered, locking it behind him. Before him was an ordinary courtyard with several wooden stakes and some martial arts training equipment placed on the ground.
Ye Xiuchen went to the front of the house to check the small mechanisms he had set up. Finding no anomalies, he entered the house, lit the oil lamp, and found only very simple furnishings inside: a bed, a table, and a few chairs.
Ye Xiuchen placed the items and his long saber on the table, eagerly checking the panel.
Name: Ye Xiuchen
Martial Arts: Yang Ji Zhuang (Minor Accomplishment) [Can be upgraded]
Points: 1
Lottery
Enhance
Fusion
Ye Xiuchen looked at the word "Can be upgraded" next to Yang Ji Zhuang. According to the information, it meant upgrading the martial art by one level. The levels of cultivation techniques were divided into four stages: Entry Level, Minor Accomplishment, Major Accomplishment, and Perfection.
Yang Ji Zhuang was a basic cultivation technique of the Demon Suppressing Division, which could be cultivated to the first level of Body Refinement, Blood Refining. Ye Xiuchen had just entered the Body Refinement realm and was beginning Blood Refining. If he upgraded by one level, he would reach Major Accomplishment, close to the Perfection of Blood Refining. Ye Xiuchen was not in a hurry to upgrade.
He looked at the items issued by the Demon Suppressing Division on the table: a token, a jade pendant, a pill, and a standard long robe. The jade pendant was used to collect Yin and evil energy to determine the number of ghosts killed. The token was a symbol of identity. The pill was a Body Refining Pill, which could accelerate the progress of body refinement.
Ye Xiuchen opened the small porcelain bottle. There were three Body Refining Pills inside, emitting a faint fragrance. Ye Xiuchen took one and swallowed it in one gulp. It turned into a warm current that flowed to all parts of his body. With a thought, the panel upgraded!
The words "Yang Ji Zhuang" on the panel flickered a few times and changed to "Major Accomplishment."
Information about the Major Accomplishment of Yang Ji Zhuang surged into Ye Xiuchen's mind. Ye Xiuchen held his mind steady to receive the memories.
He began to assume the stance of Yang Ji Zhuang. The muscles under his skin bulged like little mice, constantly refining the medicinal properties of the Body Refining Pill.
After a while, Ye Xiuchen stopped the stance and let out a long sigh. He felt his own strength with amazement. With the help of the Body Refining Pill, he had directly reached the Perfection of Blood Refining.
He silently said, "Panel."
Name: Ye Xiuchen
Martial Arts: Yang Ji Zhuang (Perfection) /
Points: 0
Lottery
Enhance
Fusion
A single point had directly upgraded Yang Ji Zhuang to Perfection. Ye Xiuchen felt the memories about Yang Ji Zhuang in his mind, proving that it was all real and that the realm upgraded by points was very solid.
Ye Xiuchen felt his own strength and ran into the courtyard to test it. He found that after reaching Perfection of Blood Refining, his strength had increased by about one to two hundred jin. His current strength had now broken through to about eight hundred jin.
Indeed, once he entered the Body Refinement realm, he had already entered the extraordinary level.
Returning to the house, Ye Xiuchen thought that as a Yellow Rank Demon Suppressor, he could go to the Scripture Pavilion to claim three free cultivation techniques.
Thinking of this, Ye Xiuchen couldn't help but feel a little excited. Those were truly extraordinary martial arts.
He blew out the oil lamp and lay down to sleep.
The Golden Crow rose from the east, casting its light upon the human world. Qingyuan City, which had been sleeping, began to stir.
After Ye Xiuchen washed up, he put on the uniform. He had to admit that the Demon Suppressing Division's clothes were truly handsome. Ye Xiuchen immediately exuded a sense of authority when he wore them. The Demon Suppressing Division uniform was primarily black, with red patterns as embellishments.
He placed some important items in a small compartment under the bed and set up some small mechanisms on the house door. After locking the main door, he headed towards the Demon Suppressing Division.
The streets were gray and white, paved with blue stone bricks, each about the size of a washbasin.
People came and went on the street, with the calls of vendors, the discussions of pedestrians, and the aroma of various delicacies mixing together.
Ye Xiuchen smelled the aroma of food and bought several large meat buns at a street corner, eating them as he walked.
What puzzled him was that when pedestrians looked at him, they showed a mixture of reverence and enthusiasm. Ye Xiuchen guessed, perhaps correctly, that the Demon Suppressing Division had a greater influence than he had imagined.
After finishing the buns, Ye Xiuchen arrived at the imposing gate of the Demon Suppressing Division and walked in leisurely. The guards saw Ye Xiuchen wearing the Demon Suppressor's uniform and came to check. Their attitude was much better than yesterday. Ye Xiuchen took out his token, and after inspection, 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 that looked very ancient from the outside. Ye Xiuchen tidied his robes and walked in.
As soon as he entered, he saw an old man sitting there with his eyes closed, meditating.
"Yellow Rank Demon Suppressor Ye Xiuchen requests entry into the Scripture Pavilion."
"Hmm."
The old man slowly opened his sparse eyes. A faint, almost imperceptible glint of blood flashed in his eyes.
In that instant.
Ye Xiuchen felt a prickling sensation on his back, making his hair stand on end.
It felt like a small boat in a storm, rocking precariously, with the constant danger of losing its life.
"Show your token."
"Senior, please take a look."
"A newly promoted Yellow Rank Demon Suppressor?"
Ye Xiuchen nodded affirmatively.
"A newly promoted Yellow Rank Demon Suppressor can learn three cultivation technique manuals of the Body Refinement realm for free. As for what they are, you choose yourself. In the future, if you wish to learn more, you will need to pay with merit points. Do you understand?"
Ye Xiuchen bowed respectfully and replied, "This junior understands."
"Go, the Body Refinement realm cultivation techniques are on the first floor. Don't go to the wrong place," the old man said lazily, then closed his eyes as if already fast asleep.
Ye Xiuchen bowed again and proceeded towards the bookshelves where the Body Refinement realm cultivation technique manuals were stored.
The Scripture Pavilion.
It was the place where the entire Demon Suppressing Division stored its cultivation techniques.
To deal with demons and ghosts, one must cultivate profound cultivation techniques to have the capital to fight.
Originally, the Scripture Pavilion could be entered freely. However, with development, the Demon Suppressing Division gained more experts, and cultivation techniques also required specialization. Thus, merit points became necessary to cultivate them, with merit points obtained through missions. Ye Xiuchen's promotion to Yellow Rank Demon Suppressor was only a low-level mission.
The first floor of the Scripture Pavilion was very large.
When Ye Xiuchen arrived, many people were already there, browsing 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.
As for choosing cultivation techniques, Ye Xiuchen already had a plan in mind.
"Fire Fiend Skill," "Divine Shifting Steps," "Divine Gate Thirteen Swords," "Six Harmonies Saber," "Earth Fire Skill"...
All sorts of cultivation techniques were available, making Ye Xiuchen unsure how to choose for a while.
As someone who had lived through the information age, Ye Xiuchen understood very well what he needed.
As a Demon Suppressor, dealing with demons and ghosts was routine. Techniques related to fire, yang, or lightning attributes would have bonus damage against demons and ghosts, so Ye Xiuchen was sure to choose those.
Ye Xiuchen's gaze continuously scanned for what he needed. His eyes lit up as a copy of "Fire Fiend Skill" came into his view.
Ye Xiuchen opened "Fire Fiend Skill." The cultivation techniques in the Scripture Pavilion only contained introductions and partial content; the true original texts were with the Scripture Pavilion administrator. As he flipped through the pages, Ye Xiuchen's eyes grew brighter.
This "Fire Fiend Skill," upon reaching Major Accomplishment, not only strengthened the body but also imbued attacks with fire fiend energy, which would burn enemies and have a certain toxic effect.
Ye Xiuchen also chose a technique called "Five Tiger Severing Door Saber" and another called "Supreme Yang Fist."
After making his selections, he went to the entrance of the Scripture Pavilion.
"Senior, I have finished my selection. Please take a look." Ye Xiuchen respectfully placed the three secret manuals and his token on the table in front of the old man.
The old man opened his eyes, glanced at the cultivation techniques Ye Xiuchen had chosen, and asked, "Confirmed?"
"This junior has confirmed."
The old man picked up Ye Xiuchen's token and made a swipe with his finger. Three jade slips appeared in his hand, which he handed to Ye Xiuchen, saying, "When using them, simply place them on your forehead to absorb them. They can only be used by the owner, only once, and cannot be taught to others. Discovery will result in immediate execution. Do you understand?" A stern killing intent emanated from his words.
Ye Xiuchen's heart constricted, and he quickly replied, "This junior understands."
"Take them."
Ye Xiuchen took them with both hands, bowed, and turned to leave.
Once outside the Scripture Pavilion, Ye Xiuchen breathed a sigh of relief. The old man's authority was too immense, and he felt immense pressure in his presence.
He hadn't expected that even a Demon Suppressing Division in Qingyuan City would have such a master. From this, he could see how powerful the entire Great Qin Demon Suppressing Division was.
Ye Xiuchen touched the cultivation technique jade slips in his怀, and quickened his pace towards home.
In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Ye Xiuchen returned to his residence.
Ye Xiuchen did not open the main door. He first checked the small mechanisms he had left behind and found they were intact. In this world where extraordinary beings existed, it was still necessary to be cautious.
Ye Xiuchen directly turned off the lights and went to sleep.
While Ye Xiuchen had already turned off his lights and gone to sleep, discussions about the blood moon were still raging online. Aside from the blood moon in the sky, it was just a very ordinary night.
But in places unknown to ordinary people in this world, battles that ordinary people could not imagine erupted simultaneously in numerous cities.
Outside the window, the city was filled with towering buildings and dazzling lights, bustling with activity. But who knew what the price of such prosperity was?
In a world that appeared ordinary, how many demons were secretly breeding?
At seven o'clock the next morning, Ye Xiuchen was already awake and had finished washing. He tidied himself up and prepared to go downstairs for his morning exercise.
Opening the villa door, the morning sun shone on the ground, carrying a unique summer morning atmosphere that made Ye Xiuchen inhale deeply.
Opening the villa gate, he stretched his body and began his morning run. Ye Xiuchen had already checked his martial arts panel earlier and found no changes, so he didn't dwell on it. Having a golden finger but not knowing how to use it was quite awkward.
This martial arts panel had not significantly impacted Ye Xiuchen's life; things continued as they were.
On his morning run, Ye Xiuchen encountered familiar faces. However, only the elderly in the neighborhood greeted him. These elders, having heard that his parents had passed away and he was an orphan, would often visit and bring him some food. Ye Xiuchen felt close to them.
He greeted the security guard and left the neighborhood for his morning run. On the street, he encountered many elderly people exercising. Students were already on vacation, so parents didn't need to take them to school. There weren't many people on the street. Ye Xiuchen usually ran to the park near his neighborhood.
He ran all the way to the park and began exercising in a familiar open space. Exercise had become Ye Xiuchen's daily routine.
At this moment, Ye Xiuchen noticed a middle-aged man walking towards him. In a short while, the man was about two to three meters away. The middle-aged man had a relatively regular appearance, and Ye Xiuchen noticed his pale complexion, like the sickly pallor of someone injured in a movie. Ye Xiuchen sensed an aura of iron-blooded killing surrounding him.
Seeing Ye Xiuchen staring at him, the middle-aged man smiled at him. Ye Xiuchen returned the smile, and then the man walked away. Ye Xiuchen continued his exercise.
Ye Xiuchen's body suddenly stiffened.
Points +10
Ye Xiuchen was a bit confused. He quickly looked around for the man who had just passed. Within seconds, the man who had just walked by had disappeared. Ye Xiuchen quickly packed his things and rushed home.
He ran all the way, not even having time to return greetings to others, and hurried home.