"Senior Brother Zhang, a hand?"

Bai Yuan bent down, preparing to lift Liu Jiuyan’s headless corpse.

He was a man who abided by martial ethics—if he killed someone, he buried them too.

Zhang Yang grinned widely, strode forward to help Bai Yuan lift the body, and didn’t forget to pick up the head that had rolled to the side.

This junior brother he had helped train was right up his alley.

When Jianghu People made a mistake, they should just stick their necks out to be cut. Eighteen years later, they’d be a hero again. Why all the fuss?

Ma Dingjun and Cheng Li watched the two with strange expressions.

They only remembered that their junior brother had been a Hunter before. They hadn’t expected him to be so proficient at moving corpses. He was truly fierce.

Bai Yuan and Zhang Yang found a cart to transport Liu Jiuyan’s body to the mass grave outside the city. Both were Martial Artists, so digging a pit was a gross underuse of their talents. In just a moment, the body was buried in a large hole.

After they finished, the sky was just beginning to show the pale light of dawn.

Bai Yuan leaned on the shovel with his right hand and wiped the sweat from his brow with his left.

"Another beautiful day!"

...

When he returned to the small courtyard at the Martial Arts Hall, Xiao Qiaoniang was already awake.

"Brother Yuan, what on earth happened last night?"

She had woken up early to find the spot beside her empty and the bed cold, a clear sign he had been gone for a long time.

Bai Yuan smiled faintly. "Senior Brother Liu betrayed the sect and harmed Senior Brother Chu. He was discovered last night and has been executed."

"Good riddance!"

Seeing Xiao Qiaoniang clap her hands in approval, Bai Yuan was taken aback.

’Sister Qiao seems to have the potential to become a heroic swordswoman.’

’Very good. Not bad at all.’

With the matter settled, he finally looked at his panel.

[Name: Bai Yuan]

[Occupation: Demon Hunter, Swordsman, Boxer, Cook]

[Skills: Cooking (Master), Demon Tracking (Proficient), Demon Control (Proficient), Tiger-Crane Form (Expert), Blood Tiger Saber (Expert), Soul-Hooking Steps (Proficient)...]

[Reinforcement Points: 83]

Killing Liu Jiuyan had earned him "83" Reinforcement Points.

It was quite a bit lower than what he got from Han Tie and Liu Hanshan, but those two were long-famous Yijin experts. It was normal for them to be stronger than Liu Jiuyan.

"Allocate points!"

[In your 141st year of cultivating the Tiger-Crane Form, something ineffable seems to have appeared within your body.]

...

[In your 150th year of cultivating the Tiger-Crane Form, your body has become unprecedentedly powerful!]

...

[In your 160th year of cultivating the Tiger-Crane Form, you have comprehended a sliver of Jin.]

Bai Yuan felt a current of incredibly vigorous life force flowing through his body.

’Is this Jin?’

He felt the changes inside his body with a look of astonishment.

Jin was something that only masters who had entered the Jin-Realm could comprehend. To have obtained it while still at the Yijin Pass was clearly thanks to the Tiger-Crane Form.

No wonder the Divine Mansion Sect placed so much importance on lost Cultivation Techniques.

Compared to the Tiger-Crane Form, the Cultivation Techniques of Qinghe County were utter trash. Practicing them was a waste of life.

Cultivating Jin made Bai Yuan feel as if he had an inexhaustible supply of energy.

Though he hadn’t slept all night, he didn’t feel the least bit tired or weary.

He walked out of his room and went to Old Xue’s small courtyard.

He had already dealt with Liu Jiuyan; he had to report the outcome to Old Xue.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw Old Xue, who, contrary to his usual habit, was not lying on his recliner but standing silently in the middle of the yard.

"Master, the body has been buried."

Old Xue nodded upon hearing this.

Though he hadn’t seen the scene inside the house at the time, he had clearly heard the sound of a blade severing a neck and the thud of a head rolling on the floor.

"When did you break through to the Yijin Pass?"

Old Xue suddenly pressed.

Liu Jiuyan had revealed the strength of an Yijin master. For Bai Yuan to be able to kill him, his own strength had to be even greater. Even with the Blood Tiger Saber, he shouldn’t have been so formidable.

"I did indeed just break through to the Yijin Pass and didn’t have time to report to you, Master."

Bai Yuan put on a perfectly obedient expression.

Old Xue naturally didn’t believe Bai Yuan’s nonsense. The boy had probably broken through long ago and was just hiding his true strength.

But this was good. At least he could live much longer this way.

Even so, Elder Xue was still incredibly shocked.

The fact that Bai Yuan had only been studying martial arts for two years was undeniable. To become an Yijin Martial Master in less than two years... such talent was rare even in the Divine Mansion Sect, which was teeming with geniuses.

This disciple of his was a true monster, even stronger than Chu Yuan by several degrees.

Combined with the incredibly lethal Blood Tiger Saber, there were very few people in all of Qinghe County who could threaten Bai Yuan.

At this thought, the sorrow in his heart lessened somewhat.

"Focus on practicing your saber. You don’t need to worry about outside affairs." 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Apart from the few people present, no one else knew of Bai Yuan’s true strength. Old Xue had already suppressed the matter to keep it from spreading.

To the outside world, Bai Yuan was still just a talented disciple at the Bone Forging stage.

As long as he wasn’t an Yijin Martial Master, he wouldn’t be forcibly dragged into the conflict between the Divine Mansion Sect and the Soul-Chasing Tower.

Old Xue had already lost one disciple; he couldn’t bear to lose a second.

He only wanted Bai Yuan to successfully join the Divine Mansion Sect after the storm had passed, and carry forward the saber techniques of the Black Sha lineage.

"Thank you, Master."

Bai Yuan bowed respectfully.

This bow came from the heart. If not for Old Xue’s protection, he would have faced far more trouble.

Old Xue waved his hand impatiently. "Go on."

...

Bai Yuan returned to his small courtyard.

The moment he pushed the door open, he saw Xiao Qiaoniang having an intimate chat with Li Ting.

The two were both disciples under Cheng Li and, being women, shared a very close relationship.

When Li Ting saw Bai Yuan appear, she shot to her feet.

"Bai Yuan, you’re finally back."

Bai Yuan glanced at Li Ting without much expression. Li Ting came to the courtyard to see Sister Qiao every day, so this was nothing out of the ordinary.

Li Ting looked at Bai Yuan, seeming to want to say something but hesitating.

"Just say what’s on your mind. There’s no need for such hesitation between us."

Bai Yuan could tell what Li Ting was thinking with a single glance. The Li Family must need a favor.

Li Ting bit her lip. "Senior Brother Bai, my uncle was ambushed and killed by the Soul-Chasing Tower. The Li Family has no one left to rely on. If you are willing to protect the Li Family, we will pay any price... as long as we can afford it."

She said everything in one breath, without any concealment or haggling.

The Li Family had been able to stand firm in the city precisely because her uncle, an Yijin Martial Master, was there to protect it.

But now that their only Yijin Martial Master had been assassinated by an expert from the Soul-Chasing Tower, the Li Family had lost its pillar of support, so she had no choice but to turn to Bai Yuan.

Sincerity was her ultimate weapon.

That was why Li Ting held nothing back.

She knew Bai Yuan was a cautious and meticulous person; trying to probe him too much would only be counterproductive.

Bai Yuan thought for a moment.

The Soul-Chasing Tower’s recent actions were growing increasingly frantic, which hinted at something unusual.

However, he was an Yijin Martial Master now. Protecting the Li Family shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

Under Li Ting’s expectant gaze, he nodded slightly.

"No problem. But if we run into an enemy I can’t handle, my only choice will be to flee."

Li Ting’s beautiful eyes filled with excitement, and she nodded vigorously.

"Of course."