The scorching sun burned the sky, and the blade of the Cold Star Saber reflected a chilling gleam that made the Jade Heart Grass on the cliff appear as sinister as blood.

As soon as Qin An's voice sounded, Elder Yang felt as if he had fallen into an icy cavern, frozen in fear as if a prehistoric beast had locked its eyes on him.

It was the primal fear he had felt when surrounded by wolves before he had even taken human form.

At this moment, the fear was even more intense than back then.

At the point of life and death, a fierce light flashed in Elder Yang's eyes as he abruptly grabbed the two Returning to Storage Realm demons beside him and hurled them at Qin An.

The flash of a blade, and the two demons fell to the ground, but they bought Elder Yang a narrow chance at survival.

Elder Yang retreated violently and shouted sharply: "Capture Mr. Sun!"

As these words fell, the group of demons immediately understood.

In the face of Qin An, empowered by the eight meridians, they were already filled with dread.

If Qin An only relied on the Secret Technique, there would eventually be an end to its use.

But now it was different.

Qin An possessed the supreme strength forged by eight earth meridians and was already exhibiting an invincible stance in the Pulse Condensation Realm.

With eight full earth meridians, even if they were tied together, they would not be Qin An's match.

They were scared; to survive, they had to seize the only opportunity.

The only lifeline was to take that big figure from Xunyang Prefecture hostage.

If anything were to happen to this person from Xunyang Prefecture, the Evil Extermination Bureau in Lingzhou would be hard-pressed to explain.

Qin An would absolutely not let him die.

Mr. Sun's eyes narrowed.

He had lived too long not to see through the ideas of numerous demons.

"Trying to take me as a hostage?" Mr. Sun's silver beard bristled with anger, the three-inch silver needle pressed against the furrow of his brow: "Fools!"

Even as a healer, he still had the heart to charge into battle for the human race.

If sacrificing himself could allow Qin An to fight unrestrained, it would be worth it!

Qi Chenfeng hadn't expected Mr. Sun to be so decisive, and it was too late to raise his sword to stop him.

Du Yixing and Bai Ruqi gritted their teeth, quickly moving to Mr. Sun's side, trying with all their might to stop his suicide attempt.

Elder Yang and the other demons were even more astonished, never having expected Mr. Sun to be so unyielding.

But just as Mr. Sun was about to end his life, Qin An's calm voice was heard.

"Wait."

The silver needle in Mr. Sun's hand came to an abrupt stop just inches from his brow.

Qin An took a step forward, his voice unwavering: "Save your life in exchange for a favor, yes?"

Mr. Sun looked around at the glaring group of demons and sighed bitterly: "If I survive, I will surely offer my utmost assistance, but..."

The rest of his words went unsaid, but the meaning was clear.

At this moment, the demons were in the middle position, already isolating Mr. Sun from Qin An and the others.

If not for Mr. Sun's potential suicide, they might have already surrounded him.

Mr. Sun could not think of any method Qin An could use to resolve this crisis.

Elder Yang's unease grew increasingly intense, with beads of sweat forming densely on his forehead.

He only hoped that this stubborn old Mr. Sun wouldn't think of dying, for at least while alive, they still had a card to play against Qin An.

With sweat beading on his forehead, Elder Yang forced a calm demeanor and said, "Qin An, let us go, and Mr. Sun can live. It's a win-win situation!"

Qin An raised an eyebrow, sneering: "Why?"

Elder Yang threatened with an edge of panic: "Do you truly wish to be held accountable by the Evil Extermination Bureau of Xunyang Prefecture?"

Qin An glanced over at the Jade Heart Grass on the cliff: "I mentioned before, this is a natural array."

Elder Yang's face was full of suspicion, not understanding why Qin An would mention something seemingly unrelated.

But Mr. Sun seemed to be pondering.

If he wasn't mistaken, Qin An apparently had a formidable talent as an Array Master.

Qin An spoke slowly: "If it were a man-made array, it would indeed be troublesome, but a natural array is quite suitable for an Array Master. It's difficult to kill you with the array, but changing tactics is quite simple."

As soon as the words fell, the distant cliff suddenly began to tremble.

Before Elder Yang and the other demons could react, the natural array was activated by Qin An's Array Master profession.

In the next moment, Mr. Sun, Qi Chenfeng, and the others only felt a huge force approaching, as if an invisible giant hand had grabbed them.

Soon after, they were flung by this enormous force, becoming streaks that vanished into the horizon.

The surroundings were silent, with only the sound of Qin An wiping his Straight Blade.

Qin An lifted his gaze over the demons, with killing intent gleaming in his eyes: "Now, let's settle our business."

...

The harsh wind whistled past their ears as Mr. Sun and the others landed heavily on the ground, far from where they had been trapped.

Though they fell from a height, they were all cultivators; the drop posed no threat to them.

Just as Mr. Sun and the others landed, the sound of fierce clashing weapons came from afar, resonating with intensity in their ears.

Qi Chenfeng's hand around his sword bulged with veins: "Mr. Qin is battling the demons alone!"

Du Yixing and Bai Ruqi exchanged a silent glance, both remaining speechless.

Since advancing to the Pulse Condensation Realm and becoming a Golden Inspector of the Evil Extermination Bureau, they had never encountered such a ridiculous situation.

Mr. Sun looked conflicted: "Could you tell me about Mr. Qin?"

The events of today were nothing short of miraculous.

The sounds of the battle continued in the distance, but they did not worry.

With Qin An's strength, there was no way he would lose.

Looking back, they had only been dragging Qin An down.

Qi Chenfeng nodded, recounting Qin An's experiences one by one.

Upon hearing that Qin An hailed from Ding County, Mr. Sun's eyes flashed with amazement.

"Such a prodigious talent, Lingzhou might not be able to hold onto him."

"I just wonder what he needs my help with."

Mr. Sun mused silently.

He was grateful and desired to repay the life-saving kindness he had received today.

As long as it was not against his principles, he was willing to help.

They all waited in place.

Until the battle sounds gradually faded, they then headed back to the previous location.

...

Traversing through thick forests, when Mr. Sun and the others arrived at the cliff where the Jade Heart Grass was found, they were all stunned.

Ahead lay a scene of devastation.

Corpses of demons were everywhere.

Elder Yang's head lay on the ground, with not a single Pulse Condensation Realm demon left alive.

As for the Returning to Storage Realm demons, though some had escaped, they were no longer consequential.

Qin An's figure wiping his blade stretched into a long shadow in the setting sun.

The expedition yielded considerable rewards, totaling ten demon crystals and fifty demon cores.

Before coming here, Qin An went to the Confidential Library for an exchange. In total, he had a reserve of six demon crystals, and now with these, Qin An felt he had instantly become wealthy.

This reserve was sufficient to deduce the cultivation technique of the Pulse Condensation Realm several times.

"You've come?" Qin An put away his Cold Star Saber, speaking with calmness.

Qi Chenfeng took a deep breath and stepped forward, saying, "Thank you, Mr. Qin, for the life-saving grace. If you ever need assistance in the future, I will surely aid you at the cost of my life."

Du Yixing and Bai Ruqi also nodded repeatedly.

The Mountain Patrol Envoy had such a personality, and they would remember Qin An's kindness today.

Qin An didn't refuse, tossing an item over: "You were late in coming, so I picked it up casually."

Mr. Sun received the Jade Heart Grass, feeling relieved: "Finally got the most important thing!"

He came this time precisely for the Jade Heart Grass, and now having obtained it, he didn't come in vain.

Qin An turned around and glanced at Qi Chenfeng and the others, saying: "Could you step aside for a moment?"

Qi Chenfeng nodded and said: "Of course."

Although they didn't know why Qin An asked them to step aside, they had no objections to his words.

Upon seeing the demon corpses scattered around, they were already convinced in their hearts.

The Mountain Patrol Envoy spoke with strength, and Qin An had conquered them with his power.

Once the three had left, Qin An turned to look at Mr. Sun.

Mr. Sun carefully put away the Jade Heart Grass and asked: "Mr. Qin, I don't know what it is, but as long as there's a place for old me, I surely won't refuse."

Qin An pondered for a moment and said: "If Xunyang Prefecture demands an explanation, I hope Mr. Sun can say a few good words."

"Demands an explanation?" Mr. Sun was startled: "With the talent of the mister, what wrongdoing could there be?"

Qin An said meaningfully: "If I can refine the Yang Elixir…"

He did not finish the remaining words.

But the meaning was already obvious.

Mr. Sun first appeared dazed, then realized and solemnly said: "Old me still has some influence in Xunyang Prefecture and shall do my utmost to mediate!"

He had connections in Xunyang Prefecture and maintained good terms with the Evil Extermination Bureau.

If he spoke out, it would indeed add weight to Qin An's side.

At this point, Mr. Sun suddenly realized.

"Wait, Mr. Qin, could it be that you have a talent in Alchemy Dao as well?" Mr. Sun asked tremblingly.

Qin An nodded and said: "I merely know a bit."

Mr. Sun hurriedly stepped forward and asked: "Are you familiar with the Ten-Perfection Fusion Elixir Skill of the Returning to Storage Realm?"

Ten-Perfection Fusion Elixir?

Qin An frowned and said: "I don't know this."

His Pill Master profession was only at level seven, and currently, he only knew the pill formulas of the Jade Bone Realm.

Regarding Ten-Perfection Fusion Elixir, he knew something.

Whenever multiple medicinal materials are mixed into an elixir, the properties of the herbs would inevitably dissipate.

The Ten-Perfection Fusion Elixir Skill is to preserve all the medicinal properties entirely.

Mr. Sun showed a regretful look in his eyes: "If there were this skill, and we got help from that person, our chances would be greater."

The Ten-Perfection Fusion Elixir Skill was indeed a pill formula at the Returning to Storage Realm, but it was widely known in Xunyang Prefecture long ago.

Even the top Pill Masters of Xunyang Prefecture would not know this kind of pill skill.

"Which person?" Qin An asked.

Mr. Sun hesitated and said: "Please forgive me for not being able to reveal, but if it's possible to utilize the Ten-Perfection Fusion Elixir Skill in processing medicines, the healing effects can definitely be enhanced."

Qin An rubbed his chin and said: "How long until the treatment is ready?"

Mr. Sun replied: "Just missing a few herbs, not hard to find, and it should take about a month."

"A month…" Qin An raised his eyes and said: "After a month, we can try it."

He had analyzed from Mr. Sun's words to get a rough idea.

Mr. Sun should be seeking medicines to treat a certain dignitary, and the Ten-Perfection Fusion Elixir Skill could boost the chances of healing significantly.

Although Qin An is currently only a level-seven Pill Master, after a month it would be different.

Once the Pill Master reaches level nine, he will naturally be familiar with all the pill formulas of the Returning to Storage Realm.

By then, the Ten-Perfection Fusion Elixir Skill will naturally be easy to accomplish.

If he could help Mr. Sun treat the injuries of that mysterious figure, it would certainly increase the focus from above.

What Qin An wanted was stability.

Wanting the achievements and standing in Lingzhou, but also wanting help from Xunyang Prefecture.

Only by combining the two can the issue of the Yang Elixir proceed smoothly.

Upon hearing this, Mr. Sun was pleased beyond measure: "If this is the case, it surely will succeed!"

He didn't think about why Qin An would know the Ten-Perfection Fusion Elixir Skill, as that wasn't his concern.

Having talked until this point, the two had already discussed what needed to be discussed.

Mr. Sun had not yet left Lingzhou, and the escort task was not done.

Afterward, the group left this place filled with demon corpses.

However, before leaving, Qin An's eyes were like lightning, scanning the dark corners around him.

...

In the distance.

Zhao Wuhuan shook his folding fan: "Note—"

Black Wind dared not dilly-dally and quickly pulled out a small booklet.

Zhao Wuhuan slowly said: "Qin An single-handedly slew ten Pulse Condensation Realm demons; the matter of the Yang Elixir might take a turnaround."

Black Wind hastily noted, preparing to speak when he saw Zhao Wuhuan already moving far away.

"The officer's interest in Qin An has escalated to the utmost."

"The officer's mentor has grievances against the general province, but he likes the officer very much, and with the matter of Mr. Sun…"

"Still lacking a bit."

Black Wind's gaze turned afar: "What's lacking is in the Yao Hall. If he performs well in the Yao Hall matter, then it will be settled."

The two didn't waste words and disappeared in situ.

...

Yao Hall.

"Report—"

A Returning to Storage Realm demon hurriedly came before facing the throne ahead, kneeling in haste: "All ten elders... are dead!"

On the throne, the Hall Master shattered the wine glass in hand, eyes flashing with a hint of gloom.

Below, the remaining ten Pulse Condensation Realm elders said nothing, with a trace of dread in their eyes.

"I said why didn't the general province divide the troops…" The Hall Master released his hand, letting the wine glass fragments fall to the ground: "It was all because of Qin An after all."

All demons remained bowing on the ground, not daring to speak.

This time, they didn't act, unable to comprehend why the general province didn't divide the troops to take action.

Now it seems, everything has become clear.

The Hall Master slowly rose: "I need to go to the Demon Transformation Pool to talk…"

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