"Do you have something to discuss?"

Qin An's eyebrows slightly furrowed, a trace of doubt flashing in his eyes.

As a Mountain Patrol Copper General, Zhao Wuhuan seldom set foot in the inner courtyard of the Evil Extermination Bureau.

Today's sudden visit must be something unusual.

Qin An pondered silently in his heart, but his steps did not stop as he walked straight through the door.

Heifeng stood aside, stepping aside to let Qin An pass.

Looking at Qin An's back, there was a hint of goodwill in his gaze.

He could feel that Qin An's strength was already above his own.

The terrifying aura, like an abyss, made him feel some fear.

"This man advancing to the Outer Elixir Realm is just a matter of time."

This thought flashed through Heifeng's mind, deepening his sense of awe.

...

The courtyard was serene, shadows of bamboo swaying.

At the stone table in the yard, Zhao Wuhuan was leisurely fanning himself with a green bamboo folding fan.

Only after Qin An approached did he notice that two jars of strong liquor were already placed on the stone table.

Zhao Wuhuan closed his fan with a snap, shaking his head with a smile, "Your place is elegant, but it's too plain. I couldn't find a suitable jar of wine, which cost me quite a bit of silver coins to have Heifeng bring these two jars."

Qin An took a seat, speaking mildly, "I don't like to drink. Though I won't get drunk, it always slows my reactions."

Zhao Wuhuan pushed the wine jar in front of him towards Qin An, "Everyone says you are uninteresting. I didn't believe it at first, but now I do. But today is special—how about making an exception and having a drink?"

Qin An raised an eyebrow, sweeping his palm over the jar, causing the seal to fall with a sound.

Instantly, a rich aroma of liquor filled the courtyard, even the bamboo leaves seemed to carry a hint of intoxication.

"Good wine!"

Qin An lifted the jar and took a large gulp, the fiery sensation shooting straight down his throat.

The liquor was robust; even though Qin An didn't like alcohol, he could still taste its richness.

Zhao Wuhuan squinted, setting the folding fan aside and lifting the jar to invite him.

After three rounds, the wine jar hit the table heavily.

Qin An came straight to the point, "Mr. Zhao, you came to discuss important matters with me on this trip—what might these matters be?"

With the wine drunk and the conversation had, naturally, it was time to discuss the main topic.

Zhao Wuhuan wiped the wine stains from the corner of his mouth, not answering Qin An, but asking instead, "How have you been doing these days, serving as a Copper Prefecture General at the Evil Extermination Bureau?"

Qin An thought for a moment, nodding, "Quite well. As of now, it's not much different from Lingzhou."

"Truly no different?" Zhao Wuhuan gently shook the folding fan, "Xunyang Prefecture is like a whirlpool; it's easy to enter, difficult to leave. Especially with your status as a Prefecture General, I'm afraid you've had your share of troubles?"

Qin An nodded, "Indeed there have been some, but they're not an issue."

The so-called troubles were nothing more than those who followed power and influence.

Since the banquet with Gao Lingyu, such people have been even more numerous.

Fortunately, he kept to himself, maintaining his peace.

"Would you like to have even fewer worries?" Zhao Wuhuan shifted the conversation, "Even if they're minor worries, they're still worries. Wouldn't it be nice to eliminate them once and for all?"

Qin An narrowed his eyes, his gaze flickering, "I'm willing to hear more."

Zhao Wuhuan picked up the folding fan from the table, gently swaying it, implying something, "What do you think of the position of Mountain Patrol Copper General?"

Qin An set down the wine jar in his hand, lightly tapping his fingers, "Mr. Zhao, are you saying that the annual Mountain Patrol General assessment recruitment is approaching?"

Zhao Wuhuan nodded, "That's right. I came here to seek your opinion. Would you be willing to join the Mountain Patrol Generals?"

Without hesitation, Qin An answered decisively, "Of course I'm willing."

If we are to discuss which position within the Evil Extermination Bureau suits him best, naturally, it's the Mountain Patrol General.

Although as a Prefecture General he could gain merits to exchange for what he needed, it was ultimately restrictive, not allowing him to leave Xunyang Prefecture too far.

Additionally, every time a mission was executed, it required orders from above, adding more layers of restriction.

For instance, if one day he wanted to take on a mission but there were none available, or on a day he didn't want a mission, yet one fell into his lap, it would be quite uncomfortable.

The Mountain Patrol Generals didn't require this; whenever wanted, missions could be taken, and if not, one could remain in the Evil Extermination Bureau of Xunyang Prefecture for a year or so without anyone daring to gossip.

Zhao Wuhuan looked satisfied, "I knew I hadn't misjudged you, though I'm not sure if Mr. Zhou will be willing to let you go."

Qin An shook his head, "Mr. Zhou has said before that I am free to decide, to stay or go as I please."

Zhao Wuhuan was slightly taken aback, smiling wryly, "It seems the senior brother's knots have been untied, never expected years of frustration to dissolve because of you."

Qin An said plainly, "If it were me, eternally hopeless of breaking through to the next realm, I would feel the same; it's only human nature."

"Let's not talk about him anymore." Zhao Wuhuan waved his hand, closing the folding fan again, "I have two choices for you—how does that sound?"

Qin An raised an eyebrow, "Please, Mr. Zhao, explain."

"The first one." Zhao Wuhuan raised one finger, "Become my personal lieutenant. If you can reach the standard to advance to Mountain Patrol Copper Lieutenant, you can be directly promoted without participating in the assessment. However, there are pros and cons. The downside is that when executing missions with me, the main merits and rewards are mine."

There is no perfection in this world.

The Evil Extermination Bureau has always strived for fairness.

Wanting to become a personal lieutenant and take shortcuts means not only being valued by a Mountain Patrol Copper General but also dividing one's merits.

The benefit is not having to participate in the assessment, with no risk of failure.

Qin An shook his head, speaking without hesitation, "I choose the second option."

Zhao Wuhuan was curious, "The second option is to directly participate in the assessment. Aren't you afraid of failing the test?"

Qin An caressed the scabbard with his hand, "If I were indecisive, I wouldn't have joined the Evil Extermination Bureau in the first place."

Choosing the first option would be more of a loss than a gain for Qin An.

He inherently needed merit to exchange for Cultivation Techniques and various resources, to deduce Cultivation Techniques and improve his strength.

Now, Jiao Long Hall and Carefree Mountain loathed him deeply, and he had offended the sinister trade of the Poison Pill Masters.

If I don't seize the time to improve, I'm afraid there will be a threat to my life.

Achievements to him are like his life, sharing achievements is extremely foolish.

Zhao Wuhuan sighed with a hint of regret, "Though I knew you would choose this path, it's still regretful to hear it with my own ears. Well, everyone has their own ambitions. Since you've made your choice, I won't persuade you further."

Qin An cupped his hands and said, "Mr. Zhao's support is something Qin will never forget."

He should naturally remember those who were good to him.

Zhao Wuhuan brought him to Xunyang Prefecture and let him join the Evil Extermination Bureau of Xunyang Prefecture, even removing many crises for him in the matter of the Yang Elixir.

Just for these reasons alone, Qin An remembers this kindness.

Zhao Wuhuan stood up, lifted a wine jar, "There are many trivial matters for the Mountain Patrol General, I should take my leave now, farewell."

This trip back to the Evil Extermination Bureau was not only to exchange for what he needed but most importantly to inform Qin An about the Mountain Patrol General examination.

Since the matter was settled, he didn't linger.

After watching Zhao Wuhuan leave the courtyard, Qin An lightly tapped the wine jar with his fingers, pondering silently.

Joining the Mountain Patrol General is something he must do.

Only by joining can he acquire more achievements and demon pills.

At the Outer Elixir Realm, the resources needed are shockingly abundant.

Only by joining the Mountain Patrol General can he meet his needs.

"However, the matter of the Mountain Patrol General is for later; for now, I should first upgrade the Array Master to level ten and fulfill Gao Lingyu's bet," Qin An thought to himself.

Having figured this out, Qin An lifted the wine jar and drank all the fine wine inside, then headed towards the house.

The night had fallen, and he rested early to gather energy for mastering the Array Master skills the next day.

The night deepened, covering the entire Xunyang Prefecture like a dark cloth.

...

Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, several days had gone by.

Inside the majestic Jiao Long Hall.

"Bang!"

The Dragon Lord angrily smashed the wine jar, scattering fragments everywhere.

The demons beneath the hall shivered and knelt, not daring to lift their heads.

On the Dragon Lord's dragon horns, lightning faintly flashed. His eyes were blood-red, his sharp claws clenched, causing veins to pop.

Beside him, a beautiful woman in a light gauze bowed her head and trembled, her shoulders shaking, looking at the ground, not daring to meet the Dragon Lord's eyes.

On the Dragon Lord's right side was the corpse of a beauty, blood flowing everywhere, a massive hole in her chest.

The Dragon Lord lifted his left hand, placing the heart he had just extracted into his mouth and chewing it finely.

Blood trickled down the corner of the Dragon Lord's mouth, dripping to the floor, yet no one dared to look directly.

After a long time, the anger faded from the Dragon Lord's body, and his tone turned calm.

"Have you found out?"

Just with this one sentence, all the demons on site shuddered.

At this moment, a Jiao Long Hall dragon general hesitantly lifted his head, "A small demon reported that three Mountain Patrol Copper Generals went together to the Thunderfire Sect, and the destruction of the Thunderfire Sect is inseparable from these three Copper Generals."

The Dragon Lord slammed the armrest fiercely, "Who are those three!"

The dragon general, frightened, shivered and quickly said, "The other two are not worth mentioning, but one of them is Longyuan's enemy... Qin An."

"Qin An?"

The Dragon Lord's eyes narrowed, his gaze piercingly cold, as he turned to look at the kneeling Jiao Long demon, "Who on earth is this person, who's managed to eliminate three of my generals, and even obliterated both the Poison Pill Master and the Thunderfire Sect?"

The dragon general being stared at by the Dragon Lord was Longyuan.

Longyuan, upon hearing this, raised his head and said, "Reporting to the Dragon Lord, this person is an unparalleled genius in Lingzhou. My nephew was killed by him in the past; later, he also slew my beloved daughter. His strength is profound in the Pulse Condensation Realm, virtually invincible."

"Virtually invincible?" The Dragon Lord's eyes flashed with intense murderous intent, "As the uproar of the Hunter Conference is about to settle, once the remnants fade, send a few dragon generals to get his head while he's on a mission. Remember, I want his head fresh. I want to see just how formidable this so-called genius is in the genius-filled Xunyang Prefecture!"

Hearing this, a gleam of joy passed through Longyuan's eyes, "This subordinate accepts the order!"

With the Dragon Lord's words, he felt that once the aftermath of the Hunter Conference cleared, he'd be able to bring back Qin An's head.

At that time, he could also avenge his blood feud.

The Dragon Lord raised his hand, and the beautiful woman beside him, understanding his intent, trembled as she brought another jar of wine and placed it in the Dragon Lord's palm.

This massive wine jar appeared minuscule beneath the Dragon Lord's sharp claws.

The Dragon Lord threw his head back, downing the wine in a few gulps, then smashed the wine jar on the ground, shouting, "Longyuan, this task is entrusted to you. Choose a few dragon generals to go with you. Remember, I want a sure victory. If you can't bring me his head, bring your own instead!"

Longyuan quickly responded, "This subordinate accepts the order!"

The Dragon Lord waved his hand, "Leave now. This time, many pills were lost. Go and clear a few villages for me; I need fresh blood food to quench the fire in my heart."

The demons below all shouted in unison, and after rising, quietly left.

The Dragon Lord suddenly extended his hand, pressing down on the head of the beautiful woman, "When does the Celestial Solitary Array Gate depart for Xunyang Prefecture?"

The beautiful woman gasped, "In the next few days."

The Dragon Lord sneered, "The beauty I let you cultivate, have you sent her to the genius of the Celestial Solitary Array Gate?"

The beautiful woman affirmed, "The pawn has already bewitched that array genius completely."

The Dragon Lord sneered fiercely, "Very good. Such talents should serve Jiao Long Hall. If we can incorporate such a genius, those forces setting up protective mountain arrays will be rendered useless. By then, I will be able to savor the flesh and blood of cultivators."

The beautiful woman repeatedly flattered, displaying a fawning expression.

"Continue," the Dragon Lord pressed down on the beautiful woman's head again.

Sounds of indulgence echoed through the Jiao Long Hall.

...

Evil Extermination Bureau.

Qin An waved his hand to unsettle the tea cup array, watching the curling blue smoke, a faint smile on his lips.

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