Beneath the throne, all the Dragon Generals bowed their heads in obedience.
One of the Inner God Realm Dragon Commanders looked up and said, "Dragon Lord, Qin An has already reached the Outer Elixir Realm, why not send a Dragon Commander to take his head..."
Jiao Yue knelt on the ground, his heart tightened upon hearing this, and couldn't help but break a cold sweat for Qin An.
He still remembered the day Qin An slaughtered dragon generals like cutting chickens and dogs, which terrified him.
But if an Inner God Realm Dragon Commander were truly sent, the outcome may not be favorable.
The Dragon Lord's eyes darkened, and he shook his head, saying, "The struggle for the ancient battlefield relics is intense. The Dragon Commanders must guard the crucial areas, and the rest protect the Jiao Long Hall. How can we concern ourselves with mere Qin An and disrupt the major affairs?"
Hearing this, the Dragon Commander who had just spoken silently withdrew.
Jiao Yue secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The Dragon Lord clenched his five fingers tightly, speaking coldly, "If one is not enough, then ten. If ten are not sufficient, then twenty! If Qin An does not die, how can the Jiao Long Hall maintain its dignity in Xunyang Prefecture?"
All the Jiao Dragon beasts exchanged glances and responded in unison.
The Dragon Lord reached out to grab the neck of another female cultivator, ripping her clothes in front of the many beasts, his eyes filled with desire...
...
Time flew by, and several days passed in the blink of an eye.
During this period, Qin An frequented the slaughterhouse every day, and his skill as a butcher improved significantly.
Today, it was already night when Qin An returned home and glanced at the smoke appearing before him, the corners of his mouth slightly raised.
[Butcher lv.10 (4500/5000): The livestock you slaughtered tastes more delicious, enhancing its essence, and increasing the speed of slaughter]
[Talents: Great Success in Pulse Condensation Realm Saber Cultivation Technique, Great Success in Pulse Condensation Realm Weapons Cultivation Technique Insight, Great Success in Pulse Condensation Realm Saber Cultivation Technique Damage]
Every time he killed pseudo-gods among the monsters, the butcher profession would continuously rise.
Coupled with Qin An's recent focus on slaughtering, he was just five hundred proficiency points away from level eleven as a butcher.
At the current pace, he could reach level eleven in just a day or two.
At that point, he could elevate his sword skills to the Outer Elixir Realm Initial.
However, now there's a problem presenting itself to Qin An.
"There aren't enough merits." Qin An stared into the flickering flame, contemplating.
He currently had two demon pills, and with the merits from previous tasks, he could only exchange for two more.
When combined, he had a total of only four demon pills.
During the last heart method deduction, he accidentally triggered the epiphany talent of the scholar profession, reducing the demon pill consumption to four.
The butcher profession doesn't have an epiphany talent, so the deduction would require even more, and Qin An estimated at least six demon pills would be necessary.
More crucially, the deduction requires a new Cultivation Technique, and there is a severe lack of merits, leaving no surplus to exchange for demon pills.
"But there's currently no task." Qin An rubbed his chin, pondering, "I don't have any Prefecture General under my command to share the merits. It seems I have to find another way."
The Prefecture General role is much safer compared to the Mountain Patrol General, but it also has its drawbacks.
Task assignments are entirely dependent on higher-ups, whereas Mountain Patrol Generals can make their own decisions.
So, with no tasks available, Qin An decided to explore another idea.
"I'll check with Mr. Sun tomorrow." Qin An thought briefly, then made the decision.
Whether it's the Alchemy Master Alliance or the Profound Celestial Array Gate, he's already taken full advantage of them.
He hadn't yet approached Mr. Sun, and Qin An wanted to give it a try.
If he could find what he needed, it would be good; if not, Qin An planned to temporarily set aside the deduction and focus on enhancing the proficiency of the blacksmith profession.
Having made up his mind, Qin An no longer thought about it, blew out the oil lamp on the table, and fell into a deep sleep holding his cold star.
...
The next day.
Qin An stepped out into the dawn light, had breakfast, and then headed straight to Mr. Sun's residence.
He knew few people in Xunyang Prefecture, but each one was a highly sought-after power in Xunyang.
Alchemy Master Alliance, Profound Celestial Array Gate, Mr. Sun...
Any one of these could make many people envious.
But Qin An knew them all, and these people all gave him face.
If word of this spread, many people would probably be extremely jealous.
There was nothing noteworthy on the way to Mr. Sun's place.
Until Qin An arrived at a certain mansion, he came to a stop.
Mr. Sun had no sect, but with his exceptional medical skills, his financial resources were naturally abundant.
The mansion before him was majestic, clearly not inexpensive.
The gatekeepers saw Qin An dressed in the Evil Extermination Bureau's dark clothing and immediately tensed up.
The gatekeeper on the left approached, cupped his hands, and asked, "May I ask what brings you to Mr. Sun's residence, my lord?"
Qin An replied calmly, "Go find Mr. Sun and tell him that Qin An is here to visit."
The gatekeeper quickly nodded, "Please wait a moment, my lord. I will report immediately."
He didn't ask about Qin An's identity since the dark clothing already indicated it.
Soon after, the gatekeeper returned quickly, extending his hand with respect, "Please come inside, my lord."
Qin An nodded slightly, hands on his cold star, and followed the gatekeeper into the mansion.
...
The gatekeeper led Qin An to the grandest courtyard in Mr. Sun's residence before taking his leave.
Inside the largest house in the courtyard, Mr. Sun was personally brewing tea.
When Qin An walked into the room, Mr. Sun cupped his hands in greeting.
"Mr. Qin, busy as ever with official duties. I haven't dared to bother you. Your visit today surely means important business."
Qin An sat down, took the offered tea cup from Mr. Sun, and sipped lightly, "I wonder if Mr. Sun has any connections for demon pills?"
He had a history with Mr. Sun, and their relationship was deep, both being straightforward individuals, so there was no need for small talk.
Upon hearing this, Mr. Sun shook his head, "I do not have any demon pills here. Even if I had some silver coins and rewards, they were all exchanged for herbs."
He was devoted to the path of medicine but managed it alone, with no extra time.
Apart from some rare herbs he had to collect personally, most of his herbs were exchanged for others.
Even after the Jin Fengyu incident, Mr. Sun never exchanged for demon pills.
Qin An pondered, "In that case, there's nothing more then."
Unable to find demon pills here, Qin An intended to visit Zhou Yuanfeng next to inquire.
Mr. Sun asked, "Is it urgently needed?"
Qin An nodded, "Of course, it's urgent."
Mr. Sun fell into thought.
Qin An observed her condition, knowing there might be something to it, and took another sip from his tea cup, patiently waiting.
Half an incense stick later.
Mr. Sun looked up and said, "I have a patient here suffering from an illness. If Mr. Qin can cure her, he could be rewarded with two Demon Pills."
Jin Fengyu had told him before that if Qin An needed help, he should do his utmost to assist.
Therefore, Mr. Sun racked his brain and finally thought of the origins of the Demon Pills.
Qin An frowned slightly, "Two Demon Pills, what kind of illness is this to warrant such significant compensation?"
Two Demon Pills are no small amount; they are acquired from creatures in the Outer Elixir Realm.
Even the Prefecture General is just in the Outer Elixir Realm.
From this, it's clear that this illness is likely serious.
Mr. Sun shook his head and sighed, "To be honest, even I couldn't discern the cause of the illness."
Qin An put down his tea cup, "Even Mr. Sun cannot figure it out? Could you provide a detailed description?"
Mr. Sun nodded and said, "In Xunyang Prefecture, there is a prestigious family known as the Zhang Family. Their loyalty has been unmatched. Early on, during a catastrophe in Xunyang Prefecture, the Zhang Family's sons and daughters all sacrificed themselves, almost to extinction. Since then, with the Evil Extermination Bureau as their backing, they have been thriving in Xunyang Prefecture."
"Not long ago, the youngest daughter of the Zhang Family suddenly suffered from a condition of excessive sleepiness, with waking hours growing increasingly short. If this continues, she may fall into eternal sleep."
"I investigated thoroughly but still found no clue."
At this point, Mr. Sun paused briefly.
Qin An raised his brows, "If that's the case, we should definitely take a look."
No wonder they offered two Demon Pills; it's because they have the support of the Evil Extermination Bureau.
However, from Mr. Sun's story, Qin An felt this was deserving for the Zhang Family.
After all, nearly nine-tenths of their household are dead, truly loyal and heroic.
Mr. Sun understood Qin An's decisive nature and stood up, saying, "In that case, please follow me, Mr. Qin."
Qin An nodded slightly, followed Mr. Sun, and left the Sun House.
...
As one of Xunyang Prefecture's notable families, the Zhang Family is located on the most bustling street in Xunyang Prefecture.
After arriving, Qin An looked at the red-painted gate in front of him, slightly squinting his eyes, "Truly extravagant."
In the distance, a stone stairway snaked upwards, flanked by columns painted red with dragons and phoenixes, while gold foil on the eaves caught fragmented rays of light.
Nine-tiered flying eaves pressed against glazed tiles, beast-shaped bells lightly trembled in the wind, emitting clear and melodious sounds.
The railing of Han white jade exuded coolness, with last night's dew still condensing within the cloud-patterned carvings.
This extravagant style alone showcased the foundation of the Zhang Family.
Disciples guarding the gate wore luxurious clothes.
As they saw Qin An and Mr. Sun coming, they exchanged glances.
One of the disciples stepped forward and said, "Greetings to the Medicine King, greetings to Mr. Prefecture General!"
The badge at Qin An's waist was not for show.
In Xunyang Prefecture, the status of the Prefecture General was naturally not to be underestimated by the Zhang Family's disciples.
Mr. Sun nodded, "I brought Mr. Qin over to examine Miss Zhang's condition."
The disciple looked puzzled, his gaze subconsciously shifted to the straight blade at Qin An's waist.
The people of the Evil Extermination Bureau are known for endless slaughter, adept at hunting demons and pseudo-gods with ease, yet unexpectedly capable of healing and saving lives.
But the disciple quickly put away his doubts, cupped his hands in salute, "The Patriarch has instructed that both you and Mr. Qin may enter."
Mr. Sun nodded slightly, leading Qin An into the mansion.
...
The mansion's interior was even more luxurious.
On both sides of the stone-paved path, intricately carved golden nanmu lamp posts reflected the twilight, while inside the glazed lamp cups, the candle flames flickered, casting hollow cloud patterns on the red-painted columns.
As the breeze swept through, the trailing peony silk curtains slightly fluttered, the carvings illuminated vividly by the Luminous Pearls.
Mr. Sun led Qin An without any hindrance, reaching a building promptly.
Two female disciples guarded the entrance, their expressions stern.
Standing not far away, Qin An caught an unusual scent, frowning, "Clearing God Incense, even this medicine cannot awaken her?"
The so-called Clearing God Incense, formulated by healers, is intended to clear the mind and awaken, ensuring no trace of drowsiness remains.
Mr. Sun nodded, "I have already used the maximum dosage, yet it still has no effect."
Qin An fell into contemplation.
The maximum dosage of Clearing God Incense is tremendously potent, capable of keeping one awake even after consuming copious amounts of knockout drugs.
Yet now, Mr. Sun claimed it has no effect.
This piqued Qin An's interest in Miss Zhang's condition.
Seeing Mr. Sun arrive, the female disciple at the door saluted respectfully, then opened the room's door without further ado.
As the door opened, the scent of Clearing God Incense wafted out with the breeze.
Qin An's nostrils flared slightly, inwardly acknowledging, "Indeed, the maximum dosage."
He followed Mr. Sun into the room, his eyes taking in the entirety of the room's scene as he entered.
The room was filled with various Luminous Pearls, reflecting bright light to illuminate it like daytime.
This brightness persists even at night, resembling daylight.
Qin An raised his eyebrows slightly, "Awakening God Array."
"Even with both combined, yet she still sleeps, how truly odd."
These Luminous Pearls were not simply placed but arranged in a specific sequence to form an Awakening God Array.
This display of array mastery comes from the Profound Celestial Array Gate.
Even with the Clearing God Incense and the Awakening God Array, they cannot cure her illness, making Qin An suspect the ailment is not as straightforward as it seems.
Thinking this, Qin An looked ahead.
In the center of the room, a hazy screen was set up.
On the screen was a beautiful painting of landscapes.
Through this hazy screen, a bed was visible inside, with a graceful figure lying sideways on it, back facing them.
Soft snores slowly emerged from the figure on the bed.
A female disciple guarded the bedside, when Mr. Sun arrived, she wrapped gold threads around the wrist of the woman on the bed, handing it over the screen to Mr. Sun.
Mr. Sun explained, "Miss Zhang is unmarried, and as per Zhang Family tradition, we diagnose using suspended silk."
With that, Mr. Sun handed the gold threads to Qin An.
Qin An nodded slightly, touching them with his index finger, eyes narrowing slightly.
"This is not an illness!"
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