CHAPTER 165: CHAPTER 155: BLADE TECHNIQUE ADVANCEMENT, GOLDEN ARRAY SECT

Amidst the night, the oil lamp flickered, casting uneven outlines within the room.

The smoke in front twisted like a serpent, floating before Qin An’s eyes.

At the moment Qin An sheathed his sword, his gaze burned intensely at the text formed by the smoke ahead.

A multitude of words gradually took shape.

[You cultivated Weak Water Three Blade, triggering the butcher talent, but unfortunately, the talent is insufficient, with no progress made]

[Distracted and troubled, you made a decision to ignite the blood and energy within you]

[After sitting idly for years, you burned a large amount of blood and energy, eventually gaining insight and comprehending Weak Water Three Blade]

[Weak Water Three Blade (First Understanding)]

When the words formed by the smoke fully solidified, a vast amount of sword skills transformed into streams of light and entered Qin An’s brow.

Qin An closed his eyes, concentrated, and absorbed all the information, now mastering Weak Water Three Blade entirely.

The so-called Weak Water Three Blade uses softness to overpower firmness.

The blade intention is as gentle as a spring creek, with a never-ending saber momentum hiding countless twists and turns.

Each move feels like weak water entangling, trapping the enemy in a net of gentle blades.

"Not enough, far from enough, still a long way to go."

After absorbing all the information, Qin An opened his eyes, and a sharp glimmer flashed in his eyes as his knuckles knocked on the scabbard of the Cold Star Saber on his waist.

He intended to completely merge Weak Water Three Blade with Ice Flame Heart-breaking Technique, breaking through to the Small Success realm.

Before the deduction, he had a total of seventeen demon cores.

Gui Cang Realm can store ten demon cores, and he had not spent much so far.

The smoke in front abruptly dissipated, transforming into a new line of text.

[You possess Ice Flame Heart-breaking Technique, and with some understanding, you decide to merge it with Weak Water Three Blade]

[You attempted merging, but unfortunately, the talent was not enough, leading to failure]

[Sitting idly for years, you resolutely burned the energy within your body]

[Burning a large amount of energy, you gained a glimpse of the true essence, but the inspiration was elusive, like a serpent]

[You planned to continue burning your energy, and after burning a lot, the inspiration in your mind grew increasingly abundant]

[After sitting idly for years, you comprehended all the truths, combining Ice Flame Heart-breaking Technique with Weak Water Three Blade]

[You named the new Cultivation Technique as Ice Flame Water Breaker]

[Ice Flame Water Breaker (Small Success)]

The words in front abruptly dissipated, transforming into a multitude of information that flooded into Qin An’s mind.

Qin An closed his eyes, sensing a figure in his mind wielding a long blade, continuously dancing.

With every dance, ice-blue flame patterns entwined the blade edge, and the blade momentum, combining hardness and softness, sliced through the void with glass-like cracks.

It carried the ruthlessness of Ice Flame Heart-breaking Technique and the gentleness of Weak Water Three Blade.

Under the combination of hardness and softness, the blade technique had reached Small Success.

After the phantom in his mind vanished, Qin An exhaled deeply, then tightly gripped the Cold Star at his waist.

When he placed his hand on the Cold Star, the essentials of Ice Flame Water Breaker appeared in his mind, as if he were a master who had wielded blades for many years.

"Finally, it’s Small Success."

Qin An examined the expenses of this deduction, finding it had consumed a total of three demon cores, the same as when he deduced Bodhi Profound Scripture.

"If I could train other professions to level seven, relying on the remaining demon cores I hold, I could reach Small Success realm for all."

Qin An thought.

However, he did not have the mind to practice other professions now.

After receiving news from Li, Qin An planned to immediately activate the profession of Array Master.

After activation, he could practice the profession’s proficiency to see if he could locate the position of earth vein crystals through the Array Master profession.

With this thought, Qin An straightened his attire, grasped Cold Star, and went to bed early.

Tomorrow, he planned to leave the Evil Extermination Bureau and directly head towards the Golden Array Sect.

He held the identity of a patrol officer from the Evil Extermination Bureau; he merely wished to communicate with the Array Masters of the Golden Array Sect, which would not cause any trouble.

...

The following day.

At dawn, the first ray of sunlight streamed through the windows, and the sun above was fiery red, like a heated disk.

Qin An woke up early, changed into clean black attire, and hung the Cold Star from his waist as he stepped out.

After receiving a fast horse from the state official of Internal Affairs Department, he immediately hurried towards the location of Golden Array Sect.

...

On the main road, scattered raindrops had begun to fall.

Rainwater splashed on the ground, creating crystalline droplets.

A fast horse was galloping along the main road.

The black-clad youth on the horse had a cold expression, wearing a straw rain cape and a bamboo hat.

Rainwater slid off the edge of the hat and shifted direction before hitting the ground due to a breeze.

Recently it was the rainy season, and shortly after leaving home, Qin An encountered this torrential rain.

Under the pouring rain, even carriages were sparse.

But thankfully, with fewer carriages, the main road became relatively more spacious.

Along the journey, Qin An had not encountered any congestion.

Arriving near a hill that resembled a toad, Qin An tightened the reins, surveying the scene ahead.

This place was not far from Lingzhou, yet remained unvisited.

All because this was the location of Golden Array Sect.

Normally, there would be locals lingering near the gates of regular martial forces, but Golden Array Sect was different.

Golden Array Sect focused on cultivation arrays, using them as a foundation.

At the entrance of Golden Array Sect, arrays that could confuse ordinary people were arranged.

When regular folks accidentally entered an array, they would unconsciously bypass it shortly after.

Now, as Qin An arrived, the rain gradually lessened.

The ground was still muddy, but it wouldn’t impede movement.

A winding mountain path lay ahead.

Qin An did not follow the path upward; instead, he rode the strong horse and spoke in a deep voice.

"Evil Extermination Bureau Patrol Officer Qin An, here to visit Golden Array Sect."

This place has an array guard. Qin An doesn’t understand anything about formations, so he didn’t venture in recklessly.

At the entrance of any martial force, there are always guards, and the Golden Array Sect is no exception.

Qin An introduced himself this time to explain his identity and purpose to the disciples guarding the Golden Array Sect.

After Qin An spoke, there was a rustling noise from not far away in the bushes.

Two disciples in the attire of the Golden Array Sect emerged from within the bushes.

The two disciples were a tall one and a short one, both looking quite young, around twenty years old.

However, the look in their eyes towards Qin An carried a trace of awe and confusion.

The Patrol Officers are the most ruthless members of the Evil Extermination Bureau. They are the knives of the bureau, adhering to just four words when dealing with enemies — only kill, no crossing.

Therefore, now that a Patrolling Officer has arrived from the Evil Extermination Bureau of Lingzhou, these two ordinary disciples of the Golden Array Sect naturally felt somewhat intimidated.

Qin An sat atop a fast horse, looking coldly at the two disciples approaching, feeling a bit peculiar.

The two disciples didn’t walk directly towards him but took a very mysterious route.

Every step was cautious, as if they feared triggering something.

Qin An knew there must be arrays protecting this area.

It was precisely because of this that the two disciples were so wary.

A short path took as long as half an incense stick to traverse.

It wasn’t until the two disciples arrived in front of the fast horse that they stopped walking.

The two disciples exchanged a glance, and the tall disciple respectfully asked.

"May I ask what important matter has brought the lord to the Golden Array Sect? Allow me to convey your purpose."

Qin An nodded: "I wish to have a discussion with your Sect Leader; the specific matters will become clear upon meeting."

Now possessing the power of the Returning to Storage Realm, he was indeed a top-notch expert in Lingzhou.

Moreover, with the identity of a Patrolling Silver officer, visiting the Sect Leader of the Golden Array Sect is not only appropriate but also a significant courtesy to them.

Upon hearing this, the tall disciple quickly nodded and then respectfully cupped his hands to Qin An: "Please rest awhile, lord; I will return after conveying the message."

Having said this, the tall disciple left without delay, turning away from the mountain gate and heading down the winding path.

Every step was precise and cautious, and in no time, he disappeared from sight.

The remaining short disciple revealed a nervous look.

When the two were together, his companion shared the pressure Qin An exerted.

But now that his companion had left, with only him remaining, he felt the pressure increase sharply.

Fortunately, the entire process didn’t take long, and after about one incense stick’s time, the tall disciple returned, once again treading the mysterious path to Qin An.

The tall disciple cupped his hands and said: "Please allow my junior brother to take care of your fast horse, lord. I will lead you inside."

Qin An nodded. After dismounting the horse, he noticed the rain had stopped, so he removed the bamboo hat and raincoat and hung them on the horse’s back, passing the reins to the short disciple.

The short disciple received them respectfully before heading inside.

The tall disciple said: "Please ensure to follow my path closely, lord. If you mistakenly walk off, the surrounding arrays might cause you to lose your way."

Qin An nodded, indicating he understood.

Then, under the guidance of the tall disciple, he followed an extremely mysterious route into the vast mountain path.

...

In the middle of the mountain, there was a large cleared ground, where a dozen buildings stood.

Each building was constructed against the mountain, exuding classical elegance.

At this moment, in the main hall, a middle-aged man in a blue robe was sitting on a chair, frowning deeply.

As the Sect Leader of the Golden Array Sect, Sun Cai recently encountered significant trouble, giving him a headache.

He was trying every means to handle the situation, but unexpectedly, a Patrolling Officer came looking for him today.

The Golden Array Sect isn’t considered a major force in Lingzhou, neither excelling in combat nor superior in support compared to alchemy and artifact refining forces.

Thus, the Golden Array Sect is relatively peripheral in the whole of Lingzhou.

It’s only due to its proximity to Lingzhou that it’s spared frequent harassment by monsters.

He didn’t know why a Patrolling Officer would come, but he understood that their visit wouldn’t be simple.

Sun Cai now only hoped the matter wouldn’t grow too big.

From outside, the sound of footsteps could be heard.

Sun Cai looked up, his gaze sweeping towards the front.

A young man in black clothing, with a straight blade at his waist, strode in.

Sun Cai’s gaze lowered, seeing the silver token on the young man’s waist, he sighed softly.

"May I ask the name of this lord?"

Sun Cai stood up, bowing and cupping his hands towards Qin An, displaying utmost respect.

The Patrolling Silver officer is akin to the state officer guarding Jinzhou for the Evil Extermination Bureau, whose identity and status even the upper echelons of Lingzhou must treat with politeness.

Even if some upper forces are stronger than the Patrolling Silver officer, they cannot afford disrespect.

Since above the Patrolling Silver officer, there is the Patrolling Golden officer.

After stating his name, Qin An, upon Sun Cai’s invitation, sat on a nearby chair.

A disciple came forward, pouring Qin An a cup of tea.

Qin An took a light sip, revealing his intention.

"I am quite interested in arrays; I wonder if I could study them here at the Golden Array Sect?"

"Rest assured, Sect Leader, I don’t need to learn particularly advanced formations, just the basics will suffice."

The Golden Finger doesn’t require mastering highly sophisticated concepts to unlock new professions.

One only needs to learn the basics of arrays to activate the Golden Finger.

Once activated, one can find a place to slowly practice and improve proficiency.

Upon hearing this, Sun Cai was slightly stunned.

He didn’t expect the young Patrolling Silver officer in front of him to come for such a reason.

If that’s the case, it’s not a serious issue.

Just wanting to learn some basics doesn’t involve the sect’s core arrays.

Although he didn’t understand why a Patrolling Silver officer, known for "only killing, no crossing," would come to study formations,

Sun Cai knew that as a force not considered very strong, he should naturally consider strengthening ties with the Evil Extermination Bureau.

Thinking of this, Sun Cai prepared to agree.

But at that moment, a hurried sound of footsteps began to echo.