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"Gu Family Village!"
Jiang Qin's expression remained unchanged as he looked toward Gu's Manor, where a stream of energy and blood, almost invisible to the naked eye, was rising into the sky.
That was the mutual induction that only the strong could sense.
"This person is indeed not simple!" he thought. "I'm afraid even ordinary warriors in the Marrow Cleansing Realm may not have such energy and blood!"
Jiang Qin felt a little more solemn.
Before arriving, he hadn't taken Gu Qingfeng seriously, even though the other party had killed the ancestor Qingyang. After all, Patriarch Qingyang's strength wasn't impressive, at least in the eyes of the Evil Suppression Division.
But now, Jiang Qin understood—Gu Qingfeng's strength was not to be underestimated. Such strong energy and blood weren't something ordinary warriors possessed.
Moreover, Jiang Qin believed the other party had likely noticed his arrival.
As expected, not long after the thought crossed his mind, he saw the gate of Gujiazhuang open. Gu Peng stepped out and addressed him politely.
"I am Gu Peng, the current head of the outer hall of Gu Family Manor. I am here on the orders of the manor owner. Please come in and have a seat!"
"Very well."
Jiang Qin glanced casually at Gu Peng, nodded slightly, and followed him inside. A warrior at the beginner stage of blood refining was no more than an ant in his eyes. In the entire Gujiazhuang, only the manor owner mattered.
Once they entered the lobby, Jiang Qin saw a middle-aged man seated at the top. When their eyes met, the air seemed to freeze slightly.
"Master, the distinguished guest has been brought here!" Gu Peng's words broke the tension in the lobby.
Gu Qingfeng waved his hand. "You may leave for now."
"Yes!" Gu Peng stepped back, leaving them alone.
Gu Qingfeng then turned his attention back to Jiang Qin and smiled slightly. "I don't know where you come from, sir. What business brings you to my Gu Family Manor today?"
"I am Jiang Qin, the deputy commander of the Evil Suppression Division of Guangyang Prefecture. I heard that Master Gu killed Patriarch Qingyang and destroyed the Qingyang Sect. I have come to invite you to join our Evil Suppression Division."
Jiang Qin was direct, hiding nothing. After all, the existence of the Evil Suppression Division was well known to many. His position alone gave him plenty of confidence.
"Evil Suppression Division!"
Gu Qingfeng's expression changed slightly. He had considered many possibilities, but he had never expected that someone from the Evil Suppression Division would come to his door in person.
Jiang Qin crossed his arms, his posture slightly arrogant. "The Evil Suppression Division is a subordinate force of the imperial court. It's filled with powerful warriors and formidable sorcerers."
"There are many sorcerers like Patriarch Qingyang who haven't even entered the realm of spirit control. Our division has secret methods for refining evil into the body. If Master Gu were to join us and make notable contributions, he could be rewarded with the secret method as well."
Jiang Qin sat back in his chair, waiting for Gu Qingfeng's answer. In his mind, there was no chance the other party would refuse. The prestige of the Evil Suppression Division and the promise of refining evil into the body were rewards no ordinary person would turn down.
Gu Qingfeng, however, did not immediately accept or refuse. Instead, he shifted the conversation. "There is something I would like to ask Commander Jiang."
Jiang Qin frowned. "What is it?"
"Commander Jiang mentioned that martial arts are difficult to master. Is Grandmaster truly the highest limit in the martial world? Has no one ever broken through the barrier to a higher level?"
"For most warriors, Grandmaster is indeed the limit. In fact, many struggle to even reach that level, not to mention the Marrow Cleansing or Organ Refining realms. However, I can see that Master Gu's body is strong and brimming with energy. Even if you haven't entered the Organ Refining stage, you're not far off. If you survive long enough, you could reach Grandmaster!"
Jiang Qin paused before continuing. "As for levels beyond Grandmaster, since ancient times, some individuals have, through rare talent and fortunate circumstances, broken through the Grandmaster barrier. It is said that Great Grandmasters possess blood and energy like a blazing furnace, and their strength far surpasses a Grandmaster's. They can even tear apart forbidden zones with their bare hands and live for up to 800 years."
"But such individuals exist only in legends. There are so few warriors in the world that producing even one Grandmaster in a hundred years is rare."
He added pointedly, "Even so, what does becoming a Grandmaster achieve? After 800 years, you'll still turn into dust. The only real way to extend your life is to refine evil into your body and become a sorcerer."
Jiang Qin's words were clear: martial arts had limitations. Even if one became a Grandmaster or Great Grandmaster, it wouldn't matter in the end. True longevity lay in refining evil into one's body. He was urging Gu Qingfeng to join the Evil Suppression Division and learn their secrets.
Gu Qingfeng, however, was digesting the information.
Grandmaster! Forbidden Zones!
From Jiang Qin's words, he learned many things he hadn't known before.
"What exactly is a restricted area?" Gu Qingfeng asked next.
Jiang Qin was growing impatient but still answered. "A restricted area is a place where disaster-level evil spirits gather. In such places, evil spirits are nearly invincible, and once a restricted area forms, it's almost impossible for living beings to enter or leave. When a restricted area appears, it means extinction for all living creatures within. That's why they're called restricted areas."
"I see!" Gu Qingfeng nodded, now understanding the concept.
Disaster-level evil spirits.
Suddenly, Gu Qingfeng had an idea. He pulled out the black powder he had obtained earlier, controlling it with his qi and blood to make the jade box containing the powder float in front of Jiang Qin.
"Commander Jiang, do you recognize this?" he asked.
Jiang Qin's eyes narrowed as he examined the black powder. The cold aura it exuded made his expression shift slightly.
"It seems I underestimated you," Jiang Qin said. "I didn't expect you to be able to kill a monster!"
"A monster?" Gu Qingfeng looked puzzled.
Jiang Qin explained, "Evil spirits are almost immortal. It's difficult for ordinary people to kill them, but monsters are different."
"In the era when evil spirits ran rampant, the resentment of all living beings eventually gave birth to something else—something we call 'monsters.'"
"Monsters aren't as difficult to deal with as evil spirits, but they can affect a warrior's mind, causing them to lose themselves without realizing it. Many strong men have fallen victim to monsters. By the time they notice something's wrong, their energy and blood have been drained, leaving them only to die in regret."