For the next ten days, the county remained under strict curfew.
Following his usual routine, Zheng Jun fell into a monotonous rhythm. Aside from his regular street patrols, he practiced his martial arts day and night without interruption.
Rumors about the "Demon Fiend" had spread throughout the county. Even though the Garrison Command and the County Government Office issued official denials, no one believed them. Panic gripped the populace.
The mobilized County Soldiers all returned to their camps. The County Magistrate didn't take the matter seriously; he simply ordered the Historian to solve the case and apprehend the true culprit as soon as possible. As a result, the Three Squads had been working exhaustively these past few days, doing their utmost to investigate.
But this had nothing to do with Zheng Jun. Knowing nothing about the case, the investigation wouldn't fall on his shoulders anyway.
That night, Zheng Jun stepped out of his room to practice his boxing techniques outdoors. The courtyard was too small for him to fully stretch out.
Nowadays, he not only had to run through his Pile Skill multiple times, but he also needed to practice his Saber Technique to temper his physique. After all, only through diligent daily practice could he fully open his muscles and bones, making it easier to absorb True Qi. Even if he could borrow the Fruit of the Future, he couldn't afford to slack off!
The tragic massacre at Wang Wu's home had indeed put him on high alert.
One careless mistake, and he could end up dead with all his efforts turned to dust. If he died, the Government Office wouldn't even be able to find his killer; they would just cast a wide net, searching for a needle in a haystack. Ten whole days had passed. As a member of the constabulary, Zheng Jun knew perfectly well that this case would likely never be solved.
If he didn't become stronger, he would be like a stray dog, leaving his fate in the hands of others. Only by possessing true strength could he genuinely ensure his own safety!
"Phew."
After finishing a set of his Pile Skill, Zheng Jun's body trembled as a surging, searing current heated up his entire frame. Immediately following this, a fiery, stinging sensation radiated outward from his blood. His internal organs, limbs, bones, and meridians... Every single organ in his body felt as though it was being roasted over hot coals!
"Hiss!"
In the blink of an eye, the pain became unbearable. He felt as if the blood throughout his body was about to explode!
"Phew." His face flushed bright red, he tried his best to alleviate the stinging agony using a Breathing Technique. With every breath, the prickly, scorching heat in his body lessened slightly. After repeating this cycle for the time it took two incense sticks to burn, the fiery pain receded. Instantly, Zheng Jun was filled with vigor and vitality, feeling as refreshed as if he had been reborn!
"Finally, I've completed one round of Blood Refining!"
Wiping his sweat, he couldn't help but break into a joyful smile.
Blood Refining typically required nine rounds, though a few exceptionally gifted prodigies only needed five rounds for their Blood Refining to succeed. Once completed, they could store True Qi and step into the Qi Storage Realm.
Zheng Jun didn't know if he was such a prodigy, but judging by his current condition, he would step into the Qi Storage Realm in half a year at most. What incredible speed! Once he reached the Qi Storage Realm, he would be a renowned figure in the entirety of Black Mountain County!
Zheng Jun calmed his racing heart. At the same time, lines of small ink-wash text flickered before his eyes.
[Current Repayment Progress: 50/50.]
[The Fruit of the Future for "Eagle-Hawk Force (Mastery)" has been repaid. The karma has returned to oneself.]
[Currently Available Martial Arts for Advance: Eagle-Hawk Force (Minor Achievement).]
[Having borrowed the Fruit of the Future, you must practice the Pile Skill five hundred times to integrate it into yourself!]
Seeing the potential for further advancement in his Eagle-Hawk Force, Zheng Jun pondered for a moment. He decided to wait until he visited the Martial Arts Hall tomorrow to make his judgment.
Now that he had an available advance slot, he could spend some silver to secretly study at the Martial Arts Hall for a month. Once he grasped their Martial Arts, he would use the Great Tao Martial Book to quickly familiarize himself with them and boost his strength. He would first advance the easier Martial Arts to complete five advances. That way, he would unlock the Great Tao Martial Book's function to hold two advances simultaneously. This would drastically speed up his progress, ensuring he wouldn't be bottlenecked by a single advance slot!
"Hehe, I really am a genius," Zheng Jun thought to himself.
Just as this thought crossed his mind, Zheng Jun's hairs suddenly stood on end. An ominous premonition assaulted his senses!
"Hmm?!"
This sudden palpitation alarmed him greatly. The foreboding feeling lingered like an unshakable phantom. He looked toward his front door and cautiously rested his hand on his saber hilt.
"Is there an intruder? Is my luck really this bad?" he thought.
On high alert, Zheng Jun quietly stepped backward. But before he could retreat, his door was kicked open, and a sharp broadsword chopped diagonally toward him!
Zheng Jun instinctively leaned back.
WHOOSH!
The blade brushed past his face, scaring him into a cold sweat.
"Blood Refining? You've only practiced the Pile Skill for half a month, yet you've achieved Blood Refining?!"
The attacker was visibly shocked, but the astonishment was fleeting. A split second later, he stepped forward and swung again, bringing the heavy broadsword chopping down violently toward Zheng Jun. The man's arms were immensely powerful. The downward chop was ferocious and ruthless—if it hit, even cold iron would likely be cleaved in two!
"What a heavy blade! This person is actually using a Breathing Technique while chopping!" Zheng Jun thought.
Startled, he quickly understood the intruder's intention. By holding a breath using the Breathing Technique in combat, the man circulated his Essence Blood, causing a temporary surge in Blood Qi. A slash delivered this way was thirty percent more powerful than usual.
However, Zheng Jun had no intention of blocking it. His opponent's broadsword carried overwhelming force, and Zheng Jun only had a broken saber. What could he possibly use to block it?
Remaining extremely calm, Zheng Jun swiftly fell back using the footwork taught in Cloak and Dagger. The devastating chop met only empty air. Simultaneously, he flipped his broken saber and immediately launched a counterattack. Chopping and thrusting, he leaped forward with blinding speed to leap and chop at the Great Han in front of him.
Seeing this, the Great Han didn't retreat. Instead, he took a step forward! The Qi and Blood within his limbs and bones erupted. His muscles and tendons trembled violently as he crashed toward Zheng Jun like a cannonball!
"Get lost!"
Zheng Jun let out a low shout. He instantly reversed his grip on the broken saber, changing its trajectory to thrust directly at the charging Great Han.
In response, the Great Han's bulging muscles tensed. He outright dropped the broadsword from his right hand. CLANG! The heavy blade hit the floor, kicking up a cloud of dust.
The moment the broadsword fell, the Great Han's hands shot out like lightning, employing a grappling technique to entangle Zheng Jun. His right hand locked over Zheng Jun's hand, gripping the hilt in a death clinch as they wrestled for control of the broken saber!
The Great Han sneered.
"So what if you've reached Great Success in Cloak and Dagger? According to the Zhao Family brothers' intel, this brat surnamed Zheng has practiced the Pile Skill for less than a month. Merely grasping the basics in such a short time already proves he is gifted, but how could he possibly be my match?!" the Great Han thought.
"Dammit!"
Zheng Jun's heart sank, but he didn't hesitate. Borrowing the opponent's momentum, he executed his footwork!
A sliding step, a firm stride, a pivot, a bounding leap!
Caught off guard by the sudden shift in force, the Great Han couldn't react in time. With just four steps, Zheng Jun completely broke free from his grip! Just as the Great Han scrambled to lunge again, Zheng Jun's arm muscles bulged like knotted roots. A surge of Blood Qi rushed wildly through his arms, and he swung the saber down with all his might to chop!
SLASH!
The broken saber chopped down heavily on the right hand the Great Han had used to grapple him. Slicing through skin and bone, the strike shaved it clean off! His entire forearm was chopped clean off by Zheng Jun!
"Argh!"
Extreme agony washed over him, tearing a pained cry from his lips. Enraged to the point of madness, the Great Han clenched his left hand into a fist and swung it like an iron hammer straight at Zheng Jun's face!
The Great Han's reaction was fast, but Zheng Jun was faster!
No longer restrained by the Great Han's right hand, Zheng Jun didn't hesitate for a microsecond. The broken saber swung out again, diagonally shaving off all five fingers of the Great Han's left hand!
Blood sprayed like a fountain as the severed fingers and forearm hit the floor! The Great Han was now completely crippled.
"Down!"
Facing the armless Great Han, Zheng Jun kicked him to the ground and pressed the broken saber against his throat. "Who are you?!" he demanded harshly.
"It's a misunderstanding... a misunderstanding." Enduring the excruciating pain of his ruined arms, the Great Han groaned agonizingly, "My surname is Liang. It was Zhao Jun, Zhao..."
Before the Great Han could finish his sentence, Zheng Jun raised his saber and slashed it across his throat!
In an instant, a thin red line appeared on the Great Han's neck, and the life faded from his eyes.
"Phew."
Seeing that the Great Han was completely dead, Zheng Jun finally let out a sigh of relief.
"Who knows if he has any backup plans? Better to kill him first and ask questions later!" he thought.
Hearing the name "Zhao Jun" was enough. Zhao Da's formal name was Zhao Jun.
"Why is it you guys again? I thought you were a magnanimous figure, Zhao Da. Looks like I was overthinking it!" he thought.
Zheng Jun's gaze gradually turned cold and murderous.