Qingyue Mountain, Hundred Beasts Sect.
The scenery is pleasant, and the sunlight is blazing.
Though the sunlight in the sky is warm and pleasant, dark clouds silently shroud the entire Hundred Beasts Sect.
The disciples stand trembling on the platform constructed by the Hundred Beasts Sect, looking at the densely packed dark-robed figures below, feeling utterly desolate.
Two days ago, an unidentified group suddenly appeared under the mountain, and all these people exposed their hostility.
The sect leader, worried about an enemy invasion, gathered many disciples overnight to defend.
But unexpectedly, after they all returned, this unidentified group tore off their disguises.
The dark robes, like sharp swords, pierced into the hearts of the Hundred Beasts Sect members.
The Evil Extermination Bureau surrounded them, leaving no way out.
The dark clouds remain.
Cheng Sufeng led numerous copper state officials, guarding the northwestern position of the Hundred Beasts Sect.
Though one cannot see the entire view of the Hundred Beasts Sect from here, the terrain is extremely dangerous.
Li Zheng led his subordinates to guard another location, far from here.
As for Jinzhou official Yang Quanfeng, he had already disappeared without a trace.
Qin An found a place to stand, feeling the gentle breeze, and asked, "Why not attack?"
At present, the personnel is complete, and the Hundred Beasts Sect should be captured entirely. However, it feels like the sword is half-drawn but not yet unleashed, so Qin An had this question.
Nie Hu and Ma Rou both followed beside Qin An.
The two had been on a mission with Qin An before and were already convinced, naturally preferring to stand with Qin An.
Nie Hu looked up at the figures on the mountain: "Although desperate measures are taken, it’s still a life."
Ma Rou continued, "The Evil Extermination Bureau does not act, and they do not dare to act. However, it takes all sorts to make a world, and there will always be disciples of the Hundred Beasts Sect who become fearful and secretly escape."
Hearing this, Qin An rubbed his chin, saying, "I see."
After joining the Evil Extermination Bureau, they strive for achievements with their lives, but the Bureau does not sacrifice subordinates’ lives without reason.
Even with this many people from the Evil Extermination Bureau surrounding, the Hundred Beasts Sect is still a major force, and there will always be casualties.
Yang Quanfeng’s actions aim to reduce casualties.
If a disciple of the Hundred Beasts Sect cannot endure and secretly comes down the mountain, they can be defeated one by one.
Surround but not attack, that’s how it is.
If losses can be minimized, efforts are made to do so.
After a few days, when the Hundred Beasts Sect is short on supplies, there will naturally be other actions.
If they truly show their fangs, a bloody battle can be fought.
Nie Hu glanced at Qin An and asked, "Mr. Qin, what’s your strength now?"
Since Kao Mountain Village, meeting again this time felt different.
Qin An seemed to have grown stronger.
As soon as he asked, Ma Rou fiercely glared at Nie Hu.
Nie Hu was quite famous for his rough and outspoken nature among the copper state officials.
However, inquiring about someone’s cultivation is highly taboo.
After being glared at by Ma Rou, Nie Hu realized he failed to hold his tongue and was about to apologize.
"Body Realm Perfection." Qin An said calmly.
Nie Hu was dumbfounded, seemingly unable to believe it.
How long has it been, and already at Body Realm Perfection?
The last meeting was not like this at all.
Ma Rou was slightly startled and looked at Qin An with amazement.
She knew Qin An had exceptional talent, but for it to be to such a degree was rare.
Regarding cultivation matters, Qin An knew he couldn’t hide it.
Since it couldn’t be hidden, he simply didn’t bother hiding it.
By showing his own value, along with achievements, he could fare better in the Evil Extermination Bureau.
Endure and develop?
Perhaps in other places, but not in the Evil Extermination Bureau.
Qin An stopped talking.
The two were surprised by Qin An’s cultivation but knew he was not fond of words and didn’t continue to speak.
...
Time passed, and it was now night.
On the mountain, the lights were as bright as day, and the torches below were like suns.
The entire forest was no longer dark, and amidst the mottled shadows, Nie Hu started a bonfire.
Hundreds of state officials sat down, taking out dry food to eat.
Even Ma Rou, such a gentle woman, gnawed on dry food with a normal expression.
Noticing Qin An’s gaze, Ma Rou smiled slightly and raised the dry food in her hand.
"During past missions, there was worse to eat, we got used to it long ago."
The Foreign Affairs Department had many women, but none were pampered, as pampering would only lead to a quicker death.
Qin An put some white bread into his mouth, chewed a few bites, mixed it with clear water, and finished it, feeling fullness in his stomach.
At this moment, a slight sound came, stirring a breeze, as if blown from the forest.
Qin An’s ears moved slightly, looking in the direction of the sound.
In the night, ghostly cold gazes lit up, some as large as lanterns, others as small as fireflies.
"They’re here."
Nie Hu’s eyes glinted with cold light.
The sound of weapons being drawn rang out continuously.
In the forest, over a hundred people suddenly appeared.
They were wearing the Hundred Beasts Sect’s clothing, followed by various strange and fierce beasts.
Tigers, leopards, long snakes...
The Hundred Beasts Sect excelled at beast control, using their own vitality to nurture beasts, making them more terrifying than ordinary wild beasts.
But that wasn’t their method of attack.
They controlled beasts only to kill them.
Consuming the blood and flesh of strange beasts to cultivate their own Cultivation Technique.
Though inferior to the Blood Crystals of demons, this additional method allowed them to gain more vitality and thus ascend to a superior force in Lingzhou.
The battle was about to erupt.
Hundred Beasts Sect disciples, with fierce beasts, charged into the Evil Extermination Bureau state officials.
The weapons they used all related to beasts.
Those controlling tigers wielded iron hooks, those with long snakes swung long whips, and some even raised vicious dogs that flashed cold light from their claws.
Qin An, holding a black knife, rushed into the crowd, freely swinging the three Flame Demon Blade strikes, sweeping across.
Three fierce beasts pounced towards Qin An, only to be turned into a bloody rain before they could get close, their bodies severed in two.
The ice and fire energy infused into the black knife, Qin An swung it again, and three heads flew high.
This battle was nothing else; all intruders were enemies.
Immediate execution!
The Evil Extermination Bureau state officials possessed higher vitality than ordinary forces, but the opponents seemed familiar with the terrain, making it difficult for them to conserve energy during the battle.
Ma Rou swung the Life-taking Rope, capturing several Hundred Beasts Sect disciples and pulling hard: "Nie Hu, watch out!"
Several Hundred Beasts Sect disciples’ heads flew up, landing on the ground, their eyes wide open.
In the darkness, three Body Realm Perfection individuals charged at Nie Hu.
A voice sounded.
"Nie Hu excels in the Horizontal Refining Skill, the strongest of them. Kill him, and the other two copper state officials are no match."
A cold wind rose.
Nie Hu looked at the three rushing at him, though feeling the pressure, his expression remained calm, even with a trace of pity.
Am I the strongest?
How come I didn’t know?
He saw in the darkness Qin An performing a miraculous Body Technique, turning into an afterimage.
A whooshing sound, the black knife swept past.
A Body Realm Perfection individual’s head fell, another was pierced through the chest with a long knife, wailing and falling to the ground.
As for the last one, a bloody hole appeared in the chest.
Qin An retracted his left fist, his gaze cold as a blade, making Nie Hu shiver.
Three moves, and three Body Realm Perfections were dead.
Nie Hu was already numb; this happening with Qin An seemed so natural.
Qin An’s gaze swept across the entire mountain, speaking slowly: "The decisive battle has begun."
Midway up the mountain, as far as the eye could see, the sound of slaughter was deafening.