The courtyard is deep and silent as ink.

As Zhou Yuanfeng's words landed, he held the cup lightly, awaiting Qin An's response.

Qin An raised his sword-like brows: "Why?"

He hadn't expected Zhou Yuanfeng to summon him alone, only to persuade him not to join the Mountain Patrol General.

In Qin An's view, becoming a Mountain Patrol General was actually more aligned with his intentions.

Not only would it make accepting assignments more convenient, but he could also sidestep the power struggles of Xunyang Prefecture through the duties of evil extermination across thousands of miles.

It significantly benefits the enhancement of his strength.

However, Zhou Yuanfeng uttering these words now must have deeper implications.

Qin An restrained his emotions, quietly awaiting further explanation.

Zhou Yuanfeng pondered for a moment, shaking his head: "It's just my personal opinion, entirely up to your own will."

The implication being, he was unwilling to explain the specific reasons.

Qin An didn't press for reasons, lightly tapping the scabbard of the Cold Star Saber with his knuckles, offering an ambiguous answer: "Whether to join is not determined by me alone, it depends on the situation."

The situation naturally refers to assessing the circumstances.

Neither a refusal nor an acceptance.

Zhou Yuanfeng's eyes condensed slightly, waving his hand: "In that case, you should go about your own business."

His tone was desolate, with a touch of disinterest, as if a myriad of past events surged to mind, yet he ultimately remained silent.

Although Qin An had fought his way from Ding County, he could also perceive the emotions in Zhou Yuanfeng's eyes.

However, since Zhou Yuanfeng was unwilling to say more at the moment, he stayed silent as well.

Qin An clasped his fists and said: "I take my leave."

Upon returning, he still needed to practice the proficiency of the butcher.

The night had deepened today, and having gone through a great battle, Qin An planned to rest early.

Before long, Qin An pressed his saber and left the courtyard, his figure quickly disappearing among the layers of courtyards.

Once the sound of footsteps completely faded, Zhou Yuanfeng poured himself a drink, staring at the liquor in the cup: "Since you've come to this point, why hide your form?"

As these words were spoken, the courtyard returned to silence, the sound of a paper fan gently rustling from afar.

Zhao Wuhuan, carrying a paper fan, approached leisurely and sat in the spot Qin An had just occupied, examining Zhou Yuanfeng with interest.

Zhou Yuanfeng felt somewhat annoyed under this gaze, waved his sleeve: "If you keep looking at me like this, I'll have to enforce disciplinary rights."

Zhao Wuhuan quickly leaned back, shaking his head: "Unexpectedly, the ever-cold-hearted senior is so attentive to a newcomer, how extraordinary."

Zhou Yuanfeng tilted his head, drinking the exquisite wine in the cup, indifferently saying: "Not without giving face to two younger brothers. You two have caused the teacher much trouble, as the senior brother, it's natural to smooth things over for the teacher."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Wuhuan paused with his folding fan, shaking his head: "That's not all... Senior, are you perhaps also interested in Qin An, eyeing this rough gem?"

With these words, Zhou Yuanfeng fell silent, and the air in the courtyard suddenly stagnated.

Zhao Wuhuan spoke casually, but seeing Zhou Yuanfeng's expression, his eyes narrowed slightly: "Senior brother, I noticed him first, are you also crossing the line to snatch him?"

Having returned to the Evil Extermination Bureau to exchange some items, he happened to visit the courtyard where Zhou Yuanfeng resided, planning to chit-chat a bit.

Unexpectedly, he encountered Zhou Yuanfeng and Qin An talking in this courtyard.

His earlier comment was unintentional, but seeing Zhou Yuanfeng's current expression, he felt there might be truth in his words, otherwise, Zhou Yuanfeng wouldn't be so silent.

Zhou Yuanfeng glanced at Zhao Wuhuan's face, saying lightly: "Not competition, but shelter."

"Have you been unaware of his achievements after coming to the Evil Extermination Bureau?"

"Heifeng mentioned briefly about his feats before the Hunter Conference." Zhao Wuhuan folded his paper fan: "If senior brother is willing to elaborate, I'm ready to listen attentively."

Having come all the way, he didn't bother to talk to Qin An about these matters, otherwise, he'd lose the precedence of his seniority.

Just as Zhou Yuanfeng was willing to speak, it was worth learning about.

Zhou Yuanfeng paused slightly, then slowly said: "During the Hunter Conference, he single-handedly turned the tide, alone fighting ten Pulse Condensation Realm monsters, and slew them all."

Zhao Wuhuan's pupils shrank suddenly, feeling somewhat stunned: "What? He's already strong to that level?"

Back in Lingzhou, he knew Qin An's combat strength was incomparable to ordinary people.

But he hadn't expected him to handle one against ten.

This was enough to amaze him, but still not enough to justify Zhou Yuanfeng's demeanor.

Zhou Yuanfeng continued: "Later, during the Cangnan Mountain battle, he was invincible among the monster horde, like a god of massacre descending to the world."

"The Poison Pill Master, though severely injured, was once an Outer Elixir Realm expert, but was cut down by him..."

As Zhou Yuanfeng continued, Zhao Wuhuan's sense of astonishment swelled even further.

By the time the last word fell, a burning gleam had ignited in Zhao Wuhuan's eyes.

"I've always known this kid was perfect for demon-slaying tasks!"

"If he can forge the Supreme True Elixir, once his strength reaches the Outer Elixir Realm, and joins the Mountain Patrol Copper General, he can become a powerful asset of Xunyang Prefecture's Evil Extermination Bureau!"

Zhou Yuanfeng's gaze gradually turned cold: "You didn't hear me finish, nor did you understand, I don't want him to join the Mountain Patrol General."

Zhao Wuhuan, returning to his senses, asked: "After joining the Mountain Patrol General, his status and position would be elevated, why wouldn't you want that, senior brother?"

He couldn't grasp Zhou Yuanfeng's intentions.

Zhou Yuanfeng clenched his fists, knuckles turning white, a hint of conflicted expression on his face.

Even as he crushed the wine cup in his hand, it seemed he didn't perceive it.

Seeing this scene, feeling Zhou Yuanfeng's unstable aura, Zhao Wuhuan pressed Zhou Yuanfeng's trembling wrist, frowning: "Senior brother, calm down."

Zhou Yuanfeng regained composure, exhaling deeply, his aura gradually stabilizing.

This scene only intensified Zhao Wuhuan's curiosity.

He was even keener to understand what was troubling Zhou Yuanfeng.

Zhou Yuanfeng's breath was chaotic, his voice hoarse: "You should know my situation, junior brother..."

Zhao Wuhuan's playful expression faded, revealing solemnity: "Senior once entered the Outer Elixir Realm with the Supreme True Elixir, considered a prodigy within Xunyang Prefecture's Evil Extermination Bureau, with a boundless future."

"But during a mission, he suffered irreparable harm, forever halting at the Outer Elixir Realm."

"The contributions to Xunyang Prefecture cannot be underestimated."

"Such sacrifices, all of Xunyang Prefecture is deeply appreciative."

These were words Zhao Wuhuan often spoke, and they came from the heart.

If not for unforeseen circumstances during a mission that left Zhou Yuanfeng stuck in the Outer Elixir Realm, he would likely not be just a Silver Prefecture General at this moment.

Zhou Yuanfeng took a deep breath: "I'm asking... what position I held before."

Zhao Wuhuan realized: "Senior brother was formerly a Mountain Patrol Copper General, but after sustaining irreparable harm during that mission, he grew disheartened and returned to the position of Silver Prefecture General. It was thanks to the maneuvering of our teacher that senior brother was able to return to the Evil Extermination Bureau."

Zhou Yuanfeng took a deep breath: "You're right. For that reason, I don't want Qin An to join the Mountain Patrol General, nor repeat the same mistakes."

"You know his background, and I know he can forge the Supreme True Elixir, stepping into the perfect potential of the Outer Elixir Realm."

"Someone like him is destined to be a pillar of Xunyang Prefecture in the future."

"If he joins the Mountain Patrol General, he will face countless dangers. If he ends up like me, unable to step out of the Outer Elixir Realm for eternity, it would be a tremendous loss for Xunyang Prefecture."

Zhao Wuhuan sank into silence.

He understood why his senior brother wouldn't let Qin An join the Mountain Patrol General.

With a precedent already set, coupled with Qin An's potential and talent being unparalleled, Zhou Yuanfeng feared for Qin An's safety.

After all, it's no secret within the Evil Extermination Bureau that the Mountain Patrol General seldom meets a good end.

Zhou Yuanfeng, seeing Zhao Wuhuan remain silent, continued: "Junior brother, since I returned to the Evil Extermination Bureau, I've never valued a newcomer so highly. You should understand my painstaking intentions."

Zhao Wuhuan shook his head: "Senior brother, the path he should take must be his own choice."

Zhou Yuanfeng abruptly stood up, knocking the wine cup on the table to the ground: "Why won't you listen? If you join me in persuading him, he will surely stay with the Evil Extermination Bureau, and the position of Prefecture General is where he truly belongs!"

"He can absolutely achieve the utmost potential in the Outer Elixir Realm, even stepping higher. Why subject himself to being a Mountain Patrol General who faces danger at every turn?"

Zhao Wuhuan had never seen Zhou Yuanfeng lose composure like this, but he remained blunt and unmoved: "Senior brother, my mind is made up. If you insist on persuading me, it would damage the fraternity between us."

The reason both he and Zongzhou were known for their unruly conduct, as remarked by their teacher, naturally has its reasoning.

He held great respect for this senior brother.

After all, his senior brother had truly dedicated himself to the Evil Extermination Bureau.

But on matters of principle like this, he wouldn't yield an inch.

Zhao Wuhuan paused for a moment before continuing: "Senior brother, since you've seen Qin An's background, you know it's all self-made."

"From Ding County to Lingzhou, hasn't every step been gained by licking blood off the blade?"

"The demons he killed in Lingzhou feared him, and the same goes for Xunyang Prefecture. Whether it's Mountain Patrol General or Prefecture General, it should be his own decision!"

Zhou Yuanfeng's face turned blue and then white for a long time before he sat down on a stone bench in exhaustion, sighing: "You should go. I'm tired."

Zhao Wuhuan sensed that his senior brother seemed to have aged several years in an instant and, recalling his senior's experiences, felt a sudden pang of sympathy.

"Senior brother, the young have their own paths to walk; why must we old folks interfere?"

"The Mountain Patrol General, though perilous, may also be an opportunity for him."

"Smack!"

Zhou Yuanfeng flipped the table to the ground angrily, shouting: "I said! Get out!"

Zhao Wuhuan sighed, looked at his senior brother's distorted face, and realized that his senior was currently enraged and unable to communicate, so he said no more and turned to leave the courtyard.

After Zhao Wuhuan left, the courtyard plunged into silence once more.

Zhou Yuanfeng clenched his fists until they cracked, his thoughts a mystery.

…

Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, several days slipped by.

After the Hunter Conference, Xunyang Prefecture welcomed a rare period of peace.

Traditionally, during this time both the human and demon clans would recuperate.

The common folk finally had a chance to catch their breath, while the martial forces sheathed their claws and fangs temporarily.

At this moment, in a small courtyard of the Evil Extermination Bureau.

Qin An sat cross-legged on a couch, eyeing the curling smoke in front of him with a slight smile on his lips.

Over this period, Qin An had been almost living between two points, shuttling back and forth between the butcher's shop and the Evil Extermination Bureau, living a life very much like hard practice.

Since the Hunter Conference had ended, and there was a brief period of peace, there were no tasks assigned.

He found himself almost immersed in this tranquil life.

Yet within this serenity, there were undertones of ripples.

For instance, the gate of Qin An's courtyard was frequently visited by Copper Prefecture Generals from the last Hunter Conference.

As Zongzhou once said, Xunyang Prefecture as a whole is a massive whirlpool of power.

The Evil Extermination Bureau, caught in this whirlpool, naturally struggled to remain untouched.

Qin An's fame from the Hunter Conference, his unprecedented battle against the Poison Pill Master, was spreading within a limited circle.

Who wouldn't want to associate with a fierce character capable of slaying a Poison Pill Master?

As such, the lineup of Copper Prefecture Generals eager to associate with Qin An could stretch a long way.

In response, Qin An received each visitor.

Initially, he hoped to build his own network within the Evil Extermination Bureau.

However, as more and more people came, flowing like a stream of fish, Qin An started growing weary.

Later, he simply closed his doors, declining visitors with the excuse of being unwell.

This way, he neither offended nor saw anyone.

The Copper Prefecture Generals who came to visit also gradually stopped as they realized Qin An's aloof nature.

With rarer visits, Qin An naturally gained more time to practice his skills.

The butcher had finally reached the point of a level ten transformation.

At this moment, the smoke before his eyes gradually coalesced into lines of text.

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