Chapter 45: Dragon Elephant Supporting Heaven, Outer Circle Members

"Xiao Wu?" Qin Feng nodded and asked, "Where is the organization behind you?"

Yue Wu's complexion was sullen.

Qin Feng simply stared at her lightly.

After a moment, she whispered, "In the deep East Sea, on Qianye Island."

"That place?" Yan Hongye frowned, "No wonder we never found it; it's that chaotic, bloody, filthy land on Qianye Island."

Qin Feng turned his gaze toward the other side.

Yan Hongye continued, "Qianye Island is an archipelago named for its leaf‑shaped islands. It was first occupied by beasts, then overrun by countless outlaw fugitives, gradually flourishing and spawning various dark industry chains—bloodshed, brutality, prostitution, gambling, lawlessness, hiding the world's greatest evil."

"It's reputed to be one of the top three free lands in the world!" Yue Wu whispered.

"Freedom for the strong, cruelty for the weak!" Yan Hongye gave her a cool glance.

Qin Feng didn't want to linger on the topic; seeing the mist thin, he said to Yue Wu, "Cover up, follow me!"

"Miss Yan, I need someone to come clean up the battlefield. Are you coming along, or …?" Qin Feng asked Yan Hongye again.

"If nothing's amiss on either side, I'll go with you."

"Very well!"

The three walked toward the ancestral tomb area.

Yue Wu also took a silk scarf from her bosom and wrapped it around her head.

Yan Hongye put on a blue face veil.

"Patriarch!" Seeing Qin Feng, Qin Kai hurried over to greet him.

"You go back to the village immediately, tell Fu Ye Ye there's nothing here so he can rest easy. Also bring back a squad to clean up the battlefield here."

"Yes!"

Qin Kai sped away.

Qin Feng looked at Liu Kaishan and the others, and with a distant bow he said, "Everyone, if you intend to confront me, act now; if you only wish to watch a spectacle, withdraw from this territory. No one may touch any item here, or else, death!"

He didn't glance further, but turned to Yan Hongye, hesitating slightly, "Miss Yan, why did you come here?"

"I heard a peerless monster appeared in Wan'an City, so I naturally came to see; I also heard a demon tribe showed up here, and wanted to test my hunting skills." Yan Hongye's eyes narrowed into crescents, clearly delighted, "This trip was certainly not in vain; Brother Qin, your talent truly amazes the world."

"You're flattering me!" Qin Feng laughed, "I also must thank you for your assistance; otherwise I might have met misfortune."

"Even without me you'd be fine." Yan Hongye said, "Brother Qin, with your current strength and future potential, Wan'an City is far too small and will severely limit your growth. Above the ninth rank is the Grandmaster; cultivation at the Grandmaster realm requires meridian‑opening methods. Ordinary Grandmasters only master nine, twelve, eighteen, twenty‑four points, etc., which is far too few for you."

Seeing Qin Feng's interest, she continued, "However, within a human body the acupoints reflect the stars; there are three hundred sixty‑five of them. You should understand that opening three hundred sixty‑five versus nine is like a chasm of heaven. Moreover, there are techniques that can perfectly fuse artistic conception with moves, even integrating into true Qi, whose explosive power shakes the world. By comparison, whether it's Fan Mang, Bai Long, or even a true Fan family Grandmaster, their use of artistic conception is merely the superficial layer."

"Besides that, there are cultivation resources, pills, spirit treasures, and so on."

"And information across the world."

"Also, controlling the great trends to make petty thieves tremble and avoid disturbance!"

Yan Hongye spoke confidently, full of allure.

"Are you an official?" Qin Feng sensed a clue.

Information is abundant, resources plentiful, hunting demon tribes.

Only the officials fit that best.

"Indeed, I'm from the Capital, a Silver Guard of the Black Dragon Guard, here on business and happened upon this commotion." Yan Hongye did not hide anything and invited, "Brother Qin, our Black Dragon Guard is not only a gathering of the strong but also a talent incubator, backed by the court, obeying the Emperor's orders, wielding great power, inspecting the world, hunting demon tribes, and possessing endless resources. Only in such a place can you fully display your talent and further safeguard the Qin Family's foundation. Brother Qin, I invite you to join the Black Dragon Guard."

She gestured, producing a silver badge—one side engraved with a black dragon, the other bearing identity information.

Qin Feng glanced, hesitated slightly, and shook his head, "I don't want to be too constrained!"

"Relatively speaking, the Black Dragon Guard is still quite free!" Yan Hongye added, "In cultivation your next step is to open meridians; body refinement also needs a further technique, but with the Qin Family's foundation, how to obtain them? Join us and you'll have everything."

Qin Feng still shook his head.

Although lacking a body‑refining technique, he has the meridian‑opening art, so he can continue cultivating and later, when mature enough, seek conquest.

There's no need to bind a rope to oneself.

The system may be good, but it strips freedom. Once an order comes, you must bow.

"Alright then!" Yan Hongye saw the resolute look in Qin Feng's eyes, sighed slightly, yet unwilling to give up on such a genius, and said, "How about you become an external operative, answering only to me? If I need you, you may act, or you may refuse. Each time you act I'll give you appropriate reward—how does that sound? Moreover, I can offer you a trade after each action, not limited to techniques, pills, information, and so on."

"You're only a Silver Guard; can you make the decisions?" Qin Feng was intrigued but asked.

"I'm a Silver Guard from the Capital, with great authority!" Yan Hongye laughed, "Moreover, my background is solid; I can make the calls."

"Fine then!" Qin Feng said, rubbing his hands, a bit embarrassed, "Yan Tou'er, can we make a trade first?"

"Yan Tou'er?" Yan Hongye's eyes widened, and she quickly replied, "Just call me Miss Yan! As for the trade—what do you want?"

"I have fully cultivated the Nine‑turn Dragon Elephant Skill and urgently need an advanced follow‑up body‑refining method. Do you have one?" Qin Feng said immediately.

"You're cultivating the Nine‑turn Dragon Elephant Skill?" Yan Hongye was surprised, then examined him for a while, "Your talent is truly terrifying! The Nine‑turn Dragon Elephant Skill is unique and extremely difficult to cultivate; once mastered, its power is great, defense strong, able to contend with a Quasi‑Grandmaster, and it also lays the foundation for a subsequent technique."

"Laying a foundation for a technique?"

"Hmm! It's called the Dragon Elephant Supporting Heaven Skill, even harder to cultivate; without peerless talent one cannot even begin. Do you want it?"

"I want it!"

"What can you offer in return?"

"You should already know I possess the inheritance of the Heavenly Phenomena Realm, so I have many techniques, meridian‑opening methods, peerless sword arts, and so on."

"Your opportunity is indeed great! In a few days I'll fetch the technique and come to the Qin Residence to find you."

"Alright!"

After chatting a while longer, Yan Hongye was about to take her leave, but looked at the utterly honest Yue Wu and warned, "It's best that outsiders don't learn her true identity, and keep a close watch on her!"

Qin Feng nodded.

Seeing the other's departing figure, he slightly exhaled in relief.

Unexplainedly, he felt a few degrees of pressure from Yan Hongye.

"Master, she never gave her full strength when sparring with me," Yue Wu reminded.

"I can feel it!" Qin Feng nodded.

As for what Yan Hongye said, he didn't go into full detail, and remained somewhat wary.

After a moment, Qin Kai arrived with a group of people.

He ordered the bodies to be collected.

They also conducted a sweep; at least their weapons were definitely extraordinary, which is a huge fortune.

They also tidied up the ancestral graves again.

The mist has cleared.

The setting sun hung on the mountain peak.

Qin Feng led the group back to Old Qin Manor.

As for Liu Kaishan and the others, he paid them no heed.

"Master, you've finally returned!" Zhang Fu breathed a sigh of relief.

"What on earth happened over there? How did the mist suddenly arise?" the village elder also asked.

"There was a minor incident, nothing serious, already resolved." Qin Feng gave a brief explanation.

After reassuring them a few times, he even temporarily sent the village elder away.

He arrived outside the ancestral shrine.

"I'll go in to pay respects again!" Qin Feng had Yue Wu and Zhang Fu wait outside; after entering, he shut the door.

"This cauldron..."

Qin Feng gazed at the sacrificial incense cauldron, frowning involuntarily.

According to grandfather's words and his own sense, this cauldron is not ordinary.

(End of chapter)