Chapter 51 - 50: Qi Blood Smoke

Chapter 51: Chapter 50: Qi Blood Smoke

Lu Jing’an carefully read through the file in his hand. It detailed a Demon Beast known as the Ghost-faced Ape, named for its hideous visage that resembled the blue-faced, fanged Ghost King of legends. According to the Anping Bureau’s historical records, these apes were extremely brutal and had a craving for human brains. They had distinct characteristics: swift as lightning and incredibly agile when leaping through the forest. What made them even more troublesome was their high intelligence; they even knew how to use human weapons. However, their weakness was similar to the Tiger Demon that had recently wreaked havoc—they feared fire. They haunted a dense forest west of Yin Mountain County known as Old Crow Forest, an area with lush foliage that remained shrouded in shadows year-round.

Having reviewed the file, Lu Jing’an finally understood Wen Ling’s true motive for seeking him out. White phosphorus! He had previously used white phosphorus to eliminate the Tiger Demon, and Wen Ling clearly intended to replicate that success. Lu Jing’an closed the file and handed it back to her.

"Sister Wen Ling, I can give you the white phosphorus, but the method used to deal with the Tiger Demon might not work on the Ghost-faced Ape," Lu Jing’an said. He paused, tracing his finger over the table as if sketching the forest landscape. "The Ghost-faced Ape excels at climbing and swinging through the upper canopy of the trees. If you want to force it into a pre-set ambush, you’d need the flames of the burning white phosphorus to reach the height of the canopy."

Wen Ling nodded, a prepared smile playing at the corners of her lips. "You make a fair point. That’s why Yin Futou has already started working on it. He’s crafting an artifact that can use the wind to blow a mixture of white phosphorus powder into the air."

Lu Jing’an knew who Yin Futou was: an Artifact Cultivator within the Anping Bureau. The phonograph he had seen earlier was a half-finished product made by him.

"Even if you solve the issue of an aerial fire attack," Lu Jing’an pointed out another concern, "once it’s forced to the ground, you still need a way to restrict its speed. Otherwise, given its agility, it will still be difficult to land a fatal blow."

Wen Ling’s smile didn’t falter upon hearing this; she had clearly considered it as well. "Our Bureau Chief can set up an Earth-Sinking Talisman Array in advance. While it can’t trap the creature for long, it will be enough to slow its movements at a critical moment and create an opening for an attack."

Lu Jing’an opened his mouth to ask another question, but as he met Wen Ling’s calm, confident gaze, he swallowed his words and realization dawned on him. "So, Sister Wen Ling, you have already prepared the plan and all the contingencies. The only missing piece right now is the white phosphorus in my hands."

Wen Ling nodded with a beaming smile. "Exactly. To be honest, we considered using white phosphorus when drawing up the plan." She leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice with a hint of helplessness. "But you’ve probably heard that the Anping Bureau’s funding has always been stretched thin. White phosphorus is expensive, and the bureau simply doesn’t have the budget for it."

Lu Jing’an tapped his fingers absentmindedly against the table. After pondering for a moment, he said, "Sister Wen Ling, I can provide the white phosphorus for free this time. However, I have one condition. After the Ghost-faced Ape is killed, its corpse must belong to me."

For the Anping Bureau, a Demon Beast’s corpse had little use other than submitting certain parts as proof that the threat had been neutralized. They could easily keep a couple of distinctly identifiable parts and report the rest as destroyed during the battle. Moreover, since Lu Jing’an was providing the precious white phosphorus, his request for the corpse was perfectly reasonable. Wen Ling was actually aware that the Voiders were purchasing Demon Beast corpses at high prices. However, firstly, the Anping Bureau lacked the channels to do so. Secondly, even if they had the channels, the bureau couldn’t openly engage in such transactions. Thirdly, cooperating with Lu Jing’an in this manner was undoubtedly the best option for the bureau. After all, Wen Ling couldn’t guarantee that the Anping Bureau would reap a harvest every time they slew a demon.

Seeing Wen Ling agree so readily, Lu Jing’an took the opportunity to propose a collaboration. "Sister Wen Ling, if there are more Demon Beasts that need to be eradicated in the future, we could continue to cooperate using this model." His tone was sincere. "I can do my best to source and provide any special supplies you might need. In return, I only want the corpses of those Demon Beasts."

Wen Ling didn’t answer the proposal immediately. She sat up straight and spoke seriously, "This isn’t something I can decide on my own. I’ll need to return to the bureau and discuss it with the Bureau Chief and a few colleagues before I can give you an answer."

Lu Jing’an expressed his understanding. "Naturally. Alternatively, we can see how this current collaboration turns out before discussing any follow-ups."

Wen Ling’s face lit up with a smile. "I knew that working with Young Master Lu would be a breeze."

Lu Jing’an tapped his finger against the file folder on the table and changed the subject. "Sister Wen Ling, when do you plan to take action?"

Since they had established a preliminary partnership, Wen Ling didn’t hide anything. "We still need a few days to prepare. Yin Futou’s artifact and the Bureau Chief’s talisman array both require time."

Lu Jing’an nodded and made a request. "Then, once you’re fully prepared, please let me know when you make your move. I’d like to tag along and observe the Anping Bureau’s demon-slaying methods firsthand."

This minor request was easy for Wen Ling, and she agreed immediately. "That’s no problem at all. I’ll inform you in advance when the time comes."

Lu Jing’an’s request to visit the scene served a dual purpose. On one hand, he genuinely wanted to watch the Anping Bureau slay a demon. On the other hand, he harbored a hypothesis regarding entries and Divine Souls.

The very first time Lu Jing’an obtained [As Clear as Daylight], he hadn’t seen the Lamp Cultivator’s Divine Soul. However, all subsequent entries had been refined directly from Divine Souls. Thus, he theorized that the process of obtaining entries was intrinsically linked to Divine Souls. The reason he only saw the entry and not the Divine Soul in the Lamp Cultivator’s case was likely because he had arrived too late. The cultivator’s Divine Soul had already dissipated, leaving only the entry behind.

In fact, Lu Jing’an suspected that if he had arrived even a moment later, he might not have even seen the entry. It was highly possible that the Lamp Cultivator originally possessed two entries; the weaker one had fully dissipated, leaving only the stronger one behind. Because of this, he intended to witness the kill personally. This would ensure he could harvest the Divine Soul the very second it appeared, maximizing his gains.

Seeing that Wen Ling had agreed, Lu Jing’an said, "Sister Wen Ling, I’ll have someone deliver the remaining white phosphorus to the Anping Bureau right away." He paused, glancing at the sky outside. "Look at the time, Sister Wen Ling. Why don’t you stay for a meal?"

Upon hearing his invitation, Wen Ling stood up. She neatly adjusted her collar and cuffs, smiling. "I’ll pass on the meal. Coming here was already a huge risk. If I stay to eat, who knows what rumors will be swirling around by tomorrow."

Knowing her position was sensitive, Lu Jing’an didn’t press the matter. He personally escorted Wen Ling out of the Lu Mansion’s main gates and instructed a few reliable servants to accompany her back to the Anping Bureau, carrying the securely stored leftover white phosphorus from last time.

After seeing Wen Ling off, Lu Jing’an returned to his own courtyard and resumed his cultivation of the Six Harmonies Fist.

With a calm mind, he continuously transitioned between the solid, heavy momentum of the [Mountain-Breaking Fist] and the swift, explosive strikes of the [Thunder Shock Fist], deeply comprehending their nuances. His qi and blood surged relentlessly through his body in tandem with his punches.

Although he didn’t break through the Entry Level bottleneck of the [Six Harmonies Fist] just yet, an entire day of this repetitive tempering and grinding caused a quiet, qualitative change in his internal qi and blood. The qi and blood that had been surging and nearing the boiling point finally ignited completely.

As it circulated, tendrils of scorching breath steamed from his pores. They formed a faint, bloody smoke around his body that was invisible to the naked eye but searingly hot and distorted to the senses. It rose straight like a smoke signal, yet remained contained, brimming with potential.

This was the hallmark of the final step in the Blood Refining Realm—the Qi Blood Smoke!

Ordinary humans couldn’t see this smoke, but to wicked spirits and ghosts, it was as vivid and blinding as a beacon fire in the dark of night. Reaching this realm meant that ordinary demons and evil entities would find it incredibly difficult to even approach him.

Lu Jing’an retracted his fists and stood still, slowly exhaling a long, drawn-out breath. The breath condensed into a fleeting streak of white vapor in the cool night air. He could feel the power growing deep within his body, and it seemed as though he had grown slightly closer to some unseen, profound energy residing between heaven and earth.