Chapter 2: Golden Bell Shield Sixth Layer

[Martial Arts:]

[Golden Bell Shield (Uninitiated)]

[Blood Evil Saber Technique (Master Level)]

[Current Power Level: None]

[Add power to martial arts to improve martial arts progress]

[Slay demon fiends and evil spirits to harvest corresponding power]

So it turns out my blurry vision earlier wasn’t because my head got smacked or my eyes got issues, but because of the golden finger.

A golden finger that explodes with power harvesting whenever you slay demons and fiends.

Wei Fan frowned slightly; his Golden Bell Shield hadn’t reached entry level yet. If he tried slaying demons now, he’d just end up getting killed.

"Didn’t you get it? I’m forcing you. Old Man Zhang died because of you—and this is the price for sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.

If you hadn’t meddled yesterday, I would’ve just taken her body. But now I’ve changed my mind. I’ll have her, then send her over to Master Hu Jiu to eat, and then I’ll slowly play you to death.

Try laying a finger on me again today and see what happens. You think I even need to lift a hand? That arrest officer of yours will flay you alive."

"A governmental officer? Wow, how impressive."

Yang Jun swaggered over and smacked Wei Fan in the face. But Wei Fan grabbed Yang Jun’s hand—the slap never landed.

Zhou Qi said, "Yang Jun, don’t go too far. We are constables too. Yesterday, it was indeed Wei Fan’s fault. I apologize on his behalf."

Yang Jun heard this, eyes wide, and barked, "Get lost! I’m letting you off cuz you didn’t step in yesterday. But as for this Wei Fan, no amount of begging will save him!"

Wei Fan released Yang Jun’s hand and said, "I admit I can’t mess with the Fierce Tiger Gang. I was reckless yesterday. What will it take for you to let the Zhang Family Girl go and drop the whole thing?"

He just kept his eyes fixed on Yang Jun—and the scene before him shifted again.

[Yang Jun: Rape, abuse, forcing innocents to prostitution, feeds demons for three years—heart is pitch black!]

[Kill him to harvest three years’ power!]

A red-named mob!

So people can count as demon fiends too!

Yang Jun wasn’t even a martial artist. So that power—maybe it’s not the kind he assumed, or maybe his understanding of power is just too damn narrow. He figures only martial artists have it.

"Finally feeling scared? Here—lick Old Man Zhang’s blood off this blade, and then I’ll tell you."

Kneel and lick it, or I’ll take this girl right here in front of you."

Seeing Wei Fan way less defiant than yesterday, Yang Jun offered the blood-stained blade, even cockier than before.

He’d promised to play Wei Fan to death—and this was just the warm-up.

"Rape, abuse, force innocents to prostitution, feeds demons for three years—heart is pitch black!"

"Kill him to harvest three years’ power!"

Wei Fan stared at those lines on the system panel, eyes flashing cold, a touch of madness creeping in.

Face-off time, is it? You wanna get nasty? Think you’re the only one who knows how to play dirty?

Fierce Tiger Gang, Tiger Demon?

Everyone only gets one life. The Tiger Demon’s not even here, but you wanna play like this?

"Give me the knife!"

Wei Fan reached out, and Yang Jun, grinning, handed it over.

He thought kneeling and licking the blood would be it, but he’d cooked up way more for Wei Fan.

"Guys, watch—our Constable Wei’s gonna show off his special skills!"

Yang Jun was wild, arrogant: "Hurry up and kneel, lick all the blood clean!"

He really wanted to see how the guy who rescued Old Man Zhang yesterday reacted to licking Zhang’s blood.

Just as he was thinking, he saw Wei Fan take the saber, step forward, grabbed Yang Jun’s throat with one hand—then shoved the blade forward with the other.

Splurt!

The sound of cloth and bone being split rang out—the razor-sharp saber drove clear through Yang Jun’s chest, the tip bursting from his back.

"Hhh... hhh..."

In that instant, Yang Jun’s chest heaved wildly like a leaking bellows. He stared at Wei Fan, inches away, eyes full of disbelief. Was this bastard’s backbone ever gonna break?

"Blood Evil Saber Technique!"

The long saber withdrew—scalding blood showered everywhere, soaking the street.

Wei Fan moved like a ghost, lunging at the two who had the Zhang Family Girl, swinging the saber again.

The bloodstained blade thrummed and sang, with a faint red gleam.

"Master-level Blood Evil Blade Skill!"

Zhou Qi shrieked in terror!

When he’d learned this saber technique, the Chief Instructor said, three months to entry level is average, three months to minor achievement means you got talent.

The Wei Fan in front of his eyes—three months and blood evil blade mastery—what the hell is this?

The blade flashed like lightning, mesmerizing and deadly. A wide-eyed head rolled, then another went flying.

Just one stroke—both men clutching the Zhang Family Girl lost their heads, blood geysering to the sky.

Before the crimson rain could splatter down, a big hand snatched the girl, saving her from a soaking.

She gazed up at her rescuer with a look that was equal parts terrified and grateful; the metallic blood-scent made her stomach churn.

"You... you killed Yang Jun and the others."

Zhou Qi stumbled backward, cold sweat popping up on his brow.

At the alley’s mouth, Yang Jun lay lifeless, his blood pooling out from beneath him; his eyes, frozen open, spelling disbelief.

Zhou Qi’s scalp tingled!

He knew well enough—the Fierce Tiger Gang had fed more than a few government officers to the Tiger Demon. Killing the Incense Master’s brother-in-law? Huge trouble.

Besides, rumor had it that the Fierce Tiger Gang had not one Tiger Demon behind them, but a whole nest.

"Yang Jun murdered and resisted arrest, and tried to kill a hostage. He was cut down by Constable Wei Fan."

Wei Fan gave the blade a gentle flick, shaking off the blood, revealing dazzling steel. The killing intent eased off him.

The cold glare made Zhou Qi shudder all over. He snapped to his senses, quickly stammered:

"Yes-yes... Yang Jun murdered and resisted arrest, tried to kill a hostage—Constable Wei Fan cut him down, you saved a life, that’s a deed of merit. I’ll go get help!"

His voice trembled, and he darted out of the alley.

Wei Fan watched Zhou Qi retreat, made no move against him—dead or alive, it’d depend on what Zhou Qi did next.

"You got any family left?" Wei Fan knelt down.

The Zhang Family Girl’s cheeks were red and swollen, still streaked with tears: "Yes... I still have a cousin!"

"Go find her, quick. I’ll take care of your grandfather’s mess!"

He stuffed some cash into the girl’s hand.

Once she’d gone, Wei Fan parked himself in a corner of the alley with a heavy thud, face pale as death.

Blood Evil Saber Technique!

This is the Evil-slaying Saber Technique taught by the Government Office, letting officers without True Qi fight off demon fiends.

This saber technique, which can battle demons even without True Qi, isn’t something you can use without paying a price.

Before you’ve cultivated True Qi, every time you swing it, you’re burning life—in every slash, you’re slicing a piece of your own Blood Qi.

Blood Qi is a person’s foundation. Use it too much, your body empties out and you might die for it.

"You beat me with a club, I pay back with a blade—nobody gets off cheap!"

He stared at Yang Jun’s stiffening corpse and turned to check his panel.

[Slayed Yang Jun—harvested three years’ power!]

[Slayed Yang Ping—harvested half a year’s power!]

[Slayed Yang Zhi—harvested half a year’s power!]

[Current Power Level: 4 years]

All three were surnamed Yang—total harvest, four years of power!

Wei Fan’s eyes lit up. Hadn’t expected killing the other two would also trigger power harvesting. Four years’ worth should be enough to level up the Golden Bell Shield.

Get that True Qi unlocked. Burning blood for the saber technique isn’t a long-term path; plenty of officers never even reach entry level in Golden Bell Shield—also because they use this saber technique too much.

To be blunt, constables like us are just disposable tools. There’s never a shortage of cannon fodder.

"Four years’ power—all into Golden Bell Shield!"

As Wei Fan willed it, the system panel flickered:

[Deducting four years’ power--adding to Martial Arts: Golden Bell Shield!]

[Your talent is decent—one year of power, Golden Bell Shield breaks through to Second Layer!]

[Two years’ power—immediately breaks through to Fourth Layer!]

[Three years’ power—Golden Bell Shield breaks through to Fifth Layer!]

[Four years’ power—Golden Bell Shield breaks through to Sixth Layer!]

[Golden Bell Shield (Sixth Layer)]

The progress gained by power harvesting still depends on your own talent—his past self’s three months training couldn’t even reach entry level, but it wasn’t because he lacked talent.

When he’d first learned Golden Bell Shield, the Chief Instructor said, "Anyone who gets entry level in a year’s time has a gift for martial arts; those less talented might struggle for two or three years."

One year’s power took him straight to Second Layer; after four years’ power, he shot up to Sixth Layer.

Sixth Layer Golden Bell Shield—most people couldn’t reach that even in a lifetime of training.

With the breakthrough, Wei Fan felt something surge and explode at his dantian; a flood of True Qi immediately swept out, and his body began to transform.

Muscles and bones hardened, his frame grew stronger.

As an internal/external composite martial art, Golden Bell Shield didn’t just cultivate True Qi—it tempered the body too.

Blood Qi restored, surging and solid, power ramped up even more.