Chapter 9: “rat Extermination” Notice!
Although it was already August, the weather still had not turned cool.
Even in the morning, the air was filled with stifling heat.
Ji Qing sat under a large locust tree, cultivating the Rising Sun Art with the rising sun.
Half a hour later, Ji Qing slowly opened his eyes.
It had been another ten days or so since he left the ruined temple.
Over these ten days or so, Ji Qing had persisted in cultivating the Rising Sun Art every morning.
His internal energy had improved considerably, but compared to the previous improvements using origin points, it was still too slow.
Ji Qing: Third-Rank Martial Artist
Jadeite Art: Perfection（ Internal Energy Burst, Three-Tenths Amplification）
Rising Sun Art: Beginner
Thirteen Fast Blades: Perfection（ Signature Move First Line of Sky）
Grass on Flying: Minor Accomplishment
Origin Point: 0 points
Ji Qing opened the Demon Record and checked his own status.
The Rising Sun Art was still at Beginner.
To reach Minor Accomplishment, at the current progress, it would take at least several years of hard cultivation.
“If there were origin points, the Rising Sun Art could quickly reach Major Accomplishment or even Perfection. But origin points can only be obtained by killing demons, and where are there any demons?”
It had been so long since Ji Qing escaped from Liang City, yet he had not encountered any demons, so naturally he could not obtain origin points.
“Bro, have you finished cultivating?”
A small head poked out from the woven basket behind Ji Qing.
“Mm, eat some dry rations and set off early.”
Ji Qing calculated the distance; in another ten days or so, they should arrive at An Yang City.
After eating some dry rations with cool water, the two set off.
Ji Qing still took the country lanes, never the official road.
On both sides of the country roads were fields of golden rice; this was the season of autumn harvest, and judging by the look of the rice, it could be officially harvested in another ten days or so.
“Hm?”
After walking a few li, Ji Qing suddenly saw many farmers in the rice fields ahead hurriedly harvesting the rice.
This rice was clearly not fully mature yet.
Harvesting it now would affect the quality and yield of the rice.
“Hurry hurry hurry, cut it all quickly, otherwise by evening, these grains will be ruined by those rats again.”
“A few days ago, Old Man Wang’s family had three mu of grain ruined by rats; the whole family depended on those few mu of grain to live, but now with the grain gone, they can only sell their son and daughter.”
“Da Huai Village never had a rat infestation before; how did we get hit with a rat infestation this year? I heard that among those rats, there’s a big rat; someone saw the big rat, that size, that build, simply like a calf.”
“You’re just exaggerating; if it were really a rat as big as a calf, wouldn’t that be a rat demon?”
“Don’t disbelieve; it really is a rat demon. Haven’t you seen that Steward Jin has posted a Rat Extermination notice? Steward Jin is spending a fortune to recruit Jianghu experts to exterminate rats; if it weren’t a rat demon, why would Steward Jin recruit Jianghu experts?”
Several farmers chatted idly while hurriedly harvesting in the fields; Ji Qing overheard as he passed by.
“Rat demon?”
Ji Qing’s heart stirred.
If it was really a rat as big as a calf, then it was definitely a rat demon!
He had been worrying about not encountering any demons and being unable to obtain origin points.
Now the opportunity had come!
However, the farmers were just hearsay; whether it was really a rat demon, Ji Qing still needed to investigate clearly.
“Excuse me, where is the Rat Extermination notice posted by Steward Jin?”
Ji Qing asked the farmers.
“Young man, are you a Jianghu person too?”
“Yes.”
“You look like one from your attire.”
The farmer carefully looked Ji Qing up and down.
“The Rat Extermination notice posted by Steward Jin is on the courtyard wall three li ahead; take the notice and go straight to the courtyard to find Steward Jin. Young man, rat extermination is no joke; that big rat is very fierce. It’s said that previously an experienced hunter went to exterminate rats but lost his life.”
The farmer was simple and kind-hearted, not forgetting to warn Ji Qing that rat extermination was very dangerous.
“Thanks for the reminder.”
Seeing the sun growing more scorching, and the farmers’ hard lives, Ji Qing tossed a mace of silver shards to the farmers as thanks.
Ji Qing followed the lane for three li and indeed saw a grand courtyard.
He came to the courtyard wall and saw a Rat Extermination notice.
Ji Qing immediately took down the notice and went to the courtyard gate.
“You took the Rat Extermination notice?”
Ji Qing nodded.
“Then please follow me.”
A servant led Ji Qing into the courtyard and to the living room.
Ji Qing saw a middle-aged man in a silk robe, slightly portly, sitting in the seat of honor in the living room; he should be Steward Jin.
And on both sides of the living room sat quite a few people, all dressed as Jianghu martial artists; they should all be here for rat extermination.
Steward Jin smiled and asked, “How should this young hero be addressed?”
“Li Mu.”
Ji Qing used an alias.
“Young Hero Li, from which sect and gate?”
“Just a lone Jianghu drifter, no sect or gate.”
Before Steward Jin could speak, the martial artists in the living room all laughed.
“This friend, we just discussed and eliminated some who were just padding numbers; those who remain are all martial artists with some reputation in the Jianghu. Since you are a lone Jianghu drifter with no sect or gate, please leave quickly.”
One of the martial artists spoke up.
Ji Qing frowned, his gaze sweeping over the several martial artists in the living room one by one, and asked calmly, “Then what sect and gate are you from?”
“This is Young Hero Jiang from Flowing Sand Sword Sect, this is Great Hero Wang from Mighty Gate, this is Great Hero Zhao from Swallow Sect…”
These people indeed had names and reputations, from some Jianghu sects.
Ji Qing’s gaze gradually fixed on a martial artist wearing a conical hat and holding a long saber.
He stood up and came before the other, asking, “Who might you be?”
“Tiger Saber Gate, Zhao Yi. What’s this, you want to compare sabers with me?”
Ji Qing nodded.
Zhao Yi’s face looked rather unpleasant.
Among so many martial artists in the living room, “Li Mu” didn’t challenge anyone else but picked him.
Wasn’t that saying he was a soft persimmon, easy to bully?
A trace of anger appeared on Zhao Yi’s face.
The other martial artists did not stop it; instead, they watched with great interest.
Since they were all Jianghu people, background, reputation, and such might sometimes be useful.
But if it came to a real contest, it would be a test of true skill.
Zhao Yi was no pushover; he was also an expert in Tiger Saber Gate.
“Li Mu” challenging Zhao Yi was asking for trouble!
“There’s no room to maneuver here; let’s go…”
Before Zhao Yi finished speaking, a crisp sound rang in his ear.
“Clang.”
This was the sound of drawing sword!
Zhao Yi was utterly shocked.
The moment he heard the draw sword sound, his vision was filled only with a dazzling blade light.
The sharp blade edge instantly enveloped him, giving him a feeling like falling into an ice cellar.
His hand instinctively gripped the hilt.
But before he could draw sword.
The next moment, the white light vanished, and even the sharp blade edge disappeared.
Ji Qing had already sheathed his saber.
“Crack.”
The conical hat on Zhao Yi’s head split in two from the middle and burst open.
Seeing this, although Zhao Yi was unharmed, he still broke out in cold sweat.
But immediately, Zhao Yi’s face flushed red.
Frustrated!
Too frustrated!
He, a disciple of Tiger Saber Gate, who had practiced the saber for nearly twenty years, didn’t even get a chance to draw sword?
He hadn’t even seen clearly if “Li Mu’s” saber had been unsheathed?
How fast must that saber have been?
Silence!
The entire living room suddenly fell into a deathly silence.
“I wonder if Li has the qualification for rat extermination?”
Ji Qing looked toward Steward Jin and asked calmly.
