I Can Merge Techniques

The atmosphere in the Wang Family Mansion was even more eerie than he had imagined.

Just stepping foot on the grounds reminded him of the area where the Seven Stars Gang had set up their Blood Refining Array.

The feeling was nearly identical—a dead silence that concealed danger and the sensation of being watched.

Following the steward through several courtyards, the stone slate path underfoot gleamed with a damp, cold light.

Finally, the steward led them to a remote side hall.

The hall was dimly lit. A few tables and chairs were arranged haphazardly, covered in a thin layer of dust.

In a corner, a man and a woman in Demon Suppression Guard uniforms sat bolt upright with their eyes closed. They appeared to be resting, but were in fact secretly on high alert.

They were the other two subordinates Nangong Yue had stationed here.

Seeing Chu Fan and Zhao Qingyan enter, the pair only opened their eyes slightly and nodded in acknowledgment, but they didn’t rise to greet them.

An unconcealable weariness and anxiety was etched into their features.

On the other side of the hall, three constables in Six Gates uniforms sat around a table. Holding teacups, they conversed in low voices, their expressions grave.

Their leader had a lean, tough face and a short beard. A standard-issue Long Saber hung at his waist.

The Demon Suppression Bureau and the Six Gates both served the government. Although their duties differed, there was typically little competition between them.

But now, with the two groups sharing a room, a subtle tension filled the air.

When the men from the Six Gates saw two more Demon Suppression Guards arrive, they merely shot them a casual glance before returning to their own conversation. They didn’t even offer a greeting, their aloofness clear.

The entire reception hall sank into a suffocating silence.

The only sounds were the bubbling of the tea on the table and the occasional, shrill cry of a bird from outside.

"Lord Nangong has a Demon Suppression Guard this young under his command?"

"He’s far too young. He doesn’t look like someone who can crack a case..."

A Six Gates Constable lowered his voice and exchanged a look with his companion, his tone laced with dismissive contempt.

Chu Fan acted as if he hadn’t heard, his expression remaining calm.

He found a seat by the window. His gaze seemed to casually sweep over the courtyard, but his Divine Sense had already spread out in secret, enveloping the entire Wang Family Mansion.

The Wang Family Mansion felt as if it were shrouded in an invisible field.

A faint, almost imperceptible scent of blood hung in the air.

It was mingled with an indescribably cloying sweetness that was nauseating.

The two scents combined to create a bizarre odor that was both nauseating and strangely heart-pounding.

Chu Fan retracted his gaze and looked at the family steward. "Take me to my assigned quarters," he said impassively.

Not daring to delay, the steward immediately stepped forward, bowed, and led Chu Fan to a detached room in the western side-courtyard.

This location had been specially chosen by Zhao Qingyan and the others. It was situated in the central region of the Wang Family Mansion.

From here, they could immediately detect any disturbance and rush to provide support.

"Lord Chu, if you need anything at all, please feel free to command the servants. I will be waiting just outside the door."

The steward bowed respectfully and withdrew, gently pulling the door shut behind him.

Chu Fan shut the door but showed no intention of getting up to investigate. He simply sat quietly at the table.

After a moment, he moved to an open space in the room, assumed a stance, and began to secretly circulate his Primordial Qi.

Instantly, an invisible Cold Qi began to flow within a ten-foot radius around him. Wisps of frost condensed in midair. This was the opening stance of the Twelve True Forms Fist.

[Technique: Twelve True Forms Fist (First Limit Break 6359/7500) (Traits: Vajra Undying Body Layer 1, Flowing Frost Domain)]

Chu Fan’s eyes were gently closed, and he became completely immersed in his cultivation.

The room was already bone-chillingly cold. As he executed his Cultivation Technique, the temperature plummeted even further.

A fine layer of frost condensed on the brick and stone walls, chilling to the touch.

HSSS—

The Cold Qi clashed with the strange, cloying sweetness in the room, emitting a faint hiss.

The two energies twisted around each other, forming a peculiar state of equilibrium.

Chu Fan wasn’t slacking off; he had a plan.

Against a mysterious enemy that could strike unseen, a conventional investigation would only tip them off.

The only way was to wait patiently for the enemy to make a move, to seize the fleeting opportunity the moment they revealed themselves.

Besides, he had the Map of Mountains and Rivers interface. Every single cultivation session yielded tangible progress.

’How could he possibly pass up such a perfect opportunity to cultivate day and night without interruption?’

Time slipped away quietly, like sand through one’s fingers.

The sun sank in the west, its last rays fading.

Night fell, blanketing the land.

Zhao Qingyan and the other two Demon Suppression Guards came looking for Chu Fan.

They found him cultivating peacefully in his room. Outside, the atmosphere was fraught with tension and guards were on high alert, yet he remained as still and unshakeable as a mountain!

The three exchanged glances, their eyes filled with profound shock and confusion.

"This... this is the expert Lord Nangong went out of his way to bring in?"

The young male Demon Suppression Guard was dumbfounded, his tone thick with disbelief.

"Instead of investigating the case, he’s just holed up in their mansion to cultivate?"

The female Demon Suppression Guard was equally stunned, unable to hide her bewilderment.

Neither of them had believed from the start that this young man could solve such a bizarre case.

That was why they had only offered a slight nod when Chu Fan arrived, instead of stepping forward for a proper greeting.

Now, seeing this, they both showed looks of open displeasure.

Zhao Qingyan looked at Chu Fan, who was completely absorbed in his cultivation, and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

But at this point, words were useless. She could only suppress her own anxiety and lead the other two to continue their patrol, not daring to relax for even a moment.

It wasn’t until the dead of night, when all was still, that Chu Fan slowly ended his cultivation.