Tao Jin returned to her room.

Before entering the door, she looked around, making sure that there was no one around. She then walked inside and locked the door behind her.

Afterwards, Tao Jin took out the Shadow Breath Blood Passage booklet and placed it on the table.

Soon after, Tao Jin reached out his hand and opened the booklet.

This time, she flipped through the pages.

"It is a magic technique… I'm right…"

Tao Jin was determined.

Tao Jin now had a complicated expression.

She could have handed over the Shadow Breath Blood Passage booklet just now, but she did not choose to do so.

Tao Jin knew very well that the voice in her heart was her true desire.

She really needed a way to improve her realm quickly.

The Shadow Breath Blood Passage booklet was quietly placed on the table. Tao Jin stared at it for a moment. She felt like it had tentacles sticking out of it, trying to pull her in.

"No!"

Tao Jin shook her head. She went and washed her face with the cold water in the room.

This calmed Tao Jin down.

Although progressing fast in martial arts was tempting, once she practiced a magic technique, she would be going down a path of no return.

According to the booklet, if she wanted to practice the Shadow Breath Blood Passage, she must use blood as a supplementary practice resource.

The higher the blood quality, the faster the improvement speed.

However, Tao Jin was not sure whether she had to use human blood or animal blood.

But in her mind, she felt like it would more likely be human blood.

"I can't do this."

If Tao Jin were to use human blood to assist in her practice, her conscience would not allow her to do so.

'But what if I can use animal blood…'

Tao Jin thought.

'No!'

Soon, Tao Jin rejected this idea.

If she actually practiced the Shadow Breath Blood Passage, then she would be controlled by the man wearing the hat.

If the other party forced her to collude with the Magic Faction, then she would have no choice but to do so.

Not only would it harm herself, but it would also hurt her family.

'Who is he, and why does he know what realm I'm in…'

Tao Jin felt that she was being targeted. 'Did he deliberately target me, or is he throwing a bait at all newcomers who dropped in plate rank?"

Using an extremely efficient magic technique as a bait to seduce those newcomers was a nice idea.

But after Tao Jin thought about it for a long time, she did not have an answer.

Besides Tao Jin, there were other people who dropped in plate rank.

But Tao Jin did not dare to ask them, otherwise she would be in a dangerous situation.

'At least for now, I can't touch this magic technique.'

After Tao Jin thought about it, she still felt that the uncertainty she faced was too high.

If she was not careful, the consequences would be very disastrous.

Even though Tao Jin was not going to practice the technique, she still picked up the booklet and read it carefully.

An hour gone by.

Tao Jin read the booklet over and over. She remembered it carefully, and made sure that she had remembered all its contents.

Afterwards, Tao Jin lit the booklet on fire.

She stared at the burning booklet. Soon enough, the entire booklet was turned into ashes.

But even then, Tao Jin was still worried.

She put the burnt ashes into a basin, mixed it with water, and then poured it into the muddy water.

As long as she didn't practice the magic technique, she would not be discovered.

'However, I still have to be careful in the future… If someone is watching my every move, it could be very troublesome…"

After doing everything she could, Tao Jin spent a long time calming down.

Afterwards, she went into her qi realm practice.

…

Those who went back to their villages soon returned.

One evening, soon after Xu Ning returned to his residence, Tao Qingping brought some large and small bags into the yard.

"You're back?"

Xu Ning began to help Tao Qingping carry the bags.

"These are the oranges I brought back from the village, take some."

Tao Qingping said.

Xu Ning was a little speechless. "We can buy everything we need in the county city, why did you bring these all the way back here?"

"These are from our home, it's different."

Tao Qingping replied seriously.

"Okay, thank you very much then."

Xu Ning took a few oranges.

"By the way, Xu Ning, you missed out on not going back this time."

Tao Qingping said to Xu Ning, "The news of your promotion to the lieutenant rank has spread around the village. Everyone said that you're flourishing, even the clan elders were praising you. If you went back, you would definitely receive the best treatment."

"Also, over the past few days, I've seen matchmakers coming to your house everyday."

"Matchmakers?"

Xu Ning peeled open an orange and frowned.

"Yeah, your surname is not Tao, so a lot of people in the Tao Village want to marry their daughters to you. There are also sister-in-laws that married into our village who wish to introduce their daughters to you as well."

Tao Qingping's tone was obviously a little envious.

"My sister didn't make a random marriage decision for me, right?"

Xu Ning was a little nervous.

"No, your sister didn't agree to anything. She said that you have to agree to it first."

Tao Qingping's words made Xu Ning feel at ease.

'My sister is quite reliable.'

"But according to Guo Ye, Tao Tao does want an auntie."

Tao Qingping added.

The corner of Xu Ning's mouth twitched.

"Xu Ning, you really don't plan to start a family?"

Tao Qingping asked.

"At least not currently."

Xu Ning answered calmly.

Although in this era, getting married at the age of eighteen was the norm, Xu Ning still felt that it was too early; this was probably due to the influences from his previous life.

"What about you, have you asked about the girl in our backyard?"

Xu Ning turned the tables on him.

"She…"

When talking about the girl, Tao Qingping suddenly sighed and said with a lonely expression, "When I was talking in the alleyways, several neighbors said that she is married."

"Married?"

Xu Ning asked, "Didn't you say that the girl's parents are not willing to let her marry that childhood sweetheart?"

"Yeah."

Tao Qingping said, "She didn't marry that person, she was instead married to a leather goods shopkeeper."

"Um…"

Xu Ning didn't expect this.

"She was forced by her family." Tao Qingping spoke with some anger in his tone, "If I knew this was the case, then I would have sent someone as my matchmaker. It's better to marry me than to marry an old man, right?"

Tao Qingping's words reminded Xu Ning of the scene of the time he last saw the girl.

She looked scared, with injuries all over her body.

Now it seemed like the injuries on her body were caused by her family members.

Xu Ning didn't say anything, instead he patted Tao Qingping on the shoulder.

Like Tao Qingping said, the girl should have married him instead.

In Xu Ning's opinion, Tao Qingping had a good temper and character. He was young and had the status of a Black Armored Guard. This was definitely better than being married to an old man.

Truthfully speaking, Tao Qingping giving up on the girl actually harmed the girl to a certain extent.

The two did not know what to say.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Heavy knocks from the courtyard door sounded.

"Master Lieutenant!"

Xu Ning heard a voice from outside the door.

He recognized the voice. He was a city guard in Maple Lane, Feng Sigua's subordinate.

Xu Ning opened the door.

The man was sweating profusely and panting. He had obviously ran over here.

"What's the matter?"

Xu Ning asked.

This was the first time someone from the guard station came to look for him.

"There is a murder case!"

The city guard spoke.

"Murder case?"

Xu Ning was a little confused.

Although a murder case was a major event, usually Feng Sigua would be responsible for these matters.

"It might… it might involve a Magic Faction…"

The city guard lowered his voice and leaned into Xu Ning's ear.

"A Magic Faction?"

Xu Ning's pupils shrank.

"Bring me there!"

Xu Ning quickly replied.