"Huff, huff, huff!" Dai Yao held the giant sword Liou Yuan had given him with one hand, propping it against the ground, breathing heavily.
His broad face wore an expression that was utterly grim.
Mr. Ge seemed to realize this wasn't the time to provoke Dai Yao and sensibly kept his distance.
Instead, he limped over to stand beside Liou Yuan.
After sizing Liou Yuan up from head to toe, he praised in a low voice, "Nephew Liou, you really have an eye for detail."
"If it weren't for your decisive action, cutting off Mr. Dai's arm, we'd all be dead here today."
"Just like last time at Ms. Qiao's place, you were able to discern that something was wrong with Ping'an alongside me."
"If it weren't for your brother Liou Zhen, I would have done everything to persuade Mr. Wei to recruit you into the Qinghe Division. You are incredibly suited for this line of work."
...
Mr. Ge's praise was endless and heartfelt.
Liou Yuan merely smiled without responding.
His heart was not set on staying in Yanhe City, and he definitely wouldn't join the Qinghe Division.
Besides, the three-year agreement with Liou Zhen was about to expire.
When the time comes, following that good brother of his to explore the vast world beyond is what Liou Yuan truly desires.
"The world is so magical, full of oddities and wonders; it would be a shame to live another life in vain without venturing out to see it."
While Mr. Ge was still chattering away.
Click, click, click! The sound of dense footsteps arose.
Chief Constable Xin led over twenty constables through the collapsed walls of the backyard, filing into the courtyard.
Looking at the scene of devastation—the one-handed Dai Yao, and the unharmed Liou Yuan and Mr. Ge.
Chief Constable Xin seemed to understand the situation and wisely refrained from questioning Dai Yao.
Or rather, he didn't dare to ask.
Dai Yao's face was so dark it seemed like it would start dripping water.
Xin Hao felt that if he dared to ask one more word, there would definitely be no good outcome.
"Withdraw!" Xin Hao bowed to Dai Yao and Liou Yuan, then waved his hand, leading the twenty-plus constables, who had just recovered from Liou Yuan's Lion's Roar Spell, to leave.
The only ones left standing at the scene were Liou Yuan, Mr. Ge, and Dai Yao.
Dai Yao took a long time to settle down, finally overcoming the anger and sadness from his hand's loss.
Under Liou Yuan's gaze, Dai Yao walked over, single-handedly carrying his giant sword, and handed it to Liou Yuan.
"Consider that I owe you a life. If ever you need anything from me, just say the word." Dai Yao spoke with seriousness, devoid of his previous arrogance, and stared directly into Liou Yuan's eyes.
Liou Yuan accepted the giant sword, casually replying, "You're being too serious, Brother Dai."
"Not at all. Without you, I would have been possessed by that Star Evil today. That fate would be worse than death." Dai Yao forced a smile.
Dai Yao was right; being parasitized by the Star Evil was indeed worse than dying.
If it weren't for Liou Yuan, he would have been doomed today.
His feelings toward Liou Yuan were complex.
When they first met, he had looked down on this young man from the bottom of his heart.
He even vaguely resented Mr. Ge for bringing along a freeloader.
Yet it was this boy he had looked down upon who saved his life at the critical moment, becoming his savior.
"Just invite me for a drink when convenient," Liou Yuan smiled, saying no more.
Seeing that Dai Yao had come to terms with his loss, Mr. Ge no longer acted subserviently.
With lingering fear, he looked at the spot where the Star Evil had been shattered to pieces by Dai Yao's giant sword, exclaiming, "How could the Star Evil be so formidable?"
"I was careless."
"That Star Evil could manipulate water, and the water had the power to corrode weapons."
Dai Yao had already used spiritual power to seal his severed hand, stopping the bleeding. Yet, his torn hand was beyond healing.
Speaking of the Star Evil, he gritted his teeth, "My Double Phoenix Hammer was corroded by that power."
"And I was struck by the means hidden in that water after being repeatedly drenched in it."
Liou Yuan had witnessed the entire battle.
What Dai Yao said aligned with his own speculations.
This battle undoubtedly sounded a warning bell for Liou Yuan.
Never be careless with the Star Evil.
Dai Yao had just broken through to the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer and felt that his cultivation could easily crush the Star Evil, which led to his complacency.
He suffered severe injuries and lost a hand.
As bad as that was, he nearly lost his own body to become the Star Evil's vessel.
"You must strike ruthlessly and never give that entity a moment to breathe," Liou Yuan silently warned himself, using Dai Yao's example.
This luring and killing operation against the Star Evil came to an end with its death at Dai Yao's hand.
When the three of them parted ways.
Neither Mr. Ge nor Dai Yao asked Liou Yuan a single word about that lion-like spell he cast.
Mr. Ge had warned earlier that prying into a cultivator's background could offend people.
Liou Yuan was pleased to see this.
Carrying his giant sword, still stained with fresh blood, he headed towards the government office.
Since the Star Evil was dead and the source of the evil qi was gone.
His mother and the others should have awoken.
Liou Yuan had to go check at the office.
Mr. Ge went along to report the situation with Liou Yuan at the government office.
Meanwhile, Dai Yao sought treatment for his injuries.
In the courtyard of the government office's backyard, Bai Xin, Kong Yi, and those affected by the Star Evil's evil qi at Xuanhu Clinic had been placed there.
A few guards took turns standing watch.
Just as Liou Yuan and Mr. Ge stepped into the courtyard, they saw the people gradually awakening from their comas.
Kong Yi, Bai Xin, two laborers, and the cook had awakened.
Only Kong Dasheng, the first to be afflicted, remained in slumber.
Upon waking, everyone looked bewildered, clearly not understanding what had happened.
After all, once they were afflicted by the evil qi, they lost consciousness in the next moment and knew nothing of the events that followed.
It wasn't until Liou Yuan entered the courtyard, explaining the events alongside Mr. Ge, that everyone understood the situation.
The two laborers and the cook from Xuanhu Clinic turned pale with fear.
They were grateful beyond words for Yanhe Government Office's action in exterminating the Star Evil.
"You went as well?" Bai Xin asked without the exaggerated loudness of the others, instead furrowing her brow at Liou Yuan.
He had already sheathed the giant sword that had severed Dai Yao's arm.
But his body inevitably bore some of Dai Yao's blood, and the cuts he made on his palm with the sword—none of these escaped Bai Xin's sharp eyes.
Facing Bai Xin's displeased gaze, Liou Yuan found himself unable to utter a single comforting word.
All he could do was smile awkwardly and explain, "I was just there to lend a hand; with my limited skills, what could I do?"
Pointing at the bloodstains on his body, he continued, "This is someone else's blood; I'm not hurt."
Bai Xin's expression didn't soften in the slightest at Liou Yuan's explanation.
Instead, she looked to the side at Mr. Ge. Being a frequent visitor to the government office, she knew full well who he was. In an icy tone, she asked, "Mr. Ge, with so many capable people in the Qinghe Division, do they really lack my son to get things done?"
Such a look from Bai Xin, Liou Yuan couldn't recall ever seeing.
Her questioning was sharp and unyielding, leaving Mr. Ge unable to respond. He could only chuckle awkwardly.
Of course, he feared not Bai Xin.
A mere civilian doctor, no matter how skilled, had no right to speak to him like this.
But Bai Xin had two excellent sons.
One was Liou Zhen, whom even the high-ups at Yanhe Government Office treated with smiles.
And now there was Liou Yuan.
Indeed, the mother received honor from her sons.