The Exorcism? What does it mean? Stirling was puzzled, sitting on the bench, lost in thought.

  Who are the exorcists? The chubby kid? They regard deities as devils? Want to drive deities away?

  Stirling thought for a long time but couldn't find an answer. He felt a surge of helpless. He thought that this secret enhancement was a thankless job. Whether he would get useful information depended on luck.

  Stirling had thought about the truth-revealing water he had used before, but he passed on it.

  After all, Mosley differed from Charlie; he wasn't a prisoner with his limbs bound. Making him drink a bowl of water with dense instructions would break the dojo's rules. This could lead to serious trouble.

  Right now, Stirling sensed that Farfield County was getting more chaotic. This feeling made him anxious.

  He had to improve his strength as soon as possible! Thinking this, Stirling pulled out the Flowing Cloud Technique right away. He opened the first page and started copying.

  Stirling soon finished copying. He turned to the last page and wrote,

  [Current enhancement required lifespan: 4 months and 12 days. Enhance?]

  Stirling saw the shortened lifespan of this perfect copy. So, he said,

  The next moment, the copy on the table was enveloped in a faint light. After a few breaths, the light dissipated, revealing a thin, thread-bound book.

  [Flowing Cloud Crossing]

  Flowing clouds beneath your feet, apes soaring and birds crossing. This technique comes from the Flowing Cloud Technique of the Saxon Iron Sword Sect and has been improved many times. This technique is extremely rare and precious.

  looks powerful.

  Stirling looked at the prompt before him and then opened the first page of the book.

  The first page still showed a diagram. This time, it featured King Kong leaping onto a giant roc. Huge white clouds surrounded him, making it look as if he were floating. It was incredibly lifelike.

  Stirling flipped to the next page. He found details about Aether flow during cultivation. This included their speed and important points.

  Arrows often indicated key areas in the book, with notes alongside them. This made Stirling feel as if he were reading an annotated manual.

  Stirling flipped through the book and felt a headache coming on. He thought to himself.

  The samurai had to practice fist techniques and weapon skills. They also trained in light-body techniques. Some even added leg techniques. Anyone who reached the Wind Rider Realm as a samurai was truly savage. They were geniuses among geniuses.

  The next morning, Stirling got up, tidied the room, and tied strands of hair in several key places. Now that Stirling has noticed Mosley's strange behavior, the dojo feels less safe. So, Stirling went back to his usual precautions. He had nothing important in the room, but he could still spot anyone entering and take action when he returned.

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  As Stirling left, he looked at the Master's room. The wooden door was tightly shut, and Master Kim appeared to be asleep. Stirling didn't disturb him and left the dojo, heading towards the inner city.

  As Stirling got close to the Night Watch in the inner city, a voice called out before he entered the archives.

  "Luis."

  Stirling turned around and saw Pillnar. He nodded in greeting, saying, "Third Senior."

  "Luis, I heard you've been getting quite close to Lord Lance of Patrol Shaman lately?"

  Stirling immediately realized Pillnar had misunderstood and explained at once. "Senior Brother, you're kidding me. That's just hearsay. If I were that close indeed, would I still be working in this archive?"

  After Stirling finished speaking, Pillnar nodded slightly, then said, no joking: "We samurai aim to hone ourselves. Our cultivation philosophy and path are incompatible with worshippers. I hope you understand."

  Stirling felt a bit helpless, as if facing a weakened version of Master Kim, and had no choice but to agree. "As you wish, Senior Brother."

  Pillnar, not fully convinced yet, gave a bit more encouragement before leaving. Stirling watched Pillnar's retreating figure, a wry smile on his face. He shook his head helplessly and headed towards the archives.

  When Stirling arrived, he saw only Old Bruce. Zoe, who usually came early, was missing.

  "Good morning, young man," Old Bruce greeted Stirling unusually as he entered.

  Stirling glanced at Old Bruce, then smiled and nodded before asking, "Old Bruce, why isn't Zoe here yet?"

  "Ah, Zoe? I heard he's missing," Old Bruce said.

  "Missing?" Stirling feigned ignorance. In reality, Zoe's fate was sealed the moment he chose his side.

  Life can be cruel sometimes; one thought can lead to heaven, another to hell. An insignificant choice can alter one's destiny.

  Stirling sat down, eyes closed, leaning back in his chair. He showed no emotion as he quietly practiced his Aether skill. Lance finished reviewing the case files. The archives would be quiet for a while. This made it a significant opportunity for him to practice his skills.

  Time flew by, and it was the first day of the tenth month at Lance's house.

  "Servant greets the master." Two lovely maids with graceful figures stood side by side before Stirling. They wore light gauze robes with lace linings. Their flushed faces showed warmth as they whispered.

  This startled Stirling.

  After his shift, Stirling got a message from Lance. He said tonight was the start of the monthly array. He should head to his place right away to get ready.

  When Stirling entered Lance's home, he was taken to a side room. There, he saw the scene unfold.

  "Sorry, ladies. You're not needed here; get out." Stirling wasn't exactly a saint, but he still suppressed his desires and waved the two women away.

  He had no time for this now. He was about to enter the so-called Yearning Grand Array. The task was risky, and many things required preparation. This was a matter of life and death, and he couldn't afford to be negligent.

  The two women exchanged a glance; their eyes filled with slight puzzlement and disappointment. They could only bow to Stirling again before leaving together.

  Watching the wooden door close again, Stirling raced through his mind.

  Thinking this, Stirling grabbed his dozen Malice-Breaking Beads and set them on the table next to him.

  Thinking this, Stirling wrote three ordinary lamps on his list.

  Stirling continued writing the words and on the list.

  In calculating his lifespan, Stirling felt it was about right. He then took the list, opened the door, and called a servant to deliver it to Lance.

  The servant was quick; soon he returned, carrying the items on a wooden plank.

  Stirling took the plank. He checked the items for quantity and quality, then dismissed the servant. He closed the door and took a set of gray cloth clothes from his bundle.

  Tonight, he was playing Lance's henchman; no saying, everything had to be convincing.

  After getting dressed, Stirling pulled out a human skin mask and pressed it onto his face. Then, a strange young servant in blue appeared in the room.