Chapter 107: Green Robe
Chapter 107: Green Robe
Chen Mu approached with a calm expression.
He raised his right hand, drawing a wooden sword, and with a swift swing of his arm, a crisp sound akin to a cracking whip rang out. He then slashed the sword down onto the iron pillar, and as the wooden sword snapped, a mark appeared on the pillar.
"Indeed, not bad at all."
This praise did not come from the elderly examiner but from Xu Hongyu, who muttered with a hint of approval in her eyes.
Although both were Sinew Transformation techniques, there were differences between them. Chen Mu's Sinew Resonance revealed a body with distinct muscles and skin, allowing for such a crisp sound. Moreover, his strike directly showcased the Triple Force, and its power was quite impressive. The mark left on the iron pillar was significantly deeper than Xiao He's.
The elderly examiner observed Chen Mu's demonstration, and a faint glimmer of light flashed through his turbid eyes, which were like a murky well. However, he showed no further reaction, maintaining a detached demeanor as he drew a circle on the paper.
"That's enough."
As his words fell, Xu Hongyu nodded slightly and led Chen Mu and Xiao He past the hall, heading further inside.
As they walked, Xu Hongyu glanced at Chen Mu and said, "Actually, you could have passed the assessment by merely displaying your Sinew Transformation realm. These examinations are mostly just formalities, and there's no need to showcase the Triple Force... But it's not a big deal. Later, when you're carrying out various tasks and establishing merits, you'll have to demonstrate your true strength."
Xiao He had told her long ago that Chen Mu had mastered the Triple Force, but he rarely showed it in public. Xu Hongyu appreciated this fact, as Chen Mu, despite being slightly younger than her, remained unpretentious and unassuming. He never intentionally displayed his strength in front of others, always maintaining a low profile. It was only when he took action that his power became evident, revealing a composure and depth beyond his apparent age of twenty-something.
Initially, Xu Hongyu saw Chen Mu as someone younger than herself. However, as their interactions continued, she gradually lost this perception. When dealing with Chen Mu, she couldn't sense that he was two years her junior.
Compared to others she had encountered from various families, who were around her age, Chen Mu's strength and realm, aside from his abilities, gave her a different feeling from the rest.
This was actually one of the reasons Xu Hongyu gradually grew to value Chen Mu. It wasn't solely because of his displayed talent, as in this world, strength was indeed crucial for standing out, but one's composure and conduct were equally important.
True strength...
Chen Mu stroked his chin thoughtfully but didn't elaborate. Instead, he said with a contemplative tone, "Hmm, it seems that the Demon Slayer Bureau is still quite strict in its rules, which is different from other government offices."
Xu Hongyu nodded. "Of course. Although the court hasn't issued any orders to Yu Prefecture in a long time, this part of the Demon Slayer Bureau is currently not entirely controlled by any single family. The bureau chief is also from the Seven Mysteries Sect."
"Oh, I see."
Chen Mu nodded slightly.
He had vaguely heard about these matters. The Demon Slayer Bureau, which gathered the top martial artists from almost every family in Yu Prefecture, was also a place of contention among the families. Although it nominally belonged to the City Lord Xue Huai Kong, the Seven Mysteries Sect also had a hand in its affairs.
However, as far as Chen Mu knew, the bureau chief from the Seven Mysteries Sect didn't interfere in any family disputes and maintained a neutral stance, only occasionally intervening in more significant demonic incidents.
In reality, maintaining neutrality meant leaning slightly towards the Xue family.
Being neutral was, in fact, a subtle favoritism towards the Xue family.
In the entire Yao City, the Xue family held the most power. The City Lord Xue Huai Kong was also the head of the Xue family, and his control over the Demon Slayer Bureau was stronger than that of the other families. He even had control over the Sinew Transformation Pills and Bone Tempering Pills.
Initially, Chen Mu's status wasn't high enough to know much, but now he had a clearer understanding. The source of the Sinew Transformation Pills and Bone Tempering Pills was very likely the Seven Mysteries Sect.
Soon, the three of them walked through the corridor and arrived at the last hall, which was no longer dark and gloomy but much brighter. Inside, several people dressed as officials were chatting casually. When they saw Chen Mu and the other two arrive, they immediately became more composed.
Xu Hongyu took out her identification plaque and showed it to the three of them.
Chen Mu followed suit, taking out his plaque along with Xiao He.
The officials respectfully reached out to receive the plaques, inspected them briefly, and then promptly returned them. They said respectfully, "The uniforms for the three of you have been prepared, along with custom-made weapons and inner armor. Please come this way to collect them."
Chen Mu followed one of the officials and quickly retrieved a Green Robe uniform, a long sword, and a piece of inner armor from the back.
Chen Mu temporarily set aside the Green Robe uniform and picked up the sword. With a single draw, a burst of sharp light appeared on the blade, similar in overall design to the inferior sword but of noticeably better quality, forged from fine iron.
As for the inner armor, its quality was rather ordinary—two connected pieces of hard armor that just covered the front and back. However, the 'inner armor' itself represented a different status, as privately owning crossbows and armor had been a severe crime in the past.
Chen Mu thought for a moment and decided to try it on. It didn't hinder his movements, so he kept it on.
Chen Mu stepped out of the house, donning the green robe of the Demon Slayer Guard. He picked up the fine iron sword.
For Chen Mu in his current state, the fine iron sword was still inferior to the inferior sword. Only divine blades forged from dark iron or legendary swords and sabers would have some effect. However, such weapons were extremely rare and expensive, not easily obtained.
Chen Mu exited the house.
In the adjacent room, Xiao He also came out, now wearing the green robe of the Demon Slayer Guard. It seemed tailored to her figure, fitting her perfectly.
Chen Mu's gaze swept over her, noticing that her chest was flat. He couldn't tell if she was wearing the iron-cast inner armor underneath, but Xiao He wasn't impoverished. She had the means, but today, she didn't seem to be wearing anything over her robe. Most likely, she had wrapped herself in silk or something similar.
After breaking through to the Sinew Transformation Realm, a warrior's qi and blood would be abundant and flow smoothly. There was no need to worry about the armor causing any discomfort or hindering the flow of qi.
"It fits perfectly."
Xiao He approached and circled around Chen Mu.
Chen Mu smiled faintly, remaining silent.
The green robe of the Demon Slayer Guard was indeed not bad. Compared to the dark green guard uniform he wore as a patrolman, it had fewer patterns and was made of higher-quality materials. The embroidered patterns were also woven with fine silk... Of course, these were obvious facts. The key was that if one's personal temperament and appearance were of high enough caliber, any clothing would look more fitting.
As for Xiao He...
The same green robe somehow diminished her beauty.
It wasn't that Xiao He wasn't pretty enough, but the green robe didn't suit women very well.
However, when Xu Hongyu walked out from the innermost room, she caught everyone's attention. The white robe of the Demon Slayer Guard looked just as good as the flying fish robe of the Chief Magistrate. It seemed to perfectly match her temperament.
At a glance, Xu Hongyu's figure was moderate, indicating that she wasn't wearing the inner armor. Chen Mu guessed that with Xu Hongyu's status, she likely had better soft armor and didn't need the low-end iron armor. There was no need for Xiao He to go through such trouble.
"Let's go."
Xu Hongyu calmly walked over.
The officials watched as Chen Mu and the others left. They bowed respectfully and saw them off until Xu Hongyu and Chen Mu's figures completely disappeared into the darkness. Only then did someone whisper with glittering eyes, "Xu Hongyu... She's the one from the Xu Clan, right? As rumored, her skin is fair and her appearance is beautiful. Even in this white guard robe, she looks so stunning. I think even the flower master of Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion can't compare."
"Shh! Do you want to die?"
The person beside him was startled and glared, "Comparing Miss Xu to a prostitute from the brothel, you've got guts."
The man shrugged and sighed, "I heard she's already twenty-seven this year, and it seems she hasn't married yet. Although female martial artists tend to marry later, but..."
"Most likely, she hasn't found a suitable match."
The person behind shook his head, "A figure like Miss Xu, probably only a few in Yu City can match her. Moreover, with her status, marriage is not a personal matter."
Everyone understood that Xu Hongyu, as a member of the Xu Clan's main line, would only marry someone from the younger generation with outstanding talent or the central lineage of the other main lines.
Regardless, it would be a major event that influences the layout of Yu City.
Naturally, it couldn't be handled casually.
"Perhaps that's why, even after so many years..."
"Enough, get back to work."
...
After Xu Hongyu left the eastern main hall, she headed straight for the central main hall.
Chen Mu calmly followed behind.
The white robe of the Demon Slayer Guard was equivalent to the seventh rank, the same as the Chief Magistrate. For Xu Hongyu, being transferred to this position was a lateral move, but in reality, the Demon Slayer Guard held a higher status than all other government offices. There was also the saying that seeing a higher-ranked official meant one had to obey their commands.
In simple terms, the current Xu Hongyu, upon receiving intelligence about demonic beings in the Southern District, would go to the Southern District to eliminate the demons. Even if the Southern District's Chief Magistrate held an equivalent rank, they must fully cooperate and obey Xu Hongyu's commands. This was the meaning of 'seeing a higher-ranked official.'
Similarly, Chen Mu, as a green-robed guard, held the eighth rank, equivalent to the Deputy Chief Magistrate of the City Guard. Compared to his previous position as the Patrol Commander of Wutongli, he had effectively risen half a rank. In practice, his status was even higher, allowing him to directly request cooperation from any City Guard branch in the region.
(End of Chapter)
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