Chapter 54: A Glimpse of Light
Chapter 54: A Glimpse of Light
Chen Mu slowly digested the various pieces of information and gains from his visit to the General Office.
First, he now had a clear path forward. After mastering the Sinew Transformation and Bone Forging, the next step was to cultivate the Five Organs and Six Viscera, which would grant him the absolute strength to stand above a million people in the vast Yu City. Perhaps this achievement might not be significant in the greater Xuan Empire, but it was enough to establish his authority in this region.
Next was the Heavens Earth Eight Branches Intention Diagram. According to Xu Hongyu, in addition to the Heaven and Earth Diagrams, the other six diagrams were likely in the City Lord's possession. However, Chen Mu's current level was not high enough to approach the City Lord; he would have to wait until he entered the Sinew Transformation realm.
Lastly, there was the matter of his promotion to Patrol Commander.
As Chen Mu pondered these thoughts on his way down from the fourth floor of the Main Tower, a stranger in a dark green Patrol Officer's robe approached him with a slight smile and greeted him with a fist salute.
Although Chen Mu didn't recognize the man, he instinctively returned the salute out of respect for a fellow officer.
"I am Patrol Officer Fu Linjiang. I've heard of your talents, Young Chen, and indeed, you are as impressive as rumored," Fu Linjiang said with a smile.
Chen Mu, unsure of the man's intentions, responded politely, "You flatter me, sir. I was merely fortunate to catch a favorable wind."
Fu Linjiang looked at Chen Mu with a meaningful gaze, "As the saying goes, 'With the wind, one can soar to the heavens in a day.' As long as this wind doesn't cease, you'll rise swiftly. Are you free this evening? There's a gathering at Heavenly Fragrance Lane, and a certain high-ranking official is eager to meet talented youngsters like yourself."
Chen Mu immediately understood what Fu Linjiang was implying.
Min Baoyi had once told him that Fu Linjiang was a subordinate of Deputy General He Mingxuan. Therefore, it wasn't difficult to guess who the 'high-ranking official' was—none other than He Mingxuan himself.
"I apologize, but I have other matters to attend to tonight," Chen Mu replied calmly, bowing slightly.
Whether He Mingxuan's invitation was an attempt to recruit or intimidate him, Chen Mu had no interest. While the He family might offer a better opportunity than the Yu family, all he desired was a stable environment to cultivate his martial arts. Power struggles held no appeal for him.
In this world, might was still the ultimate power, and martial artists reigned supreme. Even a ten-thousand-strong elite force like the Imperial Guard outside the city might deter a Five Organs and Six Viscera cultivator from charging alone, but it couldn't threaten their lives. This was why Five Organs and Six Viscera cultivators could establish themselves and become the foundation of great clans.
With the assistance of the system panel, Chen Mu believed he would eventually reach that realm. Both the Yu and He families were merely stepping stones to him, and he felt more favorable towards Xu Hongyu, who had shown him kindness from the start, than the completely unfamiliar He family. Moreover, he hadn't forgotten the assassination attempt he had faced some time ago, which might have been orchestrated by the He family.
Fu Linjiang watched as Chen Mu turned and walked away, maintaining his smile. However, as he slowly ascended to the third floor and entered the Main Hall, closing the door behind him, his expression turned cold, "How ungrateful!"
It was said that Chen Mu was not only highly perceptive, having mastered the Blade Technique, but also innately gifted. He had cultivated the Skin Grinding Technique to an uncommon limit, and with a clear and clean background, he had only received a small favor from Xu Hongyu. Chen Mu was a valuable asset worth recruiting.
However, he was not appreciative of the offer.
Fu Linjiang had subtly hinted that He Mingxuan, the Deputy General, wished to meet him, but Chen Mu had ignored the invitation and casually declined.
The Yu family was currently facing both internal and external troubles. The old man had reached his twilight years, and should he fall, the Yu family's ship would be at risk of capsizing. At this critical juncture, with the opportunity to board the He family's ship, instead of seizing it firmly, he was thinking of sticking with Xu Hongyu until the end, a truly myopic decision.
Fu Linjiang entered the small rest room beside the main hall with a cold expression, briefing He Mingxuan on the situation.
After listening, He Mingxuan furrowed his brows slightly and then shook his head. "Forget it. I admit I misjudged the situation at first. If I had known that he had innate talent even in Body Tempering, I should have tried to take him from Xu Hongyu back then. Now, he's completely smitten with her, and even if it's a ship about to capsize, he's still on board. No amount of effort will change that."
"Speaking of which, is Xu Feng's condition really that bad?"
He Mingxuan lifted a new jade-green crystal tea cup, stirred it twice with the lid, and took a sip before asking.
Fu Linjiang nodded slightly and said, "It's said that he's already considering stepping down for health reasons."
"Hmm..."
He Mingxuan showed a thoughtful expression. "If nothing unexpected happens, Xu Hongyu will likely have Chen Mu take over Xu Feng's position, but it might still take some time."
As he spoke, he carefully calculated in his mind, a contemplative look in his eyes.
...
69 Book Bar
Returning to the City Guard General Office.
Chen Mu first went back to the City Guard Corps and greeted Min Baoyi, briefly reporting on his visit to the General Office. Although he might soon be taking over Xu Feng's position as Deputy General, equal to Min Baoyi, he was still a subordinate for now, so he reported the matter according to the rules.
Of course, Min Baoyi was Xu Hongyu's man, and he was well-informed about various matters, including Xu Feng's health condition, which he knew a little about. He also guessed that Xu Hongyu might have Chen Mu take over.
Even in this situation, Chen Mu still reported the matter to Min Baoyi in a proper and respectful manner, which made Min Baoyi admire him even more. To have such a steady temperament at this age was truly rare, not to mention that his talent and abilities surpassed Min Baoyi's in his youth. There was no doubt that Chen Mu would go further than him in the future and could truly enter the Yu family's threshold.
As for the Yu family's situation, which was not favorable within the Inner City, it was not within Min Baoyi's considerations. After all, the Yu family was a colossal force to Min Baoyi, and even if they faced calamities and slowly declined in the future, they would still be a power that a Deputy General like him would have to look up to. Such struggles between powers were not within his realm of concern.
Soon, Chen Mu bid farewell to Min Baoyi and left the City Guard Corps.
Min Baoyi saw Chen Mu off at the entrance of the main hall, watching his figure disappear. He couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration. Chen Mu had only been promoted to Senior Patrol Officer half a year ago, and now he was about to be promoted to Deputy General, equal to Min Baoyi. This speed of promotion was like soaring through the ranks. But this was the way of the world; innate martial talent was the essence.
In the past, when the imperial court's power was at its peak, with its word as law, martial artists across the land had to go through rigorous martial exams to serve the court. Those who passed the exams, becoming martial scholars or even martial champions, gained great fame. Upon entering service, they became high-ranking officials and military officers, and after establishing merit, they could even be granted titles of duke or marquis, bringing glory to their families for generations.
However, in the present, the imperial court's power had declined, and the martial exams were no longer as prestigious as before. Compared to the glory of becoming a duke or marquis, the current martial masters who dominated the land preferred to carve out their own territories and establish their own powers.
(End of Chapter)
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