Volume One: Menial Duties in Changshui County Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Eighth-Rank Guard

"Who else do you think I meant?" Chen Xuanfeng plopped himself carelessly into the seat opposite Yuan Wufeng. "I really don’t know what the boss was thinking, putting a sissy like you in the position of Deputy Chief!"

"Chen Xuanfeng, I’ve had enough of you!" Yuan Wufeng roared, lunging at Chen Xuanfeng.

But before he could get close, Chen Xuanfeng pressed a palm down on Yuan Wufeng’s right shoulder. At that simple touch, Yuan Wufeng felt a sudden pressure.

Had Chen Xuanfeng become this powerful? Yuan Wufeng remembered that there hadn't been much difference between their strengths in the past!

"Sit down and behave," Chen Xuanfeng said. "I'm here to discuss the Miaodi Village matter with you. What happened there was purely an accident. I’ve noticed you’ve been investigating it lately—do you think there’s something wrong?"

Yuan Wufeng managed to steady himself a little. He couldn’t win in a fight, so he’d just have to wait for the boss to return and complain.

"Do you really think there’s nothing wrong? So many people went to subdue the demon at Miaodi Village, but only Lu Jiuzhang’s squad was nearly wiped out. And you—you should have provided support sooner, so why did you delay?"

"And the day Lu Jiuzhang’s brother, Lu Huaigu, died, you were leading the team as well."

"You’re a martial artist of the eighth rank. With you there, how did things still go wrong?"

"Don’t you think it’s suspicious, when you look at the two events together?"

Yuan Wufeng’s questions came rapid and sharp.

"Heh, since when was it your place to question my actions?" Chen Xuanfeng stared coldly at Yuan Wufeng. "The boss will judge this matter when he returns. It’s not your place, sissy, to investigate me!"

At the word "sissy," Yuan Wufeng flew into another rage. "Chen Xuanfeng, what the hell is your problem?"

"That’s exactly my meaning. If you keep digging into this, you’ll have to deal with the consequences!"

With that, Chen Xuanfeng strode out, as domineering as ever, leaving Yuan Wufeng no chance to retort or strike back.

…

After leaving, Chen Xuanfeng headed to the martial training grounds.

Most of the Demon-Slaying Bureau members in Changshui County preferred peace and rarely came to the training grounds. Zhou Cheng was an exception; when he had no assignments, he spent most of his time here practicing his blade skills.

"Director Chen!" Zhou Cheng set down his blade and saluted when he saw Chen Xuanfeng.

"Did you give the item to Lu Jiuzhang?"

"I’ve already handed it to him," Zhou Cheng nodded. "His talent is about the same as mine. He shouldn’t have trouble reaching the ninth rank, but getting to the eighth will be tough."

Zhou Cheng would never casually give away his sect’s techniques, even though his sect had been destroyed and the technique was still valuable. But this was at Chen Xuanfeng’s instruction.

As Deputy Chief, Chen Xuanfeng’s orders were not lightly refused. Moreover, on that day in Miaodi Village, Chen Xuanfeng had saved Zhou Cheng’s life by giving him an eighth-rank martial artist’s elixir, which had kept him alive. Otherwise, Zhou Cheng doubted he would have survived his blood loss, and even if he had, he might have been crippled.

Chen Xuanfeng owed Zhou Cheng nothing, after all—they weren’t directly subordinate.

"You used to wield the blade with your right arm, but now you’ve switched to the left. Your fighting ability will surely decline," Chen Xuanfeng mused after a moment. "I suggest you abandon your old techniques and learn a new left-handed blade style."

"Though left-handed styles are rare, with your abilities you should be able to find one, even if it's not the best. After a few years of practice, you should recover most of your former strength."

"There’s another way, which is to break through to the fifth martial rank. At that level, you have a chance at regrowing a severed arm. But the fifth rank is extremely difficult—with the Demon-Slaying Bureau’s resources, it’s nearly impossible."

"If you join the border army, there might be a one-in-ten-thousand chance. Life-and-death battles are common there, and often bring great terrors. If you can survive, you might become a fifth-rank expert."

Chen Xuanfeng offered two honest suggestions.

"Thank you for your advice, Director Chen. It’s just that everything I know comes from my old sect—I find it hard to let go," Zhou Cheng replied, shaking his head.

Chen Xuanfeng realized there was no point in saying more; perhaps everyone has something they refuse to forsake.

Time slipped by, and in the afternoon, Lu Jiuzhang finished his training as the day’s work drew to a close. He could already feel the progress he’d made. Zhou Cheng had said it would take years to reach the ninth martial rank, but Lu Jiuzhang suspected he might need even less time.

He couldn’t say exactly how long, but he felt the goal was within reach.

That night, back in his room, Lu Jiuzhang didn’t rest but continued to sit cross-legged, absorbing the ambient spiritual energy between heaven and earth.

He kept up this routine for several days.

…

March 14th.

Renyin, Guimao, Bingyin.

Auspicious for travel and groundbreaking; inauspicious for opening businesses or moving into a new home.

Early in the morning, Lu Jiuzhang went to Thousand Mechanisms Hall. Manager Zhao had finished her business there and seemed ready to head back to Anxi Prefecture that day. After their transaction, she left behind a guard named Bian Hao—a genuine eighth-rank martial artist.

Bian Hao would be staying at Lu Jiuzhang’s house for the time being. Fortunately, Lu Jiuzhang’s little courtyard was big enough for two people without any trouble.

Bian Hao spoke little and spent most of his time in his room. Lu Jiuzhang made an agreement with him: as long as he stayed within Changshui County, Bian Hao needn’t follow him around. But if Lu Jiuzhang left town, Bian Hao had to accompany him and only intervene if Lu Jiuzhang faced mortal danger.

As for Manager Zhao, her relationship with Lu Jiuzhang was strictly business. When she left, he didn’t see her off.

With Bian Hao settled, Lu Jiuzhang went to the Demon-Slaying Bureau.

As soon as he entered the office, he saw Wang Yunshan.

"Brother Lu, you’ve been like a dragon these past few days—here one moment, gone the next," Wang Yunshan said. "How have you been feeling?"

"Not bad," Lu Jiuzhang replied with a nod.

Hearing this, Wang Yunshan’s eyes lit up. He sidled closer and whispered, "After work, shall we go to the playhouse for some music and company?"

The playhouse, eh? Why not—a cultivator’s life required both tension and relaxation.

Lu Jiuzhang nodded, "When the shift ends, wait a bit for me before you leave."

"Oh, and do you have your excuse ready? What will you do if your wife asks?"

"Uh... not yet. But the road always appears when the cart reaches the mountain," Wang Yunshan laughed. "We’ll enjoy ourselves first, and I’ll think of something on the way home!"