Chapter 110: Chapter 109: Endless Melancholy

"That... wouldn’t be right, would it?"

"Just answer me: would it be fast?"

Li Qi’s mouth went dry. He stared at Wu Chen, his eyes wide with shock.

Seeing the other man’s deadpan expression, he realized it wasn’t a joke.

The man actually intended to kill He Kui!

Li Qi fell silent.

He had thought Wu Chen would teach him some obscure Secret Technique to help him pass the assessment and defeat He Kui.

A technique that would consume his lifespan in exchange for a short burst of immense power during a life-or-death battle.

Or maybe some kind of pill to stimulate his inner potential, allowing for a temporary advancement in his realm at the cost of his future prospects.

But he never expected the solution to be so simple, brutal, and final.

If He Kui died, who in the entire constable office would be a match for him during the Demon Suppression Bureau’s assessment? He’d be a shoo-in!

Besides, everyone in the office knew his family had a bit of silver, but no one would suspect he could afford to hire an assassin capable of killing someone in the Jade Bone Realm.

Even if the Demon Suppression Bureau investigated, they wouldn’t find anything. They’d only discover that He Kui had countless enemies and deserved what was coming to him.

"That... uh..." After a moment of silence, Li Qi stammered, still feeling it wasn’t right.

"You think He Kui doesn’t deserve to die?"

After stretching his muscles and getting no reply, Wu Chen said coolly,

"I’ve been in the city for a few days, and without even having to ask around, I know this He Kui is notorious. If I’m not mistaken, he’s the guy competing with you for the Demon Suppression Bureau spot, right?"

"Just by listening to the talk in the taverns, I’ve heard that the number of poor folk outside the city who’ve died at his hands is at least twenty or thirty, if not more. And the number of young women he’s violated is more than you can count on two hands."

"And that’s just what I’ve overheard. You’re both constables in the same office. You must know better than I what kind of man He Kui really is."

"So, as a practitioner of Martial Arts, how can you face a colleague like that every day and not draw your blade?"

Li Qi’s face went pale at his words. His lips trembled, and after a moment, he finally shook his head.

"Even if he deserves to die, it should be the law that punishes him, not us."

"Once I’m in the Demon Suppression Bureau, I’ll report the evil deeds of He Kui and his uncle to the Captain. The Bureau can be the one to punish that monster."

"Oh."

Wu Chen gave a noncommittal "Oh." His tone was level as he continued,

"Let me put it this way. Even if you pass the assessment and join the Demon Suppression Bureau, how long until the Captain from the Bureau arrives in Mountain Mist City?"

"Let’s just say it’s ten days. Do you have any idea how many more young women He Kui will violate in that time? How many more common people he’ll prey on?"

"These girls could be the same age as your sister. Those common folk are just like that tavern’s Shopkeeper, trying to run their small businesses. And because of one man, He Kui, they can never know peace. Does that seem right to you?"

"You think that just because you don’t see it, you can pretend it never happened?"

"I... I..."

Under the continuous questioning, Li Qi’s face turned ashen. Of course he knew all this. Having grown up in Mountain Mist City, how could he not know about He Kui’s evil deeds?

But even with Wu Chen spelling it out like this, he still couldn’t make up his mind.

Wu Chen let out a breath.

He knew if he pressed any further, the guy would probably lose his mind.

But he suppressed what he really wanted to say:

’I have connections in Black Stone City.’

’You go kill He Kui cleanly. If you can’t handle it, I’ll back you up.’

’Then I’ll arrange for you and your sister to go to Black Stone City to meet a person named Jiang Fang.’

’We’ll build up Black Stone City!’

But seeing how Li Qi’s heart was set on the Demon Suppression Bureau, Wu Chen had no choice but to dismiss the idea.

"But for the time being, you don’t have to think too much about it."

Seeing Li Qi’s ashen face, he changed his tone to a more comforting one.

"Since the Demon Suppression Bureau’s assessment is just around the corner, he’ll probably keep a low profile for a while. It won’t be as horrifying as I made it sound."

"So for now, you should just focus on training your Martial Arts with me. The day you pass the assessment will be the day He Kui dies."

"But for now, stop standing there in a daze. Show me the ’Black Bear’s Step,’ ’Bear’s Tree Rub,’ and ’Raging Wind Saber’ moves from that Bear Body Forging Skill."

"Let me see how well you’ve practiced, so I can give you some pointers."

After hearing this, Li Qi, ever the rule-follower, visibly relaxed. His complexion improved considerably.

At the same time, he resolved that if he could get into the Demon Suppression Bureau and establish himself, he would immediately bring He Kui and his uncle to justice!

But when he heard Wu Chen’s last command—to perform the moves from the Bear Body Forging Skill so he could offer pointers—he was taken aback by the man’s confidence.

Li Qi shot Wu Chen a suspicious look.

Ever since receiving this Body Refining Skill from the Demon Suppression Bureau two months ago, he had practiced it relentlessly, stopping only to eat and sleep.

Not only could he recite the text from memory, but he could also execute every move smoothly. Combined with his First Layer Jade Bone Realm physique, it was no exaggeration to say he had reached the Great Success stage.

’And you, Wu Chen, how long has it been since you put down the manual? And you dare talk about giving me pointers?’

’It’s not just disrespectful; it’s absurdly arrogant!’

’Here in Mountain Mist City, I might not be some heaven-sent prodigy, but my Martial Arts are still exceptional...’

Despite his thoughts, Li Qi obediently drew his saber in the courtyard and took his stance.

After finishing a sequence of moves he felt was quite fluid, he heard Wu Chen shake his head.

"Your blade work is too slow. And it’s not vicious enough."

Li Qi fell silent. He had killed seven or eight bandits with his own hands; he knew how to kill and how to do it quickly.

He knew.

But to receive such an evaluation now, he felt a surge of indignation.

Wu Chen saw his resentment and simply crooked a finger.

"Pretend I’m He Kui. Come at me with intent to kill."

Li Qi was already feeling indignant. Hearing Wu Chen’s challenge, he immediately said, "Blades have no eyes. Be careful, sir."

With that, he raised his blade and lunged at Wu Chen.

But before his steel saber could even descend, the tip of a jet-black blade was already an inch from his throat.

His blade was still feet away, while Wu Chen’s was a mere inch from his neck. The winner had been decided.

Li Qi hadn’t even seen Wu Chen move. He only felt a deathly chill, as if the blade was about to pierce his throat and sever his head.

...

「Three days passed.」

In the small courtyard, at a square table.

Wu Chen leisurely ate the meal Li Qiuyao had just prepared. He took a sip of sweet wine, his eyes narrowing as he focused on his status panel:

[Deep Red Host]Wu Chen

[Martial Arts Realm]Jade Bone Realm, Fifth Layer

(Qi Power: Earth-Shaking Bull) (Stamina: Unending Qi Power)

[Martial Arts & Cultivation Techniques]Bone-Eroding Wind Blade (Force), Spirit Swallow Step (Force), Iron Shirt Bone Grinding Skill, Bear Body Forging Skill...

After allocating the points from the Jade Bone Realm Martial Art he’d gotten from Li Qi, Wu Chen’s own realm advanced another small step.

His realm reached the Fifth Layer of the Jade Bone Realm.

He was now known as a Mid Stage Jade Bone Realm expert!

’Where am I going to get my next Jade Bone Realm Martial Arts manual...’

Wu Chen propped his face on his hand, leaning lazily back in his chair.

Advancing to the Fifth Layer of the Jade Bone Realm brought a momentary thrill, but it was followed by a lingering sense of gloom.

This was especially true because he had visited the city’s two security escort agencies again over the past three days, only to find out that the old Patriarch wouldn’t be back for at least half a month. This meant he currently had no way of obtaining another Jade Bone Realm Martial Arts manual.

’Damn it, capping my combat potential!’

After cursing internally, Wu Chen’s gaze fell helplessly upon Li Qi, who was practicing his blade work alone in the courtyard after returning from his patrol.

The young man hadn’t said much in days, ever since his humiliating defeat in their spar.

After Wu Chen had pointed out a few subtleties, even with those simple changes, Li Qi now felt like he was trying to thread a needle from ten feet away whenever he held his saber.

Even though he had the First Layer Jade Bone Realm strength to lift a two-thousand-jin boulder, he now trembled like a leaf just holding a ten-pound saber.

His clothes were soaked through with sweat, and he looked utterly wretched.

Anyone who didn’t know better would think Li Qi was a beginner who had just started practicing the blade.

But the physical strain was nothing compared to what was happening in his mind.

He could feel that with the subtle changes Wu Chen had suggested, his slashes, his draws, and his footwork had all become faster.

SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!—

He swung his blade meticulously, striving for perfection with every strike.

As he swung, he could feel his blade work, which he once believed to have reached Great Success, and the accompanying footwork, were becoming even more fluid and unified.

’This is... the realm of Perfection?!’

Li Qi was stunned. He had always believed that Great Success was the pinnacle of any Martial Art.

As someone who had reached the Jade Bone Realm at the age of twenty, he would have laughed at anyone who spoke of "Perfection," mocking them for not understanding Martial Arts and for inventing needlessly confusing levels to impress people.

Great Success was Great Success. Where did all this talk of "Perfection" come from?

Now, after just a few simple pointers, he grew more and more ashamed with every swing of his blade. He finally understood. He had thought he’d reached the summit, but there was always a higher mountain.

But soon, his pride—the pride of a young man who had reached the Jade Bone Realm—kicked in.

He thought:

’This sense of fluid mastery... if I fought a thousand life-or-death battles, I could have figured it out myself.’

’It’s not that difficult.’

’...’

’Wait a minute, what the hell am I saying! A thousand life-or-death battles?’

*Hiss!*

Li Qi’s scalp tingled.

He stopped his movements and looked over at the small table in the courtyard.

His eyes landed on the lazy figure slouched in his chair, drinking wine with a troubled look on his face.

’So... this guy has achieved such mastery with the blade because he’s killed hundreds, even thousands of people?!’

’And they couldn’t have been weak, either. That’s the only way to gain this kind of insight, through countless battles!’

Li Qi thought of the bandit leader Wu Chen had brought with him when they first met, and the casual way he had talked about killing He Kui a few days ago. The hair on the back of his neck stood up.

’Just who is this guy?!’

For a time, Li Qi’s mind was filled with all sorts of guesses about Wu Chen’s identity.

He could be a demonic fiend of the Blood Evil sect, or a black market assassin. After all, when it came to killing, no one was more proficient.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

Just as his thoughts were in a turmoil, hurried footsteps echoed from the alley outside the gate.

The footsteps stopped at the door.

Heavy, powerful knocks followed, accompanied by an anxious shout from outside:

"Chief Constable Li, there’s trouble at Iron Rock Manor!"

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