Chapter 90: Chapter 89: An Irresistible Destination

RIP!

Li Qi tore down Chen Hee’s wanted poster from the city wall.

With Chen Hee dead, the poster was naturally no longer valid.

Staring at the portrait of Chen Hee in his hand, Li Qi fell into deep thought:

’This guy killed Chen Hee and his entire group all by himself. His strength must be extraordinary.’

’Judging by his reaction just now, he’s very interested in money.’

’If that’s the case, then perhaps that matter could be...’

As if he’d thought of something, Li Qi’s eyes gradually lit up.

"Wait! Don’t go so fast!"

"Hold on, Young Master!"

Watching the figure turn and disappear into the city, he called out and broke into a jog to follow.

As for his duty of guarding the wanted posters, only one person had shown up in three months. Briefly leaving his post wouldn’t be a problem.

Of course, the reason no one was willing to hunt down villains for the reward silver was that the government office’s cut was simply too exorbitant.

Someone in the late-stage Meridian Passage Realm would only get one hundred silver taels, making it less profitable than taking jobs on the black market.

There, even someone in the early-stage Meridian Passage Realm could earn one hundred silver taels!

"What is it?"

Wu Chen didn’t have any particular dislike for this Official. After all, the man was just an errand runner on guard duty; giving him a hard time would be pointless.

But looking at the man who had chased after him, he said half-jokingly, "Are you going to make up the difference for me?"

Li Qi scratched his head in embarrassment. If he had the ability to make up that difference, he wouldn’t have been assigned to such an idle post with his Jade Bone Realm strength.

"Young Master, are you interested in getting the silver that should have been yours?" he asked, walking beside Wu Chen and changing the subject.

"Oh? From the sound of it, you have a way to get the full amount of silver taels?"

"I do," Li Qi nodded.

Wu Chen’s interest was piqued. "What’s the method?"

After all, being able to claim the full bounty on these villains represented a considerable sum of money. He would be willing to spend time searching the mountains and forests for traces of them.

Li Qi pointed to his own uniform. "Come to the government office and become a constable! Once you’re a constable, those masters in the government won’t dare to skim off your earnings so casually!"

He had seen the slash Wu Chen used to kill Chen Hee. It was remarkably clean, suggesting he was likely even stronger than other Jade Bone Realm experts of the same level.

With that level of realm and strength, passing the government office’s assessment would naturally be no difficult task.

"Become a constable?" Wu Chen was thoughtful and didn’t answer immediately.

There was nothing wrong with being a lone wolf, but being a hound for the imperial court opened up a much wider world!

Besides, Wu Chen hadn’t forgotten the depth of the Arsenal in Fenglin County’s government office. For a city like Mountain Mist City, with a population of nearly a million, the Arsenal was likely even more spectacular and well-stocked.

Therefore, spending a month here to become an Official didn’t seem like an unacceptable proposition.

Li Qi carefully observed Wu Chen. Seeing that he hadn’t refused immediately, he continued:

"There are two people at the Jade Bone Realm in the government office. I’m one of them."

"If you wish to work at the government office, Young Master, you’ll naturally have to undergo an assessment."

"And this assessment is a sparring match against me and the other Jade Bone Realm fellow."

"When the time comes, I’ll just go easy on you. I imagine it won’t be difficult for you to secure a position at the office."

"Just a sparring match to become an Official?" Wu Chen thought it didn’t sound difficult at all; in fact, it seemed a bit too simple.

"Of course not."

Li Qi added the last, and most important, point: "You also have to pay three hundred silver taels to the county magistrate."

Wu Chen: "???"

As soon as he said it, a brief silence fell over the air.

Wu Chen stopped in his tracks. It took him a good moment to confirm he hadn’t misheard before turning to look at Li Qi.

"Why would I want to become an Official?"

Li Qi said awkwardly, "To earn silver taels, of course."

"So before I’ve even earned anything, I have to pay up first?"

Wu Chen almost laughed. So not only would he have to hand over the money he’d just earned from the government office before it had even warmed his pocket, but it wasn’t even close to enough to cover the fee!

He’d have to chip in another two hundred on top of it!

’This is like taking out a loan just to get a job!’

"Young Master, don’t be penny-wise and pound-foolish!"

Li Qi naturally understood what Wu Chen was thinking and immediately tried to persuade him:

"As long as you become an Official, when you go to kill the villains on the wanted posters, the masters in the government will have to think twice before skimming off your earnings."

Wu Chen shot him a glance. "Aren’t you also at the Jade Bone Realm? Are you telling me you’re afraid of the Meridian Passage Realm villains on those wanted posters?"

"If not, then why were you assigned to guard duty at the city gate?"

Wu Chen wasn’t about to be fooled by Li Qi’s simple words. Once you entered the government office, you were at others’ beck and call. Did he really think he could just follow his own whims and hunt villains whenever he pleased?

As for not having his earnings skimmed, that was likely nonsense as well.

"Young Master, the silver is secondary! With your strength, if you become an Official, you’ll have a chance to enter the Demon Suppression Bureau!"

Li Qi spoke again, finally mentioning a destination that no one could refuse.

The Demon Suppression Bureau!

This was a place countless people would break their heads trying to get into. Its profound resources made it an irresistible destination for countless martial practitioners.

He had thought that mentioning the name of the Demon Suppression Bureau would be enough to make the other man stay.

Then, he could use his own name to get him into the government office and finally accomplish that one thing.

Who would have thought that Wu Chen would look completely uninterested, walking straight on without any intention of paying him any mind.

This caused Li Qi’s plan to fall through, and he had no choice but to return to the base of the city wall, dejected, and doze off.

In Mountain Mist City, Wu Chen walked slowly along the bluestone streets.

He was, however, pondering what the Official at the base of the wall had said, gradually piecing together the man’s convoluted reasoning.

’The way I see it, there must be two Jade Bone Realm experts in the Mountain Mist City government office, and both are competing for a spot in the Demon Suppression Bureau.’

’The one with connections is naturally thriving, with no shortage of martial training tonics and pills.’

’The one without connections gets assigned to guard duty at the city gate, watching over a pile of useless wanted posters.’

’That guy just now is, without a doubt, the one without connections, stuck at the base of the wall and unable to leave his post.’

In the short term, the difference wouldn’t be obvious, but over a long period, a gap in their strength would naturally emerge.

When the Demon Suppression Bureau eventually sent someone to conduct assessments, what qualifications would this Official from the city wall have to compete for a spot?

’Although the guy didn’t say it, the other Jade Bone Realm expert in the county office is probably connected to the officials in one way or another.’

Wu Chen stroked his chin, thinking to himself:

’So that’s why this guy came up with such a desperate plan. He’s operating on a "if I can’t have it, no one can" mentality, wanting me to join the government office and compete for the Demon Suppression Bureau spot.’

’But he didn’t even consider that the officials would never let me pass the assessment so easily. They could probably find any random excuse to shut me out.’

Wu Chen shook his head, speechless, feeling that Li Qi had oversimplified things.

How could these officials possibly allow someone to interfere with the promotion of one of their own people?

Putting this little episode behind him, Wu Chen strolled through Mountain Mist City as usual, stopping in front of a six-story inn.

"Sir, please, come in!"

The attendant at the inn’s entrance saw a customer stop and approached with a beaming smile.

"Sir, you can leave your horse to me."

Immediately, another attendant took the reins from Wu Chen’s hand and led the horse to the inn’s rear courtyard to groom it and feed it.

Seeing that the two attendants’ Qi and Blood was so condensed that they both had the strength of the first or second level of the Flesh Refining Realm, Wu Chen felt at ease staying there.

’The attendants’ strength is not weak, so no one would dare cause trouble, but the lodging fee isn’t cheap either...’

Seeing the fee of one silver tael per day, Wu Chen had to take a few deep breaths.

But you get what you pay for. The inn was extremely luxurious; besides food and lodging, the other floors offered various other services.

Wu Chen, of course, had no intention of wasting time in such places. After eating and drinking his fill, he began to wander around Mountain Mist City.

He familiarized himself with the surroundings, looking for any opportunity to come into contact with Jade Bone Realm Martial Arts.

Three days later, he came to a stop before the entrance of a place called ’Pine Wave Martial Arts Hall’.

"Here to learn Martial Arts, young friend?" As soon as he stopped at the entrance, an old Martial Artist stepped forward to ask.

"Yes."

Wu Chen nodded and stated his purpose directly: "Do you have Jade Bone Realm Martial Arts here?"

The old Martial Artist drew a sharp breath.

The old Martial Artist, who was at the Meridian Passage Realm, had been about to show off his skills to drum up some business.

Hearing the words "Jade Bone Realm," he immediately dismissed the idea of making a fool of himself and instead assumed a solemn posture, gesturing for him to enter:

"Young Master, please come in! I will go find the Hall Master!"

He didn’t doubt whether Wu Chen could afford the price of Jade Bone Realm Martial Arts, nor did he doubt whether Wu Chen’s own realm had reached the Jade Bone Realm.

Living in Mountain Mist City, he had seen too many young prodigies.

The direct disciples of the Elders from the sects outside the city were all said to be exceptionally talented, and many possessed the strength of the Jade Bone Realm.

Regardless of all that, there was certainly no reason to turn away a customer who came seeking to learn Martial Arts.

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