Chapter 261: The Confused Yan Jing

Xu Chengyi had reached the Fifth Tier?

Bi Jie's eyes flickered; he truly hadn't known about this.

Ever since the Old Man left the Sixth Lake Prefecture with Luo Sheng, Bi Jie had lost contact with him from his post in the Third Lake Prefecture.

He had assumed their chances of crossing paths again were slim. Even if they did meet, the Old Man was unlikely to return to the Third Lake Prefecture, so Bi Jie had stopped paying attention to the Martial Guild's steady decline.

To think Xu Chengyi was already at the Fifth Tier.

Though, it made sense.

After all, he was only slightly younger than the Old Man, and at least ten years older than Bi Jie.

Still, he grabbed Que Deyuan and dragged him a bit further away.

"When did he reach the Fifth Tier?"

"Heh, scared now?"

Que Deyuan straightened his askew beret and sneered.

"Director Xu reached the Fifth Tier five or six years ago! He just kept a low profile and never announced it to the public!"

"I'd advise you to be careful, don't throw your life—ouch!"

Before Que Deyuan could finish, Bi Jie punched him in the nose.

"I'm at least ten years younger than him! What's so great about reaching the Fifth Tier five or six years ago? When I reach his age, who knows which of us will be higher!"

"Let me tell you, you'd better watch your step! If you try any funny business on the road, I'll beat you to death!"

Bi Jie raised his fist again. Que Deyuan instinctively shrank back. His nose throbbed from the punch, and tears streamed uncontrollably from his eyes.

"Oww..."

He clutched his nose, moaning softly.

"Why did Xu Chengyi call you to Luohe?" Bi Jie demanded.

"To report on the martial assembly!"

Que Deyuan didn't dare to bluff anymore and spilled everything.

"He said this martial assembly is very important. The old Grandmaster Rank from the Martial Guild will be there to observe. He asked me to go to help him promote it, and to record his performance at the assembly so he can publish the report in the newspaper later to boost his reputation."

The old Grandmaster Rank of the Martial Guild was going to the assembly?

Bi Jie's heart skipped a beat.

That old Grandmaster Rank was known as the pillar of the Martial Guild. He was usually incredibly elusive, so why would he want to attend this martial assembly?

"What is he paying you?"

"He said... he said..."

Que Deyuan stammered, only blurting it out in a panic when he saw Bi Jie raise his hand again.

"He said he can get me transferred back to the Third Lake Prefecture!"

"He also told me not to be afraid of you! He said he's already secured powerful backing and that I just need to follow him from now on!"

"I... I didn't know I'd be on the same train as you!"

Bi Jie fell silent. A few seconds later, he spoke fiercely.

"Keep your mouth shut on this train!"

With that, he walked toward Yan Jing and his group in the distance.

Since both Xu Chengyi and the old Grandmaster Rank were going, the Old Man absolutely could not attend this assembly. Otherwise, if Xu Chengyi attacked him publicly under the guise of cleaning house, no one would be able to fault him.

Seeing Bi Jie leave, Que Deyuan let out a long sigh of relief. He then secretly spat in Bi Jie's direction, his face filled with resentment.

"Bah! What's the big deal? You're just a lousy official!"

"Once Director Xu becomes the vice president of the Martial Guild, you think I'll still be afraid of you?! Just wait and see how I deal with you!"

That was right—he had hidden a very important piece of information. This martial assembly wasn't just a simple tournament.

Xu Chengyi had received inside information: the one who took first place in this assembly would be announced by the old Grandmaster Rank as the candidate for the next vice president of the Martial Guild.

The vice president of the Martial Guild was equivalent in rank to a deputy director of the Inspectorate Department, or a full director in other departments. Bi Jie couldn't compare to that.

'Heh, thank goodness I, Que Deyuan, had the foresight to pick Xu Chengyi back then.'

He crossed his arms with a smug expression, recalling when he first met Xu Chengyi.

Back then, he had just been a no-name reporter, wracking his brains all day trying to figure out how to make a name for himself.

One day after work, he passed by the gate of a courtyard and saw two men in their thirties honing their martial skills. Their moves were seasoned and precise; even someone like him, who knew little about martial arts, could tell their foundation was incredibly solid.

However, there was a gap between them. It wasn't long before the younger man was overwhelmed by the older one.

They seemed to be senior and junior martial brothers. After they finished sparring, the older man left, while the younger one remained seated, his eyes flashing with hatred and anger.

It was from that moment, sensing a scoop, that he found himself inexplicably wandering around that small courtyard.

After observing for a long time, he discovered that the courtyard was an unregistered martial arts school.

An unregistered school was one operating secretly without the approval of the Third Lake Prefecture.

According to the rules of the Third Lake Prefecture, an unapproved sect could only take in personal disciples and was forbidden from recruiting general apprentices.

And while the sounds of training coming from the courtyard seemed to belong to just two people, they actually concealed the noises of many others, masked by the intense sparring of the two men.

Though it was well hidden, he had still figured it out.

His original goal was simply to write a report exposing this unregistered school.

He never expected that while sneaking photos one day, Xu Chengyi would catch him.

He had braced himself for a severe beating, but Xu Chengyi didn't hit him. Instead, he asked him a question.

It was that interaction that made him realize the immense potential this man possessed, leading him to place his bets on him.

After that, with the opening of the thirty-seventh martial arts school, his own career truly skyrocketed.

His foresight in backing Xu Chengyi early on was hailed as a miracle by his colleagues, earning him the nickname "Sees Far," a perfect pun on his actual name.

Thinking of this, he glared at Bi Jie, his eyes dark.

"Only those with long-term vision will be the ultimate winners. I'll let you throw your weight around a little longer..."

Soon, the train departed from Nanyu County.

Between Nanyun County and the next stop, Cotton City, there were no other stations. The train's route had shifted from traveling upriver to crossing overland. In Minhu, places without water had such thin weird energy that it was nearly impossible for a Domain to spawn.

This particular region was known as the Dahuang River area.

The name alone showed the people of Minhu's obsession with water—even though this region was defined by its lack of it, the name still included a river.

The distance between Nanyun County and Cotton City was significant; it would take a full day to arrive.

In the afternoon, when everyone had returned to their rooms to rest, Bi Jie found Yan Jing and told him about Que Deyuan and Xu Chengyi.

"That's the situation," Bi Jie said. "County Magistrate Luo, Xu Chengyi has already reached the Fifth Tier. If he makes his move under the pretext of cleaning house, you won't be able to stop him.

And no one else will be able to stop him either."

"The rules of the Third Lake Prefecture were set by that Great Grandmaster Rank himself. No one would dare intervene in front of him."

"Not even the director of the Inspectorate Department backing me."

"Twenty years ago, that Great Grandmaster Rank was already at the Seventh Rank."

Yan Jing listened intently to Bi Jie's words and nodded.

"Lord Bi makes a good point."

"How about this: you and Master Liu get off at the station right before Luohe County. Xiao Yu, Huzi, and I will go finish our business and scout out the situation.

Then you two can decide what to do."

?!

Bi Jie had prepared a whole speech, never expecting Yan Jing to agree so easily.

After all, he had tried to persuade him so many times before, and Yan Jing had always seemed resolute.

"Good, good, good." Bi Jie nodded happily.

He was the one who had truly been unable to set his mind at ease.

Now that Yan Jing had finally relented, he felt completely relieved.

Suddenly, Yan Jing remembered something. He went back into his room, pulled a few scrolls tied with Wutong Branches from his suitcase, and handed them to Bi Jie.

"Lord Bi, take these."

"Are these—"

Bi Jie recognized them. These were the paintings from Yan Jing's room.

"These contain matters related to Master Liu. If something unexpected happens this time and we don't make it back, please give these paintings to him."

Over the past few days, after advancing to the Third Tier, Yan Jing had drawn quite a few paintings for the Old Man.

He had brought all of them in his suitcase for this trip.

Not make it back? Bi Jie froze at those words and was about to speak.

But Yan Jing patted his shoulder.

"Inspector Bi, it's up to you to figure out how to get Master Liu to disembark with you."

With that, Yan Jing turned and walked away.

He returned to his room, lay on his bed, and stared blankly at the ceiling.

While drawing for the Old Man over the past few days, he had uncovered one of his secrets—an inner demon plaguing him.

If the Old Man wanted to take that final step in Martial Cultivation, he had to overcome this inner demon.

His original intention was for the Old Man to break through his inner demon during this martial assembly.

But Bi Jie made a good point.

In truth, overcoming the inner demon wasn't that important.

He wasn't a god, and there were many things he couldn't predict. Even if it were a real god, hadn't the Messenger failed to foresee getting trapped and needing to call for help?

If they really clashed with the Fifth Tier Xu Chengyi, if that Great Grandmaster Rank really backed Xu Chengyi, and if the Old Man actually died, then Yan Jing himself would develop an inner demon.

Since arriving in Minhu, he had acted much more radically than before to blend in. But... 'Bi Jie is right. Maybe Martial Cultivation is just a scam. Maybe it doesn't exist at all,' he thought, rolling over and closing his eyes.

But dozens of minutes later, he opened his eyes again. He tossed and turned, completely unable to fall asleep.

There were too many things to handle on this trip: Luo Sheng's unfulfilled wish, where Tiger would go, the Old Man's favorability, the Old Man's inner demon, the baffling martial assembly, and the matter concerning Xiao Yu...

Finally, unable to sleep, he grabbed a pen and paper, wrote down one of his worries concisely, and summoned Xiao Xin.

"Yiya, yiya~"

The Little Messenger hadn't seen Yan Jing in a long time and seemed to have forgotten the exhaustion of its previous work as it lunged over to hug his cheek.

"Long time no see."

Seeing Xiao Xin, Yan Jing's expression softened.

He reached out a finger and poked Xiao Xin's armpit, tickling it until it giggled with joy.

"Give this to that girl from last time. The one with big eyes who stutters a bit—the really, really cute one."

Yan Jing tucked the written letter into Xiao Xin's bag.

"Yiya, yiya!"

Xiao Xin raised a hand to its head in a salute, summoned a portal, and eagerly flew into it.

A few hours later.

Sun-Swallowing Tower.

Mantou, who was sitting upright in her seat listening to Rose's lesson, spotted Xiao Xin suddenly appearing in the air.

"Alright, student Mantou, let the teacher test you. How do you write the character for 'upside-down' that I just taught you?"

Wearing a teacher's uniform, Rose had her back turned and tapped her pointer against the blackboard.

"T—Teacher..."

"Calling for the teacher won't help, student Mantou. This teacher is very strict. You have to rely on yourself!"

Rose chuckled and crossed her arms, but suddenly, she heard a childish voice chime in:

"Yiya, yiya~"

'So cute!'

Rose's eyes lit up, but she still coughed.

"Acting cute won't help either! Student Mantou, pay attention in—" She turned around and realized something was wrong.

"Where did this kid come from?"

Her eyes widened as she stared at the bare-bottomed little creature in Mantou's arms.

"It's... it's... a letter from... Xiao Yi."

Mantou pulled a piece of paper from Xiao Xin's satchel.

"The boss's letter!!!"

Rose's eyes sparkled. Dropping her role-play entirely, she bounced over and squeezed in next to Mantou.

Mantou opened the letter:

"To Mantou: I've run into a problem.

"Grandfather Liu was once a highly skilled martial artist.

"When he was young, he dreamed of becoming the strongest martial artist in the world.

"But for certain reasons, he took the wrong path when he was young, suffering serious injuries to his body. These injuries aren't usually visible, but if he fights someone and they discover them, it becomes a fatal weakness.

"He has a sect. When he was very young, his master saved his life...

"...Because of this, he loves his sect deeply and resolved to face powerful enemies for its sake.

"He needed to win eighteen matches in total, but during the second-to-last match, his opponent exploited his weakness and defeated him in his best skill—the saber.

"Of all the martial arts, he was best with the saber. That's precisely why, after realizing how powerful his opponent in the penultimate match was, he proposed a saber duel.

"He didn't expect to lose.

"He hasn't wielded a saber since.

"I want to help him untie this emotional knot (crossed out) solve this problem. Do you have any advice?

"If you can't think of anything, that's fine too. You can tell me about your recent life and any troubles you have in your reply.

"This letter is a secret between the two of us. Don't show it to anyone else."

Mantou struggled to finish reading the letter. Then, her mouth fell open in shock.

Don't show it to anyone else?

She turned her head, catching the gaze of Rose, who was looking right back at her.

At this moment, Rose's eyes were glistening, and her mouth was puckered in a pout.

The Old Man's story had truly moved her.

It was just that the boss's writing was terrible—it had absolutely no flair, and he used a lot of words incorrectly.

Immersed in the story, she completely failed to notice the final sentence.

Mantou pursed her lips.

It... it seemed there was a problem.