I can only beat noobs.

Chapter 199 Vulnerable Groups
In the solemn and imposing council hall, only Chen Ming remained. Facing such a first-rank expert, he felt somewhat nervous.

There are many extraordinary individuals within the Six Doors, and I've heard of a divine constable with eyes that can see through all disguises. I wonder if my disguise skills can fool such a powerful eye technique?

At this moment, Governor Liang got up and walked towards him.

He quickly bowed and said, "Greetings, Your Excellency."

"Nephew, there's no need for such formalities."

Governor Liang's face was no longer stern; instead, he smiled and patted Liang's shoulder in a show of warmth. "Your father and I are old acquaintances. You can just call me Uncle Liang."

"Uncle Liang".

Chen Ming naturally agreed.

Governor Liang's smile widened. "I've long heard that the Gu family has a new member, Gu Qilang. He's only just turned twenty and he's already a fourth-rank official. His talent is unparalleled. Seeing him today, he truly has the bearing of a dragon and the grace of a phoenix, and is truly extraordinary."

He looked flattered and said, "Uncle Liang, you flatter me."

“Nephew, your family has a long history of learning, and you happen to be here for this matter. Come up on stage with us. You saw it yourself; those people just now are probably no match for the scions of those aristocratic families. Only you can help me.”

Chen Ming said somewhat awkwardly, "This humble official still needs to report to Xiazhou City..."

Governor Liang said, "Don't worry, I will write an official document and send it to Xiazhou City. I'm sure Shen Dingjun won't refuse me."

"In that case, I have no choice but to comply."

He then agreed, and asked curiously, "Uncle Liang, why are you targeting the Wan family?"

Governor Liang said, "I have a grudge against the Wan family."

Just because of this?
His bluntness left Chen Ming unsure how to react. It turned out to be a personal grudge.

……

That evening, Governor Liang not only invited Gu Xianyu and Gu Yuyin to dinner, but also took them to his study for a chat afterward.

His attitude was extremely warm, as if he were treating his own nephews and nieces.

Fearing that he would ask about the Gu family's recent situation, Chen Ming took the initiative and asked him for advice on martial arts, such as how to break through to the third rank and how to condense sword intent.

That night, he truly experienced the advantages of his background.

As a member of the Gu family, Gu Xianyu was treated as an honored guest by the governor of Wanlei City and received guidance from a first-rank expert.

Even a few casual words of advice from a top-tier expert could greatly benefit him.

It wasn't until someone came looking for Governor Liang that Chen Ming took the opportunity to say goodbye and, led by a servant, returned to his small courtyard.

"Seventh Brother is in a great mood; he actually chatted with Governor Liang for two hours."

From the neighboring courtyard came Gu Yuyin's teasing voice.

The servant left first.

Chen Ming pushed open the door to his small courtyard and went inside.

The Liang family made some thoughtful arrangements; the two courtyards were connected, separated only by a wall.

Gu Yuyin followed and said, "At the banquet just now, you kept calling me Uncle Liang so affectionately."

Chen Ming turned around and asked coldly, "Is there a problem?"

Gu Yuyin's bright eyes swept across his face as she said, "It seems you really don't know. Liang Zongcheng has a history with our Gu family."

Chen Ming was taken aback. "Really?"

"Of course. Back then, our Thirteenth Uncle stole someone's sweetheart and then discarded her like trash, causing that woman to die of depression. Afterwards, Liang Zongcheng sought revenge on Thirteenth Uncle and almost died at his hands. He probably hates our Gu family to the core."

"My dear Seventh Brother, didn't you do any research before coming to Xiazhou? I advise you not to work for the Six Doors. Otherwise, you won't even know how you died."

After Gu Yuyin finished speaking, she turned and left.

She practically pointed her finger at him and yelled that he was stupid and couldn't even tell friend from foe.

Chen Ming felt a chill run down his spine when he thought about Liang Zongcheng's attitude towards him.

If what my cousin said is true, then Liang Zongcheng's behavior towards me is probably just sweet talk with a hidden agenda.

Is it really necessary for a first-rank military commander to deal with a mere fourth-rank official like him?
He is now Gu Xianyu, but in other people's eyes, he is still a fourth-grade cultivator.

"It's really tough to navigate the officialdom."

No wonder Deng Ziyang resigned after two years at the Six Doors, preferring to venture into the underworld. The Six Doors is a place of extraordinary murky depths.

The problem is, he just agreed to Liang Zongcheng's request to participate in the martial arts contest to find a husband, which is tantamount to accepting Liang Zongcheng's order. Now it's too late to leave.

He suspected that if he left without saying goodbye, Liang Zongcheng might turn on him on the spot and kill him under the pretext of disobeying orders.

Therefore, he still has to participate in this martial arts contest to find a husband.

It seems that if Liang Zongcheng really wanted to get rid of him, he wouldn't do it openly; he would most likely plan to kill him on the stage.

Only if he dies in the ring will the Gu family have nothing to say.

"Are you going to increase the intensity right from the start?"

Chen Ming then thought of Gu Yuyin.

Judging from her attitude, she clearly didn't think much of Gu Xianyu. However, the two were from the same clan and their interests were intertwined, especially when traveling together and sharing risks.

Although she always made sarcastic remarks to him, she would also take the initiative to remind him of things when necessary.

At least along the way, I don't have to worry about her harming me.

……

The next day, Gu Yuyin left first, using the excuse of needing to travel, and took her entourage out of the city. Chen Ming was left with only one personal maid.

That's good. Everyone who knew Gu Xianyu has left, leaving only a maid. There's no need to worry about his identity being exposed.

Chen Ming goes out every day to wander around. Since he's already here, he naturally wants to experience the local customs and culture as much as possible.

On the first day, we encountered several fights, all over trivial matters that escalated into brawls. Bystanders seemed unfazed by the spectacle.

Even after the people from the Six Doors arrived, they didn't stop.

The constables waited until the two finished fighting, then simply made them compensate the shop owner for their losses without arresting them.

Several fights were handled in this way.

Chen Ming felt his eyes were opened. He had long heard that the people of Xia Prefecture were fierce and tough, and it was indeed true.

If this had happened in Jiangzhou, the Six Doors would have arrested the person without a second thought.

This shows that the strength of the martial arts practitioners in Xia Prefecture is probably far greater than that in Jiang Prefecture, so the enforcement of the Six Doors is much less stringent.

Often, it's not that we don't want to manage, but that we can't.

Chen Ming wandered around for several days and saw fights of various kinds every day. Twice people died, but the head constable of the Six Doors still did nothing, obviously treating it as a matter of江湖恩怨 (jianghu enyuan, a kind of martial arts world feud).

That's actually not wrong; it's just a matter of personal grudges and conflicts.

In addition, he discovered that there were a lot of martial arts schools in Wanlei City; he counted at least a dozen. Moreover, the masters of these martial arts schools were quite powerful, at least at the sixth rank or above.

That day, Chen Ming went shopping again. Around noon, he found a restaurant and ordered some food.

He was halfway through his meal when he suddenly overheard people talking about the Mysterious Tomb of Immortality, and he couldn't help but prick up his ears to listen.

"...Two months ago, rumors spread throughout the martial arts world that a suspected Tomb of Immortality had appeared in Qingfeng City, Jiangzhou, causing quite a stir. Many people rushed there, but couldn't even get through the gate. It's said that at least ten top-tier experts were present at the time. Even first-rank experts were not allowed to approach..."

Someone asked curiously, "What happened next?"

"Later, it caused a huge commotion. It is said that it even attracted the attention of a great demon who had been suppressed for over a thousand years, the Immortal Demon Lord of the Longevity Cult..."

"In that battle, nearly ten Rank One cultivators died, making it an extremely tragic battle. In the end, the Undying Demon Lord possessed a young man, fell into the fire vein, and disappeared without a trace."

Upon hearing this, Chen Ming couldn't help but glance at the man.

This guy knows so much; he must have been there himself or heard it from someone who experienced it firsthand.

He was a middle-aged merchant-looking man, but his cultivation level was impossible to discern.

At this moment, someone asked, "The Immortal Demon Lord should be dead by now, right?"

"Since that Demon Lord is said to be immortal, he is naturally not so easy to kill. With the Demon Lord's rebirth, this world is likely to be in turmoil."

Chen Ming couldn't help but glance at the "Mingfeng Sword" on the table, thinking to himself, "This Demon Lord has been suppressed by my divine weapon."

Suddenly, someone said, "Nonsense! That Undying Demon Lord has always been suppressed atop Mount Tianji, guarded by powerful figures from the Six Doors and the Heavenly Dao Alliance. How could he possibly have gone to Jiangzhou?"

The merchant was about to retort when he turned around and saw that the speaker was wearing the official robes of the Six Doors. His expression immediately changed, "It is a lowly person who is talking nonsense."

After saying that, he stood up and left.

He was in business, so naturally he couldn't afford to offend the Six Doors (a powerful organization in China).

The fifth-rank inspector from the Six Doors refused to back down, saying, "Stop! Did I say you could leave? You dare to spread rumors and maliciously slander the Six Doors here. Come with me."

The middle-aged merchant's face darkened. "Sir, I'm innocent..."

The fifth-rank inspector stepped forward and grabbed his shoulder, sneering, "Come back to the yamen with me and we'll talk!"

"stop!"

Just then, a loud shout came from the crowd, and a young man in black stepped forward, indignantly rebuking, "What a show of official arrogance! He's just drunk and spouting some rumors, what law has he broken? You're going to arrest him!"

"In broad daylight, under the clear sky, you dare to frame people and arrest them arbitrarily just because you're a member of the Six Doors? Is there no law left?"

This young man in black was simply dressed, yet he commanded respect and exuded an imposing aura.

"Exactly, why are you arresting him?"

"Are you from the Six Doors not allowed to criticize us?"

"It's because there are too many people like you in the Six Doors that the world has been ruined!"

"..."

Many people present also expressed their sympathy for the middle-aged merchant.

The fifth-rank inspector's face turned ashen. He drew his sword and roared, "What, are you planning a rebellion?"

The voices of those present momentarily fell silent.

The man in black showed no fear, sneered, and thrust out his sword.

Before the fifth-rank inspector could react, he was sent flying and fell to the ground, his knife broken in two.

"it is good!"

A deafening roar of cheers erupted from the crowd.

The young man in black said arrogantly, "Today is just to teach you a lesson. If you dare to bully others again in the future, I will take your dog's life! Get lost!"

Not far away, Chen Ming watched the scene and felt that something was not quite right.

Why does it seem like the Six Doors are the vulnerable group here?

P.S.: It's almost the end of the month, please vote with your monthly tickets.

(End of this chapter)