I can only beat noobs.

Chapter 206 Am I part of your PLAY?

Chen Ming and his companion traveled extremely fast, day and night. When their horses collapsed from exhaustion, they continued on foot, which was even faster than riding horses.

Two days later, Xiazhou City was already in sight.

Looking at the large city in the distance, both of them breathed a sigh of relief. They had been in such a hurry because they were worried that someone would pursue them.

For example, Xia Shaowen, and Liang Zongcheng.

Now that we've reached the vicinity of Xiazhou City, we're finally safe.

Chen Ming slowed down and asked Jiang Wushuang, who was still spotless beside him, "Brother Jiang, do you know anything about the secret realm?"

Perhaps it's because handsome people unconsciously pay more attention to their image. Jiang Wushuang traveled for two days and two nights, yet her clothes looked brand new.

This means he expended some extra energy to ensure that his body didn't get covered in dust or the like.

Chen Ming didn't have this problem; if his clothes got dirty, so be it, he could just change them later.

Jiang Wushuang looked serious, seemingly lost in thought. Hearing this, he paused for a moment, then said with some doubt, "Brother Gu should know better than I do."

The two had already discussed their ages; Gu Xianyu was two months older than Jiang Wushuang.

Chen Ming said, "To be honest, I am an illegitimate child. I was only included in the Gu family genealogy because I showed some talent. My father has always been indifferent to me and has never told me about this. As for the others, it's better not to mention them."

Jiang Wushuang was somewhat moved, "I never imagined that someone with Brother Gu's talent would be treated so coldly in the Gu family."

He found it hard to believe. Logically speaking, with Gu Xianyu's unparalleled beauty, even if Gu's father didn't take it seriously, the elders in the family should have paid close attention to it.

He paused abruptly, then began to speak of the secret realm, “There are many theories about its origin. Some say it was created by heaven and earth, while others say it was left behind by ancient powerful beings. These are difficult to verify.”

"The secret realm is a self-contained realm, each with its own unique wonders and laws. Only by obtaining the corresponding token can one enter."

"The number of people a secret realm can accommodate varies. Some are said to hold only one person, some three to five, and the largest can hold ten. Moreover, if there aren't enough people, the secret realm cannot be opened..."

Chen Ming found it increasingly strange as he listened.

This secret realm requires both cultivation level and a certain number of people. It seems like it was set up artificially.

Good grief, did I transmigrate into a game world?
No wonder killing monsters can level you up.

Jiang Wushuang continued, "I've heard that all the secret realms require at least a first-grade cultivation level to open. Moreover, only by entering a secret realm can one obtain the divine artifact that unlocks the human body's divine realm."

"Some people have speculated that perhaps the highest realm in the human world was originally the first rank. And the secret realm is a ladder to heaven left to us by the heavens."

Upon hearing this, Chen Ming's lips twitched.

Therefore, this vast world is like a starting village, and the secret realm is like a dungeon. To change your class, you can only do quests in the dungeon. Only by completing the quests can you change your class...

No, this feels too familiar.

He said with a sigh, "No wonder the aristocratic families and sects in this world have such long histories, sometimes lasting hundreds or even thousands of years. It turns out they have mastered the ladder to heaven."

It would be extremely difficult for a wild martial artist to break through to the Divine Realm.

I'll be the same way in the future!

If it's really as he thinks, requiring him to complete a job change quest to advance to the Divine Realm, then he has no choice but to complete the quest.

"Fortunately, I just made a good connection."

Chen Ming couldn't help but think of Wu Qiuyue, hoping that after she broke through to the Divine Treasure Realm, she would keep her promise and get him a spot.

Jiang Wushuang said, "Brother Gu, there's no need to worry. With your talent, even if the Gu family treats you poorly, they will still help you get the corresponding quota once you reach the first rank. Opening all five divine treasures will not be difficult."

There are actually five divine treasures?
Chen Ming was completely stunned. In other words, he needed to secure five spots?
He wasn't the real Gu Xianyu, so he dared not go to the Gu family. If those powerful experts at the Divine Realm discovered his identity, he would surely die.

……

Xiazhou City has high walls and deep walls. The walls, which are ten zhang high, are made of huge stones that are several feet square. You can see some traces of war left on them.

This is an ancient city with a long history, the kind of place that military strategists would fight over.

This city has a completely different style from Jiangzhou City, with a greater sense of history.

With the waist token of the Six Doors Inspector, Chen Ming successfully led Jiang Wushuang into the city.

As he was observing the pedestrians and buildings in the city, he heard Jiang Wushuang ask, "Brother Gu, do you have a place to stay in Xiazhou City?"

"not at all."

"Why don't you come stay at my place for a while?"

"As long as you don't mind the trouble."

So Chen Ming followed Jiang Wushuang to his home, or rather, to the house his family had purchased in Xiazhou City.

Families like the Jiang family would own property in Xiazhou City so that they would have a place to stay when they needed to come here.

This is normal; the same applies to the prominent families in Jiangzhou.

Jiang Wushuang's house looks ordinary from the outside, but once you enter, you will find that there is a whole different world inside. It is an exquisite garden, and every plant and tree is unique. It must have been arranged by a master.

You can tell from this house that he is a man of great taste.

Chen Ming was assigned to a guest room in a side courtyard. The surroundings were quiet, and it was some distance from the main courtyard, offering excellent privacy.

He was quite satisfied with the environment. After taking a bath and changing into new clothes, he sent everyone away. Then he took out the visualization diagram that Xia Shaowen had given him and hung it on the wall.

He sat down in the chair and looked at the picture.

A moment later, he felt the painting come alive again, as if it were trying to draw his mind into it.

This time, he did not resist, but instead immersed himself in the world of the painting, experiencing its unique artistic conception.

Surrounded by distant mountains, he was boating alone on the lake when a sudden downpour began. All he could see was a white curtain of rain, and a feeling of loneliness welled up in his heart, like that of an old man in a straw hat and raincoat, fishing alone on a snowy river.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but he felt himself transform into a large bird, soaring alone between heaven and earth...

……

The artistic conception in the painting recedes like the tide.

Chen Ming's consciousness returned to reality. He let out a long breath and stepped forward to put away the visualization diagram.

This realization took him several hours, and by then it was already dark.

Too much of a good thing can be bad. Be careful when contemplating and visualizing images. If you become too engrossed in them, it can affect your state of mind and even your personality.

Chen Ming opened the panel and took a look.

【Level: 70】

Current points: 155896

[Techniques: Iron Horse Stake (Fifth Level Completed), Five Elements True Skill (Missing) (Seventh Level 192134/10000000)]

Martial Arts: Three Talents Fist (Mastery), Eight Trigrams Saber Technique (Mastery), Zhuang Family Flying Knife (Mastery), Swallow Return Sword Technique (Mastery), Vermilion Bird Sword Technique (Mastery), Phoenix Dance in the Nine Heavens (Fourth Level 3277/400000), Heaven and Earth Lone Goose (Second Level 5763/2000000)

[Secret Technique: The Art of Disguise (Mastery)]

He was pleasantly surprised, "My proficiency with 'The Lonely Wild Goose in the Sky' has actually increased by more than 5,000 points."

This visualization perfectly captures the essence of this sword technique.

More than 5,000 a day, that's 150,000 a month. In just over a year, I can raise this sword technique to the second level.

This will save you a lot of experience points. Even the "Five Elements True Skill" will see a significant improvement.

"Although Xia Shaowen is a bit inhuman, he is quite generous."

Chen Ming thought that Xia Shaowen probably felt guilty, so he offered these two items to compensate him.

For the sake of this visualization, let's let him off the hook.

Just then, a thought suddenly struck him. He got up to open the door and asked, "Is Brother Jiang outside?"

Outside the courtyard, Jiang Wushuang stood holding an oil-paper umbrella. It had started raining.

He said, "Brother Gu practices so diligently, I am ashamed to admit that I am not as good as you."

Chen Ming said, "Come in and talk."

Jiang Wushuang went into the house, put away the paper umbrella. In fact, with his strength, he wouldn't get wet even without an umbrella, but he still brought one.

Seeing that he sat down but didn't speak, Chen Ming took the initiative to ask, "You didn't come here just to sit with me, did you?"

"Actually, I have a request to make."

"Don't ask for anything, just tell me. As long as it's within my power, I'll definitely help."

"Brother Gu, when you go to the Six Doors tomorrow, could you please not clarify that your marriage to Miss Xia is fake?"

"??"

Chen Ming never expected that the favor he was asked to do would be this.

Aren't he and Xia Mudan a couple?

What do you mean?
You've made me part of your PLAY game?

Your quirk is rather unique.

He said, "Isn't this inappropriate?"

Jiang Wushuang stood up and bowed deeply, "I would be grateful if Brother Gu could help me with this."

Chen Ming held his hand and helped him up, saying in a deep voice, "You have to give me a reason."

Jiang Wushuang bit her lip and said, "If you go around saying that this marriage is fake, then Madam Xia can use that as an excuse to send her to the palace. At that time, there will be no room for maneuver."

After hearing what he said, Chen Ming thought it made sense.

Xia Shaowen dared to pull off this stunt only because his wife was in seclusion. This shows that Madam Xia must be a strong woman in normal times. Once she emerges from seclusion and hears that the wedding was a sham, she might actually do something like sending her daughter to the palace.

He sighed, "But that would be too unfair to you."

Not only did the woman he loved marry another man, but now he's demanding that man continue to maintain the status of husband and wife with her.

This is too tragic.

Jiang Wushuang remained silent.

He must be heartbroken right now.

Chen Ming thought to himself, "You could have easily eloped with her."

However, he didn't say this aloud. He had inquired and learned that the Jiang family had declined for many years, but now they had finally produced a peerless genius.

Like Gu Yuantao, Jiang Wushuang takes it upon himself to revitalize his family.

On one side is the woman he loves, and on the other is his family. It's a dilemma for anyone.

Jiang Wushuang's words at this moment clearly indicate that she intends to prioritize the family.

So Chen Ming said solemnly, “Brother Jiang, I admire your magnanimity and thank you for your trust. I, Gu Xianyu, swear to heaven that I will never have any improper thoughts about Xia Mudan. If I break this vow, may I die a horrible death and my body be reduced to ashes.”

He spoke with a firm tone and made a solemn vow.

Jiang Wushuang stared at him blankly, her mouth moved slightly, but in the end she didn't say anything.

……

The next morning, Chen Ming put back on the official robes of a fifth-rank inspector of the Six Doors and went to report to the Six Doors.

Xiazhou City is divided in two by the Gan River, with one side being the east side and the other the west side.

The Six Doors government office was located in the very center of the eastern part of the city.

After Chen Ming produced the seal representing his identity, he was taken to see a first-rank military governor, who was also his superior.

It was an elderly man with gray hair who said with a smile, "Young man of the Gu family, you've finally arrived."

Chen Ming bowed meticulously, "Your subordinate Gu Xianyu greets Lord Hong."

This man, named Hong Yuze, was quite old and rumored to be someone who disliked meddling in affairs. Among the three governors of Xiazhou City, he had the lowest profile.

Since he was going to take up a post in Xiazhou City, he naturally had to find out the important figures in the Six Doors of Xiazhou City first.

It must be said that the number of experts in the Six Doors of Xiazhou City is much greater than that in Jiangzhou City.

Hong Yuze looked at him with a troubled expression and said, "Kid, you're really unlucky. Both Commanders Liu and Zhou are not here. If you want to join the army now, you can only come under my command. Otherwise, why don't you wait a few more days until they return?"

Chen Ming said, "Your subordinate is willing to serve under your command, sir."

"Haha, you're new here, so you might not know. I'm getting old and my energy is waning; I don't really like getting involved. If you're under my command, there's not much chance to make a name for yourself..."

"Your subordinate is willing to follow you, sir."

Chen Ming reiterated his stance.

Hong Yuze couldn't help but look him over a few times, a smile appearing on his face. He said, "Since that's the case, then I'll take you under my wing. From now on, when you work for me, just remember one thing: don't come looking for me for no reason. I prefer peace and quiet."

"Yes."

Chen Ming understood: don't cause trouble. If he does, the old man won't stand up for him.

Actually, he had inquired about Governor Hong's style of doing things, and now that he saw it, the rumors weren't exaggerated. He really didn't want to get involved in anything.

In folk tradition, he is known as the wooden Bodhisattva. This means that although he is high above, no matter how much you worship him, it's useless.

Seeing how sensible he was, Hong Yuze nodded in satisfaction and called over the relevant officials to inquire about any vacancies in the government office.

The official took out a prepared notebook, glanced through it for a while, and replied solemnly, "Your Excellency, the positions of inspector are now full. The only vacancies are for some positions as tomb guards, clerks, and prison wardens..."

They were all clerical or logistical positions.

To put it bluntly, this is the Six Doors' restriction on scions of aristocratic families. While they don't restrict scions of aristocratic families from entering, they don't give them the opportunity to make meritorious contributions.

In the Six Doors (a government agency), meritorious service is mainly earned by apprehending criminals. How can you earn merit by doing logistical or clerical work?
Even for noble families like the Gu family, there is no exception.

Hong Yuze remained silent, staring blankly at the ground.

Upon hearing the word "prison warden," Chen Ming quickly said, "Sir, let's go with the prison warden."

Hong Yuze seemed to snap out of a daze, yawned, and said, "Okay. You, take him to complete the formalities."

"Yes."

PS: This is to make up for yesterday's post; it's still 4,000 words.

(End of this chapter)