A person sacrifices himself to become a saint in a chaotic world of martial arts.

Chapter 146 Banquet

A night breeze blew in, and a few grains of ashes from the incense burner floated up before settling back down.

The news of Su Bai's arrival at his post leaked out from the back gate of the county government office at 3:45 PM.

By the time of You Shi (5-7 PM), everyone of any standing in Qingyuan County had heard of the new Chief Envoy's name.

After nightfall, even the storytellers in the teahouses would casually mention "this Lord Su, and so on."

Even though they hadn't even seen what the person looked like.

What truly spread throughout the city was not his name, but his age.

"In his early twenties." The person who said this lowered his voice, but his eyes shone.

"Nonsense!" The listener slammed his teacup on the table.

"The county magistrate's son heard it from his father himself, how could it be false?"

Speculation ensued. Some said he was the nephew of some high-ranking official in the prefectural city, sent down to gain experience.

Some say he has a much stronger backer. Others say he's just a scapegoat, and the real person in charge is hiding behind the scenes.

Many people have inquired about it.

Anyone who could even remotely connect with the situation wanted to extract something useful from the Zhenfu Division.

All that was known was that the new chief inspector had shown up on the street that afternoon, and then never came out again.

The Blood Blade Gang in the west of the city had the best information.

The main hall was located on Old Locust Tree Street in the west of the city. The storefront was a general store, and the proper place was in the three courtyards behind it.

At this moment, inside the side room of the courtyard, four or five people were sitting around an eight-immortal table. On the table were peanuts and liquor, but no one touched them.

Master Xi didn't reply, but just held the wine cup and slowly took a sip.

The one who asked the question was a young man with a pointed face and monkey-like features. Seeing that Master Xi did not answer, he leaned forward and said, "I heard that guy is only in his early twenties. So young, can he hold his own? We'll meet this afternoon..."

"What this afternoon?" Master Xi put down his wine cup and raised his eyelids.

The young man couldn't finish his sentence.

Master Xi slammed his wine cup on the table: "What happened this afternoon, you all better keep it to yourselves. From now on, when you see that person, take a detour and address him politely as 'Lord Su,' understand?"

"Understood, understood." The group nodded hurriedly.

After everyone had left, Master Xi leaned back in his chair.

He raised his hand and touched the old scar on his brow bone.

That scar was left in the prefectural city ten years ago. Back then, he was young and impetuous and almost lost his life there. The lesson he learned was that some people's true character cannot be judged by their appearance.

That afternoon, the boy faced them alone, his face devoid of any extra expression.

That wasn't just reckless daring; he genuinely didn't take them seriously.

He was a young man around twenty years old, with an unfamiliar face but an extraordinary demeanor.

He's not stupid.

Master Xi can only feel fortunate now.

At 3:45 PM, the moon had just passed over the wall in the backyard of the county government office.

The courtyard was small, paved with blue bricks, with a few clumps of grass growing from the cracks between the bricks. Su Bai stood in the center of the courtyard and began his cultivation as usual.

He closed his eyes.

The moonlight shone down from above, casting a thin layer of silvery white on him.

It was very quiet around, so quiet that you could hear the chirping of insects in the corner of the wall, one chirp after another; you could also hear the sound of the night watchman striking his clapper from several streets away.

He didn't move. Half an hour had passed since he stopped standing there.

During those two quarters of an hour, his breathing was even and clear, and the rise and fall of his chest was barely noticeable.

After a long while, Su Bai opened his eyes.

He slowly drew the sword from his waist.

The sword was drawn from its sheath, the sound of metal rubbing together was extremely faint, and moonlight flowed across the blade.

He didn't deliberately exert his internal energy; he simply held the sword and, following the feeling from the sword strike that afternoon, gently thrust it out.

The sword's edge sliced ​​through the air, bringing with it a faint, almost imperceptible coolness.

It wasn't the inherent chill of the swordplay, but something else—something more natural and expansive, like the cold that rushes in when you open a window in winter—no hostility, but no one can stop it.

Su Bai flicked his wrist, the sword turned horizontally, and he took his second step.

With each step, a faint wisp of white mist rose from where the sole of the shoe touched the blue brick. This sword strike was even slower than before.

So slow that you could see the trail the sword tip traced in the moonlight—a curved silver line that lingered for a moment in the night before disappearing; so slow that you could feel the slight resistance as the sword's blade sliced ​​through the air.

But the chill intensified, spreading from a thin line to a thick blanket.

The air within three feet of him began to distort slightly. Moonlight shone in, held up by the coolness, and condensed into a faint halo around him.

third step.

Step 4.

With each step, the foot lands in the exact same spot as before.

The sword moves became slower and slower, but the sword intent grew stronger and stronger.

When the eighteenth sword was delivered, Su Bai suddenly felt that the world around him had changed—not that it had actually changed, but that he could "see" it.

The moonlight wasn't a single beam, but rather strands of light hanging down from the sky.

The shadow of the old locust tree in the yard was not a black mass, but rather a mixture of varying shades of ink.

He saw his breath condense into a very faint white mist in the air, and every wisp of mist carried the trajectory of the flow of true energy within his body.

And a sword.

The sword in his hand was no longer a sword; it was a chilling aura emanating from his grasp.

There was no boundary between him and that chill; when he moved, the chill moved; when he thought, the chill would take him to the place he wanted to go.

Su Bai stopped at the starting stance of the nineteenth sword.

He didn't move, and neither did his sword.

But the chill in the courtyard was still spreading, and a very thin layer of frost had condensed on the tips of the grass leaves in the corner.

Frost Sword Technique, perfected; comprehended the Frost Sword Intent.

It wasn't through sacrifices or shortcuts; Su Bai achieved this through his own hard work, sword by sword.

From the very first sword strike to the completion of these eighteen strikes, everything unfolded naturally.

He could even feel that the flow of true energy within his body had changed, becoming more harmonious and condensed.

Su Bai opened his eyes and gently exhaled.

The breath shot out in a straight line, three feet away, and when it hit the base of the wall, it punched a hole in the bricks.

This is the manifestation of true qi being condensed to its extreme.

True Qi.

Su Bai slowly clenched his fist.

He didn't move, but the air around him was slightly distorted. This was an unusual phenomenon caused by the resonance between the true qi in his body and the true qi on his body surface. It was a sign that only those in the True Qi Realm could have.

He raised his other hand, pointed his fingers like a sword, and gently slashed at the old locust tree three zhang away.

With a hiss, a branch three feet away fell to the ground.

A thin layer of frost covered the broken edge.

The sword energy emanates outwards, condensing without dissipating.

Su Bai stood still, mentally reviewing the process of his breakthrough.

The perfection of the Frost Sword Technique was the starting point; that touch of frost essence triggered changes in the internal energy, and the condensation of that energy, in turn, touched upon something else—

He turned slightly to the side and activated the Dragon Roar and Tiger Howl Iron Shirt technique.

The internal energy flowed to the surface of the body, merging with the newly formed true qi, emitting a very low hum.

The buzzing sound was very soft, but the power it contained was more than twice as strong as before.

He could feel that layer of true energy becoming more solid amidst the buzzing sound.

Significant progress is imminent.

It wasn't obtained through sacrifice; it was the foundation of the Golden Bell Shield combined with this breakthrough that pushed it forward.

He could feel that protective layer was right beneath his skin, and he could activate it at any time.

Su Bai stood still, letting the moonlight shine on him.

The breakthrough came suddenly, but upon closer reflection, it wasn't entirely unexpected.

He has never slacked off in his cultivation these days, and has already laid a solid foundation; he is just waiting for an opportunity.

He had already grasped the true essence of the Frost Sword Technique; tonight he was simply following that path.

He took less than a month to go from the True Qi Realm to the True Gang Realm.

At the mid-to-late stage of the True Qi Realm at the age of twenty-two, he could already be called a "prodigy" in Fengshan.

He is twenty years old this year and is in the early stage of the True Qi Realm.

If he wanted, he could have his name submitted tomorrow, and it would appear at number twenty-one on the rookie list next month.

This is the most conservative estimate, because the rookie rankings also depend on win-loss record, and he is a newcomer with no win-loss record available.

But if a real fight breaks out, many of those ahead of him in line will probably have to move up in the standings.

Boom, boom, boom.

After the three sounds, the night grew even deeper.

Su Bai walked to the bedside and lay down.

The bed was hard and the mattress was thin, but when he lay down, there was a slight creaking sound under his body, and then there was no more movement.

Tomorrow I have to go to the county government office to report for duty and meet those people who are waiting to see how deep he is.

The news had spread; the entire Qingyuan County knew that a chief envoy in his early twenties had arrived. Some were waiting to see him make a fool of himself, some were waiting to test his abilities, and others were waiting to—

At the most bustling intersection in Dongshi, Qingyuan County, Qingfeng Tower stands alone with its three stories, flying eaves and bracket sets, making it the preferred venue for banquets for the county's high-ranking officials and dignitaries.

This entire building has been booked out today.

The sun was setting in the west, and a sudden autumn breeze was blowing.

Two men in brocade robes strolled to the door, where they were stopped by two men in black.

"Qingfeng Tower is not accepting outside guests today."

The man in brocade robes leading the way frowned, and his servant immediately stepped forward: "Do you know who this is? The younger brother of the East Market Inspector! Whose people are you working for, that you don't even give the Inspector any face?"

The black-clad policeman remained expressionless and motionless.

The man in brocade robes sneered and reached out to push the door open.

The door opened a crack, and he peeked inside—

The lobby on the first floor was packed with people.

At the table by the window, seven or eight burly men with iron badges hanging from their waists were talking and laughing in hushed tones. On the table were the tokens of the Blood Blade Gang.

At a nearby table, several merchants dressed in brocade robes were playing with jade thumb rings; they were members of the Chamber of Commerce Alliance.

Further inside, the servants of the four major families were gathered in their respective places, their clothing and cuffs clearly distinguished.

They toasted each other with smiles on their faces, but when their eyes met, the coldness between them could be felt from a distance.

At the four corners of the hall, the constables of the Zhenfu Division stood with their hands on their swords.

The man in brocade turned and left, his pace more than ten times faster than when he arrived.

The largest private room on the top floor was brightly lit.

A young man sat in the main seat, dressed in the fish-scale robe of the chief clerk of the Zhenfu Division, with a silver badge hanging from his waist. He had a handsome face and gentle eyes.

He held a wine glass, smiling as he looked at everyone at the table. He was none other than the newly appointed Chief Envoy, Su Bai.

To his left sat a group of officers and deputy officers from the Zhenfu Division.

Wang Muzhi sat in the second seat, a smile on his face, but he gripped the celadon wine cup in his hand tightly.

On the right are representatives of various forces.

The person who came from the Wei family was Wei Anjing, the clan elder;

The person from the Wu family who came was the chief accountant;

The person from the Wan family was in charge of foreign affairs.

The shopkeeper from the Xie family came;

The man from the Iron Palm Clan was a middle-aged man with hands that were a size larger than average.

The Blood Blade Gang member who arrived was a lean, elderly man with deep-set eyes and a sharp gaze.

Those who came were all ordinary elders or managers from the gang; the top leader didn't come, and not even the second-in-command did.

"Chief Constable Su is young and promising. The stability of Qingyuan County in the future will depend on him!" Wei Anjing raised his glass.

Su Bai raised his glass in greeting: "Elder Wei, you flatter me. I am new here and would appreciate your guidance."

"Haha, Mr. Su, you're too kind!" The Wu family's chief accountant also raised his glass. "To be able to manage a region at such a young age, your future is limitless!"

Su Bai returned the toasts one by one, emptying his cup in one gulp.

Steward Wan laughed and said, "General Manager Su has quite the capacity for alcohol!"

"How could I refuse such kindness from you all?" Su Bai said with a smile, his gaze slowly sweeping over everyone's faces. "I will rely on your continued support in Qingyuan County. Come, let me toast you all!"

Cups were clinked, laughter filled the air, and the atmosphere was one of joy and harmony.

Wang Muzhi held his wine glass, a smile on his face, but inside he felt like he had swallowed a piece of raw iron.

His gaze swept across the faces of the representatives, and with each face he passed, his heart sank a little lower.

The eighth elder of the Wei family.

Blood Blade Gang Elders—a row of elders who don't even make it into the top ten.

Wu Family Accountant, Wan Family Steward, Xie Family Manager, Ordinary Hall Master of the Iron Palm Gang —

This is a welcome banquet for the head of the Zhenfu Division.

This was the first encounter between the various factions in Qingyuan County and the newly appointed chief inspector.

Are these the people who came?

This is outrageous!

He looked at Su Bai.

Su Bai was chatting and laughing with Wei Anjing, his brows and eyes relaxed, showing no sign of anything amiss.

The light shone on his face, making his eyes appear crystal clear.

A complex mix of emotions welled up in Wang Muzhi's heart—anger, frustration, and a touch of unspeakable disappointment.

He recalled the time when the chief clerk was still around.

Back then, when the people of the four great families met the envoys of the Zhenfu Division, weren't they all very polite to them?

During holidays and festivals, gift lists must be carefully considered.

When the boss picked up his teacup, everyone in the room put down their wine glasses.

When the boss coughs, all those so-called big shots have to listen attentively.

Although it was just a polite formality, when it came to key interests, those gangs and families wouldn't give the Zhenfu Division any face.

But at least it looks better on the surface.

Later, the old boss was killed, and the new one—

Wang Muzhi raised his head and looked at Wei Anjing opposite him. The old man was smiling and talking to the Wan family steward, glancing over in their direction out of the corner of his eye before looking away.

He glanced at his colleagues. Deputy Constable Song's face was ashen, and his chopsticks were clenched so tightly they made a soft cracking sound. The other young constables couldn't suppress the anger in their eyes.

Only Su Bai was still smiling.

Wang Muzhi's disappointment slowly sank to the bottom. He picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

Wei Anjing toasted Su Bai with another cup of wine, and exchanged a glance with the Wan family steward as he sat down.

Steward Wan leaned closer and whispered, "How is it?"

Wei Anjing stroked his beard, his smile unchanged: "Just as I thought, a child."

The two raised their glasses and each took a sip, their smiles deepening.

Dolls are great.

Dolls are easy to manipulate, easy to fool, and easy to deal with.

Wei Anjing felt much more at ease.

I can go back and report to a mere brat; he's nothing to worry about.

As he was thinking, the door to the private room was pushed open.

The newcomer was a man in his thirties, with a burly build and a golden knife hanging at his waist.

He strode in, his boots clattering on the floor.

Two attendants followed behind him, carrying a brocade box.