Da Xuan Martial Saint

South City District.

Ninth District.

In a tavern located on the main street, the place was teeming with people and bustling with activity. The first floor was almost fully packed, and even the elegant seats and private rooms on the second floor were half-occupied, mostly by individuals in long robes, quietly eating and drinking.

This tavern had only opened two months ago, but due to its prime location in the center of the marketplace, with a heavy flow of pedestrians and a stark contrast to the nearby alleys where rubbish was piled up, along with the lack of any gang members coming here to cause trouble, the business had thrived, attracting full houses daily.

Such a flourishing business.

Yet, no local gangs or powers had the audacity to target it, not even to extort any 'protection fees' or 'operating fees.' Nobody had even shown up to do so. Even on occasions when incense masters or deputy gang leaders from the Red Gold Gang came to dine, they treated the tavern shopkeeper with courtesy, without any of the usual arrogance or rudeness.

What's more, the local constables would patrol the area around the tavern, intentionally or otherwise, their gazes sharp, almost as if they were eagerly waiting for someone to cause trouble so they could jump in and arrest them on the spot.

To have such a business without any backing was naturally impossible.

Every time people looked at this thriving tavern from afar, they couldn't help but exclaim that Butcher Zhang had stepped in dog shit luck.

He was merely a butcher by trade, with an ordinary wife, but he had a nephew who soared through the ranks at a young age, successively holding the positions of Head Constable, Prefecture Chief, and later moving to the Inner City to join the Demon-Slaying Office—a figure beyond the common man's wildest dreams.

Although Chen Mu did not care much for Butcher Zhang's family, favoring his third aunt Chen Hong a little more, the consequent surge in his status had brought various local gentry and powers to actively seek connections with Butcher Zhang.

In just a few short years.

Butcher Zhang's family had acquired properties, moved to better residences, and two months earlier had even opened this tavern, transforming from a pig-slaughtering butcher to a wealthy tavern owner overnight, a world of difference indeed.

In a room at the farthest end of the second floor of the tavern, there was a table piled with ledgers. Behind the ledgers, a woman was hunched over, her brows slightly furrowed, meticulously tallying every entry in the books.

Compared to several years ago, Zhang Youying's face had lost all its childishness.

She precisely recorded each entry in the ledger, calculated them with an abacus, and then took up the brush to transcribe everything meticulously.

Suddenly.

The sound of firecrackers burst forth outside the tavern, crackling endlessly in a jubilant and lively cacophony, the noisy sound intruding into the small room and disturbing Zhang Youying's thoughts, interrupting her calculations. She put down her brush and looked outside.

Just then, a servant boy with a beaming face ascended the stairs, so she promptly asked him,

"What's happening outside, is someone getting married?"

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In those days, firecrackers were considered a luxury item that ordinary folks could not afford. Usually, they would knock on bamboo sections instead. Anyone able to afford so many firecrackers was likely a major household in the Ninth District if it were for a wedding.

At this moment, the servant boy, face flushed with excitement, seized the brief lull in the fireworks to say, "It's great news! I heard it's Lord Chen, the relative of our boss, who has been promoted to the position of the Metropolitan Commander of the Inspectorate! Boss Zhang has brought many firecrackers to set off outside. It might take half an hour to finish them all.

I wonder how high-ranking that Metropolitan Commander must be..."

Upon hearing the servant boy's words, Zhang Youying froze on the spot.

Metropolitan Commander of the Inspectorate...

While the little servant might not understand the full meaning, she had an inkling. That was a new office set up in the Inner City by a significant figure from the State Government Office. Its authority and status were now even higher than that of Yu City's City Lord.

A Metropolitan Commander of the Inspectorate was a position of great power and authority within the Inspectorate, incomparable to any ordinary Prefecture Chief. The gap between them could not be measured even in the slightest.

The role was of such stature and held such sweeping powers that almost all matters within the entire Yu City and Yu County could be overseen, and even the Yu County's City Lord and Prefectural Governor might have to step aside.

It was truly one of the top positions in Yu City.

He...

Chen Mu...

Had he really reached such heights?

Although, ever since Chen Mu's meteoric rise from Head Constable to Prefecture Chief to joining the Demon-Slaying Office, many people said that his future would be extraordinary, she never doubted it, but Metropolitan Commander of the Inspectorate... How many years had it been?

Zhang Youying looked back at the pile of ledgers somewhat blankly.

Nowadays, it seemed she too had gotten what she wished for, working on the accounts every day without worrying about living expenses, but for some reason, an ineffable emotion surged in her heart.

What,

had she missed out on?

...

Yu County.

North of Jingyu County.

Amid the dense forest, a group of people clumsily dragged out a huge beast with crimson hide, a monstrous bull, from the woods and then busied themselves cutting down trees to build a makeshift cart.

In front of the massive corpse of the monstrous bull, Xue Lin, clad in the uniform of the Deputy Governor of the Demon-Slaying Office, stood tall, his clothes spotted with blood, yet his face bore a faint smile.

This monstrous bull was no ordinary creature; it was nearly Fourth Rank!

This was his first kill of a 'Fourth Rank' demon since his promotion to Deputy Governor of the Demon-Slaying Office. Although the term 'Fourth Rank' might need the qualifier 'almost,' it was undeniably a level beyond the Third Rank.

Being able to kill that demon was indeed partly due to a large number of Demon-Slaying Office personnel joining forces to besiege it, but it was more so because Xue Lin himself had taken a major step forward in the path of Martial Arts. He had finally comprehended the 'Separating Fire' Artistic Conception and was ultimately able to slay it!

"Upon returning to Yu City this time, my lord might be able to remove the 'deputy' title and ascend to the full rank of Metropolitan Commander,"

A White-Clothed Guard from the Xue Family, with a hint of reverence in his eyes, couldn't help but speak out and flatter him.

Xue Lin gave a light smile and said, "That's hard to say. As it stands, all three positions of Metropolitan Commander in the Demon-Slaying Office are filled, and no one seems to be stepping down anytime soon. Although I have comprehended the Separating Fire Artistic Conception, it would be difficult to create an additional position for a Metropolitan Commander."

"Whether a new position is created or not, it's only temporary. With my lord's talent and prowess, looking across all of Yu County, apart from the disciples of the Four Great Sects, nobody among the younger generation can compare. It's only a matter of time before you are promoted to Metropolitan Commander," another White-Clothed Guard by his side chimed in.

"Hmm."

Xue Lin nodded slightly.

There's only a difference of one character between a Deputy Governor and a Governor, but the disparity in both status and other areas is significant. In the Demon-Slaying Office, there are some particularly precious items that even a Deputy Governor with enough merit can't exchange for, while only a full Metropolitan Commander has the privilege to do so.

For him, now that he had mastered the Separating Fire Artistic Conception, once his Body Tempering Method improved further, advancing to Major Achievement in Bone Tempering and eventually reaching Perfection, ascending to the full position of Metropolitan Commander was indeed just a matter of time.

Even more so.

In the future, there might even be a chance to vie for the position of Bureau Head of the Demon-Slaying Office, a key role that linked the Seven Profound Sect with Yu County, traditionally held by an appointee from within the Sect.

However, if his talents were sufficient, and he managed to step into the Realm of the Five Viscera, drawing some attention from the Seven Profound Sect, it might not be impossible for him to hold that position. And then, the influence of the Xue Family would grow even further.

Xue Lin felt extraordinarily content for a moment as he looked up at the azure sky, only to find his thoughts wandering to another person.

Chen Mu.

It was strange to think about it. He had never looked at that person properly before, nor had he taken him seriously, considering him just another one of Xu Hongyu's 'underlings', much like Ning He. Knowing that he didn't care much for Xu Hongyu herself, let alone her followers.

Who would have thought that during the major demon disturbance, the unremarkable Chen Mu would suddenly display the ability of an Artistic Conception? Although the major event of the four sects settling in Yu County didn't cause much attention, it did make him furrow his brows in concern.

Because

At that time, he hadn't yet grasped any Artistic Conception.

So much so that he felt someone might compare Chen Mu with him to evaluate who the true genius of Yu County's younger generation was. Even though he didn't think he was weaker than Chen Mu, with his step into the Bone Tempering Realm, without the mastery of an Artistic Conception, it lacked conviction.

Moreover, thinking back to their previous encounters, where Chen Mu had the unremarkable appearance of an underling standing beside Ning He, suddenly becoming someone who could be compared with him, also troubled his mind.

But now, he had finally comprehended the Separating Fire Artistic Conception. With the Artistic Conception in his grasp, compounded with the cultivation of the Bone Tempering Realm, the position of the number one among the young generation in Yu County could no longer be shaken by anyone. Only disciples of the Four Great Sects could contend with him.

Now,

Xue Lin's heart was completely at ease, and the previous annoyance had completely dissipated.

However, just as the group of people chopped down trees to make a simple cart frame to place the enormous bull demon's body and prepared to bring it back to the nearest Jingyu County for disposal, a figure suddenly came running from afar toward them.

"Hmm?"

When Xue Lin saw the person approaching, his gaze flickered slightly. It was one of their family's men, not belonging to the Demon-Slaying Office, responsible for relaying intelligence. His current haste made one wonder what had happened.

The group temporarily halted their cart frame.

Soon, the Xue Family's intelligence runner approached Xue Lin, his eyes still bearing a hint of shock, and said, "My lord, there is news from Yu City. The former White-Clothed Guard of the Demon-Slaying Office, Chen Mu, has been promoted to Inspector of the Inspectorate, and a new 'Metropolitan Commander' position has been created within the Demon-Slaying Office, which he will concurrently hold!"

What the hell?

Xue Lin was momentarily stunned.

Rising from a White-Clothed Guard of the Demon-Slaying Office to become an Inspector of the Inspectorate was already a leap of several ranks, almost ludicrous, and to specially create a new position of Metropolitan Commander within the Demon-Slaying Office for Chen Mu... had he acknowledged the Capital Supervisor Yan Jingqing as his godfather?!

"Impossible!"

"Absolutely impossible!"

The White-Clothed Guard beside him furrowed his eyebrow and said, "Chen Mu of the Yu Family does have some talent and capability, but to be promoted to Deputy Governor of the Demon-Slaying Office was already a stretch, let alone hold the position of Inspector and Metropolitan Commander concurrently – it's completely preposterous!"

The scout took a deep breath in that moment, calming down from the rush of his journey, stole a glance at Xue Lin with his odd expression, but still said, "The City Lord said, Chen Mu is mature beyond his years, extremely forbearing, and acts in a steady and decisive manner.

Given that he has stepped into the Bone Tempering Realm and mastered both the Xun Wind and Thunderbolt Artistic Conceptions, his cultivation has clearly been fruitful, yet he's always remained unassuming. If not for the He Family repeatedly provoking him, forcing him to act, perhaps to this day, his true depth would still be unknown.

It's a pity that our Xue Family didn't foresee this and recruit him under our banner..."

As these words fell,

There was a sudden silence all around.

The gathered White-Clothed Guards and the Xue Family's elite troops all looked at each other in disblief as if they were hearing a myth.

Bone Tempering? Wind Thunder Artistic Conception?

Wasn't it said that this person came from the lower class, only beginning to practice Martial Arts in his twenties, and it had been merely four or five years? If it was true that in just such a short period, he had cultivated to this extent... then what kind of monster was this person!