Brother Song

"I heard about it."

"That Scholar Song was taking them down one with one strike, sending those dogs controlled by the demon cultists flying in all directions."

"That villain was beaten to death by Scholar Song after just a few strikes!"

"Scholar Song is incredible now. He's Captain Wu's favorite man."

"Hey, that's not right."

Inside the Noodle Shop.

Someone spoke up in rebuttal.

"Boss Shi, didn't you say yesterday that, among the people recruited by the Demon Suppression Division this time, Scholar Song was the one who had stepped in dog shit?"

"You said he'd fished his way into becoming a clerk for the Demon Suppression Division."

"Bullshit! Stop spreading rumors." Boss Shi's expression changed when he heard that.

He had indeed said that yesterday.

But there was no way he could admit it today.

"By the way, Hu Lu."

"What?"

Hu Lu was adding chili to his bowl. He liked plenty of chili in his noodles; otherwise, they tasted like nothing.

Someone suddenly leaned close.

"I remember that when you were joking with Scholar Song the day before yesterday, you got worked up and even wanted to hit him!"

"He's here. Are you still going to hit him later?"

As he spoke, he pointed outside.

In the distance.

A young man walked into the Noodle Shop, idly playing with an iron rod as thick as a chopstick.

Who else could it be but Song Chengan?

Hu Lu's face immediately changed.

He sprang to his feet.

"The Noodle Shop only has one door," the speaker reminded him.

Hu Lu sat back down.

The moment Song Chengan entered the Noodle Shop, the place fell silent.

Fortunately, the silence lasted only an instant before everyone resumed their lively chatter.

Still, curious gazes occasionally drifted toward Song Chengan.

"I haven't even ordered yet?"

The instant Song Chengan sat down, a bowl of noodles was placed before him.

"Brother Song, it's on me! My treat!"

Beside him.

Hu Lu stood up, clasped his hands, and forced a smile.

Hu Lu truly wished the ground would swallow him whole.

That day, he had joked about Song Chengan, so Song Chengan had joked back.

But that had struck his reverse scale. On top of that, Song Chengan had been a poor scholar and worthless gambler whom he had looked down on from the bottom of his heart, so he had lost his temper.

But thinking about it now, he was fortunate Song Chengan had not stooped to his level that day.

Otherwise, two blows would probably have beaten him to death.

He had heard about it.

Song Chengan had learned real skills and was now practically an immortal.

Song Chengan nodded at those words. "Then thank you."

"You're too polite, Brother Song!"

Hu Lu wolfed down the noodles in his bowl and slipped away as if he had oil on the soles of his feet.

Song Chengan shook his head and ignored him.

He was merely an ordinary man who drew his blade against those weaker than himself. As a cultivator, was Song Chengan really supposed to beat him up over such a trivial matter?

"Song Chengan!"

"Not bad."

"Who would have thought you had some tricks up your sleeve? The rest of us are still learning the Demon Suppression Division's rules and regulations, while you've already earned a merit."

"Brother An, why aren't you saying anything? Aren't you happy that your uncle earned merit?"

The moment Song Chengan entered the Demon Suppression Division's office.

He saw Qian Xin, Wen Chengyun, and An Mingxin.

The one speaking was naturally Qian Xin.

"Brother Song, Lord Wu asked you to see him once you arrived."

Song Chengan clasped his hands in thanks.

"Not bad. I thought it would take some time, but I didn't expect you to handle it so cleanly and decisively."

Seeing Song Chengan enter, Wu Cong said with a smile.

"Sit."

"Would you like some tea?"

"Thank you, Lord Wu!"

Wu Cong poured Song Chengan a cup of tea.

"In a while, have Advisor Song take you to the archives and help the clerks there write up the case file for this mission."

"A mission case file?"

Wu Cong chuckled. "Every mission must be recorded in exhaustive detail."

"And merit must be assessed as well."

"For this mission, you should at least be rated for Grade D upper-tier merit. The reward will be no less than one hundred and fifty Talisman Coins."

"There are Talisman Coin rewards too?"

Song Chengan was genuinely surprised to hear that.

He had thought joining the Demon Suppression Division meant receiving a fixed number of Talisman Coins every month.

"Of course. Otherwise, why would other cultivators risk their lives for the Imperial Court?"

"Could it be just for the sake of the common people?"

"Oh, and your identity badge and the rest—you should also get those from Advisor Song."

Song Chengan nodded.

This seemed pretty good.

According to the Demon Suppression Division's rules.

Spoils obtained from completed missions belonged to the individual.

Then the Demon Suppression Division would award additional Talisman Coins based on the mission.

Of course.

They belonged to the individual in name.

But in reality, one still had to show filial respect to one's immediate superior.

Song Chengan took a pill bottle, a palm-sized box, and a book from his robes.

"Lord Wu, these were obtained from that villain."

"One Marrow Cleansing Pill, one Gu Worm whose use I do not know, and a book about refining Gu Worms."

"Let me see."

"A Marrow Cleansing Pill. This is a fine thing for someone who has just begun cultivating."

"Why would Balu, a man with one foot in the grave, carry this?"

"A Spirit Gu Seed. The Southern Border Gu Tribe gives this Gu to children with cultivation aptitude. It can assist them in cultivating the Gu Tribe's unique Myriad Poison True Qi, letting them achieve twice the result with half the effort."

"A book that every child of the Miao Jiang Gu Tribe must study."

Captain Wu sank into confusion. "What was he taking these for?"

"Lord Wu truly knows much and has seen much."

"Lord Wu, do you have any younger relatives at home who might need these things?"

Song Chengan prompted.

Wu Cong laughed when he heard that. "I have no younger relatives."

"Keep these things yourself."

"From now on, keep anything you obtain yourself."

"This..."

Song Chengan froze for a moment.

Advisor Song had told him to show respect to his superior.

And Song Chengan also knew the military rules: one portion of the spoils went to the state treasury, one portion to the superior, and only what remained belonged to oneself.

But he had no reason to refuse such a good thing.

"Then this junior thanks Lord Wu!"

"Mhm." Wu Cong nodded.

"By the way, Lord Wu, I heard the Demon Suppression Division has gathered methods from across the realm, which can be exchanged for merit."

"That is true," Wu Cong said.

"But Lingqiu County is somewhat special."

"Because the Demon Suppression Division was only recently established here, no martial arts methods have been gathered here. Even if you wanted to exchange for them, you could not."

"You can only go to Taixuan Commandery."

"Taixuan Commandery?"

Taixuan Commandery.

One of Liang Province's five commanderies, and the seat of Liang Province's administration.

Lingqiu County was one of the counties under Taixuan Commandery.

"That's rather far."

The moment Song Chengan heard that, he knew there was no hope for the time being.

Even riding a fast horse from Lingqiu to Taixuan Commandery would take three days.

Besides, he did not have many merit points, so he would not consider it for now.

"Is this the place?"

Song Chengan turned his head to look.

The room was piled high with case files like mountains, and several people were bent over their desks copying.

"Is there something you need?" someone looked up and asked.

Song Chengan clasped his hands. "New recruit Song Chengan, here to record a case file."

"You're Song Chengan? Please, come in!"

The man said with a smile.

"My name is Shen Xuan."

"Brother Shen, how should this case file be handled?"

What followed was simple.

Song Chengan narrated while the young man named Shen Xuan recorded it for him.

It was quickly finished.

It was not particularly complicated. He simply had to recount the detailed course of events.

The young man wrote quickly, and Song Chengan barely had to wait.

"What is this?"

"The County Annals. Since I needed to consult some information, I borrowed it from the county office today," Shen Xuan replied after a glance.

Song Chengan was somewhat curious. "May I take a look?"

Shen Xuan smiled and nodded. "Confidential case files are not kept here. Read it if you want."

"Thank you."

With nothing else to do, Song Chengan picked up the County Annals and began reading.

Autumn, seventh year of Tianrui. Thunderstorm. Luo Village perished.

"Luo Village?"

For some reason, Song Chengan thought of Mount Luo.

"Brother Shen, this Luo Village mentioned here is?"

Shen Xuan glanced at it. "Oh, this?"

"It was a village on Mount Luo many years ago. It was wiped out in a Lightning Calamity."

"A Lightning Calamity?"

Song Chengan thought of the charred ruins and broken walls in the Monster village on Mount Luo.

"In ancient times, heaven and earth had not yet stabilized, and all manner of natural disasters occurred without end."

"Later, the Sage stabilized heaven and earth. The skies became clear and the land bright, and natural disasters grew fewer, though the occasional disaster still occurred."

"The Lightning Fire at Luo Village was one of the few natural disasters of the past several decades."

"So everyone in Luo Village died?" Song Chengan asked.

Shen Xuan nodded. "Of course."

"But why is there only one sentence in the County Annals?" Song Chengan asked, puzzled.

"I don't know about that," Shen Xuan said.

"Perhaps there was nothing worth writing."

"Song Chengan."

"You're here. Come with me and collect your identity waist token and the rest!"

At that moment, someone spoke outside the door.

Song Chengan looked up. It was Advisor Song.

"Please wait a moment, Advisor Song. I'll be right there!"

Song Chengan followed Advisor Song to collect his waist token, along with two sets of everyday clothes and one set of formal attire.