"Damn."
Jun Wushang stood there as if struck by lightning, then turned ecstatic. "You damn well finally came to your senses."
He had warned "Wei Qing" many times. Aside from Uncle Wei Yuan, everyone else in the Wei family was a den of jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards.
But that fool "Wei Qing" was always hung up on blood ties and family affection, yielding again and again.
And what came of it? He had been nailed alive into a coffin.
In Jun Wushang's eyes, "Wei Qing" being harmed this time could be considered a blessing in disguise. He had been given a new lease on life.
Hmm... No, that wasn't right...
"Wait..." Jun Wushang's Adam's apple bobbed as he asked excitedly, "You... broke through to the Eighth-grade Martial Artist realm?"
Wei Qing looked at Jun Wushang with a faint smile. "With a reaction this slow, you make me wonder whether the Heavenly Realm Division's assessment was watered down."
"I passed on my own strength, all right?"
"By the way, that poisonous woman Liu Ru reported your death to the Heavenly Realm Division. She wants Wei Lin to take your slot as an intern Garrison Commander."
"Don't worry. She's destined to be disappointed."
A cold glint flashed across the corner of Wei Qing's eye.
If not for Wei Yuan's sudden rise, the Wei family might still have been living from one meal to the next.
Just as the two were preparing to return to the Heavenly Realm Division, a hurried succession of footsteps rang out.
"First Young Master, you... you..."
When the head of the manor guards, Chen Dong, saw Wei Qing standing alive and well before him, his voice trembled uncontrollably.
"What about me?"
"Commander Chen, you seem rather surprised to see me alive, don't you?"
"N-No... no, First Young Master." Chen Dong's gaze darted away. "I'll go inform Second Master right away."
Wei Qing's voice turned cold. "Father has only been missing for two months. How is it that I didn't know the Wei Manor had changed its master?"
"When did the Wei Manor's guards become the second branch's dogs?"
"First Young Master, please mind your words. Otherwise..."
Smack!
Chen Dong's vision blurred. His entire body was sent flying more than ten meters by a single slap, and his back crashed through the blue-brick wall of the side courtyard with a boom. A mouthful of blood sprayed out.
He stared at Wei Qing in disbelief.
He was a peak Ninth-grade Martial Artist, yet he could not withstand even one move.
If he remembered correctly, before Wei Qing's accident, he had only been a mid-level Ninth-grade Martial Artist.
When he saw clearly that the energy around Wei Qing's body had faintly formed a vortex, this was clearly...
"An Eighth-grade Martial Artist." Chen Dong was aghast.
The other guards' legs trembled, and fear filled their eyes.
Standing where Chen Dong had been, Wei Qing disdainfully shook his hand, as if some filthy thing had dirtied it.
"Back then, if not for my father, you would have starved to death on the streets. Without him, the enormous Wei Manor would never have let a Ninth-grade Martial Artist like you serve as head of the guards."
"Is this how you repay my father's kindness?"
Faced with the question, a trace of guilt passed through Chen Dong's eyes. "I betrayed First Master. Young Master, I'll accept whatever punishment you give me."
"Everything my father bestowed upon you, I'll reclaim on his behalf today. From this day forth, neither you nor I will owe the other anything."
"Young Master..."
Understanding the meaning behind Wei Qing's words, Chen Dong abruptly raised his head and tried to beg for mercy.
The next moment, a heavy blow struck his abdomen. A faint hiss came from his dantian, and the energy he had cultivated for years began to scatter wildly.
Chen Dong cried out in terror, "No... don't..."
"Kneel here. Before I return, anyone who dares to stand—die!"
The other guards' faces went deathly pale. With a series of thuds, they knelt one after another in a straight line.
The Heavenly Realm Division.
"Madam Liu, for Wei Yuan's sake, I'll let this pass just this once. Don't let there be a next time!" A trace of displeasure flashed through Zhou Cang's eyes.
"Thank you, Commander Zhou."
Seeing that the other party had relented regarding the arrangements for Wei Qing's corpse, Liu Ru's tightly strung heart finally relaxed.
"I wonder about my son joining the Heavenly Realm Division?"
"His cultivation does meet the requirements. According to the Heavenly Realm Division's rules, he also meets the conditions for inheritance."
At those words, the smile at the corner of Wei Lin's mouth was almost impossible to suppress.
The Heavenly Realm Division's supplementary admissions were divided into two types.
The first was the inheritance system. Whenever a Garrison Commander died, his descendants could inherit his quota in the Heavenly Realm Division. If he had no direct descendants, one person could be selected from the clan to inherit it.
The second was the recruitment system. Every year, the Heavenly Realm Division held examinations in the prefectures of every province throughout Great Zhou, incorporating those who passed into the Heavenly Realm Division.
A smile spread into the corners of Liu Ru's eyes, and she gave a light cough.
"Thank you, Uncle Zhou."
Wei Lin hurriedly stepped forward and bowed.
But Zhou Cang raised a hand to stop him. This Earth-rank Garrison Commander had a stern expression as he tapped his knuckles against the desk. "Within the Heavenly Realm Division, use official titles."
"Someone come."
"Present."
Wei Qing had just arrived outside the door. He hurriedly stopped the Garrison Commander on duty and stepped onto the threshold.
Zhou Cang's body abruptly stiffened. The official document in his hand fell to the floor with a smack. Slowly raising his eyes, he fixed the raptor-like gaze on the figure at the doorway.
"Crack—"
The teacup in Liu Ru's hand smashed onto the floor, and shattered porcelain mixed with tea splashed across her skirt.
Wei Lin collapsed directly onto the floor. A pale-yellow puddle slowly spread beneath his trouser legs, and the fingertip he pointed at Wei Qing trembled uncontrollably. "A ghost... It's a ghost..."
"If you're not dead, then get in here." Zhou Cang's rebuke sounded as harsh as ever, but an almost imperceptible delight flashed through his eyes. "The threshold of the Heavenly Realm Division isn't yours to step on."
Wei Qing was taken aback. This familiar manner of scolding was exactly like that of the Dragon Group's chief instructor in his previous life.
In front of others, he spoke the harshest words.
Behind their backs, he silently cared for every member of the Dragon Group.
A smile touched Wei Qing's lips. He stepped into the inner hall, with Jun Wushang close behind.
Seeing this, Liu Ru swiftly reined in her emotions. Her eyes reddened, and she hurried over to Wei Qing with tears in them. "Oh, Qing'er, it's wonderful that you're all right. If your elder brother knew—"
"Ptui, ptui, ptui! Look at Second Aunt, what an awful mouth I have. I really shouldn't have said that."
Liu Ru raised a hand as if to slap her own mouth, but the hand stopped in midair. She turned her head and called out, "Xiao Lin... Oh dear, what's wrong with you, child?"
"Just look at how useless you are!"
"Qing'er, Auntie will take him back right now and have your Second Uncle teach him a proper lesson. You carry on."
Liu Ru hurried forward and helped Wei Lin up. Mother and son fled the inner hall as if escaping for their lives.
Jun Wushang frowned. "You're letting them off just like that?"
"Let them off? How could I?"
"Don't you think killing them with one stroke would be letting this family off too easily?" A wicked smile lifted the corner of Wei Qing's mouth.
Jun Wushang's eyes immediately lit up. "Heh heh, remember to call me when the time comes."
"As for Qingzi's affairs, you can decide for yourself."
A trace of gratification flashed through Zhou Cang's eyes. The Wei Qing before him gave him the feeling that he had grown up overnight.
Through Jun Wushang's words, he also understood the reason.
For that, he instead felt it was a good thing for Wei Qing!
Blind kindness was a fatal weakness for a Garrison Commander, and even more so for a martial artist.
Now, Wei Qing had severed it.
In the future, he was certain to go much farther.
"As for news about your father, there's no need to worry too much. Commander Dantai went personally. I imagine news will arrive before long."
"For now, go complete your advancement assessment."
Zhou Cang reached into the case files beside him and pulled out a black scroll. He flicked it toward Wei Qing. "This one."
Wei Qing's cultivation naturally had not escaped his eyes, so he immediately arranged an assessment mission for him.
"Yes."
Wei Qing caught the scroll with his right hand.
"According to intelligence, demons have appeared near Fuyun Town in Qingcheng. Their overall strength has been assessed as early Eighth-grade."
"Your assessment mission is to go to Fuyun Town and kill it."