The night had not yet receded, and the morning stars were sparse.
In Ye Qingxuan's outer room, the dull sound of flesh being rubbed had long since begun. Bare-chested, he sat cross-legged, sweat winding down the gradually taking-shape ridges of his back and spreading a small patch of dark moisture across the bedboard.
That repeatedly hammered left arm had long since been tempered until its skin was exceptionally tough. Each time the cloth bundle rolled over it, the pain remained, but it was no longer the scorching, searing pain on the surface that it had been at first. Instead, it had transformed into waves of aching, tingling force that drilled straight into his bones.
Over the past few days, he had grown accustomed to this pain. He could even taste a trace of pleasure in the surging flow of his qi and blood.
Once he finished practicing the technique, the muscles in his arm had tightened like iron, and his veins bulged prominently.
The scroll in his mind unfurled on its own, and a point of light entered it.
[Merit: +1]
A warm current surged through him, scattering the fatigue throughout his body. He opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath of foul air. In the chill of early morning, that breath actually emerged as a faint white ribbon.
With a thought, the writing on the scroll in his sea of consciousness appeared clearly.
[Martial Art: Indestructible Vajra Body] [Realm: One Inch (Measure: One Inch)] [Merit: 14/15]
Only the last point of Merit remained.
Tonight, his Merit would be complete, allowing this Indestructible Vajra Body to advance another step.
He clenched his fist, and his knuckles gave a faint crack. The abundant power in his palm filled him with a certainty he had never known before.
Counting the days, today was already the ninth. The ten-day deadline given by Fierce Tiger Hall ended tomorrow.
Everything was ready.
He put on his washed and somewhat worn black uniform and pushed open the door. Ye Caiwei had already woken in the inner room and was boiling water beneath the stove. When she saw him, she crisply called, "Big Brother."
"There's meat porridge warming in the pot. Hurry and eat, Big Brother. You need to eat before going on duty."
Ye Qingxuan answered, then swallowed a bowl of hot porridge in several big gulps. Warmth spread from his stomach, and his entire body filled with strength.
When he arrived at the Fengtian Division office, the scene in the rear courtyard was different from the previous few days yet again.
That Zhang Lingxiao fellow had somehow become the center of attention in the courtyard. Four or five temporary constables of roughly his age always surrounded him, and he had clearly formed a small circle. These people no longer fought over weapons in the corners or complained about the hardships of patrolling the streets. Instead, they clustered around Zhang Lingxiao and listened to him hold forth.
"...Yesterday, my uncle took me to Hundred Arms Workshop. Master Li there personally forged me an eared-feather saber. It could cut hair as soon as it was blown against it, and cost a full thirty taels of silver! He said he'd let me use it once I became a regular constable."
Zhang Lingxiao's voice was full of ostentation. The standard short saber at his waist had long since vanished, replaced by a brand-new weapon. Its sheath was wrapped in sharkskin, and golden wire was wound around its hilt. It was extravagantly splendid.
The flatteries around him rose one after another.
"Brother Zhang, what good fortune!"
"Chief Constable Zhang really thinks highly of you!"
Beside Ye Qingxuan, Wei Datong nudged him with an elbow and curled his lips. Lowering his voice, he said, "See that? That's what you call rising to the heavens in a single bound. We're still rolling around in the mud, while he's already about to fly up onto a branch. These past few days, he's followed Chief Constable Yan around and learned who knows how many tricks. Even several regular constables treat him courteously when they see him."
Ye Qingxuan's gaze swept over the group without lingering.
In this world, there were always people who walked the broad road beneath the sun, born already among the clouds. He had his own narrow, winding path to walk. Though the road was narrow, as long as he walked it steadily, it could lead to the mountaintop all the same.
He removed his short saber and wiped it with a cloth. The saber was still the same saber, but the person was no longer the same person.
After the roll call, Chief Constable Yan came out as usual to assign duties.
"...Ye Qingxuan, Wei Datong, Xiong Tiezhu, Tiger Head Alley."
At the words "Tiger Head Alley," Wei Datong's expression changed slightly. Xiong Tiezhu also scratched his head, looking somewhat uneasy.
Tiger Head Alley was separated by only two streets from White Stone Alley, where Fierce Tiger Hall's headquarters stood, yet it was where Fierce Tiger Hall's influence ran deepest. The area was a tangled mix of dragons and snakes, filled with gambling dens, private brothels, and "stamp-money" loan-sharking lairs. It was a notorious den of filth and corruption in Linyuan Prefecture's city.
Ordinary civilians would never set foot there without serious business.
The three of them took their waist plaques and left the office. Along the way, Wei Datong appeared preoccupied.
"Why did it have to be Tiger Head Alley? That place is a powder keg. Who knows when it'll explode," he complained. "The people from Fierce Tiger Hall run wild there. Even wearing these uniforms, we might not have much authority when we go."
Ye Qingxuan said nothing and simply walked on in silence.
Before they even entered the alley, an odor mixed with cheap alcohol, sweat, and the rotting stench of a ditch rushed toward them.
The light in the alley was several shades dimmer than elsewhere. The eaves on both sides were close together, blocking most of the sky. Beneath the walls, groups of men with fierce looks squatted here and there, their shifting gazes sizing up every passerby.
The street was deserted. Only a few shops bearing the sign for pawnshops still had their doors open.
The moment the three of them entered the alley in their black uniforms, countless unfriendly gazes fell upon them. Those eyes held no awe, only scrutiny and wariness.
"Stop! You still want to run?"
A sudden shout erupted from deep within the alley, followed by the dull thuds of fists and feet and a scream.
The three exchanged glances, quickened their steps, and hurried toward the sound.
At the entrance to a courtyard, five or six men dressed in black were surrounding a middle-aged man in ragged clothes and kicking and punching him. The man clutched his head and curled into a ball on the ground, constantly wailing and begging for mercy.
The leader was a lean man with triangular eyes. He was Hu Jiudao, Duan Tianbao's trusted subordinate.
His foot pinned the middle-aged man's hand to the ground, and a cruel smile hung on his face. "Wang Laosan, you owe the Hall two taels of silver in interest. You've dragged it out for half a month, and you still dare play hide-and-seek with me? Today, I'm taking one of your legs!"
As he spoke, he raised his foot and prepared to stomp down on the man's knee.
"Stop!" Wei Datong was, after all, a constable of the Fengtian Division. His duty compelled him to shout, "The authorities are here. You may not commit violence!"
Hu Jiudao stopped. Slowly, he raised his head. His triangular eyes narrowed as they settled on Wei Datong, swept over Xiong Tiezhu, and finally fixed on Ye Qingxuan's face.
He recognized Ye Qingxuan.
"Well, well, who did I think it was? Isn't this a constable from the Fengtian Division?" Hu Jiudao removed his foot, leisurely dusted off his hands, and wore an expression full of mockery and contempt. "What, have you patrolled all the way to our Tiger Head Alley?"
The men behind him also stopped, turned around, crossed their arms, and watched with looks of anticipation.
Summoning his courage, Wei Datong stepped forward. "In broad daylight, you're beating a civilian in the street. Does Fierce Tiger Hall even have any rules?"
"Rules?" Hu Jiudao laughed, his laughter sharp. "In Tiger Head Alley, I, Hu Jiudao, am the rule! This brat owes a debt and won't repay it. I'm collecting what I'm owed—that's only natural. What, Constable, are you going to repay it for him?"
Wei Datong was rendered speechless, his face flushing crimson.
Hu Jiudao ignored him. He sauntered over to Ye Qingxuan and stopped in front of him. He was half a head shorter than Ye Qingxuan, yet he lifted his face and looked Ye Qingxuan up and down as though appraising merchandise.
"Brat, how are things with those fourteen taels of silver your family owes? Ready yet?" He leaned closer and lowered his voice, though it was still loud enough for Wei Datong and Xiong Tiezhu beside him to hear. "Tomorrow is the final day. Hall Master Duan isn't known for his patience."
Ye Qingxuan's gaze was as calm as water, without the slightest ripple.
Seeing his expression, Hu Jiudao's contempt deepened. He extended a finger and poked Ye Qingxuan in the chest.
"Don't play dumb with me. I know you've been doing pretty well at the office lately, but don't forget—you're only an unregistered temporary worker, not worth a damn. Fourteen taels of silver. Can you even produce it?"
When Ye Qingxuan still did not speak, the smile at the corner of Hu Jiudao's mouth turned vicious.
"If you can't, that's fine too." He walked a circle around Ye Qingxuan, his gaze turning toward the direction of the Southern District, his meaning unmistakable. "I hear you have a younger sister? Called... Nannan, right? Quite a pretty little thing. Our Hall happens to be short a few girls to serve tea, wash clothes, and do odd chores. If you can't repay the silver, having your younger sister come work at the Hall to pay off the debt would be one way to handle it."
The instant those words left his mouth, the air seemed to freeze.
Wei Datong and Xiong Tiezhu's expressions changed. They both knew what "working to pay off a debt" meant for a nine-year-old girl. It was the most vicious threat imaginable.
Ye Qingxuan's lowered eyelids slowly lifted.
His eyes were bottomless, like an ancient well that reflected not the slightest glimmer of light.
The qi and blood he usually kept firmly locked within his body surged uncontrollably at that moment. A chilling killing intent burst from the deepest part of his heart, breaking through the soil.
Under that gaze, Hu Jiudao felt an inexplicable jolt in his heart and instinctively retreated half a step. But then shame and fury seized him, and he thrust out his chest.
"What? Brat, you want to fight? Go ahead and try touching a single finger of mine!"
Ye Qingxuan's hand settled on the hilt at his waist. His thumb gently rubbed the cold hilt. The movement was slow, yet it caused the air around them to draw taut.
Wei Datong hurried forward and grabbed his hand, repeatedly signaling with his eyes.
Fighting the people of Fierce Tiger Hall in Tiger Head Alley was nothing but courting death.
Ye Qingxuan's fingers stopped on the hilt.
He looked at Hu Jiudao's face, filled with arrogance and smugness. His lips moved slightly as he uttered four words.
"Sorry for the trouble!"
His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached every person present. There was no anger, no fear—only a calmness bordering on cold-bloodedness.
Hu Jiudao froze for a moment, then burst into loud laughter, his laughter brimming with disdain.
"Good! You've got guts! I'll just wait and see how you avoid troubling me tomorrow!"
He waved his hand and led his men away, dragging along the middle-aged man who had been beaten half to death.
The alley fell silent once more.
Wei Datong let out a long breath, his back already drenched in cold sweat. He patted Ye Qingxuan on the shoulder, his voice trembling slightly. "Qingxuan, you... you mustn't act rashly. These people are desperadoes. We can't afford to provoke them."
Xiong Tiezhu also advised in his deep voice, "That's right, Qingxuan. A wise man doesn't fight when the odds are against him."
Ye Qingxuan did not answer.
His gaze continued to follow Hu Jiudao's departing back until the figure vanished around the bend in the alley.
He withdrew his gaze and lowered his hand from the hilt.
Tonight would be when the Indestructible Vajra Body reached the minor accomplishment of two inches.
Tomorrow would be the day everything was settled.
Before you continue