Indestructible Vajra Body One Inch Full, Hu Jiudao's Threat

The night had not yet fully receded, with only a few sparse morning stars visible.

In Ye Qingxuan's outer room, the dull sound of flesh rubbing against flesh had already begun. He sat cross-legged, his upper body bare, sweat tracing paths down the emerging contours of his back and soaking into the bed board, leaving a small, dark damp patch.

His left arm, subjected to repeated hammering, had skin that had become exceptionally tough. Each time the cloth bundle passed over it, the pain remained, but it was no longer the searing, surface-level agony of before. Instead, it transformed into waves of numbing strength that burrowed deep into his bones.

These past few days, he had grown accustomed to this pain, even finding a trace of exhilaration in the surging of his blood and qi.

As a set of exercises concluded, the muscles in his arm tensed like iron, veins bulging.

The scroll in his mind unfurled on its own, and a single point of light entered it.

[Merit: +1]

A warm current flowed through him, dispelling his exhaustion. He opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath. In the chill of the early morning, his breath formed a faint white wisp.

With a flicker of thought, the text on the scroll in his sea of consciousness became clear.

[Martial Art: Indestructible Vajra Body]

[Realm: One Inch (Scale: One Inch)]

[Merit: 14/15]

Only a little more merit was needed.

Tonight, his merit would be complete, and this Indestructible Vajra Body could advance further.

He clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking softly. The abundant power within his palm gave him an unprecedented sense of certainty.

Counting the days, today was the ninth. The ten-day period given by Fierce Tiger Hall would end tomorrow.

Everything was ready.

He put on his slightly worn, freshly washed uniform and pushed open the door. Ye Caiwei in the inner room had already woken and was boiling water by the stove. Seeing him, she called out crisply, "Ge."

"The meat congee is warm in the pot, Ge. Eat quickly so you can go to work."

Ye Qingxuan responded, swallowing a bowl of hot congee in a few large gulps. A warmth spread from his stomach, filling him with strength.

Upon arriving at the Fengtian Division's yamen, the scene in the back courtyard was different from the previous few days.

Zhang Lingxiao, that kid, had somehow become the center of attention in the courtyard. He was always surrounded by four or five temporary constables of similar age, forming a small circle. These men no longer scrambled for weapons in the corner or complained about the hardships of patrolling the streets. Instead, they clustered around Zhang Lingxiao, listening to his grand pronouncements.

"...Yesterday, my uncle took me to 'Hundred Weapons Workshop.' Master Li there personally forged a goose-feather saber for me. It can cut hair and is sharp enough to sever a falling feather. It cost a full thirty taels of silver! He said he'd let me use it once I'm officially appointed."

Zhang Lingxiao's voice was full of boastfulness. The standard short saber at his waist was gone, replaced by a brand-new ceremonial sword. The scabbard was wrapped in sharkskin, and the hilt was wound with gold thread, exuding opulence.

Flattering voices rose from all around.

"Brother Zhang is so fortunate!"

"Chief Constable Zhang truly values you!"

Wei Datong nudged Ye Qingxuan with his elbow, pursed his lips, and lowered his voice, "See? That's what you call soaring to the heavens. We're still wallowing in the mud, and he's already about to fly to a higher branch. These past few days, he's been following Chief Constable Yan and learned who knows how many tricks. Even some of the official constables are polite to him now."

Ye Qingxuan's gaze swept over the group, lingering not on them.

In this world, some people walked the grand boulevard, born in the clouds. He had to walk his own narrow, winding path. Though the path was narrow, as long as he walked steadily, it would still lead to the summit.

He took down his short saber and wiped it with a cloth. The saber was still the same saber, but the man was no longer the same man.

After the roll call, Chief Constable Yan came out as usual to assign duties.

"...Ye Qingxuan, Wei Datong, Xiong Tiezhu, Tiger Head Alley."

Upon hearing "Tiger Head Alley," Wei Datong's expression changed. Xiong Tiezhu also scratched his head, looking uneasy.

Tiger Head Alley was only two streets away from White Stone Alley, where the Fierce Tiger Hall's base was located, but it was the place where the Fierce Tiger Hall's influence ran deepest. It was a mixed bag of people, filled with gambling dens, brothels, and loan sharking operations, a notorious den of iniquity in Linyuan Prefecture.

Ordinary citizens would never set foot there unless absolutely necessary.

The three received their waist tokens and left the yamen. Along the way, Wei Datong appeared preoccupied.

"Why Tiger Head Alley of all places? That place is a powder keg, ready to explode at any moment," he grumbled. "The Fierce Tiger Hall thugs run rampant there. Our uniforms might not be enough to handle them."

Ye Qingxuan remained silent, simply walking.

Before they even reached the alley entrance, a mixed scent of cheap liquor, body odor, and decaying sewage assaulted them.

The light in the alley was dimmer than elsewhere, with the eaves of the houses on either side nearly touching, obscuring most of the sky. At the base of the walls, groups of men with fierce expressions squatted, their eyes darting around, sizing up every passerby.

The street was deserted, with only a few shops displaying the character "pawn" open for business.

The moment the three of them, in their uniforms, entered the alley, they attracted countless hostile glances. There was no reverence in those eyes, only scrutiny and wariness.

"Stop right there! Still trying to run?"

From the depths of the alley, a sudden roar erupted, followed by the muffled thud of fists and feet and a scream.

The three exchanged glances and quickened their pace, heading toward the sound.

At the entrance of a courtyard, five or six men in black clothes were surrounding a ragged middle-aged man, kicking and punching him. The middle-aged man clutched his head, curled into a ball on the ground, and wailed for mercy.

The man leading the group was lean with triangular eyes. He was Hu Jiudao, a trusted subordinate of Duan Tianbao.

He stepped on the middle-aged man's hand, a cruel smile on his face. "Wang Laosan, you owe the hall two taels of silver in interest and have been hiding from me for half a month. You dare to play hide-and-seek with me? I'll break one of your legs today!"

As he spoke, he raised his foot, intending to stomp on the man's knee.

"Stop!" Wei Datong, a constable of the Fengtian Division, couldn't help but shout to stop them. "The authorities are here, no violence!"

Hu Jiudao's movements halted. He slowly raised his head, his triangular eyes narrowing as they fell upon Wei Datong, then swept over Xiong Tiezhu, and finally settled on Ye Qingxuan's face.

He recognized Ye Qingxuan.

"Yo, who do I think it is? Isn't this a constable from the Fengtian Division?" Hu Jiudao released his foot, leisurely dusting off his hands, his expression filled with mockery and contempt. "What, patrolling all the way to our Tiger Head Alley?"

The few burly men behind him also stopped, turning around with their arms crossed, looking like they were enjoying a show.

Wei Datong mustered his courage and took a step forward. "In broad daylight, beating up civilians on the street. You Fierce Tiger Hall, do you still follow any rules?"

"Rules?" Hu Jiudao laughed, his laughter sharp. "In Tiger Head Alley, I, Hu Jiudao, am the rule! This kid owes money and won't pay, so I'm collecting my debt. It's only natural. What, Constable, are you going to pay it for him?"

Wei Datong was momentarily speechless, his face turning red.

Hu Jiudao ignored him and paced over to Ye Qingxuan. He was half a head shorter than Ye Qingxuan, but he tilted his head up, scrutinizing Ye Qingxuan from head to toe as if he were inspecting merchandise.

"Kid, how's the preparation for your fourteen taels of silver?" he leaned closer, lowering his voice, but it was loud enough for Wei Datong and Xiong Tiezhu nearby to hear. "Tomorrow is the last day. Hall Master Duan's patience isn't very good."

Ye Qingxuan's gaze was as calm as water, without a ripple.

Seeing him like this, Hu Jiudao's contempt deepened. He poked Ye Qingxuan's chest with his finger.

"Don't play dumb with me. I know you've been doing well at the yamen recently, but don't forget, you're just an unregistered temporary worker, nothing. Can you come up with fourteen taels of silver?"

Seeing that Ye Qingxuan still didn't speak, the smile on his lips turned sinister.

"If you can't, it's okay." He circled Ye Qingxuan, his gaze shifting towards the Southern District, hinting at something. "I heard you have a sister? Called... Nannan, right? She's quite pretty. Our hall happens to need a few girls to serve tea and water and do laundry. If you can't repay the money, letting your sister come to the hall to work off the debt is also a solution."

As soon as he said this, the air seemed to freeze.

Wei Datong and Xiong Tiezhu's faces changed. They both knew what "working off the debt" meant for a nine-year-old girl. It was the most vicious threat.

Ye Qingxuan, who had been looking down, slowly raised his eyelids.

His eyes were unfathomable, like an ancient well, reflecting no light.

The qi and blood that he usually kept firmly locked within his body surged uncontrollably at this moment. A chilling killing intent erupted from the deepest part of his heart.

Hu Jiudao felt an inexplicable jolt in his heart from Ye Qingxuan's gaze and instinctively took half a step back. But he immediately became enraged and puffed out his chest.

"What? Kid, you want to fight? Try touching even a finger of mine?"

Ye Qingxuan's hand rested on the hilt of the saber at his waist. His thumb gently rubbed the cold hilt, his movements slow but making the surrounding air tense.

Wei Datong quickly stepped forward, placing a hand on Ye Qingxuan's, and repeatedly signaled him. Fighting with the Fierce Tiger Hall in Tiger Head Alley was seeking death.

Ye Qingxuan's fingers stopped on the saber hilt.

He looked at Hu Jiudao's face, which was filled with arrogance and smugness, and his lips moved, spitting out four words.

"No need to worry!"

His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears. There was no anger, no fear, only a near-cold calmness.

Hu Jiudao was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, his laughter filled with disdain.

"Good! You've got guts! I'll just wait and see how you don't make me worry tomorrow!"

He waved his hand, leading his men and dragging the half-beaten middle-aged man, they swaggered away.

Silence returned to the alley.

Wei Datong let out a long sigh, his back drenched in cold sweat. He patted Ye Qingxuan's shoulder, his voice trembling slightly. "Qingxuan, you... you mustn't be impulsive. These people are desperate criminals, we can't afford to offend them."

Xiong Tiezhu also grumbled in a deep voice, "Yeah, Qingxuan, a wise man knows when to avoid a fight."

Ye Qingxuan did not reply.

His gaze followed Hu Jiudao's receding figure until it disappeared around the corner of the alley.

He withdrew his gaze and removed his hand from the saber hilt.

Tonight, the Indestructible Vajra Body will reach minor completion at two inches.

Tomorrow, will be the day to settle everything.