Heart Dust Grinding, Vajra Great Accomplishment

The door to the public office closed behind him, shutting out the twisted logic that had turned right into wrong, along with the three faces, into the dimness.

Sunlight flooded the courtyard, so bright it was almost blinding.

Ye Qingxuan narrowed his eyes slightly, taking a moment to adjust. The surrounding clamor, the footsteps of constables coming and going, the hawkers' cries from the distant marketplace, all poured back into his ears. Moments ago in the room, these sounds had seemed muffled as if through thick cotton, but now they were exceptionally clear.

He stood at the bottom of the stone steps, his back as straight as a spear.

That earth-shattering contribution, like a cut of pork, had been stripped of its bones and flesh, divided and devoured, leaving only a few scraps and remnants, thrown at his feet as a reward for "clues."

Eyewitnesses, physical evidence, official documents.

Chief Constable Zhang, Tan Zhenglong, and Zhang Lingxiao—these three had woven a seamless net. And he, Ye Qingxuan, was the moth that had flown straight into it.

Where had he gone wrong?

His mistake, in everyone's eyes, was that he was just an ordinary youth who "didn't understand Martial Path." How could a temporary constable who hadn't even touched the threshold of Body Tempering possibly kill a notorious criminal at the second stage of Body Tempering?

The whole thing simply didn't add up.

His glib words, in the eyes of an old hand like Tan Zhenglong, were full of holes from the start. And yet, he had foolishly thought he could get justice with a mere token.

Justice?

In this murky world, whoever has the stronger fist and the bigger backer is the one who dictates justice.

He started walking towards the courtyard gate. Quite a few constables were still in the yard, gathered in twos and threes, pointing at him and whispering. Their gazes held admiration, jealousy, and disdain.

He ignored them, his steps unhurried.

"Qingxuan!"

Wei Datong's voice came from the side. He and Xiong Tiezhu hurried over.

"You rascal, you're something else!" Wei Datong slung an arm around his shoulder, shaking him vigorously, his face beaming. "What did I tell you? Good fortune favors the righteous! Providing clues is also a great contribution! Five taels of silver! And a commendation! Your chances of becoming a permanent constable are practically guaranteed now!"

Xiong Tiezhu chuckled foolishly beside him, nodding repeatedly. "Yeah, Qingxuan, amazing."

Ye Qingxuan's face, pulled by Wei Datong's arm, contorted into a stiff smile.

Five taels of silver.

Of the thirty tael bounty, only five taels reached him.

He followed Wei Datong's lead, nodding. "Just got lucky."

"Lucky? That's skill!" Wei Datong exclaimed, spittle flying. "Once you get your reward, you have to treat us! I've been craving Li Ji's braised ribs in the Southern District for ages!"

"Definitely," Ye Qingxuan replied, a churning sensation in his chest. He changed the subject, unbuttoning his collar to reveal a patch of bluish-purple bruising on his chest.

The bruise, seen in the sunlight, was an even deeper color, a shocking sight.

"Hiss—" Wei Datong gasped, leaning in for a closer look. "That's from that Mottled Fish? Good heavens, if it had been any harder, you would have lost your life. No wonder Young Master Zhang and the others could defeat the culprit in one blow—turns out the fierce criminal was already at the end of his rope."

Ye Qingxuan offered no comment, simply buttoning up his collar.

This injury, which he had intended as "ironclad proof" of his own accomplishment, had now become secondary evidence of Zhang Lingxiao's "heroism."

How ironic.

"Don't get this wet for the next few days," Wei Datong chattered on, giving instructions. "Go to the apothecary later and buy some ointment for bruises; don't let it become a chronic issue."

"Understood, Brother Wei," Ye Qingxuan felt a flicker of warmth.

Not everyone in the Fengtian Division was like Tan Zhenglong.

After parting ways with Wei Datong and Xiong Tiezhu, Ye Qingxuan didn't go straight home. He turned into the liveliest market in the Southern District, weaving through the crowds.

The calls of the flatbread vendors, the children chasing each other, the women haggling over prices—this rich, earthy atmosphere washed away the lingering chill he had brought from the Fengtian Division.

He stopped, looking at everything before him.

The surging anger, the humiliation of being wronged, had not disappeared. They had merely sunk down, to the deepest part of his heart, held down by a massive stone named "Ye Caiwei."

If he were to act impulsively now, to confront Tan Zhenglong or Zhang Lingxiao, to fight to the death.

The fish would die.

The net would simply be replaced.

And what about Nannan? Where would she go? Back to the clutches of that man-eating Duan Tianbao?

He couldn't afford to lose.

A gentleman's revenge is never too late, even after ten years.

A self-deprecating smile touched Ye Qingxuan's lips. He wasn't a gentleman; he was just a common man struggling to survive.

Ten years was too long.

Two months at most.

He turned, his steps steady as he walked towards home.

He pushed open the courtyard gate, and the aroma of cooking food wafted out.

"Brother, you're back!"

Nine-year-old Ye Caiwei was standing on tiptoe, busy at the stove. Hearing the door open, she quickly turned her head, her small face full of joy.

In the pot, a pot of vegetable congee was simmering. In a small dish beside it lay a golden fried egg. She had saved it, specifically for her brother.

Ye Qingxuan stood at the doorway, gazing at the small, thin figure inside, at the pure joy on her face. All the humiliation and injustice he had suffered during the day seemed to dissipate like steam from the hot congee.

He walked over, picked up his sister from behind, and rested his chin on her small shoulder.

"Brother, you're hurting me," Ye Caiwei squirmed.

Ye Qingxuan released her and tidied her slightly messy hair.

"Nannan, what do you want to eat tonight? I'll take you out to a restaurant."

"No need," Ye Caiwei shook her head without hesitation. "Eating out is expensive, and it's not as tasty as the congee at home. Brother, you should go rest. The congee will be ready soon."

Ye Qingxuan said nothing more. He walked to the well in the courtyard, drew a bucket of water, and poured it over himself from head to toe, bare-chested.

The icy well water brought him to a complete calm.

Rage was the most useless thing in the world. It only burned oneself, without warming others.

True strength was like an iceberg hidden beneath the water, silent and unmoving, yet capable of sinking a giant ship.

After dinner, having put his sister to bed, Ye Qingxuan returned to his room.

He didn't light a lamp, simply sitting cross-legged in the darkness.

The humiliation, the unwillingness to accept it, surged up like a tide. Chief Constable Zhang's sanctimonious face, Zhang Lingxiao's arrogant expression, and Tan Zhenglong's righteous indignation – scene after scene flashed before his eyes.

He reached out and picked up the sharp-cornered stone by the wall that had accompanied him for countless nights.

He closed his eyes, the circulation route for the Indestructible Vajra Body appearing in his mind.

He pressed the sharp-cornered stone against his skin and slowly, forcefully, began to scrape.

"Screeeech—"

His skin tore open, and a searing pain shot through him.

He didn't stop.

He poured all the frustration and unwillingness from the day into the stone in his hand.

Each scrape felt like a bloody gash carved into his heart.

Why?

Because I have no power or influence?

Because my words carry no weight?

Then I will use these bones and muscles, these fists, to fight for power and influence! To earn the right to speak!

The pain intensified, seeping from his skin into his muscles, and from his muscles into his bone marrow.

His body trembled slightly, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead, his teeth grinding together.

In his mind, however, the image underwent a strange transformation.

The golden figure representing the Indestructible Vajra Body no longer merely practiced the movements mechanically. It seemed to endure the same bone-scraping pain, bloody gashes appearing on its golden skin, only to heal rapidly.

[Mysterious Stone Body Tempering, tempering the worldly heart, Merit +5.]

[Heartbound Depression, using the body as a furnace, Merit +5.]

[Resentment and Injustice, turned into fuel, Merit +5.]

The number of Merit points jumped wildly at an unprecedented speed.

Ye Qingxuan had forgotten the pain in his body, his mind completely immersed in this self-inflicted torture and sublimation.

He seemed to see the dark, heavy mass of stagnant energy in his chest being squeezed and purified bit by bit with each scrape, finally transforming into an extremely pure energy that surged through his limbs and bones.

Martial Path cultivation was not just about tempering the body, but also the mind.

Today's humiliation, today's pain, was the best whetstone!

After an unknown amount of time, when the sharp-cornered stone in his hand had worn away a layer of powder, becoming smooth and rounded.

In his mind, the golden figure representing the Indestructible Vajra Body suddenly stopped moving.

All the bloody gashes on its body vanished instantly. A layer of thick, smooth, dark-golden luster flowed all over it, not dazzling, but indestructible.

[Merit Fulfilled, Heavenly Machine Activated!]

Boom!

A torrent of energy far more powerful than the breakthrough to Body Tempering Second Stage surged forth from the Heavenly Machine Codex!

This torrent no longer merely strengthened his bones, muscles, and skin. It was more like a warm current, cleansing his internal organs and washing over his mind and spirit.

The frustration, anger, and helplessness from the day seemed to be completely washed away by this warm current.

Not forgotten, but understood.

He opened his eyes. In his vision, the dark room was perfectly clear.

He could hear the sound of falling leaves from the old locust tree in the courtyard, the sound of his sister's even breathing from the next room, and even the sound of blood flowing ceaselessly within his own body.

His heart was calmer than ever before.

He brought up the scroll.

[Name: Ye Qingxuan]
[Realm: Body Tempering Second Level (Muscle Training)]
[Martial Art: Indestructible Vajra Body (Realm: Great Accomplishment, Progress: Five Inches, Merit: 0/200)]

Great Accomplishment!

In just one night, the Indestructible Vajra Body had leaped from the initial stage to Great Accomplishment!

He looked down at his body. His skin was still its usual color, but when he pressed it with his hand, it felt as tough as cowhide. The muscles underneath contained a dense, powerful force.

He stood up and casually threw a punch.

The punch was silent, yet it created a visible indentation in the air before him.

This was true power.

Ye Qingxuan walked to the window and pushed it open.

A bright moon hung high in the night sky. The cold moonlight spilled onto him, but it no longer brought even a hint of chill.

He looked at the moon, at Zhang Lingxiao, Tan Zhenglong, and Chief Constable Zhang.

These three names slowly flowed through his mind.

When they met again, he would smile and return what he had received today, tenfold.