First Grade Pavilion

Cold sweat streamed down the county magistrate's temples. His Adam's apple bobbed, and his face was full of shock and unease.

A Ranked Martial Artist was a martial arts expert recognized and registered by the imperial court, protected by the law. Ordinary officials were not permitted to interrogate one lightly.

Yet today, without knowing it, he had interrogated a Ranked Martial Artist.

If word of this spread, his position as magistrate would not necessarily be lost, but he would inevitably suffer punishment from his superiors.

What gave him an even greater headache was that Chu Ning had pointed his sword at the Wang family—and the Wang family happened to be a force he absolutely could not afford to provoke.

As county magistrate, he knew very well that the Wang family possessed not only immense wealth, but also a clan teeming with experts.

Among them, the Wang family's Third Elder—Wang Chongshan, who had just entered the eighth rank—was someone he utterly dared not offend openly.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, the county magistrate took a deep breath. The panic on his face vanished in an instant, replaced by a warm smile.

"Steward Chu, I was unaware of your identity just now. If I offended you, please forgive me."

He slowly rose to his feet, his attitude far more respectful. "I will thoroughly investigate this case. Once the truth comes to light, I will naturally give you an explanation. For tonight, please return to the martial hall and rest."

Chu Ning's expression remained calm. He had never expected the authorities to move against the Wang family immediately. Though these words were merely perfunctory, at least the magistrate had not openly shielded the Wang family.

"Very well." He nodded and turned to leave, neither servile nor overbearing.

The night wind was faintly cool as Chu Ning walked out of the county office.

However, just after he stepped a short distance beyond the gate, a familiar figure slowly emerged from the shadows.

"Chu Ning."

Li Jing'an stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes as sharp as a hawk's. There was something in them akin to a hunter sizing up his prey.

Chu Ning stopped and met his gaze. His tone was calm. "What is it?"

Li Jing'an stared at him for a moment, then raised the corners of his mouth slightly. "Would you come with me to the Constabulary Camp? I'll personally teach you martial arts."

Chu Ning furrowed his brow slightly and was just about to refuse when Li Jing'an spoke indifferently. "The Thunderclap Saber Art you practice is fierce enough, but your saber intent is impetuous. You have yet to fully control your Thunderous Momentum."

Chu Ning's pupils contracted, and he instantly became wary.

He stared at Li Jing'an in astonishment. After exchanging only a few words with him face-to-face, the man had identified the name of the technique he practiced—and had even exposed its flaws with a single sentence.

Li Jing'an paid no attention to Chu Ning's shock and continued slowly, "Your physical strength... tsk, you've dabbled in body-tempering as well. It seems you're not simply cultivating saber techniques."

"And your archery—every arrow finds its mark, and the strength in your wrist is steady as bedrock. You must have deliberately trained with a heavy bow. Your draw strength should exceed two dan."

Chu Ning's heart surged like storm-tossed seas. He knew very well that his abilities did not come from a single system, but had been advanced to him by the Chaos Divine Order. Although he had constantly honed and adjusted them in actual combat, he himself had yet to truly grasp many of the finer points.

Yet with only one glance, Li Jing'an had analyzed him with such precision.

A man like this could never be an ordinary constable!

Chu Ning drew a deep breath and regained his composure. He said slowly, "Thank you for your kindness, but I have already joined Thunderclap Martial Hall. There is no need for me to take another master."

Li Jing'an arched his brow slightly, and a trace of disdain flashed through his eyes.

"A martial hall?" He gave a derisive laugh. "A local place for learning martial arts. The techniques it teaches are mediocre at best."

He strode forward, his gaze sharp as a blade. His voice was low, yet carried an unquestionable authority. "Go back and ask your hall master, Lei Wanjun, whether I, Li Jing'an, am qualified to instruct you."

With that, he said no more. He turned and vanished into the night, as though he had never appeared.

By the time Chu Ning returned to Thunderclap Martial Hall, it was already deep into the night.

He entered the hall and went straight to the rear courtyard, where the lights were still blazing.

Lei Wanjun was sitting cross-legged in the courtyard, a pot of clear wine placed before his knees. He seemed lost in thought. Only when Chu Ning's footsteps shattered the night's stillness did he slowly open his eyes.

Those deep eyes seemed capable of seeing through everything.

"How was your cultivation today?" Lei Wanjun asked evenly. He did not inquire about anything else, but casually asked as he always did.

Chu Ning stopped and frowned slightly. "Progress is still slow. I still can't truly grasp the Thunderous Momentum."

Lei Wanjun nodded faintly, his tone unchanged. "Why the hurry? Understanding the essentials of saber techniques requires more than diligent practice. It also requires insight."

Chu Ning fell silent for a moment, then changed the subject. "Hall Master, I'd like to ask you about someone."

Lei Wanjun looked up at him, his tone indifferent. "Who?"

"The county office's chief constable, Li Jing'an."

The wine cup in Lei Wanjun's hand paused slightly, and a trace of surprise flashed through his eyes.

"Li Jing'an?" he repeated in a low voice. Then, as though deep in thought, he looked at Chu Ning, his gaze profound.

After a moment, he slowly spoke, his tone carrying a meaningful weight. "How did you come to know him?"

Recalling Li Jing'an's precise judgment of his martial arts, Chu Ning said slowly, "At the county office today, he saw through the saber technique, movement technique, and archery I practice. He could even expose the flaws in them with a single sentence."

Lei Wanjun was silent for an instant, then said in surprise, "So it really is him... He shouldn't belong here."

Chu Ning's gaze tightened as he pressed, "Is he very powerful? Why would someone like that work as a constable in the county office? He isn't even a Ranked Martial Artist?"

Lei Wanjun gave a soft laugh and said meaningfully, "Truly powerful people often won't let others see how deep they run. What ordinary people regard as 'unranked' may not truly mean that they possess no cultivation."

Chu Ning's heart trembled faintly, and he sank into thought.

Lei Wanjun's gaze turned distant as he slowly said, "Li Jing'an's true identity should be that he belongs to the First Grade Pavilion."

Chu Ning frowned. "The First Grade Pavilion?"

Lei Wanjun shook his head lightly, his tone tinged with emotion. "It seems you know little about the forces of the martial world. The First Grade Pavilion is not any particular sect. It is a vast organization spread throughout the land, responsible for maintaining the balance among the world's forces. Anyone capable of joining the First Grade Pavilion possesses martial prowess of the world's First Grade."

Chu Ning's eyes shifted, and he could not help asking, "The world's First Grade? A First Grade Martial Artist?"

Lei Wanjun sighed softly, his gaze profound. "The terror of a First Grade Martial Artist is something ordinary people cannot possibly imagine. The so-called First Grade does not merely refer to profound martial skill. More importantly, it means they have already stood at the pinnacle of the mortal world. Unfortunately... even after entering the First Grade, they still cannot truly attain immortality."

Chu Ning was slightly startled. "They can't attain immortality?"

Lei Wanjun nodded, his tone low. "The sole flaw of a First Grade Martial Artist is that their lifespan is ultimately limited. After breaking through to the First Grade, their lifespan will indeed increase by several decades, but several decades... are far from enough for a true peak expert."

Chu Ning pondered for a moment, then murmured, "So even the strong have troubles belonging to the strong."

Lei Wanjun gently set down his wine cup and slowly said, "Li Jing'an concealed his identity while serving as a constable at the command level in the county office. Since he came to this county, he must have another purpose."

Lei Wanjun's gaze sharpened as he asked in a deep voice, "How did an expert like that come to cross paths with you?"

Chu Ning said indifferently, "I wiped out one of the Wang family's Life Harvesting and Mutilation dens, and he happened to arrive with the constables. Later, he invited me to join the Constabulary Camp and said he could guide me in martial arts."