Ten Perfect Steps

At Chen Bin's home.

The dim oil lamp swayed, its weak glow flickering restlessly like a bean-sized flame. Chen Bin's shadow wavered across the wall.

Chen Bin sat at the slightly worn wooden table, brows faintly furrowed, his gaze fixed on the booklet in his hands.

The pages had yellowed slightly, carrying a faint scent of age.

"Ten Perfect Steps?"

Chen Bin murmured softly, his voice unusually clear in the silent room.

Ten Perfect Steps was the collective name for ten common forms of footwork in the folk martial arts of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

His fingers gently brushed the pages as he turned them one by one. They contained not only written explanations but also illustrations:

One Circle Tai Chi Step: Light-footed, like Tai Chi flowing in endless circles, it held a profound sense of harmony.

Two Forms Yin Yang Step: One step yin, the next yang. Firmness and gentleness complemented each other, concealing the wonder of yin and yang transforming.

Three Powers Alternating Step: It imitated the force of Heaven, Earth, and Man, its steps moving in a unique rhythm.

Four Symbols Cyclic Step: Rooted in the Four Symbols, it cycled endlessly, generating life without cease.

Five Elements Plum Blossom Step: Like plum blossoms in bloom, its footwork across five directions varied in countless ways.

Six Directions Intersecting Step: The six directions crossed and overlapped, making the movements difficult to predict.

Seven Stars Dipper Movement Step: Like the handle of the Big Dipper turning, its footwork was uncanny.

Eight Trigrams Circling Step: Moving along the Eight Trigrams, round after round, it seemed capable of drawing an enemy into an endless maze.

Nine Palaces Flying Step: It darted through the nine squares at tremendous speed, as if flying.

Ten Perfect Combination Step fused the first nine forms into one, creating a unique martial arts system.

Chen Bin spent half an hour carefully turning through the pages. His gaze was focused and intent, not missing a single detail.

At last, he noticed a new line on the panel before him.

[Martial Arts]: Ten Perfect Steps (Not Initiated, 0/50)

Seeing that he had only a little over four hundred Merit, Chen Bin's brows twisted into a deep furrow, his face full of concern.

He let out a soft sigh and thought to himself, Looks like I'll have to find a way to earn some Merit.

The next morning.

Chen Bin reached out and pushed open the courtyard gate.

He casually found a breakfast stall by the street, ate a few bites, then headed toward the Demon Suppression Division.

Before long, Chen Bin arrived at its imposing black gates.

Without hesitation, he strode straight inside.

He made his way through the corridors with practiced ease and reached the Training Ground.

Everyone there was busy with their own tasks.

Chen Bin's gaze swept over them without lingering. He walked straight to an empty space, crossed his legs, and sat down quietly.

After a while, several subordinate constables hurried up to him. "Sir, Captain is looking for you!"

Chen Bin gave a slight nod, his expression calm. He rose slowly and headed for Kang Ronghao's office.

As soon as Kang Ronghao saw Chen Bin enter, he spoke up. "I heard you cut down two more Tiger Demons yesterday?"

"It was all thanks to the County Office," Chen Bin replied indifferently.

Kang Ronghao gave a soft snort through his nose and pressed him. "What about the Demon Sealing Ornament?"

Just as he'd expected!

Chen Bin looked up at Kang Ronghao and replied calmly, "It broke during the fight. Everyone from the County Office saw it."

"You're a new Captain. According to the rules, your assignment for the next three days is night patrol."

Kang Ronghao glanced over Chen Bin, then continued, "You can go back. Just come in tonight for your patrol."

The Demon Suppression Division's night patrol was much like the night watch managed by the County Office.

It began at the Xu hour (seven in the evening) and ended at the Yin hour (five in the morning).

Night was always a dangerous time, when demons and monsters appeared in great numbers.

Chen Bin felt somewhat helpless, but he had no intention of resisting. Or rather, in this world, he couldn't resist at all.

Disobeying a superior's legitimate order was one of the rules that absolutely could not be broken.

As in this case, new Captains starting with night patrol was already an established rule at the Demon Suppression Division in Wanbao County.

Chen Bin left the office and headed straight for the gate.

As he passed the Training Ground, someone suddenly blocked his way.

The man was a Bone Refining Realm runner, tall and burly as a small mountain.

Yet his eyes were bloodshot, his rims red. He had clearly been crying moments ago.

Men don't shed tears easily—but what does that have to do with me?

Chen Bin thought to himself. Still, being stopped in his tracks made him frown.

A flash of displeasure crossed his eyes. "Are you looking to die?"

In everyone's eyes, a runner daring to block a Captain's way was nothing short of asking for death.

But the man had no Red Name above his head, so Chen Bin had no reason to draw his blade—not yet.

Thud!

To Chen Bin's surprise, the man suddenly dropped to his knees before him with a thud.

Runner Zhang He bowed low, his voice earnest as he called out loudly:

"Runner Zhang He requests permission to follow you, Captain!

"I'm willing to remain a runner, if that's what it takes."

Brother, you're already a runner!

Chen Bin's eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at Zhang He and asked, "You want to follow me?"

"Yes! Please take me in, Captain," Zhang He said resolutely.

Chen Bin narrowed his eyes again, suspicion filling his gaze. "Why?"

Zhang He slowly rose, but remained on his knees as he said, "I'm from Nanxi Village!"

Nanxi Village?

The children who had gone missing flashed through Chen Bin's mind. But they were no longer alive.

Chen Bin considered this, then asked, "Did you come for revenge?"

He had once cut through the villagers like melons and vegetables. Now, only their skins remained.

"No!" Zhang He hurriedly shook his head and explained. "I came to thank you, Captain—to thank you for avenging us."

He had seen those skins. As a runner in the Demon Suppression Division, he knew what had truly killed those people.

Their deaths couldn't be blamed on Chen Bin.

Once possessed, there was no choice but death.

In fact, by stopping the people of Nanxi Village from leaving to eat others, Chen Bin had done the village a great kindness.

He had spared them the shame of being cursed and despised by the world.

Chen Bin slowly shook his head, his expression complicated.

He stepped to the side, went around Zhang He, and continued toward the gate, saying coolly, "You're not qualified."

"Why?" Zhang He hurriedly reached out and grabbed the hem of Chen Bin's clothes, his face full of unwillingness.

"If you follow me, you'll die. Leave some seed for Nanxi Village!"

With that, Chen Bin strode forward, and Zhang He's hand was wrenched free.

Zhang He couldn't stop him.

But he gritted his teeth, got up, and followed him outside.

Chen Bin noticed Zhang He following, but paid him no mind. He returned straight home to rest, preparing for that night's patrol.

That afternoon.

Someone from the County Office delivered a hundred taels of silver, saying Chen Chong had sent it as a reward for killing the Tiger Demons.

Chen Bin didn't refuse. He accepted it without hesitation; it was what he was owed.

He weighed the silver in his hand.

Chen Bin felt that handing the Tiger Demon's head over to the Demon Suppression Division had cost him dearly.

As he closed the door, he happened to glance at Zhang He, who stood guard outside with a horizontal saber. His gaze lingered for only a moment before he shut the door and went back to rest.