[Name: Gu Chang'an] [Longevity: 54 years 4 months]
(Note: The author took the readers' advice and revised the protagonist's lifespan—from 4 years to 54 years. If any errors appear in later chapters, dear readers, please point them out...)
[Identity: Martial Artist (White Body)]
[Realm: Ninth Rank]
[Physique: 148 (+2/day)]
[Techniques: Iron Cutting Saber Technique (Yellow Grade Low Rank, Initial Mastery/+), Complete Iron Cloth Shirt (Yellow Grade High Rank, Initial Mastery/+), Wandering Wind Step (Yellow Grade Low Rank, Initial Mastery/+), Shattering Mountain Fist (Yellow Grade Low Rank, Rudimentary Practice/+), Archery (Mortal Grade, Initial Mastery/+)]
*Fuck.* After breaking through, his physique had risen by more than thirty points. Most importantly, with his physical condition restored, his lifespan had increased to fifty-four years. *This is amazing.* Gu Chang'an finished tidying his clothes and pushed open the door to leave the inner courtyard, but he did not see Senior Sister Li Hongye anywhere in the yard. Puzzled, he asked about it. Li Tianfeng said calmly: "Hongye left early this morning. A wanted criminal has taken refuge in Nanjing, and she went to apprehend him." Gu Chang'an nodded, his heart stirring slightly. *Senior Sister really is a proper constable. Her martial skills should be pretty good. I should spar with her when I get the chance.* At that moment, Xie Lanzhi poked her head out of the kitchen and said with a smile: "Chang'an, don't leave yet. Stay for lunch—we just finished cooking." Gu Chang'an smiled and answered, "All right," then sat down beside the table. The food was plain home cooking, but it steamed invitingly and filled the air with fragrance, giving him a long-lost sense of warmth. After lunch, Li Tianfeng suddenly set down his chopsticks and asked in a quiet voice, "Chang'an, what are you planning to do next?" Gu Chang'an thought for a moment before answering seriously, "Master, I want to join the Martial Guard Division and become a constable." Xie Lanzhi nodded. "That works. Your Senior Sister is there too. At least you can look after each other." Li Tianfeng took a sip of tea and slowly said: "I have some ties with Director Wang of the Martial Guard Division. He has wanted me to recommend people to him for years. If you want to go, I can introduce you. Everything will be easy after that." Gu Chang'an's eyes lit up at once. He stood and cupped his hands solemnly. "Thank you, Master!" His heart was full of gratitude. Without Li Tianfeng, he would probably still be quietly practicing his punches in that little courtyard, secretly cultivating. If Li Tianfeng had not accepted him as a disciple, he would never have entered the true path of Martial Arts. Not to mention that Li Tianfeng had passed on the Complete Iron Cloth Shirt to him, personally prepared his medicinal bath, and helped him break through to the Ninth Rank. And now, he was even willing to pull strings and recommend him for a constable's position— Perhaps with the system, he would eventually rise to prominence, but it certainly would not happen so smoothly or so quickly. Indeed, no matter where one was, connections were indispensable. ... After finishing lunch, Gu Chang'an bade farewell to Li Tianfeng and Xie Lanzhi, then left Sky Wind Martial Hall. The sunlight blazed overhead. The streets were teeming with people, and the bustle of Nanjing City carried a familiar liveliness. Just as he reached the bluestone street in front of the martial hall, he suddenly heard hurried footsteps and angry shouts from nearby. "Stop! Yellow Wolf, quit running!" Gu Chang'an abruptly looked up. The street ahead was in chaos, and a figure flashed through the crowd like the wind. Seven or eight constables and runners pursued him relentlessly. Leading them was none other than Senior Sister Li Hongye. Li Hongye wore a blue constable's martial uniform, a long plaque decorated with silver patterns hanging at her waist. She held an iron chain and raced like lightning, a sharp murderous aura flickering between her brows. The man being pursued looked to be just over thirty. He was thin, with a scar running from his forehead to his jaw. His gaze was sinister, his steps as swift as a leopard's, and he wore tight gray-black clothes with throwing knives concealed in his cuffs. He was one of the Southern Mountain Bandits, Yellow Wolf Lu Kai—a Ninth Rank Martial Artist who specialized in robbing travelers and merchants and killed without batting an eye. "Is that Yellow Wolf Lu Kai, ranked eighteenth on Nanning County's Most Wanted List? Didn't they say he was entrenched in the mountains? How did he get into the city?" "I heard he came to look for an old acquaintance, but Li the Constable's people spotted him." "Good heavens, he's a ruthless one. He hacked a constable to death with one saber back then, robbed merchant caravans several times, and has a bounty of fifty taels on his head!" ... The onlookers along the street hurriedly retreated and discussed the matter amid a cacophony of voices. Gu Chang'an's gaze sharpened as he watched Yellow Wolf Lu Kai vault across the rooftops in flight, his teeth clenching unconsciously. Those smooth steps and ferocious attacks marked him at a glance as a criminal trained in killing arts. His heart stirred as well. *So this is a wanted criminal from Nanjing... Experts are everywhere, and that murderous aura is overwhelming... No wonder he's a Ninth Rank Martial Artist.* He immediately checked Yellow Wolf Lu Kai's physique value.
[Lu Kai: Physique 195] ```
By then, Li Hongye had leaped onto a rooftop. She shouted fiercely:
"Lu Kai! You can't escape!"
Seeing this, Lu Kai's face twisted with fury.
"Damn it, you mad woman! Why don't you learn how to manage a household and raise children instead of playing at fighting and killing?"
"Go to hell."
With that, he sneered and abruptly looked back. A flash of cold light flickered in his hand as a thin throwing knife shaped like a willow leaf shot straight toward Li Hongye's throat!
At this critical moment—
Li Hongye reacted with astonishing speed. She exerted force through her feet, folded her body in midair, and let the throwing knife skim past her shoulder. It sliced through her sleeve but left her skin untouched.
"Looking for death!"
She shouted furiously and lashed out with the iron whip in her hand. It curled toward Yellow Wolf like a spirit serpent.
The whip was pitch-black from end to end, forged from tempered refined iron. Its tip was sharp as a blade, and wrapped in surging force, it shrieked through the air with a "sizzle, sizzle," like a black venomous serpent tearing through the sky!
Lu Kai's eyes turned cold. He stamped down, retreating explosively, then drew his long saber. Its gray-black blade swallowed and spat cold light. This was the famed Wolf Fang Soul Severing Saber upon which he had built his reputation.
"Get lost!"
Lu Kai roared and slashed backward, sending a slanting blade light crashing straight into the incoming whip!
"Clang—!!!"
The iron whip and Soul Severing Saber collided violently. Sparks flew in all directions, and the thunderous impact made the surrounding walls and roof tiles tremble and hum.
Both figures jolted at the same time. Li Hongye was knocked three steps back, while Lu Kai slid several feet, the blue bricks beneath his feet shattering. Clearly, he had been slightly outmatched in that exchange.
"What a tough whip!" Lu Kai narrowed his eyes, his killing intent growing stronger. "You're the female constable Li Hongye?"
Li Hongye sneered. "You recognize me? Perfect. Leave your life here."
Before her voice had even faded, she shook both hands. The iron whip became a violent storm, lashing out dozens of times in succession. Every strike carried astonishing gusts of force and sealed off Lu Kai's retreat from different angles!
"Clink, clank, clang, clang!"
Lu Kai swung his saber repeatedly, barely blocking the web-like barrage of whip shadows, but every clash forced him farther and farther back.
"Bitch, you really think I'm afraid of you?"
Lu Kai roared furiously. Suddenly, he gave a low shout and lowered his body. Powerful force erupted beneath his feet, blasting stones apart as he pounced forward like a starving wolf and abruptly closed in!
"Wolf Charge Kill!"
His body shot forward like an arrow. His long saber cleaved down, bringing with it a gray-white saber aura that forced Li Hongye back three steps in succession.
"Good!"
Li Hongye's gaze was icy. Her left hand raised the iron whip to seal his throat, while her right hand instantly drew her sword. The blade flashed like a startled rainbow, stabbing straight toward Lu Kai's lower abdomen!
Lu Kai was startled. He twisted sharply to the side, but the sword tip still tore open the robe at his waist, sending blood spraying!
"You cheap woman—!!"
Enraged, Lu Kai suddenly opened his mouth and spat out a cloud of black smoke before retreating violently!
"Smoke poison!"
"Everyone, fall back!"
Li Hongye shouted in a low voice and swung her whip, stirring the air and scattering the smoke.
But Yellow Wolf Lu Kai took advantage of the opening and dashed out of the street corner like the wind, escaping a hundred paces in the blink of an eye!
"Pursue him!!"
Li Hongye gave a soft command, and several constables followed close behind. The street immediately erupted in another wave of cries as the onlookers scattered.
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