You're all free to make your own choices. Don't worry about me.
Yanshan shook the reins and continued, "If you accept a lineage's support, you'll naturally be branded as one of its people. Prefectural Commander is as high as someone from a great lineage can rise."
The imperial court wouldn't allow a great lineage to occupy the position of Guardian Envoy and monopolize an entire province.
Yanshan glanced at the people beside him. "If we rely on a great lineage, the highest we can reach is the position of Commander. If our talent is heaven-defying, then that's another matter."
Wang Feng and the others merely listened. They were already in their twenties and still only at the Body Tempering Realm. Their talent was too mediocre. Even becoming Commanders was still a distant prospect for them, let alone entertaining any other ambitions.
Pledging themselves to a great lineage was already their best option. As for being brought along by Yanshan to the Demon Suppression Division, that was merely Qian Chengzu's casual favor.
The group traveled day and night. They left Wan'an Prefecture and hurried onward for seven days before finally reaching Cloud Province. The city bore the province's name and was its capital, the most important city in all of Cloud Province.
A hundred-meter-high city wall stood before them. The main gate was over fifty meters wide, easily broad enough for more than a dozen carriages to ride side by side.
Yanshan's gaze fell on Su Ye, and he smiled faintly. "We've eaten so much bland food these past few days, my mouth's practically grown feathers. Once we're inside, let's have a proper feast. Then we'll find a few girls who can sing and play the flute, so I can play the host."
"We'll leave it all to you, Brother Yan." The others clasped their hands and replied knowingly.
The side gates on either side were crowded with endless lines of people. Su Ye and the others waited a full incense stick's time before finally nearing the registration area.
Yanshan took the Black Iron Token from his waist and handed it to a middle-aged constable.
"Safe travels, Captain Yan." After registering him, the middle-aged constable respectfully returned the token to Yanshan.
Su Ye communicated with Dahei and had him find a place to stay outside the city. Then he followed the others inside.
Swept along by the crowds, the group finally entered the city. People thronged the streets, and shops lined both sides, bustling with activity. The long streets stretched so far that the eye couldn't see the end of them, and there was more than one such street.
"It's still early. Let's get registered at the Demon Suppression Division first, brothers. That way, we can be assigned our lodgings." Yanshan walked ahead of the group and looked back at them.
The Cloud Province headquarters of the Demon Suppression Division covered more than fifty mu. After entering the compound, whose entrance was marked with three vermilion characters spelling out "Demon Suppression Division," Su Ye received a wooden box from the elderly clerk at the registration desk.
Name: Su Ye
Realm: Third Layer of the Meridian Opening Realm
Weapon: saber; native of Linshan County; formerly a constable...
Eligible for the rank of Captain.
Wang Feng, Ma San, Xue Ping: Demon Execution Guards.
"All right, everything's in the box. As for what happened in Linshan County, we'll still need to wait for Commander Qian to return and explain the details." The elderly clerk closed the register, smiling warmly.
"Thank you, sir."
Su Ye hadn't revealed his Body Tempering Realm strength. This was his first time in Cloud Province's capital, a place teeming with powerful experts. He needed to keep some strength in reserve, just in case.
As they left the hall, Xue Ping looked at Yanshan walking ahead and asked, "Brother Yan, if the credit for Linshan County comes through, what kind of reward will Su Ye receive?"
Yanshan considered it before replying, "The matter in Linshan County was all thanks to Brother Su. There's no way he won't get the position of Commander. He might even be allowed to choose a Meridian Opening Realm technique as a reward."
Hearing Yanshan's words, Wang Feng, Xue Ping, and the others couldn't help feeling envious. They regretted not seizing the opportunity to distinguish themselves. Their strength was nowhere near Su Ye's, but if they'd killed a few more of those Corpse Demon Cult lackeys, they might have earned quite a bit of credit.
"Then we'll call you Commander Su in advance," the others said enviously.
The group arrived at their assigned lodgings. Wang Feng and the other two were only Demon Execution Guards, so they were assigned a shared courtyard.
Su Ye, as a Captain, was not high-ranking, but according to regulations, he was still given a small detached courtyard.
Inside the courtyard, Su Ye opened the wooden box. Within lay a three-foot saber, two sets of official black robes with a dark sheen, dragon embroidery along the collars, and a Black Iron Token. The front bore the name Su Ye, while the back read Captain.
Time flew by. Early the next morning, Su Ye changed into his brand-new uniform. The Black Iron Token hung at his waist, and his standard-issue saber at his other side. When he stepped out, he saw Wang Feng and the others already waiting in the distance.
"Su Ye, come eat with us."
After exchanging a few pleasantries, the group grabbed a quick bite at the canteen and headed straight for the Demon Suppression Division's training grounds.
Yanshan strode across the training grounds to meet them. His tone was solemn as he said, "It's not recruitment season, so I'll explain things to you brothers myself."
"Our Demon Suppression Division has always followed the rule of work first, food later. As for Martial Arts, you'll have to earn them with credit."
Wang Feng and the others had been hoping to choose Martial Arts that suited them. Hearing this, they couldn't help feeling disappointed. They didn't show it on their faces, but the atmosphere around them grew a little subdued.
As if sensing their frustration, Yanshan said, "New recruits get benefits too. You only need to complete one mission outside the city, and you can go to the Martial Arts Repository and choose a Yellow Grade technique for free as an incentive."
"With your strength, brothers, it shouldn't be hard to complete five or six low-level missions and earn two Yellow Grade Martial Skills to protect yourselves."
A Yellow Grade Martial Skill required five contribution points, while a technique required ten. A Mystic Grade Martial Skill cost fifty points, and a technique cost one hundred. Each grade above that cost ten times as much as the last.
"As for Heaven Grade techniques..." Yanshan paused and didn't continue.
Ma San counted on his fingers. "Wouldn't a Heaven Grade technique require a full ten thousand contribution points?"
"Having the chance to exchange for one at all is already good enough." Wang Feng knew how precious Heaven Grade techniques were and couldn't help chiming in.
"Brother Yan, how much was the Qi Gathering Pill Commander Qian gave Su Ye last time?" Wang Feng couldn't resist asking, his curiosity getting the better of him.
Yanshan, walking ahead, came to a halt. After all, Qian Chengzu had handed over that bottle of Qi Gathering Pills with an agenda—and had dragged him into it too.
Ever since their trip to Linshan County, he'd harbored some resentment. He always felt he'd lost face. With that in mind, he turned around and said, "There are too many kinds of pills to generalize. Qi Gathering Pills are used to improve one's cultivation, and their value is second only to Breakthrough Pills. They cost ten contribution points."
Other kinds, such as antidotes and healing pills, were much cheaper.
"Commander Qian gave him two Yellow Grade techniques in one go," Xue Ping said enviously.
"You can't lump them together. Techniques can be copied whenever you like, but pills are different. You need both the ingredients and an alchemist, and the ingredients used for alchemy are all medicinal herbs that have grown for years."
Hearing Wang Feng's explanation, the others couldn't help nodding repeatedly.
Yanshan continued explaining as he walked ahead of them. "The Demon Suppression Division is fairly relaxed about managing its members. You only need to complete one to three missions each month. Naturally, the stronger you are, the more difficult your missions will be. The details are handled by the relevant staff."
In front of a courtyard with red walls and green tiles, Yanshan pointed toward the main hall. "That's the Imperial Mandate Office. Those characters were written by the founding emperor himself. Our monthly evaluations are the foundation of our standing."
"Brothers, the more demonic beasts we slay, the less suffering the people will endure—and the more credit we'll earn."
"Brother Yan is right."
The Imperial Mandate Office was crowded with people, some sitting and others standing—several dozen in all. On the left, an announcement board over fifty meters long was covered with one obituary after another.
Behind a row of carved wooden windows on the right, eight or nine women with pleasant features, dressed like clerks, were constantly signing and stamping documents for those who came and went.
The group's arrival didn't draw anyone's attention. Yanshan explained to them, "Don't accept these mission slips carelessly. Once one's in your hands, there's no backing out."
After a few more reminders, Yanshan left the Imperial Mandate Office on his own. Having just returned to Cloud Province's capital, he still had plenty of matters to take care of.
The others scattered and began looking over the mission notices on the wooden wall. Su Ye scanned them, from little newly awakened demons all the way to powerful demons at the Aperture Opening Realm. The sheer number was truly alarming, but considering how vast Cloud Province was, it was still just about believable.
"Why aren't there any mission notices for demons above the Core Condensation Realm?" Xue Ping scratched his head and asked.
At Xue Ping's words, quite a few men in the hall laughed scornfully. "Core Condensation Realm? Brother, are you new here?"
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