Patrol

Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump...

Eh? Old Ma again? The knocking startled Chen Wu from his sleep.

Old Ma, what is the meaning of this? Is there something wrong with sleeping in?

Wait!!!

Just as he was about to grumble, Chen Wu realized something was wrong. This rhythm of knocking, according to their prior agreement, signaled an emergency.

Chen Wu rolled out of bed, threw on a coat, crept toward the door, and peered through the crack.

It was indeed suspicious. Besides Old Ma's long face, there was the silhouette of another person, though the crack was too narrow to see clearly.

Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump...

Ignoring the knocking, Chen Wu steadied his breathing and circulated his qi. He channeled his internal energy from the Shanzhong acupoint through the Hand Shaoyang Triple Burner Meridian directly to his cochlea, then pressed his ear against the door panel to listen.

This was a clever trick Chen Wu had discovered while experimenting with his martial arts over the past few days; it greatly enhanced his hearing. He figured the "listening for position" technique Old Ma mentioned was likely something similar.

What he heard, however, made his heart turn cold.

Chen Wu could clearly distinguish Old Ma's breathing and heartbeat. But the person beside him was like a stone—neither heartbeat nor breath could be detected.

Damn it, another expert.

To be able to control one's breathing and heartbeat so freely, the person had to be at least a Fifth-Rank Micro-Realm expert.

Chen Wu's mind raced. After careful consideration, he decided to open the door. After all, Old Ma's knocking rhythm indicated an issue, not a call to flee, so it likely wasn't an immediate life-or-death crisis.

Chen Wu hesitated no longer. Rubbing his eyes to feign just waking up, he pulled the door open. "Who is it?"

As the door opened, the stranger came into view. The man was exceptionally tall, easily nearing one meter ninety, with a square face and a striking black uniform.

Chen Wu felt the outfit looked familiar, but before he could dwell on it, Old Ma spoke up.

"Chen Gawa, pay your respects! This is Chief Inspector Zhang of Jincheng Prefecture..."

"Little Brother Chen, greetings! This Humble One is Zhang Yihe." Chief Inspector Zhang suddenly interrupted Old Ma, taking the initiative to bow toward Chen Wu.

"Chief Inspector Zhang is too kind. This Humble One is Chen Wu." Chen Wu hurriedly returned the bow.

No wonder it looked familiar; it was clearly a more refined version of the inspector uniform, just like the one he had seen near the Yellow River Iron Bridge yesterday.

"Little Brother, no need for such formalities," Chief Inspector Zhang said, showing no sign of official arrogance and speaking with a pleasant expression. "Since you are a man of the jianghu, let us interact according to jianghu rules."

"Thanks to the kindness of friends in the jianghu, I have been given a nickname: 'Iron Ruler Silver Fox.' Little Brother, you may call me Zhang Iron Ruler."

Hearing a title similar to "Star-Pulling Sword," Chen Wu's eyes drifted to the Chief Inspector's waist. Aside from a handgun, a pair of iron rulers hung prominently there.

The iron rulers were a little over half a meter long, shaped like hexagonal prisms with rounded heads. The handles had small, upward-extending branches, and the entire weapon was pitch black, yet the surface shimmered with a faint blue light.

Seeming to notice Chen Wu's gaze, Chief Inspector Zhang smiled. "These iron rulers are nothing special; every inspector in the Great Shun carries a pair. It's just that they've recently been treated with a bluing process, which is why they look blue."

Following this, Chief Inspector Zhang gave a wink, and Old Ma tactfully exited the room and closed the door.

"I have not come for any other reason than to inquire about yesterday's events." Seeing that only the two of them remained, Zhang Iron Ruler stated his purpose.

"The assassination attempt yesterday? I merely happened to be there."

"Then why have I heard that a contract to assassinate Qiao Weisheng was also posted at your Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower?" Zhang Iron Ruler suddenly cut straight to the point.

"W-what Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower?" Chen Wu gave the performance of a lifetime.

"Let's speak plainly." Zhang Iron Ruler's smile faded. "Star-Pulling Sword has already informed me that you are a top-tier expert from the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower, which is why I came to inquire personally."

Seeing that his cover was blown, Chen Wu stopped pretending. "Since Chief Inspector Zhang has already spoken with Star-Pulling Sword, you naturally know that I have nothing to do with this matter."

"An expert of your caliber is rare even in the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower. Your appearance yesterday was likely no coincidence." Zhang Iron Ruler seemed convinced that Chen Wu was the one who had taken the contract.

"Chief Inspector Zhang, please do not make baseless accusations. Everything requires evidence."

Seeing that Chen Wu was unmoved, Zhang Iron Ruler wore an inscrutable expression. "Since you work for the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower, even if you aren't involved in this, I'm sure you have plenty of other cases hanging over your head, don't you?"

"Chief Inspector Zhang, let's stick to the facts. Don't resort to these baseless threats."

Chen Wu felt his resolve harden. This "Zhang Iron Ruler" clearly had no evidence. As long as he wasn't dragged into the inspector's office to be framed, he would be fine. He couldn't afford to lose his nerve; he had to project the aura of an expert to make this man wary of him.

"Our Great Shun is peaceful and prosperous, with a harmonious government and happy people. Where would there be any villains?" As he spoke, Chen Wu mimicked the demeanor of the loyal Great Shun subject from yesterday, bowing toward the direction of the capital. "This Humble One practices some techniques from the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower, but only for the sake of physical fitness."

Seeing Chen Wu's performance, Zhang Iron Ruler couldn't help himself. "I had heard that the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower despised all laws and rituals and held no respect for the imperial court. Today, seeing it is truly more shocking than hearing of it."

"Ahem, let's skip the small talk. What exactly does Chief Inspector Zhang want?"

"Could you pass a message for me?"

"To whom?"

"The person in your sect who accepted the assassination contract."

"I don't even know who that is!" Chen Wu denied it without hesitation.

"You have your ways of passing the word." Zhang Iron Ruler nodded, looking confident. "Just tell them this: if they are willing to hold off for seven days, I, Zhang Yihe, will owe them a favor."

Zhang Iron Ruler stared into Chen Wu's eyes and added, "I am about to be transferred to the capital. During this time, nothing can go wrong in Jincheng Prefecture. Qiao Weisheng is a world-renowned merchant; if he dies in Jincheng Prefecture, it will inevitably cause a massive public outcry."

"So Chief Inspector Zhang is getting a promotion. Congratulations!" It was actually about protecting his career path; Chen Wu finally understood.

"Will you agree to pass on a message?"

Chen Wu knew this was a request to pause his assassination attempt, so he countered, "Why only seven days?"

"After seven days, Qiao Weisheng will be leaving Jincheng Prefecture."

Good grief. As long as the target doesn't die in Jincheng Prefecture, he doesn't care. Truly, let the other guy die, not me. No wonder he climbed the ranks so quickly.

"With the Star-Pulling Sword guarding him, who could possibly kill Master Qiao? The Chief Inspector is overthinking it."

"Though the Star-Pulling Sword is a master of the Profound Realm, one can spend a thousand days as a thief, but one cannot spend a thousand days guarding against one," Zhang Iron Ruler said. "For instance, if a master like yourself were to strike, and the Star-Pulling Sword had even a momentary lapse, Qiao Weisheng would be in grave danger."

"You overestimate me."

"That is what the Star-Pulling Sword said himself. This Humble One prefers to believe it is true."

Damn it, why does no one believe the truth? Chen Wu felt genuinely depressed. Why does everyone insist on seeing him as some kind of super-master?

Chen Wu decided to lay his cards on the table: "And if I refuse?"

"A master such as yourself is indeed as unyielding as iron," Zhang Iron Ruler's expression shifted. "In that case, I shall waste no more breath. We shall see the truth of our skills when the time comes. Farewell."

Without waiting to see how Chen Wu would react, he strode to the door in two or three steps, pulled it open, and nearly collided with Old Ma, who was standing outside.

Old Ma was startled, and the tea he was carrying spilled. "Chief Inspector Zhang, are you leaving? This little one hasn't served you tea yet."

"Official business is pressing today, another time!" Zhang Zhihe glanced back at Chen Wu before pushing past Old Ma and heading downstairs.

Old Ma could only watch the Chief Inspector depart, then carried the tea into Chen Wu's room, kicked the door shut, and asked urgently, "Chen Gawa, what happened?"

Chen Wu did not hide anything, recounting the conversation to Old Ma point by point, and added, "Unless Zhang Iron Ruler can take the blade for him, not even the Heavenly King himself could stop me from carrying out the assassination the day after tomorrow."

"Indeed." Old Ma nodded. "Since you have already offended Zhang Iron Ruler, you must be fully prepared. He isn't called 'Iron Ruler Silver Fox' for nothing."

"Not long ago, Wu Chengyi—a rebel from the Red Lantern Society known as the 'Cloud-Grasping Iron Hand'—fell into his hands. Wu Chengyi had already touched the threshold of the Sixth-Stage Zhou Tian Realm, yet Zhang Zhihe caught him red-handed before the Red Lantern Society could intervene."

"Sixth Stage?"

"He hadn't fully broken through, but he was close. You could call it a half-step into the Sixth Stage."

"Oh."

"Don't underestimate this half-step. Give him a little time, and he will surely reach the Sixth Stage."

"Of the first six stages of martial arts, the others rely on grinding effort; they don't require much in terms of innate talent or comprehension, only bitter training and resources. If the resources are sufficient, even a dullard can break through with persistence. But the Fourth-Stage Pulse-Connecting Realm and the Sixth-Stage Zhou Tian Realm are different."

"How are they different?" Chen Wu's interest was piqued. He had only transmigrated a few days ago, and the original owner's memories were fragmented; he truly lacked this kind of martial knowledge.

"The Fourth-Stage Pulse-Connecting Realm requires the hundred meridians to be fully opened, merging internal and external, breaking the barrier between internal and external cultivation. Whether one started with hard external skills or seated internal arts, from this point on, they become a unified whole, capable of cultivating both simultaneously."

"The Sixth-Stage Zhou Tian Realm requires one to reach a state where the true qi circulates without the need for conscious guidance. Whether eating, drinking, walking, or sleeping, one is always cultivating. From this point on, the martial realm never regresses. Even if one never practices again, the realm is maintained. In the past, the Buddhist sects called this state Avinivartaniya, the realm of a Seventh-Ground Bodhisattva."

At this point, Old Ma suddenly looked suspicious. "With your martial arts being so high, how do you not know this?"

Oh no, a slip-up!

Chen Wu was startled and quickly said, "Uh, when I was cultivating those two stages, I didn't feel much of anything when I reached them. I just assumed they were very simple."

Old Ma's mouth hung open, at a loss for words for a long moment before he pointed at Chen Wu, exasperated. "Do you have any idea? Over ninety percent of martial artists can't even cross the threshold of the Fourth-Stage Pulse-Connecting Realm! Those who can step into the Sixth-Stage Zhou Tian Realm are one in a thousand."

"So few?"

"You think they're common? You think martial arts masters are like mud in the Yellow River, available whenever you want?" Old Ma's voice grew louder, tinged with indignation.

"Those in this world with the resources and talent to practice martial arts are one in a hundred to begin with. Even if they develop internal energy, the vast majority of martial artists spend their whole lives stuck in the first three stages. They call them the Copper Skin, Iron Sinew, and Jade Bone realms, but if they don't reach the pinnacle, they show no signs of these phenomena—they're just a bit stronger, have more stamina, and react faster than ordinary people."

"Only upon reaching the Fourth-Stage Pulse-Connecting Realm can one be considered to have entered the inner sanctum. And even then, one must toil daily, practicing morning and night, advancing without pause, like water dripping through stone. Only after spending half a lifetime can one grind their way to the Fifth-Stage Micro-Perception Realm."

Old Ma's voice gradually lowered, his excitement fading into a touch of melancholy. "But by then, one is often too old, their blood and qi in decline, with no chance of further breakthrough, left only to sigh at the Sixth Stage."

"I didn't mean to..." Realizing he had been too clever for his own good and had touched a sore spot, Chen Wu quickly tried to make amends.

Old Ma shook his head and smiled. "Comparing people only leads to frustration. I'm old enough to understand that. A martial genius like you shouldn't be judged by ordinary standards."

Chen Wu opened his mouth to offer comfort, but Old Ma continued on his own.

"Actually, even if one reaches the Fifth-Stage Micro-Perception Realm while still in their prime, those who can step into the Sixth Stage are few and far between. Innate talent and comprehension are both essential. There are plenty of people who reach the Fifth Stage early but spend their entire lives failing to reach the Sixth."

"If I hadn't been willing to give up, I wouldn't have become an informant. Look at me now—I'm doing fine. I've had a good life for all these years, even if I can no longer maintain the Micro-Perception Realm."

"Old Ma, you reached the Micro-Perception Realm?" Chen Wu looked at him with newfound respect.

"I said that was in the past. I've regressed to the Fourth-Stage Pulse-Connecting Realm. Ever since I realized there was no hope for the Sixth Stage in this life, I applied to be an informant and stopped caring about martial arts. I've practiced my whole life; can't I enjoy myself a little?"

Truly, once the thought of giving up arises, the world suddenly feels vast and open. Chen Wu couldn't help but nod.

"Enough about me. Chen Gawa, have you thought about how to deal with Zhang Zhihe?" Old Ma pulled himself together, his tone turning serious.

"This... are there any other masters in Jincheng Prefecture?" Suddenly thinking of the thirty thousand silver dollars he had used to hire the prison master, Chen Wu considered using the same tactic.

"You want to hire someone to hold back Zhang Zhihe? That's difficult." Old Ma frowned. "Even a half-step Sixth-Stage master fell to Zhang Iron Ruler. To hold him back, one's martial arts cannot be below the Sixth Stage. To be safe, it should be the Seventh-Stage Spirit-Condensing Realm."

"Such masters all have names, reputations, families, and businesses. The righteous path masters would never oppose Zhang Iron Ruler, and even the underworld masters wouldn't provoke the Inspector's Office without good reason."

As soon as Chen Wu heard this, he understood the difficulty.

Zhang Iron Ruler was a government official in a powerful department like the Inspector's Office; provoking him was equivalent to provoking the Great Shun imperial court. Even if there were masters, why would they intervene for no reason? Even if he paid them, they might not be willing to wade into such muddy waters.

If one Zhang Iron Ruler was this difficult to handle, an Eighth-Stage Profound Realm master with a navy background like Guo Xuchu would be even harder. He had thought too simply at the start, believing he could find someone to hold back Guo Xuchu through Old Ma.

If not for running into Inspector Old Jin, he would never have found anyone willing to deal with Guo Xuchu in such a short time. It seemed that although Old Jin's demand for thirty thousand silver dollars was a lion's share, he would simply have to endure it for now.

"What about our Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower?"

"The Inspector certainly could, but he is currently touring Gan Province, and his whereabouts are uncertain; I do not know if he is in Jincheng Prefecture."

He was here, of course he was, only he had already been hired by Chen Wu to deal with Guo Xuchu.

"Besides the Inspector, is there anyone else?"

"Above the Sixth Rank..." Old Ma's brows furrowed even tighter, "Those above the Sixth Rank are already few in number, and at this time, they should all be out on missions."

"Money is not an issue."

"It is not a matter of money."

Chen Wu steeled his heart, pulled a stack of banknotes from his robes, and shoved them into Old Ma's hands—the very same banknotes he had "traded" from Old Ma just yesterday.

"As long as you can help me hire someone, these shall be returned to their rightful owner."

Old Ma instinctively gripped the banknotes: "It truly is not a matter of money; there are simply no suitable candidates in the tower at this moment."

"If that is the case, then I shall find another way." As he spoke, Chen Wu moved to pull the banknotes back.

Old Ma hurriedly tightened his grip on the money, preventing Chen Wu from withdrawing it: "There may be no suitable candidates in the tower, but I have one."

Having said that, he unhooked the mutton-fat jade pendant from his waist and handed it to Chen Wu.