Gold Jade

The sun had passed noon.

He came to the South District General Office once again.

It had been more than half a year since his last visit. The previous time, he had come because of Zhang Hai's matter. Back then, he had been cautious as if treading on thin ice, head bowed and eyes lowered, unwilling to draw even the slightest attention. He had tried his best to diminish his presence and slipped quietly into the prison at the rear.

This time was different. He had been summoned by Xu Hongyu, the Chief Constable. Even if he wanted to keep a low profile, it was impossible. He first had to report at the front desk, then go to the central main building of the General Office, where someone led him all the way to the highest fourth floor.

The runner who led him upstairs worked at the General Office. The man gave Chen Mu many curious glances and greeted him with a beaming smile along the way, asking this and that, clearly intending to get acquainted.

Runners who could work at the General Office generally either had connections or possessed some ability. They differed from the low-ranking runners in the various ward offices, having seen more and possessed broader horizons.

Someone like Chen Mu, who had earned an audience with Chief Constable Xu Hongyu, was certainly no ordinary person regardless of the reason. Naturally, he was worth befriending.

"All right, I'll send you no farther. Upstairs is Chief Constable's official hall. Brother Chen, go on up yourself. When you have time, you must come find me. I'll definitely treat you to the most famous Wind Tower Drunken Duck in our South District."

The runner leading Chen Mu upstairs brought him to the third floor, then stopped and cupped his hands with a genial smile.

Chen Mu returned the gesture, then continued upstairs.

The fourth floor.

This was the highest floor of the City Guard Main Division's main building. From here, one could overlook the South District's busiest streets and markets.

The entire floor was spacious, yet utterly quiet. As Chen Mu walked through it, he encountered only one lightly dressed female runner, who led him to the innermost official hall.

"Come in."

Xu Hongyu's voice did not come from the main hall ahead, but from a side hall nearby.

The female runner who had brought him over gestured for him to enter.

The side hall was not as spacious as the main hall, but it was exceptionally elegant. Several Wisteria Wood tables stood within, holding either documents or one or two pots of flowers and greenery.

Xu Hongyu was not wearing that white Flying Fish Uniform. Instead, she wore somewhat loose casual clothes and sat behind a table by the window, half her body leaning against the sill. One hand supported her chin in a fist as she gazed down at the city outside.

"Chief Constable."

Chen Mu stopped about two meters away and bowed.

Xu Hongyu slowly turned her head, looked Chen Mu over from head to toe, and said, "Your father, Chen Feng, was an old runner in Nine Stripes Ward. He used Liu Ming's connections to arrange for you to enter the City Guard. At the time, you did not know saber techniques, and in all these years, you have had no connections anywhere and never studied the saber under anyone. So you must have stumbled upon a saber manual by chance and practiced it yourself for three or four years?"

With a single sentence, Xu Hongyu laid out Chen Mu's background with complete clarity.

Chen Mu was not particularly surprised. Given Xu Hongyu's position, investigating all his information would have been far too easy—probably no more than a morning's work.

Having him come after noon, she had most likely spent the morning ordering people to gather his records.

There was basically nothing wrong with those records. She might even have investigated his daily patrol duties thoroughly. The only thing she did not know was... he had actually practiced the saber for only a little over nine months, not three or four years.

Naturally, Chen Mu would not correct her on such a matter. Xu Hongyu believing he had practiced for three or four years was more reasonable instead.

"Yes."

Chen Mu cupped his hands again, appropriately showing a measure of reverence.

Xu Hongyu examined him a few more times. Then, she suddenly rose and walked over to him. Her small, crystalline, jade-like hand bent slightly, and she abruptly jabbed Chen Mu three times with her index and middle fingers—once between his ribs, once at his chest and abdomen, and once in the center of his lower back.

The three jabs were swift as lightning. Chen Mu saw only blurred afterimages before numb, painful sensations spread from all three spots. His body immediately went slightly limp, and he staggered, nearly unable to remain standing.

"Mm... looks like that's the case."

Xu Hongyu withdrew her hand and returned behind the table. Her expression remained calm as she looked at Chen Mu, then pushed a stack of items on the table forward, signaling for him to take them.

After Xu Hongyu jabbed him three times, Chen Mu's body still felt numb and weak. Though he guessed she had used some method to examine his physical condition, he could not help grumbling inwardly.

With some difficulty, he shuffled forward a few steps and picked up the items on the table.

They were several sheets of paper.

The first sheet was a note handwritten by Xu Hongyu, bearing the words: "Withdraw three hundred taels of patterned silver."

The second sheet beneath it was filled with rows upon rows of densely packed small characters. At the top were several larger, eye-catching words—Gold Jade Mo Pi Fa.

"My lady, this..."

Chen Mu appropriately showed astonishment and looked toward Xu Hongyu.

Yet his heart was already clear as a mirror. It seemed that, at his age, having cultivated Saber Force through self-study meant the talent he had displayed was even greater than he had expected. Great enough that even Xu Hongyu, the Chief Constable, was willing to bestow favors upon him and win his loyalty.

"Though Tang Quan was killed by you, I was standing nearby at the time, so it can count as you taking him alive. The three hundred taels of patterned silver are his wanted reward. As for this Gold Jade Mo Pi Fa... you should have heard of internal Body Tempering Methods?"

Xu Hongyu looked at Chen Mu calmly.

Chen Mu nodded. "In reply to my lady, I have heard the saying: first skin, second flesh, third tendons, fourth bones. I have always had the intention, but the price was rather steep, and I had no opportunity to obtain one."

Xu Hongyu nodded lightly. "First Skin Tempering, then Flesh Tempering, then Tendon Transformation, and finally Bone Tempering... these are the most reliable steps for cultivating a Body Tempering Method. Generally speaking, once one cultivates Skin Tempering to Perfection, handling four or five vicious men barehanded is no problem. If one can further temper Flesh Tempering to completion, even more than a dozen vicious men will be unable to approach."

"You cultivated Saber Force through self-study, which shows that your comprehension is not bad. Although your innate physique is ordinary and you encountered Body Tempering Methods somewhat late, you still have a good chance of tempering the Flesh Tempering realm to Perfection. At that point, you can be considered to have attained some standard."

"Oh, right. Tang Quan, whom you killed, was a Martial Warrior at Lian Rou Completion. He had already been severely wounded by me then, but his remaining strength was still formidable. You should understand that well."

More than understand it—Chen Mu still remembered it vividly even now.

In terms of skill, Tang Quan had not differed much from him. Both should have reached the level of cultivating "Force." But the gap in their physiques had been far too great. Had Tang Quan not been heavily injured, Chen Mu likely would not have lasted even two or three moves against him.

"If Tang Quan had not been injured, I would have been no match for him."

Chen Mu shook his head.

Xu Hongyu nodded lightly. "Then that is right. You possess the skill of 'Force' but lack the physique to support it, like duckweed without roots. You can deal freely enough with some insignificant people, but when facing someone who has cultivated a Body Tempering Method to a certain level, you will find them difficult to handle. Even if their skill has not reached the level of 'Force,' they can still suppress others with sheer strength."

"At your current level, you are roughly equal to someone at Skin Tempering Perfection who has not mastered 'Force.' But if you too reach Skin Tempering Perfection, you will be able to easily crush those of the same level who have not mastered 'Force.' You may even be able to deal with some at Initial Accomplishment in Flesh Tempering whose skill still falls short of 'Force.'"

Chen Mu had never possessed a particularly clear understanding of his own strength. Hearing Xu Hongyu's explanation, he finally gained a rough grasp of it.

Saber techniques were skill; Body Tempering Methods were strength.

Only when strength and skill came together was one on the proper path, the great road that led to the heavens.

Relatively speaking, cultivating "Force" depended entirely on comprehension, while Body Tempering Methods relied more on resources piled up layer upon layer. Thus, those who mastered Force could be considered a type of talent. If they were sufficiently young, they were even more extraordinary.

As Xu Hongyu had said, even among some people at Flesh Tempering Major Accomplishment or even Lian Rou Completion, many had stopped at Major Accomplishment in skill and never cultivated "Force." At most, they could only be considered second-rate.

But someone like Chen Mu, who had mastered Force at such a young age, would be able to handle ten ordinary Lian Rou Completion fighters who had risen by relying on stacked resources but lacked sufficient skill, provided he tempered his physique to Lian Rou Completion.

Such people were the true elites.

In the Outer City, one could serve as the Runner Office of an entire ward, commanding two or three hundred runners.

In the Inner City, among the major powers, one could also become an elite mid-ranking figure, a Martial Master guard commanding a number of men.

"The hardest part, Force, has already been cultivated by you. This Body Tempering Method merely requires bitter daily practice and tempering, allowing you to accumulate progress layer by layer. My Gold Jade Mo Pi Fa may not be among the most efficient methods, but it causes extremely little damage to the body. Even when you grow old, you need not worry about accumulated hidden injuries flaring up. If it were outside, it would still be a method worth a thousand gold."

"Now I am granting you this Skin Tempering Method as well. Do you... understand?"

Xu Hongyu watched Chen Mu quietly.

Naturally, Chen Mu knew what he ought to say. He immediately replied, "This subordinate is already a runner and obeys the orders of my superiors. My lady has shown such generous favor. In the future, this subordinate will naturally follow my lady's lead."

Jade City's powers were intertwined in a tangled web. Even the City Guard was not something Xu Hongyu could cover with one hand. The Inner City and other forces likewise reached into it, whether through buying people off or placing their own agents. Since Xu Hongyu considered him a talent worth nurturing, what she wanted was naturally a clear statement of his allegiance.

"Very good."

Xu Hongyu nodded faintly, greatly satisfied with Chen Mu's attitude. "Go back. I have already informed Yamen Director Min and told him to look after you. Once you have achieved success in cultivating this Skin Tempering Method, I will transfer you to the General Office."

Chen Mu bowed once more. "Thank you, my lady, for thinking highly of me. This subordinate will respectfully obey your instructions."

Xu Hongyu said no more and waved a hand at him.

Chen Mu then respectfully tucked the pages into his clothes and left the side hall.

After Chen Mu departed, Xu Hongyu watched his retreating figure, a trace of regret flickering through her eyes.

"To cultivate Saber Force through self-study in three or four years truly makes him a talent. Unfortunately, his origins are too poor, and he did not encounter a Body Tempering Method earlier. Reaching the Flesh Tempering realm will not be difficult, but his hopes of reaching 'Tendon Transformation' are somewhat slim."

Children from wealthy families often began practicing skills in childhood. At the most suitable age of fifteen or sixteen, they would begin cultivating Body Tempering Methods alongside them. After "three years tempering skin, five years tempering flesh," they could reach Lian Rou Completion before twenty-five, giving them a great chance of entering the third realm of Tendon Transformation.

If Lian Rou Completion combined with skill Perfection made one a mid-level elite, then reaching the Tendon Transformation level was what truly made one upper-tier.

A Chief Constable like her stood at precisely that level.

She had not taken the position of Chief Constable through background alone. Strength was one of the foundations.

But...

Chen Mu had encountered Body Tempering Methods too late.

She had just tested Chen Mu's innate physique. He had never cultivated a Body Tempering Method before, and he was now already more than twenty-two years old. Even with diligent, bitter training, it would be difficult for him to reach Lian Rou Completion before thirty.

This was because the best age to cultivate a Body Tempering Method was from fifteen or sixteen through twenty-five. That was when a young person's blood and vitality were at their most vigorous, when half the effort yielded twice the result. Afterward, things were basically set.

Once one passed thirty, it essentially began to reverse, becoming twice the effort for half the result. Further improvement became very difficult.

With Chen Mu's talent, had he been born into a wealthy family, his current achievements might not have been much inferior to hers. Even if he had not reached Tendon Transformation, he would certainly have attained Lian Rou Completion. Yet he was only beginning to cultivate now, trying bitterly to catch up, already slower by more than a step.

She could only feel regret over that.

After all, someone like Chen Mu was already quite a rare talent in the Outer City. He had once had the chance to stand on equal footing with her.