Inner Hall

In the sunlight, a flash of silver vanished in an instant, making Luo Boqing and the other two's pupils suddenly constrict.

The air seemed to freeze solid.

Dong Li stood with his mouth open, the mocking words that were to follow forcibly caught in his throat.

Sun An's face twisted into a lump, as though he had swallowed a fly.

Luo Boqing's eyes, fixed stubbornly on Chen Cheng, slowly shifted to the black-character Waist Token at his own waist after Chen Cheng's back disappeared. Its lack of luster made the emotions in his heart a tangled mess.

The vermilion-lacquered wooden door of the Inner Hall was not large, but once one crossed it, it was an entirely different world.

It was utterly unlike the rough training yard of the Outer Hall, where dust flew everywhere and old equipment mingled with the smell of sweat and shouts.

The Inner Hall's ground was paved entirely with smooth, tightly laid bluestone tiles. Someone swept and sprinkled it daily, and not even a speck of dust could be seen between the cracks.

There were around ten side rooms surrounding the yard, each spacious, bright, solemn, and quiet. From different rooms drifted faint scents of elegant sandalwood, medicine, and stranger fragrances.

Sturdy wooden posts coated in clear lacquer stood in the corners, their bodies wrapped in tanned cowhide of varying thicknesses.

The weapon racks were made of sturdy nanmu wood. The sabers, spears, swords, and halberds displayed upon them might not have been divine weapons, but their edges gleamed coldly and had clearly been maintained with great care. They were surely worth a great deal.

Inner Hall disciples occasionally passed by.

Chen Cheng recognized some of their faces, while others he was seeing for the first time.

Yet every one of them carried an aura utterly different from that of the Outer Hall disciples.

They spoke quietly and moved neither hurriedly nor slowly. The glances they occasionally cast over were so indifferent that it was as though Chen Cheng and the other Outer Hall disciples were nothing but air.

"Is everyone here?"

Third Senior Sister Ye Qiluo approached on her long, jade-like legs, her chin slightly raised. There was little warmth between her pretty brows and eyes, only a faint trace of arrogance.

"The original ten, along with Junior Brother Chen Cheng, who has newly cultivated Second-Incense Blood Qi, are all present."

A short-haired young man cupped his hands in reply.

"Chen Cheng?"

Ye Qiluo had some impression of the name. Her gaze swept over him, and she gave him a brief appraisal without saying anything further.

"Fine. All of you, come with me."

The row of side rooms on the north side of the Inner Hall had been completely opened up, making the space extremely broad.

At that moment, more than twenty people had already gathered within, some sitting and some standing. Every one of them was well dressed and polished, their manner relaxed and composed. Several were clearly accustomed to being pampered.

First Senior Brother Chu Meng and Second Senior Brother Zhu Mingyuan were receiving them. Though the two were young, they handled the guests with effortless ease. Amid laughter and conversation, they neither neglected propriety nor diminished Dragon Mountain Hall's prestige. They truly deserved their reputation as the foremost talents of the Inner Courtyard.

Xiao Yi stayed close beside them, trying to accumulate valuable connections. With the title of the Inner Hall's newly risen genius above his head, everyone treated him quite courteously and was more than willing to befriend him.

"Alright, may I ask everyone to quiet down for now."

Seeing Ye Qiluo lead the group inside, Chu Meng spoke in a clear voice.

"These are the outstanding disciples of Dragon Mountain Hall's Outer Hall who have condensed Second-Incense Blood Qi."

"If any of you wish to hire Martial Artists for a contracted post, feel free to examine and discuss matters among yourselves. If you wish to test their skills, the Inner Hall yard is also convenient."

The moment those words fell, the scene immediately came alive.

Martial Artists were scarce talents to begin with. Martial Artists from Dragon Mountain Hall's Middle Academy who had condensed Second-Incense Blood Qi were even rarer.

For that very reason, the guests around them, regardless of their status, were exceedingly polite and friendly toward Chen Cheng and the others, showing them every measure of respect.

It could be said that while they were choosing Martial Artists, the Martial Artists likewise had the right to choose them.

Chen Cheng stood at the very back of the crowd, inconspicuous at first.

But as the people in front gradually spread out to speak with one another, several gazes fell upon him, and someone began moving closer.

Just then, Xiao Yi saw him as well.

A flash of extreme astonishment passed through Xiao Yi's eyes, only to be swiftly suppressed.

Without changing expression, Xiao Yi quickly turned sideways and murmured a few words to those people who had been about to approach.

The instant he finished speaking, they all stopped. Their expressions shifted subtly, and they immediately turned elsewhere, as though they had never noticed Chen Cheng at all.

Chen Cheng felt no ripples in his heart. He even wanted to leave immediately and return to the Outer Hall to train.

He already had what he considered the most ideal place for a contracted post.

If those people truly came to recruit him, he would have to rack his brains for an excuse to refuse them. Since they were not coming, that saved him the trouble.

"Chen Cheng!? It really is you!?"

From a distant corner, a young man in a Patrol Office clerk's uniform strode over, his face full of surprise.

"Liang Guang?"

Chen Cheng froze for a moment. He had not expected to run into an acquaintance here.

"Not bad, kid! How long has it been? You've already condensed Second-Incense Blood Qi!"

Liang Guang put on a warm smile. The moment he came close, he naturally draped a hand over Chen Cheng's shoulder. Anyone who did not know better would have thought they were the closest of friends.

Chen Cheng had never thought much of Liang Guang or Cao Badou.

After the matter of Zhou Long's severe injury, Chen Cheng had seen through both men's true faces even more clearly. Now, he merely responded perfunctorily.

After exchanging a few idle words, Liang Guang lifted his chin and glanced toward the middle-aged man in a Constable Chief's uniform on the other side, unable to hide his boastful tone.

"See that? That's the Constable Chief of the South Third Guard Patrol Office—my godfather!"

Liang Guang raised a brow and discreetly held out four fingers below his waist.

"Take a contracted post with the Patrol Office, and your monthly pay is this much! You won't get treatment like that anywhere else! So, what do you say? Want your brother here to put in a word for you?"

"Four taels?"

Chen Cheng held back a laugh and shook his head.

"No need to trouble yourself. I already have somewhere to take a post."

"...Are you stupid? If you have somewhere else, just turn it down."

Liang Guang lowered his voice.

"Don't say your brother doesn't look after you. During this operation to wipe out Red Moon Nunnery, the Patrol Office lost many constables..."

"Get yourself a part-time post first. Once you've saved up enough capital, I'll have my godfather smooth things over for you and get you a formal constable's iron rice bowl. Then you won't have to worry for the rest of your life!"

"You two seem to be having quite the lively chat?"

At that moment, Xiao Yi walked over and spoke with a half-smile.

"Junior Brother Chen, if I remember correctly, your Bones are of the very lowest grade. How could you have condensed Second-Incense Blood Qi in such a short time? Could it be that you used some special method?"

"The very lowest-grade Bones?"

Liang Guang's smile immediately stiffened upon hearing that. But that was nothing compared to what came next—his attention was completely captured by the latter half of Xiao Yi's words.

"A special method!? Could... could it have something to do with Red Moon Nunnery!?"

Red Moon Nunnery had now been classified as an evil cult. Anyone connected to it would invite enormous trouble.

Liang Guang's hand sprang away from Chen Cheng's shoulder as though shocked by lightning.

"Red Moon Nunnery?"

In the distance, the Constable Chief was walking over and happened to hear those three words clearly.

In an instant, the atmosphere turned sharply cold. One grave gaze after another gathered upon Chen Cheng like countless sharp arrows, pinning him in place.