Ordered to Visit a Brothel

Clang, clang, clang~

In the middle of the night, someone knocked on the courtyard gate. Cui Ling asked in a trembling voice, "Who is it? Don't disturb my brother while he's practicing martial arts."

A familiar voice came from outside the gate. "Since when have I been home? How come I didn't know?"

"Brother~~" Cui Ling hurriedly opened the courtyard gate. "Weren't you at Brother Zhao's house taking care of him? Why did you come back?"

Cui Lang casually shut the gate behind him. "Magistrate Zheng rewarded him with a medicinal pill for his injuries. He's fine now."

"Oh, right. In a few days, when we go burn paper for Father, come with me. Tell him that I'm here at home, so he can rest easy and go be reborn."

"Go to sleep. I'll practice my blade for a while, then sleep too."

In the end, he did not tell his sister the truth about their father's death. He did not want her to worry and be afraid.

This time, killing the toad demon had also completely dispelled the lingering obsession left behind by the previous owner of this body. From now on, he would protect his sister well in that man's stead and guard this home.

He would also work hard to improve his martial arts and slaughter every demon and monster that harmed people.

Early on the third day, Cui Lang arrived at the yamen to check in.

When he saw Zhao Changshan, Zhao Changshan leaned close and whispered, "Let me tell you something. Yesterday, Constable Li personally led men to raid that Sun Yuanwai's home."

"How could they leave us out of something that good?"

Raiding a household—how much profit could they skim from that?

"Maybe because we were on leave." Cui Lang also found it somewhat regrettable, but then he considered that he had already gained the greatest benefit. After absorbing the toad demon's blood essence last night, his strength had improved considerably. He felt that so long as he practiced every day, it would not be long before he broke through to the middle stage of the Essence Condensation Realm.

He had thought that once roll call ended, they could head into the streets to patrol. But Constable Li suddenly said, "Patrols are postponed today. I'll be testing everyone's martial arts."

"As constables, we must capture bandits, slay demons, and eliminate monsters. Martial arts are the foundation of everything. I've reminded you countless times, but I wonder how many of you actually took it to heart."

"Anyone who can last ten moves against me will be rewarded with ten taels of silver. Who wants to go first?"

The constables all pushed the task onto one another. Everyone wanted the ten taels of silver, but who could possibly be Constable Li's match?

During the last test, all of them had attacked together, yet in less than ten breaths, every one of them had been knocked to the ground.

Constable Li rebuked them, "Those who practice martial arts should possess fearless hearts. Look at the lot of you! Zhao Changshan, you slew a demon a few days ago. I heard Magistrate Zheng even rewarded you with an Herbal Restoration Pill. Your strength must have improved quite a bit. You go first."

Zhao Changshan gave an awkward smile. "Constable Li, I just got lucky. I'm nowhere near your equal. Please go easy on me in a moment."

He drew the saber at his waist and faced Constable Li, but Constable Li stood barehanded and crooked a finger at him. "Enough nonsense. I won't use true essence. Draw your blade!"

Zhao Changshan slashed at him. Constable Li easily sidestepped the attack. Zhao Changshan immediately changed moves, only for Constable Li to evade with ease again.

After dodging seven times, Constable Li suddenly punched Zhao Changshan in the shoulder.

Zhao Changshan staggered back seven or eight steps before steadying himself, while laughter broke out around him.

"Your footwork is unsteady, and your blade lacks strength. Have you been visiting brothels again lately? How many times have I told you? Lust is a steel blade that scrapes the bones. How are you supposed to break into the Essence Gathering Realm like this?"

Zhao Changshan scratched his head. "Constable Li's lesson is correct. This subordinate will definitely go less often in the future."

Constable Li already had a wife and children. How could he understand the loneliness of single men?

Seeing Zhao Changshan's perfunctory manner, Constable Li shook his head and called on another man.

Cui Lang had been watching Constable Li's movements intently. He noticed that Constable Li stood there looking completely loose and relaxed, as though his body were full of openings. Yet the instant his opponent attacked, every one of those openings became a trap.

Constable Li's footwork in particular was unusual. It did not appear especially fast, yet he always managed to circle behind his opponent.

Seven people in a row failed to last ten moves. Then Constable Li suddenly pointed at Cui Lang. "Cui Lang, your turn."

Cui Lang stepped into the clearing, his left hand holding the scabbard and his right gripping the hilt. He abruptly drew his blade.

He used the One-Blade Slash that his predecessor's father had taught him, the same blade technique everyone knew he could use.

The slash was swift as lightning, carrying an unstoppable momentum, as if it would cleave a man in two with one stroke.

A flicker of surprise crossed Constable Li's eyes. With a slight turn of his body, he avoided the slash, then tapped the blade with one finger. Cui Lang immediately felt the blade tremble violently and nearly lost his grip.

He sharply twisted at the waist and spun around with a horizontal slash. Constable Li evaded like an ape, then joined two fingers like a sword and jabbed toward Cui Lang's throat.

As that finger thrust forward, Cui Lang sensed killing intent. Constable Li wanted to kill him?

He retreated desperately, only to find that he could not evade no matter what he did.

Constable Li's fingertip abruptly stopped half an inch from Cui Lang's throat. The true essence at his fingertip had already touched Cui Lang's skin, making him feel an incomparably scorching heat.

Cui Lang clasped his hands in salute. "Thank you for your guidance, Constable Li."

Fortunately, he had held himself back from using true essence to evade just now. Otherwise, his strength would have been completely exposed.

Constable Li withdrew his finger and looked at Cui Lang approvingly. "Cui Lang, not bad. Your foundation is fairly solid as well. Work hard from now on, and you may have hope of reaching the Essence Gathering Realm."

Cui Lang's blade had moved extremely fast just now. And during Cui Lang's second slash, he had clearly seen traces of the Eight Desolations Slash.

It seemed Cui Lang had secretly learned the Eight Desolations Slash. His strength was far greater than Constable Li had expected.

Especially when he had flicked the blade just now, Cui Lang had not let it leave his hand. He should already possess peak Refining Essence Realm strength.

Just as Magistrate Zheng had expected, this brat had hidden his strength. No wonder he had been able to join forces with Zhao Changshan and kill two demons.

A person with such deep scheming could never be heavily relied upon.

Cui Lang returned to the crowd. As Constable Li continued instructing the others in martial arts, he watched closely, constantly considering how he should respond if he were the one fighting.

Soon, everyone had finished sparring with Constable Li. The most anyone had managed was seven moves.

"While you patrol each day, make sure you train your martial arts properly. If I don't see improvement in the next test, don't blame me for drilling you mercilessly!"

"Go patrol. Zhao Changshan and Cui Lang, you two stay behind."

Cui Lang exchanged a glance with Zhao Changshan. Zhao Changshan gave a slight shake of his head, equally unsure why they had been singled out.

After everyone else had left, Constable Li looked at the two of them. "Yesterday evening, someone came to report that his younger brother had spent the night at Dark Fragrance Pavilion, then suddenly died."

"Dark Fragrance Pavilion claims the guest had health problems and that it had nothing to do with them. But the man who reported it insists that Dark Fragrance Pavilion killed his younger brother."

"Zhao Changshan, you know places like that best. Take Cui Lang and investigate. Find out what happened. Close the case within three days and make both Dark Fragrance Pavilion and the person who filed the report satisfied with the result. Any problem?"

Zhao Changshan breathed a sigh of relief. So they were going to investigate Dark Fragrance Pavilion. He had thought it was something serious.

At last, he had fulfilled his old dream: visiting a brothel while on duty.

Zhao Changshan thumped his chest loudly. "Rest assured, Constable Li. I'll investigate right away. We won't need three days—two days will be enough to close the case. I guarantee I'll get to the bottom of it."

Constable Li nodded in satisfaction. "Then hurry up and go. What are you still standing around here for?"

After the two men left, Constable Li narrowed his eyes.

Cui Lang had only been a constable for a few days, yet he had encountered demons twice. The tiger demon had been a coincidence—but was the toad demon also a coincidence?

Watching them leave, Constable Li immediately headed for the county commandant's office.