Disaster Out of Nowhere

"Brown Bear Skin-Tempering Art—this is for me?"

Chen Cheng accepted the martial art manual Liu Yunfeng handed him, looking both flattered and overwhelmed.

Liu Yunfeng smiled warmly and gave a slight nod.

"Chief Liu, this manual is far too valuable. I can't accept it." Chen Cheng had never believed pies could fall from the sky. After considering it for a moment, he spoke with a solemn expression.

No reward without merit. Since Liu Yunfeng had suddenly offered such a great benefit, he would naturally demand an equal return.

A manual worth at least a hundred taels of silver would surely drive countless martial artists outside into a desperate scramble. It might even become blood money.

"Hahaha..."

Taking in Chen Cheng's reaction, Liu Yunfeng suddenly burst into laughter. Only after a long while did he warmly pat Chen Cheng on the shoulder and say with a smile, "Kid, you truly are no ordinary fellow. I was right about you. But I was also wrong about you. You're not just Ruthless A-Cheng—you're Cunning A-Cheng too."

Chen Cheng smiled. "Chief Liu, I can't agree with that. I've always been kind-hearted and honest. The word 'cunning' has nothing to do with me."

Liu Yunfeng raised his brows, feigning reproach. "Calling you cunning is praise. Can't you hear that?"

Chen Cheng truly could not bear such praise. If word got out, it would inevitably grow more distorted with every retelling, and he might end up saddled with the name Cunning A-Cheng.

"Chief Liu, your praise sounds rather strange. Why not put it another way? Something like 'peerless in wisdom and strategy' would sound much better, wouldn't it?"

"Whether cunning or peerless in wisdom and strategy, the mind you possess is far beyond that of ordinary people." Liu Yunfeng waved a hand and continued, "If it were someone else who received such a martial art, they would already be beside themselves with joy and eager to bow in gratitude. But you? You don't even want it. That truly surprises me."

Chen Cheng smiled, then said seriously, "Chief Liu, martial art manuals are so precious. Of course I want it. But no reward without merit. My strength is too low; I'm afraid I can't hold on to it. I truly mustn't accept it."

"What a fine saying—no reward without merit." Liu Yunfeng praised him, then turned serious as well. "Since this martial art manual has been given to you, just accept it with peace of mind. The important figure who gave you this manual does not require you to do anything. They merely wish to form a good connection."

When an important figure seeks a good connection, that means they want to recruit me. Getting a top-tier martial art manual without paying anything is practically getting something for free—there's no reason to refuse it. Besides, if I don't accept it, I probably won't be able to get along in the City Guard Office anymore. I'll accept it for now. After all, the strength I've displayed is only a little greater than that of a martial artist who has just entered the Skin-Tempering Realm. That mysterious important figure presumably won't ask me to do anything too significant.

In the blink of an eye, Chen Cheng made up his mind. He cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Chief Liu."

"Mm. Go get busy." Liu Yunfeng waved him away. Only after Chen Cheng left the room did he let out a leisurely sigh. "From generation to generation, new talents rise. An A-Cheng like this truly is no creature meant for a shallow pond. Perhaps only an A-Cheng like him—gifted beyond measure and peerless in wisdom and strategy—could draw such importance from that great figure, and perhaps cultivate this martial art manual to success."

Light snow began to fall from the sky again, the flakes drifting down like willow catkins.

Within a quiet little courtyard, a blue-clad woman with a cold expression held a three-foot sword and danced through the snow-filled sky.

Graceful as a startled swan, supple as a roaming dragon; her figure was exquisite, her sword like clear frost!

Swoosh!

As sword shadows fluttered, the falling snow slowly gathered, converging at the sword tip. Its force was deep and heavy, chilling and sharp, carrying an unstoppable momentum.

The longsword flashed like lightning and struck a waist-high boulder in the ornamental rockery. The boulder exploded, crumbling into powder.

The woman withdrew her sword and stood still, her pale face like frost, cold and proud.

"Miss, your sword force has grown ever sharper!"

The green-clad maid walked forward slowly, her face full of delight.

This woman was none other than Shen Qingshuang. The courtyard had originally housed the chief constable's office of the City Guard Office's Ruyi Ward branch, but Shen Qingshuang was usually obsessed with martial arts and rarely handled official duties. Over time, the chief constable's office had been moved to a side courtyard.

Shen Qingshuang was cold and arrogant by nature and disliked being disturbed. Few people normally came to this courtyard.

Only after sheathed her longsword in its jade-green scabbard and hung it back at her waist did Shen Qingshuang turn around.

The maid, Xiao Qing, hurriedly handed over the case file in her hands.

"Miss, this is the case file on Chen Cheng."

Shen Qingshuang took the file and carefully read through it. Her delicate brows furrowed slightly as she sank into thought.

The file recorded Chen Cheng's detailed information: his age, family circumstances, past experiences, the people he had interacted with while serving as a jailer in the South District, and the things he had done.

Judging from the information, Chen Cheng's experiences were no different from those of an ordinary commoner's son. There was nothing remarkable about them.

The only point worth noting was that Chen Cheng had carried the name Ruthless A-Cheng while in the prison.

And the origin of that name involved one person: Master Xiuchen.

Could Chen Cheng be Pan Dagen's disciple? No, that can't be right. If he were Pan Dagen's disciple, why would he repeatedly torture Pan Dagen? That makes no sense. Could it be that Chen Cheng, like Pan Dagen, somehow stumbled into cultivating the Iron Garment Art? Impossible. Master once said that the Iron Garment Art Pan Dagen obtained was severely incomplete. Rashly cultivating it would leave one dead or crippled. Pan Dagen did not die, but something still went wrong when he cultivated this art. His realm fell, and he also...

Thinking of the rumors concerning Pan Dagen, Shen Qingshuang's face reddened, and she did not dare think any further.

"This Chen Cheng likely has some connection to Pan Dagen. It would be better to have less contact with him."

Shen Qingshuang said.

"Miss, are you saying Chen Cheng and Pan Dagen might be friends?"

Noticing Shen Qingshuang's unusual behavior, Xiao Qing asked cautiously.

"That possibility cannot be ruled out. This matter still needs to be investigated carefully before we draw any conclusions," Shen Qingshuang said.

"Ah?... Miss, you mean Master Xiuchen?" Seemingly thinking of something, Xiao Qing's face also turned red without her realizing it.

"Miss, Constable Liu is waiting in the side courtyard. Would you like to see him?" Xiao Qing hurriedly changed the subject.

"I won't see him," Shen Qingshuang said.

"Yes." Xiao Qing acknowledged and was about to deliver the message when Shen Qingshuang added, "Tell Liu Yunfeng that he is not to mention Chen Cheng's name in front of me again."

"Constable Liu, Miss does not wish to see you right now." Upon arriving at the office in the side courtyard, Xiao Qing spoke coolly to Liu Yunfeng.

"Why is that?" Liu Yunfeng was adept at reading expressions. Seeing Xiao Qing's rather displeased face, he was secretly puzzled.

That Brown Bear Skin-Tempering Art manual had been given by Shen Qingshuang. She had even specifically instructed him to return and report back after delivering it.

Liu Yunfeng had a bellyful of praise for Chen Cheng that he wished to share. He wanted to do his utmost to persuade the eldest young lady of the Shen family to properly cultivate this handsome and talented young man. Yet how had things changed in less than half a day?

"Miss said she won't see you, so she won't see you," Xiao Qing said irritably.

As Shen Qingshuang's personal maid, she held a position above the other constables at the Ruyi Ward branch.

"Yes," Liu Yunfeng replied in a muffled voice.

"Oh, and Miss instructed that you are not to mention Chen Cheng's name in front of her again." Xiao Qing added coolly before leaving at once.

Liu Yunfeng stared at the snowflakes filling the sky, left alone in utter disarray.