Skin-Tempering Realm Completion

Since Chen Cheng had become a City Guard Office constable and was carrying the promissory note, Jiang Rongxuan did not dare deny the debt any longer.

He had asked mainly because he feared Chen Cheng still had designs on his precious daughter and might bring up the marriage agreement again. Perhaps coming to collect the debt was merely a pretext for getting close to the Jiang Family.

After all, over the years, countless people had wanted to climb the Jiang Family's lofty branch.

In Jiang Rongxuan's eyes, those mud-legged peasants were the most shameless and thick-skinned sort. They had to be guarded against, lest they latch on and refuse to let go—especially Chen Cheng.

"He only said he was here to collect a debt. He did not mention anything else," the gatekeeper replied.

"Forget it. Take the silver and send him away." Jiang Rongxuan pulled out a money pouch, took out five taels of loose silver, and handed it to the gatekeeper.

Yet the latter did not reach out to take it. With a troubled look, he said, "Master, Chen Cheng says this debt has been unpaid for ten years. Principal and interest together come to fifteen taels."

Jiang Rongxuan flew into a rage at once, jumping with fury.

"What? He dares charge interest? Opening his mouth and demanding fifteen taels of silver—does he truly think my Jiang Family is so easy to bully?"

With that, Jiang Rongxuan hurried outside with the four martial guards who had remained behind at the residence.

When the courtyard gates opened and Jiang Rongxuan saw Chen Cheng clad in the gray uniform of a constable, he could not help turning to glare at the gatekeeper, clearly blaming him for not explaining properly.

Though preparatory constables and constables differed by only two words, their status and standing were worlds apart—a full rank apart.

"Boy from the Chen Family, you are the one trying to charge me exorbitant interest?"

Jiang Rongxuan sneered, standing atop the threshold and looking down at him.

Clearly, the fellow intended to deny the debt again. Chen Cheng frowned and patiently said,

"Jiang Rongxuan, you owe my family five taels of silver. You have not repaid it for ten years. I am only charging ten taels in interest. That is already fair."

"What a joke. When I borrowed the money, I never said I would pay interest."

Jiang Rongxuan took out five taels of loose silver. "For Old Chen's sake, I will not quibble with a junior like you. Take these five taels and get lost."

By now, there was no point in saying more. Long saber in hand, Chen Cheng slowly walked forward.

Jiang Rongxuan hurriedly retreated into the courtyard. The four martial guards all drew their long sabers and shielded him, glaring at Chen Cheng like tigers watching prey.

"Boy from the Chen Family, you want to make a move?" Jiang Rongxuan immediately became emboldened, his face carrying a hint of mockery.

A mere preparatory constable actually wanted to strike against the Jiang Family first. Was that not courting death?

Chen Cheng did not answer. Expressionless, he continued forward at an unhurried pace.

"Chen Cheng is forcibly breaking into a private residence! Beat him out hard!" A savage look flashed across Jiang Rongxuan's face as he shouted.

Having received the order, the four martial guards charged fiercely at Chen Cheng with sabers in hand.

But Chen Cheng was faster than them. He moved like the wind, his long saber swinging again and again. In the blink of an eye, four dull thuds rang out.

All four martial guards were knocked to the ground by the flat of his saber. Not one could withstand even a single move from Chen Cheng, nor could they put up the slightest resistance, because Chen Cheng was simply too fast—so fast that they could not react at all.

That was only because Chen Cheng did not wish to take lives and had held back. Otherwise, these four martial guards would already have been corpses.

Jiang Rongxuan's face turned deathly pale. He wanted to turn and flee, only to find his legs seemed shackled by hundreds of pounds of iron, incapable of moving at all.

"Chen... Chen Cheng, what... what do you want?"

Chen Cheng sheathed his saber, slowly walked before him, and let out a leisurely sigh.

"Pay up!"

He did not even want to waste one more word on a mangy dog like Jiang Rongxuan.

The man had made his fortune in business and possessed at least several thousand taels of silver, yet he still tried to dodge a debt of five taels. He had dragged it out for over a decade. A person like that was as disgusting as could be.

"Pay... I'll pay right away." Jiang Rongxuan answered in a trembling voice, hurriedly pulled out his money pouch, and thrust the whole thing at Chen Cheng.

It had to be said that Jiang Rongxuan truly had some wealth.

The pouch was filled with loose silver, gold leaves, and silver notes. Altogether, it was worth more than a hundred taels of silver.

Chen Cheng took one gold leaf and five taels of loose silver, then left behind the money pouch and promissory note before turning and striding away.

A gold leaf was worth ten taels of silver. Fifteen taels in total—not a cent more, not a cent less.

After leaving the alley and walking only a short distance, he came face-to-face with Jiang Yun, who was slowly approaching with three martial guards.

Jiang Yun looked bedraggled, though she did not appear to be injured.

The two martial guards following her were drenched in blood, each bearing several severe saber wounds.

One had been slashed in the left thigh. Although it had received simple bandaging, the blood that seeped through had still dyed his entire left leg red. He had trouble walking and was being supported by his fellow martial guard.

The other martial guard wore a grim, murderous expression as he followed beside Jiang Yun. He was the very man Chen Cheng had encountered earlier. His clothes were soaked with blood, and numerous saber wounds of varying sizes marked his body, though he was the least injured of the three.

These martial guards had clearly just gone through a bitter battle.

Jiang Yun looked dispirited. She must have been frightened by the recent ambush. Upon seeing Chen Cheng, she said nothing, only shot him a vicious glare, seemingly blaming him for standing by and refusing to save her earlier.

Chen Cheng had never liked inviting trouble. Now that he had recovered the debt, he naturally could not be bothered with them.

When he reached the alley where the fight had taken place earlier, several City Guard Office constables were busy clearing away the corpses on the ground.

Not a single constable had been nearby during the fight, yet they had arrived so quickly afterward. There was likely something fishy going on.

Chen Cheng shook his head and ignored them, continuing home on his own.

"Yun'er, what happened?"

Jiang Rongxuan had just been scared half to death by Chen Cheng and had yet to recover from the shock. When he saw Jiang Yun return with her martial guards heavily wounded, and even Bao Yansong, the head guard who had reached Skin-Tempering Realm Completion, injured, he was startled out of his wits.

"On my way back, I was ambushed by several men in black... Fortunately, Chief Bao arrived in time and slew most of them." Jiang Yun briefly recounted what had happened, still shaken by the ordeal.

Bao Yansong, the Jiang Family's head guard, was the very man Chen Cheng had encountered earlier.

Jiang Rongxuan hurriedly clasped his hands in salute to Bao Yansong, expressing his heartfelt gratitude again and again.

"Many thanks, Chief Bao. If not for you, my Jiang Family might have suffered a great calamity."

"Master Jiang, there is no need for courtesy. Since I am the Jiang Family's head guard, it is only natural that I keep the Jiang Family safe." Bao Yansong smiled faintly, then looked over the four martial guards who had remained at the Jiang residence.

All four were injured. Though their wounds were not fatal, they were far from light.

Jiang Rongxuan hurriedly told him about Chen Cheng coming to collect the debt and injuring the martial guards.

"That Chen Cheng has become so formidable?" Jiang Yun cried out in surprise.

Jiang Rongxuan sighed repeatedly. "Ah... who could have imagined..."

At that moment, Bao Yansong suddenly said, "Master Jiang, I slew most of the thieves who attacked Miss. I doubt they will dare strike at the Jiang Family again.

"The City Guard Office officials will likely come to question us shortly. I committed crimes in my early years, so it would be inconvenient for me to meet them."

Jiang Rongxuan hurriedly said, "Why not hide in the rear courtyard first? I will send them away."

"Alright." Bao Yansong nodded, then added, "I have a private matter to take care of. I will return soon."

Jiang Rongxuan naturally nodded in agreement.

Bao Yansong changed into a set of fitted black clothes in a room in the rear courtyard, wiped the blood from his long saber, then left the Jiang Family through the back gate and took a roundabout route to pursue Chen Cheng in the direction he had gone.

"A mere City Guard Office preparatory constable, an ant beneath my feet, yet you dare act arrogantly before Master Bao. Today, I will make you understand the price of provoking a Skin-Tempering Realm Completion martial artist—a price you cannot bear!"

A savage gleam flickered in Bao Yansong's eyes, his killing intent reaching its peak.