Patrol Envoy

Amid waves of astonished exclamations.

Shen Xiuhan slowly withdrew his stance, lightly brushing the wood chips from his sleeves before cupping his hands. "I have made a fool of myself."

"Made a fool of yourself?!"

The first to react was the Luo Family's fair, plump steward. He sprang to his feet. "If Brother Shen's skill counts as making a fool of yourself, then ninety percent of Longcloud County's martial artists ought to be ashamed enough to jump into Cloudwater Lake!"

"I won't waste words. Our Luo Family's Benevolent Heart Hall on South Street is currently short of a retainer who can hold the fort!"

"So long as Brother Shen nods, you'll receive four taels a month, ten jin of meat, and three servings of qi-and-blood medicinal cuisine free of charge! On top of that, you'll also receive one Blood-Nourishing Pill every month for free!"

He spoke quickly and urgently, as though afraid someone would beat him to it, then added, "If Brother Shen agrees, I can promise that you won't need to do any menial work. You need only bear the title of an honored guest!"

The string of offers made the Zhang-surnamed disciple who had just been recruited turn green in the face.

The gap in benefits was simply too vast!

Not only was the monthly pay three taels higher and the meat ration ten jin greater, even the medicinal soup had been upgraded to medicinal cuisine!

One serving of medicinal cuisine, brewed with Treasure Fish and Treasure Beast meat as its main ingredients and supplemented with precious herbs, contained such tremendous qi and blood that its potency was at least equal to two or three bowls of medicinal soup!

And that was not all—they were even offering a Blood-Nourishing Pill for free!

That was one of Benevolent Heart Hall's most sought-after top-grade pills!

Its medicinal effect was mild and rich, greatly beneficial to martial artists in the Bright Force realm. A single pill was worth four taels and eight qian!

This was not recruiting a retainer at all. They were plainly worshipping a living Bodhisattva!

The surrounding outer court disciples' eyes turned red with envy, their breathing heavy as bulls.

Yet before they could recover from this terrifying sky-high offer, the stewards of the Han and Ji Families could no longer sit still.

"Brother Shen!"

The Han Family steward's voice boomed like a great bell as he immediately spoke up. "Our Han Family's Fine-Iron Armory is currently short of a head instructor capable of holding the fort!"

"Five taels of silver a month, ten jin of meat, plus two servings of greatly nourishing medicinal cuisine, as well as one Bright Force grand pill secretly refined by our Han Family—the Blood-Coagulation Pill!"

"And that is not all!"

The Han Family steward stared at Shen Xiuhan with blazing eyes and directly raised the stakes. "I hear that Brother Shen is still forced to live in the outer city? So long as you agree, our Han Family will set aside a quiet little courtyard in the inner city and lend it to Brother Shen's family free of charge!"

The entire outer court instantly erupted!

The disciples were so stunned by the generous terms that their scalps tingled and their jaws nearly hit the ground.

"They're directly giving him a courtyard?"

"These terms are far too favorable toward Senior Brother Shen, aren't they?"

"A small courtyard in the inner city, even in the cheapest district, must cost at least a dozen taels of silver, right?"

"I'm dying of envy!"

"Agree already! What are you still hesitating for?!"

Shen Xiuhan's heart skipped a beat as well.

The Han Family's sincerity could not be denied.

Though the basic silver, medicine, and food were not far different from the Luo Family's offer, that small courtyard in the inner city struck precisely at his needs. He could not help but be tempted.

But at that moment, the Ji Family steward abruptly rose to his feet and laughed heartily. "Brother Shen, when it comes to foundation, each of our families may have its own strengths, but when it comes to benefits, our Ji Family has never feared anyone!"

Standing with his hands behind his back, the Ji Family steward drew every eye the moment he opened his mouth. "My family is willing to offer Brother Shen two positions. Take your pick."

"The first is to serve as an assistant steward in our Ji Family's Farfortune Fleet."

"Six taels a month, plus twelve jin of meat—not river fish scraped together to make up the ration, but fine meat—along with three servings of medicinal cuisine and one Bright Force grand pill, the Jadeblood Pill!"

"The second..."

The Ji Family steward smiled and continued, "Is to serve as the resident patrol envoy on Cloud Ripple Island in Cloudwater Lake!"

"Our Ji Family fleet travels year-round between the various prefectures of Cangzhou for trade. To guard against water bandits and vicious men intercepting merchant vessels, we have stationed permanent patrol envoys and guards on Cloud Ripple Island, the chokepoint waterway."

"The position of patrol envoy requires a Bright Force martial artist. The monthly pay is eight taels, with one day off every six days. Pills, meat, and medicinal cuisine are all the same as for the assistant steward."

"And for the convenience of patrolling on the water, you will also be assigned a covered boat for your use."

The moment these words were spoken, the entire outer court fell silent before a buzzing discussion broke out.

"Heavens, eight taels a month!"

"My father works in the constabulary, and he doesn't earn that much in an entire year!"

"And there's medicinal cuisine too. I heard the Ji Family's beast park raises second-tier Treasure Beasts, Azure Awl Chickens. The meat in that medicinal cuisine is all Treasure Beast meat!"

"The most important thing is the Jadeblood Pill. Its effects are far beyond ordinary pills!"

"Exactly. The Han Family's Blood-Coagulation Pill and the Luo Family's Blood-Nourishing Pill are both refined from first-tier Treasure Fish, while the Ji Family's Jadeblood Pill is genuinely refined from a second-tier Treasure Beast. It is of great use even to martial artists in the Dark Force realm!"

"Why can't such a good thing ever fall into my lap?!"

"..."

The buzzing discussions rose and fell as countless gazes swept over Shen Xiuhan.

Some were envious.

Some were jealous.

Some were unwilling...

But Shen Xiuhan had no time to mind any of it.

Because at this moment, his mind was filled with information about Cloud Ripple Island.

Shen Xiuhan had previously learned its approximate location from Shen Sanhuai.

The distance...

Shen Xiuhan's gaze shifted slightly as he turned to look southwest.

A pale golden point of light was casting a brilliant glow dozens of li away.

That was right!

Cloud Ripple Island was extremely close to where the Sea-Fishing Tower's true disciple was located.

Rowing from Cloud Ripple Island, it might not even take two quarters of an hour...

What was there left to weigh?

The Ji Family it was!

Leaving aside the fact that the Ji Family had offered the most generous terms, he had to make the trip for the Sea-Fishing Tower's inheritance alone!

It was no secret that Cloudwater Lake harbored water bandits, while its depths held aquatic monsters that chose their prey and devoured them.

If he rowed over alone to investigate, the risk would be far too great.

But if he assumed the identity of the Ji Family's "resident island patrol envoy," he could patrol openly and freely, using the opportunity to approach that inheritance.

It would be more than ten times safer than going alone.

Shen Xiuhan drew a deep breath and was just about to speak.

"Brother Shen, you're young. You don't know how deep the waters of the martial world run."

Beside him, the Luo Family steward suddenly let out a cold laugh, his tone dripping with mockery. "Luo offers you a kind word of advice: if you truly go to Cloud Ripple Island, I'm afraid you'll never return!"

Before anyone could react, he deliberately raised his voice, a sneer curling at his lips. "Among Longcloud County's younger generation, there were originally five great geniuses known together. But do you know why only four remain now?"

The atmosphere throughout the courtyard instantly froze!

Under the covered corridor, the Ji Family steward who had been stroking his beard with a smile suddenly changed expression. "Luo Zhan! You old dog, how dare you!"

The Luo Family steward called Luo Zhan was utterly unafraid. Instead, he threw back his head and laughed wildly. "Why wouldn't I dare?"

"I insist on saying it today!"

"That fifth genius was sent to Cloud Ripple Island by the Ji Family, only to be captured alive by the Blood Ascetic of Sunken Sword Dock and have his head chopped off before everyone!"

"Hahahahaha!"