Another Enlightenment

"It was the Golden Gate Martial Academy in the Outer City," Lu Li said with certainty.

Just then, from behind the central desk, Commander Hu Wancheng called out in a slightly weary, hoarse voice, "Yan Xiaoliu, did you fetch the documents I told you to get?"

"Commander, I just passed the entrance and ran into this man from the Outer City who's here on temporary assignment. I'll go now... right now." Yan Xiaoliu cupped his hands and took off at a run.

Leaving Lu Li alone in a mess.

The deep, raspy voice echoed through the hall again.

"Damn it, always sneaking off while on duty. Don't you know what time it is?"

"Kid, come here!"

Hu Wancheng's dark eyes rested on Lu Li as he said calmly, "You are Instructor Shen Gangfu's disciple."

It seemed his master's name still carried some weight.

"Yes." After answering, Lu Li took the letter of recommendation from his robe and presented it with both hands.

After opening and reading the letter, Hu Wancheng nodded slightly. "Instructor Shen has his moments when he needs to ask favors too. Tsk, tsk..."

Lu Li fell silent. It seemed his master had swallowed his pride and asked someone for help on his behalf.

Looking at the steadfast, upright Lu Li, Hu Wancheng chuckled. "So your master thinks highly of you? How long have you practiced martial arts? What kind of Root Bone do you have?"

"I have practiced martial arts for a little over a month. My Root Bone is of the lowest grade." Lu Li cupped his hands as he replied.

Hu Wancheng sized Lu Li up, his tone gradually turning solemn.

"The Road Patrol Bureau has ten brigades, each divided into ten squads. Each squad has one captain, three squad leaders, and nine archers. Later, go to Squad D-Three and find Captain Sun. Collect the squad leader's badge and uniform from him. He'll tell you which road you're patrolling."

"This subordinate obeys."

Hu Wancheng casually wrote out a note, and Lu Li stepped forward to receive it.

Hu Wancheng reminded him:

"Remember, you only need to handle your own stretch of road. If you run into people fighting or causing trouble, stand farther back and see things clearly first. Don't stupidly rush in and butt heads. Plenty of them are gangs settling accounts. Write it down and report it to the constables at the watch office. As for those poor wretches from the streets, just roar at them and they'll scatter. No need to chase them..."

"Understood, Commander." Lu Li nodded again.

Finally, Hu Wancheng added, "When you meet the stewards from Master Pang's household or the Three Gangs and Four Families, just nod and move on. Don't strike up a conversation with them. If you're willing to lower your head, politely call them 'sir.' If they ask you something, answer. If they do not ask, do not chatter. Their affairs are not for us to handle—and we couldn't handle them even if we tried..."

Lu Li silently nodded, deep in thought.

Hu Wancheng returned to his carefree manner.

"In short, the job is simple. Patrolling roads is all about knowing the measure. Be hard when it's time to be hard, soft when it's time to be soft, and blind when it's time to be blind."

"Understood. One must be cautious on duty and not stir up trouble," Lu Li summarized with a nod.

Hu Wancheng chuckled. "The word 'cautious' contains profound learning. Take your time and learn it. Go on, report for duty."

After taking his leave, Lu Li followed the directions deeper inside.

At the second-to-last room at the end of the corridor, Lu Li stepped up and knocked.

"Come in." A lazy, low voice came from within.

With a creak, Lu Li pushed open the door.

"Captain Sun, this subordinate is Lu Li. I have come to report for duty."

Lu Li spoke concisely and clearly, then handed over Hu Wancheng's note.

Captain Sun read it and nodded. He took a badge from a drawer, then rose and retrieved a uniform from the cabinet behind him, placing it on the desk.

Captain Sun's deep voice slowly spread through the room.

"Our brigade is responsible for the North City Gate. Change into your uniform, then go to the Archer Bureau with your badge and select nine archers. You'll be responsible for the area from Blackwater Bridge to Chessboard Street in the Inner City. Familiarize yourself with it first. Your patrol section may be reassigned at any time later."

"Yes, Captain Sun."

Lu Li took the uniform and badge. As he was leaving, Captain Sun deliberately added one more sentence.

"Remember, don't cause trouble for me."

Archer Bureau.

Seeing that only three archers remained on the drill ground, Lu Li froze for a moment again.

Then he coughed.

"You three, stop for now."

The three men had been drilling. When they looked up and saw the uniform and badge on Lu Li, they swiftly cupped their fists and called out:

"Greetings, Squad Leader."

"Greetings, Squad Leader!"

"Greetings, Squad Leader."

Lu Li nodded and considered his words.

"State your backgrounds."

"This subordinate is Niu Lai, from the Yang Family Martial Academy. I failed Gate-Breaking three years ago."

"This subordinate is Ma Liu, also from the Yang Family Martial Academy. I failed to break through the gate six years ago."

"Reporting to Squad Leader, this subordinate is Wang Boxing, from the Liansheng Escort Agency. I failed to break through the gate after a year, so I came to the Road Patrol Bureau to seek work."

After speaking, the three waited quietly for Lu Li's questions.

"Come with me. Let's familiarize ourselves with the streets first."

In the blink of an eye, half a month passed.

Since becoming a squad leader in the Road Patrol Bureau, Lu Li only needed to lead his team on patrol from the hour of the Snake to the hour of the Monkey each day. Most of the rest of his time was free to use as he pleased.

He devoted all of it to training his Xingyi stance at the martial academy and accumulating Primordial Unity Force.

"Form-Intent Blade Secret Art" Minor Accomplishment (101/1500)

"Form-Intent Secret Stance" Minor Accomplishment (101/1500)

"Eight Trigrams Saber Technique" Major Accomplishment (568/1200)

"Eight Trigrams Fist Technique" Complete (800/800)

"Eight Trigrams Moving Stake" Complete (800/800)

"Eight Trigrams Embracing-Circle Stake Art" Complete (500/500)

[Realm]: First-Gate Martial Artist, Skin Tempering once (Primordial Unity Force Level 1)

Over the past half month, he had already cultivated the Form-Intent Secret Stance to Minor Accomplishment. At his current pace, it would take roughly two years for him to complete one round of Skin Tempering.

This was a speed he could not accept. Even though it was already very fast, an ordinary person with medium-grade Root Bone would progress at about this pace.

The night was deep, and the oil lamp burned quietly.

After nightfall, damp air drifted into the room on the draft through the hall, carrying a faint chill. It spread through the training room, sticky, damp, and cold.

In his own training room, Lu Li was even more cautious.

He had already figured out the effects of Azure Membrane Paste. One jar could be smeared over every inch of skin... then absorbed into the skin membrane with a secret method. Once inside, it was more like being stored there, enough to protect the skin membrane from damage during Skin Tempering for the next year.

To be safe, he applied all three bottles of Azure Membrane Paste he had taken from Zhang Biao's body.

At that moment, every inch of his body looked as though it had been coated in a thick layer of tung oil. Beneath the dim yellow lamplight, it gleamed with a moist luster. His skin had the texture of amber, his pores slightly open, and as the light slid along the grain of his flesh, it left behind winding trails of brightness.

With a thought, Lu Li sank into his Sea of Consciousness.

[Wick]: 1

"Celebratory Cloud, enlighten me!"

Silence. That familiar sense of desolation and barrenness awakened once more.

Lu Li set foot in this domain again.

This was Lu Li's second time entering, yet the excitement in his heart had not diminished in the slightest. He knew what this place meant. Here, he had enough time, in a state of heightened perception, to refine, clarify, and surpass his stance arts and fist techniques.

Very soon, his thoughts began to spread outward, becoming lively and unrestrained again. His mind was astonishingly sharp, while his memories replayed in his head like a high-definition film, flashing past at rapid speed.

This state fascinated Lu Li. What would it feel like if one day I could remain in this state at all times?

He began examining everything around him.

This land of empty stillness was cut off from reality. Only the spirit could enter it. He began to wonder whether this space was inside his mind, or within the Celebratory Cloud Lamp.

Or had the Celebratory Cloud Lamp brought him into some folded space?