Summons

The next day.

After what had happened the night before, Li Feng had been dead on his feet. He slept soundly that night and got up rather late.

Li Feng had just arrived in the City Guard Office's front courtyard.

"Brother Feng, over here."

When Zhang San and Chen Song saw Li Feng come in, they both greeted him with smiles.

The three sat together, brewed a pot of hot tea, and chatted.

Li Feng casually glanced around. Sun Yan had already arrived at the City Guard Office and was pacing back and forth, watching the entrance to the front courtyard as though waiting for someone.

While Li Feng was pondering this, Chief Constable Zhao Quan walked in.

Li Feng briefly studied the veteran chief constable. His blood and vitality had indeed declined considerably. His once fairly thick hair had thinned, and more wrinkles had appeared on his face.

It seemed Zhao Quan's blood and vitality were deteriorating even faster than Li Feng had expected. The man had lost much of his vigor.

"Lord Zhao."

The other constables in the courtyard rose to greet him.

The moment Sun Yan saw Zhao Quan enter, his eyes lit up. He hurried forward with a broad smile, smoothly drawing a small, finely crafted wooden box from inside his robes.

"Elder Zhao, your injuries haven't fully healed yet. Why have you come to oversee things personally again today?" Sun Yan asked solicitously. "I specifically asked my family to find this superior blood ginseng. It's particularly effective at replenishing blood and vitality and treating old injuries. Please take it home and nourish your health."

Over the past month, Zhao Quan's injuries had not kept him from performing his normal duties, but he had come to the City Guard Office far less often, only dropping by on a few fixed days each week. After deliberately asking his attendant about his schedule, Sun Yan had chosen a day when Zhao Quan would be on duty and waited here expressly to present this superior blood ginseng in person.

Zhao Quan glanced at the blood ginseng in the wooden box and did not refuse it. He slipped the box into his robes and let out a heavy sigh. "Young Sun, that's thoughtful of you. But the years spare no one. That minor injury I suffered while leading the squad last month, together with the hidden ailments from my younger days, is getting harder and harder to keep under control. I'm afraid these old bones won't hold out much longer."

Zhao Quan would have disdained an ordinary gift, but a casual glance told him this was excellent blood ginseng. He had used it after being injured in his younger days and knew its medicinal effects well. Taking it would greatly help nourish his body and would probably keep him going for another few months.

Sun Yan immediately stepped closer and, with an utterly natural air, rubbed Zhao Quan's back. Lowering his voice, he said ingratiatingly:

"Elder Zhao, what are you saying? It's only a stalk of blood ginseng. You've spent most of your life working tirelessly for our City Guard Office. This little gift is nothing. We younger men only hope you'll recover soon. Leave the rough, exhausting work in the office to us juniors. Just focus on healing."

Zhao Quan was very pleased with Sun Yan's attitude. Chuckling, he said, "Good, good. If this office had more young men like you, who know the rules and when to advance or retreat, a great many assignments would go much more smoothly."

After a pause, Zhao Quan asked, "Speaking of which, how far have you gotten with your skin grinding?"

Sun Yan smiled and cupped his hands. "Elder Zhao, I reached the entry level yesterday."

Over the past month, supported by his family's substantial wealth, he had trained hard every day while eating medicinal meals to nourish his body. At last, he had reached the entry level.

Zhao Quan nodded approvingly. "Mm, not bad. And your blade technique? I saw you use it before. You should have reached minor mastery by now, right? Give it another year or two, bring your skin grinding to perfection and your blade technique to major mastery, and you should more or less be ready."

Bringing a blade technique to perfection depended on individual comprehension. With Sun Yan's aptitude, that would indeed be somewhat difficult. Still, perfect skin grinding combined with major mastery of his blade technique would let him handle even dozens of thugs who had yet to reach the entry level without much trouble. He should be more than capable of serving as an ordinary chief constable.

Of course, if he truly could cultivate his blade technique to perfection, he would count as a rare talent even if he failed to develop "force."

Ultimately, whether it was skin grinding or the flesh training that followed, both were slow work, like grinding away with a water-powered mill. As long as one was willing to pour in silver and continually nourish the body with medicinal meals, even someone of mediocre aptitude could be pushed up through the ranks by sheer expenditure. Among the great lineages with deep foundations in the Inner City, such elite fighters could be produced in any number, provided they were willing to pay.

"Force" alone was an entirely different matter.

Perfecting a skill did not necessarily mean one could comprehend it. "Force" was something mysterious beyond mystery. Even with the same external blade technique, one first had to practice it to perfection, then supplement it with one's own understanding, before there was any chance of developing a trace of one's own "force."

Once someone comprehended their own "force," pairing it with the formidable physique forged through the Internal Training Method would make fighting ten opponents at the same realm no problem. Ordinary people who had never entered the martial Dao were another matter entirely; sweeping aside over a hundred armed ordinary men single-handedly would probably be effortless. At that point, provided their martial Dao realm rose high enough, becoming a Deputy Constable Director or even a Constable Director in the City Guard Office would not be out of reach.

"Lord Zhao, my blade technique has reached minor mastery," Sun Yan replied with the utmost respect.

"Mm. Though you've reached minor mastery in that blade technique, I noticed some stiffness when you exert your strength. How about this? Come with me to the Drill Yard in the rear courtyard. I'll exchange a few moves with you and take a look."

In excellent spirits, Zhao Quan stroked his graying beard and extended the invitation with a smile.

Sun Yan was ecstatic. The veteran chief constable was offering to guide him through a sparring session personally! He hurriedly cupped his fists in respect. "I could ask for nothing better than your guidance, Elder Zhao. I'll come with you right away!"

The two walked shoulder to shoulder toward the inner courtyard's Drill Yard, talking and laughing. Neither so much as glanced at the other constables in the courtyard.

The constables gathered in twos and threes watched Sun Yan follow Chief Constable Zhao into the distance, their eyes filled with undisguised envy and resentment.

"Tsk, tsk. Look at the opportunities he gets. A good family background really does make a difference," Zhang San said sourly, holding his tea bowl. "Give it another year or so, and we'll probably have to greet Sun Yan properly as 'Chief Constable Sun.'"

Li Feng sat beside the stone table, his expression calm throughout.

People's joys and sorrows did not flow into one another. Sun Yan had his lineage paving the way, while Li Feng had the Heavenly Dao Panel. Both had bright futures ahead.

Just as everyone was discussing the matter, steady footsteps suddenly sounded at the front courtyard's gate.

Jiang Yue strode in, dressed in a blue constable's uniform, her face frosty.

In an instant, the noisy courtyard fell silent.

She swept her gaze over everyone present. Upon spotting Li Feng, she walked briskly up to him and said, "Li Feng, set aside whatever you're working on and come to my Administrative Office."

Without waiting for his reply, she turned and headed toward her Administrative Office.

This sudden interruption made Zhang San, Chen Song, and the others, who had still been absorbed in discussing Sun Yan, widen their eyes in disbelief.

"What's going on?!"

Zhang San hurriedly leaned closer and asked curiously in a low voice, "Brother Feng, why would Constable Jiang call you to her Administrative Office alone? Aren't you usually the most well-behaved of us all?"