Chapter 62: Breaking Through the Master Level

Two days later.

Someone delivered the treasure on time.

This breakthrough to the Master Level would likely take a while; Shen Qing gave a few orders and then went straight into the room.

Fang Ming, upon hearing the news, directly took a unit of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and camped outside Shen Qing's residence, saying he would firmly not let anything disturb Shen Qing's breakthrough.

Even a dog that dares to bark loudly will get two kicks from him.

In short, for these two days nothing else matters; Shen Qing's breakthrough comes first, and the entire garrison is on high alert.

Shen Qing returned to the room, opened each treasure chest before him, and a rich fragrance wafted forth.

After a quick selection and arrangement, Shen Qing began to gorge himself.

Roast duck-flavored Five Spirit Pill? Lives up to its reputation!

Orange-flavored Orange Juice? Exactly, that's the taste.

Five-spice dried Nine Treasure Plum? Delicious, delicious!

Shen Qing gulped down nine kinds of treasure medicines in one breath; immediately, the medicinal power erupted like a volcano, causing all his apertures to faintly resonate.

Overbearing True Qi Technique! Let me devour it in big mouthfuls!

At this moment, any surging medicinal power became obedient, like a dog led by Shen Qing; he told them which meridian to widen, and they widened it; he told them to fill with true qi, and they filled it.

Inside his body, rumbling sounds continued—the roar of meridians expanding, the echo of total true qi increasing.

Sixth layer of the Innate Realm, seventh, eighth, ninth...

This breakthrough took several days, and outside, winds and clouds stirred.

First, the news of the Double Absolute Sect's annihilation spread throughout Yongning Prefecture's martial world at a terrifying speed; some rejoiced, some worried.

Those who had previously been bullied by the Double Absolute Sect were happy; over these days, firecracker sounds could be heard everywhere in Yongning Prefecture, celebrating their great vengeance avenged—in Luoshui City the firecrackers never ceased.

Many wanted to thank Shen Qing, but the Embroidered Uniform Guard's presence deterred them.

They turned their gaze to the White Tiger at the West Gate, each bringing cattle and sheep to go there.

Now feeding the White Tiger requires queuing.

At first, the White Tiger was overjoyed, eating beef then mutton, unable to get enough.

But after eating for several days straight, its mouth never rested; later, even as the king of beasts, the White Tiger grew fearful at the sight of meat.

The worried ones were the sect's members; the Double Absolute Sect had been among the top powers in Yongning Prefecture's martial world, yet it was destroyed, leaving them pondering what to do.

Thanks to this, Shen Qing's epithet "World‑savior Yama" rang throughout Yongning Prefecture, having trampled the Double Absolute Sect.

In the Guard Command, Qin Chuan and Lu Tong, among others, finally returned with disheveled hair; upon return they wanted to thank Shen Qing in person, but hearing he was in seclusion, they said nothing more, first taking Wei Jing from the prison, then subjecting him to relentless torture, extracting a confession that implicated his ancestors eighteen generations back.

Finally, a rumor circulated in the Guard Command that a detachment of the Six Gates was heading into Yongning Prefecture, ostensibly to chase a thief, while also intending to visit the two major Guard Commands of Yongning Prefecture.

But everyone actually knew there was no courtesy visit— they were here to challenge the school.

The Six Gates' functions largely overlap with those of the Embroidered Uniform Guard; at first there was no issue, but as the Six Gates rose, conflict arose— the two sides would fight at the slightest disagreement.

Nevertheless, despite their estrangement, they must keep up appearances.

Qin Chuan and the others still tidied up a bit, then went to the North Gate to receive them.

But it had already been a full hour since they arrived at the North Gate.

Zhang Shan casually tossed away the pear he had gnawed down to the core, his face showing extreme dissatisfaction.

"Is anyone really coming?"

"I've already eaten six pears; any more and I'll be full!"

A Captain beside him, though dissatisfied, said: "Just saying— is this to show us our place? Isn't there just a Heir Apparent of the Dongling Prince among them? Give him face, we personally go meet him— that's fine; we give him face, but he doesn't give us face."

Another Captain said: "Alright, alright, calm down— aren't we all waiting here?"

Zhang Shan snorted: "Just the time it takes to finish a cup of tea; if it's less than that, I'm leaving!"

Afterward, everyone remained silent, saying nothing.

When the time to finish a cup of tea arrived, Zhang Shan leapt straight from the stone, patted his buttocks, and headed into the city.

"Time's up, I'm not waiting anymore, damn it."

"I calculated the time— Shen Qing emerges today, I'm going to find him for a drink; waiting for the heir? Screw waiting for that."

Qin Chuan, standing at the front of the crowd, spat a mouthful of thick phlegm, then turned back.

"Zhang Shan, wait— you're going to see Shen Qing, right? I'm coming too."

Lu Tong fell silent for a moment, then turned and followed the two: "Count me in."

Immediately after, five Captains followed Qin Chuan into the White Egret Marsh, exchanging glances.

"We've also received favors from Shen Qing; I ought to go pay my respects, lest I lose propriety."

Saying that, the five joined the procession.

Next were two other young Trial Captains, the ones who took office together with Shen Qing.

"We who took office together with Shen Qing are fated; we ought to go have a look."

Now the remaining few Captains became oddballs, but no matter how they racked their brains, they couldn't connect themselves to Shen Qing.

One Captain waved his hand: "Who cares? I'll go find Shen Qing for a drink— no problem, one drink and it's settled."

"Waiting for the heir? Whoever wants to wait, let them wait."

Several other Captains glanced at each other, muttered "Me too," and joined the line.

To this day, the Trial Captains, Captains, Colonels, and Commandants have, for years, rarely been of one mind.

Waiting for the heir? Screw waiting for that!

Go find Shen Qing for a drink!

Elsewhere, at the foot of the Double Absolute Sect's mountain...

A group of people wearing Six Gates uniforms appeared on horseback.

This is a gold-uniform captain leading a group of silver-uniform captains; in terms of official rank, a silver-uniform captain roughly equals a hundred-household, while a gold-uniform captain equals a thousand-household.

The leader of this group is Zhang Mo, Heir Apparent of the Dongling King.

Zhang Mo lifted his head and looked at the not-far-off Double Absolute Peak: 'Zhu Yuan, is that your home?'

Zhu Yuan was that genius disciple of the Double Absolute Sect who entered the Six Gates to train; as early as eight years ago he followed the Six Gates personnel away.

Zhu Yuan's face lit up with excitement: 'Exactly! That's my home! Your Highness the Heir Apparent, later you must do me the honor of having a couple drinks; our Yongning Commandery's carved-flower wine will definitely not disappoint you!'

Zhang Mo nodded: 'No problem, we've come all this way, naturally we'll have a few drinks.'

At that moment a silver-uniform captain said: 'Your Highness the Heir Apparent, there isn't enough time, we've already sent word to the Luoshui Garrison Office saying we'd arrive at noon; now a quarter-hour has already passed.'

Zhang Mo was indifferent: 'Let him wait, what's there to be dissatisfied? Take it up with my father.'

That silver-uniform captain opened and closed his mouth several times; suddenly, an observant silver-uniform captain noticed something abnormal and pointed ahead.

'Hey, is the mountain gate collapsed?'

Zhu Yuan shook his head: 'How could that be? My Double Absolute Sect is among the strongest in Yongning Commandery's martial world; how could the mountain gate possibly collapse?'

But gradually, Zhu Yuan's vision grew clearer, yet his head became increasingly dizzy.

The mountain gate really seems to have collapsed!

A captain beside him grabbed Zhu Yuan: 'Don't panic, maybe they just haven't had time to repair it yet.'

Zhu Yuan sat up straight: 'Exactly, exactly! Let's hurry up the mountain.'

But after going up the mountain, Zhu Yuan completely broke down, finding Zhu Heng's corpse among a pile of severed limbs.

Zhu Yuan knelt on the ground, eyes vacant: 'Adoptive father...'

Just then, a silver-uniform captain raced up the mountain; he had just gone to the surrounding towns to gather news.

He shouted: 'Your Highness the Heir Apparent, we found out—the Double Absolute Sect was wiped out by the Luoshui Garrison Office! It was led by a hundred-household named Shen Qing!'

Zhu Yuan jumped up from the ground and seized the captain's arm: 'Shen Qing? Good, good, good! I knew only the Embroidered Uniform Guard would dare move against my Double Absolute Sect—damn it!'

'Good, good, good! Let's go kill him now!'

That captain shoved Zhu Yuan aside: 'Calm down! Do you know why the Embroidered Uniform Guard moved against the Double Absolute Sect?'

'The charge is assaulting the Embroidered Uniform Guard and secretly harboring White Dragon Sect rebels—are you going to use that as an excuse to move against Shen Qing?'

Zhu Yuan gritted his teeth, eyes full of fury; he wasn't the least surprised by that charge, for he certainly knew what kind of disposition his own sect had.

Zhu Yuan said word by word: 'Then let's spar! Using the pretext of sparring, it's normal for me to strike heavy, right? It's normal if I slip up, right?'

On the other side, a few people looked on with amusement—after all, they were all sixth-rank officials; relations aren't always harmonious, and where they are good, differences naturally arise; these few simply took a dislike to Zhu Yuan.

They secretly laughed in their hearts.

'Zhu Yuan, you don't have a home anymore~'