Chapter 156: Cultivation Is Easy Within the Official Gates

It's indeed so; in this world, is there any 'sect' stronger than the imperial court—the courts of all countries? Probably there is, but Bai Lang cannot reach it. After much thought, Bai Lang finds that official robes really suit his style—whether general or constable. Yet he still has reservations about joining the government—the key is he has many shady dealings the government likely wouldn't allow, such as his plan to kill certain people of the Six and a Half Hall.

The Six and a Half Hall is like the Golden Wind Fine Rain Pavilion—both are night pots for the big shots above, and Bai Lang knows this well. His plan to act against the Six and a Half Hall, if he became an official, would surely bring such entanglements—if the big shots above weren't willing, wouldn't he be in trouble? Holding office requires bearing the deportment of an official, and Bai Lang, having been a high official, knows this well.

So after thinking a while, he told Wang Dao, 'Being a constable... uh, being a Guardian does come with some restrictions.' Bai Lang knew that if the other side sincerely recruited him, they'd definitely offer several different conditions—being willing to become an official and enter the system is one; being unwilling to accept restraint is another. Bai Lang's bet is the scarcity of Innate Experts over a wide area.

That's right; even if there are hundreds or thousands of Innate Experts within the Great Yan State, distributing them across the territory makes them rare animals. Even in Ji City Capital, where the proportion is highest, adding up all Innate and above Innate experts probably amounts to just over a hundred.

Wang Dao laughed, 'I know Mr. Bai you love freedom and dislike restraint, but it's fine—we also recruit External Guardians. External Guardians cannot walk with official status, yet they can cooperate with us on matters; of course, being external means their pay isn't that high, and some intelligence isn't open to them. But other benefits are the same: completing tasks likewise earns chances to exchange for various elixirs and martial arts—without limitation!'

Being an External Guardian certainly can't use the court system; we'll replace it with gold, silver, copper, and iron instead. Given Bai Lang's Innate martial arts, he undoubtedly qualifies as a Silver-ranked Guardian. Bai Lang had Wang Dao clarify the rights and duties one by one, 'How about we also make a written contract?' The Golden Winged Bird Wang Dao still liked to joke, of course Bai Lang didn't mind jokes, 'Forget it, no need for a contract—just help me engrave a silver seal. Though probably there's no uniform either......'

Wang Dao laughed, 'Want official robes? That's easy.' 'No, no, no, forget it.' Bai Lang declined the suggestion. Wang Dao tossed over a brocade box; Bai Lang glanced at it, 'So you'd prepared this already.' Opening the box, he found it was indeed a silver tiger-button seal, about the height of a finger, a small private seal. Bai Lang turned the seal over, 'Yuzhu? Why not engrave my name Bai Lang directly but use my courtesy name?'

'This isn't confidential......' Wang Dao explained with a grin, then took a sheet of paper, 'Sign your name, and from now on you'll also have benefits.' The following Guardian directly clattered a wooden box before Bai Lang. Bai Lang casually signed with a charcoal brush on the paper handed over—the paper simply read, 'Issued Silver Seal Guardian Bai Lang White Jade Pillar monthly silver salary four hundred taels.' He opened the wooden box; inside were gleaming silver ingots.

'Give me a point, we're leaving first.' Wang Dao pocketed the paper, patted his clothes, and left. Bai Lang wouldn't let him just pat his butt and run—'Wait, if I want to exchange martial arts and such, where should I go?' Wang Dao laughed loudly, 'Just come to the Guardian Commandery Residence!'

Watching the three figures disappear down the road, Bai Lang played with the seal in his hand, 'This is an external bureaucrat? No, without rank—isn't this just a temp worker?' Thinking it over, it seemed many of his current problems had also been eased—for example, the booklet Wang Dao silently left on the stone he sat on, which recorded recent information about the Six and a Half Hall, focusing on the situation of those like Guan Ba who participated in exterminating the family of Golden Blade Sect leader Pu Xiang.

'Surely it's the biggest gang...... this must be the biggest gang.' Bai Lang muttered, realizing Wang Dao's stance was at least not with the Golden Blade Sect, or at least not wholly with the Six and a Half Hall. However, looking at what the booklet wrote, of course this is mostly genuine—after those people like Guan Ba took over the original Golden Blade Sect's power, they didn't continue residing in the manor Pu Xiang had built for the original Golden Blade Sect, but instead switched to a mobile residence at several hideouts.

It's normal for newcomers fearing assassination when they rise to power; moreover, there truly are Innate Experts preparing to kill him—Bai Lang is one, and out of 'jianghu righteousness,' the Golden Wind Fine Rain Pavilion might also give him trouble. The fact that he stabbed his senior brother with a knife that day has been exposed; these two brothers must now cling to the Six and a Half Hall's thick thigh, and any remaining independence of the Golden Blade Sect is completely gone.

Still, what does it matter? The truth is that their two persons' status and power have made new progress. 'Killing them isn't easy......' Bai Lang muttered; now he can openly go to the Guardian Commandery Residence—no one will attempt assassination on this road. Because this road is the east-west dividing major avenue of Ji City, and there's a rule that gang fights are absolutely forbidden on these two perpendicular main avenues.

The center is the Imperial Palace, with government offices all around, and the Guardian Commandery Residence lies among them. Here the main gates are usually closed, but the side and back doors see constant traffic of martial artists. Bai Lang swaggered into the city, along the major avenue to the Guardian Commandery Residence; he entered through a side door, showed his silver seal at one side, and was quickly ushered in—here all martial artists are received separately.

The Guardian Commandery Residence holds considerable power—not only apprehending law-breaking martial artists, nor merely serving as a spy; it also undertakes some trades and transactions guaranteed by state power in the jianghu, and even assumes some official administrative duties over martial artists—such as oaths. 'Notary Office...... no wonder this Guardian Commandery Residence actually brings in a fortune every day.' Bai Lang glanced briefly and sighed.

The one receiving him was a young man; it seems that for someone like him, a Silver Seal Guardian, unless they themselves have need and the superiors have need, his identity probably isn't kept secret. The young man receiving him had ordinary looks, though he appeared older than Bai Lang...... his martial arts were considerably lower than Bai Lang's—Bai Lang this kind also counts as a martial arts genius, that's no exaggeration. 'What does a Silver Seal Guardian need?'

'Oh, I'd like to see the catalogue for exchanging martial arts manuals.' Bai Lang said, 'That's easy, please follow me.' The young man led Bai Lang to a room where a book half a foot thick lay. 'This is the martial arts catalogue, Your Excellency Guardian may peruse it at leisure.'