Chapter 173

"Supreme softness is supreme hardness; all Daos share the same origin. Blade, slow down by another three points!"

Li Rui leaned comfortably on a lounge chair, flipping through a book while giving pointers, not even looking at Liang He, who was practicing his blade.

Liang He gritted his teeth and practiced even harder.

Don't look at Li Rui's words; inside, he was blooming with joy.

"Found a treasure."

"Practicing the sword is like hammering a nail; some people are born to practice the blade!"

Ever since Liang He abandoned the sword for the blade, his blade technique had improved by leaps and bounds; now, his blade technique was even more formidable than his previous sword technique.

Li Rui had already tested it.

The blade intent on Liang He was growing extremely fast; it was clear that Liang He had been delayed by practicing the sword.

Some people were just strongly bound to a weapon.

"Legend has it that in the Xuan Kingdom of the previous dynasty, there was a Spear Saint who only became famous at fifty, simply because he had listened to his master's teachings and focused on the sword for the first half of his life. The moment he held the spear shaft, he finally realized he was clearly a supreme master of the human spear Dao. He practiced the spear at forty, and by fifty, he had no rival in the entire province."

Although Liang He might not be as stunningly talented as that Spear Saint, his talent for the blade was indeed better.

Perhaps in a few years, he could reach the eighth rank.

In the courtyard, the long blade whistled.

The more Li Rui watched, the more satisfied he became.

The disciple practices, the master advances.

This feeling of gaining without labor was wonderful.

A month passed.

"Brother Li, have you heard?"

"Something big happened in Qingzhou. A great sect was wiped out, a capital crime punishable by the execution of three clans. I heard it was Regional Commander Xue who personally led the troops to suppress it, and not a single living soul was left."

Wei Ming said.

Li Rui was surprised; a great sect that required Regional Commander Xue to personally suppress it was certainly no ordinary force.

Counting it up, the Annan Army hadn't seen such a large-scale battle in a long time.

"What was the charge?"

"Treason. I heard they were caught with evidence of colluding with the Blood Shadow Xueying Laozu."

Li Rui narrowed his eyes slightly.

The Blood Shadow Xueying Laozu.

That was a notorious giant of the demonic path. I heard he joined the Ghost Gui Ming Jiao a few years ago and is now a top-priority criminal wanted by the imperial court.

Not just in Yunzhou, but throughout the entire Southern Region, his name was enough to stop infants from crying.

He had once even committed the ultimate evil of slaughtering a city in order to practice evil arts.

He had been surrounded and killed by experts from great sects several times, but each time he managed to escape using evil arts.

Colluding with the Blood Shadow Xueying Laozu meant colluding with the Ghost Gui Ming Jiao, which by law was indeed punishable by the execution of three clans.

But this matter felt suspicious no matter how you looked at it.

Colluding with the Ghost Gui Ming Jiao sounded very serious, but when had the Yu Kingdom ever strictly enforced the law?

You have to know that sometimes treason and rebellion might not even require the execution of three clans.

This matter seemed suspicious no matter how you looked at it.

With Regional Commander Xue personally leading the army, it must involve that Imperial City.

The secrets within were not something a mere sixth-rank official like Li Rui could speculate about.

When Ge Hong heard it was the Blood Shadow Xueying Laozu, a flash of ruthlessness crossed his eyes: "That Blood Shadow Xueying Laozu was previously an elder of a great sect, but later defected from the sect and joined the Ghost Gui Ming Jiao, even killing his own mentor. Under his command were the Twelve Blood Disciples, each following the Blood Shadow Xueying Laozu's nature, ruthless and vicious. The weakest was at the peak of the seventh rank, and the strongest had already crossed the Longmen, half a step into the Sea-Observing Realm."

Then his eyes dimmed:

"My master died at the hands of the Hundred-Wan Wan Du Gui, one of the Twelve Blood Disciples."

Li Rui was a bit surprised.

In his impression, it had always been rumored in Qinghe that the former master of the Iron Blade Martial Hall died of illness; now it seemed there was another story.

He and Wei Ming were just about to offer a few words of comfort.

Ge Hong sighed softly: "It's all old history. I heard that Hundred-Wan Wan Du Gui crossed the sixth-rank Longmen three years ago. How could I be a match for him? Seeking revenge would be no different than a moth flying into a flame."

A self-deprecating smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Memories surged into his heart like a tide.

When his master coughed up blood and died on his bed back then, he had secretly sworn to master martial arts and personally kill that Hundred-Wan Wan Du Gui to avenge his master.

But as he grew older.

He realized there was a gap between martial artists, and he had long been worn down by life, losing the desire for revenge.

Sixth rank.

It was likely he had no hope of catching up in this lifetime.

Things he knew were certain death, he might have done ten years ago.

Now?

Forget it.

At most, he would burn more paper money for the old man every Lantern Festival and offer a few more apologies.

"These Twelve Blood Disciples act secretly, and even the imperial court doesn't know the identities of half of them."

Ge Hong recounted the rumors he had heard.

Wei Ming patted Ge Hong's shoulder with a big hand: "No matter how strong the Twelve Blood Disciples are, can they be more formidable than our Annan Army?"

"If they provoke us, we'll lead the troops to surround them all, and that will count as avenging Brother Ge's master."

"That makes sense."

Ge Hong smiled reluctantly.

This was the biggest difference between the army and the martial world.

If you can't beat them, don't be afraid; there will always be someone who can beat them to clean up the mess.

Wei Ming changed the subject: "Have you heard? Junior Officer Duan is about to be promoted. It seems he's going to be a Vice Minister in the Ministry of Works. Yes, that's right, a Vice Minister."

Garrison Commander Duan Yu was being promoted.

Li Rui and Ge Hong were not surprised at all.

Ever since Junior Officer Duan came to the Anning Guard, it had been something everyone tacitly understood. Garrison Commander Duan coming to Qinghe was just a stepping stone; at most two years, he wouldn't stay long.

A well-connected person, after all.

Old Officer Duan was a dignified third-rank Vice Minister of the Ministry of War; his son could at least be a fourth-rank official, not to mention that Junior Officer Duan also had quite good martial talent.

Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, proper sixth rank, on par with a Garrison Commander.

But there was a difference between inside and outside the capital; officials in the capital were half a rank higher.

That's why they said Junior Officer Duan was being promoted.

You have to know, before Assistant Regional Commander Cao came to Yunzhou, he was a Vice Minister of the Ministry of War. Later, his martial realm broke through, and he was valued by the Fifth Prince, which was why he was promoted.

Officials in the Yu Kingdom, especially military officers, almost always upgraded their rank first, then got promoted. Junior Officer Duan, who was promoted first and could jump between civil and military roles, was without exception someone with a solid backing.

Otherwise, if he wanted to switch from a military officer to a civil official, the recommendation document would usually be rejected as soon as it reached the Ministry of Personnel.

"Chief Ning said the candidate for the new Garrison Commander has been decided. It seems to be from the Gao clan of Lu Yang."

In the Yu Kingdom, those with place names first and surnames last.

Were all great clans.

The Gao clan of Lu Yang was even more extraordinary; they had once produced high officials who entered the Cabinet and had a great reputation in the Great Yu.

Indeed, another well-connected person.

The Anning Guard had five Garrison Commanders in total; Cao Wei had two, and Jiang Linxian had two. It was most appropriate to insert well-connected people, and this way, they could balance the forces of both sides.

Wei Ming added: "I heard it seems to be this year's Martial Metropolitan Graduate, and in the second tier, too."

Martial Metropolitan Graduate was an official selected through the martial examination. Metropolitan Graduates were generally divided into the first, second, and third tiers.

The first tier was the well-known Top Graduate, Second Place, and Third Place.

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The second tier generally consisted of about forty people.

This Garrison Commander Gao being able to pass into the second tier could be considered quite capable.

But... the Top Graduate could only find a position as a Vice Minister in the capital, while a second-tier graduate could be a Garrison Commander in the Anning Guard with an official status equivalent to the Top Graduate; the Gao clan must have exerted a lot of effort.

Having someone in the court makes it easy to be an official; that's exactly how it is.

Ge Hong was a bit worried: "I wonder what the new Garrison Commander's temperament will be like?"

Outside Qinghe City.

Post station.

Today, the post station had long been cleared. Zhuang Renhe sat alone in the main hall of the post station, with trusted aides brought from the Zhuang family keeping watch outside.

He took a sip of tea.

The teacup was slowly set down.

A sound came from the doorway: "This way, please!"

Lifting his head.

He saw a young man carrying a book basket walk in, looking exactly like a scholar traveling for study.

Seeing the young man, Zhuang Renhe stood up, a smile appearing on the corner of his mouth: "Brother Gao Zhong?"

The scholar gave a shy smile: "That's me."

Zhuang Renhe's smile grew wider, and he looked left and right: "Did the Xueying Laozu also come to Qinghe?"

Indeed.

The young Confucian scholar before him was none other than the Blood-Hand Scholar, Gao Zhong, ranked last among the Twelve Blood Disciples.

He was considered the least prominent among the Twelve Blood Disciples, and very few people in the world knew his identity; even in the Ghost Gui Ming Jiao, not many knew.

He had only met him once by chance.

Who would have thought that someone who looked harmless to humans and animals was actually a ruthless character who killed without blinking.

Bad people don't write "bad" on their faces.

The Twelve Blood Disciples were notorious, but that didn't mean they all looked fierce.

The Blood-Hand Scholar Gao Zhong shook his head: "The master is still in the Ten Thousand Ze, and he asked me to convey to Magistrate Zhuang that he is very satisfied with the gift sent."

Zhuang Renhe was even happier: "That's good."

The Blood Shadow Xueying Laozu was not like the previous Qi Cheng, who only had a good background; he was a martial arts powerhouse ranked high in the Ghost Gui Ming Jiao.

Everything he had done before, designing to send Qu Chengfeng to the Ten Thousand Ze, was just to please the Blood Shadow Xueying Laozu.

Hearing that Gao Zhong, one of the Twelve Blood Disciples, was coming to Qinghe, he had waited here specifically.

He asked tentatively: "Brother Gao, what brings you to Qinghe?"

Gao Zhong gave a shy smile again: "Me?"

"Of course, I'm here to take up my post."

Anning Guard, General's Prefecture.

In the main hall.

"Brother Gao, the journey was hard, you've worked hard."

Cao Wei looked at the shy youth before him with satisfaction.

The Gao clan of Lu Yang was a great clan. Although Gao Zhen was from a branch and born of a concubine, he relied on his own efforts to pass the martial examination and was valued by the elders of the clan, being sent to Qinghe for training.

Just arrived in Qinghe.

The first person he sought out was Cao Wei.

The meaning couldn't be more obvious.

Gao Zhen took the initiative to show goodwill, so of course, he had to show enough respect. One Garrison Commander wasn't scary, but Gao Zhen had great figures from the Gao clan behind him, so even he felt the urge to build a relationship.

"General Cao, please look after me in the future."

Cao Wei laughed: "Brother Gao, since you've come to the Anning Guard, we are all brothers. If you have anything in the future, just tell your brother."

"Mm."

Gao Zhen nodded.

Cao Wei watched Gao Zhen's every move.

At a glance, he was a young disciple from a great clan who had just entered the world, had no depth, and was easiest to manipulate.

"Let's go, Brother Gao. You're used to the dishes of Lu Yang; today, your brother will take you to change your taste."

Saying this.

Cao Wei took Gao Zhen out of the brothel.

It looked like they were heading for the Chunyan Tower.

Of course, it was impossible for Cao Wei to just take Gao Zhen to drink; he was changing to a night-time taste.

Entering the Chunyan Tower and being surrounded by beauties, Gao Zhen's young, pretty face flushed even redder.

This made the surrounding women giggle incessantly.

Seeing this, Cao Wei was even more surprised.

"Actually a virgin?"

Thinking of Gao Zhen's background, he might not have been treated well in the Gao clan before, and after passing the examination, he came to Qinghe, never having the chance to enjoy himself.

He waved his big hand.

He said to the madam beside him: "Tell the top courtesan, Miss Taoxin, to serve my brother well!"

(End of chapter)