Chapter 435: Case Files (6/10, Autumn Subscription)

The Qing Office was not far from the inn where they were staying.

After walking there, Fang Yue and Lin Ling found the Qing Office.

The first impression the Qing Office gave Fang Yue was its size—immense, incredibly immense.

Looking around, the entire surrounding area belonged to the Qing Office, far more imposing and majestic than the Guard Station of Gu Yue Cun!

"This Qing Office must be loaded—its office is this huge."

"Shh, don't speak carelessly inside the Qing Office—it'll invite trouble."

Hearing Lin Ling say that, Fang Yue immediately fell silent.

The two stepped forward to explain their situation; the grey-clad guard glanced at them, told them to wait, then went inside to report.

Soon after, a man in white official robes, with sharp eyebrows and star-like eyes, walked out from inside.

"You're the ones reporting about Gu Yue Cun?"

"Yes."

"Come in."

The white-robed man led Fang Yue and Lin Ling inside and said, "I'm surnamed Yu—you can call me Yu Baiyi."

Yu Baiyi gave off a cold, official detachment—even his full name was stated plainly.

Fang Yue and Lin Ling exchanged a glance but said nothing more.

Inside the Qing Office, Fang Yue saw that it was even more vast than it had appeared from outside.

Marble-paved ground stretched out, and straight ahead lay a large courtyard, with wooden posts casually placed about.

Some Grey-Clad Qing Guards were training diligently, drenched in sweat.

Beyond the courtyard, roads branched in all directions; Yu Baiyi led them to the right.

"Yu Daren!"

"Yu Daren."

Those they passed greeted Yu Baiyi, but he responded with only a slight nod, barely acknowledging them.

Only when they passed a man in green official robes striding forward did he immediately stop, bow deeply in respect.

"Jun Daren."

"..."

Just as Yu Baiyi had treated others before, Jun Qingyi merely glanced at him and hurried past.

Fang Yue studied him curiously; after Jun Qingyi left, he whispered, "Yu Daren, are Qingyi Daren common? How many Qingyi Daren are there in Qingsi County? What are their strengths?"

"... Ask fewer unnecessary questions."

Yu Baiyi gave no direct answer, frowned slightly, then continued leading the way.

Fang Yue immediately felt annoyed; he nudged Lin Ling beside him and muttered low, "This guy's even more annoying than you were back then."

"What did I do?"

Lin Ling was frustrated—he thought he'd been good to Fang Yue, when had he ever been annoying? He'd completely forgotten how he himself had acted coldly when they first met in Gu Yue Cun.

Besides, what's wrong with acting cold? I was stronger than you back then—what could you do about it?

Lin Ling grumbled inwardly but said nothing.

After all, Fang Yue's current strength could grind his head into the ground.

This left Lin Ling deeply unsettled—just a month ago, Fang Yue had been an ordinary person who hadn't even entered the Martial Dao, and now he'd become a top-tier Post-Heaven cultivator.

If he hadn't witnessed Fang Yue's growth firsthand, he'd have suspected Fang Yue was possessed!

Damn it! If only time could rewind to when we first met—I'd have been cold to the extreme, so Xiao Ye would know what a true strong man's demeanor looks like!

Along this path, they encountered many people.

Fang Yue noticed that when Yu Baiyi met other white-robed officials of equal rank, he'd occasionally pause to chat a little.

But when he met Grey-Clad Qing Guards or Black-clothed Guards, he'd simply shut down and act cold.

As for Qingyi, they'd only encountered Jun Daren before, so there were no other reference points.

This way of interacting felt strangely familiar to Fang Yue.

In university, he'd had a classmate who was somewhat like Yu Baiyi.

Of course, reality had no cultivation strength—instead, wealth and learning ability determined status.

That classmate would lower himself completely when dealing with peers richer or smarter than him.

But with weaker people, he'd become icy and aloof.

Only with those of roughly equal strength could he interact normally and equally.

Yes, equally—because when facing those top students, he followed and flattered them like a sycophant.

His posture was ugly; everyone around him couldn't stand it.

But he never tired of it; whenever he improved academically or financially, he'd reclassify those he'd once treated as equals into the lower tier and become cold toward them.

He was that power-hungry, that calculated—so much so that Fang Yue couldn't bear it and avoided him whenever possible.

And now, Yu Baiyi had the same vibe.

Only more restrained—his aloofness was perfectly measured, his equality perfectly balanced, his sycophancy perfectly calibrated, maintaining a precise equilibrium.

"Aren't you tired?"

Fang Yue asked curiously. In real life, he'd never ask a classmate such a question—but in this world, encountering someone like this, he was genuinely curious about their mindset.

"What?"

Yu Baiyi blinked slightly—was this short walk really tiring?

"Changing your attitude toward different people, judging them by your own standard, treating some high and others low—doesn't that exhaust you?"

"..." Yu Baiyi finally understood Fang Yue's meaning. He stopped abruptly, turned back to look at him, his brows tightly furrowed.

"You understand... forget it. You folks coming from the villages down below, you still look young, so let me give you a word of advice — find a village to settle in early. The Green Office isn't as simple as you think."

Having said that, he pointed at the big house ahead and said, "That's the Record Room over there. Go on over yourselves. I have things to do, so I'll be going first."

After speaking, Yu Baiyi tossed Fang Yue a small pure-black token, then really did turn around and leave — clean and crisp, no dragging his feet.

Lin Ling said glumly, "Why'd you have to provoke him? He's a White-clothed Guard no matter what. If you get in smoothly, you might end up working with him."

"I was just asking! Who knew he'd have a little temper — he's basically the Gu Yue Cun version of you."

"What version of me! I was plenty nice to you back then!"

Lin Ling's memory seemed to have airbrushed itself; she didn't feel at all that she'd ever lost her temper with Fang Yue.

The two of them entered the Record Archive, where someone quickly came to receive them and arranged them into a room.

Across the room sat a Black-clothed Guard wearing a tall hat, with heavy eye bags. Behind this person was a row of large bookshelves holding all sorts of record materials.

At this moment, the Black-clothed Guard was buried in writing something. Only when Fang Yue gave a light cough did he raise his head, his voice hoarse, his dead-fish eyes fixed, and speak in a listless tone.

"What grade of record?"

"What?"

The dead-fish eyes narrowed: "Who brought you here? Didn't they give you a token?"

"Yu Baiyi brought us here... token, you mean this?"

Fang Yue fished out the small black token Yu Baiyi had given him earlier. The thing was pitch-black, felt like stone to the touch, but beyond that, there was no other information.

"That's it... a Special-grade Black-level Record?"

The dead-fish eyes furrowed: "The village was wiped out?"

(End of chapter)