Chapter 32: Slaying Demons and Banishing Evil, Authorized by Imperial Power (Please follow, bookmark, and...)

“That 'Taiping' brother gave me three years, and I’ve used about six months. I’m not sure if this speed counts as fast.”

Su Mu thought to himself as he looked at the system panel.

The contents on the panel had quietly changed.

【Name: Su Mu】

【Identity: Constable (Clerk)】

【Points: 0】

【Martial Arts: Wave-Subduing Saber Technique (Consummate), Archery (Beginner)】

The plus sign behind the martial arts had disappeared. When he focused his attention on the Wave-Subduing Saber Technique, the system provided no prompt.

This seemed to mean that the Wave-Subduing Saber Technique had reached the peak of point allocation and could no longer be upgraded.

"This might be my limit, but it's not necessarily the limit of the panel's upgrades," Su Mu mused.

Although he wasn't sure if there were higher realms beyond the Wave-Subduing Saber Intent, he assumed there must be.

That single strike from the "Taiping" brother when he slew the demon was undoubtedly countless times stronger than his own Wave-Subduing Saber Intent.

How could someone who hadn't even reached the first stage of Body Tempering possibly have mastered a saber technique to its absolute limit?

"Perhaps the level of this martial art is too low, and its power is limited to this. If I want to improve the saber technique further, I need to practice a more superior style," Su Mu pondered. "Or, I need Body Tempering."

If he truly wanted to become strong, Body Tempering was essential. Without sufficient physical strength to support him, even if he mastered Saber Intent, he wouldn't be considered a true powerhouse.

"There's no rush. With my current identity, I won't be able to obtain high-quality Body Tempering methods anyway. I might as well find 'Taiping' brother first and figure things out after I secure the future he promised me."

Having made up his mind, Su Mu closed the system panel with a thought.

He washed his face with cold water to dispel the fatigue from a sleepless night, then headed toward the pawnshops in the marketplace.

Pawnshops weren't just for pawning items; they could also store goods and even gather intelligence. As long as you paid, they could do anything.

Su Mu chose the most grand-looking one and walked in.

"Welcome, sir. Are you here to pawn something or to shop?"

As soon as he entered, a clerk greeted him with a smile.

"I want to inquire about some information," Su Mu said directly, placing a piece of silver weighing two taels on the counter.

Seeing the silver, the clerk's smile grew even brighter.

"Please, take a seat, sir! Tea!"

With a shout, a young assistant hurried over to serve Su Mu tea.

"What information would you like to inquire about, sir?" the clerk asked with a beaming smile.

"I'm looking for someone. About twenty years old, thick eyebrows and large eyes..." Su Mu said.

"Sir, there are plenty of people on the street who fit that description. Do you have any other characteristics? Otherwise, we can't take this job," the clerk said with a look of difficulty.

"Right, he seemed to be wearing a uniform. The fabric was black brocade, looking very expensive, with characters embroidered in silver thread on both the front and the back," Su Mu added.

The clerk's expression suddenly turned grim.

"The character embroidered on the front is 'Tai'—" Su Mu continued.

"I don't know. Never heard of it."

The clerk's face changed drastically. Before Su Mu could finish, the clerk grabbed the silver from the counter and shoved it back at him. "We won't take this job. Sir, please leave. Escort him out!"

As soon as the words fell, two burly men emerged from the inner room and stood silently before Su Mu. Their posture made it clear that if Su Mu didn't leave, they would "escort" him out by force.

Su Mu was somewhat confused, but he pocketed the silver and left the pawnshop.

Although he was a constable of the South City Division, these pawnshops were backed by various powers, and there was no need to resort to violence over such a small matter. There were many pawnshops in the South City; if one wouldn't work, he would just try another. If this one wouldn't take his money, surely another would.

However, Su Mu soon discovered something was wrong.

Even with silver in hand, he truly could not buy information!

He visited several pawnshops in a row. Initially, they were all very enthusiastic, but the moment they heard about the person Su Mu was looking for, their expressions shifted instantly. Most politely asked him to leave, refusing to do business with him. One shop even thought Su Mu was intentionally looking for trouble and nearly came to blows.

In the end, Yang Jin suddenly appeared, offered a series of apologies, and pulled Su Mu away.

Once they were seated in Yang Jin's home, Su Mu finally spoke up. "Why did you stop me? I was just looking for someone, and I wasn't refusing to pay. If a pawnshop opens its doors for business, is someone else's silver considered money while mine is not?"

"You did that on purpose?" Yang Jin asked, frowning.

"What do you mean 'on purpose'? I don't understand," Su Mu said, looking bewildered.

"Those pawnshops are all backed by the powers of the Inner City. They are the means by which Inner City officials amass wealth!" Yang Jin explained.

"What does that have to do with me inquiring about information?" Su Mu countered. "I wasn't refusing to pay. What does the power behind them have to do with me, a mere customer?"

"It seems you really don't know," Yang Jin said, looking at Su Mu for a long moment. Once he was certain Su Mu wasn't joking, he shook his head. "Going to a pawnshop to ask about the Taiping Division... how is that any different from cursing a bald man to his face?"

"The Taiping Division?" Su Mu's eyes lit up. "You know who I'm looking for?"

"Black brocade, characters embroidered on the chest and back: Taiping," Yang Jin said solemnly. "I really don't know if you are a person of Great Xuan or not, to not even know about the Taiping Division! To go to a pawnshop and ask about them so brazenly... you should be thankful you weren't beaten to death on the spot."

"What, is the Taiping Division off-limits for inquiry?" Su Mu asked, puzzled.

"It's not that they are off-limits, it's that you're asking in the wrong place," Yang Jin said. "Under the laws of Great Xuan, officials are forbidden from engaging in commerce. However, most officials have private means of accumulating wealth, and the pawnshops in the Outer City are inextricably linked to the officials in the Inner City. Generally, in such matters, the people do not report and the officials do not investigate; the officials turn a blind eye to one another, and no one truly intervenes. But the Taiping Division is different. If the Taiping Division actually intervenes, these pawnshops become death warrants for those officials. Do you understand?"

"I understand." Su Mu nodded, his eyes shining. "So, the Taiping Division is a specialized agency for monitoring the officials?"

It sounded somewhat similar to the Jinyiwei of certain dynasties from his previous life.

"Slaying demons and purging evil, authorized by imperial power, to protect the peace of the world," Yang Jin said with a grave expression. "That is the Taiping Division. They are the ones who slay demons, and they are also the ones who execute corrupt officials. As long as they obtain evidence, they can execute first and report later. Tell me, are those officials not terrified?"

No wonder those pawnshops reacted so strongly. The Taiping Division could take the lives of the people backing them.

"I was just inquiring... their reaction was a bit excessive," Su Mu muttered.

"Why would you go looking for people from the Taiping Division for no reason?" Yang Jin asked curiously. "Don't tell me you're also daydreaming about joining them?"

"Is that not allowed?" Su Mu countered.

"It's not that it's not allowed, it's that it's impossible," Yang Jin said. "The threshold for joining the Taiping Division is being under twenty years old and at the fourth stage of Body Tempering. Xing Zhaofu, the head constable of the South City Division—one of the strongest in the South City—only touched the threshold of the third stage of Body Tempering in his forties. The Great Leader of Black Dragon Fortress is also at the third stage, and he can't be younger than thirty. I recall you are already sixteen, and you haven't even reached the first stage of Body Tempering. What makes you think you can join the Taiping Division?"