Chapter 45: Choice (Please follow, bookmark, and vote with monthly tickets and recommendation votes)

“I heard your courtyard was burned down by arson, Constable Su?”

He Yuxing, the Sima of the South City Division, spoke with a beaming smile. “If one of our South City Division constables doesn't even have a place to live in the South City, how would that look?”

He paused for a moment before continuing, “How about this: I have an idle courtyard over in Pingkang Ward. It’s not large, but it is quite clean. I shall gift it to you, Constable Su.”

“Thank you, Sima.”

Su Mu hesitated slightly before speaking slowly, “However, there is no need. I have a friend who also lives in the South City; I can just stay with him for a while. It is better to be more at ease with a courtyard one has purchased for oneself, don't you agree, Sima?”

It wasn't that Su Mu couldn't play along with He Yuxing for a few days, but he simply lacked the patience. Regardless, he was heading to the Inner City soon, so he didn't care whether He Yuxing held a grudge against him for the repeated rejection.

Su Mu's refusal caused He Yuxing's gaze to darken slightly, but he possessed a certain level of calculation. After a brief pause, he said slowly, “Since Constable Su is young and ambitious, I shall say no more. In time, you will realize that working under my command, I cannot promise much else, but buying a courtyard in the South City within a year will certainly not be a problem.”

He Yuxing patted Su Mu on the shoulder with a meaningful look.

“Is today's duty finished? Everyone, disperse.”

He Yuxing waved his hand and turned to leave.

…………

For the entire day, Su Mu dealt with various visitors.

As for the many congratulatory gifts, Su Mu accepted them all without refusal. Cultivating martial arts was an expensive endeavor, and since he currently had no other means of making money, the more silver, the better. As for whether accepting the money would have any negative consequences, he didn't care at all. He was going to the Inner City soon anyway; could these people follow him there?

After clocking out at sunset, Su Mu walked straight into a narrow alley and knocked on a dilapidated wooden door.

Yang Jin opened the door and pulled Su Mu into the courtyard.

“Have you achieved minor mastery of your Golden Scale Skin Tempering Method?” Yang Jin asked urgently.

Su Mu's nighttime raid on the Xu residence—killing a guard in front of Xu Mingchen and taking the Xu family butler—was the biggest news in the South City today. Anyone with even a modicum of information was discussing Su Mu's exploits.

Yang Jin had naturally heard about it. When he first received the news, he had spilled wine all over himself.

To kill a Xu family guard who had achieved minor mastery in Body Tempering and great mastery in martial arts with a single strike—even an ordinary Body Tempering First Realm martial artist might not be able to do that.

Regarding Su Mu's strength, the various major powers in the South City had all sorts of speculations. Some guessed he had just entered the Body Tempering stage, while others guessed he had already achieved minor mastery in Skin Tempering.

But one thing everyone had reached a consensus on: Su Mu had mastered a Saber Intent!

Su Mu nodded slightly. His Golden Scale Skin Tempering Method had reached great mastery, but saying it had reached minor mastery wouldn't be incorrect either.

“Phew!”

Yang Jin let out a long breath, a look of pleasant surprise appearing on his face. Others might not know, but Yang Jin knew clearly that he was the one who had found the Golden Scale Skin Tempering Method for Su Mu.

The problem was, it had been at most two months since he had given the method to Su Mu. Before that, he was certain Su Mu had never practiced any Body Tempering method. To reach minor mastery of the Golden Scale Skin Tempering Method in just two short months—what kind of talent was this?

When Yang Jin had approached Su Mu originally, it was because he had recognized Su Mu's comprehension of martial arts; he hadn't expected Su Mu's talent for cultivation to be this extraordinary! This was truly a case of "planting a willow and getting shade."

When he had made the deal with Su Mu, it was purely a gamble; he hadn't actually held much expectation. He hadn't expected Su Mu to give him such a massive surprise.

“Sigh, it's a pity your background is too poor and you didn't get to contact Body Tempering methods earlier. Otherwise, you might be at least at the Third Realm of Body Tempering by now.”

After his initial joy subsided, Yang Jin couldn't help but sigh. “You've passed the best age for Body Tempering. You might reach the Third Realm before you're thirty, but the chances of reaching the Fourth Realm are quite slim.”

Although Yang Jin felt some regret, as long as Su Mu could reach the Fourth Realm, there would be hope for him to help kill *that person*!

“Old Yang, I need to stay at your place tonight, if that's alright?” Su Mu said, glancing toward the interior of the house.

Yang Jin appeared to be a bachelor, so there shouldn't be any inconvenience.

“You're the hottest topic in the South City right now, and you don't even have a place to live?” Yang Jin remarked.

“Of course I do. He Yuxing even offered me a courtyard, but I don't trust them. In the South City, I only trust you,” Su Mu said nonchalantly.

For some reason, Yang Jin suddenly felt a warm sensation in his heart.

“If you don't mind the simplicity, you can stay as long as you like,” Yang Jin said.

“It won't be long,” Su Mu replied. He was heading to the Inner City tomorrow to seek his future, so he would certainly be living in the Inner City by then.

“By the way, Old Yang, regarding what we discussed last time—where is the Taiping Division office located within Wuling City?” Su Mu asked.

This was the real reason he had come to stay with Yang Jin tonight; otherwise, he could have made do anywhere for a night. Although he might be able to find out by asking at the South City Division, as he said before, Su Mu did not trust the people of the South City Division. Until things were settled, he did not want anyone to know he intended to join the Taiping Division. After all, he wasn't certain what the identity of that "Brother Taiping" actually was. It was always better to be cautious.

“You still haven't given up on the Taiping Division?” Yang Jin frowned. “Didn't I tell you? The threshold for the Taiping Division is too high. Although you have some talent, the one thing the Taiping Division doesn't lack is geniuses. Furthermore, your background is too poor, and you started Body Tempering too late.”

Before Su Mu could speak, he continued, “If you truly refuse to settle for mediocrity, you could join any of the four great families in the Inner City. With your talent, they surely wouldn't refuse you. If you align yourself with any of the four great families, your position as a constable will be secure, and there would even be hope for you to advance and serve in the Inner City.”

“Hasn't He Yuxing, the Sima of the South City Division, already shown you goodwill? He Yuxing comes from the He family of the Inner City. If I'm not mistaken, once the He family hears news of you, they will certainly send someone to recruit you.”

Yang Jin continued, “If you refuse, I'm afraid you will lose your chance at the position of South City Constable; the He family will not allow an outsider to hold that post. However, the other three families will surely want to place their own people in that position, and they will undoubtedly extend olive branches to you. Given your current situation, you can completely play the market—whoever offers the highest price, you join them. Regardless, the power of the four great families is balanced; it doesn't matter which one you choose.”

Yang Jin analyzed the situation seriously, as if he were the one who had to make the choice. From his words, Su Mu gained a deeper understanding of the situation in Wuling City.

The four great families of the Inner City were the Luo, Xie, Wang, and He families, each possessing immense power. He Yuxing was backed by the He family, while the Xu family was backed by the Wang family of the Inner City.

As Yang Jin analyzed the pros and cons of each family, he did not know that Su Mu didn't need to make a choice at all. His only choice was the Taiping Division—the one authorized by imperial decree to slay demons and monsters!

“If you intend to join one of the four great families in the Inner City, it's best to make your choice immediately.”

Just as Yang Jin and Su Mu were speaking, a voice suddenly drifted down from the rooftop. Before the words had even finished echoing, a burly figure leaped down and appeared before the two men.