Free Web NovelChapter 51: Chapter 47: Inner Hall
A flash of silver under the sun vanished in an instant, causing the pupils of Luo Boqing and the other two men to contract sharply.
The air seemed to freeze solid.
Dong Li’s mouth hung open, the taunt he was about to utter caught in his throat.
Sun An’s face instantly contorted as if he’d just swallowed a fly.
Luo Boqing’s eyes, which had been fixed on Chen Cheng, slowly shifted after his figure disappeared. His gaze fell upon the dull Black Character Waist Token at his own waist, and a storm of complex emotions churned within him.
The red-lacquered wooden door to the Inner Hall wasn’t large, but stepping through it was like entering another world.
It was a stark contrast to the Outer Hall’s coarse training grounds, which were a chaotic mix of flying dust, antiquated equipment, the stench of sweat, and loud shouts.
The grounds of the Inner Hall were paved with smooth, tightly-fitted bluestone tiles. They were swept clean daily by designated staff, leaving not a speck of dust even in the crevices.
About a dozen side rooms surrounded the courtyard. Each was spacious and bright, exuding a solemn tranquility. Faint, elegant aromas of sandalwood, medicinal herbs, and other unique fragrances drifted from the various rooms.
Sturdy, clear-lacquered wooden posts stood in the corners, their surfaces wrapped in tanned cowhide of varying thicknesses.
The weapon racks were crafted from sturdy nanmu wood. While the sabers, spears, swords, and halberds they held weren’t divine artifacts, their edges gleamed with a cold light. They were impeccably maintained and clearly of considerable value.
Occasionally, an Inner Hall Disciple would pass by.
Chen Cheng recognized some of their faces, but others were completely new to him.
But every single one of them possessed an aura that was completely different from that of the Outer Hall Disciples.
They spoke in low voices and moved with unhurried grace. The occasional glances they cast over were so indifferent, it was as if Chen Cheng and the other Outer Hall Disciples were nothing more than thin air.
"Is everyone here?"
Third Senior Sister Ye Qiluo approached on a pair of long, elegant legs. Her chin was tilted slightly upward, and her beautiful eyes held no warmth, only a faint hint of arrogance.
"The original ten, plus Junior Brother Chen, who just succeeded in refining his second wisp of Blood Qi, are all present."
A short-haired young man replied with a bow of his hands.
"Chen Cheng?"
The name sounded vaguely familiar to Ye Qiluo. Her gaze swept over him, sizing him up briefly, but she didn’t say anything more.
"Alright, everyone follow me."
The row of side rooms on the north side of the Inner Hall had been completely opened up into one large, spacious area.
More than twenty people were already gathered inside, some sitting, some standing. All were dressed handsomely in fine clothes, their postures relaxed and composed. A few of them clearly carried the air of the pampered and privileged.
First Senior Brother Chu Meng and Second Senior Brother Zhu Mingyuan were attending to them. Though young, the two handled the guests with practiced ease, engaging them in lively conversation. They maintained perfect etiquette without compromising the prestige of Dragon Mountain Hall, proving themselves worthy of their status as the top disciples of the Inner Hall.
Xiao Yi stayed close by their side, attempting to build some valuable connections. Hailed as the Inner Hall’s newest genius, everyone treated him with great courtesy and was eager to associate with him.
"Alright, if I may have your attention, please."
Seeing Ye Qiluo lead the group in, Chu Meng spoke in a clear voice.
"These are the proficient disciples from the Outer Hall of our Dragon Mountain Middle Courtyard who have successfully condensed their second wisp of Blood Qi."
"If any of you are interested in hiring a Martial Artist for a part-time position, you are free to look them over and negotiate. Should you wish to test their skills, the Inner Hall’s courtyard is at your disposal."
The moment he finished speaking, the room became abuzz with activity.
Martial Artists are rare talents to begin with. Those from the Dragon Mountain Hall Middle Courtyard who have refined a second wisp of Blood Qi are rarer still.
For this very reason, all the guests present—regardless of their status—were exceedingly polite and cordial toward Chen Cheng and the other disciples, showing them a great deal of respect.
In a way, while they were selecting Martial Artists, the Martial Artists also had the power to select them.
Chen Cheng stood at the very back of the group, inconspicuous at first.
But as the people at the front began to disperse and mingle, a few pairs of eyes fell on him. Someone started to move toward him.
But just then, Xiao Yi spotted him.
A flash of extreme astonishment crossed Xiao Yi’s eyes before he forcefully suppressed it.
His expression unchanged, Xiao Yi quickly turned and whispered a few words to the guests who had been about to approach Chen Cheng.
The moment he finished, they all stopped in their tracks. Their expressions changed subtly before they turned away, acting as if they had never noticed Chen Cheng at all.
’Chen Cheng felt not a ripple of emotion. He was even tempted to leave right then and return to the Outer Hall to train.’
’He already had what he considered the ideal part-time position in mind.’
’If those people had actually come over to recruit him, he would’ve had to rack his brain for an excuse to decline. Their not coming actually saved him the trouble.’
"Chen Cheng!? Is that really you!?"
From a distant corner, a young man in the robes of a Patrol Clerk strode over, his face a mask of astonishment.
"Liang Guang?"
Chen Cheng was taken aback. He hadn’t expected to run into an acquaintance here.
"Look at you! You rascal! How long has it been? You’ve already refined your second wisp of Blood Qi!"
Liang Guang’s expression shifted to a warm, enthusiastic smile. As soon as he was close enough, he casually draped an arm over Chen Cheng’s shoulder. Anyone who didn’t know better would have thought they were the best of friends.
Chen Cheng never had a particularly good impression of Liang Guang or Cao Bado to begin with.
After what happened with Zhou Long’s severe injuries, Chen Cheng had seen their true colors. Now, he just offered a placid response.
After a bit of small talk, Liang Guang jerked his chin toward a middle-aged man in the robes of the Inspectorate, his tone dripping with self-importance.
"See that? That’s the Lord Chief of the Southern Three Guards Patrol Office. He’s my godfather!"
Liang Guang raised an eyebrow and subtly held up four fingers below his waist.
"A part-time post in the Patrol Office comes with a Monthly Allowance this high!" he boasted. "You won’t find a deal like this anywhere else! What do you say? Want me to put in a good word for you?"
"Four taels?"
Chen Cheng resisted the urge to laugh and shook his head.
"No need to trouble yourself. I already have a part-time position lined up."
"...Are you an idiot? If you have another offer, just turn it down. It’s that simple."
Liang Guang said, his voice lowered.
"Don’t say I’m not looking out for you. During the recent operation to purge the Red Moon Nunnery, the Patrol Office lost a lot of Constables..."
"You take the part-time post first. Once you’ve saved up enough capital, I’ll have my godfather pull some strings for you and get you a permanent position as a Constable. With a stable job like that, you’ll be set for life!"
"Having a nice chat, you two?"
Just then, Xiao Yi walked over, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Junior Brother Chen, I seem to recall you have a Root Bone of the lowest grade. How could you possibly condense a second wisp of Blood Qi in such a short time? Could it be... you used some special methods?"
"Lowest grade Root Bone?"
Upon hearing this, Liang Guang’s smile froze on his face. But that was nothing. His attention was immediately and completely captured by the second half of Xiao Yi’s statement.
"Special methods!? C-Could it be related to the Red Moon Nunnery!?"
The Red Moon Nunnery had just been officially designated an Evil Cult. Anyone associated with it would be in a world of trouble.
Liang Guang snatched his hand from Chen Cheng’s shoulder as if he’d been shocked.
"Red Moon Nunnery?"
In the distance, the Lord Chief was walking over and just so happened to clearly hear those three words.
The atmosphere in the room instantly turned ice-cold. Grave gazes converged on Chen Cheng from all directions, piercing him like countless sharp arrows.
