Free Web NovelChapter 67: Chapter 67: Minor Achievement of Flesh Tempering
The South City Bureau was full of capable men.
It only took a day for someone to make the brothers Zhao Ji and Zhao Gui talk.
Zhao Ji truly knew nothing about the No-Heaven Sect’s affairs, but he was corrupt, bent the law, and even had a few lives on his hands. With his crimes tallied up, there was no way he would be spared.
Zhao Gui, a Hall Master of the No-Heaven Sect, knew things that ordinary members didn’t. However, his knowledge was limited. He only knew that the No-Heaven Sect had a method to rapidly enhance a person’s strength.
That was how the Dharma Protectors were created.
As for how they did it, Zhao Gui had no idea.
Knowing he was a dead man, Zhao Gui only asked for a quick death. He had no reason to lie.
He had even given up the location of the No-Heaven Sect’s headquarters; there was certainly no reason for him to conceal anything else.
"Constable Xiao Su, the No-Heaven Sect’s headquarters is at Lu Liu Manor, ten li south of the city."
Zheng Wang stood before Su Mu, his face filled with admiration as he spoke.
"According to Zhao Gui’s confession, there are over a hundred people in the No-Heaven Sect’s headquarters. They have more than fifteen Body Tempering Martial Artists, most of whom are at the First Stage of Body Tempering. There are two Hall Masters at the Second Stage of Body Tempering, as well as a Sect Leader and two Vice Sect Leaders of unknown strength."
Su Mu nodded. The No-Heaven Sect’s strength was roughly what he’d expected.
"How many Dharma Protectors does the No-Heaven Sect have?"
Su Mu asked, pondering.
"We don’t know the exact number, but Zhao Gui guessed there are no more than three. The one he had with him was specially sent by the Sect Leader to help, because they were planning to stir up trouble in South City recently," Zheng Wang said.
"Alright. Gather the men. We ride out at dawn to annihilate the No-Heaven Sect."
Su Mu said slowly after a moment’s thought.
The South City Bureau had one hundred and twenty constables and nearly two hundred deputies. Thirty-seven of them had reached the introductory level of the Skin Tempering Technique. The rest, even the deputies, had all studied saber techniques and had no trouble handling two or three unarmed adults.
Aside from Su Mu, Zheng Wang and the other four squad leaders had all entered the Flesh Tempering Realm.
With Wei Yongfu, who was in the Tendon Tempering Realm, their combined strength surpassed that of the No-Heaven Sect.
The only real concern was the No-Heaven Sect’s Dharma Protectors.
’Dharma Protectors like that can’t be easy to create. Even if there are one or two, we have superior numbers. We should be able to handle them.’
"As you command!"
Zheng Wang shouted, then turned and left to make the arrangements.
After Zheng Wang left, Su Mu tapped his fingers on the armrest of his chair. With a thought, he summoned the system panel.
For the sake of convenience, he hadn’t gone home that night, instead staying in his duty room at the South City Bureau.
Anyway, as the acting constable, he had his own private duty room at the South City Bureau, which was both quiet and convenient.
[Name: Su Mu]
[Identity: Constable/Taiping Bureau White Clothes (Ninth Grade)]
[Points: 505]
[Realm: Second Stage of Body Tempering (Extreme Skin Tempering Realm)]
[Cultivation Technique: Wild Elephant Marinating Flesh Skill (Introductory/+)...]
[Martial Arts: Submerging Wave Saber Technique (Perfection), Archery (Introductory/+)]
Six days had passed since his last upgrade. He’d worked diligently, solving cases and finally accumulating five hundred Points. The much-anticipated "+" had appeared after the Wild Elephant Marinating Flesh Skill.
’A constable is also a Ninth Grade official position. The base Points from this identity are a bit more than being one of the Taiping Bureau White Clothes.’
’This makes sense. Though both are Ninth Grade, a constable is a substantive position, managing two to three hundred people. Taiping Bureau White Clothes sounds impressive, but it’s just a nominal title.’
Su Mu looked at the data on the system panel, calculating silently. ’With my dual identities, I can acquire a minimum of seventy Points and a maximum of one hundred and forty Points per day.’
’The minimum and maximum are a significant improvement over when I was just a squad leader. If things go smoothly, my Wild Elephant Marinating Flesh Skill could reach the Realm of Perfection in another month.’
’We’re going to raid the No-Heaven Sect tomorrow. More strength means more safety. Wild Elephant Marinating Flesh Skill... upgrade!’
Su Mu chanted inwardly, his thoughts pressing down hard on the "+" after the Wild Elephant Marinating Flesh Skill.
......
[Name: Su Mu]
[Identity: Constable/Taiping Bureau White Clothes (Ninth Grade)]
[Points: 5]
[Realm: Second Stage of Body Tempering (Extreme Skin Tempering Realm)]
[Cultivation Technique: Wild Elephant Marinating Flesh Skill (Minor Achievement)...]
[Martial Arts: Submerging Wave Saber Technique (Perfection), Archery (Introductory)]
As dawn broke, Su Mu summoned the system panel again.
’The Wild Elephant Marinating Flesh Skill has finally reached Minor Achievement.’
’My skin tempering has reached the Extreme Realm. This bronze-like skin is a huge boost for flesh tempering. Even though I’m only at Minor Achievement of Flesh Tempering, at full power, I can match someone at the general Greater Achievement level.’
’Add my saber force to the mix, and I could even fight an expert who has reached the Perfection stage of Flesh Tempering.’
There weren’t many Martial Artists in the Flesh Tempering Realm who could cultivate a martial art to the Realm of Perfection.
In any case, Su Mu hadn’t seen another one in all of South City.
Su Mu washed up quickly. Zheng Wang had already arrived to report that everyone was ready.
He woke the soundly sleeping Wei Yongfu and led the contingent of constables and deputies out of the South City gates in a great procession.
The sky had yet to fully brighten, and not a single pedestrian was on the streets.
The large detachment from the South City Bureau moved with grim purpose, their killing intent palpable.
A few night-owl gang members noticed the Bureau’s movements. But with an operation of this scale, they only dared to watch from the shadows, wondering what major event the South City Bureau was instigating this time.
The last time they’d mobilized in such force was for the raid on the Black Dragon Stronghold.
No one knew who the South City Bureau had in their sights this time.
While the various gangs of South City fretted with unease, the Bureau’s forces had already marched straight out of the city, making a beeline for Lu Liu Manor.
The ten-li journey took the large detachment a little over two hours to complete.
The No-Heaven Sect hadn’t anticipated a move from the South City Bureau. When the large number of constables and deputies appeared, some sect members on the walls were still peering down curiously, failing to react immediately.
"Attack!"
With his hand on his saber’s hilt, Su Mu commanded in a low voice, "The No-Heaven Sect has committed murder and countless heinous crimes. By Sima’s Decree, we are to apprehend every last one of them! Slay any who resist!"
At Su Mu’s command, the four squad leaders, including Zheng Wang, led their respective teams to storm Lu Liu Manor from all sides.
Su Mu strode forward and entered the manor directly through the main gate. He encountered no significant resistance along the way; he didn’t even need to make a move himself. The constables following him, such as Wang Liu, quickly finished the skirmishes.
A moment later, the main force had breached the rear courtyard of Lu Liu Manor.
Just then, several bestial roars suddenly rang out.
Immediately after, two dark figures shot out from a room and pounced into the crowd.
Shouts and screams erupted one after another. In the blink of an eye, casualties had already appeared among the constables.
"Wei Yongfu, now!"
Su Mu drew his saber and slashed at one of the dark figures, shouting as he did.
Before his voice faded, Wei Yongfu shot out like a tiger freed from its cage. They had agreed on the terms beforehand: one No-Heaven Sect Dharma Protector head was worth five hundred taels of silver.
In Wei Yongfu’s eyes, those weren’t enemies. They were walking piles of gleaming silver!
