Chapter 534 - 261: A Slight Move

Chapter 534: Chapter 261: A Slight Move

"Junior Brother Chen, are you hurt?" Shen Qingshuang asked, her beautiful eyes filled with concern.

"It’s nothing!" Chen Cheng said with a nonchalant smile, then gave a slight nod to the members of the Shen Family.

Brocade Guards had already carried Yang Poman and his three men back to examine their injuries.

"My Lady, Lord Yang and the others are not in mortal danger," a Brocade Guard reported to Xiao Nianci after examining their injuries. "However, they’ve all suffered several broken ribs, and the immense force of the blow has damaged their internal organs. It will likely take them a few months of rest to recover."

Xiao Nianci’s brow furrowed slightly. She glanced involuntarily at Chen Cheng before saying coolly,

"Fine. Take them back to Linji City to recuperate."

Her four top subordinates had been injured before they even entered Linji City. Xiao Nianci was clearly displeased.

But she also knew that Yang Poman and his men had only survived because Chen Cheng had shown mercy.

Otherwise, with that final move, Chen Cheng could have cut all four of them down right then and there.

"To Linji City!" Knowing she couldn’t blame Chen Cheng, Xiao Nianci snapped, her figure flashing into the carriage.

The maid driving the carriage, sensing her lady’s displeasure, flicked the whip over the backs of the Unicorn Dragon Horses.

The two Unicorn Dragon Horses whinnied, their hooves scrambling for purchase before they kicked off the hard, yellow-mud ground and shot forward.

The luxurious carriage sped along the main road toward Linji City.

...

Upon returning to Linji City, Xiao Nianci didn’t even stop to rest. She immediately convened a meeting at the Inspection Department’s Chief’s Office, summoning the principal officials from all of Linji City’s Government Offices.

As the Vice Director of the Demon Suppression Department, Chen Cheng had also gone to the Inspection Bureau Office, intending to participate in the meeting.

However, still fuming over her four injured subordinates, Xiao Nianci pointedly told Chen Cheng he was not needed at the meeting.

Chen Cheng was more than happy for the free time and decided to head home.

He had just returned to his True Disciple residence and was walking through the main garden when he saw Su Zhiqing already waiting for him.

"Master, the Second Madam has summoned you to the White Tiger Courtyard," Su Zhiqing said, bowing respectfully.

"Is Senior Sister Qingshuang back already?" Chen Cheng asked, slightly surprised.

"Yes." Su Zhiqing nodded, but a blush suddenly spread across her cheeks, and she seemed rather bashful.

"The Second Madam returned from the Ten-mile Pavilion north of the city, visited the Shen Family estate, and then came directly here."

"The Second Madam instructed Xiaoxing to wait here and to have you go see her as soon as you returned, Master."

"I see." Chen Cheng nodded and headed for the White Tiger Courtyard. Su Zhiqing, however, did not follow.

He didn’t pay it any mind. Just as he stepped into the White Tiger Courtyard, he heard Shen Qingshuang’s voice call out from the main building.

"Is that you, Junior Brother Chen? Come in."

...

The familiar, elegant fragrance... The long, firm legs... And those captivating, unforgettable peaks...

...

That day, Shen Qingshuang was more proactive than ever before.

Chen Cheng hadn’t used his full strength to defeat Yang Poman and the other three Xuanshuo Peak Border Guards; he had merely made a casual display of his power.

Naturally, he was as full of vigor as ever.

...

Well into the afternoon, Shen Qingshuang was nestled gently in Chen Cheng’s arms.

Her breath was sweet as she confessed her worries.

"Junior Brother Chen, I was worried sick today when you fought those Xuanshuo Peak Border Guards..."

"It’s fine. They’re just a few Border Guards from Xuanshuo Peak. Nothing I can’t handle."

"Junior Brother Chen, how much of your true strength are you still hiding?"

"They’re the Xuanshuo Peak Border Guards, renowned all along the frontiers. Even in the Great Dao Sect, no one dares to challenge them. Of course I used my full strength!"

"Hmph... I don’t believe you! Don’t even think about tricking me... Ah! Junior Brother Chen, you’re starting again..."

"Senior Sister Qingshuang can find out for herself whether I’m using my full strength or not..."

...

「Several days later.」

Chen Cheng’s new appointment finally came through.

It was precisely the position Xiao Nianci had promised: Chief of the Brocade Guard in the Linji City Inspection Department. The role even came with a private office at the Inspection Bureau Office.

He was also assigned more than a dozen Brocade Guards to command.

In terms of official rank, however, Chief of the Brocade Guard was still slightly lower than Vice Director of the Demon Suppression Department. For this reason, Chen Cheng continued to wear the black uniform of the Demon Suppression Department.

As for his specific duties, they were never clearly defined.

Xiao Nianci had only sent someone to confer the title and handle the paperwork; she never summoned Chen Cheng personally. For his part, Chen Cheng couldn’t be bothered to seek her out.

Most days, he would handle routine matters at the Demon Suppression Department, put in a brief appearance at the Inspection Department, and then return home to focus on cultivating the Martial Dao.

Life continued to be quite peaceful.

However, the Inspection Department was newly established, and as a newcomer, Xiao Nianci was clearly not done making her mark.

Known as the Poison Lady, her methods were indeed ruthless and decisive. If her first act of assertion was establishing her authority at the Ten-mile Pavilion...

...then her second was now sweeping through the various Government Offices of Linji City.

Over the past few days, Xiao Nianci’s four Chiefs of the Brocade Guard had been busy leading their men to thoroughly investigate the city’s Government Offices for any evidence of wrongdoing.

The Demon Suppression Department, the City Lord’s Mansion, and the Protectorate Army were no exception.

It was clear she intended to completely restructure the government of Linji City.

Of course, Xiao Nianci’s tactics were also remarkably shrewd.

The assignments for her four Chiefs of the Brocade Guard were also highly targeted.

The team led by Wang Xiaowu focused on investigating the Government Offices under the Shen Family’s control.

Jiang Xingcheng led a team to investigate the Government Offices controlled by the Wang Family.

Qin Zhenyue led a team to investigate the Government Offices controlled by the Jiang Family, including the City Lord’s Mansion.

Qi Jiancong investigated the Protectorate Army and the Government Offices controlled by the Qin Family.

Furthermore, each of the four Chiefs was assigned one of Xiao Nianci’s own trusted Golden Patterned Brocade Guards as a deputy, tasked with overseeing all team activities and reporting directly back to her.

This massive operation sent shockwaves through the entire Linji Prefecture, leaving everyone on edge.

The Four Great Clans of the Inner City were especially terrified, treading as if on thin ice. Rumor had it that the Patriarchs of all four clans had secretly met with Xiao Nianci.

No one knew what was discussed.

In short, any discerning observer could guess that the political landscape of Linji Prefecture was about to undergo a massive transformation under the hand of this acting Lord Chief Director.

But just how far Xiao Nianci planned to take this restructuring was anyone’s guess.

With the government in turmoil, the various Jianghu influences were also affected. Jianghu Gangs of all sizes became much more subdued.

This was, of course, a result of the Four Great Clans of the Inner City reining them in.

Conversely, other Sects like the Taiyi Sect, the Blood Moon Sect, and the Brahma Sound Sect remained completely unaffected.

The Inner Sect Disciples from these factions continued to do as they pleased, operating openly throughout Linji Prefecture, recruiting new members, managing their businesses, and expanding their influence.

Xiao Nianci, for her part, seemed to have no intention of interfering and took no action against them.

Chen Cheng found it rather puzzling that these Sects still hadn’t sent any True Disciples or Stewards to Linji City.

He later found an opportunity to ask Xia Lingfeng and finally learned the reason why.

The cavern in Sanmen Prefecture was protected by an Ancient Array. Not even an Innate Realm Expert could force their way in; they could only wait for the array to open on its own.

The array only activated once every few years, and rumor had it that the cavern in Sanmen Prefecture was due to open sometime this year.

But no one knew the exact date—not even the Taiyi Sect, which claimed mastery over Taiyi Numerology and excelled at divining fate.

Of course, it was also possible that the Taiyi Sect *had* figured it out and were simply keeping the information to themselves.

As a result, all the other Sects were watching the Taiyi Sect’s every move.

The Taiyi Sect’s True Disciples, Guardian Elders, and Sect Stewards had all gathered in Sanmen Prefecture.

Naturally, the experts from the other Sects had also rushed to Sanmen Prefecture.

A cavern had also appeared in the Great Wilderness Mountain Range near Linji City, but the absence of the Taiyi Sect’s True Disciples proved that the great fated opportunity did not lie in Linji.

The cavern in the Great Wilderness Mountain Range would not be opening anytime soon.

Therefore, the True Disciples from the other Sects couldn’t be bothered to come.

After all, there was no point in rushing to Linji Prefecture. All they had to do was watch the movements of the Taiyi Sect’s True Disciples and seize the fated opportunity to enter the cavern when the time was right.

The reason the True Disciples of every Sect were so eager to enter these caverns in search of opportunities was related to cultivation in the Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm.

The five realms of Body Refining—Skin Grinding, Muscle Strengthening, Bone Forging, Marrow Cleansing, and Organ Refining—were each incredibly difficult to cultivate.

The common saying, "Three years for Skin Grinding, five for Muscle Strengthening, and ten for Bone Forging," referred to the time required for a Martial Artist with above-average aptitude to cultivate.

The higher one’s aptitude, the shorter the time needed to cultivate these three realms to Perfection.

Anyone who reached Bone Forging Realm Perfection before the age of thirty was considered a Celestial Pride in a Prefecture City.

Reaching it before twenty-five made you a genius even in a State City.

And the True Disciples of the Major Sects could often cultivate even faster.