Chapter 293 - 184: Rank 5

Chapter 293: Chapter 184: Rank 5

"I’m the Governor of the Wuling Taiping Bureau! My cultivation realm is the highest, and so is my rank!"

Zhao Poni, furious with embarrassment, shot back, "What I say goes! I will take charge of the mission to scout the route!"

"Boss, that’s just being a sore loser."

Xu Chongyuan pursed his lips. He’d known Zhao Poni for so many years that he could tell at a glance he was just throwing a fit out of embarrassment.

But he wasn’t the least bit afraid. "Here in the Wuling Taiping Bureau, we don’t go around pulling rank. I also agree that the strongest person should be in charge of scouting this path. Why don’t you and Junior Brother Su have a friendly match?

Whoever’s stronger can take the lead?"

"Xu Chongyuan, how about you and I have a match?"

Zhao Poni roared, "Do you have any idea what Su Mu means to the Wuling Taiping Bureau? You want him to risk his neck with you?

I can die, but he can’t."

"Boss, you’re wrong."

Xu Chongyuan shook his head. "It’s not Junior Brother Su going on a risky mission with me, it’s me going on a risky mission with Junior Brother Su.

You really need to get the hierarchy straight here.

The main thing is, I think Junior Brother Su is more reliable than you are."

The veins on Zhao Poni’s forehead pulsed. He felt like his own child had grown up and stopped listening, making him want to strangle the boy.

’Xu Chongyuan, you little bastard! Haven’t I been good enough to you?

Why are you trying to tear me down like this?’

"How am I unreliable? Have you forgotten how I used to have your back?"

Zhao Poni was so furious that his tone became belligerent.

But he had watched Xu Chongyuan and the other Taiping Captains grow up, so it wasn’t unusual for him to speak to them this way.

Zhao Poni had always been the patriarch of the Wuling Taiping Bureau.

"Boss, even if you put it like that, I have to be honest."

Xu Chongyuan said, "Didn’t you teach me? A man can’t speak against his conscience.

I honestly think your old bones aren’t suited for this mission.

Junior Brother Su is a great choice. I promise you, if we really run into any danger, I’ll make sure nothing happens to him before I die."

"Lord Zhao, I think what Senior Brother Xu says makes sense."

Su Mu interjected, "Isn’t the tradition of our Wuling Taiping Bureau that the capable rise and the incapable fall?

I’m not saying you can’t do it, my lord. I’m saying I’m better suited for this mission. Besides, I need the merits more. I really want to advance."

"You can stop thinking about it."

Zhao Poni said grumpily, "You’ve already advanced.

Congratulations, you’ve been promoted to Fifth-Grade.

The Official Uniform for a Fifth-Grade Captain is being made. It’ll be ready in a few days at most."

"Huh?"

Su Mu was pleasantly surprised.

’Finally, Fifth-Grade?’

"Then I have even more reason to go."

Su Mu said with stern conviction, "As a Fifth-Grade Taiping Captain, I must pull my weight and make a contribution. Otherwise, I’d be letting down the Taiping Bureau after all the kindness they’ve shown me.

Surely you don’t want me to be a heartless ingrate who disregards all the kindness shown to him, Lord Zhao?"

Zhao Poni: "..."

’Why are young people nowadays so hard to manage?

I told you about your promotion to get you to back down, not so you could use it to climb even higher!’

"The Taiping Bureau put me in the position of a Fifth-Grade Captain because they want me to take on more responsibility. I don’t want to shrink back from danger the moment I’ve settled into this role." ℯ

Su Mu said earnestly, "So, if you insist on not letting me go, Lord Zhao, then please forgive my impudence, but I will have to challenge you."

Zhao Poni looked at Su Mu, his face as black as the bottom of a pot.

"You really want to do this?"

Zhao Poni said fiercely. ’Does he really think I, the Governor, am just for show?

Back in the day, he, Zhao Poni, was a one-in-a-million talent! He’s survived countless battles to get this far!

Does he really think I’d be scared?’

"Lord Zhao, I know what you’re worried about."

Su Mu said with a smile, "You’re worried we’ll encounter danger on this trip.

But think about it, we’re just scouting, not fighting to the death. If we really run into danger we can’t handle, can’t we just run away?

I’m not an idiot. If there’s real danger, I’ll definitely run faster than anyone."

"Boss, do you want Junior Brother Su to be able to stand on his own in the future, or do you want to raise him in a greenhouse and turn him into an empty showpiece like Wenren Jiangbo?"

Xu Chongyuan said.

Zhao Poni fell silent. He could see that Su Mu was serious. It was clear he wouldn’t be able to refuse even if he wanted to.

"Wenren Jiangbo is no empty showpiece. He could take on ten of you with one hand."

Zhao Poni snorted coldly. "It’s not that he’s too weak, it’s that Su Mu and Jing Ke are too strong."

"Well, there you have it. If Junior Brother Su is that strong, what do you have to worry about?"

Xu Chongyuan said cheekily.

"You’ve convinced me."

Zhao Poni glared at him and said grumpily, "Su Mu, you will lead the team. Take Xu Chongyuan, and I’ll assign you five more Taiping Captains. Go and find out if this path can truly cross Daxing Mountain!"

"Fifth-Grade Taiping Captain Su Mu accepts this command,"

Su Mu said loudly.

Xu Chongyuan couldn’t help but roll his eyes. ’Fifth-Grade, is that such a big deal? Did he have to shout it?’

’Alright, Fifth-Grade actually is a pretty big deal.’

He had been a Sixth-Grade Captain for several years already, and his promotion to Fifth-Grade Captain was still nowhere in sight.

’I wonder when I, Xu Chongyuan, will get to shout something like that.’

"There’s no time to waste. Rest for one night and set out tomorrow morning!"

Zhao Poni said in a deep voice.

...

「In the middle of the night.」

Su Mu sat in his small courtyard, feeling the exceptionally refreshing air.

Ever since he hid the Gathering Spirit Stone in the courtyard, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi had continuously gathered there. Even the flowers and plants in the yard grew better than elsewhere.

Every time he returned to his courtyard, just breathing the air made his body feel much lighter.

It was only because he hadn’t broken through to the True Essence Realm yet; otherwise, cultivating in the courtyard would surely be twice as effective with half the effort.

Even now, living in this environment for a long time nourished his body.

Unfortunately, as a Taiping Captain, he had to go out often. The Gathering Spirit Stone was too big and inconvenient to carry, which was a bit of a waste of its effects.

’Maybe I should find someone to carve that Gathering Spirit Stone into an accessory that’s easy to wear?’

Su Mu thought to himself. But even though it would be more convenient, it would mean destroying such a large Gathering Spirit Stone. The Gathering Spirit effect would be drastically reduced.

’The most valuable thing about this Gathering Spirit Stone is its size. Carving it into an accessory would be a real waste.’

’It’s a shame,’ Su Mu thought, ’that things like Storage Rings don’t exist in this world. Then I could carry this Gathering Spirit Stone with me.’

After thinking for a while, Su Mu ultimately couldn’t bring himself to destroy such a large Gathering Spirit Stone.

He suppressed his thoughts about the Gathering Spirit Stone and called up his system panel.

[Name: Su Mu]

[Identity: Silver-faced Killer (Part-time), Taiping Captain (Fifth-Grade)]

[Points: 2500]

[Realm: Rebirth Realm (11x Blood Exchange, Body Tempering Extreme Realm)]

[Divine Techniques: Indestructible Golden Body, Blood Body]

[Cultivation Technique: Four Symbols Rebirth Technique (White Tiger Body (Greater Accomplishment), Black Tortoise Body (Perfection), Vermilion Bird Body (Perfection))...]

[Martial Arts: Li Fire Realm (Greater Accomplishment), Kan Water Realm (Greater Accomplishment), Xun Wind Realm (Greater Accomplishment), Gen Mountain Realm (Greater Accomplishment), Archery (Perfection)]

A few days had passed since his last upgrade, and he had saved up 2,500 Points. It wasn’t a small amount.

But now, both the Four Symbols Rebirth Technique and his various Realms were huge consumers of Points.

They easily cost tens of thousands, even thirty thousand Points. The rate at which he was earning Points was still not fast enough.

But now that he was promoted to Fifth-Grade, the number of Points he could get each day should increase.

’After I get back from this mission, I should be able to cultivate the Four Symbols Rebirth Technique to the Perfection Realm.’

He had been stuck in the Rebirth Realm for far too long.

Just as Su Mu was lost in thought, he suddenly heard a few knocks on the door.

Immediately after, Luo Anning’s voice came from outside the door.

"Senior Brother Su, please open the door. It’s me. I have something I want to give you."