Chapter 9: The Ominous Man of Hostile Darkness

After Lin Yan followed the young man out.

The middle-aged man, who had accompanied Mr. Lu and remained silent, quietly walked out and closed the door.

Mr. Lu gently stroked his beard and suddenly asked a question.

"Why did he leave the city last night?"

"His brother left the city and did not return by night, so he risked his life to go and save him."

"Indeed, he is both loyal and righteous."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Lu's expression grew more approving, and he lightly said, "But last night, outside High Willow City, the situation was dire, and the Evil Spirit was fierce, a sight unseen in a decade. That he could still return alive, he must possess a great secret."

Han Commander said in an unchanged tone, "In this world, people without secrets are usually dead."

Mr. Lu nodded slightly, responding, "That is indeed the case, and you and I, we also have our own secrets."

Han Commander, speaking earnestly, said, "Therefore, as long as he remains just at heart and retains this fervor, whatever great secret he may be hiding, it will not matter."

"Han, in my youth, had more secrets hidden within than him!"

"It's just a pity that back then, without a patron behind me, I fell to this state."

Han Commander said this somewhat self-mockingly.

Mr. Lu, pondering, asked, "So, you want to become the man behind him?"

Han Commander laughed softly and did not deny it.

"This boy's temperament is very much like mine when I was young, but he is more unruly, with a deadlier nature than I had!"

Han Commander sighed, "I fear that it won't be long before even I can no longer protect him."

"A year ago, he just fully developed his muscle and bones, reaching the peak of the first barrier of martial arts," Mr. Lu solemnly said. "Normally speaking, his path of growth is still long. With your capabilities, you could protect him for a long time."

"Not for too long, his talent is too high, his skills too strong."

Han Commander lamented, "The Concealing Breath Technique he uses is one I taught him... He thinks he has hidden it well, but I saw through it at a glance, he is stronger than he appears."

"Could it be... he is not limited to just this?" Mr. Lu paused, slightly surprised.

"In just one year, he has not only completed refining his blood but has also achieved the realm of marrow cleansing, having entered into robust internal strength!" Han Commander mourned.

"To break through the second barrier of martial arts within a year and advance to the third, forging his five viscera and six organs?" Mr. Lu's eyes were filled with astonishment.

"Correct! With how his true cultivation appeared before my eyes, how could it be concealed?"

Han Commander, with hands behind his back and showing a bit of admiration, said, "With his qualifications, in at most another five years, he'll reach the peak of robust internal strength!"

"Based on my calculations, within ten years, a mighty practitioner of the Refining Essence Realm will emerge in High Willow City!"

"Ten years from then, there will definitely be a place for him within the inner city!"

"Twenty years later, it is likely that the six major families of the inner city will have to add another!"

"In the future, his fame will not stop at High Willow City; even within Qifeng Prefecture, he will be a shining new star!"

Han Commander turned his head, saying earnestly, "He is even more remarkable than Li Shen Sect was back in the day!"

"The prerequisite being, he lives that long," Mr. Lu suddenly spoke up, softly saying, "Looking at his current situation, he is bound to die young within half a year."

Han Commander's expression changed dramatically.

"Mr. Lu, what do you mean by that?"

"His actions last night broke the rules; he has already caused great trouble."

"Was it the Isolated Boat in the Mysterious Fog?"

"Not only that!"

"…" Han Commander's expression grew stern. Although Mr. Lu was not a martial artist, having served the Wutong Divine Mother for many years, his perception of the world's unusual Qi Mechanisms was exceedingly keen.

"He carries at least six kinds of residual strange Qi," Mr. Lu said with complex emotions. "He must have encountered the Isolated Boat in the Mysterious Fog, but somehow, he survived! But besides that, there are even more terrifying things..."

"Mr. Lu, what have you detected?"

"I vaguely saw a phantom in a red robe."

"More fierce than the Isolated Boat in the Mysterious Fog?"

"Much more fierce!"

Mr. Lu paused, then added, "Furthermore, early this morning, a sparrow landed in my courtyard, bringing news from the Liu Venerate."

The Liu Venerate is an ancient locust tree outside High Willow City that, having aged into a spirit, gained intelligence, and occasionally shelters lost woodcutters.

Receiving the incense offerings from woodcutters, hunters, and other common people, it is revered as a Guardian God of the mountains.

It is one of the very few spirits willing to interact with the Human Clan,

"It said that the people of High Willow City do not follow the rules."

"People walking the nighttime roads not only show disrespect but also draw their swords against each other, their Evil Qi fierce and detrimental to their spiritual paths."

"Moreover, they force it to accept the incense, and what's more important... those three sticks of incense were leftovers eaten by other Evil Spirits."

Mr. Lu spoke calmly, "Do you know how big of an insult this is for the Venerate?"

"..."

Han Commander thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "It's like when I go to see you, sir, to ask you to handle a matter, to invite you to a meal, but then I pull out from my bosom the leftovers from someone else's meal the night before."

He thought again, then continued, "But you, sir, refuse to eat, and I instead press down on your head and force it directly into the bowl, making you swallow the leftovers that not even a dog would touch, and then still you must agree to handle the matter."

Afterwards, he pondered and nodded thoughtfully, "This act indeed seems somewhat unscrupulous... Hm? Mr. Lu, why has your complexion suddenly turned so poor? Have you not been acclimating well since moving to the outer city?"

"Why didn't Li Shen Sect kill you back then?"

Mr. Lu, expressionless, said, "You're all right in every way, it's just that you've got a mouth."

He snorted, slightly flicked his sleeve, and still returned to the matter at hand.

"The Venerate is very angry, and unless High Willow City offers it two sacrifices, it will not relent."

"However, the Venerate's envoy also said, if that person is angered again last night, then one sacrifice would also suffice... if not possible, then they could make a note of it."

"The Venerate's temperament is relatively mild; a little appeasement will do."

Mr. Lu's tone was grave as he said, "But last night, this man provoked too many evil beings, and also broke the rules, I fear he might no longer be tolerated in the darkness!"

The day belongs to the mortal realm, the night to the netherworld.

Even the Supreme Commander of the Observatory of Qifeng Prefecture City, when walking the night roads, must follow the rules.

This is a rule carved out by generations of the Human Clan struggling to survive in the darkness!

Once the rules are broken, it often brings ominous omens.

"A person despised by the darkness, hostile and inauspicious, cannot become the guardian you envision."

Mr. Lu spoke solemnly, "Moreover, his fame has been growing recently, attracting much attention, which is also unbecoming for a Zhao Ye person."

—

"The Observatory is not under the jurisdiction of High Willow City."

"We obey the orders of Qifeng Prefecture City and have the duty to oversee all departments of High Willow City."

"But we also assist the City Guard Mansion with cases."

"In the past year, you have been assisting the night patrol officers as an officer of the Observatory."

"And Linjiang Square has an even greater responsibility, as it's the outermost division of the twelve divisions of the outer southern district, adjacent to the city wall."

"Even though Liu Venerate has a renowned reputation and evil forces dare not invade, accidents can still happen, with city guards frequently going missing, harmed by Evil Spirits."

"Sometimes when circumstances change, we need the Observatory to help defend the city."

Xu Qing said this, and then passed along the flag in his hand.

It was a small flag, black with a silver border, embroidered with willow branches on the back, and bearing the characters for Linjiang on the front.

Lin Yan took the flag and suddenly asked, "Since Linjiang Square holds more responsibility, why does Zhou Kui insist on securing this position for his adopted son?"

"Decisions related to the inner city are beyond my knowledge."

Xu Qing spoke calmly, "But based on the messages I've handled in the past three months, every outermost division of the eight major areas of High Willow City has been of great importance."

He glanced at Lin Yan, then added, "Zhou Kui is the General Flag Envoy of the Outer Southwest Bureau. Two months ago, he reassigned the flag officer of the outermost division... and now his own son has taken over."

"Today we've come to the Outer South Bureau, specifically for his adopted son to seize the outermost layer of the southern district... Linjiang Square!"

Although Xu Qing did not specify, the implication was clear.

The outermost division near the city wall must have recently been involved in significant interests.

And Han Commander had handed this position over to him.

This was a great display of trust and esteem.

"I understand."

Lin Yan nodded slightly and looked at the set of clothes laid out on the table.

The uniform of the Flag Commander of the Observatory.

Black robe, gold threads, like the dawn's reflection.

"This is sent from Qifeng Prefecture, made of Three-Pattern Golden Silk, supple and tough, warm in winter and cool in summer, once consecrated for a month at Wutong Temple, and blessed."

"This heart-guarding mirror, made from hundred-refined steel, bears Evil-expelling Runes."

"This small crossbow, a gift from Han Commander to you, comes with twelve arrows, powerful and easy to carry."

"As for the sword..."

Xu Qing spoke somberly, "On the first day you became a member of the Outer South Bureau, what you received... was the Flag Commander's sword!"