Chapter 21: The Official

The great vermilion gate of the Liu Shen Yu residence creaked open from within.

Stepping out first, Yun Yang exuded an air of newfound arrogance. "The evidence is here! I shall dispatch these proofs eight hundred *li* to the capital, for the Emperor himself to decide!"

Liu Ming Xian sat astride his warhorse, his expression beneath the filial cap flickering between light and shadow in the firelight. His gaze fell upon the stack of evidence in Yun Yang's hand, a blue vein throbbing on his forehead. He hadn't anticipated Yun Yang and Jiao Tu would truly uncover such damning evidence. Now, to seek vengeance for the old master would be an act devoid of righteous cause.

Yet, a sudden unease settled within him. He raised his gaze to the figure standing behind Yun Yang—a masked individual with lowered head.

Who could this be? Why the mask?

Just as Liu Ming Xian attempted a closer look, Yun Yang took a small step, completely obscuring the masked figure. A smile, not quite a smile, played on Yun Yang's lips as he regarded Liu Ming Xian. "Lord Liu, do you still not withdraw?"

Liu Ming Xian remained silent, a hint of stubbornness lingering in his posture. Swords were drawn, bows strung taut on both sides, awaiting his command. Advance or retreat, the fate of the moment rested on his single thought.

Liu Ming Xian calmly inquired, "Where is Liang Gou Er?"

The young groom holding his horse's reins panicked. "Second Uncle, Liang Mao Er just delivered a message. He said Liang Gou Er has already turned his blade against the eunuch party. He's currently... asleep in Red Clothes Alley."

Liu Ming Xian's face darkened. He surveyed the Fish Dragon Guards of the Principal Criminal Office, their knives already drawn. Gritting his teeth, he declared, "Have Liang Gou Er bring that broken knife of his and roll out of the Liu family! There is no longer a place for him here!"

However, he showed no intention of stopping. Instead, he spurred his horse forward, leading several hundred Liu family retainers to press the advantage.

At this moment, Lin Chao Qing spoke. "Lord Liu, do not jeopardize the entire Liu family. It would be best to await Elder Cabinet Liu's return to Luo City and seek his counsel before deciding your next course of action."

Liu Ming Xian stared intently at Lin Chao Qing. Finally, he cupped a hand in the air in a gesture of respect. "This Liu shall await judgment at home. Return to the residence! Let us attend to the old master's funeral arrangements!"

As he turned to leave, he couldn't resist one last glance, observing Lin Chao Qing in hushed conversation with the masked individual.

"Investigate that masked person!" Liu Ming Xian's voice was laced with ferocity. "Yun Yang and Jiao Tu, those two Living Kings of Hell, are skilled in slaughter, yet I have never heard of them possessing the ability to search for evidence. That masked person must have played a crucial role! He must be uncovered!"

"Understood, Second Uncle."

In that moment, Liu Ming Xian harbored a strange intuition: had it not been for this masked figure tonight, perhaps everything would have unfolded differently.

Once the Liu family retainers had departed, Lin Chao Qing also mounted his horse. He adjusted his rain cape and looked down at Chen Ji. "Young man, my promise holds true for two months. Perhaps even sooner, you will understand who truly resides within the Secret Spy Office."

Yun Yang's face darkened. "Who is speaking in such cryptic tones? What else can your Principal Criminal Office do besides attack and criticize colleagues?"

Lin Chao Qing remained silent, leading the Principal Criminal Office contingent eastward. His dark rain cape, like folded black wings against his back, marked his weary arrival and his weary departure.

As he urged his horse away, a Fish Dragon Guard beneath a bamboo hat offered Chen Ji a smile. They respected those with true ability.

But Chen Ji was not destined to serve the Principal Criminal Office. He sought no official position, nor did he ever intend to serve imperial power.

His current desire was to cultivate, and cultivation demanded wealth—something the Principal Criminal Office could not provide.

The sound of hooves faded into the distance. Yun Yang cast a glance at Chen Ji. "Once you join the Secret Spy Office, you become an enemy of all court officials. You can only be a lone minister your entire life. Since ancient times, how many lone ministers have met a good end?"

Chen Ji responded calmly, "Thank you, Lord Yun Yang, for the reminder."

Yun Yang then asked, "Do you believe other Liu family members might be involved?"

Chen Ji shook his head. "I do not know."

Yun Yang pressed on, "Does the Jing Dynasty possess other means of transmitting intelligence?"

Again, Chen Ji shook his head. "I do not know."

"Will you, like last time at the Zhou residence, withhold information?"

Chen Ji stated with certainty, "No."

Yun Yang laughed in exasperation. This young man in front of him was far from as honest as he appeared, yet Yun Yang was left with no recourse.

His eyes narrowed in a smile as he looked at Chen Ji. "Tomorrow night, someone will deliver fifty taels of silver to the Peace Medical Hall. You may go now."

"Wait a moment! May I receive an advance of eight *wen*?" Chen Ji inquired.

Yun Yang's face registered surprise. He counted out eight coins from his sleeve. "Are you truly so poor that you'd ask for eight *wen*? Consider this given."

Chen Ji smiled sincerely. "Thank you, then I shall take my leave."

Jiao Tu suddenly felt that only at this moment did Chen Ji's smile appear truly genuine.

Yun Yang said, "Wait, don't go just yet."

Before Chen Ji could react, a dagger fell from Yun Yang's sleeve, slicing past Chen Ji's ear. A lock of hair drifted into Yun Yang's hand. "Now you may go."

Chen Ji was silent for a moment, then finally departed without a word.

After Chen Ji had walked a considerable distance, Jiao Tu couldn't help but ask, "Why not bring him into the Secret Spy Office? Transfer him under our command, and we can simply order him about. Why give him fifty taels of silver as a reward? Fifty taels of silver can buy so many beautiful clothes! I couldn't wear them all in several years!"

"No," Yun Yang denied. "This boy's abilities... he is ruthless to others, and even more so to himself. He is also cunning. This is precisely what the Inner Minister favors most. If he were to truly join the Secret Spy Office, there's no telling when he might surpass us."

"But there's no vacant position among the Twelve Zodiacs," Jiao Tu countered.

Yun Yang lowered his voice. "I've heard the Sick Tiger will retire soon... I must have lost my senses. How could I possibly feel he might replace the Sick Tiger's position?"

Jiao Tu suddenly suggested, "We must confirm whether he is a spy for the Jing Dynasty. Only then can we use him with peace of mind."

Yun Yang calmly replied, "I have already considered this step. Last night, I dispatched a flying pigeon letter to Meng Ji at the Kaifeng Office. He will arrive in Luo City shortly. His interrogation can ensure absolute safety."

"What price did you pay to invite Meng Ji?"

"A significant price... Let us go, it is late."

In an instant, the once bustling gatefront was left with only leaves fluttering in the autumn wind.

It was as if the destinies of all present were mirrored in this scene: after the clamor and the feast, only desolation and emptiness remained.

……

……

Chen Ji walked down a dark, narrow alleyway. As he walked, a black, furry cat appeared on the wall beside him, a book and a ginseng clutched in its mouth.

The young man walked below, the cat followed slowly on the wall. In the moonlight, the shadows of one person and one cat followed each other, as if in unspoken understanding, a certain rhythm.

Dark Clouds loosened his grip, and the book and ginseng fell from the air.

Chen Ji silently raised his hand, catching the book and ginseng in mid-air. The ice flow he conjured instantly transformed a small portion of the ginseng into four transparent beads.

He tucked the book and the remaining ginseng into his embrace, then tossed the beads one by one onto the wall eaves. Dark Clouds, walking alongside him, precisely caught each bead in his mouth.

Person and cat, as if perfectly rehearsed, executed a seamless set of actions. The warm flow transmitted by Dark Clouds entered Chen Ji's body, instantly igniting the fire of the fourth lamp furnace beside his dantian!

In that moment, the fires of the four lamp furnaces released flames that were both present and hidden, like chains linking the four furnaces together, forming a complete cage that thoroughly sealed his entire dantian.

These four lamp furnaces, as if bound by a natural connection, produced a massive surge of warm energy the instant they linked, rushing through Chen Ji's flesh, blood, and bones, sweeping away the fatigue of the entire night.

Chen Ji raised his head, silently pointing a direction to Dark Clouds.

Person and cat suddenly separated at a T-junction, one moving forward, the other turning left.

The next moment, Chen Ji began to run with all his might!

Immediately after, the sound of urgent footsteps echoed from the thin fog several dozen paces behind him. A blurry figure was rapidly closing in.

Chen Ji wound through the dark, labyrinthine alleys, attempting to lose his pursuer in the complex streets.

But the tracker always managed to find the correct path at every fork. Chen Ji could almost hear the sound of his pursuer's panting breath.

No, he wouldn't be able to shake him off.

The footsteps were growing closer. Chen Ji judged that his pursuer's speed surpassed his own; he was at least at the level of a Secret Spy.

He knew someone would track him, perhaps even attempt to kill him. Thus, the ginseng he had originally planned to use to cover the medical hall's losses was used without hesitation to transform into ice flow.

One must first survive; only then does anything have meaning.

Since arriving in this world, Chen Ji felt as though he had encountered a hell mode beginning. Even if he remained hidden within the medical hall, danger would still find him.

But if life was destined to be this way, then he would choose not to evade it.

The footsteps behind him were now very close. Chen Ji's eyes held only calm.

When the footsteps grew ever nearer, when only three body lengths separated them, he suddenly turned, facing the newcomer head-on.

The narrow alley could normally only accommodate two people walking side-by-side. Tall residential walls lined both sides, and the ground was an uneven, stone-paved path.

The pursuer hadn't expected his prey to dare turn and fight. He instinctively reached for the sword at his waist, but before he could draw it, his wrist was seized by Chen Ji.

The killer's strength was initially far greater than Chen Ji's, but the inertia of their collision allowed Chen Ji to apply even greater force to his hand.

With a clang, the sword, half-drawn, was forcefully pressed back into its sheath!

In the dim moonlight, the middle-aged killer's pupils suddenly constricted. He couldn't help but look at Chen Ji, only to discover that Chen Ji was staring back with equal intensity.

These were not the eyes a prey should possess.

The middle-aged killer retreated, simultaneously raising a leg and kicking Chen Ji in the chest, sending the young man tumbling backward.

He drew his sword again, but this time, the sword was only halfway drawn when Chen Ji, having rolled over, crouched without the slightest pause and lunged forward.

With a clang, the sword was once again pressed back.

Twice in a row, the killer hadn't even managed to draw his weapon!

The killer sneered inwardly. He simply abandoned his sword and delivered a series of punches to Chen Ji's chest.

In his eyes, the young man before him had left his defense wide open, was riddled with flaws, and possessed no experience in killing whatsoever.

The killer looked at Chen Ji again, only to discover that the young man's eyes held no fear or pain. Instead, they held excitement, a fire burning in their depths.

Chen Ji was now certain: cultivators in this world were few. They were hidden behind the scenes of this realm, rarely appearing.

Otherwise, no matter who wanted him dead tonight, they shouldn't have sent an "ordinary person" like this.

Compared to Lin Chao Qing and Yun Yang, this middle-aged killer was indeed just an ordinary person!

In an instant, Chen Ji endured the rain of punches, countering by lunging forward and crashing into the killer's embrace, his arms tightly clamping the killer's in his armpits.

Now!

A black shadow lunged from the wall. The killer turned back in shock, believing someone lay in ambush behind him, only to see a small black cat.

Before he could relax, the black cat's figure had already brushed past him.

As they intersected, Dark Clouds' sharp claws slashed across the killer's neck.

*Sss.*

A spray of fresh blood splattered against the wall.

Chen Ji released the killer, panting as he sat on the ground. He watched coldly as the killer, in disbelief, clutched his neck and stumbled backward, slowly leaning against the wall and collapsing.

The middle-aged killer saw the black cat leap lightly into the young man's embrace. Unwillingly, he asked, "Xing Guan?"

Chen Ji frowned. Xing Guan? Was this a general term for cultivators in this world?