Chapter 18: Joining the Demon Suppression Bureau

Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Joining the Demon Suppression Bureau

The three-point Root Bone reward was a pleasant surprise.

So far, Lu Yuan had received a total of seven Root Bone points and could feel significant changes in his body. His bones seemed tougher and sturdier, his stance felt more stable, and his strength had increased. However, because his Cultivation had grown so quickly, these physical enhancements were not overly obvious.

Lu Yuan glanced at his status panel.

[Host: Lu Yuan]

[Age: 40]

[Cultivation: Ninth Grade]

[Martial Arts: Cyan Gang Fist (Perfection), Wind-Breaking Nine Slashes (Mastery 4834/10000)]

[Talent: Undying Martial Body, Unyielding Will]

[Experience Points: 159]

He thought, "It’s finally at Perfection! Excellent. Next up is breaking through to the Eighth Grade, and then bringing the Wind-Breaking Nine Slashes to Perfection. After that, I’ll learn another powerful martial art..."

WHOOSH.

Lu Yuan quickly returned home to practice his fist techniques. With his martial arts at Perfection and True Qi flowing freely at his command, he could refine his energy and forge Gang Qi! But transforming it into genuine Gang Qi was no easy feat; it required bitter, relentless training.

THUMP THUMP.

THUMP THUMP.

After reaching Perfection in the fist technique, the sound of his strikes had changed. It became muffled, growing even quieter the more he practiced. Yet, the power behind each punch continued to soar.

He trained for a full hour, exhausting more than two-thirds of his internal True Qi. Lu Yuan took out the second Qi Nourishing Pill he had bought yesterday and swallowed it down. His True Qi rapidly recovered, and he resumed his cultivation.

This repetitive cycle was absolutely necessary. He had to temper his physical body and refine his True Qi before he could ultimately condense it into Gang Qi. After all, Gang Qi was ten times purer than True Qi.

Another hour passed.

Lu Yuan collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air. He couldn’t move another muscle. Not only was his True Qi depleted, but his mental energy was also severely drained. He was utterly exhausted.

"Yuan..." Lin Siyao appeared, leaping down lightly from the wall.

"Finished your lessons?" Lu Yuan asked, slowly sitting up from the ground.

"Mhm," Lin Siyao nodded gently. "You must be tired from your practice just now. Let me give you a massage."

"Sure," Lu Yuan nodded. That sounded perfect. He didn’t need to stand on ceremony with Lin Siyao; they were already an engaged couple.

Her fingers landed softly on his shoulders and back, applying just the right amount of pressure. Her slender fingers seemed to possess a magical charm, allowing Lu Yuan to relax completely and feel thoroughly soothed. Gradually, he drifted off to sleep. He slept deeply.

By the time he woke up, dusk had already fallen.

"Mr. Lu Yuan, Mrs. Lu asked me to call you for dinner," Yaoyao spoke up from beside him.

"Is my father back?" Lu Yuan asked, turning his head to look around.

Lin Siyao had clearly gone back home a while ago. Normally, Old Lu would have woken him up upon returning.

"Mr. Lu sent someone with a message saying he’ll be back later," Yaoyao replied.

"Oh," Lu Yuan nodded. It was only normal for a Government Office Chief Constable to work overtime. Regular hours were a rare occurrence. "Come on, let’s go eat."

He took Yaoyao’s small hand and led her to the dining hall. Having eaten plenty of food over the past two short days, Yaoyao’s body had recovered significantly. She was no longer just skin and bones like when they first met. Of course, a full recovery would take at least another ten days, or perhaps even a month or two.

"Eat up. Don’t hold back," Lu Yuan said, placing food into her bowl.

"That man is working overtime again. It’s probably another major case," Wei Huiling grumbled at the dinner table, unable to hide a trace of worry.

The Jade Capital was teeming with hidden experts; there were simply too many powerful martial artists here. With Old Lu’s Seventh Grade strength, he truly wasn’t much to look at.

"He should be fine..." Lu Yuan paused with his chopsticks. According to the system’s introduction, Old Lu would remain perfectly safe and sound until he was forty years old. Still, he couldn’t rule out the butterfly effect.

"Mhm," Wei Huiling nodded. She could only hope so.

The Government Office was primarily responsible for investigating cases; if they actually encountered formidable experts, they would report it to the Demon Suppression Bureau. The Demon Suppression Bureau was full of experts.

Wei Huiling glanced at her son and felt a deeper sense of helplessness. This kid wanted to join the Demon Suppression Bureau! In the future, she would have to worry about the two of them all by herself. She sighed.

After dinner, Lu Yuan resumed his martial arts practice. He needed to strike while the iron was hot, striving to convert his True Qi into Gang Qi as soon as possible. He aimed to do it within seven days!

The next day, everything carried on as usual. However, Lin Siheng didn’t come looking for him today, and Lin Siyao was nowhere to be seen either. It seemed they weren’t home, though he had no idea where they had gone.

Approaching noon, Lu Yuan carried some wine and food to the east gate of the Demon Suppression Bureau. Just like yesterday, he set the items down and prepared to leave.

However...

"Wait a moment." Wu the Cripple’s voice suddenly rang out from behind the wall. The gate swung open, and the old man appeared in the doorway. "Come here."

WHOOSH.

Lu Yuan quickly jogged over to Wu the Cripple. "Mr. Wu."

"Has your fist technique reached Perfection?" Wu the Cripple asked.

Lu Yuan was astonished. To think he could detect that through a wall! This old man was truly an expert of at least the Sixth Grade. "Yes, you truly have a discerning eye, sir!"

SWISH.

Wu the Cripple reached out and quickly squeezed Lu Yuan’s body a few times. "Strange. To think you’ve changed so much in just two short days."

"I guess I have a bit of talent," Lu Yuan chuckled.

"Talent..." Wu the Cripple gave Lu Yuan a look. "Come inside with me."

"Sir, you mean..." Lu Yuan paused, then broke into a wide smile of elation. "Right away!"

He quickly followed the old man. They entered the courtyard, and the door was shut behind them.

"I am merely giving you an opportunity. Whether you can grasp it depends entirely on you," Wu the Cripple said.

"Yes, yes! I understand!" Lu Yuan nodded repeatedly. How could he not understand? If he was utterly useless, it wouldn’t matter even if he were handed an opportunity on a silver platter.

"This way!" Wu the Cripple prompted.

"Aren’t you going to eat and drink first, sir?" Lu Yuan asked in surprise.

"We’ll handle your business first," Wu the Cripple replied, walking with his hands clasped behind his back. Although he was missing half a leg, his walking speed wasn’t slow in the slightest. "Let me remind you of one thing: don’t mention your future father-in-law’s name while inside the Demon Suppression Bureau, otherwise it will be easy to attract trouble."

"Yes, I understand," Lu Yuan nodded.

He wasn’t the least bit surprised that Old Wu knew about his prospective father-in-law. He already suspected that there was a fair amount of friction and antagonism between his future father-in-law, Lin Qingfeng, and the Demon Suppression Bureau. The name might even be taboo.

It didn’t take long for them to arrive at an office. Sitting inside was a very lean middle-aged man sporting a thin mustache.

"Old Wu, what brings you here?" The middle-aged man couldn’t help but smile upon seeing Wu the Cripple.

"What, can’t I just come to see you?" Wu the Cripple raised an eyebrow.

"Of course you can!" The middle-aged man nodded continuously, then cast a glance at Lu Yuan trailing behind. "It’s just that you never visit without a reason."

"This kid is Lu Yuan, the son of Lu Ming, a Chief Constable from the Zhen District Government Office. I am recommending him to join the Demon Suppression Bureau," Wu the Cripple introduced.

"Old Wu, are you certain?" Fengg Ze asked in surprise.

One had to know that a recommendation was no simple matter; the recommender had to take responsibility. If something went wrong later, they would be implicated. Moreover, a Sixth Grade Commander only had three recommendation quotas in their entire lifetime—recommendations that exempted the candidate from the entrance exams.

"Nonsense, I’ve already brought the kid here," Wu the Cripple rolled his eyes. "This is Director Fengg. Greet him."

"Lu Yuan pays his respects to Director Fengg," Lu Yuan immediately bowed.

"Hmm, Lu Yuan..." Fengg Ze glanced at the boy and began the registration. "How old are you this year? What are your birth date and eight characters?"

"I’ll be sixteen in three months..." Lu Yuan recited his astrological birth details.

"Not even sixteen..." Fengg Ze looked at Lu Yuan once again. He thought, "He isn’t very old, but his Cultivation hasn’t reached the Eighth Grade. That’s not particularly outstanding. What did Old Wu see in him?"