Chapter 180 Su Mu, Red-Light District

Chapter 180: Chapter 180: Su Mu, Red-Light District

The effects of using the Taiyang True Flame for Alchemy were excellent.

According to his future mother-in-law, Song Yumeng, the Alchemy speed had doubled, and the Pill’s quality had also significantly improved.

It wasn’t until evening that Lu Yuan used the Celestial Derivation Hammer to absorb Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, striking the Sweet Wood twice and causing its vitality to surge.

POP.

A tender sprout pushed through the layer of ash, vibrant and lush.

"How long will it take to grow and bear fruit?" Lu Yuan looked at Yaoyao expectantly.

"Mmm." Yaoyao pondered, calculating silently. "Thirty years, maybe. It should be able to blossom and bear fruit in thirty years."

WHOOSH.

The smile on Lu Yuan’s face vanished, and he turned to leave.

He figured he would be at least Second Grade in thirty years. How much use would the fruit have then? It could only serve as a family heirloom.

Yaoyao looked somewhat aggrieved at Lu Yuan’s departing back.

She hadn’t even mentioned that this timeline relied on the meticulous care of her Blue Demon Bloodline. If it were to grow naturally, it would likely take three hundred years or even longer. After all, this was the newly reborn Sweet Wood that had survived the Thunder Tribulation and had been stimulated by the Spiritual Power of the Celestial Derivation Hammer. The Sweet Fruit it would eventually produce could extend a person’s lifespan by up to a century. Was thirty years really that long?

Before curfew, Lu Yuan arrived at Zhen Fourth Ring District One.

Liu Zhi, Jiang Hongfei, Chen Qian, and Su Wan were already there. True to her word, Su Wan had brought along two maids, Tingzhu and Qingxiang, as well as a guard.

However, just looking at this guard made Lu Yuan’s eyelids twitch involuntarily; he gave off an incredibly dangerous vibe.

"Lu Yuan, this is my fifth brother, Su Mu," Su Wan introduced. "He said that since this is my first night shift, he absolutely had to come along and take a look."

"Young Master Su," Lu Yuan greeted.

He was the fifth young master of the Su Family, one of Daqian’s top aristocratic scions.

"Lu Yuan." Su Mu looked at him seriously. "I’ve heard of you. They say your talent is extraordinary, that you’ve elevated your Cultivation to the Seventh Grade in a very short time, and that you’ve even mastered the Thunder Blade Triple Annihilation..."

"You flatter me, Young Master Su. Such minor achievements are nothing in front of you," Lu Yuan replied modestly.

This Su Mu’s Cultivation was at least Sixth Grade—the second step of the Inquiry Dao, Qi Manipulation. He was only twenty-five or twenty-six years old. An absolute genius!

[Your relationship with Su Wan is not completely smooth sailing. Her eight older brothers frown upon you, especially the fifth brother, Su Mu, who is very displeased to see you interacting so frequently with Su Wan lately.]

[Issuing Quest: Win over Su Mu. Conquer Su Mu and turn him into a steadfast supporter of your relationship. Reward for completion: 3,000 EXP.]

Lu Yuan was elated.

A quest had finally appeared again. The eldest brother of the Su Family hadn’t triggered one, but surprisingly, the fifth brother did. However, the content of this quest was quite something.

"My fifth brother is participating in the martial exams next year, and he’s expected to make it into the top twenty!" Su Wan revealed proudly.

Among her eight older brothers, Su Mu’s talent ranked second. Within the family, she had the closest relationship with him.

"Hey, don’t say that!" Su Mu hastily waved his hands. "My talent and martial arts are inferior to our eldest brother’s. Just making the rankings would be good enough; the chances of me getting into the top twenty are very slim.

"Unless, of course, the people participating in next year’s martial exams happen to be relatively weak."

"I believe you can definitely do it, Fifth Brother!" Su Wan clenched her fists.

"I also believe Young Master Su can do it," Lu Yuan chimed in.

"Haha, you two..." Su Mu pointed at them and couldn’t help but laugh. These compliments were very pleasant to hear.

CLANG CLANG.

The curfew gongs sounded, echoing through the night alleys. It served as a reminder that their shift had begun.

"Let’s go to the watchtower first," Lu Yuan said.

"Mm," everyone nodded.

Lu Yuan led the way, and the rest followed. Su Mu trailed at the very back, disappearing into the darkness.

Daqian had built a nine-story, thirty-zhang-tall watchtower in the center of every district in the Jade Capital to facilitate surveillance in all directions. Aside from the Imperial Palace and the Eight Great Marquis’s Mansions, no other building was allowed to exceed one-fifth of this height. This was one of Daqian’s strictest regulations, and other cities had similar rules.

The watchtowers were usually manned by experts of the Sixth Grade or higher from the Imperial City Department, accompanied by four Seventh Grade observers. Below, a thirty-man squad of elite armored soldiers stood guard.

Lu Yuan brought his team to the tower, presented his token, and ascended the structure alone, quickly making his way to the eighth floor. A middle-aged man wearing Golden Armor sat cross-legged there, his eyes slightly closed.

"Ensign Lu Yuan of the Demon Suppression Bureau greets you, Sir," Lu Yuan saluted respectfully.

"So young, yet possessing such extraordinary vitality..." The middle-aged man opened his eyes. "A newly promoted Ensign?"

"Yes, Sir. I was promoted less than a month ago," Lu Yuan answered.

"A month..." The middle-aged man’s expression paused for a moment before he closed his eyes again. "The Demon-slaying Bureau will be conducting an operation in Fireworks Alley tonight. They have already notified us."

"The Demon-slaying Bureau..." Lu Yuan now understood the intentions behind certain people’s arrangements. They wanted him to clash with the personnel from the Demon-slaying Bureau. Those people probably didn’t know yet that his future father-in-law had already left the Jade Capital and headed southwest.

"Understood." Lu Yuan retreated.

Four Seventh Grade martial artists were stationed on the ninth floor. They served as observers and signalers. For instance, if an anomaly occurred in a certain direction, the observer facing that way would immediately use light signals to guide the imperial court’s various factions.

These individuals either possessed special bloodlines or practiced unique ocular techniques, having been trained since childhood. Each of their eyesight was no worse than Lu Yuan’s innate Eagle Eye talent—perhaps even stronger. The Sixth Grade expert’s role was not only to guard the tower and suppress the surrounding area but also to protect them.

"Let’s go to Fuliu Lane, right next to Fireworks Alley," Lu Yuan told the group.

"Fuliu Lane? Is something happening tonight?" Liu Zhi asked curiously.

"The Demon-slaying Bureau will be conducting an operation in Fireworks Alley tonight. We just need to stand guard next door," Lu Yuan explained.

"The Demon-slaying Bureau is making a move!" The expressions of Liu Zhi, Jiang Hongfei, and Chen Qian changed drastically.

The Demon-slaying Bureau and the Demon Suppression Bureau had been rivals for years. Although the Demon-slaying Bureau had far fewer members, they generally possessed better equipment and stronger combat power.

"In Fireworks Alley? Could a Transformed Great Demon have infiltrated a brothel?" Jiang Hongfei’s mouth fell wide open.

"Don’t spout nonsense. A Transformed Great Demon? How dare you even suggest that?" Lu Yuan turned his head and glared at Jiang Hongfei.

A Transformed Great Demon possessed strength at least equivalent to a Fourth Grade martial artist of the Human Race. Of course, there were some special Demon Races, such as monkeys and foxes, which had unique talents allowing them to achieve complete transformation while still relatively weak. The same could be achieved by consuming special Spirit Grass or Pills. However, they couldn’t perfectly conceal their Demon Qi, making it difficult for them to escape the detection of experts or Magical Artifacts.

The most common demons found within Human Race society were Half-Demons and some shapeshifting Demon Beasts. The Demon-slaying Bureau primarily targeted Half-Demons and demon syndicates.

"There are quite a few Half-Demon slaves in Fireworks Alley; perhaps one or two formidable ones are hiding among them," Lu Yuan continued.

"Since the Demon-slaying Bureau gave advance notice, is the target’s strength at the peak of the Seventh Grade, or at the Sixth Grade?" Su Wan wondered.

"Regardless of its Grade, the Demon-slaying Bureau must be fully prepared. They are the main force; we just need to provide assistance from the sidelines," Lu Yuan said, waving his hand. He didn’t mention that her fifth brother was trailing right behind them, nor that there was a Sixth Grade expert from the Imperial City Department up in the watchtower. "However, we can’t ignore other factors. This area is usually prone to incidents."

"Right!"

"Mm!"

The group nodded solemnly.

After all, what kind of people liked to stay overnight in the Red-Light District?