The Many Arts

The turbulent night finally passed. The next morning, the radiant sun climbed in the east, shifting from crimson to orange-gold. Its golden rays pierced the thin morning mist, blanketing the rolling mountain ridges and the sprawling commandery seat. Dressed in his official uniform and with a saber at his waist, Huang Tian walked to the Company Office. By then, many of the office clerks had already arrived, heads bowed in their respective duties. The moment they caught sight of Huang Tian, they rose to their feet in excitement. "Greetings, Company Commander!" "All hail the Company Commander's mighty prowess!" "..." Faced with the heartfelt praise of his subordinates, Huang Tian smiled and waved a hand. "Focus on your duties and cultivate diligently." Only then did everyone return to their posts to resume their tasks, though their expressions remained flushed with excitement, sharing in the honor. Entering the main hall, Huang Tian had barely sat down when Qi Hong and Luo Chan stepped inside to report. Reverence was written across Qi Hong's face as she spoke in a crisp voice, "Company Commander, after you were ambushed last night, the constables, yamen runners, and guardsmen from every ward pursued the culprits for nearly four hours, finally capturing all the arsonists. There were three arsonists in total, but none of them knew the killers. They claimed someone gave them a large sum of money to set fires throughout the city, but their contractor was masked, so they have no idea who it was." Luo Chan added, "Meanwhile, over at the Guard prison, after a round of severe interrogation under torture, they finally extracted the name of Zhang Yu's accomplice. It turns out to be a Bronze-Badge Constable from Six Doors named Fang He. When we sent men to arrest him at his residence, he had already fled ahead of time. Wanted posters for him have now been put up all across the city." Huang Tian nodded slightly. In truth, he had known all along that neither the Martial Restraint Guard nor Six Doors would catch Fang He. The day before Zhang Yu and the others struck, Fang He had already found an excuse to leave the commandery city to await news outside the walls. Once he heard that the Feihong Sect members had failed their assassination and were captured alive, he promptly fled toward Feihong Sect territory. *He was certainly cautious.* Huang Tian paid little mind to Fang He's escape. The man was merely a minor pawn; if he got away, so be it. There would be a chance to settle all accounts later anyway. Huang Tian was hardly one to take blows lying down; before long, he would personally pay a visit to the Feihong Sect to slaughter them and wipe their sect out. What? There was no evidence proving Feihong Sect sent men to assassinate him, Zhang Yu was a cast-off disciple, and those two fifth-rank martial artists were not members of the Feihong Sect either? It did not matter. Only the Martial Restraint Guard needed concrete evidence to take action. He did not. He had not joined the Martial Restraint Guard just to let rules bind his hands and endure assassination attempts without striking back. That was not cultivation; that was cowering like a turtle in its shell. *Right now, I can only contend with a third-rank Grandmaster for a brief period. Defeating or killing one would be difficult. Once I break through to the fifth rank and possess the power to suppress third-rank Grandmasters, I can set out for the Feihong Sect.* Among Kunyun Commandery's five great sects, each possessed a Grandmaster-level Supreme Elder. That was the bedrock of their confidence in defying official authority. As long as he killed their Supreme Elder, several fourth-rank elders, and their sect leader, a sect of that size would crumble as easily as a sandcastle washed away by ocean waves. There was no rush—merely a month or so. He would let their heads stay perched on their necks for a little while longer. Down in the hall, Luo Chan seemed to remember something and chuckled merrily. "Company Commander, I heard that Huang Manor was far from peaceful last night. Shouting and bickering went on without end, and that so-called celebratory banquet fizzled out in utter shambles, ending in total disgrace and chaos." "Nothing more than a pack of clowns. No need to pay them any mind." Huang Tian waved his hand. "Do you have anything else to report? If not, you may take your leave." The two shook their heads and bowed respectfully before stepping outside. Huang Tian then began circulating his blood and qi, absorbing spiritual qi to cultivate with a calm mind. Meanwhile, Bai Yuanfu walked out of the Martial Restraint Guard government office and arrived at an elegant courtyard. Several guardsmen standing watch before the courtyard saluted respectfully. He waved them off, strode into the courtyard, and approached the door of a meditation chamber. After pacing and hesitating outside for a moment, he channeled his true qi, focusing his voice into a thin beam. "Pacification Commissioner Bai Yuanfu requests the Assistant Commissioner to end seclusion. I have urgent matters to report!" A few breaths later, the door of the meditation chamber rumbled open. An old man clad in a green robe emerged. His complexion was as ruddy as an infant's, his gaze warm and restrained. His full head of white hair was bound with a green jade crown, and his whole being radiated an aura as steadfast as a mountain. "Greetings, Assistant Commissioner!" "No need for formalities." Yu Jingcheng, Assistant Commissioner of the Commandery Martial Restraint Guard, smiled faintly. "How long has it been since I entered seclusion? What brings you here to report?" "You have been in seclusion for over three months," Bai Yuanfu answered. "I have requested you to emerge because of a newly joined genius in our Martial Restraint Guard—" "A newly joined genius?" Yu Jingcheng found it somewhat odd. What kind of major commotion could a newly joined genius have caused to make Bai Yuanfu ask him out of seclusion ahead of time? Clearing his throat, Bai Yuanfu recounted everything from the beginning, starting from Huang Tian's entrance into the Guard Academy. At first, Yu Jingcheng listened calmly while stroking his beard. But when he heard that Huang Tian could learn a martial technique with just a single glance and master it to perfection in an instant, the hand stroking his beard paused. When he heard about Huang Tian breaking through three ranks in a single month, his eyes could not help widening. And upon hearing that in another half a month he had already broken through to the sixth rank and possessed combat strength comparable to the fourth rank, he drew a soft breath. "Assistant Commissioner, that is the situation," Bai Yuanfu said. "I asked you out of seclusion hoping you would preside over the government office and look out for Huang Tian." "Wait, set looking out for him aside for a moment. Is what you said truly real? How could our Martial Restraint Guard produce such extraordinary talent?" Yu Jingcheng was filled with shock and doubt. He had only been in seclusion for three months! Not three years! Nor thirty years! How had such an astounding prodigy suddenly popped up under his command? He was caught completely unprepared, as though a gold ingot had dropped from the heavens and struck him square on the head, leaving him dizzy. Bai Yuanfu smiled helplessly. "How could I dare deceive you? Every word I spoke is the truth. If you do not believe me, you need only summon a few people and ask them. Right now, Huang Tian's fame is known to every soul throughout the commandery seat. Even the provincial city has likely caught wind of the news and is currently considering how to treat him." The earnestness in Bai Yuanfu's words convinced Yu Jingcheng for the most part. After pondering for a moment, he said, "Such fine talent indeed requires our protection. Moreover, he must not be left wanting in cultivation resources. If I recall correctly from what you said, he loves reading various martial techniques most of all?" Bai Yuanfu nodded. "From what I have observed, he seems intent on walking the path of integrating all techniques into one. That is why he takes a keen interest in any martial art he has never seen before." "Understandable. With his comprehension, drawing upon the strengths of diverse schools to create his own martial techniques is only natural." Yu Jingcheng smiled. "In that case, this old man shall make a trip to Six Doors, the Black Armor Army, and the Commandery Yamen to secure him access to their Book Pavilions. Consider it a greeting gift." Bai Yuanfu smiled. "Then he is sure to be overjoyed." Yu Jingcheng gave a hearty laugh. "A genius deserves nothing less!"