In the afternoon, as the sun dipped toward the west and the day's duties approached their close, a clerk left the Martial Restraint Guard government office and ran over to the Baoqing Ward Company Office to see Huang Tian.
"Company Commander Huang, Pacification Commissioner Bai requests your presence."
"Understood."
Guessing that the reward for capturing Zhang Yu was likely being distributed, Huang Tian walked over to the Martial Restraint Guard government office and entered Bai Yuanfu's office chambers.
Upon entering, he found that not only was Bai Yuanfu present, but there was also an elder in green robes whose aura was deep and condensed, clearly indicating no weakling.
"Huang Tian, this is our commandery's Martial Restraint Guard Grandmaster, Assistant Commissioner Yu!" Bai Yuanfu introduced promptly.
Huang Tian realized immediately: so this was the Grandmaster who had been in seclusion until now!
"Greetings, Assistant Commissioner!"
"No need for formalities."
Yu Jingcheng stroked his beard, his genial gaze looking Huang Tian up and down as he inwardly felt well pleased: *His aura is steady, condensed yet unreleased, his foundation profound, and he brims with heroic vigor. Meeting a Grandmaster like me, he remains calm and composed, showing both resolve and tranquility. Very good!*
Beside him, Bai Yuanfu said with a smile, "Huang Tian, summoning you today is not merely to hand out the bounty for capturing Zhang Yu. The Assistant Commissioner thinks highly of you, and thus has additional rewards for you—"
Yu Jingcheng stroked his beard with a smile. With a flip of his left hand, a golden medallion appeared in his palm. He tossed it, and Huang Tian caught it securely.
"This old man has already made arrangements with Six Doors, the Black Armor Army, and the Commandery Yamen. Bearing my medallion, you may enter their Book Pavilions to peruse all their records and texts. None shall dare bar your way."
Clutching the gleaming golden medallion, Huang Tian felt a surge of joy. "Thank you, Assistant Commissioner!"
"A minor matter," Yu Jingcheng said. "Apart from this medallion, there are two more things to bestow upon you."
Bai Yuanfu took an oblong jade box from a nearby sandalwood desk and handed it to Huang Tian, who received it.
Yu Jingcheng smiled and said, "Open it and have a look. This item is a Spirit Jade Ganoderma. It harbors abundant spiritual qi and is gentle by nature, making it ideal for martial artists of the middle three ranks to nourish their vital blood and accelerate the condensation of true qi."
Huang Tian opened the jade box to find a ganoderma lying inside, translucent as jade and emitting a faint, refreshing fragrance. With just one breath of the scent entering his nostrils, his spirits lifted, and his true qi circulated a fraction faster!
"Thank you, Assistant Commissioner!"
Closing the jade box, Huang Tian was overjoyed. With this Spirit Jade Ganoderma, the speed at which his vital blood and true qi reached completion could surely improve, no longer requiring a full month and a half.
"No rush to thank me; there is still one more item," Yu Jingcheng said. "When facing foes, a martial artist can never do without a handy weapon. This old man wishes to bestow a divine armament upon you. What kind of weapon do you desire—saber, spear, sword, halberd, bow, or staff?"
"A divine armament?"
Huang Tian paused. It seemed he truly lacked a handy weapon. Yet it was not that he had forgotten about it; rather, his strongest technique was his Sanshou, which generally had no need for weapons. Of course, wielding a spear or saber against enemies was not out of the question either—Sanshou was formless, and the use of weapons could also be integrated into it.
However, compared to sabers, spears, and the like, he felt a bow and arrows suited him better. He lacked no close-combat methods, but his means of ranged attack were still somewhat lacking.
Furthermore, he had read dozens of archery manuals, among which a technique called "Five Strings Orthophonic Archery" had left a deep impression on him.
The so-called five strings referred to Gong, Shang, Jue, Zhi, and Yu. The harmony of the five musical notes and the rotation of the Five Elements shared fundamental principles with his Five Elements Cloud Dragon Sanshou.
"A bow! I would like a bow," Huang Tian said.
Yu Jingcheng was slightly surprised. Though he had told Huang Tian he could choose freely, picking a bow still gave him a small shock. After all, few people could use a bow and arrow well, and divine archers were always scarce.
Yet on second thought, with Huang Tian's comprehension, learning archery techniques was hardly out of the question.
He gave a slight nod and looked toward Bai Yuanfu, who stepped outside, called over a clerk to give instructions, and promptly returned to the room.
Upon reentering, Bai Yuanfu smiled and said, "Aside from these rewards, your official post is also being elevated—from Probationary Company Commander to Full Battalion Commander. However, considering that once you receive the medallion you will likely be eager to visit the Book Pavilions of each yamen, we won't rush to assign you actual battalion duties. You will continue overseeing the Baoqing Ward Company Office for now. Furthermore, you are granted a half-month leave to act as you please."
This half-month of leave was naturally for Huang Tian's own use.
Huang Tian said with delight, "Thank you, Assistant Commissioner! Thank you, Pacification Commissioner!"
Today's harvest was immense!
Martial techniques, a spiritual treasure, a divine armament, and a promotion!
Sure enough, at many times one could not afford to be timid and hesitant; one had to dare to display one's strength. Otherwise, how could one reap so much all at once?
While they spoke, the clerk from earlier walked in carrying a long box. He placed the long case on the desk, and the three of them walked over to it.
Bai Yuanfu reached out and opened the long case, revealing a divine bow fiery red from end to end.
"This bow is named the Crimson Radiance Bow. Its stave was forged from blaze crystal and red iron ore, while this string was taken from the great sinew of a Grandmaster-grade exotic beast and tempered by weaponsmiths using secret methods..."
Blaze crystal and red iron ore were prime materials for forging divine armaments and were extraordinarily precious; the great sinew of a Grandmaster-grade exotic beast was likewise worth a fortune.
Bai Yuanfu said, "Take it in your hands and try it out."
Huang Tian reached out and gripped the Crimson Radiance Bow. The first thing he felt was its immense weight, followed by a wave of warmth radiating from the stave.
Gently plucking the bowstring, the cord buzzed and vibrated, letting out a clear, resonant sound like the cry of a phoenix. A scorching ripple rippled outward through the air, as if a blazing ball of fire had ignited and burst in midair!
"A fine bow!" Huang Tian's eyes lit up, reluctant to put it down.
Seeing his fondness for it, Yu Jingcheng smiled. "A Grandmaster-grade divine armament naturally will not disappoint."
Aside from Celestial Being divine armaments and the Void Realm divine armaments that had not been seen for ten thousand years, Grandmaster divine armaments were the finest weapons in the world. However, ordinary people would find it difficult to use a Grandmaster divine armament well. For instance, with this Crimson Radiance Bow, anyone below a fourth-rank martial artist would struggle even to draw the string!
"That is roughly all. Go to the Registration Chamber now to register your records, then head to the Storehouse Bureau to collect your official robes, waist token, and other items," Bai Yuanfu said.
Huang Tian thanked the two men once more. Carrying the heavy bow case on his back and holding the jade box containing the Spirit Jade Ganoderma in his left hand, he walked out of the room with brisk steps and headed toward the Registration Chamber.
Under the reverent gazes of the scribes in the Registration Chamber, he updated his records and immediately went to the Storehouse Bureau to collect the official uniform and waist token worn by a Battalion Commander. Taking the crimson qilin robe from the hands of the storehouse clerk, he put it on right then and there to test the fit.
"It fits quite well!"
Looking into the bronze mirror with satisfaction, he saw that the qilin robe was as vivid as fire. The shoulders, cuffs, and trims were embroidered with gold thread, while the chest bore a lifelike depiction of a qilin—with the head of a dragon, the antlers of a deer, and a body clad in scales, its four hooves poised mid-stride and a flame-like mane trailing along its spine.
It cast him in an air of imposing dignity!
"The Battalion Commander looks dashing and heroic, truly magnificent!"
The clerks showered him with praise upon seeing him, but Huang Tian merely smiled at their words.
Outward appearances were insignificant in the end; strength was the true foundation!
Chapter 92