Cultivating in Different Professions

Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Choice

”I heard your courtyard was burned down by an arsonist, Constable Xiao Su?”

South City Sima Hu Yuxing said with a smile, ”One of our South City Bureau’s constables without even a place to live in South City? What would people think?”

He pondered for a moment before saying, ”How about this? I have a spare courtyard over in Pingkang Square. It’s not large, but it’s clean. I’ll give it to you, Constable Xiao Su.”

”Thank you, Sima.”

Su Mu hesitated slightly before speaking slowly, ”But that won’t be necessary. I have a friend who also lives in South City. I’ll just stay with him for a while.

As for a courtyard, it’s better to buy one’s own. It gives you more peace of mind, wouldn’t you agree, Sima?”

It wasn’t that Su Mu couldn’t play along with Hu Yuxing for a few days; he simply didn’t have the patience for it.

Besides, he was heading to the Inner City soon anyway, so he didn’t care if Hu Yuxing would hold a grudge for being rejected again.

Su Mu’s refusal made Hu Yuxing’s gaze darken. However, he was a man of some composure. After a pause, he said slowly, ”Since Constable Xiao Su is young and ambitious, I won’t say any more. As time goes on, you’ll come to understand, Constable Xiao Su. Working under me... I can’t promise much, but buying a courtyard in South City within a year is certainly not a problem.”

Hu Yuxing patted Su Mu’s shoulder meaningfully.

”Are today’s duties finished? Everyone, dismiss.”

Hu Yuxing waved his hand and turned to leave.

...

For the entire day, Su Mu was busy dealing with all sorts of visitors.

As for the many congratulatory gifts, Su Mu accepted them all without refusal.

Cultivating the Martial Dao is very expensive, and he currently had no other way of making money. When it came to silver, the more the better.

He wasn’t worried about any negative consequences from accepting the silver.

’I’ll be in the Inner City soon anyway. It’s not like these people can follow me there.’

After his shift ended at sunset, Su Mu went straight to a shabby alley and knocked on a dilapidated wooden door.

Yang Jin opened the door and pulled Su Mu into the courtyard.

”Your Golden Scale Skin Tempering Technique has reached Minor Achievement?”

Yang Jin asked, his face full of urgency.

Su Mu’s night raid on the Xu Mansion, killing a Nursing Home in front of Xu Mingchen and taking away the Xu Mansion’s steward, was the biggest news in South City today.

Anyone with even slightly good sources was discussing Su Mu’s affairs today.

Yang Jin had naturally heard about it too. When he first heard the news, he’d spilled wine all over himself.

Killing a Xu Mansion Nursing Home—one who had reached Minor Achievement of Body Tempering and was a master of martial arts—with a single strike was something even an ordinary First Stage of Body Tempering Martial Artist might not be able to do.

Regarding Su Mu’s strength, the various major powers in South City had all sorts of speculations.

Some guessed he had just begun Body Tempering, while others guessed he had already reached Minor Achievement of Skin Tempering.

But everyone had reached a consensus on one point.

Su Mu had mastered a saber momentum!

Su Mu nodded slightly. His Golden Scale Skin Tempering Technique had actually reached major achievement, but saying it was at minor achievement wasn’t a problem either.

”Whew!”

Yang Jin let out a long breath, a look of delighted surprise on his face.

Others might not know, but Yang Jin knew perfectly well that he was the one who had found the Golden Scale Skin Tempering Technique for Su Mu.

The thing was, he had given the Golden Scale Skin Tempering Technique to Su Mu a mere two months ago at most. Before that, he was certain Su Mu had never cultivated any Body Tempering Technique.

To reach minor achievement in the Golden Scale Skin Tempering Technique in just two short months... what kind of talent was this?

Yang Jin had originally sought out Su Mu because he’d noticed Su Mu’s aptitude for cultivating martial arts. He never imagined Su Mu’s cultivation talent would be so incredible!

This was truly a case of unintentionally planting a willow and watching it grow into a forest!

When he had made the deal with Su Mu, he was just taking a gamble and didn’t actually have high hopes.

He never thought Su Mu would give him such a huge, pleasant surprise.

”Sigh. It’s a pity your background is so poor. You weren’t able to come into contact with a Body Tempering Technique earlier. Otherwise, you’d probably be at the Third Stage of Body Tempering by now, at least.”

After the initial joy, Yang Jin couldn’t help but sigh. ”You’re past the best age for Body Tempering now. You might be able to reach the Third Stage of Body Tempering before you’re thirty, but your chances of reaching the Fourth Stage of Body Tempering are quite slim.”

Although Yang Jin felt it was a bit of a shame, as long as Su Mu could reach the Fourth Stage of Body Tempering, there was still hope he could help him kill that person!

”Old Yang, I need to crash at your place tonight. Is that a problem?”

Su Mu said, glancing toward the inside of the house.

’Yang Jin looks like a bachelor, so it probably won’t be an inconvenience.’

”You’re the hottest thing in South City right now, and you don’t even have a place to stay?”

Yang Jin said.

”Of course I do. Hu Yuxing even offered to give me a courtyard. But I don’t trust them. In South City, you’re the only one I trust.”

Su Mu said lightly.

For some reason, Yang Jin suddenly felt a warmth spread through his heart.

”If you don’t mind the crude accommodations, you can stay as long as you like.”

Yang Jin said.

”It won’t be for too long.”

Su Mu said.

He was going to the Inner City tomorrow to seek his fortune. He would definitely have to live in the Inner City then.

”By the way, Old Yang, where did we say the Taiping Government Office in Wuling City was located?”

Su Mu asked.

This was the real reason he had come to stay at Yang Jin’s place tonight; otherwise, he could have made do for a night anywhere.

Although he could probably find out by asking around the South City Bureau, it came back to the same thing: Su Mu didn’t trust the people of the South City Bureau.

Before the dust settled, he didn’t want anyone to know he was going to the Taiping Bureau.

After all, he wasn’t sure about the true identity of that ”Taiping” brother from before.

It was never wrong to be cautious.

”You still haven’t given up on the Taiping Bureau?”

Yang Jin frowned. ”Didn’t I tell you? The Taiping Bureau’s standards are too high. Although you have some talent, the one thing the Taiping Bureau doesn’t lack is geniuses. Plus, your background is too poor, and you started on a Body Tempering Technique too late.”

Before Su Mu could speak, he continued, ”If you’re truly unwilling to settle for mediocrity, then you can throw in your lot with any of the four great families of the Inner City. With your talent, I’m sure none of them would refuse you.

If you can connect with any of the four great families, your position as constable will be secure. It wouldn’t even be impossible to take another step and get a post in the Inner City.”

”Hasn’t South City Sima Hu Yuxing already shown you goodwill? Hu Yuxing comes from the Hu Family of the Inner City. If I’m not mistaken, once the Hu Family hears about you, they will definitely send someone to recruit you.”

Yang Jin continued, ”If you refuse, I’m afraid this constable position in the South City Bureau will no longer be yours. The Hu Family won’t allow an outsider to sit in this seat.

However, the other three families definitely want to place their own people in this position as well, so they are bound to extend an olive branch to you.

In your current situation, you can bide your time and sell to the highest bidder. Whoever makes the best offer, that’s who you should pledge your allegiance to.

Anyway, the four great families are evenly matched in power, so it doesn’t matter much which one you choose.”

Yang Jin analyzed the situation seriously, as if he were the one who had to make the choice.

From his words, Su Mu gained a better understanding of the situation in Wuling City.

The four great families of the Inner City—the Luo, the Xie, the Wang, and the Hu—each wielded immense power.

Behind Hu Yuxing was the Hu Family, and behind the Xu Family was the Wang Family of the Inner City.

Yang Jin analyzed the pros and cons of choosing each family, but what he didn’t know was that Su Mu didn’t need to make a choice at all.

His only choice was the Taiping Bureau—slayer of demons, exterminator of devils, and specially chartered by Imperial Authority!

”If you’re going to pledge allegiance to one of the four great families of the Inner City, you’d best make your choice immediately.”

Just as Yang Jin and Su Mu were talking, a voice suddenly came from the rooftop.

Before the voice had even faded, a burly figure leaped down, appearing before the two of them.