Scripture of Days Past

Chapter 300: He Hasn’t Even Learned the Vajra Laws

Of the four young men in the room, three had normal shadows, indicating that they hadn’t even reached the fifth state.

However, the fourth young man, who was seated and sipping tea, had six tentacles extending from his shadow.

Judging from their official uniforms, Chu Qiguang could tell that the seated young man was a hundred-man commander, while his three companions were his deputy and two platoon commanders.

There were only fifteen provincial thousand-man commanders throughout the entire empire. As a result, there were some very powerful hundred-man commanders who were unable to earn promotions.

”Did you hear me?” the deputy hundred-man commander snapped.

Chu Qiguang didn’t bother to answer. The deputy hundred-man commander was clearly just an underling, and Chu Qiguang had his own underling to speak for him.

”I suggest you pipe down and show some respect!” Zhang Jitian harrumphed coldly before turning his gaze to the seated young man. ”I believe you’re one who’s actually in charge, right?”

”This here is Hundred-Man Commander Jiang Xusheng of Hibiscus Brocade City,” the underling declared. ”He was sent here by Thousand-Man Commander Song to take over your Hundred-Man Commander office.”

The Hibiscus Brocade Manor was the most prosperous manor in the entire Shu Province, as well as the one in which the imperial court held the most power.

The Hibiscus Brocade Manor also served as Song Baoyi’s base of operations. Considering that Jiang Xusheng was Hibiscus Brocade Manor’s hundred-man commander, he was clearly one of Song Baoyi’s trusted subordinates.

”Right now, the Ba Manor is at the center of a storm involving the Heavenly Master Religion, the Tribulation Religion, and various other forces,” Jiang Xusheng said. ”The higher-ups don’t believe you have enough personnel to weather this storm, so I’ve been sent here to help you.”

”I doubt that’s all there is to it,” Zhang Jitian scoffed. ”Does Thousand-Man Commander Song intend to make a move against the Tribulation Religion?”

”That’s none of your business,” Jiang Xusheng replied. ”In any case, all you need to do is turn a blind eye to everything and leave the rest to us.”

Zhang Jitian turned to Chu Qiguang and noticed that he was observing Jiang Xusheng with a rather strange look in his eyes.

Through his interrogation of Ning Chigong, Chu Qiguang had learned that Jiang Xusheng was one of the Hunter Hand Faction’s Dao Comprehension Seeds.

”If a conflict breaks out in the Ba Manor, it’ll take a skilled martial artist to maintain order,” Chu Qiguang said. ”How accomplished are you as a martial artist, Hundred-Man Commander Jiang? I’ve heard that the Hunter Hand Faction has a cultivation art called the Vajra Laws. Have you learned it?”

”I haven’t cultivated the Vajra Laws, but I’ve been at the fifth state for nearly ten years,” Jiang Xusheng replied. ”I left Jade Face Mountain in the third year of the Yong’an Era, so you should be addressing me as senior brother.”

Chu Qiguang immediately lost interest upon hearing this, and he said under his breath, ”So you don’t even know the Vajra Laws.”

The veins on Jiang Xusheng’s forehead began to throb as he said, ”I’ve already reached the fourth level of the Steel Tendon Iron Bone Arts.”

”I see,” Chu Qiguang replied disinterestedly. ”Zhang Jitian, you can deal with them. I still have to instruct my disciples.”

Clearly, the Demon Vanquishing Department wanted to get involved, and Chu Qiguang was more than happy to let Jiang Xusheng take over.

All the soldiers in Earth Gate Fort were placed under Jiang Xusheng’s command, and the Demon Vanquishing Department sent more capable martial artists to be stationed throughout the Ba Manor City.

In fact, two other Dao Comprehension Seeds of the Hunter Hand Faction had also been sent to the Ba Manor.

A Daoist attendant from the Ba Manor Daoist Temple arrived at Earth Gate Fort to deliver a verbal message from Zhang Fengyun.

***

Meanwhile, Ning Chigong was being addressed by another Dao Comprehension Seed of the Hunter Hand Faction named Jun Li.

”You don’t have to do anything, but all your guards and servants must follow my orders.”

”I’m just a deputy hundred-man commander,” Ning Chigong said.

”That’s not gonna work on me!” Jun Li scoffed. ”You’ve already emptied out the entire Earth Gate Fort. Chu Qiguang has taken over nothing more than an empty husk. I don’t care what you normally do, but this is an extremely important operation, so your cooperation is not up for negotiation.”

Ning Chigong nodded, and the two of them continued discussing for a while before he suddenly asked, ”Master Li, have you learned the Vajra Laws?”

Jun Li was rather perplexed by the sudden change in subject, and he replied, ”The Vajra Laws, the Steel Tendon Iron Bone Arts, and the Primordial High Zenith Qigong are all mandatory cultivation arts for anyone wishing to pursue the Sumeru Strength Scripture, but everyone chooses a different order. I’ve been given the Vajra Laws, but if you want to learn, you’ll have to secure Thousand-Man Commander Song’s approval first.”

Ning Chigong nodded, then handed control of all his subordinates over to Jun Li.

”We’re secretly working with the Heavenly Master Religion this time, and the goal is to catch the Tribulation Religion off guard and deal them a heavy blow,” Jun Li said. ”If you perform well, I’ll be sure to put in a good word for you with Thousand-Man Commander Song. He may be inclined to give you the Vajra Laws as a reward.”

The next day, someone else visited Ning Chigong in his room.

It was a seductive woman in heavy makeup, and she greeted Ning Chigong with a suggestive smile.

”Long time no see, Ning Chigong.”

The woman was the Rage Demon of the Tribulation Religion.

”You shouldn’t have come here,” Ning Chigong said with a dark expression.

”We had no choice,” the Rage Demon giggled. ”Our master lost a demon here in the Ba Manor, and it must be recovered. Come to think of it, you played a role in Gao Yi’s death, didn’t you? Have you forgotten your roots?”

”What was I supposed to do at the time?” Ning Chigong snapped. ”Gao Yi suddenly went mad and attacked my residence! Was I supposed to just stand by and watch him go on a killing spree?”

”We’ll look into what Gao Yi did leading up to his death, but this isn’t about him,” the Rage Demon said. ”I’ve come to ask for your cooperation.”

”I’m just a deputy hundred-man commander,” Ning Chigong said.

”Don’t try that on me!” the Rage Demon harrumphed coldly. ”Backing down is not an option for you here. Or perhaps you’d like me to reveal your identity as a Tribulation Religion member to the Demon Vanquishing Department?”

Ning Chigong could only heave a forlorn sigh before revealing everything he knew to the Rage Demon.

”Jun Li is also here? Good. You’ve done very well. The Hunter Hand Faction thinks they’re being sneaky, but what they don’t know is that the hunters are about to become the prey,” the Rage Demon giggled. ”As long as you cooperate, good things will come your way. If we kill a few Dao Comprehension Seeds this time, perhaps you’ll be able to rise through the ranks.”

Following the Rage Demon’s departure, Ning Chigong let out a resigned sigh, then turned his gaze toward his bed. White Rice was lying beneath the covers, eavesdropping on the entire conversation.