Martial Cultivator

This time, when Chen Chao headed south from Qingshan Prefecture toward Heavenly South, he also suffered quite a few disdainful looks.

Leaving Qingshan Prefecture meant stepping into the borders of White Deer Prefecture. After that, he had to travel through nearly half of White Deer Prefecture before reaching Heavenly South. When he left Qingshan Prefecture, everything was still normal. The cultivators he saw along the way, upon seeing this young martial artist whose face was pale as paper, only assumed he had suffered a severe illness and could die at any moment.

But after entering White Deer Prefecture, Chen Chao was first sized up from afar by several young men who looked like scholars in front of a tavern. When Chen Chao turned his head to look, he could clearly see the disdain in their eyes.

Chen Chao was somewhat helpless, but he did not really care. After leaving that tavern, he continued heading south and was soon about to reach a small county city called Osmanthus County.

Osmanthus County was located within White Deer Prefecture. It was not very large and was rather remote, but its reputation was not small. Many scholars often gathered here.

The reason was that Osmanthus County was famous for producing osmanthus flowers. Within the entire county, almost every household planted an osmanthus tree in their own courtyard. Outside the county city, a scholar who was extremely fond of osmanthus had once spent his entire family fortune to buy several hundred mu of fertile land solely to plant osmanthus trees. Ten-plus years later, when all the trees had fully grown, the scenery during the blooming season became truly spectacular.

Although that scholar eventually passed away due to illness, the place continued to attract numerous scholars every year. However, Chen Chao had arrived at the wrong season. It was barely the end of spring, and seeing even a few green leaves on those trees was not easy, let alone any blooming osmanthus.

But Chen Chao was not here to admire flowers. He was just on his way to the Heavenly South, and Osmanthus County happened to lie on the route. He had originally not planned to stop here, but he happened to receive word from the Divine Capital beforehand. It said that the warden of Osmanthus County seemed to be doing quite well. Upon taking office, he had actively organized people to hunt the surrounding demons. By now, the demons around Osmanthus County had mostly been cleared out, leaving only one demon of the Bitter Sea Realm nestled within the mountain range, causing the warden, Li Chaohai, endless troubles.

He had previously submitted a memorial requesting permission from the Divine Capital to send people down to eradicate it. But during this period, every military official of the warden faction had been overwhelmingly busy. From Nepenthe martial artists like Song Lian and Chen Wannian, who had to hurry to the desolate north to kill demons, to the many martial officers who had not reached Nepenthe, all were traveling across the world exterminating demons of the demon race.

Everyone knew that the newly appointed Lord Warden Commander regarded the common people with great importance. Upon taking office, many military officials were promptly cleaned out. If they still refused to take this matter seriously, the next one to be removed would likely be themselves.

Although no one from the Divine Capital had been sent down yet, Li Chaohai had not been idle. These days, apart from directing the constables to post notices everywhere, he personally led people on nightly patrols, fearing that the Bitter Sea Realm demon would charge into the county city and feast on the common people.

After this period of time, everyone could see that this warden had visibly grown thinner.

Late at night once again, Li Chaohai was patrolling the city with a group of constables. Holding a lantern in his hand, he walked at the front. The constables behind him glanced at the sky and listened to the occasional cough from the adult before them. Only then did one carefully speak up, saying, ”Your Excellency, we have finished a full patrol. It should be enough, right? Your Excellency, your body really can’t endure any more. If you continue like this, even if the demon isn’t killed, I fear your own body will collapse first.”

Li Chaohai did not turn around. He only frowned and said, ”This official already said such words cannot be spoken again. Do you truly wish to have your salary docked?”

This was an agreement previously made between Li Chaohai and the constables. If anyone tried to persuade him again, they would have to consider carefully whether they still wanted next month’s salary. These constables all relied on their pay to support their families. Thus, naturally, even though many still wanted to persuade the warden, in the end, none opened their mouths.

Except for this constable. Although he was scolded as soon as he spoke, he still gritted his teeth and said, ”Your Excellency, you must take care of your health. Working day and night like this, sooner or later, you won’t be able to hold on.”

Li Chaohai frowned, just about to steel himself and deduct a month’s salary from the constable in front of him, but as he opened his mouth, a sudden dizziness struck, and he could barely stand, nearly dropping the lantern in his hand.

Fortunately, a constable behind him reacted quickly and steadied Li Chaohai, worry written all over his face. “Your Excellency, you really can’t continue like this. If you keep going, I’m afraid Your Excellency will die even sooner than the demon.”

The words were harsh, but undeniably true. Li Chaohai didn’t scold him; he only sighed. “Help this official up. As long as that demon isn’t eliminated, this official truly can’t sleep in peace. Even if this official dies on duty, this official cannot slack off.”

“If you die, you won’t be able to continue protecting the people. Doesn’t Warden Li understand this principle?”

A voice suddenly rang out in the dark night. Ahead in the darkness, a round object rolled toward them, streaked with blood, finally coming to rest at Li Chaohai’s feet.

Li Chaohai looked down, startled. The object was the head of a terrified demon. Furthermore, he recognized it, it was precisely the head of the Bitter Sea Realm demon from outside Osmanthus County.

This Bitter Sea Realm demon had been cultivating for many years and was on the verge of stepping into the Great Beyond; extremely difficult to deal with. Li Chaohai himself was a Bitter Sea Realm martial artist. Not long ago, he had ventured alone into the mountains to track this demon. After a fierce battle, he gained no advantage and had decided to submit a report requesting reinforcements.

But before anyone arrived from above, how had the demon already been killed right before his eyes?

Li Chaohai raised his lantern and looked into the distance, calling out, “Who are you, sir?”

As the figure approached, Li Chaohai finally saw clearly: it was a pale-faced, slightly hunched... young man.

Dressed in a black robe.

Li Chaohai furrowed his brows. No matter how he thought, he couldn’t connect this young man with the person who had killed the demon.

The other constables were also on high alert. This young man seemed highly unusual.

The young man glanced at the constables, not bothering with theatrics, but instead reached out, lifting a corner of his robe to reveal a badge at his waist.

Engraved with a few large characters:

Warden.

Li Chaohai was stunned. Then his eyes filled with awe. Among all the wardens of Great Liang, only one could go by the title without any prefixes.

Warden, or Lord Warden Commander.

There was only one in the Great Liang.

“This official is Li Chaohai, warden of Osmanthus County, White Deer Prefecture, paying respects to Lord Warden Commander!”

Fully realizing the situation, Li Chaohai immediately dropped to one knee. The other constables behind him froze at first, then did the same, kneeling.

Within Great Liang, in the warden faction, this young man before them was already the pinnacle.

Their eyes burned with awe, they had never imagined that the young man before them was the famed Lord Warden Commander himself.

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