Da Xuan Martial Saint

"...Speaking of Situ Shu, the Great Protector of Mysterious Mechanism Pavilion, he raised his massive Cold Soul Spirit Blade, and with a thunderous roar, unleashed thousands of Blade Qi, crisscrossing and striking at Protector Chen, aiming to cut him down."

In a bustling teahouse on the busy street, a middle-aged man with a folding fan was telling the tale with great excitement, his voice drowning out the noisy alley nearby and attracting a large crowd of pedestrians who stopped to listen.

"...Little did they know, Protector Chen had already mastered a Divine Power to protect his body. Faced with the oncoming thousands of Blade Qi, he was unfazed. Without even drawing his sword, he simply stepped forward. In an instant, the sky changed color and all the Cold Soul Blade Qi shattered before Protector Chen. In the blink of an eye, he met Situ Shu's Cold Soul Spirit Blade barehanded, and with a powerful Fist Seal, sent Situ Shu flying dozens of yards away!"

The middle-aged storyteller was wildly animated, his every word as if he were at the scene himself.

Passing by the teahouse, Chen Yue, upon hearing the middle-aged man say, "Chen Mu with nine consecutive punches killed Situ Shu, calling it killing without a sword, nine punches ended Situ...," couldn't help but turn to Chen Mu curiously and asked,

"Brother, was it really like this at the time?"

"Situ Shu indeed died from the Heaven and Earth Wheel Seal, but the story here is quite muddled."

Chen Mu shook his head with a chuckle.

He wasn't sure how much the storyteller knew about that encounter, but the tale was decently crafted. His Flowing Fire Blade had broken during the collision with the Cold Soul Spirit Blade, yet here it had been presented as if he didn't bother to draw his blade at all.

As the middle-aged storyteller's last words fell, striking a gong, he bowed to the audience inside the teahouse. Suddenly, the whole place burst into noise, with both seated customers and bystanders outside all engaging in spirited discussions.

"This Protector Chen slaying Situ Shu, I've listened to it three times, each time feeling a surge of excitement. The actions of Mysterious Mechanism Pavilion are indeed despicable and detestable; it truly felt good to see him cut down. It's a pity that I'm not in Yu County; otherwise, I would have grabbed a few disciples of Mysterious Mechanism Pavilion to add to the fun."

"Tsk, you grabbing Mysterious Mechanism Pavilion disciples? With your meager skills, you couldn't even handle my punches and kicks, let alone compare to a Mysterious Mechanism Pavilion disciple; you'd be lucky not to be squashed by them at a whim," said someone near the window, chuckling.

"Speaking of which, with Protector Chen having slashed Situ Shu, the rankings in the Wind Cloud List must be going up again."

Someone sipped some tea and commented.

"That's for sure; he should at least make it into the top twenty."

"In terms of the Wind Cloud List, it's not so easily determined. Unlike the list of up-and-comers, which is updated annually, the Wind Cloud List is only reassessed every three years. With two and a half years until the next reassessment, who knows how much more Protector Chen's skills will have improved? Maybe he'll make it into the top ten by then," another person said with a grin.

Since the inception of the Wind Cloud List, the only time it was reassessed ahead of schedule was many years ago, after a major battle that instantly took down nearly seven or eight top fighters of the list. Then, in just a few months, several more fell, and these factors combined prompted the End of the World Sea Pavilion to revise the Wind Cloud List rankings just a year later.

Compared to that, even though Chen Mu's killing of the twenty-third-ranked Situ Shu was a startling event, it was still not significant enough to prompt the End of the World Sea Pavilion to reassess the Wind Cloud List early.

As for what will happen in two and a half years when the Wind Cloud List is reassessed, that was anyone's guess.

...

The flow of information in this era was swift among the major powers, but not so much among the common folk. It had taken Chen Mu one and a half months to escort Chen Yue and others to the State Government Office, and only then had the news about Yu City started to spread.

Since the protagonist Chen Mu was right there, Chen Yue and the others naturally weren't very interested in the storyteller's narrative in the teahouse, nor were they much inclined to engage in the discussions of the listening crowd; they soon moved away from the teahouse.

Finally.

After traveling further down the road, a noisy bustle arose from the street ahead. Many pedestrians showed alarmed expressions, swiftly moving to the sides to make way, and many civilians quickly knelt on both sides of the road to bow.

Approaching them on the street, a man dressed as an Inspector, followed by a group of people, came forward with a smile and said to Chen Mu, "Protector Chen, why didn't you inform me in advance so that I could have welcomed you at the city gate?"

Chen Mu returned the gesture with a bow, smiling calmly, "How could I trouble Brother Xu to come all the way to the city gate."

He knew this Inspector.

Unlike Yan Jingqing, Xu Qingzhao, the Inspector, came from the Spirit Profound Peak of the Seven Profound Sect. However, he was not a True Disciple, originally just an Inner Sect Disciple of Spirit Profound Peak. Later, he made a breakthrough to the Five Viscera Realm and served as a Steward of Spirit Profound Peak, then eventually achieved the Six Viscera Realm as a Protector. A few years ago, he was appointed by the Seven Profound Sect to the State Government Office to take over Yan Jingqing's position.

Xu Qingzhao said with a chuckle, "Protector Chen was formerly a True Disciple of Spirit Profound Peak and now ranks on the Wind Cloud List. Even the governor himself wishes to visit him... Following Protector Chen's instructions, the residences in the Inner City have all been prepared, just waiting for Protector Chen to settle in."

Chen Mu addressed him as Senior Brother, yet he dared not assume the role of Junior Brother to Chen Mu. After all, he was not of True Disciple origin, and though he too had ascended to the Six Viscera Realm as an Inspector, this was his limit, while Chen Mu, barely thirty years old, was already on the Wind Cloud List.

Even though there were rumors that Chen Mu was ambushed by the Mysterious Mechanism Pavilion and had been eroded by Demonic Qi, making his path to Grandmaster uncertain, given Chen Mu's peerless talent, if he could ever comprehend the Qiankun Domain in the future, he would surely have a chance to top the Wind Cloud List, even without becoming a Grandmaster! Find more chapters on My Virtual Library Empire

Even if Chen Mu did not comprehend the Qiankun Domain, as a high-ranking expert on the Wind Cloud List, his status would still far surpass his.

"Thank you for your trouble, Senior Brother Xu."

Chen Mu nodded slightly at Xu Qingzhao.

To bring Xu Hongyu, Chen Yue, and others to the State Government Office, he had naturally made arrangements in advance. In fact, for anyone from the Steward rank of Seven Profound Sect and above, acquiring property in the State Government Office was an easy task, let alone for him.

"It's a trivial matter; no trouble at all."

Xu Qingzhao replied with a smile and then led the way, guiding Chen Mu and his group toward the Inner City.

Originally, Chen Mu and his group were all wearing long robes. Though very simple, they encountered no obstacles along the way. Now, with Inspector Xu Qingzhao leading them, the journey was even smoother, and passersby saluted them respectfully.

Some people's gazes fell on Chen Mu and the others following behind Xu Qingzhao, their eyes filled with a curious hue, wondering what background allowed them the privilege of being personally guided by such a distinguished Inspector.

Soon.

The group crossed from the Outer City and arrived at the Inner City of the State Government Office.

The Inner City of the State Government Office, compared to the Inner City of Yu County, was evidently much more grand. Towering buildings lined the streets, and thick, green stone tiles paved the alleys, immaculately clean as far as the eye could see.

The pedestrians on the road were all wearing long robes, and it was common to see nobles dressed in opulent silk and satins, either wearing solemn and majestic expressions or laughing and talking with others. Compared to the Outer City areas of the State Government Office, it was almost like an entirely different world.

However.

Even those dressed in opulent silk and satins, upon seeing Xu Qingzhao leading the way, each paused and then paid him a proper salute, not daring to be negligent.

And not until Xu Qingzhao and Chen Mu passed by, their figures disappearing at the far end of the spacious street, did someone whisper, "Who are those people following behind Officer Xu? They seem quite unfamiliar."

"I don't think they're just following behind Officer Xu; rather, it looks as if Officer Xu is leading the way for them... Now that I think about it, I heard some news earlier, could it be that the young man walking with Officer Xu is that person?"

Someone's expression revealed a hint of curiosity.

Immediately, the people around looked over, somewhat surprised, "You say Officer Xu is personally leading the way, then who might that be?"

"So young, yet makes Officer Xu personally guide him, who else could it be," the man shook his head and replied.

Upon hearing this, the people nearby fell silent, each of them conjuring a name in their minds.

Chen Mu!

The real prominent figure of Yu State, the top young contender from the Cold North Path, who had recently in Yu County slain Situ Shu, ranked twenty-third on the Wind Cloud List from the Mysterious Mechanism Pavilion!

For the people of the Inner City in the State Government Office, Chen Mu's name was sufficiently awe-inspiring.