Stranger Danger

Chapter 317: Martial Tower

Chapter 317: Martial Tower

After taking out the traitors and spies inside the Pacification Bureau, the matter regarding Mara Buddha and Wang Luori was finally over. There were loose ends, but they weren’t Fang Xiaoman and Gu Suitang’s concerns, not his. That was why Ye Qing was basking in happiness and catharsis right now.

Mara Buddha was dead, and Wang Luori was no more. Naturally, the rock that had been sitting on his chest this whole time was gone as well. Of course he was elated.

Besides that, the Pacification Bureau and the Black Feather Guards had come to gather to destroy Sunset Hill, massacre the Bai Clan, and force the Blood Shadow Palace to shut themselves down for a year. They had set a big example and showed the jianghu of Luo Shui and even the world itself that the Pacification Bureau’s blade hadn’t dulled, and their men were still untouchable.

This meant he would be free from those pesky little jianghu warriors for a long time to come.

“Hahaha! I’m so happy! It’s been a long time since I felt this good!”

Inside a room, Wei Yueshan took a gulp of wine before bursting out laughing. “We destroyed Sunset Hill and massacred the Bai Clan, and enough heads rolled that their blood could fill up a river. The days where everyone and their mothers thought they could take a poop on our heads is finally over!”

For the past few weeks, countless people had treated the Pacification Bureau like a declawed and defanged tiger. They were mocking them both in front of them and behind their backs. It was no wonder that Wei Yueshan was feeling as elated as he was.

“It would’ve been even better if we took out Blood Shadow Palace though! A shame!” Wei Yueshan said regretfully, “I mean, why didn’t we? We were going to set an example anyway.”

Lin Yuhuai answered smilingly, “We couldn’t, but we couldn’t.”

Wei Yueshan looked confused. “Can you speak human, brother?”

Ye Qing answered, “What he means is that there’s no need to wipe them out. One, Blood Shadow Palace hadn’t fallen completely under Mara Buddha’s control like Sunset Hill. Two, Fu Qianqiu was ready for us. It would’ve cost us far more to wipe out Blood Shadow Palace than it was to wipe out Sunset Hill or the Bai Clan. In fact, it would most likely end up in a stalemate of sorts, so it just isn’t worth it. And three, we don’t want White Horse Academy to become the one biggest sect in Luo Shui. That future comes with its own set of problems.”

“Also, everything is bad in excess, and we’ve set a big enough example already. It would probably backfire on us if we destroyed Blood Shadow Palace as well.”

“Do you guys always think so much every time you do anything?” Wei Yueshan scratched his head. “I can’t imagine leading a life as difficult as yours!”

“Difficult? No, you’re just too stupid to understand the simple and obvious!”

It was at this moment Gu Suitang stepped into the room and shot Wei Yueshan a disdainful look. “If everyone in the Pacification Bureau has brains like yours, we would’ve been wiped out a million years ago!”

Wei Yueshan: “...” As expected of my master. That insult pierced right through my heart!

Gu Suitang looked at Ye Qing and said in a grateful tone, “Thanks again for everything, Joyless. If it wasn’t for you, Mara Buddha most likely would’ve succeeded in taking over the Luo Shui Pacification Bureau.”

“You flatter me, chief. I am sure that you and Chief Fang could’ve protected the Pacification Bureau even if I hadn’t accidentally stumbled upon the bastard’s conspiracy,” Ye Qing replied humbly. “Besides, Commander Xue’s the one who deserves the most credit this time, whereas I was just performing my duty.”

“It’s one thing to show humility, and another to depreciate self. You deserve this compliment, so just take it.” Gu Suitang waved off his show of humility. “By the way, I came to tell you that the Luo Shui Pacification Bureau deeply appreciates what you’ve done for Luo Shui. You have exposed the Taiping cultists’ conspiracy and saved Luo Shui from annihilation. Recently, you’ve uncovered Mara Buddha’s conspiracy and saved the Luo Shui Pacification Bureau from disaster as well. That is why Xiaoman and I have agreed to reward you for your meritorious service. You have two choices.”

“What are they?” Ye Qing’s curiosity was piqued.

Gu Suitang explained, “One, we’ll allow you to enter the Tower of Secrets and pick any one Soulstealer-class Strange Artifact as your reward. You would also be awarded two Spirit Purification-stage martial arts manuals and one Qilin Pill, and you would become our Assistant Deputy Chief of Bureau. In Luo Shui, the only people you would answer to are me and Xiaoman.”

“There’s a post like that?” Ye Qing blinked in surprise. He was tempted, but he didn’t make a decision immediately. Instead, he asked, “And what is the second option?”

Gu Suitang replied, “You may cultivate ten days in the Martial Tower.”

“Martial Tower?” Ye Qing didn’t know what that was.

“Martial Tower!” Lin Yuhuai, Chu Nianjiu and Wei Yueshan were clearly aware, however. They all wore shocked and envious expressions on their faces.

Seeing Ye Qing’s confusion, Chu Nianjiu explained, “The Martial Tower is an extremely powerful Strange Artifact that belongs to all Pacification Bureaus in Chu. Legend says that it is the place where the Martial Emperor had completed his Way, and it contains a pocket space that is filled with the air of Dao. Inside this way, anyone below the Grandmaster stage would be able to grow their cultivation, practice their martial arts or perceive magic at least ten times faster than normal.”

“In simpler terms, entering the Martial Tower would save any warrior at least years of hard work. There is a quote that describes its effects perfectly: ‘Five days in the Martial Tower is equal to one thousand years in the outside world’.”

Ye Qing hadn’t heard of the Martial Tower, but he had definitely heard of the Martial Emperor before. The Martial Emperor was a peak champion several thousand years ago, and he was the man who invented and popularized the martial way. To this day, there was a Martial Emperor City in the Eastern Sea, and the lord of the city was titled the Martial Emperor. They were always named warriors in the Heaven Ranking and one of, if not the greatest warriors in the entire world. It was why the Martial Emperor City was also the sanctuary of the martial way.

“The Martial Tower is located in Luo Shui? I had no idea!” Ye Qing’s eyes lit up.

But Chu Nianjiu shook his head and corrected his misunderstanding, “Yes and no. The true body of the Martial Tower is located at the capital of Chu, specifically the headquarters of the Pacification Bureau. The Martial Tower in our Pacification Bureau is but a Dao projection of the real thing. In fact, we’re not the only ones who have it. Some big prefectures and commanderies were also bestowed with a projection of the Martial Tower for cultivation purposes.”

“Oh, I see. Well, that makes a lot more sense. There’s no way our Pacification Bureau could’ve protected the real thing,” Ye Qing exclaimed in realization.

Gu Suitang: “...” Should I teach him a lesson?

Ye Qing hurriedly changed the subject when he noticed Gu Suitang’s unfriendly gaze. “So er, obviously the projection’s effect isn’t as strong as the original, right?”

Chu Nianjiu sipped his wine before continuing, “But of course. One, the projection only has a tenth of the true Martial Tower’s effects, so its accelerating effects are much weaker. That said, you’d still be improving five to six times faster than you normally would. Two, it takes the projection a very, very long time to recover its strength every time someone uses it. It cannot be used infinitely like the true Martial Tower.”

“That is why only those who have done the Pacification Bureau a great service are allowed to enter the projection. Assuming you choose to enter the Martial Tower, I would urge you to cherish every second.”

Gu Suitang asked, “So, what is your choice, Joyless?”

Ye Qing thought for a moment before declaring, “I choose to enter the Martial Tower.”

The first option sounded very tempting—he would gain martial arts, a Soulstealer-class Strange Artifact, and even become the third highest authority in the Luo Shui Pacification Bureau—but if he really thought about it, he didn’t really need any of it.

He had amassed an overwhelming number of Strange Artifacts after entrapping and murdering the jianghu warriors who came after him. For example, he had the Soulstealer-class Boundless Mara Buddha, the Hatred-class Red Sleeve and Soul Absorbing Gong, and at least dozens of Malice-class Strange Artifacts. In fact, most of them were molding inside his Nature’s Shells and never seeing use.

Finally, he could technically rely on the mysterious Annon Sutra to locate anything he wanted, so if he ever felt like obtaining another Soulstealer-class Strange Artifact, he could just ask.

Also, a Strange Artifact was ultimately a power that wasn’t his. He would rather cultivate the powers that belonged to him and him alone.

He wasn’t lacking in martial arts either. The “Paranirmitava?avartin Heavenly Demon Sutra” would last him until the Grandmaster-stage, he had plenty of powerful martial arts such as the “Saber of Spring Wind and Fine Rain”, the “Hellfire Red Lotus Saber Art”, the “Heavenly Demon Captures The Soul”, “Break Through”, “Divide”, “Cloud Vaporization Style” and more. Technically, he could upgrade his movement art, “Illusionist’s Grace”, to a Spirit Purification stage one, but was it really necessary?

This was before mentioning the partial inheritance he received from the “Blood Demon” Shangguan Wuwo, and the “Nine Impetus of Tai Chi” he obtained from the wooden hut surrounded by the Reincarnating Flowers of the Four Seasons...

He hadn’t even sorted out the martial arts he currently possessed yet. It would be avaricious of him to seek out more.

As for medicine, it was the one thing he didn’t need to worry about. One of the best medicines one could obtain, the Water of Life, was already useless to him, and if he ever needed something better, he could just consult the Annon Sutra.

In conclusion, entering the Martial Tower was the best option of the two.

“Very good.” Gu Suitang smiled gladly. “External power is great, but internal power is better. It is the foundation of all warriors.”

“Yuhuai, Nianjiu, you will be joining Joyless as well.”

“W-What? Are you sure, chief?” Both men were stunned to hear this.

“But of course!” Gu Suitang replied without hesitation. “Both of you are qualified considering your long and meritorious service to the Pacification Bureau, and the Hidden Dragon Meet will be happening in a month, isn’t it? It’s been a while since we participated in the event. If we skip it again, someone is going to find something to talk about. That is why I’m planning to send the three of you as participants.”

“Of course, I expect you to perform exceptionally. You have my word that I will beat the crap out of you if you embarrass our Pacification Bureau.”

“That is why I’m sending all of you into the Martial Tower. Train hard and grow your strength as much as possible—especially you two, Nianjiu, Yuhuai. You are much older than Joyless, but you’re still stuck at the late-stage of the Astral Refinement stage. Aren’t you embarrassed? I expect the two of you to become Spirit Purifiers when you emerge from the Martial Tower.”

“As you command.” Chu Nianjiu and Lin Yuhuai nodded with bitter smiles. Meritorious service my ass, you just don’t want us to embarrass you at the Hidden Dragon Meet. And why are you comparing us with Ye Qing? The guy is a Stranger in human skin. How the hell are we supposed to compete with that?

Meanwhile, Wei Yueshan finally couldn’t suppress his anxiety any longer and asked, “What about me, master?”

“You, what?” Gu Suitang side-eyed at his disciple. The guy was jumping up and down.

Wei Yueshan immediately said, “I want to enter the Martial Tower and the Hidden Dragon Meet too, master!”

“Sure,” Gu Suitang replied. “Go take a nap, and you will have everything.”

Wei Yueshan: “...” Are you sure I’m your disciple?

“The Hidden Dragon Meet is only meant for dragons. Are you a dragon? No, you’re a worm. You’re only going to embarrass me if you attend!” Gu Suitang rebuked his disciple mercilessly. “Instead of practicing diligently, you consistently overestimate your abilities, get carried away by wishful thinking, and bite off more than you can chew. You truly are one of the stupidest, delusional, reckless and suicidal people I’ve ever met!”

Wei Yueshan opened his mouth but couldn’t think of anything to say. In the end, he muttered, “You’re a master of adjectives, master!”

Gu Suitang: “...” Ah, what did I do to end up with such an idiot disciple?

“Get out of my sigh before I kick your ass!” Gu Suitang pointed at the exit. “Actually, I’m going to train you personally starting tomorrow. If you can’t grow even with my supervision, then you will die. Get ready.”

Wei Yueshan: “...” He’s definitely my master alright.

Gu Suitang looked at the trio after he was done scolding Wei Yueshan. “Joyless, Nianjiu, Yuhuai, the three of you should get ready as well. You’ll be entering the Martial Tower tomorrow morning.”

“As you command,” they answered with a salute.