Promise!

Chapter 145, The Ten Classics

Bi Kai objectively recounted what he had seen and heard. Zhuang Jin waved his hand, signaling him to leave first, before turning to Qian Wende: "Dezi, sit down!"

If Zhuang Jin had been scolding him with a tone of exasperation, Qian Wende would have felt at ease. But this calm, as if nothing had happened, this restrained attitude, actually indicated that something was serious, making him feel even more fearful and uneasy. He shook his head repeatedly and insisted on kneeling.

Zhuang Jin didn't press the matter, nodded slightly, and began to chat like a friend: "This morning, Ou Wenzhong, the garrison commander, came to see me and said..."

He recounted how Owen Zhong had come to him.

"Those lowly, worthless bastards! In front of me, they're all like little chicks, so obedient. I never imagined they'd dare to..."

As Qian Wende spoke, a great anger and regret welled up in his heart. If he had known that those people dared to deceive him and sabotage him behind his back, he should have dealt with them severely!
Seeing Qian Wende's reaction, Zhuang Jin guessed what he was thinking and shook his head slightly: "Dezi, leave a way out for others. Don't push people too far, especially when you don't know their background or their cards... If it weren't for me behind you, have you thought about what would have happened to you this time?"

The saying goes, "You have to consider the owner before you beat a dog." It was precisely because Qian Wende was Zhuang Jin's subordinate that the town and ward guards dared not make a direct move. Ou Wenzhong only came over to tell him that if Qian Wende really didn't have anyone backing him, his fate this time... would probably be a terrible sight!
Faced with Zhuang Jin's calm review and earnest guidance, Qian Wende felt increasingly uneasy: "I understand... Brother Zhuang, I will definitely remember this! I will definitely change in the future!"

"Waaah, Brother Zhuang, you've been so good to me, but I... I even talked badly about you behind your back... I'm not human!"

As he spoke, he slapped himself repeatedly, leaving his face bruised and swollen.

"okay!"

Zhuang Jin stopped Qian Wende, looked at him, and a faint disappointment appeared on his face: "Dezi, in your eyes, am I the kind of person who is narrow-minded and has no tolerance for others? Didn't I know what kind of person you were before?"

"It's just a matter of 'a gentleman judges by his actions, not his intentions.' I don't care what you say, I only care about what you do."

Qian Wende was stunned upon hearing this and stood there dumbfounded.

"Even now, don't you realize... the biggest mistake you've made this time?"

This time, before Qian Wende could answer, Zhuang Jin asked and answered himself: "Before you went to take up your post as the garrison commander of Qing'an Street, did you hear what I told you?"

This matter, if you want to talk about it seriously, is only a few martial artists of the first to third level. They tried to find a few town and village officials through connections and twists and turns, but these town and village officials were unwilling to offend Zhuang Jin. They only found Ou Wenzhong. When Ou Wenzhong came over, he only said one sentence and then didn't mention it again.

This attitude is quite clear. It's all about the sentiment expressed in that one sentence. If Zhuang Jin wants to deal with or intervene, that's naturally the best course of action. But if he's determined to protect Qian Wende, then... well, let's just leave it at that.

After all, Zhuang Jin's value in uniting the people is far more important. If it really is... then we'll have to sacrifice a few insignificant low-level martial artists.

It's not that serious. These rats in the city have a complicated web of relationships, and they've ended up involving several town and ward guards. If it weren't for the Huang Tianjun incident, they would still be as arrogant and conceited as before. With this incident as a pretext, if their emotions are stirred up, who knows how much trouble they could cause him!
Zhuang Jin could tolerate Qian Wende's moral failings, but he could not tolerate Qian Wende's disobedience and trouble-making. This time it was lucky that Huang Tianjun's incident served as a warning, making an example of him and deterring others from taking action. But what if there hadn't been such a thing?
Without his knowledge, several town and ward guards joined forces to probe him, catching him off guard, and he still didn't know why...

This kind of disobedience, stupidity, and trouble-causing behavior is absolutely intolerable.

"I...I..." Qian Wende reacted even more strongly to such a simple question than to being verbally abused. He was struck dumb, and his expression changed drastically.

He always knew clearly his place in Zhuang Jin's eyes: a dog! A biting dog!
—At Zhuang Jin's level, he values ​​appearances and can't get involved in many things personally. That's when he needs a dog to understand his intentions and, at the right moment, give him a signal and bite!

Don't think that being called a 'dog' is an insult. Many people want to be the dogs of those in power, and they fight tooth and nail for it, but still can't get it! Even a seventh-rank official has to consider the owner before beating a dog. The dogs of those in power are far more noble than 99.99% of so-called 'people'!
Before, Zhuang Jin never demanded loyalty from him; as long as he was obedient and bit those who needed to be bitten, that was enough. But now, even his only redeeming quality—obedience—had vanished…

Thinking this, Qian Wende felt a great fear rise in his heart: 'When a dog loses even its only virtue—obedience—what's the point of keeping it? Isn't that...?'

Swish!
Zhuang Jin drew his sword from its sheath; the blade was cold and gleaming, reflecting a faint light.

The sharp, menacing aura made Qian Wende feel as if his head had left his neck. At that moment, he was truly terrified, his pants soaked with sweat: "I was wrong! I was wrong! Brother Zhuang, I...I...I..."

Zhuang Jin spoke calmly, as if recounting a familiar story: "Back in the dormitory, when Xiang Qichen spoke ill of me behind my back, you stood up and slapped him, getting a black eye and a swollen face. That was the beginning of the thawing of our relationship... When we first went to the north of the city, you told me about Jiang Wei's unusual behavior... This January, when I escorted the fleet away, news of the attack came, and this time, you were on my side again..."

"Although I always repay you afterward, the bond we share cannot be erased... But to kill you this time, even at the cost of family ties, would be a bit too ruthless..."

when!
As he spoke, he sheathed the sword: "This time, I'll cover for you from above, but as for the internal affairs of the city... you'll have to clean up your own mess. Then, head to the north of the city next month!"

Upon hearing that he had been spared, Qian Wende subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief. Then, hearing the rest, he understood that all past favors had been severed, and tears streamed down his face as he knelt forward, crying, "Brother Zhuang... Brother Zhuang..."

Swish!
A flash of cold light, and the longsword pierced through the air, stabbing straight into Qian Wende's front, buzzing and vibrating, stopping his movement.

Qian Wende looked at the long sword in front of him, which was ringing with a clear and resonant sound, and then looked at Zhuang Jin, who was standing with his back to him. At this moment, he realized: This was a sword strike to the ground, a severing of all ties!

He felt an overwhelming sorrow engulf him, and finally prostrated himself before Zhuang Jin, then left in a daze.

……

Qian Wende went back to Qing'an Street to appease the people and provide compensation, cleaning up his mess. The following month, he was transferred to the north of the city.

He thought that even if he and Zhuang Jin had exhausted their friendship and severed all ties, he would still be a Fourth-Rank Martial Artist, a town guard level. But reality gave him a harsh slap in the face: he was indeed still a Fourth-Rank Town Guard level, but just an ordinary Fourth-Rank Town Guard, and no one would give him face anymore.

You should know that when he was following Zhuang Jin, even ordinary martial artists who had mastered the Five Classics or Six Classics would treat him with utmost respect and dare not offend him.

Qian Wende then realized that he had acted this way before because of Zhuang Jin, but now that the halo was gone, he was instantly exposed for what he truly was.

It can only be said that many people in the world are like this: after meeting many people in high positions, they think they also have power; after meeting many people with great wealth, they think they also have wealth; after meeting many strong people, they think they also have strength... but they don't realize that it is more of an advantage of being on a platform; once they leave that platform, they are nothing.

Such a stark contrast was bad enough, but more importantly, the north of the city was not peaceful, filled with life-and-death battles and extreme dangers. This made him miss the east of the city even more, where Zhuang Jin sheltered him from the wind and rain, and he could enjoy peace and tranquility... After suffering a crushing defeat, he was filled with regret, but regret was useless now.

After that, Qian Wende visited Zhuang Jin's house several times with gifts, but he was never allowed to enter.

— Nowadays, even ordinary scholars don't have the qualifications to enter Zhuang Jin's home.

He also understood even more clearly what a stroke of luck it was to meet Zhuang Jin and forge a friendship when he was still in humble circumstances. However, he had seized this opportunity, only to lose it later. This loss after gaining it was like a nightmare, making him even more resentful and maddened...

All of this is a story for another time, and we will not discuss it here.

……

Let's rewind to the time after the Qian Wende incident. May 28th.

Zhuang Jin completed the accumulation of the Nine Scriptures Realm, returned to the Shen Family Headquarters that day, registered the Nine Scriptures Realm, and was promoted to Three-Pattern Guardian. Then, he returned to prepare to break through to the Ten Scriptures Realm.

"After more than two months, I've finally completed the accumulation of the Nine Scriptures Realm and am about to break through to the Tenth Scripture Realm!"

Zhuang Jin sighed, a hint of joy rising in his heart. He focused his mind, circulated his inner energy, and headed towards the tenth meridian, the Foot Taiyin Meridian.

In an instant, everything fell into place.

After the Foot Taiyin Meridian is opened, the ten meridians of the Hand, Hand, Foot, and Foot form a large cycle. In this process, the internal energy is purified, strengthened, and becomes more refined and pure!
Zhuang Jin felt that at this stage, the internal energy was transformed into force, and there were faint signs of the fusion of Ming Jin and An Jin, but it was still far from complete.

'With the breakthrough in cultivation level and the support of the Ten Classics' internal energy, my movement technique, Swift Wind Step, can also be further improved.'

Swish!
Zhuang Jin flashed, stirring up a gust of wind that lifted a piece of white paper from the table. He walked to the door with his hands behind his back, then turned back and caught the swaying piece of white paper, which had only fallen a short distance and was still far from hitting the ground.

'Not bad, I've mastered the Swift Wind Step technique to a minor level. It's been worth it; I practiced one or two movement techniques whenever I felt tired from daily cultivation, grinding it to the beginner level's limit!'

He has no bottleneck. In the past, the only thing that was difficult for him was his realm. Now that he has broken through the Ten Classics, it is a natural progression.

'At the Tenth Scripture Realm, the improvement in both the quality and quantity of internal energy, along with breakthroughs in movement techniques and martial arts, has indeed resulted in a tremendous increase in strength—a minor qualitative leap… No wonder those at the Tenth Scripture Realm are already at the level of city garrison commanders along the north and south sides of the city!'

"As far as I know, those at the Tenth Meridian Realm or higher are a minority among the Shen family's guards... Reaching this stage is a significant step closer to the Great Perfection of the Twelve Qi Condensation Meridians, and even further to the Meridian Opening Realm!"

Of course, one must eat one bite at a time and walk one step at a time. The next small goal is still the Eleventh National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

Zhuang Jin pondered, "Once I reach the Tenth Meridian Realm, I'll need to switch to the meat of a beast at the Great Perfection of Flesh Refining Realm. One pound costs two hundred battle merits. I currently have a little over twelve thousand battle merits left, just enough for two months' supply. That should be just in time for me to break through to the Eleventh Meridian Realm within six months, and then..."

'Forget it, why think so much? There's always a way. Let's focus on mastering the eleven classics first, and worry about the rest later!'

……

After breaking through the Ten Classics, Zhuang Jin once again devoted himself to cultivation, striving towards the Eleventh Classic. Time flew by, and another ten days or so passed.

The date is June 15th.

On this day, a lantern festival was being held in the east of the city. Zhuang Jin, wanting to relax a bit after cultivating for so long, took Chen Yun, who was dressed as a man, out with him.

The east side of the city is indeed much more lively than the north side. For example, the time I visited the north side, it was just Vinegar Lord Alley, but here the lantern festival decorated several alleys.

The trees along the roadside were decorated, creating a dazzling display of lights... Along the road, luxury cars and carriages mingled, subtle fragrances wafted in the air, and the streets were brightly lit... Every few steps, there were people performing operas or acrobatics, such as stilt walking, jumping through fire hoops, and breaking large stones on their chests...

"Brother Zhuang!" Chen Yun called out halfway before realizing her mistake. She glanced at Zhuang Jin mischievously, and because her voice was too loud, she had to lean closer and shout, "I heard that Qixia Tower in Dongxia Lane is displaying a huge luminous pearl tonight. Shall we go and take a look?"

"Alright, but I imagine there will be even more people over there, so Brother Chen, you'd better keep up."

Zhuang Jin joked as he casually tossed a handful of darts he had picked up from a roadside stall, and they all hit the bullseye, drawing gasps of surprise.

"Wow, sir, you're quite skilled!"

The stall owner realized he had encountered a martial artist, probably a highly skilled one, and immediately took out all sorts of rewards for the vendor to choose from. There was no scene of him being ungrateful or showing off.

Zhuang Jin let Chen Yun choose, and Chen Yun only picked a hand lantern with a picture of boys and girls chasing and playing. He took it down and was about to hand it to Chen Yun before heading towards Qixia Tower.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out ahead.

A figure dressed in black, masked and carrying a black cloth bag from which a faint light shone, swiftly leaped across rooftops and walls, pursued by several white-robed martial artists. Several more black-robed martial artists surrounded the figure in a fan formation, shouting, "Capture the 'Flying Rat Thief'! All bystanders, retreat!"

Unexpectedly, saying this only made things worse. The fact that it was said to be the "flying rat thief" garnered a wave of support and cheers.

"That's the flying rat thief? The one who only steals from the powerful and wealthy, never from us ordinary folks, and even shares the profits with us?!"

"Judging by his skill, it must be him. He must have stolen all the luminous pearls from Qixia Tower, right? Well done!"

"We can't let this hero get caught!"

……

Especially after the flying rat thief scattered a handful of silver coins, the scene became even more chaotic, severely hindering the black-clad warriors' interception.

Listening to these voices and witnessing this scene, Zhuang Jin realized: 'In the eight hundred years of the Great Qian Dynasty, class stratification has long been solidified. Just as he told his brother-in-law that day, there are many injustices, and the people's resentment has accumulated. However, the court and powerful clans monopolize extraordinary power, suppressing them and preventing them from resisting. Their resentment deepens day by day… The people are alienated from the government and powerful clans, having long lost all trust and even harboring antagonistic feelings. That's why they are not only not cooperating but also obstructing us!'

"A bunch of despicable bastards, you're asking for it!"

After the black-robed warrior drew his sword and killed two passersby blocking his way, blood splattered everywhere, causing chaos in the scene.

Zhuang Jin looked at the chaotic and surging crowd, grabbed Chen Yun, and jumped onto the alleyway.

However, this skill startled the 'Flying Rat Thief' who was flying towards them. Thinking it was someone trying to intercept them, he raised his hand and shot out a series of hidden arrows.

"Um?!"

Zhuang Jin's ears twitched, and he raised his hand and threw the reward lantern at the target.

boom!
The lanterns exploded in mid-air, blocking the poisoned, bluish-green sleeve arrows and causing them to fall, accompanied by a sky full of sparks, as brilliant as stars.

……

(End of this chapter)