Brocade Robe Unparalleled

Chapter 42 Conspiracy
night.

All sounds are silent.

Lin Xuan assumed a "mountain-like stance" and immersed his body in the light green water.

His body was several times stronger than it had been a month ago. When absorbing the medicinal power of the bone-tempering liquid, he no longer felt as much pain as before. He only felt a slight stinging sensation, which he could easily endure.

Fifteen minutes later, the water in the bathtub became clear and transparent again.

Lin Xuan straightened up and moved around a bit. His bones cracked and popped, indicating that his bone strength had greatly improved.

He got out of the bathtub, dressed, and then the bathroom door was pushed open, and a figure in a black robe walked in.

The man in black stopped in front of Lin Xuan, looked him up and down, and then said, "Punch with all your might."

Lin Xuan didn't waste any words. He used all his strength to throw a punch, which even made the air explode.

But the result was no different from the last time.

The man in black simply extended his palm to block Lin Xuan's punch. He remained standing in place, while Lin Xuan took two steps back, his fist temporarily numb from the impact.

Lin Xuan was deeply shocked. The power of his punch was at least ten times greater than the last one, yet it was still blocked so easily by the man in black robes.

His strength is at least at the late stage of the sixth rank.

The man in black robes nodded in satisfaction and said, "Not bad. You've only been at the peak of the eighth rank for a month, yet you already possess seventy percent of that strength. Even without the Bone Tempering Liquid, you should be able to break through to the seventh rank within six months..."

Lin Xuan clasped his hands in a fist and said, "It's all thanks to the organization's cultivation."

The man in black robes waved his hand lightly: "The organization didn't cultivate you much. Your current level of cultivation is entirely due to your own efforts."

After he was promoted to the eighth rank, Nanzhao only gave him two bottles of bone-tempering liquid.

In addition, he also obtained several bottles from the Yong Kingdom court, Wu Baihu of the Jingbian Division, and the Tian family.

These things have nothing to do with the Secret Service.

Being able to quickly acquire so many resources is also a skill.

The man in black robes looked at him and cautioned, "Although your strength has improved rapidly, don't get carried away. Don't neglect your basic stance training. Although the Zhenyue Gong is an extremely top-tier skill, if the foundation is not solid, it still cannot unleash its full power..."

Lin Xuan nodded and said, "Your subordinate understands."

The lower three levels of martial arts cultivation aim to refine the body.

Cultivating step by step according to the cultivation method is body refinement, and using bone-tempering liquid to cleanse the marrow is also body refinement. The final result of both is the same, but without the down-to-earth cultivation process, the strength will eventually be weaker compared to those who cultivate step by step.

After a day of rest, Lin Xuan arrived at Jingbian Division as usual early the next morning.

He keenly sensed that the atmosphere at the Jingbian Division was clearly abnormal.

During the period when Wu Baihu was completely sidelined, the others actually had few options.

Now that Wu Baihu has returned, the banner officers of the Jingbian Division will inevitably have to choose sides among them.

The situation between Commander Shen and Deputy Commander Wu was unclear. One was a powerful young man from the capital who had been parachuted in, while the other was a local strongman who had been operating in Sizhou for over a decade. Choosing the right side would be good, but choosing the wrong side could ruin one's future or even endanger one's life...

This has led most people to hesitate to take sides and instead choose to wait and see.

Of course, for someone like Huang Yue, who has already thoroughly offended one side, there is no choice but to go down a dark path. Inside Shen Qingya's office, Shen Qingya sat in the main seat, resting with his eyes closed. Huang Yue, his hand wrapped in gauze, paced back and forth in the hall like an ant on a hot pan, unable to contain himself, and asked, "Sir, isn't the higher-ups doing anything about Deputy Commander Wu accepting bribes and buying and selling official positions?"

If we were to name the most anxious person in the Jingbian Division, it would undoubtedly be Huang Yue.

In the past, he had thoroughly offended Commander Wu. Once Commander Wu took power, he would definitely be the first one to deal with him.

Therefore, he wanted Wu Baihu to fall completely and never be able to get back up again, more than anyone else.

Shen Qingya slowly opened his eyes and said in a low voice, "This matter need not be mentioned again in the future."

After returning to the Jingbian Division, Wu also made efforts.

But when he reported these matters, he received only a lukewarm response from the town magistrate.

Clearly, accepting bribes is not enough to bring down Wu Xianren.

Shen Qingya clenched his fists, a surge of suppressed anger welling up inside him.

If Wu Xianren hadn't been suppressed, it would have been fine. But even though he had been completely sidelined, he was given the opportunity to make a comeback, and he himself became a laughing stock in everyone's eyes.

Huang Yue's eyes darted around before he looked at Shen Qingya again and said, "Lord Shen, I feel there's something very strange about what happened between the Yang family and the Tian family last time!"

Shen Qingya's gaze sharpened, and he asked, "Is there something strange?"

Huang Yue quickly said, "My lord, think about it. Originally, it was a conflict between the Yang family and the Tian family, but in the end, you suffered the greatest loss. I suspect that this was a play staged by Commander Wu and the two families, with the aim of escalating the matter and then pinning the blame on you..."

Shen Qingya looked at him and said calmly, "Continue."

Huang Yue quickly said, "Think about it, why did the Yang family block the gate of the Jingbian Division, but retreat as soon as Commander Wu showed up? Isn't that clearly giving Commander Wu credit..."

Shen Qingya said, "I had someone investigate. Wu has been in Sizhou for so many years, but he has no relationship with the Tian and Yang families. Why would these two families risk offending the imperial court to help him?"

Huang Yue continued, "Lord Shen, you may not know this, but although Commander Wu has no connection with the Tian and Yang families, Lin Xuan does. Last time, when the Tian and Yang families clashed, the Yang family almost led their men to storm the Tian family's residence. It was Lin Xuan who intervened and quelled the dispute. Everyone in the Jingbian Division knows about this. I personally witnessed it. In Black Stone Village, Lin Xuan was drinking and chatting intimately with the leaders of the Tian and Yang families. And Lin Xuan is Commander Wu's confidant..."

Shen Qingya leaned back in his chair, looking at Huang Yue with a gaze that seemed to see through everything, and said calmly, "It seems you truly hate that Lin Xuan to the bone. Last time you said he was a spy for Nanzhao, and this time you say he colluded with the chieftains and stormed the Jingbian Commandery..."

Shen Qingya coldly said, "Do you think I'm a fool, or do you think those two chieftains are fools who dare to oppose the imperial court with just a few words from a lowly banner officer?"

Huang Yue's eyes darted away as his little scheme was exposed.

He certainly didn't think Lin Xuan had that ability; he just wanted to take advantage of this incident to use Commander Shen to avenge himself. He didn't expect Lin Xuan to see through him so quickly.

He dared not admit it, and could only stubbornly say, "Sir, I am only thinking of you. Lin Xuan is Wu Baihu's confidant. Wu Baihu has returned to the Jingbian Division and is in a state of arrogance. You should do something to make him and his men understand that you are the true master of the Jingbian Division..."

Shen Qingya did not speak immediately. Although Huang Yue's motives were impure, his words were not entirely without reason.

He had already lost face in that matter and desperately needed something to restore his authority and deflate Wu Baihu's arrogance.

It's unrealistic to directly target Commander Wu, but it's easy to target his men.

After a moment, he looked at Huang Yue and asked in a low voice, "What are your thoughts?"

Huang Yue was overjoyed and immediately stepped forward, whispering, "My lord, I have a cousin who committed a crime a few years ago and is wanted by the authorities. He has become an outlaw. We can..."

(End of this chapter)