White-Robed Chief

In the early morning, outside the Secret Guardians Hall, two young secret guardians stood majestically next to the two big stone lions. They had their hands firmly wrapped around their saber hilts as if they were ready to unsheathe them at any moment. Their eyes had a ferocious intensity and they looked very intimidating.

Chu Li was donned in a long white robe. He stepped in front of them slowly and calmly.

The two young secret guardians were overjoyed when they saw Chu Li. They rushed forward, each holding a fist salute. “Centurion Chu!”

Chu Li waved his hand in reply. “I’m no longer a centurion now, so don’t need to call me that.”

“Please come in, Centurion Chu!” The two laughed.

Chu Li said, “Better go and notify them. I wish to see the Commander.”

“No need. You’re not an outsider, Centurion Chu. Just go straight in.”

“Hehe, I’m an outsider now. Don’t let me go in like this, I don’t want to enrage the Commander. You better go and notify my presence.”

“… Okay,” the two agreed reluctantly.

Before long, Chen Donghai came in with big strides. Before he stepped out of the main door, he was already holding a fist salute. “It’s a blessing having you visit us, Chief Chu. Please, the Commander is already waiting.”

Chu Li held a fist salute and smiled at Chen Donghai, then he walked in through the main door.

Chen Donghai and Chu Li strolled along the hallway side by side, making their way to the main hall.

There was not a single bit of hatred and resentment on Chen Donghai’s looks at all. It looked as if he had covered it very well, but he could not hide it from Chu Li’s eyes. However, Chu Li knew that he could not vent out his frustrations toward Chen Donghai, because in doing so Chen Donghai would in his turn expose his actions to the superiors, and Chu Li would be dragging himself into trouble.

The last time, he had seized an opportunity to extort the Emperor’s Primary Heaven Pill, so that he could restore his martial arts justifiably. Though that case of misfortune turned out to be a blessing in disguise, he was not prepared to let Chen Donghai off scot-free.

The two looked so harmonious from the outside. Who could imagine that they were fighting to their deaths two days before this? Chen Donghai’s martial arts had been crippled by Chu Li’s wife, so his hatred toward him was deeper than the sea.

Chu Li casually said, “Centurion Chen, if you want to restore your martial arts, you might as well consume a Primary Heaven Pill!”

“Primary Heaven Pill!” Chen Donghai smiled bitterly. “That is not something you and I can simply lay our hands on. It’s Green Deer Cliff’s unique secret medicine. It’s the rarest among the rarest. We dare not yearn it!”

“That’s true.” Chu Li nodded.

“So, Centurion Chu, you’ve recovered your martial arts?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve taken the Primary Heaven Pill?”

“Exactly.”

“Where did you get it?”

“A gift from His Majesty. It’s difficult to refuse such kindness.”

Chu Li said casually.

He had intentionally publicized it. The Emperor did not want to divulge it for fear of shame, but Chu Li wanted everyone to know. In this way, everyone would know the Emperor’s support for King An’s Imperial Residence.

Chu Li was the Head Chief of King An’s Imperial Residence. Why would the Emperor treat him so nicely and even granting him the Primary Heaven Pill? It was obviously out of fear that other people would oppress King An’s Imperial Residence — anyone could have figured that out.

“A gift from His Majesty …” Chen Donghai stifled a breath in his chest and almost fainted.

They both had their martial arts crippled. However, one became a useless person who had to take the arduous road to restart his cultivation, while the other had restored his martial arts immediately by consuming a Primary Heaven Pill. This difference in fates was incredibly infuriating, how sad was that!

Chu Li smiled and said, “Don’t worry, just take your practice slowly. The second-time cultivating will be much faster than the first. I believe you can develop your inner force in less than a month and can acquire mastery in about a year’s time.”

Chen Donghai felt like slapping Chu Li to death with a single palm, but with a smile on his face, he said, “Yes, cultivation is faster the second time around.”

“You’re still young, Centurion Chen, you can catch up,” Chu Li said.

“Yes.” Chen Donghai laughed bitterly. He hated Chu Li so much he was gritting his teeth but he could only endure it. He knew that he could not beat Chu Li in his current state.

Soon, they arrived at the main hall. Gu Yu was sitting in the armchair at the very center of the main hall. He raised to his feet and held a fist salute. “Centurion Chu, sorry to have troubled you.”

Chu Li said, “It’s alright, Commander. Let’s just go there and have a look.”

He did not feel the need to speak to Gu Yu as saying more would not benefit him at all; maintaining his courtesy on the surface would suffice. He knew that Gu Yu would rather just end him right there and then.

“Okay.” Gu Yu was secretly relieved.

He then scrutinized Chu Li and found that his cultivation levels were back to its full level. He could not help but feel surprised. “Chief Chu, you’ve restored your martial arts?”

Chu Li smiled and said, “That’s right. The Emperor gave me the Primary Heaven Pill to help me recover my martial arts. I can’t be more thankful for His Majesty’s generosity.”

“The Emperor really favors you huh, Chief Chu!” Gu Yu forced a smile.

He felt petty. The Primary Heaven Pill was not an ordinary pill. There was no way he could have gotten himself one, and he could not believe that the Emperor had given Chu Li one!

Chu Li held a fist salute in the direction of the Forbidden Palace with a smile on his face.

To see the two of them filled with anger and had nowhere to vent brought him great satisfaction.

The three men left the Secret Guardian Hall and came to Shang Shu Mansion on horseback, which was the residence of Li Shangshu, the Ministry of Industry. It was heavily guarded by secret guardians all around, not allowing any trespassers.

After the three of them entered, Chu Li quickly checked the thirty-five corpses and the environment inside the residence. After half a day, he led people directly to an inn in the center of the city.

The people he brought were the people of the Mei Er Courtyard, as well as the disciples of Mei Yi Courtyard. Due to the fact that Chen Donghai’s martial arts was crippled, he would only be a liability if he went. Hence, he could only stay behind. Gu Yu followed the group and watched them capture a skinny young man solemnly.

He really could not see how the skinny young man could be a murderer. He looked weak and frail. He was obviously an ordinary person who did not know martial arts. Based on the heavy injuries sustained by the victims, the murderer should be a tall and burly man. It was a vast difference from this skinny young man right in front of him.

Could it be that Chu Li merely wanted to please the officials, so he merely arrested someone as the scapegoat?

Chu Li did not say much. All he did was to have his men capture the skinny young man back to the Secret Guardians Hall for interrogation as soon as possible.

The two then returned to Secret Guardian Hall’s main hall with Chen Donghai waiting there, longing to see the culprit.

Chu Li went straight into the main hall and sat down on the armchair to rest. He sat there lazily as he was not keen on saying anything. He seemed like he had no interest in explaining anything to the two other men whatsoever.

Since he wanted to solve the case, he must clean things up thoroughly, so as not to leave a mess as well as give people excuses and leverage to question him.

“Is he really the murderer?” Gu Yu frowned. “You’re not making this up just to please the Emperor’s officials, are you? That guy doesn’t even do martial arts, and his height doesn’t match either.”

Chu Li shook his head and said, “Commander, are you aware of a martial art called Bone Shrinkage Skill?”

“Bone Shrinkage?” Gu Yu frowned.

Chen Donghai quickly added, “Did the murderer used this Bone Shrinkage Skill? So, we’ve caught him?”

“Caught him,” Chu Li said, “Commander Gu, you suspect that he’s not the real murderer? The guy is using the Bone Shrinkage Skill now and he looks like he doesn’t know martial arts because he has cast a secret skill. So, he is extremely weak and therefore so easy to capture. If he was in his usual state, he would’ve been long gone by now! ”

“Secret skill?” Gu Zheng frowned. “He still needs a secret skill?”

This guy should be a tough and aggressive top-notch master. He should not need any secret skill as he was more than capable of annihilating Li Shangshu’s whole family effortlessly.

“The secret skill was the reason why he looked very powerful.” Chu Li said casually. “Actually, he’s not that powerful, so it was easy to catch him. I’ll let you guys handle the rest of this matter. You should close this case as soon as possible.”

Gu Yu nodded slowly.

After a short while, a thin middle-aged man stepped forward hurriedly. He handed Gu Yu a white paper before he stepped back.

Gu Yu opened the white paper and read the contents. Immediately, his expression turned gloomy.

“Commander, so there are no results from the interrogation?” Chen Donghai asked.

“It’s alright if we didn’t get any results!” Gu Yan scoffed, “This person is a bit tricky!”

Chu Li smiled faintly, “What’s tricky?”

Gu Yu sighed and handed it to Chen Donghai.

Chen Donghai glanced at the paper quickly and frowned “It turns out that he’s a disciple of Tempest Temple? Big trouble!”

If he is a disciple of Tempest Temple, they would indeed be in trouble since they had rashly arrested a disciple of Tempest Temple without any solid evidence. Tempest Temple would surely not let this go and bring trouble upon them.