Chapter 257: Chapter 218: Night Patrol Division, Broken Sword Sect
Shuntong Escort Agency.
The old head of the escort agency, Jiang Minghai, was having a meal.
His meal was simple.
A freshly made flatbread, soft and fluffy, was cut into even triangles and set to the side.
Then, he opened a newly bought jar of stinky tofu.
This was stinky tofu from Yijin Store Village in Gaodian Town, thirty li southeast of the Capital.
It was made from select soybeans, first coagulated into tofu, then fermented for thirty days on a heated brick bed.
Once fermentation was complete, the smell was extremely pungent, but the taste was rich and savory—a true delicacy.
He picked up a piece of flatbread and spread a chunk of stinky tofu evenly over it. The heat from the bread fully released the tofu’s aroma, making it almost hard to breathe.
But this was Jiang Minghai’s favorite.
He had been eating it for most of his life; no other delicacy could compare to this single bite.
Jiang Feng, however, had never gotten used to the smell.
Holding his breath, he recounted everything he had seen that day to his father, placing special emphasis on the fact that Wu Liangchen was heading to the Broken Sword Sect.
Jiang Minghai, however, acted as if he hadn’t heard a thing, slowly chewing his flatbread with a look of pure enjoyment.
Finally, after finishing the flatbread, Jiang Minghai let out a satisfied burp and leaned back contentedly.
"What do you think of this Wu Liangchen?"
Jiang Feng immediately replied, "He’s very strong!"
He then added, "He’s truly a brilliant young man. The rumors weren’t exaggerated."
Jiang Minghai picked his teeth, then said slowly, "So, what’s your point?"
"I think this Wu Liangchen is no simple character. Even a Martial Artist of the Grandmaster Realm has been defeated by him. But that Gu Yi has been famous for a long time, so I can’t be sure who will win this fight."
"That’s not important. In fact, it might even be a good thing!" Jiang Minghai said faintly.
Jiang Feng bowed, ready to listen to his father’s teachings.
"The martial world of the Imperial Capital has been quiet for far too long, like a pool of stagnant water without a single ripple."
"Admittedly, this is a good thing for those old, established figures, since it allows them to maintain their status."
"But if this goes on, everything will stagnate. Young Martial Artists, with no way to advance, will lose their ambition."
"That would be a terrible thing. So, the arrival of this Wu Liangchen is like a mighty dragon crossing the river, injecting a bit of life into the Imperial Capital’s dead martial scene."
Hearing this, Jiang Feng’s spirits lifted. "So, Father, you mean..."
"Let’s just wait and see. Although this Gu Yi is known as the number one fighter in Kyoto’s civilian world, he’s been living comfortably for so many years. Who knows what his true strength is now!" Jiang Minghai said lightly.
"Should we send people to monitor the latest developments?"
"No need. This matter has nothing to do with us. His victory or defeat is even less our concern. It’s best to just watch from the sidelines."
"But my brother-in-law..." Jiang Feng hesitated.
"He’ll be fine. If Wu Liangchen wanted to kill him, he would have done it long ago. Why go through all the trouble of coming to the Imperial Capital just to kill him now? So you don’t need to worry about his safety."
"Understood!"
While the Jiangs, father and son, were talking, Wu Liangchen had already finished resting. After closing his eyes for a short nap, he opened the window and leaped into the vibrant night of the Capital.
Lanterns lined the streets, one after another, stretching endlessly as if to touch the horizon.
Wu Liangchen trod lightly on the eaves, moving like an elegant crane, flying silently through the darkness.
But just as he left the district, a sharp shout suddenly rang out from the darkness ahead.
"Night Patrol here! Halt!"
Immediately, several torches appeared on the rooftops, and five men in uniform, holding sabers and crossbows, stared coldly at Wu Liangchen.
The leader said, "By order of the Capital, no one is permitted to run across the rooftops at night unless they have a passage token issued by the palace."
"Get off the roof now, and I can make an exception and let you off this one time. But if you dare take another step forward, it’ll be your life."
It turned out the Imperial Capital’s laws were strict. To control the civilian martial world, the Night Patrol had been established specifically to arrest night-walkers who violated the curfew.
The five of them were a squad under the Night Patrol, responsible for security in this area.
Hearing this, Wu Liangchen just smiled faintly. With a light tap of his toes, he charged straight forward.
"You’re courting death!" The squad leader, both shocked and furious, waved his hand sharply.
The man next to him holding a crossbow immediately raised it, aimed at the figure in the air, and pulled the trigger.
WHOOSH!
With the twang of the mechanism, a Crossbow Arrow shot through the night sky at incredible speed, heading straight for Wu Liangchen.
These crossbows were reinforced, specially designed to deal with members of the martial world who used their skills to break the law.
An ordinary Martial Artist wouldn’t even have time to react, let alone dodge.
But the expected splash of blood never came. Instead, the whistling of the Crossbow Arrow stopped abruptly.
With a gentle reach of his hand, Wu Liangchen had actually caught the Crossbow Arrow in the nick of time.
Then, he landed on the upturned eaves of a small building, staring coldly down at the men below.
Seeing this, the squad leader looked as if he’d been struck by lightning, his expression turning incredibly grave.
’Third Realm!’
’No, he must be at least in the Minor Fourth Realm!’
’Looks like this is serious!’
’If I’d known, I would have just pretended not to see him and let him pass.’
’But it’s too late for regrets now.’
He could only brace himself and say, "Sir, are you determined to make an enemy of the Night Patrol?"
Wu Liangchen didn’t answer. He just flicked his hand, and the Crossbow Arrow he was holding shot out with a whistle, striking the crossbow before any of them could react.
The crossbow shattered instantly, and the immense force even injured the archer’s hand.
As blood dripped, the five men retreated in unison, their faces filled with terror.
At the same time, Wu Liangchen turned and left, disappearing into the vast night in the blink of an eye.
"Chief, what do we do now?" one of his subordinates asked.
The squad leader’s expression was grim. He slowly let out a breath.
"Forget it. A high-level Martial Artist like that is not someone we can stop. Now that Xiaoliu’s hand is injured, we have something to report. As for what he’s up to, that’s none of our business."
The other four members of the squad remained silent.
That’s right. Although the Night Patrol’s pay was much better than other government offices, it wasn’t worth their lives.
’As the saying goes, for just a few silver coins a month, why would we risk our lives?’
Meanwhile, Wu Liangchen had already left that district and entered the territory of East City.
This area was much more prosperous than where Xu Kai lived. Even though it was late at night, the streets were still teeming with pedestrians.
Correspondingly, the presence of the Night Patrol was also much more visible.
Sometimes, there would be two Night Patrol squads on a single street.
However, relying on his superhuman senses, Wu Liangchen was always able to avoid them in advance, silently infiltrating the heart of East City.
This was a bustling commercial district, and according to Xu Kai, Plum Blossom Alley was located here.
Wu Liangchen landed in a small alley, concealed his weapon slightly, then walked out slowly and merged into the crowd.
It was a famous alley, named for the century-old plum tree growing at its entrance.
Although it wasn’t yet the blooming season, the recent cold spell had caused the branches to fill with flower buds.
Some had already begun to open, revealing a hint of white within.
A faint floral fragrance filled the air. Wu Liangchen stood under the tree, looked up for a moment, and then confirmed that this must be the place he was looking for.
’Quite an elegant place!’
Wu Liangchen tightened the bundle on his back and was about to step into the alley.
Just then, a woman’s voice came from behind him.
"Excuse me, friend, please wait!"
Wu Liangchen stopped and turned to look.
He saw two young women, about seventeen or eighteen years old, walking over shyly.
"Friend, are you heading to the Broken Sword Sect?"
Wu Liangchen was slightly taken aback, then nodded. "Yes. And you two are...?"
The two women exchanged a smile, then said cheerfully, "We just saw you lingering under the tree and guessed you were probably looking for the Broken Sword Sect."
One of them, a young woman with her hair in a bun, smiled and said, "Friend, are you thinking of joining the Broken Sword Sect?"
"Er... I suppose so," Wu Liangchen said, deciding not to correct them and let them continue.
"I knew it! Although you’re a bit old, our Broken Sword Sect accepts all kinds of students. As long as you work hard, you’ll definitely achieve something," the girl with the bun said happily.
"Your Broken Sword Sect?"
"That’s right, we’re both disciples of the Broken Sword Sect! My name is Da Jiao, and she’s Er Lan!" the woman said, quite proudly.
At that moment, the two young women were overjoyed.
The two of them had originally gone out to buy something, but just as they were about to head back, they spotted Wu Liangchen in the distance.
He was standing under the plum tree, and the fading lights in the distance made his tall, distinguished figure seem even more extraordinary.
The two of them were stunned at the sight.
Especially when they got a clear look at Wu Liangchen’s face, their hearts started to pound.
What young woman doesn’t dream of romance?
This was especially true at their age.
Having practiced martial arts since childhood, they had developed bold and straightforward personalities, which was why they dared to approach him.
Now, hearing that Wu Liangchen was really here to "seek a master and learn the art," the two were naturally delighted.
With a junior martial brother like him, their future days surely wouldn’t be lonely.
"Let’s go. I’ll take you to see our Senior Brother first. Don’t worry, even though Eldest Senior Brother is a bit fierce, we’ll speak up for you. He’ll definitely accept you," Er Lan said, not to be outdone.
Wu Liangchen smiled and asked, as if casually, "What about your master?"
"Master isn’t here right now, but our Eldest Senior Brother is amazing too! He’s in charge of most of the sect’s affairs now, and he even teaches us swordsmanship!" Da Jiao said, jumping in.
’So Gu Yi isn’t here?’
Wu Liangchen was faintly disappointed, but he quickly returned to normal.
’Since the master is away, I’ll see what this so-called Eldest Senior Brother is made of!’
He followed the two young women deep into the alley, where an elegant establishment stood.
Three words were written on the plaque above the door.
Broken Sword Sect!
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