The Speedrun Begins with Choosing Hunter

Chapter 284: Chapter 281: Departure

In the blink of an eye, another seven days passed.

The Demon Sect still showed no signs of movement.

Huaiyuan City was much quieter than before. Several days ago, the Yang Family and Fang Family had also led their people out of the city, and those who remained were far fewer than before.

Huaiyuan City had now temporarily become Du Qinghui’s provisional government, and the Jiangnan Commerce Association had no objections.

"That kid, Lu Yu, he sure ran fast."

On the street, Yang Fangyu and Bai Yuan chatted as they patrolled.

Lu Yu had left Huaiyuan City with the Fang Family three days ago.

If Bai Yuan was the one who gained the most from this trip to Dingzhou, then Lu Yu had to be the second.

Lu Yu was now highly regarded by Fang Yan, and his status was sure to rise significantly after returning to Lu State.

Yang Fangyu sized Bai Yuan up without a word.

The current Bai Yuan had already far surpassed him in strength. Even his own uncle treated Bai Yuan like a sworn brother.

He just found it all surreal.

He remembered a time when he and Bai Yuan were evenly matched, but now they were worlds apart.

Xuan Yang had geniuses like Bai Yuan, but you could count them on one hand. They were monstrous talents, one in ten thousand.

The path of the Martial Dao had always been this unreasonable.

For some people, improving was as easy as drinking water—a sudden, overwhelming surge.

Bai Yuan: "That kid is probably already sleeping soundly with his wife by now."

Yang Fangyu felt a pang of envy.

Come to think of it, he hadn’t seen Yan Xiuhong in several months either.

Just as the two were chatting, a man in armor walked up to Bai Yuan. "Lord Bai, Lord Du requests your presence."

Bai Yuan: "Thank you, I’ll go right away."

He said a word to Yang Fangyu and then headed straight for the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office.

When he walked into the main hall of the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office, Du Qinghui was speaking with Liu Yong, the Vice Director of the Astronomical Bureau.

Du Qinghui saw Bai Yuan arrive.

"Mr. Liu, His Majesty will surely remember the Astronomical Bureau’s contribution."

"Lord Du, we both serve the nation. There’s no need for thanks."

Liu Yong slowly rose to his feet. Before leaving, he gave Bai Yuan a friendly nod.

Bai Yuan didn’t dare act arrogantly and bowed respectfully. "Vice Director Liu."

After Liu Yong left, Du Qinghui spoke again. "Sit."

Bai Yuan found a seat closest to Du Qinghui and sat down.

A rare look of exhaustion appeared on Du Qinghui’s face. He sighed softly. "In a few days, you should head south to Ling Province."

Bai Yuan was somewhat surprised. "Lord Du, why?"

’I’ve shown my strength now,’ Bai Yuan thought. ’Shouldn’t Du Qinghui want me to stay in Dingzhou even more?’

Du Qinghui rubbed his temples. "Dingzhou cannot be held."

Bai Yuan couldn’t help but sit up straight. He never expected Du Qinghui to say something like this to him.

"The Nine Heavens Profound Soldiers are not something that can be resisted by human strength. Vice Director Liu performed thirteen divinations with the nine celestial stars, and all were signs of great misfortune—an omen of certain death with no chance of survival."

"You are very good. It would be a waste for you to die in Dingzhou. Xuan Yang will need you in the future."

"At least... you shouldn’t die now."

Bai Yuan: "..."

He had guessed that the situation in Dingzhou was critical, but he never thought it had reached the point of no return.

Bai Yuan: "Mr. Du, why don’t you leave as well?"

A faint smile appeared on Du Qinghui’s face. "In this battle, someone from Xuan Yang must die. Otherwise, wouldn’t we seem to lack backbone? I suppose I’m the perfect candidate."

"..."

Bai Yuan fell silent.

Du Qinghui had clearly come to Dingzhou prepared to die.

"A high minister dies for the state." He didn’t understand such an act, but he could only respect it.

After all, he was in no position to dissuade Du Qinghui.

Bai Yuan slowly rose. "Thank you, Mr. Du."

At that moment, he didn’t see Du Qinghui as his superior, but as an elder.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Du Qinghui laughed in exasperation. "Just stay alive. Don’t think you can help me just because you’ve gained a bit of skill. Besides, I won’t necessarily lose."

He had once again regained his imposing demeanor.

"Yes, sir."

Bai Yuan bowed once more.

Just as he was about to step out of the room, Du Qinghui suddenly spoke. "I have a son and a daughter. If they ever find themselves in trouble... help them, for my sake."

"I will certainly do my best."

Du Qinghui seemed to age a few more years in that instant. When a man grows old, there are always things he can’t let go of.

...

「The next morning.」

After bidding farewell to Yang Fangyu, Bai Yuan left Huaiyuan Prefecture.

Before leaving, he hinted to Yang Fangyu that he should find the right time to leave Dingzhou. This was the most he could do.

Huaiyuan Prefecture wasn’t far from Ling Province to begin with.

Traveling alone on horseback, Bai Yuan reached the borders of Ling Province by noon the next day.

He glanced back at the vast white snow behind him.

That was the grave Du Qinghui had chosen for himself.

"A monarch dies for his dynasty, a minister for his people, a scholar for his principles."

This concept of seeking death at the drop of a hat was prevalent in the Confucian Family, and Bai Yuan certainly couldn’t understand it.

He didn’t return to Huanglong Prefecture, but went to Ling Province instead.

With both Du Qinghui and Jiang Changping gone to Dingzhou, he naturally became the person with the highest official rank and the greatest strength in Ling Province.

When Du Qinghui told him to return to Ling Province, wasn’t it with the thought that if Dingzhou fell, Bai Yuan would be there to support Ling Province?

With the strength Bai Yuan had displayed, he was more than qualified to even be a Prefect.

CLIP-CLOP... CLIP-CLOP...

A burst of rapid hoofbeats.

WHOA~

Outside Lingzhou City, Bai Yuan reined in his horse. He gazed at the familiar city walls, a sense of relief washing over him.

’Finally back in Lingzhou...’

This time, the guards at the city gate recognized Bai Yuan. No one dared to stop him.

Bai Yuan spurred his horse and entered Lingzhou City.

There was a rule in the city prohibiting horseback riding. In ancient times, very few people could afford a horse, and those who dared to ride one within the city walls were even rarer.

Except for a few young masters from wealthy families and other dignitaries, no one would dare to knowingly break this rule.

Bai Yuan galloped through the streets on his magnificent Demon Horse, drawing a crowd of onlookers.

He was finally getting a taste of what it felt like to be one of those rich young masters from the Capital City.

Although he had never practiced horsemanship, his formidable physical prowess allowed him to keep the Demon Horse beneath him under firm control.

Not a single person was injured along the way.

In the time it takes to burn an incense stick, he arrived at the Lingzhou Prefecture Magistrate’s Office.

The Lingzhou Prefecture Magistrate’s Office was very quiet at this time, with only a few clerks bustling about.

After all, eighty percent of the personnel from the Demon Slayer Guard and the Patrol Office had been transferred to Dingzhou, so naturally, there weren’t many people left.

Bai Yuan stepped into the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office.

Just then, a young man from the Demon Slayer Guard happened to recognize Bai Yuan.

"Lord Bai."

He looked nervous as he gave Bai Yuan a respectful bow.

"At ease. Where is Lord Chen?"

Bai Yuan glanced around the main hall but saw no one.

The young man hesitated slightly. "Lord Chen... is in the back hall."

Seeing the young man’s hesitant and stammering demeanor, Bai Yuan frowned slightly.

"Lead the way."

A flicker of hesitation crossed the young man’s eyes, but he quickly made his decision.

He immediately began leading Bai Yuan toward the rear courtyard.

The Lord Chen Bai Yuan mentioned was Chen Danian, the Vice Governor of Lingzhou who had been appointed to replace Yuan Dingcai after his death in battle.

There is only one Prefect, but there is usually more than one Vice Governor.

Technically, Bai Yuan’s current official rank was the same as Chen Danian’s.

With Du Qinghui and Jiang Changping both having left Lingzhou, he and Chen Danian had naturally become the Chief Officials of Ling Province.

Since Du Qinghui had entrusted Lingzhou to him, he first had to pay a visit to Chen Danian.

Bai Yuan rarely came to Lingzhou City, so he had only met Chen Danian a few times.

Before long, the young Demon Slayer Guard Official led Bai Yuan to a courtyard in the rear of the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office.

As they approached the courtyard gate, they could already hear the flirtatious laughter of women from inside.

Bai Yuan’s brow furrowed even more tightly, unconsciously.

No wonder the young man had looked so conflicted. It seemed that Lord Chen was treating the official government office as his personal pleasure palace.

The Prefecture Magistrate’s Office was public property.

Even Du Qinghui wouldn’t live in the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office long-term.

However, the office was equipped with a few residences, mostly for the chief officials to use for midday rests.

He never thought that Chen Danian would be engaging in such debauchery in one of the rooms.

The common people always talked about "dog officials," and it clearly wasn’t a baseless rumor.

People like Du Qinghui, who would die for their country, were actually the minority. Most officials were like Chen Danian inside—useless parasites occupying high positions.

Not only that, but they were also experts at exploiting the common people.

Bai Yuan felt a sudden, inexplicable surge of irritation.

Perhaps it was the thought of Du Qinghui, who faced certain death without regret, while the very people he was protecting were indulging in such depravity.

Bai Yuan suppressed the anger in his heart and knocked on the courtyard gate.

The debauchery in the courtyard didn’t stop. A full incense stick’s time passed before a middle-aged man angrily pushed open the door.

"Which blind fool..."

He was halfway through his sentence when he saw that the one knocking was Bai Yuan. His words died in his throat.

Chen Danian was a bit embarrassed. "Lord Bai, weren’t you in Dingzhou? Why are you back today?"

He tugged at his disheveled clothes.

Bai Yuan: "What refined tastes you have, Lord Chen."

Chen Danian gave a sly laugh. "Lord Bai, there’s an untouched virgin inside. Care to join me in... appreciating her?"

Bai Yuan’s mood grew even more foul.

"Lord Chen, there’s been a change in Dingzhou. Lord Du ordered me to return and make arrangements."

Chen Danian finally adopted a serious tone. "I’ll be there shortly."

Seeing Bai Yuan leave, Chen Danian closed the door.

Although the two were of the same rank, their statuses were worlds apart.

There are generally two types of Vice Governors. One is a candidate in line to become a Prefect, temporarily serving as a Vice Governor due to a lack of seniority; such a person won’t stay in the position for long.

The other type is like Chen Danian: with no hope of further promotion, he relied on his long years of service to become a Vice Governor, but this was the end of the line for him, with no possibility of rising higher.

So, one couldn’t really blame Chen Danian. Among Xuan Yang’s Vice Governors, his actions weren’t the most outrageous.

It was said that in wealthy places like the Central Plains and Jiangnan, even a mere seventh-grade county magistrate lived a life of unimaginable luxury.

The Xuan Yang dynasty had stood for a thousand years. Although its martial virtue was abundant and its national power was formidable, it ultimately couldn’t escape the common ailment of all dynasties.

A full thirty minutes passed before Chen Danian finally sauntered in.

Bai Yuan was already seated in the main hall.

"Lord Bai."

Chen Danian cupped his fists in a salute to Bai Yuan.

The tales of Bai Yuan’s deeds had already reached Lingzhou, so he was, of course, aware of how formidable this young man was.

He never imagined that a poor place like Lingzhou could produce such a true dragon.

Even those monstrous talents from the Central Plains were likely inferior to Bai Yuan.

Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, Chen Danian was naturally unwilling to offend the immensely promising Bai Yuan.

Of course, if pushed into a corner, he had been an official for decades. The power backing him was not to be underestimated, and he would certainly let this young Vice Governor know what’s what.