Martial Cultivator

Lin Shan had a smile on his face, but his eyes were filled with a chilling intent.

The Left Guard’s official seal rightfully belonged to the Commander of the Left Guard. As the deputy commander, he never had the qualifications to control it from the beginning. It was just that back then, when Chen Chao left the Divine Capital, he needed to temporarily assume the duties of the commander, allowing him to hold the official seal. However, it was only a temporary arrangement. Now that Chen Chao had returned to the Divine Capital, the official seal should be returned to Chen Chao.

However, Lin Shan refused to do so.

Chen Chao asked, ”Why?”

Lin Shan smiled and said, ”Earlier, Commander Chen kept citing the Great Liang’s laws. Did you forget the procedures for transferring the official seal of the Left Guard as stated in the Great Liang’s laws?”

Chen Chao was silent and did not speak.

Back in Tianqing County, he had studied all the articles related to wardens in Great Liang’s laws. He naturally knew that the transfer of the official seal required a set of procedures, including official documents from the Warden’s Office and the Lord Warden Commander personally using the seal.

Although everything was prepared when Chen Chao left the Divine Capital, it did not mean these things were unimportant.

Lin Shan looked at Chen Chao and said calmly, ”This lowly official asks Lord Commander to enlighten this lowly official.”

His eyes were fixed on Chen Chao, and the emotions in them were clear - mockery and disdain were constantly present. Yes, who knew how many people in the Left Guard were like Lin Shan, there was little respect for Chen Chao’s so-called position as commander. They just treated him as someone who had stumbled upon good luck, nothing more.

Chen Chao said indifferently, ”According to Great Liang’s laws, the transfer of the Left Guard’s commander official seal does indeed require official documents from the Warden’s Office, and it needs the Lord Warden Commander to personally use his seal.”

After this sentence was said, a deathly silence fell over the entrance of the Left Guard’s office. Weng Quan who was observing this was clearly very shocked. He was a boor, how could he have studied much about the Great Liang’s laws? He had not personally witnessed the handover of the official seal, how could he know so many things?

”Right now, the Lord Warden Commander isn’t in the Divine Capital.”

Chen Chao raised his head, narrowing his eyes slightly as he looked at Lin Shan and asked, ”Doesn’t Deputy Commander know?”

Lin Shan nodded and said, ”This lowly official is naturally aware. The Lord Warden Commander is currently not in the Divine Capital. However, the documents of the Warden’s Office cannot be missing. If those documents are absent, a decree from His Majesty will do as well.”

When he spoke these words, there was a playful tone to them. Lin Shan was definitely aware that the Great Liang Emperor was currently not present in the Divine Capital. Therefore, the existence of such an imperial decree was definitely impossible too.

Two supremely powerful martial artists, the prominent figures of the Great Liang Dynasty, were both not in the Divine Capital. This was their chance.

Chen Chao was silent. Currently, the Lord Premier was assisting in governing the Great Liang Dynasty. There were also several great scholars taking part in government affairs, and the operations of the Great Liang Dynasty naturally proceeded smoothly. However, the problem was that they did not have the authority to manage the transfer of the Left Guard’s official seal either. As for the Warden’s Office, the Lord Warden Commander was not around, no one could represent the Lord Warden Commander to perform any action.

This was something written in the Great Liang’s laws.

Chen Chao found it somewhat amusing. The laws of Great Liang were usually disregarded in everyday matters, but in moments like these, they suddenly became a reference that countless people wanted to adhere to.

Chen Chao asked, ”Do you mean that if I cannot produce the relevant documents or a decree from His Majesty, you won’t hand over the official seal to this commander? The entire Left Guard’s office will still follow your command?”

Lin Shan nodded without hesitation, ”Although this lowly official truly wants to return this official seal to Lord Commander, with the Great Liang’s laws in place, as subjects of Great Liang, I truly don’t have the courage to violate them.”

He said this casually, and although there was little credibility in his words, they were quickly met with a chorus of approval. Many in the Left Guard supported Lin Shan. Chen Chao gripped the hilt of his saber, showing no visible emotion. He just slowly took a step up the stone steps. Despite his youthful appearance, the immaturity on his face had long disappeared, replaced by a more resolute expression. On many occasions, many people no longer viewed him as a teenager.

Chen Chao raised his head, looking up at Deputy Commander Lin who was standing at the entrance of the Left Guard’s office. He smiled and said, ”Did you, from the very beginning, think of me as just a teenager? So how in the world can I occupy the position of the Left Guard’s Commander? Perhaps you even entertained the thought that if Commander Song were to relinquish his position, it would undoubtedly be you stepping up to take over? So when I suddenly appeared, you just couldn’t bring yourself to like me?”

His voice was not soft, everyone could hear it clearly.

Many furrowed their brows, but no one spoke. What Chen Chao said was not just directed at Lin Shan, there were also the major and minor officials of the Left Guard.

Lin Shan furrowed his brows slightly but managed to conceal his emotions well. He just looked at Chen Chao and said calmly, ”Where does such talk come from? Lord Commander, you were appointed by the Lord Warden Commander, we dare not have any objections.”

’Dare not’ and ’do not have’ were never the same terms.

Chen Chao turned to glance at the surrounding guards and did not say anything to them.

Turning back, Chen Chao stared into Lin Shan’s eyes and said, ”What if I insist on taking that official seal?”

”Lord Commander, such an act is not stipulated by the Great Liang’s laws. So, this lowly official dare not allow it. I hope Lord Commander is just speaking in jest.”

Lin Shan’s expression was composed. At this point, he was completely certain that Chen Chao really had no means left. Otherwise, he would not be so threatening in manner, but inwardly shaky.

”Give me the official seal, or else this commander will kill you.”

In the snowy night, Chen Chao looked at Lin Shan. A voice suddenly sounded out, sharp as a sword in the dark night, revealing killing intent.

A commotion broke out in front of the Left Guard’s office.

”Lord Commander, such actions go against the Great Liang’s laws! Lord Commander, this is absolutely unacceptable!”

”Lord Commander, killing people for no reason isn’t tolerated by the Great Liang’s laws!”

”Lord Commander, think thrice, don’t ruin your future...”

Voices sounded out at the entrance of the Left Guard’s office. Some were warning Chen Chao, siding with Lin Shan, while others were guards who had a somewhat favorable impression of Chen Chao and were trying to persuade this young commander.

Weng Quan looked anxiously at Chen Chao, somewhat at a loss. When Song Lian left, he had specifically instructed him to not think about anything and stand by Chen Chao’s side no matter what happened in the Left Guard. Now that Chen Chao had spoken in this manner, he truly did not know how to choose.

Lin Shan looked at Chen Chao, but there was a hint of a smile on his face.

It was more mocking than anything else.

Chen Chao looked at him and asked, ”Do you think I can’t kill you?”

Lin Shan said calmly, ”Lord Commander, you lack justification. This lowly official hasn’t violated any of Great Liang’s laws. In other words, the brothers of the Left Guard naturally won’t follow Lord Commander’s orders. Moreover, the official seal is still in this lowly official’s hands. As for Lord Commander personally taking action, they naturally wouldn’t dare to stop you. However, Lord Commander, you’ve only recently stepped into the Bitter Sea Realm, how can you contend with this lowly official?”

In the end, the reason why these guards of the Left Guard looked down on Chen Chao was simple - his cultivation realm was truly too low and unable to convince them. Even if Chen Chao had already demonstrated his genius at the Myriad Willow Convention.

Ultimately, this world still revered these three words: ”Might makes right.”

Even if Chen Chao could get the position of commander because the Lord Warden Commander stood behind him, because he was not strong enough, he could not convince anyone.

Chen Chao’s hand remained on the hilt of his saber, and upon hearing the other party’s words, he seemed poised to draw his blade at any moment.

The atmosphere became somewhat strange.

On the other hand, Lin Shan was remarkably calm, looking at Chen Chao without a trace of fear. He had full confidence in his own cultivation realm. After all, he had entered the Bitter Sea Realm many years ago, becoming a Bitter Sea martial artist in reality as well as in name. The continuous tempering of his body over the years had allowed him to advance far in the Bitter Sea realm. Facing an ordinary Bitter Sea martial artist, he naturally did not regard them highly.

He was even somewhat looking forward to it. If Chen Chao insisted on taking action, he might be able to take advantage of this opportunity to kill Chen Chao right here and now.

Chen Chao narrowed his eyes and suddenly smiled, saying, ”If I were to take action and kill Deputy Commander Lin right now, I’m afraid the brothers in this office would consider this commander as the biggest scoundrel in the world.”

Before Lin Shan could speak, Chen Chao cheerfully pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and held it up in front of him. On it was the Lord Warden Commander’s large seal, bright red, easily visible at a glance.

This was precisely the document Lin Shan wanted.

Lin Shan was momentarily stunned, somewhat dumbfounded. He then looked at Chen Chao with undisguised disgust and anger.

This young martial artist who was smiling so happily in front of him, had become extremely repugnant to him.

Since you had this so-called official document all along, why bother talking so much rubbish? Why not take it out earlier?

Chen Chao seemed to have guessed what Deputy Commander Lin was thinking and said nonchalantly, ”Actually, even if you see it now, so what? You still won’t give me the official seal.”

Chen Chao looked into Lin Shan’s eyes, those eyes like stars held the purity of youth but also carried an inexplicable meaning.

Snow fell silently, and the Left Guard’s office fell into silence once again.

Those guards fell silent again, unsure of how to respond.

It was very quiet here.

There was no need to inspect the document to know that it was impossible to be falsified.

Lin Shan did not know where Chen Chao obtained this document. After all, the Lord Warden Commander was really absent from the Divine Capital now.

But in reality, the Lord Warden Commander had deliberately brought him this document back then, as if he had long known that some unforeseen accident might happen in the Left Guard.

In reality, as long as he did not leave the Divine Capital, nothing would have happened.

But the Lord Warden Commander still left the Divine Capital, so the message was very clear.

Chen Chao handed the document to Weng Quan and then casually asked, ”Deputy Commander Lin, do you have anything else to say?”

Lin Shan’s expression changed slightly, obviously contemplating something. But in the end, he still gritted his teeth and said with a cold face, ”Although Lord Commander has the document, forgive this lowly official for not being able to hand over the official seal in these extraordinary times in the Divine Capital!”

Chen Chao was not surprised that he said these words.

Right now, the Lord Warden Commander and Great Liang Emperor were both absent. If Lin Shan was determined not to hand over the official seal, what could Chen Chao do?

Chen Chao just smiled.

The Left Guard’s officials were all looking at Chen Chao at this moment. With events developing to this point, even those officials who initially supported Lin Shan were wavering too. After all, Chen Chao had the official document, it was equivalent to having the approval of the Lord Warden Commander. This way, Lin Shan’s stance became completely unreasonable.

They were waiting for Chen Chao’s reaction.

However, what Chen Chao said next surprised everyone.

Because the next moment, Chen Chao’s response was unexpected.

The young martial artist just looked at Lin Shan and said calmly, ”No need to forgive anything, because this commander won’t forgive you at all.”