Martial Saint through Reading

”Zhou Xun is still alive!” The Salt Commandant of Jingyan Guard, Song Yan, exclaimed in delight upon hearing the news, ”Quick, all of you, come over here and dig!”

”Where is County Magistrate Lv?” Prison Chief Lv Dong paused and then asked.

”County Magistrate Lv...” The two guards below dared not respond.

Their duty was to protect County Magistrate Lv Wen and County Magistrate Zhou Xun in the mine. Now, with one dead and one injured, they couldn’t escape responsibility.

”Prison Chief Lv, hurry up and dig! What are you still standing around for?” Song Yan urged.

”Yes!” Lv Dong felt an ominous premonition but dared not be negligent.

The miners, Jingyan Guard, and the Arresting Captains joined forces to dig at one spot and soon carved out a path to survival.

”Lord Chu, Commander Meng!”

Song Yan and Lv Wen froze at first when they saw Chu Ming and the others emerge, but then a sharp gleam flitted through their eyes.

This young man not only survived but seems completely unharmed!

However, upon closer thought, it seems that a pit collapse wouldn’t threaten a strong figure like the Commander of Ten Thousand Soldiers; it’s only natural that Chu Ming is unharmed.

”Commander Meng, what about County Magistrate Lv, and County Magistrate Zhou...” Song Yan bowed and asked deferentially.

In terms of rank, the Commander of Ten Thousand Soldiers is equivalent to Fourth Grade. Even if Inspector General Zhou Xi of the West Glory County Inspectorate came, he had to show respect. As a Sixth Grade Salt Commandant, Song Yan naturally had to be humble.

Meng Zhen glared coldly at Song Yan, a murderous intent evident in his voice: ”Song Yan, with today’s collapse, you, as the Salt Commandant, must give me an explanation!”

”I...” Song Yan’s breath stalled, as if an invisible icy blade was pressed against his neck.

In an instant, he realized that the person before him was a battle-hardened Commander of the Tiger Armor Army commanding ten thousand soldiers!

”Hmph!” Commander Meng’s authority was fully evident at this moment, ”The Chu Chief Clerk’s Office is an official post personally appointed by the Fifth Prince. On the first entry to the mine, a collapse occurred. I have reason to suspect that there’s corruption and illegal harm to officials in Jingyan County!”

The implication was that Song Yan, Lv Dong, and the buried County Magistrate Lv Wen, and Zhou Xun must all bear responsibility for the mine collapse.

This was Meng Zhen’s warning to those with ulterior motives.

”Commander, it is a false accusation; we did not foresee the collapse! The Ren Pit was reinforced only the day before; it could not have suddenly collapsed unless...”

Song Yan’s expression shifted unpredictably, and suddenly, he clasped his hands together and bowed, ”Commander, give me two days, and I promise to find out who caused this accident.”

Meng Zhen didn’t say anything further.

”Chu Chief Clerk’s Office...” Song Yan and Lv Dong turned to Chu Ming.

”First, save the people. County Magistrate Lv is in that corner.” Chu Ming stood at the cave entrance, pointing to a corner inside, where Lv Wen was crushed into a pulp.

Then, he pointed to another spot, ”County Magistrate Zhou is under that boulder, and under that stone next to it, there are several guards...”

”Thank you, Chu Chief Clerk’s Office!”

Song Yan and Lv Dong waved their hands, and immediately, dozens of Jingyan Guard and Arresting Captains rushed into the pit.

Chu Ming walked to one side, and the [Sword Gourd Spirit] was released again.

Unfortunately, there was no sign of Shen Yi, who must have truly escaped the mining site.

...

Noon.

The rescue ended, and most people were saved.

County Magistrate Lv Wen was dead, and County Magistrate Zhou Xun was severely injured and unconscious, with his chances of survival uncertain.

Besides them, nine Blood Circulation Realm guards died, the weakest of whom had condensed six Qi and Blood, and the strongest ten.

Aside from officials, there were seven to eight miners; for some reason, these miners did not exit the mine and ultimately lost their lives.

At the mining site, in the Jingyan Guard’s main hall.

Chu Ming, Shen Yu, Meng Zhen, and Jin Yu sat on one side; Shen Yu had hurried over upon hearing of the mine accident.

On the opposite side were Jingyan Guard Salt Commandant Song Yan, Jingyan County Criminal Defense Bureau Prison Chief Lv Dong, and the two heavily injured guards who survived.

Lying on the central ground were a dozen corpses, some guards, and some miners. County Magistrate Lv Wen’s body was not present.

”Respected officials, this is roughly what happened.” The two guards recounted everything that happened before the collapse in precise detail.

”Chu Chief Clerk’s Office, what do you think about what they said...?”

Song Yan, fearing Meng Zhen, could only consult Chu Ming.

Chu Ming nodded, ”That’s about right.”

He didn’t intend to hide the involvement of the miner who caused the incident or the constable Shen Yi who escaped.

Hearing Chu Ming’s confirmation, Song Yan and Lv Dong’s faces immediately darkened.

”I’ve already ordered a thorough investigation of the Ren Pit, and there’s no sign of the so-called superior Jingyan Salt!” Song Yan stepped to the center, pointed at one of the bodies, and said in a deep voice, ”Behind that narrow passage is a different world, with faults and boulders; I suspect this miner intentionally committed murder!”

The body he indicated belonged to the miner Tie Zheng.

”Not just this miner, but also that junior constable named Shen Yi!” Lv Dong added at this time, ”We searched the cave, and there’s no sign of Shen Yi’s body. Someone claimed to have seen Shen Yi at the time of the collapse; I suspect he has already fled!”

”Hmph! Just a junior constable and a miner dared to commit such a heinous act of disrespect!” Song Yan shouted, ”Lord Lv, immediately send people to capture this Shen Yi!”

”Yes!”

”...”

...

At dusk.

In Jingyan County, within Chu Ming’s temporary residence.

”Interesting, very interesting...”

Shen Yu held a pot of tea, looking rather pleased.

”It must be that Lv Wen and Zhou Xun did something fatal that led to their demise and crippling.”

County Magistrate Zhou Xun’s life was saved but only as a cripple, with his lower body gone and his right hand lost.

In such a condition, unless cared for by a close family member, he wouldn’t live long.

Shen Yu leisurely drank his tea, showing no sympathy for the plight of the two men, and instead, he was amused to witness such a scene.

”What’s the little constable’s name?”

”Shen Yi? Also surnamed Shen...”

”Shen Yi, ah Shen Yi, you better be clever...”

”...” Chu Ming looked at Shen Yu, his face adorned with a hint of a smile.

He knew more than Shen Yu.

Is there truly retribution for good and evil?

From the fates of Lv Wen and Zhou Xun, it appears there is.

However, this is only the beginning.

Their deaths could only be considered accidents and held little significance to him.

The purpose of his visit here was, firstly, to comply with the Fifth Prince’s orders, and secondly, to use this opportunity to uncover beneficial information for himself that could help him solve problems and break free from being manipulated!

What it is, he does not yet know.

But he had a gut feeling that if he could uncover the secret hidden behind Jingyan, he would gain significant leverage.

”It seems that Jingyan County was turned upside down by a miner and that little constable, Shen Yi,” Shen Yu lamented again, ”The County Magistrate is dead, and the County Magistrate Zhou is ruined, leaving Jingyan County leaderless...”

”If I’m not mistaken, within a day or two, Xirong County will send someone again.”

Saying this, he took another sip of tea and laughed, ”Hehe, Chu Ming, you might as well take a couple of days to relax.”

With the mine collapse and the death of several prominent figures, Jingyan Guard and the Criminal Defense Bureau focused their main efforts on tracking down Shen Yi. With no one to guide Chu Ming, even the spies at this mansion were reduced by more than half.

Without a master, who are these eyes supposed to watch?

”Ah, Old Meng, come, this move of mine feels awkward, could you teach me again.”

Seizing the chance before dark, Shen Yu pulled Meng Zhen along to continue their martial arts practice.

Chu Ming and Jin Yu sat facing each other.

”Golden Divine Envoy, does the Divine Mystery Bureau have any magic for tracking and locating people?” Chu Ming asked, ”Does Golden Divine Envoy want to help Jingyan Guard find that constable?”

Jin Yu was sipping fruit brew, and upon hearing this, set down his cup, savoring the sweetness in his mouth, and said, ”I, being a Primordial Qi Warrior of the Divine Mystery Bureau, for them to even meet me once is the greatest honor of their lives, and they still want me to search for people?”

”What a dream!”

Besides Shen Yu, Meng Zhen, and Shen Yu himself, no one in the entire Jingyan County knew Jin Yu’s identity.

”Golden Divine Envoy means, there is a way to find that Shen Yi?” Chu Ming flattered.

”Hehe, it’s just a little constable, I have a hundred ways to find him.”

With that, Jin Yu slightly raised his chin, his tone suddenly shifting as he said, ”Chu Ming, Chu Chief Clerk’s Office, how about this, don’t bother learning that Ring, I’ll teach you how to find people instead?”

”If you could find that constable, that would be a great achievement for you.”

The ’Ten Rings of Primordial Qi’ is an offensive Primordial Technique that is hard to teach, which he is reluctant to do.

But tracking and locating is different; it’s not that hard to teach, and it produces effects that can actually be observed.

If Chu Ming could find someone using the method he taught, then Jin Yu’s possession of the Primordial Qi Jade Pendant would be justified.

Upon hearing this, Chu Ming immediately put on an expression of joy.

This pale, bald, young fellow... Divine Envoy, was so easy to manipulate, he hadn’t even mentioned what he wanted, and the Divine Envoy volunteered himself...

”Really? Please teach me, Golden Divine Envoy.”

”Hehe, you’ve already condensed Qi and Blood Power, haven’t you?” Jin Yu asked.

”Yes.” Chu Ming nodded.

”Then it’s simple, bring pen, ink, and paper, and I’ll teach you a method to track and locate people.”

”Alright.” Chu Ming went indoors to retrieve pen, ink, and paper.

Jin Yu gracefully wrote the tracking method onto the paper, then took out a small round bead and said to Chu Ming, ”This method is called ’Tracking and Locating,’ and with your condensed Qi and Blood Power, mastering this won’t be difficult.”

”And this round bead is...” Chu Ming stared at the small bead in Jin Yu’s hand, inquiring.

In that bead, there was a faint wisp of Primordial Qi, very weak and dissipating, and besides the Primordial Qi, there was a drop of blood belonging to Jin Yu.

Chu Ming could sense it but didn’t point it out, pretending to know nothing.

”This, ah...” Jin Yu said proudly, ”This is the key to finding someone. Don’t underestimate this bead, it contains great intricacies. You just need to master the ’Tracking and Locating’ method, inject a drop of your own blood to activate it, and then let this bead be infused with the scent of the person you wish to find...”

”This bead will then produce a sensory reaction, helping you find clues.”

”I call this bead, the Tracking Bead.”

”It’s a pity that your martial arts aren’t profound, and finding that constable with this bead will be quite difficult, but since we are fated, I’ve already activated it with a drop of my own essence blood.”

”Here, take it.”

While blood can activate this bead, Primordial Qi would be even better, as its effectiveness in finding people far exceeds that of a martial artist’s blood.

Jin Yu didn’t mention Primordial Qi because he assumed Chu Ming wouldn’t even know what it was, so there was no point in telling him.

Chu Ming accepted the Tracking Bead and expressed his gratitude with a cupped hand gesture.

He had been pondering how to find that Shen Yi, and Jin Yu’s contribution of the Tracking Bead and the ’Tracking and Locating’ method had come at a perfect time.

”You practice, I’m going to cultivate, do not disturb me without good reason.” Jin Yu pushed the paper sheet with the ’Tracking and Locating’ method to Chu Ming and then went inside.

”Tracking and Locating...”

Chu Ming glanced over it.

On the panel.

[Tracking and Locating (Entry-Level)]

[Progress: 7/100]

...