Chapter 86 - 79: Nourishing Stance Bow, Treading Over Mountains and Rivers, Wildly Surging Advance Progress, The Girl Who Dug Up a Great Demon’s Ancestral Grave

Chapter 86: Chapter 79: Nourishing Stance Bow, Treading Over Mountains and Rivers, Wildly Surging Advance Progress, The Girl Who Dug Up a Great Demon’s Ancestral Grave

Anning, County Yamen.

Zhao Jiu was sleeping soundly in his bed, a warm, fragrant, and soft body in his arms. The stove in the room kept it toasty and warm.

The ground was frozen solid. Who would bother crawling out of bed this early to handle official business?

It was better to just laze the days away.

Suddenly.

BANG!

A knock sounded at the door.

Lord Zhao the County Magistrate furrowed his brow, turned, and buried his head between the twin peaks, ignoring the sound.

However,

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The sound rang out sharply once more.

This made Zhao Jiu shoot up in bed with a dark expression. He threw on his clothes, slipped on his boots, and pulled his sleeves back before cracking the door open. Seeing his old servant, Elder Liang, at the door, he took several deep breaths.

"Old Liang, if it were anyone else, I’d have my blade out by now."

Lord Zhao the County Magistrate’s face was sour.

Elder Liang wrung his hands, looking embarrassed.

"Master Jiu, you were the one who said to notify you whenever that Ji Xiu came to the County Yamen, no matter the time..."

"Who?"

The previously drowsy Zhao Jiu suddenly jolted, his entire expression changing in an instant.

After hastily tidying up his appearance,

he strode out, passing through several government office gateways. When he saw the straight-backed youth, his eyes lit up. He spread his arms wide and approached with a booming laugh.

"No wonder Younger Brother Ji could achieve Golden Muscle and Jade Veins at such a young age! If I’d been half as diligent as you back in the day, my old man and my brother might have sent me to the Mansion Courtyard to test for one of Great Xuan’s Noble Titles and Merits."

"Alas!"

After a long sigh, he sidled up, clapped Ji Xiu on the shoulder, and asked quietly,

"That Red Robe Brew I sent for your esteemed master...?"

Zhao Jiu asked tentatively.

"The old master drank his fill yesterday and praised it repeatedly."

Ji Xiu replied with a smile.

"Excellent, excellent! Next time a shipment comes from the prefecture, I’ll send a few more jars to your esteemed master!"

Hearing that Duan Chenzhou had drunk his wine, Lord Zhao the County Magistrate finally broke into a relieved smile.

This meant Duan Chenzhou truly wouldn’t hold a grudge against him over his family’s affairs.

In that case, the man could stay on this little patch of land for as long as he wanted. It was just a few jars of wine, a price Zhao Jiu could certainly afford!

"But, Brother Ji, your reason for coming this time is...?"

Thinking Ji Xiu had been tempted by his previous offer and wanted to board the great ship of the Wine Shop to sail into the Prefecture City, the delight on Zhao Jiu’s face became more and more obvious.

"I’m here to see Centurion Gu of the Northern Garrison Command."

However, when these words were spoken, his expression instantly fell, becoming somewhat stiff.

If the most esteemed people in the entire Great Xuan were the nobles with Duke Titles and the State and Prefecture Officials registered in the Six Great Xuan Registers, then the most powerful Officials were those of the Northern Garrison Command!

This organization was responsible for overseeing the realm and Patrolling the Outer Dao. Within it, a Centurion was already at the apex for an Official. One step higher was Prefecture Commander, a rank equivalent to a Prefecture Official!

Although that step was extremely difficult to take, even without the promotion, a master like that could act with impunity in a rural place like this.

Whoever he said was the Outer Dao, was the Outer Dao.

If he pointed his finger at Lord Zhao the County Magistrate, Zhao would have no choice but to pinch his nose and accept it. There was nothing he could do.

After all, with a big shot like that sitting on his head and refusing to leave, who wouldn’t walk around with a sour look on their face?

But even though he was cursing endlessly in his heart, he let none of it show on the surface. He forced a smile, called someone over, and had them lead Ji Xiu away.

Watching the young man’s departing figure, Zhao Jiu muttered to himself,

’Northern Garrison Command, Gu Baichuan.’

’According to the news from my family, this guy is a tough nut to crack. He’s never idle—always either investigating the Central Yellow Sect or hunting Demons and fiends tainted by the Abyss Ruins.’

’In just a dozen years or so, he has built a profound foundation. I hear he’s highly regarded by the higher-ups in the Northern Garrison Command. With his outstanding merits, becoming a Qi Cultivation Grandmaster is already a sure thing.’

’But then again, thinking back, I think he was the one who stopped me last time I tried to arrest Ji Xiu... I just forgot about it.’

’Now that I think about it, how does this kid know so many heavy hitters?’

Zhao Jiu felt a tinge of regret.

If it were his older brother, perhaps he could have made Ji Xiu a better offer.

But he wasn’t the one in charge of the family’s power, after all. At most, he was just a member of the direct lineage sent to an external post.

Compared to the Northern Garrison Command...

...he still fell short.

...

"You want to learn archery from me?"

On the yamen’s training grounds, just as the sky was beginning to brighten, Gu Baichuan gripped an Iron Arm Great Bow and sized up Ji Xiu. Unable to hide the astonishment in his eyes, he clicked his tongue twice.

"Your Iron Bones have a silver sheen. That’s the quality of at least three blood exchanges. Tsk, tsk. An ordinary person can only manage one blood exchange upon reaching Great Success in Bone Tempering. To manage three is the standard for the great clans in the prefecture or disciples of a Daoist School."

"Duan Chenzhou really spared no expense."

Immediately after, he sighed again, his eyes holding a hint of melancholy.

"But then again, I really do owe you two."

"He tells me to teach, so I teach. But you’re not even coming with me..."

"Ah, forget it, forget it."

Gu Baichuan flicked his wrist, tossing the Treasure Carved Great Bow in his hand to Ji Xiu.

The moment it landed in his hands, Ji Xiu felt its slight weight and coolness, and he couldn’t help but be startled.

"Lord Gu, this bow..."

"This is the Iron Arm Divine Mechanism, a Seventh-Grade Treasure Bow personally gifted to me by the Lord Prefecture Commander as a reward for my meritorious service."

"This thing is a full Hundred-Stone bow! To draw it fully requires the strength of ten thousand catties in your arms. Unless you have mastered your Flesh, Bone, Skin, and Membrane, it’s impossible to draw it fully!"

"Furthermore, this bow is paired with its own Treasure Arrows, the Divine Strategy Armor-Piercing Arrows. Each one is strictly forged according to blueprints, making them exceptionally sharp and penetrative."

"Don’t tell me you’re coveting my bow?"

"Even if I gave it to you, you couldn’t draw it. A Bone Tempering Martial Artist who can stimulate their Blood Marrow is far stronger than one at the Bone Marrow stage, but you haven’t yet refined Mercury Blood Silver Marrow. I imagine drawing twenty or thirty stones is your absolute limit."

He snorted, looking annoyed.