Jiang Kuai worked swiftly and decisively, he fist saluted and left. He walked into the main hall of the Martial Arts Hall and took the town patrol mission.
In the evening, he arrived at the office of Chong Ming Town. He saw more than ten Protectors grouped up differently, talking to each other.
Jiang Kuai walked to the two closest to him.
“Young Jiang Kuai, you took the town patrol mission too?” A middle-aged man greeted Jiang Kuai.
Jiang Kuai smiled. “Such a coincidence. You took this mission too, Brother Hu?”
Hu Ziwen patted him on his shoulder. “I’m old now and I quite like these kinds of missions. But you, you’re so young! What’s the point of taking on such a boring mission?”
Hu Ziwen looked ordinary, but was very eye-catching in a crowd, slim and long. He looked so as if he would fly if the wind blew past him, but his glare was sharp and seemed like it radiated with a glow. It was easy to tell that he had a very refined skill and a deep temperament the moment one looked at him.
He was an Innate Master, too. A rank six Protector just like Jiang Kuai. He looked like he was in his thirties, but he was actually closer to fifty. Once someone broke into Innate Mastery, they would have looked much younger than they really were. Those in their eighties would have looked fifty. Even those who were more than a hundred years old would look like they were in their sixties.
Jiang Kuai smiled. “This is my first time here. I took on this mission to be familiar with this place.”
“That’s true.” Hu Ziwen nodded. “Your mindset isn’t bad. Not greedy nor impatient, step by step. Taking it slowly since there’s still so much time. No rush at all.”
Jiang Kuai smiled as he nodded. “Yes, there’s still a long way to go for me.”
Hu Ziwen glanced at his surroundings and smiled. “I frequently see you with Miss Xue Ling, with her bringing you around. Are you her cousin?”
“I don’t have any form of relationship with her.” Jiang Kuai waved his hand.
Hu Ziwen glared at him from the edge of his eyes. “Now who’ll believe that? Xue Ling is such an ice-cold beauty who pushes people thousands of miles away! Look at it this way, which Protector in the training hall would dare to hit on her?”
“Is she that scary?” Jiang Kuai broke into laughter.
Jiang Kuai was unable to tell. Even though Xue Ling had a cold personality and her expressions were bitter and cheerless, she showed signs of gentleness and peace toward his family. She was not as cold as she looked.
Hu Ziwen scoffed, “Whoever has tried to hit on her got declined so badly that they lost the dignity to even show their face around.”
“Miss Xue Ling is quite good, then?”
“Doesn’t matter how great she is. People don’t dare to do anything crazy.”
“That’s true. The Public House is very strict about its rules, and they don’t allow infighting.” Jiang Kuai slowly nodded.
The most important impression he got from the Public House was peace. There was not even one small shadow of a knife or blade like what he had originally believed the Public House to be. They were not even locked in constant strife. Everyone was peaceful as if they were detached from worldly affairs. Jiang Kuai was genuinely surprised.
How did such an atmosphere create a will to fight? How was there motivation if there was no competition?
“The Public House does indeed prohibit infighting.” Hu Ziwen shook his head and smiled. “But, Young Jiang Kuai… you can’t actually be this naive and think that it could actually stop them?”
“The people dare to disobey the rules?” Jiang Kuai was surprised.
According to what he knew, the Public House was very strict with its rules. The Third Lady was resolute and heartless. If anyone disobeyed the rules, she would not have let it pass. It was heard that ten Protectors had been exiled with their martial arts stripped away from them.
“Of course not.” Hu Ziwen smiled. “But there are other ways. Battle invitations, publicizing the fight. The Public House allows this.”
Jiang Kuai nodded.
This meant that infighting existed, but there was a limit. He thought that this was not a bad idea. If they completely prohibited infighting, conflicts would never be solved. On the contrary, the people who cultivate martial arts were intense and vigorous. How could they not fight? It was not a good idea to suppress their conflicts.
“The reason why the people could not get Miss Xue Ling is because she has a hardcore backstage supporter,” said Hu Ziwen.
“Oh?” Jiang Kuai smiled. “What kind backstage supporter does Miss Xue Ling have?”
“Chu Li!” Hu Ziwen broke into laughter. “Don’t tell me you’ve never heard the great name, Chu Li!?”
“Is Chu Li’s reputation really that great?” Jiang Kuai smiled.
“Young Jiang Kuai, you must be trying to act silly in front of me!” Hu Ziwen pointed at him.
The two people next to them walked closer. They sized up Jiang Kuai. “Who doesn’t know about Chu Li?”
Hu Ziwen quickly introduced the two men to Jiang Kuai, they were Zhao Jing, and Qu Aoyun. He smiled. “Chu Li is a rank three Scribe, Chief of the Glory’s Will Courtyard. You know what it’s for, don’t you?”
“Hmph! It’s nothing great. The Third Lady just took a liking to him and he was credited with a few contributions by luck!” Qu Aoyun coldly scoffed.
He was lean, tall and tough like a leopard. Both of his eyes were bright and giving out wild schemes.
“Young Qu Aoyun, I don’t appreciate your attitude!” Hu Ziwen scoffed impolitely, “Lucky? I don’t think luck can beat Zhuo Feiyang!”
Qu Aoyun twitched his mouth. There was nothing he could say.
He was defeated by Zhuo Feiyang with just a single hit that one time. It was such a disgrace. The words from Hu Ziwen were only rubbing salt in the wound. Qu Aoyun’s skill was not enough to beat Hu Ziwen’s, so he could only shut up.
Hu Ziwen’s mouth twitched. “The Third Lady is fair. If Chu Li had not achieved those things, he wouldn’t be rank three! The Glory’s Will Courtyard is used to monitor informants! Who in the world wouldn’t have a headache just hearing that!?”
“We’re clear on our conscience. He probably won’t frame and make false charges against us, will he? The Third Lady won’t let him!”
Hu Ziwen scoffed, “He doesn’t have to frame you. Even if he tortured you on purpose, what can you do? Young Qu Aoyun, you’d better just shut it and not get yourself in trouble.”
“Heh. I can tell that he isn’t someone that is narrow-minded.” Jiang Kuai spoke for Chu Li.
Hu Ziwen smiled. “Besides that, he even started from the bottom. He was mocked by everyone around him, especially by Zhuo Feiyang, who looked to trouble him every day. He was even sent to a faraway place! At that point, Chu Li didn’t even bother him anymore.”
Qu Aoyun scoffed, “And that’s not narrow-minded?”
“Well, did he exact revenge on anyone other than Zhuo Feiyang… ?” Hu Ziwen smiled. “If it were you, Young Qu Aoyun, do you think you’d be this looked up to?”
“The one called Gu Litong Gu didn’t have a good ending either.”
“He was asking for it. Even those who try to stay on good terms with everyone don’t let him pass!”
“Hah… Chu Li is now someone we can see, but not reach.” Hu Ziwen shook his head. “With that kind of support behind her, who dares to offend Miss Xue Ling? They’d probably be sick of living.”
“Miss Xue Ling is too cold. There’s no point hitting on her!” Qu Aoyun shook his head.
Hu Ziwen smiled. “If we had any connections to Chu Li, we’d definitely live an easy life! So Young Jiang Kuai, remember to hold onto this great opportunity!”
Jiang Kuai smiled and did not say a word.
Qu Aoyun looked at him. “You know Chu Li?”
“Young Jiang Kuai’s relationship with Chu Li is quite good,” said Hu Ziwen.
“Really now?” Qu Aoyun’s eyes started to brighten.
Jiang Kuai smiled. “It’s alright, I guess. We’re friends.”
“Now that you were able to join the Public House? It mustn’t be a normal friendship,” said Hu Ziwen.
“Was it not Chu Li that brought you here?”
“That’s true, too,” Jiang Kuai replied.
“That’s right, most who want to join a Public House has to do it while it’s small. It’s hard to join halfway through,” Hu Ziwen said. “Grip onto this opportunity. It’s much easier to work with Chu Li!”
Jiang Kuai smiled. “I still feel like challenging myself.”
“You want to challenge yourself?” Hu Ziwen shook his head and broke into laughter. “Young Jiang Kuai, you’re too naive!”
“There’s nothing wrong with improving oneself,” Qu Aoyun said.
“I don’t want to depend on anyone. I’ll rely on my own ability to earn a living.”
“Earning for a living isn’t the problem,” Hu Ziwen replied, “but do you not want to have hundreds of people responding to your calls?”
“What’s so great about that!?” Qu Aoyun scoffed.
Jiang Kuai smiled as he nodded. “Ah forget about it, whatever. Everyone has their own kinds of ambitions.”
Hu Ziwen waved his hand helplessly. “Let’s go. It’s time to patrol the town!”