I Have A Qi Fortune Altar

Chapter 48: Chapter 48 The True Hidden Forces of Ping’an County

Chen Yuan: “…”

“You’re really something, you know that?”

“Isn’t this all because of your influence, Brother Yuan?” Wang Ping chuckled.

“Alright, we won’t patrol today, head home early.” Chen Yuan patted Wang Ping’s shoulder.

Wang Ping’s face fell, and he said urgently:

“What’s so fun about going home? My dad’s probably at Widow Ma’s place again. How about it, Brother Yuan, shall we head to Yanyu Building? My dad said the new batch of girls there is particularly nice, not to mention Little Yue. Don’t you want to meet her?”

“We can celebrate your promotion to arrest officer, I’ll foot the bill,” Wang Ping patted his chest.

Chen Yuan gave Wang Ping a speechless look:

“Would you cool it for a second?”

“Do you have anything other than girls on your mind?”

Wang Ping was silent for a moment, then nodded emphatically.

…

The hour of the Dog, third quarter.

The sky had grown completely dark, and a half-moon hung in the night sky as Chen Yuan arrived alone at the residence of County Magistrate Li Mingqi.

Li Mingqi’s words at noon, Chen Yuan did not dare to neglect.

His position as an arrest officer wasn’t yet secured; it would only be solidified after he entered the Bone Refining phase, with Li Mingqi or Wu Qingfeng going to the prefecture city, and the prefecture city issuing a document. Only then would Chen Yuan’s post be stable.

And now, his biggest backer was none other than Li Mingqi.

In front of Li’s residence stood two unfamiliar government officials guarding the door. After carefully inquiring and seeing it was Chen Yuan approaching, without giving him a hard time, they let him into the house, obviously because Li Mingqi had instructed them beforehand.

“Arrest Officer Chen, the County Magistrate awaits inside.”

The slightly younger official had a somewhat ingratiating look on his face.

Chen Yuan’s defeat of the veteran officials and his appointment as the new arrest officer of Ping’an County had spread throughout much of the Ping’an County within just half a day. So, when they learned of Chen Yuan’s identity, they were very respectful.

Chen Yuan was no longer someone on their level.

“Thank you…”

Chen Yuan smiled and nodded as he watched the official leave, then took a deep breath before pushing the door open. But before he could raise his hand to do so, the door opened on its own…

Li Mingqi, playing with a ring in his hand without looking up, said softly:

“Come in if you’re here.”

“Yes.”

Chen Yuan didn’t dare to object, and stepped slowly into the room.

“Sit.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“You seem nervous. Are you afraid I might harm you?”

Suddenly, Li Mingqi looked up and spoke softly, gazing directly at Chen Yuan.

A shock went through Chen Yuan, and he quickly stood up:

“It’s your solemn authority, sir. I… I’m a bit at a loss.”

Li Mingqi gestured with one hand for Chen Yuan to sit down.

“You don’t need to be so tense. I won’t do anything to you, nor will I… probe into the reasons why you concealed your strength before or… the cause of Tie Xuan and the others’ deaths.”

Li Mingqi smiled.

Chen Yuan’s hand clenched inside his sleeve, but his face showed puzzlement:

“My lord… what do you mean by that?”

Li Mingqi smiled:

“Nothing much, I was just speaking off the cuff.”

Chen Yuan naturally couldn’t believe this, he felt that it must be the strength he revealed when he had taken action today that led Li Mingqi to suspect something.

Indeed, there are no fools in this world!

However, fortunately, Li Mingqi didn’t seem to place much importance on this matter.

“I’m not interested in prying into your secrets, as long as you serve me faithfully, that’s enough,” Li Mingqi said with a smile, his fingers lightly tapping on the tabletop.

“To serve my lord is my duty I cannot shirk!”@@novelbin@@

Chen Yuan’s face was a picture of solemnity.

He knew that this was the moment to show his loyalty, only then would Li Mingqi really act as if he knew nothing. Of course, he indeed knew nothing, he simply had some suspicions.

“In serving me, you will not be mistreated. You must be aware that Magistrate Wu has strong objections to your appointment as an arrest officer, only I can ensure your position,” Li Mingqi’s voice shifted in tone, the hint in his words now very clear.

“I understand,” Chen Yuan replied respectfully.

Li Mingqi’s gaze shifted slightly, a warning was given, now it was time for the carrot. He placed a palm-sized porcelain bottle on the table in front of Chen Yuan:

“Inside are six Blood Essence Pills, specially prepared for you. Compared to the Tiger Bone Pill, this elixir is more suitable for practitioners at the Blood Refining Level and is rare to find in the county.”

Chen Yuan’s eyes glittered, he had naturally heard of the Blood Essence Pill, and it was indeed as difficult to obtain as Li Mingqi said. Although it was an elixir for the Blood Refining Level, its value was higher than that of the Tiger Bone Pill.

The Tiger Bone Pill is a common elixir within the Foundation Establishment Realm, suitable for any level, but compared to the Blood Essence Pill, which is specifically crafted for Blood Refining Martial Artists, its effect is somewhat inferior.

Moreover, it’s said to be more difficult to refine, making it quite rare; without the right connections, it’s not attainable. Knowing this, Chen Yuan hadn’t thought about seeking other elixirs and had planned to use the Tiger Bone Pill to cultivate to the peak of Foundation Establishment.

What Chen Yuan didn’t know was that long-term use of the same elixir could lead to a tolerance build-up.

“Many thanks to you, my lord, I will remember this kindness,” Chen Yuan said as he quickly stood up.

“Customarily, an arrest officer is rewarded with six Tiger Bone Pills upon their appointment, but your situation is different; without the official paperwork from the Prefecture City, you’re not officially recognized, so I’m providing these pills myself,” Li Mingqi said softly.

“Among the three saber techniques available in the county government, only the Sword Drawing Skill is passable, the other two won’t be of much use to you. Not only do they require a long time to learn, but their power is also underwhelming,” he continued.

“I don’t use a saber and can’t teach you anything, but I can point you towards a place…”

Li Mingqi went on.

“My lord is referring to…” Chen Yuan said, somewhat puzzled.

“Zhao Nanshan of the Sanhe Boxing Club in City East has a family saber technique which is quite decent. I once mentioned it to Huang Xing, but he wasn’t interested. If you’re keen, you should try it.”

“City East, Sanhe Boxing Club,” Chen Yuan murmured to himself.

“Haven’t heard of it? Hehe… Zhao Nanshan does indeed shy from the limelight, but his strength was once no less than mine,” Li Mingqi sneered lightly.

Chen Yuan was startled; if Zhao Nanshan’s strength was no less than Li Mingqi’s, didn’t that mean… Zhao Nanshan was also a Gang Condensing powerhouse?

Seemingly noticing the shock in Chen Yuan’s eyes, Li Mingqi said indifferently:

“That was in the past, Zhao Nanshan is now half-crippled, and his strength has greatly diminished.”

“It’s… it’s my ignorance, I have never heard of his name,” Chen Yuan admitted.

“There’s much you haven’t heard of. Cien Temple not far outside the city, Lin Family Village in Sishui Town, both have Gang Condensing experts in residence, but they seldom make themselves known.”

“I always thought the Huang Family was the prime power in Ping’an County…” Chen Yuan said, lowering his head.

“The Huang Family? Without a Gang Condensing Martial Artist in residence, how can they claim to be the first? They are merely boasting…”