Chapter 5, The Constable

When Ji Wen smiled, his refined face bore an indescribable ferocity and eeriness: "Fish Shao, it's not just that the reputation is loud, it is so loud that even the officials in the court would be afraid of it"

The river fish, with a cloth wrapped around its face, eagerly lay on the rooftop, prying open a gap in the roof tiles, joyfully observing the grand ceremony of human relationships involving seven men and women in two rooms. It whispered excitedly, "Put in more effort, put in more effort, oh, this posture, wasn’t it the same as the two horses on the grassland last time? Tsk tsk, it’s a pity that the resources of these three monks are far too small compared to those wild horses, truly not enough to be earth-shattering!" As it continued to watch, the river fish became increasingly delighted and excited, its bottom unconsciously wriggling, almost bursting into song.

"Damn it! Can you all actually use the Corpse Bone Grass?" Jiang Yu's body spun rapidly, transforming into a shadow of wind, sweeping up a fierce gale as he burst forth from the midst of thousands of fine needles. The Corpse Bone Grass, ranked third among the deadliest poisons in the world, is, according to Wufan, a vile substance banned in the martial arts world. These three monks, as practitioners of the monastic life, using such a malicious hidden weapon is clearly not a good sign.

After a while, he picked up the teacup in front of Li Linfu and took a sip of cold tea. Jiang Yu laughed and said: "Elder brother, do you think this matter is amusing? That Miss Fei, I originally just wanted to catch up and see clearly, but who would have thought she would be such a slippery character. Hehe, of all people, she chose a monk. Could it be that she has a preference for that kind of bald head?"

Jiang Yu waved his hand, his body swayed and returned to its original height, smiling as he said: "My name is Jiang Yu, so let's call it Jiang Zhongyou. Jiang Yu, Jiang Zhongyou, both the characters and the name are quite good, aren't they?"

The man with four white peonies in his hair stepped forward, intending to snatch the master carpenter from the hands of those four ruthless officials

Jiang Yu let out a long laugh, his eyes flashing with brilliance as he excitedly said: "Beware of the 'Bear Lean' from the 'Self-Realization Beast Fist'!"

"Well, the leader, the military uniform he is wearing, the satin must be of the finest quality from 'Qiandezhai' in the southern part of the city. Within Chang'an, there are hardly a few people who can afford such satin." A young man added, "I just looked at his boots; they are also good boots made with cowhide soles and cow tendon straps. A pair of these boots costs two hundred coins, and there are definitely only three shops in Chang'an that can produce such boots"

The entourage brought by Ji Wen consisted of more than a dozen individuals, all of whom were robustly built and had bright, piercing gazes. This group of poorly dressed, short-clad lackeys was merely a small part of the cruel officials nurtured by Li Linfu. Now, with Li Linfu's rising fortunes, they had all secured positions within the Board of Censors and the Ministry of Justice. Jiang Yu merely glanced at them and found their martial skills to be quite lacking. According to the conventional classification of martial arts, they were likely third-rate or fourth-rate characters, and he quickly lost interest in establishing any connections with them.

The elegantly featured Ji Wen, whose eyes were somewhat clouded, quickly stood up and looked up in astonishment at Jiang Yu, who was two heads taller than him. He clasped his hands and smiled, saying: "Young Master Yu, my current position is entirely due to the support of Lord Li. In the future, I hope you will follow me for some time to gain experience. Lord Li has already arranged a grand path for you here."

As they chatted and laughed along the way, the group arrived at the Tianlao of the Dali Temple in Chang'an City after about a quarter of an hour. Ji Wen and his companions held peculiar positions; their official titles were under the supervision of the Censorate, yet they had received a maritime capture warrant from the Ministry of Justice. However, they spent most of their time in the Tianlao of the Dali Temple interrogating officials who had committed offenses, their power being quite complex. Although their ranks were very low and their official positions not high, their authority was substantial. And what about Jiang Yu? Standing at the entrance of the Tianlao under the Dali Temple, looking at the dark, massive stone gate, he could only lightly sigh and say, "Brother Ji Wen, after all this time, we are just a group of constables. The only difference is that we are a bit more powerful than the officials in Yangzhou City."

A few young people glanced helplessly at the gate of the Da Ci'en Temple, simultaneously shaking their heads and sighing. In an instant, the leader perked up and asked his subordinates: "What do you think, this sudden expert who has come to stir things up, could he be someone of renown? Did you notice his hands? They are smooth and delicate, well-hydrated, clearly belonging to a young man who cannot be older than us, and they are definitely not the hands of a well-preserved, famous expert. Is he a newcomer to the rivers and lakes of Chang'an?"

Ji Wen was taken aback and suddenly shouted: "How can your flower camp interfere in such matters? Isn't your reach a bit too far? This, this, this, is utterly unreasonable!"

Just now, on the rooftop where Jiang Yu was secretly watching the spring palace play, a man with long hair, appearing to be around thirty, cast a suspicious glance at Jiang Yu. With a low shout, he shook his gleaming long sword, and his body transformed into several afterimages, bringing a beam of sword light down upon Jiang Yu without uttering a word. The man's swordsmanship was formidable; a beam of sword light, about an inch wide, suddenly exploded into hundreds of fine, curved sword energies when it was still about ten feet away from Jiang Yu. These sword energies collided and intertwined in the air, resembling a gigantic peony, already enveloping a three-zhang radius around Jiang Yu. The nearby air was in violent turbulence, and the rooftop beneath Jiang Yu's feet shook violently, causing thousands of roof tiles to be stirred up by the sword energy, jumping up about a foot high.

Another young man pondered for a moment and nodded, saying: "Indeed, there are steel wires mixed in his belt, which is commonly used by rangers. However, the fact that his belt is inlaid with triangular steel plates is a standard weapon favored by street thugs during fights. In Chang'an, there are no more than five blacksmith shops that privately manufacture such belts."

Jiang Yu firmly grasped Li Linfu's wrist and said urgently: "Do not touch it; there is the poison of the decayed bone grass on it. Even a bull, if pricked with this needle, would surely perish."

Not long after Jiang Yu struck the Great Ci'en Temple with a tree trunk, several young men dressed in brocade robes with stern expressions appeared at the restaurant diagonally opposite the main gate of the Great Ci'en Temple. Among them, a young man with a pink peony tucked into his hair looked at the temple gate and said with a low laugh, "What do you all think of the origins of that person today?"

With a chuckle, Jiang Yu glanced at Ji Wen, who promptly stood up to take his leave. However, Li Linfu waved his hand generously and said, "Enough, Ji Wen, sit down and listen. It’s just a matter of him getting into a fight and tearing his clothes; what’s the big deal? You are my trusted confidant, and there’s no need to hide these matters from you." Ji Wen displayed a grateful expression and quickly sat back down, adopting a posture of eager attentiveness. You are my trusted confidant, and there’s no need to hide these matters from you. Ji Wen displayed a grateful expression and quickly sat back down, adopting a posture of eager attentiveness.

Just as there was a commotion in the dungeon, the iron door leading outside suddenly swung open. A group of over twenty men, dressed in brocade robes and adorned with peony flowers, strode in quickly. Jiang Yu glanced over and noticed that one man had a trembling blood-red peony inserted at his temple, while three others wore pink peonies, and the rest were all white peonies. One of the men with a pink peony approached Ji Wen swiftly, shaking a silver medal in his hand, and said in a low voice: "Is this Master Zhou from the Craft Supervision? The Flower Camp is here for questioning, all bystanders step aside!"

At that moment, a sound like the crashing of ocean waves suddenly echoed through the air, and a powerful sword energy swiftly pierced towards Jiang Yu's back. Jiang Yu let out a cold snort, casually tossing three pieces of roof tiles behind him. His body froze on the rooftop, and suddenly, as if centered around his body's axis, his limbs began to spin wildly. With a strange howl, Jiang Yu's figure transformed into a blur, and in the blink of an eye, he had already reached another rooftop several meters away.

The dignified and graceful Miss Fei, who appeared to be quite the virtuous young lady, let out a chuckle and gave the monk a sharp slap on his bald head, whispering reproachfully: "You bald donkey, why are you still putting on an act? What are you looking at the Buddha's tooth for? Hurry up and get to the serious business, that's what truly matters. You heartless little rascal, how many virtuous women have you deceived in these past few months?"

In the backyard of the Great Compassion Temple, there is a meditation room that is tidily arranged and impeccably clean. The teak floor shines brightly from being polished, and a set of furniture made from pear wood is free of dust. On the Xiangfei bamboo couch, a quilt made of embossed satin is folded neatly. On the long table beneath the window, a three-legged toad incense burner emits wisps of light mist from the finest ambergris incense, making it an ideal place for quiet meditation. The old monk led a young lady and three maidservants into this meditation room. With a slight smile, the old monk performed a gesture of respect and quietly withdrew. Following this, a small door on the side of the meditation room creaked open, and two impeccably dressed young monks surrounded a young monk who stepped out with purpose, simultaneously joining their hands in greeting: "Miss Fei, you have arrived?"

Jiang Yu smiled and said, "Where is such a thing? As long as I do not provoke others, who would come to provoke me?" He recounted in detail everything he had done at the Da Ci'en Temple, leaving Li Linfu dumbfounded and helpless, while Ji Wen eagerly inquired about the details, his face reflecting deep contemplation.

Jiang Yu gasped in surprise, frowning as he looked at the two young monks below. He pondered, "Should I intervene in this trivial matter? The demonic sect and the Buddhist sect are sworn enemies; why are the people from the demonic sect coming to be monks? Could it be that the abbot of the Great Compassion Temple is also one of their kind? Now that would be truly interesting." He hesitated as he watched the three maids who were screaming and lost in their excitement, secretly thinking, "My master only said that in our Wangyue sect, everything should be done according to one's heart. So, should I, Jiang Yu, be a righteous hero or just a bystander enjoying the spectacle?"

How could he know that the reason for using his own blood to nourish this fire spirit snake was purely due to a single remark from Wu Fan? It was nothing more than Wu Fan saying that the blood within Jiang Yu contained a significant amount of natural vitality, which would greatly benefit the cultivation of this little snake and promote its shedding and evolution. According to legend, if this type of fire spirit snake successfully sheds its skin a hundred times, it can transform into a jiao. A fire spirit jiao that sheds its skin a hundred times can then become a dragon. Jiang Yu simply wanted to find a dragon to show off a bit, which is why he bled three times a month to nourish this little snake.

A line of cruel officials arrived deep within the prison, reaching the seventeenth cell marked with the character 'Xuan'. The deputy warden of the Dali Temple opened the cell door, and four cruel officials rushed in, dragging an elderly man in his fifties, his face bruised and battered, out of the cell. Ji Wen's expression suddenly turned extremely gentle, and in a soft, almost chillingly affectionate tone, he smiled at the old man, saying: "Master Zhou, I have come to visit you again. What more can we say? Today, let us have a good, warm chat."

Ji Wen put on a serious face and remained silent, while Li Linfu clapped his hands in admiration: "Indeed, it is a fine character, a fine character! 'Swimming in the river,' very good, very good. A gentleman follows the doctrine of the mean; you do not swim above, you do not swim below, you swim in the middle, 'swimming in the river,' good, good, good!" The two brothers, who had not read much, exchanged flattery over this character, while Ji Wen's face twitched and moved, almost breaking into laughter. A gentleman follows the doctrine of the mean; you do not swim above, you do not swim below, you swim in the middle, 'swimming in the river,' good, good, good! The two brothers, who had not read much, exchanged flattery over this character, while Ji Wen's face twitched and moved, almost breaking into laughter. If it were not for his deep understanding of Li Linfu's character, he might have already been holding his stomach and laughing out loud.

Jiang Yu's muscles were tense as he followed Ji Wen and the others briskly toward the torture chamber. In the dimly lit dungeon, the group resembled a horde of malevolent spirits, dragging a living person as if to pull him down to hell. From somewhere within the cells, the sound of a wronged official's quiet sobbing could be heard. A hoarse and wavering voice shouted loudly: "No punishment for the doctor, no punishment for the doctor, you bunch of scoundrels."

Just as Jiang Yu had just left, a deep and muffled chant of 'Namo Amitabha' reverberated, shaking the mountain gate of the Great Compassion Temple several times. A large monk clad in a red robe led thirty-six robust monks wielding iron rods out of the temple gate. They looked left and right but failed to find the person who had just caused the disturbance. Infuriated, they began to chant the Buddha's name repeatedly. With a stamp of their foot, they shattered a thick hemp stone slab at the entrance of the temple.

Ji Wen's back immediately straightened, and with a cheerful demeanor, he was about to boast a few words.

A shadow flashed by, and with a loud crash, a ceramic beast head from the rooftop smashed onto the back of the man's head. Weighing dozens of pounds, the beast head caused the man to let out a muffled groan, and like a heavy weight, he fell to the ground with a thud, his limbs twitching a few times before he lay still. Jiang Yu stood on the now roofless structure, shook his fist, and laughed loudly: "You bastard, getting hit from behind by your family's... old man's club, heh heh, isn't this just retribution coming back to you?"

A few shrewd young men left the tavern one after another, drifting away. At this moment, Jiang Yu had already returned to Li Linfu's residence. Without waiting for anyone to announce his arrival, he directly barged into Li Linfu's study. The guards standing at the entrance of the study, upon seeing him rush in, dared not obstruct him. They could only shout, "Master, Young Master Yu has arrived," and stepped aside.

His tall figure leaned slightly, with his right shoulder slanting forward. With a sudden burst of strength from his feet, he crushed seven or eight pieces of blue bricks underfoot, and leaned one shoulder against the chest of the flower-adorned young man.

Li Linfu chuckled a few times, signaling for Ji Wen and Jiang Yu to take their seats. He cleared his throat and said, "Ji Wen is quite capable and understands the nuances of worldly and personal relationships. You should spend some time with him first. This is the seal of the Inspector General. Although it is merely a minor official rank, it is a position that all officials fear. As long as you do not provoke anyone too much, there should be no significant issues within Chang'an." After glancing at Ji Wen, who quickly nodded and flattered himself, vowing to take good care of Jiang Yu, Li Linfu then asked with a smile, "Little Yu, what happened to the clothes you are wearing? You left home in a long robe, but now you have returned in just your inner garments?"

The other young men, with white peonies in their hair, simultaneously shook their heads and smiled wryly. After discussing for a moment, one of the young men helplessly said: "Leader, you can just ask us whatever you want. That person employed the Eighteen Styles of the Mad Demon Staff Technique recently compiled by Shaolin Temple, a skill that even the monks of Shaolin rarely have the opportunity to learn; his evasive movements to dodge the sword from behind were the Cloud-Transforming Steps of Kongtong Mountain; escaping from that needle-like attack was the Wind-Drifting Technique of the Empty Gate of Luoyang; and his innate vital energy bore a hint of the True Martial Mystical Energy of the Celestial Master Sect. One internal skill, one staff technique, and two evasive techniques, all of which are the untransmitted secrets of their respective sects, how can we discern his origins?"

Li Linfu cast a worried glance at Jiang Yu and furrowed his brow, saying, "Indeed, as long as these matters are not directed at us, what does it matter what schemes are afoot? Little Fish, when you were acting, did you notice that there were some people nearby wearing peony flowers on their heads? With such an incident occurring at the Great Compassion and Mercy Temple, they should have been aware of it long ago." He looked at Jiang Yu, whose stature was significantly taller than that of an average person, and felt that this was a tremendous trouble.

A sudden gust of wind swept through the flat ground, and Jiang Yu uprooted a small tree from the yard. With that small tree, he unleashed a set of Shaolin Temple's mad staff techniques, clanging and clattering as he charged straight out of the gate from the back courtyard of the Da Ci'en Temple. Along the way, regardless of whether they were big monks or small monks, good monks or bad monks, and irrespective of whether they were truly ascetic monks or disreputable monks, Jiang Yu treated them all equally, knocking down anyone with a bald head with a single strike, cleaning out their meager coins and loose silver, and incidentally toppling over a dozen unfortunate worshippers. He stood at the entrance of the Da Ci'en Temple, laughed heartily a few times, and then strode away.

With a few giggles, Jiang Yu bounced back to Li Linfu's residence like a child. He hummed an inexplicable tune, laughing and joking without a care, completely forgetting the events at Daci'en Temple, his mind solely focused on getting Li Linfu to arrange an official position for him

The monk, taking advantage of the situation, embraced Miss Fei and fell onto the bamboo couch of Xiangfei Zhu. His hands roamed chaotically over the young lady's hips and chest, while his mouth descended upon her face, nibbling indiscriminately. Breathing heavily, he chuckled, "Miss, you have truly wronged this humble monk. Over the past few months, I have just returned from a long journey, where I performed a grand ritual to deliver several wronged souls and evil spirits. How could I have had the leisure to flirt with anyone else? Moreover, with a celestial being like you, who else could possibly catch my eye?"

The sound of three tiles shattering echoed, and Jiang Yu turned around, angrily cursing: "Which bastard is sneaking up from behind, stabbing people with a sword in broad daylight?"

Jiang Yu looked at Ji Wen with even more surprise, reflecting on his own learning process. It seemed that apart from being battered by snowstorms and struck by lightning, Wu Fan had not taught him any principles. Shaking his head, Jiang Yu said somewhat bewilderedly: "My master only told me to follow my heart, to do as I please! Hey, did your masters not teach you how to be a person while you were learning? My master is quite good; he said I should do whatever I like, so as soon as I came down the mountain, I went to Yangzhou to seek revenge." Hey, did your masters not teach you how to be a person while you were learning? My master is quite good; he said I should do whatever I like, so as soon as I came down the mountain, I went to Yangzhou to seek revenge.

Seeing Li Linfu act this way, Jiang Yu cautiously took out three slender purple-blue needles from his pouch and placed them on the writing desk, smiling as he said: "Something has come up, elder brother, look, when we were hanging around the streets of Yangzhou, we never saw such fine goods, did we?"

"Little fellow, go!" Jiang Yu felt a surge of anger, and with a sudden shake of his left wrist, a faint, imperceptible red light flashed by. The two little monks let out a cry of despair as their originally ethereal bodies suddenly became heavy, crashing down towards the ground, their bald heads hitting the floor with a crisp sound. Jiang Yu swiftly tucked the fire spirit snake, which had accompanied him for ten years, back into his pouch and laughed loudly, saying: "Monks, this place is a den of vice. Just wait, I will go to the magistrate's office in Chang'an to report you, and you will all be castrated and exiled three thousand miles!" Jiang Yu swiftly tucked the fire spirit snake, which had accompanied him for ten years, back into his pouch and laughed loudly, saying: "Monks, this place is a den of vice. Just wait, I will go to the magistrate's office in Chang'an to report you, and you will all be castrated and exiled three thousand miles!"

The character, originally lively and exuberant, particularly fond of causing trouble, couldn't help but burst into laughter upon witnessing the scene before him, revealing his teeth. He quickly dashed forward and threw a punch at the flower-adorned young man from the Four Harmony Library, exclaiming: "Brother, interrogating a prisoner is just like visiting a brothel to find a girl; there must be a sense of order, right?"

He had long since regained his original height and posture, and having removed his long robe, he stood in a tight-fitting warrior outfit at the entrance of the Great Compassion and Kindness Temple, mingling with the crowd of worshippers to watch the spectacle. When he saw the monk lightly step on a large stone and shatter it, he was the first to applaud and exclaim, "What skill! This is much harder than breaking a stone with one's chest!" The crowd of worshippers, unaware of what had transpired, immediately erupted in applause like a tidal wave, infuriating the thirty or so monks, whose faces turned dark with anger. When he saw the monk lightly step on a large stone and shatter it, he was the first to applaud and exclaim, "What skill! This is much harder than breaking a stone with one's chest!" The crowd of worshippers, unaware of what had transpired, immediately erupted in applause like a tidal wave, infuriating the thirty or so monks, whose faces turned dark with anger

As he pondered, a fire spirit snake, measuring about one foot two to three inches in length and still as thick as a little finger, emerged from the pouch at Jiang Yu's waist, its entire body a vibrant red. It gracefully climbed onto Jiang Yu's shoulder, hissing a few times. Jiang Yu smiled, gently tapped the snake's head, and casually bit his own finger, offering about an ounce of his blood to the little creature. "Well, you little rascal, how much of my blood have you consumed over the past ten years? Drinking and sleeping, sleeping and drinking, even pigs are more diligent than you. Yesterday you helped me bite someone, so starting today, you need to do some hard labor for me!" Jiang Yu affectionately patted the writhing fire spirit snake, which seemed to be incredibly aggrieved. However, regardless of his actions, to others, it appeared exceedingly strange and terrifying.

Ji Wen blinked in surprise and cautiously asked Jiang Yu: "Zhong You, I heard from the adults that the one who took you to learn skills is a reclusive master. Did he not teach you any principles of conduct in addition to imparting martial arts?"

Li Linfu's expression changed slightly, as he seemed to think of something else: "Xiao Yu, is it possible that someone is plotting against you with this? In recent days, I have taken some measures against a few individuals; could it be that they have learned you are my brother and are deliberately seeking revenge against you? Hmph, how could I possibly let them off the hook?" He slammed his fist heavily on the writing desk, causing the three fine needles to tremble slightly. Hmph, how could I possibly let them off the hook?" He slammed his fist heavily on the writing desk, causing the three fine needles to tremble slightly.

A group of ruthless officials simultaneously laughed wickedly, causing Jiang Yu's scalp to tingle and his blood to surge within him, gasping a few times. His nose detected a strong smell of blood, reminiscent of the bloody scene on the streets of Yangzhou when, at just eleven years old, he had smashed the thigh of Jia Yu with a large stick. It seemed he had suddenly developed a fondness for this work, which appeared to be incredibly dark and cruel in the eyes of the world. His nose detected a strong smell of blood, reminiscent of the bloody scene on the streets of Yangzhou when, at just eleven years old, he had smashed the thigh of Jia Yu with a large stick. It seemed he had suddenly developed a fondness for this work, which appeared to be incredibly dark and cruel in the eyes of the world. The fresh heart of nature gently leaped, lightly coming into contact with this dark and bloody scent

However, as he watched, Jiang Yu noticed something was amiss. These three monks were indulging in their pleasures, but why were they desperately extracting the essence of those women? The young monk still had some sense of restraint; after collecting the essence from Miss Fei, he returned a bit of his true yang to nourish her body, ensuring that she would not suffer any major ailments for at least ten years. However, the two younger monks were like fishermen draining a pond, greedily sucking the maids in their arms. The three maids were screaming in madness, their lower bodies glistening with moisture, their true essence long since drained completely. It seemed that within three to five years, they would likely meet a tragic end. "Is this what Master told me about, the legendary demonic cultivation technique that specifically extracts benefits from women?"

The young monk, appearing to be in his early twenties, adjusted his attire and approached Miss Fei. A charming smile with a hint of mischief graced his handsome face as he once again clasped his hands in greeting and said, "Miss, would you like to see the Buddha's tooth?" As he spoke, he discreetly glanced at the young lady's face from the corner of his eye and added with a gentle smile, "Miss, it has been several months since you last came; I have truly missed you." The monk's fingers, impeccably trimmed and as clean as fresh green onions, had already gently traced along the young lady's fingers.

Giwun, who was sitting cautiously beside, suddenly jumped up: "What? Corrupted Bone Grass? The forbidden drug in the martial world? Who has the audacity to use Corrupted Bone Grass to refine the Drizzle Needle to harm others?" As soon as he jumped up and saw Li Linfu glance at him, he quickly sat back down, smiling as he explained to Li Linfu: "My lord, you may not be aware, but Corrupted Bone Grass ranks third among the most poisonous substances in the world. There are regulations in the martial world that even the wicked and evil do not dare to use it to harm others. This is indeed a rare sight."

Li Linfu's expression brightened with joy as he laughed, "You have such skills. Good!" He exhaled deeply, returned to his seat, and continued with a smile, "Since no one can recognize your figure, that is a good thing. Do not pay any attention to those flower-adorned young men, and do not provoke them either. I, your brother, will put in extra effort recently, and sooner or later, they will fall into my hands. At that time, I will let you take the place of the Second General and become their leader, hehe.

Ji Wen alternated between slapping the old man's face, whose surname was Zhou, with both hands, and said with a gentle smile: "By the way, I have some good news for you. Three days ago, your grandson and granddaughter were both captured by us. You can have a family reunion now; this is indeed great news! Congratulations, Master Zhou! Hehe, if you still don't confess today, I'm afraid your grandson will face dire consequences, and as for your granddaughter, well, we don't know where her fate will lead her."

The clanging of iron chains, the furious curses and chaotic shouts of the old craftsman Zhou, the jubilant cries of Ji Wen, and the sounds of the officials dragging the old craftsman Zhou towards the torture chamber, all mixed together with the dull thuds of his body being randomly slammed against the walls of the corridor, created a chaotic scene that instantly transformed the dungeon into a hellish spectacle

The young man adorned with a large red peony hairpin's eyes lit up, and he smiled, saying: "This brother, how about trying a palm strike from me? The secret technique 'Great Open Stone Hand', you better be careful."

Li Linfu smiled as he sipped from his teacup, only to find that the tea had been completely consumed by Jiang Yu. He could only lick a bit of moisture from the tea leaves and said with a smile: "Enough with the nonsense, how is the signboard? Now that you have started your official duties, you will naturally know. Little Yu, when you were young, you only had a given name, and before I could give you a courtesy name, your master took you away. Now that you are to become an official, it is best to have a courtesy name. Tell me, what kind of name do you want?"

The leader, with a peony in hand, clenched his fists and struck them together forcefully, gritting his teeth as he said: "Halfway through, gather the nets and capture that Baoxuan monk and the young swordsman Yin Jiu. Interrogate them about the whereabouts of the Tiantian Luo. I will report to the second general and send our brothers to search all over Chang'an; we must also find that expert from earlier. If he truly is a newcomer trying to make a name for himself in the rivers and lakes of Chang'an, this is a great opportunity for us to replenish our ranks with new blood. He is a master of four different unique skills, which would be very beneficial for us." If he truly is a newcomer trying to make a name for himself in the rivers and lakes of Chang'an, this is a great opportunity for us to replenish our ranks with new blood. He is a master of four different unique skills, which would be very beneficial for us.

Blinking his eyes, Jiang Yu stood up, and his body suddenly collapsed by more than a foot. Li Linfu and Ji Wen exclaimed in surprise, jumping up and stumbling back a few steps. However, Jiang Yu walked a few steps with great pride and laughed, "Elder brother, Brother Ji, look, when I went to cause trouble, my figure had already changed like this, and I covered my face with a piece of cloth. Who could recognize me? As for the man wearing a peony on his head, since he is a man, why would he wear flowers on his head?"

In just a short while, on this side there were two strips of bare white flesh, while on the other side five pieces of tender fluff were separated by a wall. There was a monk and a young lady, two monks and three maidservants, all engaged in lewd activities in broad daylight, creating quite a commotion. The delicate sounds of gasping and the soft moans of passion seemed to carry far and wide, yet not a single monk from the Great Compassion Temple came to investigate. The once tranquil Buddhist sanctuary had momentarily transformed into a place of joyous indulgence.

Jiang Yu suddenly realized: "So that's how it is. Aren't they just street informants eavesdropping on the emperor's private matters? Do they also oversee underhanded dealings like those at the Great Mercy and Kindness Temple? But that has nothing to do with us. Brother, when am I supposed to take office? With the title of Supervisory Censor, going to the Ministry of Justice for official business sounds quite impressive, doesn't it?"

He kept asking Jiwen repeatedly about what official business they currently had to attend to, how they should handle it, and what their limits and restrictions were. Jiwen, unbothered by the trouble, carefully explained the responsibilities of their Censorate and the powers currently held by Li Linfu. Jiang Yu listened with great interest and suddenly laughed, saying: "I see, if my elder brother's position were a bit higher, wouldn't I be able to roam freely in Chang'an? Even now, no one can do anything to me."

The day after the commotion at Ci'en Temple, early in the morning, Jiang Yujiang bowed to his "foster father," his mother, and his aunt. He donned a light blue official robe and fastened a specially lengthened and weighted six-foot broadsword at his waist. After receiving countless reminders from Li Linfu, he set out with Ji Wen, who had been waiting at the gate of the Li residence before dawn, heading towards the Dali Temple prison. Meanwhile, Li Linfu watched Jiang Yu and his group depart, lingering for a while before mounting his horse. He fastened a specially lengthened and weighted six-foot broadsword at his waist and, after giving Ji Wen his instructions, he set off towards the Dali Temple prison. There, Li Linfu observed Jiang Yu and his entourage leave, pausing for a moment before finally mounting his horse. He whispered, "Go to the palace and deliver the memorial. Hmph, do they think they can challenge me, Li Linfu, without risking their lives?" Just moments ago, he had worn a kind and gentle expression in front of Jiang Yu, but now it had transformed into one of cold indifference. His previously charming phoenix eyes had mysteriously morphed into a pair of triangular eyes, radiating a vicious and malevolent glare.

In the study, Li Linfu was conversing with a refined man in his thirties. Upon seeing Jiang Yu enter, Li Linfu smiled and said, "Xiao Yu, you are back? Well, come here, let me introduce you to my capable subordinate, Ji Wen, who is currently working in the Ministry of Justice. I plan to appoint you as an Inspector, but you should first spend some time in the Ministry of Justice to gain some experience. After that, you can follow Ji Wen and learn a few things from him."

Two young monks dressed in light blue robes, with freshly shaved heads and shining foreheads smeared with fragrant ointment, approached with cheerful smiles. They took the hands of three maidservants and said, "Shall we take you to meditate?" The three maidservants smiled and obediently followed the two young monks out of the meditation room, heading towards a neighboring room.

With my current abilities, dealing with these minor characters is not a problem; I am just afraid that their backing is too formidable. However, am I really that unlucky? Is it possible that by breaking three bald heads, I would encounter a true practitioner of the demonic path? Thinking of this, Jiang Yu casually pulled three tiles from the roof and aimed to strike the acupoints of the three monks. This move is quite insidious; no matter how profound a master of the demonic sect may be, as long as their body has not reached the indestructible state, a heavy blow to the acupoint will cause their true yang to surge uncontrollably. If the three monks were truly struck at their acupoints by Jiang Yu, not only would they lose all the true yin they had painstakingly gathered, but their true yang would also leak out entirely, causing their cultivation to turn into mere illusions.

The leader, adorned with pink peonies, let out a bitter laugh and helplessly spread his hands, saying, "Well, we can only temporarily drop the case. Such skilled individuals would even scrape away the two small coins from that little monk; this kind of behavior is unacceptable." After coughing a few times, the leader frowned and said, "We just focused on this point at the Great Compassion Temple, and with today's commotion, it seems we might lose track. Hmm, give the order to retract the net and see if we can capture a few key figures."

With a strange howl, the flower-adorned young man's palm shot up like a stone tablet, forcefully pushing forward. In the corridor, which stretched for dozens of zhang, it seemed as if all the air had been completely drawn out by this palm, forming a faint air wall at the edge of his palm, which collided straight against Jiang Yu's right shoulder.

Ji Wen pondered for a moment, then bent down and smiled, saying: "My lord, as long as it is not directed at you, what does it matter what schemes are afoot inside? This is not something that our Censorate should concern itself with. What we should fear is if this matter catches the attention of the Second General, which could bring trouble to Young Master Yu."

Hahaha! What an excellent sword technique! Jiang Yu exclaimed sincerely, for it was indeed the first time in his life that he had witnessed such exquisite and powerful swordsmanship. However, no matter how exquisite the sword technique, what use is it to someone like Jiang Yu, who is an anomaly? As a stream of true energy circulated within him, an invisible force of vitality swept across several zhang, causing thousands of roof tiles to tremble under the impact of that force, stronger by several times than the might of arrows shot from a strong bow. With a whoosh, it surged towards the man.

Ji Wen was overjoyed, laughing as he patted Jiang Yu's shoulder: "I see, that is even better. I was worried that your master in the middle realm was someone too particular, afraid that there were many things you couldn't bear to see or do. But now, it’s all good, everything is at will, everything is at will, how wonderful it is to do as one pleases." Ji Wen laughed heartily, but inside he was murmuring: "A transcendent being? Nonsense, could this fish's master possibly be from the demonic path? Now it’s all good, everything is at will, everything is at will, how wonderful it is to do as one pleases." Ji Wen laughed heartily, but inside he was murmuring: "A transcendent being? Nonsense, could this fish's master possibly be from the demonic path? How is this saying so similar to the teachings of the demonic path? No, it’s even more bizarre than the demonic path; those high-level figures from the demonic path at least teach their disciples to kill and set fires, how could there be someone who doesn’t care about anything?"

Slowly raising his head and gathering his true energy, Jiang Yu aimed at the three monks' bare bottoms, ready to smash the tile down.

He stands approximately 7 feet 8 inches tall, a stature that is quite conspicuous in Chang'an. If one were to seek him out, it should be relatively easy. A few young men were animatedly discussing and analyzing various details they had observed about Jiang Yu. If Jiang Yu were present, he would undoubtedly break out in a cold sweat, for the young men's gazes were exceedingly sharp. However, if he were there, he would also feel a great sense of pride, as his actual height exceeds 9 feet; 7 feet 8 inches is certainly not his height, making it quite difficult for these young men to locate him.

His departure was effortless, yet the Great Compassion and Kindness Temple was in chaos, with chickens flying and dogs jumping. Even the abbot, who had been in seclusion, and several senior monks hurriedly emerged to address the situation. After a tense investigation, the abbot was astonished to discover that dozens of unknown monks had appeared in the temple, while dozens of legitimate monks with proper credentials had vanished. Despite a thorough inquiry, nothing could be uncovered, as those unknown monks had long since disappeared without a trace. In a fit of rage, the abbot promptly reported the case to the local authorities in Chang'an.

Seeing Jiang Yu's confused expression, Ji Wen smiled and explained to calm his mind: "Young Master Yu, these Zanhua Lang are figures from the Flower Camp, essentially spies close to the Emperor. The Qian Niu Wei are the overt guards, while the Zanhua Lang serve as covert protectors; one is visible and the other hidden, forming the Emperor's right and left arms. The official is currently petitioning the Emperor to assign some members of the Flower Camp to the Censorate to oversee the officials there."

With two beeps, Li Linfu tapped the long table and frowned, saying: "Hmm, Little Fish, it seems that this time you have stirred up some trouble. The abbot of the Great Compassion Temple and those chief monks are all high monks devoted to their practice, with profound Buddhist teachings and martial arts skills that are said to have reached the level of masters. This is something you martial artists should be aware of. The Great Compassion Temple holds a special position in Chang'an, earning the respect of officials and the attention of the emperor. If someone were to engage in such lewd acts within the Great Compassion Temple, heh heh." He glanced at Ji Wen and asked with a smile: "Ji Wen, what do you think is going on here?"

Ji Wen's back bristled with cold sweat, just like his subordinates, feeling a chill run down their spines. "Indeed, I was not mistaken; this fish's master is certainly the most sinister kind of reclusive hermit in the demonic path. Feeding poisonous insects with one's own blood is the most malicious form of insect sorcery. No wonder he dares to grab the fine needles refined from withered bone grass at will. One cannot provoke him or anger him; I must serve him with utmost caution." A look of increased wariness appeared on Ji Wen's face.

The resolute man in his thirties, wearing a red peony on his head, stepped forward a few paces and said calmly: "My lord, this carpenter is suspected of some clandestine dealings; I kindly ask for your assistance in this matter."

Ji Wen was taken aback and remained silent. How could they compare to the constables? However, given Jiang Yu's status, who would dare to offend him? Ji Wen simply led Jiang Yu into the prison, and after verifying the badge and official documents, the group entered the dim and eerie dungeon. As they walked along the damp corridor, Ji Wen spoke in a low voice: "Zhong You, the person we are going to interrogate this time is a craftsman from the Ministry of Works. Recently, the Ministry of Works has been found to have misappropriated a large quantity of materials over the past few years, valued at over ten thousand taels. This is neither a small nor a trivial case; the official specifically selected this case for me to help you gain some insight." Ji Wen continued in a low voice: "Zhong You, the person we are going to interrogate this time is a craftsman from the Ministry of Works. Recently, the Ministry of Works has been found to have misappropriated a large quantity of materials over the past few years, valued at over ten thousand taels. This is neither a small nor a trivial case; the official specifically selected this case for me to help you gain some insight."

Li Linfu felt a slight embarrassment on his face and glanced at Ji Wen. Ji Wen quickly lowered his head, pretending he had not heard Jiang Yu's words. Only then did Li Linfu nod in satisfaction and reach out to grab the fine needle: "What is this? It is so delicate, yet not much thicker than a hair. Could it possibly be used to harm someone?"

Just a moment ago, after a few mocking remarks, three figures soared into the sky from the Zen room where a lively scene was unfolding. Three neatly dressed monks shouted angrily, and six hands simultaneously waved towards Jiang Yu. Without any sign of a gust of wind, Jiang Yu was puzzled about what the three monks were doing when suddenly he saw the world darken. Thousands of fine needles, resembling cow hair, shot out from the three monks, making a hissing sound as they enveloped Jiang Yu completely. Even though those fine needles were still several zhang away from him, Jiang Yu could already detect an extremely faint, slightly putrid sweet scent in the air.

"Innate Vital Energy? Who are you, my lord?" The man exclaimed, his long sword trembling in his hand, creating dozens of afterimages that struck the roof tiles, shattering more than half of them. His body had already retreated rapidly, propelled by that force. Blood had begun to spurt from his seven orifices, a result of the immense true energy contained in the roof tiles shattered by Jiang Yu, causing him internal injuries. In a state of panic, the man let out a series of sharp cries, using his long sword to guard his vital points at the face and chest. With a twist of his body, he prepared to escape by leaping into the air.

His punch was extremely slow, yet it carried immense power. Although it was just a single punch, it sealed off all the vital points of the four flower-adorned young men. The four young men, who were not weak in martial arts, simultaneously gasped in surprise and took a large step back. Subsequently, a heavy force like a mountain surged towards them, causing the four young men to retreat in astonishment, again and again, until they had retreated seven large steps, finally dissipating the hidden energy contained in Jiang Yu's punch.