Cultivating in Different Professions

On the outskirts of Daxing Mountain, nestled in a forest, stood a hill covered in cracks.

At the base of the hill, there was once a cave.

The cave had since collapsed, its entrance now a disorderly pile of stones.

"This is where the remnants of the Xuanming Sect raised their Corpse Demons."

Su Mu pointed to the blocked entrance. "Later, the Taiping Bureau sent men to completely eradicate the Corpse Demons in this area.

"We had hoped to recover Envoy Feng’s body, but we couldn’t find it.

"It was likely devoured by the Corpse Demons."

Su Mu looked at the Inspectors from the Inspection Bureau. No matter how he looked at them, something felt off.

The Inspection Bureau’s uniforms were a clear imitation of the Taiping Bureau’s.

The Taiping Bureau wore Brocade and Ink Shirts; the Inspection Bureau wore white cloud-patterned robes.

The Taiping Bureau had the word "Taiping" embroidered on the chest and back.

Theirs was embroidered with the word "Inspection."

But for the Taiping Bureau, "Taiping"—great peace—was a mission, a noble aspiration.

’But "Inspection"? What the hell is that supposed to be?’

Five people had come from the Inspection Bureau this time.

Dai Jin, Jia Ren, and Du Yuehua were the three original Inspectors.

All three were on the Golden Wind Tower’s assassination list.

However, the three were inseparable, and Su Mu hadn’t found an opportunity to strike.

The other two Inspectors were Wang Guan and Shi Ji.

Wang Guan, needless to say, had feigned unfamiliarity with Su Mu the entire trip.

As for Shi Ji, he constantly maintained a subtle distance from Su Mu.

It was a distance that would allow him to attack Su Mu in an instant, yet also give him enough time to react if Su Mu tried to ambush him.

This was the vigilance of a seasoned veteran of the Jianghu, far greater than that of disciples from major sects like Dai Jin, who had been raised in a greenhouse.

"My Lord, there is indeed a lingering demonic aura here."

Shi Ji secretly gave Dai Jin a meaningful look and spoke in a low voice.

"Shi Ji, I’ll have to trouble you to check the vicinity for any signs of demons."

Dai Jin said, his expression unchanged.

Shi Ji acknowledged the order. He shot off like a monkey, quickly scaled a cliff, and then rapidly scouted the area.

A moment later, he was back in front of Dai Jin.

"My Lord, there’s no one for miles around."

he said, cupping his fists.

"Lord Dai, as I said, the Taiping Bureau has already cleared this area. There won’t be any Corpse Demons left."

Su Mu said calmly, "Even if remnants of the Profound Nether Sect returned to raise Corpse Demons here, it would take them years to cultivate a new one."

"You’re right."

Dai Jin nodded. "This is indeed a fine place for raising corpses. I wonder how long it would take to raise a Corpse Demon if we buried you here.

"With a physique at the Body Tempering Limit, if we turned you into a Corpse Demon, you’d at least become a Red-haired Corpse Demon, wouldn’t you? Perhaps even a purple-haired one?"

Before he finished speaking, Jia Ren, Du Yuehua, and Shi Ji flickered into motion, surrounding Su Mu from four directions.

As for Wang Guan, he had already scurried far away, peeking out from behind a large boulder.

"Lord Dai, what is the meaning of this?"

Su Mu glanced around, his expression unchanging as he spoke calmly.

"Su Mu, the only way to keep a secret is to not have done it in the first place."

Dai Jin said coldly, "I may not have proof, but I know you’re the one who killed Junior Brother Feng."

"If you have no proof, you’re just talking out of your ass."

Su Mu said nonchalantly.

Dai Jin’s face darkened. ’This bastard! How can he still be so arrogant at a time like this?’

’Can’t he see that we’re in the middle of nowhere? This is the perfect place for a murder!’

"Su Mu, do you think you’re untouchable just because you have the Five Flames Heaven-Shaking Bow?"

Dai Jin’s face was grim. "I’m telling you, you’re a dead man today.

"I will offer your head as a sacrifice to my Junior Brother Feng."

"Lord Dai, you are an Inspector of the Inspection Bureau, not some common bandit."

Su Mu sighed and said slowly, "To kill a Taiping Captain without a shred of evidence... surely you don’t think you can just walk away from that?"

"And who’s going to know?"

Dai Jin sneered. "My Inspection Bureau was ordered to investigate the remnants of the Profound Nether Sect. In the process, we discovered evidence that the Wuling Taiping Bureau was sheltering them. You, Su Mu, with your conspiracy exposed, put up a desperate resistance and were struck down on the spot by yours truly.

"Sounds perfectly reasonable, doesn’t it?"

"Perfectly reasonable."

Su Mu nodded. "Framing the innocent, twisting right and wrong... I never thought I’d see the day someone used these tactics against the Taiping Bureau.

"But Lord Dai, have you ever considered that the Taiping Bureau is an old hand at this game as well?

"Perhaps the Taiping Bureau has been too courteous to you in the past, giving you the mistaken impression that we’re all a bunch of righteous gentlemen?"

"What are you getting at?"

Dai Jin frowned.

He was certain of his victory and didn’t want to kill Su Mu just yet.

He wanted to see the look of terror on Su Mu’s face first.

But the calmer Su Mu remained, the more infuriated Dai Jin became.

"Lord Dai, to achieve Taiping—great peace—we in the Taiping Bureau must be more ruthless than demons and more wicked than the corrupt.

"You don’t seriously believe the Taiping Bureau has survived all these years by reasoning with people, do you?"

Su Mu said slowly, "Let me teach you something. When the Taiping Bureau chooses to reason with you, you’d best reason back.

"But if you refuse to be reasonable, you’ll see the Taiping Bureau’s unreasonable side. And it’s quite savage."

"Boss Dai, he’s threatening you! Get him!"

Wang Guan’s voice piped up from behind the rock.

Dai Jin’s expression instantly darkened.

"It seems your arrogance stems from having the Five Flames Heaven-Shaking Bow in your possession."

Dai Jin said coldly, "Su Mu, do you really think your Five Flames Heaven-Shaking Bow will be of any use today?

"If you have the guts, then go on! Try shooting me with that Five Flames Heaven-Shaking Bow!"

A cold, arrogant sneer played on his lips.

Su Mu laughed in surprise. "Well, that’s a first. I’ve never had anyone ask me for something like that.