Cultivating in Different Professions

"What? He refused?"

Wenren Jiangbo shot up from the arms of the beauty beside him, his face a mask of disbelief. "He actually dared to refuse me?"

"Su Mu said—"

The guard hesitated.

"What did he say?"

Wenren Jiangbo asked, his face grim.

"He said that if he accepted a challenge from every Tom, Dick, and Harry who came along, he’d work himself to death."

The guard said quietly.

"He’s calling me a nobody?"

Wenren Jiangbo was so furious he laughed. "Didn’t you tell him who I am?" he asked coldly.

"I did,"

The guard said with a pained expression. "But he asked me whether you had an official rank."

"What does official rank have to do with it? He’s just a lowly Sixth-Grade Captain. Does he really think he’s some important official?"

Wenren Jiangbo scoffed.

He simply chose not to pursue a career as an official. Otherwise, with his family background, he’d be at least a fourth-grade official by now.

A paltry sixth-grade rank wasn’t even worth his notice.

"Su Mu said that he is an official and you are a civilian. He has duties to perform, unlike you, who is—"

The guard hesitated before continuing, "—unlike you, who is so idle. He said he has no time to play your games."

"He’s calling a duel with me ’playing’? Is he looking down on me?"

Wenren Jiangbo roared. "He thinks just because he’s ranked one spot higher than me on the Dragon and Tiger List, he’s qualified to look down on me?

The audacity!

Where is that bastard Su? He will accept my challenge. He has no choice!

If he dares refuse me again, I’ll see to it he can’t even keep his post as a Taiping Captain!"

CRACK!

Wenren Jiangbo slammed his palm down on the bedstead.

The frame shattered instantly, sending the shrieking women tumbling into a pile of splinters.

"When I found him, he was standing guard on the outskirts of Daxing Mountain. But I heard he was returning to the Taiping Government Office, so he should be there now."

The guard said.

"Let’s go. To the Taiping Government Office!"

Wenren Jiangbo turned and stormed out.

...

「Wuling City. Taiping Government Office.」

"Wenren Jiangbo wants to challenge you, and you refused?"

Zhao Poni asked in astonishment.

"There’s no law in Da Xuan that says I have to accept just because he issues a challenge, is there?"

Su Mu shrugged. "We have more than enough work at the Taiping Bureau to keep us busy. Where would I find the time to play his games?

If I duel him and win, I gain nothing. If I lose, it’s even worse.

So tell me, what’s in it for me?"

"That does make sense."

Zhao Poni mused.

’He was secretly relieved. Good thing he’d broken through to the True Essence Realm. Otherwise, with the new Dragon and Tiger List out, he, a Governor, would have been outranked by one of his own Taiping Captains. How could he possibly command any respect then? On the Rebirth List, he knew of several Governors in the Rebirth Realm who ranked far below some exceptionally talented Taiping Captains. In the Taiping Bureau, promotion to Governor usually required reaching the True Essence Realm. However, in some regions without any True Essence masters, a cultivator in the Rebirth Realm could also be promoted based on merit and service. That had been his exact situation until recently. So, not every Governor was stronger than a Taiping Captain. Of course, Taiping Captains like Su Mu, Mei Yingfeng, and Lin Qi Huan were a rare breed indeed.’

"Be that as it may, I’ve heard this Wenren Jiangbo is a very troublesome character."

Zhao Poni said pensively. "You may not have dealt much with the scions of these great clans, but when they set their minds on something, they’ll stop at nothing to achieve it.

He’s set on challenging you. If you don’t accept, I’m afraid he’ll hound you relentlessly."

"This is Wuling. I’m a Taiping Captain, and he’s just a commoner."

Su Mu said calmly. "You think I’m afraid of him?

If he insists on hounding me, I don’t mind tossing him in a Taiping Bureau cell to clear his head."

Zhao Poni was speechless.

’He’d heard that during the city’s defense, Su Mu had cut down Xie Zuowen, the General of the Wuling City Defense Army, over a simple disagreement. Zhao Poni used to think Su Mu was level-headed, not nearly as vicious as the rumors made him out to be. Now, it seemed he had severely underestimated Su Mu. There were probably very few people in all of Da Xuan who would dare to throw Wenren Jiangbo in jail.’

DONG!

DONG!

DONG!

Just then, the sound of a drum echoed from outside.

"Su Mu, get out here!"

A loud roar immediately followed.

"You coward! If you don’t dare accept my challenge, then give up your second-place rank on the Rebirth List of the Dragon and Tiger List! You don’t deserve it!"

The voice boomed across the skies of Wuling City.

Before long, a crowd of curious onlookers had gathered on the street in front of the Taiping Government Office.

"See? He’s here,"

Zhao Poni said with a note of resignation.

’He had seen the reckless abandon of these great clans far too many times. Now that Wenren Jiangbo had his sights set on Su Mu, he would be hounded relentlessly. Unless Su Mu could beat him into submission, beat him until he was too afraid to continue, Wenren Jiangbo would never give up.’

"Perhaps I should go out and try to talk him down,"

Zhao Poni said.

"You think he’ll listen to you?"

Su Mu asked in return.

An awkward expression crossed Zhao Poni’s face.

’A Fourth-Grade Governor of the Taiping Bureau was, in theory, a position of great power and influence. But someone like Wenren Jiangbo probably wouldn’t give a Fourth-Grade Governor a second thought. The Jiangzuo Wenren Family had once produced three Prime Ministers. Though no longer at the height of their power, the family still had one second-grade, two third-grade, and countless fourth-grade officials serving in the court. As a direct descendant of the Wenren Family, Wenren Jiangbo truly had no reason to show him any respect. If Wenren Jiangbo snubbed him publicly, the humiliation would be immense.’

Just as he was caught in this dilemma, Su Mu offered a small smile. "I’d better handle this myself.

I gave him a chance. If he’s too foolish to take it, then he can’t blame me for what happens next."