Cultivating in Different Professions

"Alright everyone, you can all disperse now."

Su Mu took the winnings from the bet, cupped his hands to the surrounding crowd, and announced loudly.

"Captain Su, you’ve really brought honor to us Wuling people! I’d call you the pride of Wuling."

Someone in the crowd suddenly shouted.

"That Wenren Jiangbo thought he was so great just because he’s from the Capital City. He was arrogant to everyone he met and even called our Wuling a backwater place. Thanks to you, Captain Su, you’ve defended the honor of us Wuling people!"

"Captain Su, when are you gonna be number one in Wuling?"

"..."

Su Mu: "..."

Before the scene could get out of hand, he slipped back to the Taiping Government Office. If he stayed any longer, who knows what else those people might have said.

’How could a mere Sixth-Grade Taiping Captain like me claim to be number one in Wuling in front of my own direct superior?’

...

Back in his small courtyard, he shut the gate, leaving the chaos of the outside world behind.

Thanks to the Gathering Spirit Stone, the air in Su Mu’s small courtyard was much fresher than anywhere else in the Taiping Bureau.

SWISH!

Su Mu drew the Jade Water Sword.

The blade shimmered like a pool of jade water, exuding a biting chill.

With just a casual swing, a wave of Sword Qi carved a deep gash into the ground.

"A fine sword."

Su Mu ran his fingers along the blade and praised it.

’It’s worthy of its rank as the tenth weapon on the Divine Weapon List, far stronger than my Ziwei Soft Sword.’

After admiring it for a moment, he casually placed the Jade Water Sword on the table and turned his attention to the Xiaoxiang Rebirth Technique manual.

He quickly read it from beginning to end.

This Xiaoxiang Rebirth Technique was indeed a rare and exceptional Rebirth Technique.

Su Mu cultivated the Four Symbols Rebirth Technique and had now mastered both the Vermilion Bird Body and the Black Tortoise Body. His understanding of Rebirth Techniques had already reached an extremely high level.

In his opinion, this Xiaoxiang Rebirth Technique was indeed not much inferior to the Divine Phoenix Rebirth Technique. He wondered who Wenren Jiangbo had taken it from.

It was just that Wenren Jiangbo had been too confident, certain he would never lose to Su Mu, which was why he had been willing to wager such a valuable item.

Wenren Jiangbo would never have imagined in his wildest dreams that he would lose, and lose so cleanly and decisively.

’Wenren Jiangbo must be kicking himself raw right now. This Xiaoxiang Rebirth Technique is a devastating loss, even for the Wenren Family,’ Su Mu thought to himself.

A single top-tier Rebirth Technique could even be the foundation for a mid-sized noble family.

Of the four great families of Wuling City—now three—not a single one possessed a Rebirth Technique of this caliber.

Even an organization as powerful as the Taiping Bureau, aside from the Divine Phoenix Rebirth Technique, had few other Rebirth Techniques that could compare to this Xiaoxiang Rebirth Technique.

This Xiaoxiang Rebirth Technique was comparable to the Wenren Family’s own Celestial Pig Rebirth Technique. If Wenren Jiangbo had brought this technique back to his family, it would have been like doubling the Wenren Family’s foundational strength overnight.

’I wonder if Wenren Jiangbo will get his legs broken when he gets home.’

’With such a huge loss, I wonder if the Wenren Family will let this go. Should I make a preemptive strike?’ Su Mu thought to himself.

He didn’t like the feeling of being threatened.

But on second thought, the Wenren Family was different from the Wuling Hu Family. They were a great noble family that had existed for who knew how many years, with deep-rooted and tangled influence, and an unknown number of experts within their ranks.

Even the Taiping Bureau wouldn’t dare to move against such a great noble family lightly.

For a mere Sixth-Grade Taiping Captain like him to think of wiping out the Wenren Family was no different from an ant trying to shake a tree or a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

’I hope they honor the bet and accept their loss. But if they really come looking for trouble, then they’ll have no one to blame but themselves,’ Su Mu muttered to himself.

’I can keep the Jade Water Sword, but this Xiaoxiang Rebirth Technique...’

Su Mu’s gaze fell upon the Xiaoxiang Rebirth Technique, and he fell into deep thought.

He cultivated the Four Symbols Rebirth Technique, so it was naturally impossible for him to cultivate the Xiaoxiang Rebirth Technique as well.

For him, the Xiaoxiang Rebirth Technique was completely useless.

Come to think of it, he now had three Rebirth Techniques in his possession.

Besides the Four Symbols Rebirth Technique he was cultivating, he also had the Divine Phoenix Rebirth Technique.

And now he had added the Xiaoxiang Rebirth Technique to the list.

The Divine Phoenix Rebirth Technique was a reward from the Taiping Bureau Headquarters and couldn’t be transferred casually.

But the Xiaoxiang Rebirth Technique was something he had won himself.

’If I turn in the Xiaoxiang Rebirth Technique, I wonder if it will be enough to get me promoted to Fifth-Grade Taiping Captain,’ Su Mu mused.

The value of a top-tier Rebirth Technique was self-evident; it was definitely comparable to slaying a Tier Three Demon.

It might even earn Su Mu another special commendation.

Su Mu wasn’t greedy. Whether he got a special commendation or not wasn’t important; what mattered was the promotion.

If he could get promoted to the fifth grade, the number of Points he received daily would also increase.

Thinking of this, Su Mu no longer hesitated and immediately got up and headed outside.

...

Zhao Poni had just managed to disperse the crowd at the Government Office entrance and returned to the main hall. His seat hadn’t even warmed up yet when he saw Su Mu walk in.

He felt a wave of apprehension.

’Having such a dazzling Captain under my command is both a joy and a headache. That crowd just now had been praising Su Mu to the heavens, so much so that I, the Governor, felt it would be unreasonable if I didn’t step down and yield my position to a more worthy man. And now, seeing Su Mu, I actually feel that I’m unworthy of my position. I feel like I shouldn’t even be sitting up here...’

"Captain Su, is something the matter?"

Zhao Poni cleared his throat, banishing the messy thoughts from his mind, and asked.

"Yes."

Su Mu nodded. "You know that Rebirth Technique I just won? I took a look at it. Wenren Jiangbo wasn’t lying; it really isn’t much inferior to the Divine Phoenix Rebirth Technique. Sir, what do you think? If I hand this Xiaoxiang Rebirth Technique over to the Bureau, will the merits be enough for me to take the next step up?"

Zhao Poni: "..."

’You’re already the youngest Sixth-Grade Captain in the history of the Taiping Bureau, you know. And you’re already in a rush to get promoted to the fifth grade? How about I just give you my position as Governor?’

Zhao Poni felt immense pressure. Having such an outstanding subordinate was truly a kind of headache.

It wasn’t that he wasn’t magnanimous, but Su Mu had only been promoted to Sixth-Grade Taiping Captain less than a year ago.

There was no precedent in the Taiping Bureau for someone being promoted two ranks in a single year.

"Not enough?"

Su Mu raised an eyebrow.

"Enough, of course it’s enough."

Zhao Poni came to his senses and said, "However, a promotion to Fifth-Grade Taiping Captain isn’t something I can decide on my own. It needs to be reported to the Headquarters for approval. The whole process, back and forth, will take two to three months at the very least."

"It’ll take that long?"

Su Mu frowned.

"That’s not long at all," Zhao Poni explained with a wry smile. "Normally, the Taiping Captains of the Wuling Taiping Bureau have one opportunity for promotion each year. I submit a promotion list to the Headquarters annually. When you were promoted to Sixth-Grade Taiping Captain, I had just submitted that year’s list to the Headquarters. If you get promoted now, it would be considered an exceptional promotion, which requires sending someone to the Headquarters to report it separately."

"Alright then. Two or three months it is," Su Mu said with some resignation. ’Still, compared to the efficiency of some departments in my previous life, the Taiping Bureau is already quite fast.’

"I’ll turn in this Xiaoxiang Rebirth Technique manual first, then. I’ll have to trouble you to put in a good word for my promotion, Sir," Su Mu said.

"Don’t worry," Zhao Poni said. "You’ve broken the Taiping Bureau’s record for the fastest promotion yet again. If you keep this up, I’m afraid it won’t be long before you’re sitting in my seat."

"I wouldn’t dare," Su Mu said. "The Wuling Taiping Bureau still needs you at the helm, Sir."

"You don’t have to be like that in front of me," Zhao Poni said, annoyed. "Do you think I don’t know you? Su Mu, let me speak frankly with you today. With your talent, Wuling City is destined to be unable to hold you. But I hope you can stay in Wuling City for a few more years. Only you can shelter Wuling City from the wind and rain. With you in Wuling City, the city can have a few more years to rest and recover. The Wuling Taiping Bureau is willing to use all its resources to help you advance, with the sole hope that you will protect Wuling City for a few more years."

"Sir, you flatter me. I’m just a Taiping Captain in the Rebirth Realm. How could I have such great ability?" Su Mu said with a wry smile.

"You do!" Zhao Poni said with a serious expression.

"Sir, you’re killing me with praise," Su Mu said helplessly. "Sir, I really haven’t thought about leaving Wuling. Even if I can get promoted to Fifth-Grade Taiping Captain this time, who knows how long it will take to take the next step after that. Whether it’s accumulating merits or breaking through to the True Essence Realm, neither is that easy. So, Sir, you don’t need to worry about me leaving Wuling. At least, I won’t be leaving anytime soon... unless you plan on chasing me away."