Enlightenment: Beginning as a Disposable Warrior-Chapter 109 - 98: Vajra Temple Master, Muscle-Enhancing Pill!

A top-tier warrior capable of battling the Cyan-Faced Bat King!

A spark of excitement flashed in Li Qiu's eyes. Currently, in the Cyan Cloud Army, only the Grand Commander and Second Commander possess such strength.

"If I could recruit this person, it would be like adding wings to a tiger!"

Someone with such martial prowess couldn't possibly appear out of thin air, yet there are many mysteries involved. If he were truly an assassin, why did he quietly return to the academy after killing Zhou Qing?

Thinking of this, he took out the secret letter to take another look and was about to call someone to release the beggar when a constable came to report.

"Lord Li, Gongsun Hu recently awoke and said there is something he needs to report to you."

"Gongsun has awakened, quickly lead the way."

In the small courtyard of the government office, Gongsun Hu struggled to rise, and Li Qiu quickly pressed him back down, "Gongsun, you should lie down."

"Lord Li, the one who acted today... should be a senior from my sect."

"A master from the Vajra Temple?"

"Exactly!" Gongsun Hu coughed and said, "When the Bat King chased us to the back mountain, I heard an extremely powerful sound of a bell and tiger roar. This person's Vajra Body was far beyond mine, at Great Success or higher."

Hearing this, Li Qiu suddenly realized and sighed inwardly, thinking that if it were indeed a master from the Vajra Temple, then his recruitment thought would naturally fall through.

But this did not match what Qiao'Er had said; she described the heroic rescuer as a scholar, not a monk.

Soon, after Commander Ling and Elder Wang returned with the Cyan Cloud Elite Soldiers from the back mountain, Li Qiu, together with the elder in a profound robe, arrived at the study once the situation was under control.

"How does this person's power compare to yours, Elder Wang?" Li Qiu asked in a low voice.

The elder in the profound robe, Wang Yu, trembled slightly with his thin hand and shook his head, sighing, "Your grace overwhelms me... The grandeur of this person's power is beyond what I can reach."

Upon hearing this, Li Qiu initially thought Wang Yu was being modest, but the next moment his pupils contracted sharply, noticing the deep emotion on Wang Yu's face, which clearly was not mere modesty.

Wang Yu, not originally from Qingyun County but from Canghe County, was known across the Three Counties over twenty years ago as the head of the Jin Hong Martial Arts Hall in Canghe County, undefeated with his Cold Blade.

Li Qiu's father-in-law had been kind to Wang Yu in his early years, and after Wang Yu retired from his position at the Martial Arts Hall, he followed Li Qiu to repay the favor, becoming a tributor in Li Qiu's mansion.

"Elder Wang, is this true?" Li Qiu, the Qingyun County Captain, asked, his voice tightening.

"I never speak falsely on matters of Martial Dao. The master of the Vajra Temple is indeed impressive!" Elder Wang stopped his hand mid-stroke of his beard and spoke solemnly.

"Today, in the mountains, I heard a roar, 'You bald donkey, this grudge will be repaid doubly.' Thinking back, this must have been the Cyan-Faced Bat King, who was defeated by the master."

As his words fell, Li Qiu's many thoughts left only one: the one who defeated the Cyan-Faced Bat King was not an assassin, but the master from the Vajra Temple.

"Indeed, only a master from the Vajra Temple could have such immense power!"

While Li Qiu and Wang Yu contemplated in the study, the sun was setting outside the window.

...

The setting sun was blood-red, and the line of people entering Qingyun City stretched for miles, resembling a dragon. Yet at this moment, a Rice Hat Wanderer walked straight toward the city gate.

The Qingyun guards were about to shout to stop him when they saw a Silver Order of the Blade, exuding a menacing aura, which made their expressions change. Noticing the rice hat on this person's back, they immediately let him pass with respect.

"Dad, why doesn't that person need to queue or pay the entrance fee?" a curious child tugged at his father's coat to ask.

"That's the Assassin's Order! Those who hold it are all heroes from the Demon Slayer Bureau. Six months ago, the hero who rid our area of Black Insect Elder and Insect Child was an assassin," the man driving the merchant caravan whispered.

"Dad, in the future, I also want to be an assassin. I want to be a hero like Hero Li!"

Hero Li?

The Rice Hat Wanderer paused slightly, a smile lifting the corner of his mouth as he strode toward the Demon Slayer Bureau on Cyan Cloud Avenue.

"Mr. Li is back, please come in quickly!"

"Director Li, mission accomplished."

Li Zhihe personally came out to greet Su Mu and brought him into the study. Su Mu cupped his hand in salute and placed the head he had at his waist on the table. Li Zhihe took out a wanted poster and briefly checked it.

"Mr. Li, you are indeed swift." Li Zhihe repacked the head and accepted it, "I thought you might stay in Shuangbai Town for a few more days; the Shuangbai Poetry Gathering is truly a grand event in the literary circles of our Qingyun City. I wonder how many good poems will emerge this year."

Upon hearing this, Su Mu's eyes flickered slightly. He knew the news from there hadn't reached Qingyun City yet, at least not Director Li Zhihe's ears.

At that moment, Li Zhihe reached into the study cabinet and retrieved a package, containing a silver note worth one hundred taels and a hard-covered secret manual, the title written in dragon-like cursive: "Demon Suppressing Fist Technique." 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Seeing Su Mu accept the secret manual and silver note, Li Zhihe remembered something, "Mr. Li, do you still remember Black Insect Elder from six months ago?"

"Of course I remember."

"The token you brought back that day belonged to the brother of the Silver Blade Catcher 'Flying Goose Saber' Li Yan from the Demon Slayer Bureau. Recently, Li Yan returned and wanted to thank Mr. Li in person for avenging his enemies and for the grace of covering the burial."

Su Mu pondered for a moment and finally shook his head, "There's no need to meet; this matter was just done on the spur of the moment."

Li Zhihe seemed to have anticipated this and took out a package: "Li Yan said that if Mr. Li didn't wish to meet, he would ask me to pass this on as a token of gratitude."

Su Mu was stunned. It was indeed a trivial effort for him that day, but he didn't expect there would be follow-up events.

"In that case, I'll accept it. Please convey this message: The deceased are gone, and may the living find solace."

"Alright, I will definitely pass it on."

After not lingering for long, Su Mu left with two packages after having a cup of hot tea.

Shortly after Su Mu stood up to leave, a voice urgently called from outside the Demon Slayer Bureau, "By order of County Captain Li, I am here to seek an audience with the Demon Slayer Director Li!"

By the order of County Captain Li?

The constable, hearing this, did not dare to neglect and immediately brought the person before Li Zhihe.

"You say you come by County Captain Li's order; do you have proof?"

"Director, this is the County Captain's sword!"

Li Zhihe took it, drew out three inches, and the sword gleamed coldly with the inscription 'Qingyun.' It was indeed Li Qiu's sword, and at that moment, the person took a letter from his coat.

"Director, this is Lord Li's secret letter."

"Alright, you may retreat first."

After dismissing the attendants, Li Zhihe immediately took out the secret letter and looked at it, his expression suddenly changed. "Someone, quickly retrieve Mr. Li. If found, tell him this official has urgent matters to discuss and ask him to wait in the study for a moment."

"Prepare the carriage, go to Qingyun County Magistrate's Office."

By the time the constable chased out, Li Feiyu's trace was already gone.

At the end of North Yanque Street, in a quiet courtyard, Su Mu first took a hot bath before unhurriedly checking his recent gains.

He took out two packages and placed them on the table. One was the belongings of Zhou Qing, and the other was the reward from the Flying Goose Saber. Additionally, there was a piece of Snow Silkworm Treasure Armor.

Su Mu's gaze fell on Zhou Qing's package, revealing the outline of ancient texts inside the blood-stained wrap. Zhou Qing had mentioned before his death that he was the brother of the Vice Gang Leader of Qingfeng Gang, Shangguan Feng.

With anticipation, Su Mu unwrapped it, finding a beautifully bound book and two small exquisite sandalwood boxes. Su Mu picked up the book and froze as he saw the title.

"'Zhou Qing's Collection of Poems'?"

Su Mu hesitated and opened the book, but after reading just three to five pages, he frowned deeply. Zhou Qing's poems were really not commendable; writing things like 'one blossom, two blossoms, three and four blossoms' into poetry.

Zhou Qing's inability to pass the initial scholarly and county exams, failing to earn the title of a scholar, had its reasons.

Greatly disappointed, Su Mu closed Zhou Qing's collection of poems. His gaze fell on the remaining two small exquisite sandalwood boxes, with one line of the box open, releasing a fragrant scent.

Opening to look inside, there was a crystal-clear white pill, the size of a green date. Su Mu's eyes flashed with thoughts of the two Tendon Pills obtained from Zhao Xuan.

Similarly sealed in white wax, with a sheet of Hundred Elixir Tower's paper label, Su Mu glanced at it, but his eyes suddenly brightened.

The fly-head small characters in black ink read 'Muscle-Protecting Pill,' not Tendon Pill.

A one-character difference means the world of difference!

"This is a Muscle-Protecting Pill? Then the other must be…"

Su Mu's eyes shined brightly as he immediately opened the other box. Inside was a crystal-clear pill with a light yellow tint. The fly-head small characters on the white paper read: Bone Strengthening Pill.

"It really is a Bone Strengthening Pill, one Muscle-Protecting Pill, one Bone Strengthening Pill… Truly acquired without any effort!"

Su Mu was delighted, as these were most likely prepared by Zhou Qing in anticipation of his second tendon transformation, which now fell to Su Mu's benefit.

"With these two pills in hand, I can begin to work toward the Yijin transformation."

Su Mu was quite satisfied with Zhou Qing's belongings, and then his gaze fell on the remaining package on the table. He didn't expect much from Li Yan's reward.

After all, covering Black Insect Elder's corpse was not done for Li Yan's gratitude. Su Mu acted only for peace of mind, doing it on impulse.

Opening the package, he saw a letter and a nameless ancient book with a yellowing, rolled cover.