Once the men from the Jingwu Bureau were gone, the crowd of several thousand Martial Artists erupted into an even more fervent discussion.

"The Iron Sword Sect backed down! Haha, I never would have guessed."

"One man brought a whole sect to its knees! This Deputy Captain Chen is going to make a name for himself and shake all of Ning’an with this one battle!"

"This twist is more exciting than any novel. Damn, that was satisfying!"

"And they called him the number one fighter below the Earth Fiend realm in the Iron Sword Sect? I say Deputy Captain Chen is the one who truly deserves the title of number one below Earth Fiend in all of Ning’an Prefecture!"

"That’s right! Once Deputy Captain Chen succeeds in Condensing Evil, he’s guaranteed a spot among the Ning’an Ten Heroes! Who wants to bet against me?"

"Why the hell would I bet on that? It’s a sure thing!"

"Sigh, my biggest regret is not betting on Chen Sheng to win. I lost a fortune!"

Amidst the crowd, inside an elegantly decorated carriage, Wang Zilan’s beautiful eyes sparkled with a peculiar light.

She knew that after this battle, Chen Sheng’s name would sweep through Ning’an like a hurricane. His prestige and status now rivaled those of the long-famous Ning’an Ten Heroes. ’I must befriend a man like this as soon as possible.’

Meanwhile, Xiong Lie, who had only just regained consciousness, overheard the crowd’s unfiltered comments. A wave of fury washed over him, and he violently spat out another mouthful of blood before passing out again.

Li Xuanche, who was supporting him at his side, had a face so dark it looked like it could drip water. He had come hoping to see Chen Sheng make a fool of himself, but instead, he witnessed his sect’s humiliation and lost ten Elemental Crystals to boot. He had lost both face and fortune completely.

Lu Qingsong’s icy gaze swept across the gossiping crowd. Forcibly suppressing his rage, he barked in a low voice,

"We’re returning to the mountain!"

He had originally planned to "sell" the information about Gao Yuanzhao’s collusion with the Cyan Flood Dragon Alliance to the Jingwu Bureau after Xiong Lie’s victory. It was meant to be a gesture to ease tensions.

But after this battle, that thought had long since vanished. Deep down, he even found himself secretly hoping that Chen Sheng and the Jingwu Bureau would suffer some kind of setback. Only then might the hatred in his heart be slightly appeased.

.....

「Jingwu Bureau, Governor’s Office.」

Sun Yuzhi sat behind her desk. Although her face had returned to a state of calm, the unconcealable delight deep in her eyes revealed her inner satisfaction.

Chen Sheng’s actions today had been exactly to her liking.

Decisive, domineering, and formidably powerful—this was her ideal right-hand man. Compared to him, subordinates like her own Zhan Fusheng were completely useless.

’It’s just a pity... a talent like this was a confidant that Nie Xuanfeng had discovered and promoted first.’

Every time she thought of this, Sun Yuzhi felt a wave of irritation.

She had already thoroughly investigated Chen Sheng’s background. He came from Changshan County and his history was relatively simple. ’If only I had discovered him earlier, I would have recruited him at any cost. How could I have let Nie Xuanfeng get to him first?’

’However...’

Her gaze unintentionally swept over a Spiritual Object in a jade box to the side, which emitted a shimmering, blood-red glow. A plan had already formed in her mind.

"Sun Zhenfu, Deputy Captain Chen requests an audience," a voice reported from outside the hall.

Sun Yuzhi immediately reined in all her emotions, once again becoming the dignified and imposing Vice Governor. Her voice was flat and emotionless.

"Let him enter."

...

"I, Chen Sheng, pay my respects to Sun Zhenfu."

Chen Sheng strode into the hall and bowed respectfully, his gaze quickly sweeping over Sun Yuzhi, who sat behind her desk.

This Vice Governor was indeed a peerless beauty. Her figure was curvaceous and graceful, her features exceptionally gorgeous. Even rarer was the awe-inspiring dignity she had cultivated from years in a high position. The combination created a unique and captivating aura.

It was the kind of beauty that might tempt a man to defy his stunning superior.

"After so many intense battles today, are you unharmed?"

As a gesture of recruitment, Sun Yuzhi adopted a rare, softened tone, tinged with a hint of concern.

"Thank you for your concern, Lord Governor. It was a minor drain on my energy. I will be fully recovered after a short period of regulation. It is nothing serious," Chen Sheng replied calmly.

"Mm, that’s good." Sun Yuzhi nodded slightly and fell silent.

A subtle silence descended upon the hall.

Chen Sheng knew the time was right. He took the initiative to break the silence and got straight to the point.

"Sun Zhenfu, regarding the matter you promised me the other day... I was wondering..."

"Promised?"

Sun Yuzhi leaned back slightly into her chair, a movement that accentuated her magnificent figure. A faint, unreadable smile touched her lips. "What did I promise you?"

"The Blood Spirit Jade Marrow," Chen Sheng said, his words concise.

Sun Yuzhi chuckled at his words, her laughter carrying an inscrutable tone.

"I’m afraid you’ve misremembered, Deputy Captain Chen. What I said that day was that I would give you a ’chance.’ I never promised to simply award you the Blood Spirit Jade Marrow, did I?"

"Even a chance is something for which I am deeply grateful. Please, Sun Zhenfu, tell me what I need to do."

Chen Sheng adopted a humble posture, but his tone remained calm and steady.

Sun Yuzhi slowly rose to her feet. She paced down from the high platform and stopped before Chen Sheng, a faint, pleasant fragrance wafting from her. She looked at him and said coolly,

"You must understand the value of a rare natural treasure like the Blood Spirit Jade Marrow. It’s in no way inferior to the Hundred-Year Earth Heart Lotus. I have presided over Ning’an for many years; ordinary Cultivation Resources and Elemental Crystals no longer hold any interest for me.

"The price to obtain this item... is steep."

At this, Sun Yuzhi paused. She scrutinized Chen Sheng before continuing.

"However, considering that you crushed the Iron Sword Sect today and greatly boosted the prestige of our Jingwu Bureau, I will make an exception and grant you this opportunity. All you have to do is pledge your future loyalty to me, and obey only my commands.

"Do that, and forget the Blood Spirit Jade Marrow—I can procure even more precious Cultivation Resources for you. What do you say?"

Chen Sheng had fully anticipated this. Before arriving, his Celestial Book of Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil had already given him a hint, so he knew exactly how to respond. A perfectly timed flash of conflict appeared in his eyes, immediately replaced by a look of firm resolve. He cupped his fists and said in a solemn voice,