The Effect Remains After Unequipping - Chapter 50
Chapter 50: Brother Mu, Interested in Joining Our Prefecture Constable Office?
Translation by: Weebsread👹
Noon, just outside Qinghe Prefecture City.
The sun blazed overhead, the sky a flawless blue.
Mu Yang tightened his grip on the reins, gazing at the city rising before him. Unlike the modest, three-zhang-high walls of Qingxi County, these ramparts soared to a full ten zhang, constructed entirely from massive slabs of dark blue-black granite. Even the seams between the stones were sealed with molten iron, giving the walls a somber, imposing majesty that dominated the surrounding countryside.
The city gates were even more impressive—broad enough for four horse-drawn carriages to pass through side by side. The guards flanking the entrance were all martial artists radiating vigorous Qi and Blood, each at least at the Skin and Flesh Stage, most already well on their way to mastery.
Their squad leader stood out: clad in dark iron light armor, a silver-white saber at his waist, his presence unmistakably that of a Second Rank martial artist, firmly at the Tendons and Bones Stage. Back in Qingxi County, a man like him would be among the top three experts in the Constable Office. Here, he was merely a ten-man squad captain, stationed at the gate.
Mu Yang and Xue She dismounted, leading their horses as they joined the flow of people entering Qinghe Prefecture City.
The instant they crossed the threshold, they were enveloped in the vibrant, smoky bustle of city life. Shops lined the wide flagstone streets, tavern banners fluttered in the breeze, and street performers dazzled the crowds with feats of sleight of hand. The city pulsed with life and energy.
“So this is the prefecture city—crowded, lively, full of opportunity, but danger lurks everywhere,” Xue She remarked with a wistful sigh.
Half an hour later, the two arrived at the gates of the prefecture yamen.
The prefecture yamen dwarfed the county office back in Qingxi. Its vermillion gates stood wide, flanked by a pair of stone lions taller than a man, exuding an air of solemn authority. The two sentries at the door were both Second Rank martial artists at the Tendons and Bones Stage.
“Brother Xue, long time no see!” one of the guards called out.
Clearly, Xue She was a familiar face here—the gatekeepers greeted him with easy camaraderie. After a brief exchange, Xue She led Mu Yang inside with practiced confidence, weaving through the front court and public hall to the rear courtyard: the Constable Office.
The prefecture’s Constable Office was vast, divided between a martial training ground in the front and offices and living quarters in the back. At that moment, dozens of constables were drilling in the yard—blades flashing, shouts echoing skyward.
Mu Yang swept his gaze over the scene. Nearly everyone had already stepped into the ranks of martial artists. Even those who hadn’t yet broken through radiated vitality, their weapons whirling with fierce spirit—clearly on the verge of advancement.
“In the prefecture, you need to be at least Second Rank, Tendons and Bones Stage, to serve as a constable,” Xue She murmured. “Those at the First Rank, Skin and Flesh Stage, can only join as reserves—tagging along on missions, maybe lending a hand.”
Mu Yang nodded.
Back in Qingxi County, raw strength alone could earn you a constable’s badge. With some luck and years of service, you might even make class leader. But here, only those at Second Rank were full constables. To be a class leader, Third Rank was the minimum. The top class leaders were all at the Fourth Rank, Condensation Realm. And the Chief Constable? Fifth Rank, Meridian Unification Stage—one of the few at the very summit of the entire city.
“Old Xue, back already?”
A hearty voice rang out.
The two turned to see a rugged, broad-shouldered man in a blue martial uniform striding toward them. He was tall and powerfully built, with calloused hands and a face etched with hard lines—the look of a man who’d spent a lifetime wielding weapons.
“Brother Dai!” Xue She grinned and hurried over, embracing him in a rough, affectionate hug.
This was Dai Wang, class leader of Squad Seven—Xue She’s senior brother from their earliest days. They’d joined the yamen together, served in the same squad, and survived countless deadly missions side by side. If Xue She hadn’t married and transferred to Qingxi County, he’d probably be a class leader here as well.
“Brother, let me introduce you—this is Mu Yang, the genius I told you about!” Xue She said.
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“Not bad! Broad shoulders, long arms, and a robust Qi and Blood—definitely promising material!” Dai Wang laughed, sizing Mu Yang up with an approving nod. “Since you’re with Old Xue, there’s no need for formality. Just call me Brother Dai.”
He turned back, “You two just arrived, right? Had lunch yet? It’s about time—how about a few drinks?”
Xue She didn’t refuse, and the three of them left the yamen together.
They took a private room at a nearby restaurant. Dai Wang ordered a table full of dishes and wine. Most of the conversation was between him and Xue She, while Mu Yang quietly ate whatever the others passed his way.
Midway through the meal, Xue She mentioned that he planned to have Mu Yang stay at the Constable Office for a while.
“That’s no trouble at all,” Dai Wang replied, cheeks slightly flushed from drink. “My courtyard’s huge—plenty of space for both of you, even a few more.”
As one of the few Fourth Rank, Condensation Realm class leaders in the prefecture, Dai Wang had his own spacious private courtyard in the rear quarters. Housing Xue She and Mu Yang was no issue at all.
“Thanks for the trouble, Brother,” Xue She said, raising his cup and draining it in one go.
After the meal, Mu Yang finally spoke up. “Brother Dai, there’s something I’d like to ask.”
“Go ahead,” Dai Wang replied, biting into a chicken leg.
“I was wondering—can the prefecture yamen exchange Foundation Establishment Martial Arts? And if so, what’s required to make the exchange?”
This was Mu Yang’s greatest concern. Aside from joining the Demon-Slaying Division to make demon hunting easier, his main reason for coming to the prefecture was to seek Foundation Establishment Martial Arts and break through to the Fourth Rank.
Dai Wang wiped his mouth and replied, “The prefecture armory does have a decent selection of Foundation Establishment Martial Arts, but the requirements are strict.”
He held up three fingers. “First, you have to join the prefecture’s Constable Office and become a full constable. Second, you must reach the Third Rank, Blood and Marrow Stage, and serve as a class leader. Third, you need to complete enough missions to rack up the required Merit Points. Only then can you make the exchange.”
“I see.” Mu Yang nodded, understanding.
With Dai Wang’s explanation, he gave up on the idea of exchanging Martial Arts through the county yamen. In the Great Jin Dynasty, the Demon-Slaying Division and the prefecture yamen were two entirely separate bureaucratic systems. Joining one meant you couldn’t join the other. As for being a county constable? That didn’t really count as being part of the system.
“Don’t worry about Foundation Establishment Martial Arts,” Dai Wang said. “With your talent—reaching the Tendons and Bones Stage by age twenty—it won’t be hard to join the Demon-Slaying Division as a reserve. Once you reach Blood and Marrow Stage Perfection, the Demon-Slaying Division will usually provide the next-level Martial Arts.”
“Brother, what are you talking about?” Xue She cut in, face flushed. “Mu Yang’s already at the Blood and Marrow Stage! He’s slain nearly a handful of Third Rank demons!”
“???”
Dai Wang stared, dumbfounded.
Third Rank? Wasn’t Mu Yang just at the Tendons and Bones Stage last week when you left? He glanced at Mu Yang’s shockingly young face, uncertain. “You’ve really reached the Blood and Marrow Stage?”
Mu Yang nodded. “Yes.”
“Hss—” Dai Wang sucked in a sharp breath and smacked Xue She on the back of the head. “Why the hell didn’t you mention something this big sooner?!”
“Mention what?” Xue She blinked.
“A twenty-year-old at Blood and Marrow Stage, straight out of the county—damn it, you should be sending him straight to the Demon-Slaying Division!”
“If you’d told me earlier, I’d have gone right to the Chief Constable and requested a special Foundation Establishment Martial Art for Brother Mu myself! Isn’t our prefecture Constable Office safer than that demon-infested madhouse at the Division?” Dai Wang grumbled, exasperated.
Such a gifted martial artist, not even from a noble family—and you’re sending him off to the Demon-Slaying Division, crawling with monsters and danger at every turn?
“So, Brother Mu—what do you say? Interested in joining our prefecture yamen? Just say the word, and I’ll personally get the Chief Constable to approve a Foundation Establishment Martial Art for you!” Dai Wang looked at Mu Yang, eyes full of anticipation.
Zhang: A traditional Chinese unit of length, roughly 3.3 meters or 11 feet.
Translation by: Weebsread👹
Noon, just outside Qinghe Prefecture City.
The sun blazed overhead, the sky a flawless blue.
Mu Yang tightened his grip on the reins, gazing at the city rising before him. Unlike the modest, three-zhang-high walls of Qingxi County, these ramparts soared to a full ten zhang, constructed entirely from massive slabs of dark blue-black granite. Even the seams between the stones were sealed with molten iron, giving the walls a somber, imposing majesty that dominated the surrounding countryside.
The city gates were even more impressive—broad enough for four horse-drawn carriages to pass through side by side. The guards flanking the entrance were all martial artists radiating vigorous Qi and Blood, each at least at the Skin and Flesh Stage, most already well on their way to mastery.
Their squad leader stood out: clad in dark iron light armor, a silver-white saber at his waist, his presence unmistakably that of a Second Rank martial artist, firmly at the Tendons and Bones Stage. Back in Qingxi County, a man like him would be among the top three experts in the Constable Office. Here, he was merely a ten-man squad captain, stationed at the gate.
Mu Yang and Xue She dismounted, leading their horses as they joined the flow of people entering Qinghe Prefecture City.
The instant they crossed the threshold, they were enveloped in the vibrant, smoky bustle of city life. Shops lined the wide flagstone streets, tavern banners fluttered in the breeze, and street performers dazzled the crowds with feats of sleight of hand. The city pulsed with life and energy.
“So this is the prefecture city—crowded, lively, full of opportunity, but danger lurks everywhere,” Xue She remarked with a wistful sigh.
Half an hour later, the two arrived at the gates of the prefecture yamen.
The prefecture yamen dwarfed the county office back in Qingxi. Its vermillion gates stood wide, flanked by a pair of stone lions taller than a man, exuding an air of solemn authority. The two sentries at the door were both Second Rank martial artists at the Tendons and Bones Stage.
“Brother Xue, long time no see!” one of the guards called out.
Clearly, Xue She was a familiar face here—the gatekeepers greeted him with easy camaraderie. After a brief exchange, Xue She led Mu Yang inside with practiced confidence, weaving through the front court and public hall to the rear courtyard: the Constable Office.
The prefecture’s Constable Office was vast, divided between a martial training ground in the front and offices and living quarters in the back. At that moment, dozens of constables were drilling in the yard—blades flashing, shouts echoing skyward.
Mu Yang swept his gaze over the scene. Nearly everyone had already stepped into the ranks of martial artists. Even those who hadn’t yet broken through radiated vitality, their weapons whirling with fierce spirit—clearly on the verge of advancement.
“In the prefecture, you need to be at least Second Rank, Tendons and Bones Stage, to serve as a constable,” Xue She murmured. “Those at the First Rank, Skin and Flesh Stage, can only join as reserves—tagging along on missions, maybe lending a hand.”
Mu Yang nodded.
Back in Qingxi County, raw strength alone could earn you a constable’s badge. With some luck and years of service, you might even make class leader. But here, only those at Second Rank were full constables. To be a class leader, Third Rank was the minimum. The top class leaders were all at the Fourth Rank, Condensation Realm. And the Chief Constable? Fifth Rank, Meridian Unification Stage—one of the few at the very summit of the entire city.
“Old Xue, back already?”
A hearty voice rang out.
The two turned to see a rugged, broad-shouldered man in a blue martial uniform striding toward them. He was tall and powerfully built, with calloused hands and a face etched with hard lines—the look of a man who’d spent a lifetime wielding weapons.
“Brother Dai!” Xue She grinned and hurried over, embracing him in a rough, affectionate hug.
This was Dai Wang, class leader of Squad Seven—Xue She’s senior brother from their earliest days. They’d joined the yamen together, served in the same squad, and survived countless deadly missions side by side. If Xue She hadn’t married and transferred to Qingxi County, he’d probably be a class leader here as well.
“Brother, let me introduce you—this is Mu Yang, the genius I told you about!” Xue She said.
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“Not bad! Broad shoulders, long arms, and a robust Qi and Blood—definitely promising material!” Dai Wang laughed, sizing Mu Yang up with an approving nod. “Since you’re with Old Xue, there’s no need for formality. Just call me Brother Dai.”
He turned back, “You two just arrived, right? Had lunch yet? It’s about time—how about a few drinks?”
Xue She didn’t refuse, and the three of them left the yamen together.
They took a private room at a nearby restaurant. Dai Wang ordered a table full of dishes and wine. Most of the conversation was between him and Xue She, while Mu Yang quietly ate whatever the others passed his way.
Midway through the meal, Xue She mentioned that he planned to have Mu Yang stay at the Constable Office for a while.
“That’s no trouble at all,” Dai Wang replied, cheeks slightly flushed from drink. “My courtyard’s huge—plenty of space for both of you, even a few more.”
As one of the few Fourth Rank, Condensation Realm class leaders in the prefecture, Dai Wang had his own spacious private courtyard in the rear quarters. Housing Xue She and Mu Yang was no issue at all.
“Thanks for the trouble, Brother,” Xue She said, raising his cup and draining it in one go.
After the meal, Mu Yang finally spoke up. “Brother Dai, there’s something I’d like to ask.”
“Go ahead,” Dai Wang replied, biting into a chicken leg.
“I was wondering—can the prefecture yamen exchange Foundation Establishment Martial Arts? And if so, what’s required to make the exchange?”
This was Mu Yang’s greatest concern. Aside from joining the Demon-Slaying Division to make demon hunting easier, his main reason for coming to the prefecture was to seek Foundation Establishment Martial Arts and break through to the Fourth Rank.
Dai Wang wiped his mouth and replied, “The prefecture armory does have a decent selection of Foundation Establishment Martial Arts, but the requirements are strict.”
He held up three fingers. “First, you have to join the prefecture’s Constable Office and become a full constable. Second, you must reach the Third Rank, Blood and Marrow Stage, and serve as a class leader. Third, you need to complete enough missions to rack up the required Merit Points. Only then can you make the exchange.”
“I see.” Mu Yang nodded, understanding.
With Dai Wang’s explanation, he gave up on the idea of exchanging Martial Arts through the county yamen. In the Great Jin Dynasty, the Demon-Slaying Division and the prefecture yamen were two entirely separate bureaucratic systems. Joining one meant you couldn’t join the other. As for being a county constable? That didn’t really count as being part of the system.
“Don’t worry about Foundation Establishment Martial Arts,” Dai Wang said. “With your talent—reaching the Tendons and Bones Stage by age twenty—it won’t be hard to join the Demon-Slaying Division as a reserve. Once you reach Blood and Marrow Stage Perfection, the Demon-Slaying Division will usually provide the next-level Martial Arts.”
“Brother, what are you talking about?” Xue She cut in, face flushed. “Mu Yang’s already at the Blood and Marrow Stage! He’s slain nearly a handful of Third Rank demons!”
“???”
Dai Wang stared, dumbfounded.
Third Rank? Wasn’t Mu Yang just at the Tendons and Bones Stage last week when you left? He glanced at Mu Yang’s shockingly young face, uncertain. “You’ve really reached the Blood and Marrow Stage?”
Mu Yang nodded. “Yes.”
“Hss—” Dai Wang sucked in a sharp breath and smacked Xue She on the back of the head. “Why the hell didn’t you mention something this big sooner?!”
“Mention what?” Xue She blinked.
“A twenty-year-old at Blood and Marrow Stage, straight out of the county—damn it, you should be sending him straight to the Demon-Slaying Division!”
“If you’d told me earlier, I’d have gone right to the Chief Constable and requested a special Foundation Establishment Martial Art for Brother Mu myself! Isn’t our prefecture Constable Office safer than that demon-infested madhouse at the Division?” Dai Wang grumbled, exasperated.
Such a gifted martial artist, not even from a noble family—and you’re sending him off to the Demon-Slaying Division, crawling with monsters and danger at every turn?
“So, Brother Mu—what do you say? Interested in joining our prefecture yamen? Just say the word, and I’ll personally get the Chief Constable to approve a Foundation Establishment Martial Art for you!” Dai Wang looked at Mu Yang, eyes full of anticipation.
Zhang: A traditional Chinese unit of length, roughly 3.3 meters or 11 feet.
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