Chapter Two: Too Much Speed Is Never Good

Page 1 of 3

The Grand Peace Bureau of Demon Suppression was founded by the second sovereign of the Grand Peace Dynasty, King Wen. Five hundred years ago, this land was plagued by malevolent spirits, plunging its people into misery. Passing through these lands, the Zhao brothers—merchants by birth—were moved by the suffering they witnessed. They gave away their entire fortune, rallying a force to slay demons and exorcise evils for the sake of the common folk. Such a noble undertaking, resonant with the will of Heaven, attracted countless followers, including many cultivators who shared their ideals.

The Zhao brothers led cultivators and soldiers side by side, the two groups complementing each other, giving rise to many stirring tales of heroism and sacrifice. After thirty-five years of relentless effort, they brought peace to the land and established a realm bordered by a hundred rivers to the east, vast seas to the south, endless deserts to the west, and the frigid extremes to the north—a kingdom stretching thousands of miles.

Thus was born the Grand Peace, a nation founded on tranquility and order. The elder Zhao ascended the throne as emperor, but three years later, he passed away and was posthumously honored as the Martial King. His brother succeeded him, removed cultivators from the army, and established the Bureau of Demon Suppression to deal with supernatural threats within the realm.

Chu Chen followed the old man all the way to the headquarters of the Bureau in Jinnan Prefecture. The imposing main gate bore the five golden characters: "Jinnan Bureau of Demon Suppression." Men and women in green robes passed in and out through the grand entrance.

"We've arrived. This is the Jinnan Bureau of Demon Suppression, which governs four cities and thirteen counties," the old man announced.

Following the old man, Chu Chen entered the classical building, his attention gradually shifting from the exquisite architecture to the elder himself. Every staff member who passed by greeted the old man respectfully as "Manager Xu." Chu Chen thought, "So this old guy is quite a hands-on leader. I just arrived at my new post and already I'm walking around with the boss. Won't people talk?" Yet, despite his words, he didn't mind at all. Back at his previous job before he crossed over, anyone who could get close to the leadership always landed the best positions and had an easy time of it. This, too, was a valuable resource—he must make good use of it and strive to get more opportunities to hunt demons.

Manager Xu led Chu Chen to a certain door, pushed it open, and walked in with a hearty laugh. "Guess what I’ve brought back this time?"

Chu Chen's eyes widened in disbelief. Was he really getting to witness this for free?

Inside, a woman was taking a bath. Hearing the intrusion, she glanced at the door without a hint of concern. Even from a casual side glance, her beauty seemed as if the gods themselves had sketched her portrait with just a few strokes on rice paper, creating a masterpiece of effortless grace. Her slender arm emerged slowly from the water, her fingers as smooth as jade resting on the edge of the tub.

Chu Chen's heart pounded—was she about to stand up?

Bang!

The old man slammed the door shut and barked, "Bathing in broad daylight! What sort of example does that set for the juniors around here?"

From the depths of his heart, Chu Chen silently pleaded, "Please, give me the paid content link..."

A woman's shrill voice retorted from inside, "I just killed a sea demon out east, and I stink of fish! My bath is none of your damned business!"

Creak... creak...

The old man looked at Chu Chen in confusion. "What's that sound coming from you?"

Page 2 of 3

"It's nothing," Chu Chen replied, pressing a hand over his chest. Even the old man could hear the sound of his heart breaking. Such a beautiful woman, but what a foul mouth.

Suddenly, the wooden door in front of Chu Chen was yanked open with force. The woman emerged, generous as ever, draped in a thin, sheer gown, the belt loosely tied as she came out to meet them.

"Killing a minor demon—what could possibly be so impressive?" the old man remarked, stepping aside to present Chu Chen. "I brought you a good disciple."

He continued, "This kid actually dared to throw rocks at a fifth-rank demon beast—reminds me a lot of how you were back in the day. You've turned down every promising recruit at the Bureau all these years, but I think this one might suit your taste."

The Bureau of Demon Suppression was divided into civil and martial branches. Manager Xu was a civil official, the top administrator of the Jinnan Bureau. The woman before them was a martial officer—the Bureau's greatest fighting force—named Bai Ning. But due to her impatience, she had never found a suitable disciple.

Bai Ning had tried a few times, but those so-called prodigies always seemed foolish and slow before her, and she berated them so harshly that they began to doubt their own worth. Cultivation was like solving a math problem: for those who understood, it was easy; for those who didn't, it was impossible.

Bai Ning was among the former. She had never encountered any obstacles in her cultivation—while others struggled with pills and medicines, journeyed across mountains and rivers in search of opportunity, for her everything happened as naturally as water flows downhill. What seemed simple to her, others simply could not achieve. Lacking patience, her tongue was sharp and merciless.

Not everyone could, like her, begin refining energy at seven, cultivate the spirit at seventeen, and attain divine transformation at twenty-seven, remaining ageless in appearance. Now, she was already at the Minor Cycle Realm—a demigod in the flesh.

Bai Ning had every reason to be proud; in her eyes, her disciple's talent was no longer important. Even though the youth Manager Xu brought was well past the prime age for cultivation, she accepted him without hesitation. After all, in a few days, he would surely leave in tears on his own accord.

"What’s your name?" Bai Ning asked, looking at the youth.

"Chu Chen."

"Come in, then."

"Yes, ma'am."

Manager Xu exhaled in relief, giving Chu Chen a gentle pat on the shoulder and a quiet reminder: "Persevere. You must persevere."

Chu Chen, unaware of the severity of the situation, turned and gave the old man a confident smile. "I will."

"Are you coming or not? Hurry up and get in here!" Bai Ning called impatiently.

Inside, Bai Ning sat on a broad chair. "Forget all those useless formalities—no need for tea or any ceremony. I hate that nonsense. What did you say your name was again?"

Page 3 of 3

"Chu Chen."

"Ah. You've never cultivated before, have you?"

"No, never."

At this, Bai Ning made no effort to hide her irritation, running her fingers through her long hair. "What a hassle." She tossed a manual toward him with a flick of her sleeve. "Here’s a Meridian Manual. Open your meridians first, then we’ll talk about other things. The contents are as simple as they get—read it yourself."

With a yawn, she added, "I'm tired. Take your time reading." Bai Ning rose, walked to the bed, and lay down with her back to Chu Chen, clearly unwilling to waste any more words. She doubted he could even understand the manual, never having cultivated before. With any luck, he’d take the hint and leave on his own, sparing her any further disturbance.

Chu Chen opened the Meridian Manual. The first page was filled with scribbles and names—evidence that many had pored over this book before. But he didn’t really need it; he had a Meridian-Opening Pill. He took out the pill but didn’t swallow it immediately, flipping through a few pages first, trying to decipher the text.

What on earth was this? Did they really expect anyone to understand it? He recognized every character, but not a single sentence made sense. What did it mean to "sink turbid qi into the Water Acupoint"? Or "raise the coiling pearl to the Sea of Wisdom"?

Forget it. Time to take the pill.

"Master... Master..."

Bai Ning lay on her side, feigning sleep, her gown draping elegantly over her smooth legs, perfectly posed as if inviting opportunity. She had no intention of responding, fully expecting the boy to come over and ask questions because he couldn’t understand the manual. The moment he interrupted her peace, she would explode and throw him out.

"Master, Master, it’s done!"

Bai Ning sat up in a fury, ready to unleash her wrath. "How dare you disturb my rest, I ought to—" The words caught in her throat, replaced by suspicion. "It’s done?"

"Yes," Chu Chen replied.

Her look of confusion turned to disbelief. She herself had taken a full day to open her meridians, and still remembered the incredulous expressions of the elders in her clan when she did so in a single day. Was this boy trying to trick her?

To verify, Bai Ning yanked Chu Chen into her arms, placed her hand on his back, and sent a surge of spiritual energy into him—only to be utterly shocked. All of his meridians had been opened, each one smooth and clear.

Chu Chen, meanwhile, was enveloped in a happiness so complete, it nearly took his breath away.