"Another ten doses of Black Flame Potions incoming, and even without upgrades, the Rejuvenation Potions will do."
"That should be enough to push both my Body Sharpening Forging Method and Hellfire Meditation Method to Master level, with solid gains in class development too."
Su Chen returned to his room and ran the numbers. That would leave only one more Master-level training method to fulfill Gale Hunter's advancement requirements.
Standard 1st-tier class induction and development weren't particularly difficult — given enough time, anyone could meet the thresholds.
But 2nd-tier advancement was a different beast entirely. Resources, time, talent, and raw strength — every single one was non-negotiable.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
'Old Sun's always fast...'
Hearing the knock, Su Chen assumed the fat man was delivering potions.
He opened the door and found Yuan Chenyang standing outside instead, his face thunderous.
"Teacher?" A jolt of alarm. Su Chen ushered him inside.
Only after the door closed did Yuan Chenyang erupt. "That damned son of a — that old fox..."
He cursed for a solid stretch before finally stopping. Su Chen prodded cautiously, "Are you talking about the City Lord? He upset you?"
Su Chen drew himself up with resolve. "Don't worry, teacher. Once I'm strong enough, I'll settle the score for you."
Yuan Chenyang didn't pay the vow much mind, but then his gaze swept over Su Chen — up and down — as if something had just occurred to him. His eyes narrowed:
"You're good at stringing women along, aren't you? You've met his daughter. Think you could handle her?"
"Huh?" Su Chen blinked, then squirmed. "A honey trap? I'm game, but I'd hate for Old Bai to get her feelings hurt."
"Get out of here." Yuan Chenyang had only been venting. He moved on without missing a beat. "I'm being rotated early. Off to the ruins."
Su Chen was taken aback. "Don't you have the Evil God Artifact as proof that the investigation was warranted?"
Zhang Hongbo and Yuan Chenyang weren't strictly superior and subordinate — in many ways they were more like colleagues. Even a City Lord couldn't do whatever he pleased.
Yuan Chenyang exhaled. "It was the council's decision. The Yingfeng envoys agreed. My hands are tied."
"Could he... also be with the Evil God Cults?" Su Chen floated the idea.
"Highly unlikely." Yuan Chenyang didn't even hesitate. He scoffed. "That old fox didn't remove me to stop the investigation — he removed me so he could control it himself."
"Discovering the Evil God Artifact confirmed that something is rotten in Nanfeng City. My loud, sweeping approach turned up nothing on the surface — which conveniently eliminated a wrong direction for him."
"I suspect the old bastard came back days ago. He only made his move after confirming I'd come up empty."
Su Chen nodded vigorously. "Truly devious."
"I leave tomorrow. He'll assume temporary command of the Supervision Department."
Only now did Su Chen realize this was a farewell visit. "What about me?"
"What about you?" Yuan Chenyang looked puzzled. "You stay here. I'm being transferred, not dying. Who's going to touch you?"
"What about Zhou Xian?" Su Chen was uneasy. "Maybe I should go with you."
"Zhang Hongbo will have Zhou Xian under tighter watch than I ever did." Yuan Chenyang wasn't concerned. "The ruins aren't a safe posting. Might be more dangerous than Nanfeng, actually. You can't come."
"Can Zhang Hongbo really be trusted?" Su Chen pressed.
"That man..." Yuan Chenyang's expression shifted through several shades before settling on certainty. "He's definitely not an Evil God cultist."
"If you need anything, find Sun Tai. I've already given him instructions."
Old Yuan didn't drag his feet. After the farewell, he went straight to prepare.
............
Meanwhile, in the city center, before a private villa, Zhang Yunqing opened the front door to find a white-haired man. "Senior Brother Yang."
Her gaze shifted to the woman beside him.
"Gu Bing," Yang Yan introduced briefly. "3rd-rank Inquisitor."
The two women acknowledged each other. Zhang Yunqing led them into the parlor, set out two cups, and poured tea. "You're late."
"Our flight path had complications. We were delayed." Yang Yan left it at that, then cut straight to business. "How are things in Nanfeng City?"
"Bad. Very bad." Zhang Yunqing's expression turned grave. "The density of Evil God cultists has already exceeded the warning threshold. Combined with recent events, we can confirm they're planning something major."
"Yuan Chenyang found an empty Evil God Artifact shell." Yang Yan said mildly.
"What?" Zhang Yunqing's face shifted abruptly, then understanding dawned. "No wonder he went so hard."
"However, your father wants to rotate him to the ruins garrison early. We've agreed." Yang Yan added.
"Lured away..." Zhang Yunqing considered for a moment. "You're hoping to draw them out. Who else came?"
Yang Yan said nothing. Zhang Yunqing's tone sharpened. "As an Inquisitor, I have the right to know."
Yang Yan sighed reluctantly. "You won't like the answer. It's the Sixth Chief Inquisitor."
"The Sixth Chief Inquisitor!?" Zhang Yunqing went pale. Her voice spiked. "Why would Yingfeng — why would they send him?"
"Are you planning to destroy Nanfeng City?"
"Watch your words!" Yang Yan rebuked. "The Sixth Chief Inquisitor is here specifically to deal with the Evil God Cults."
Zhang Yunqing's face remained ashen. "My father doesn't know it's the Sixth, does he?"
Yang Yan nodded. "He only knows a Chief Inquisitor has been dispatched."
Zhang Yunqing's expression said 'I thought so.' "If he knew it was the Sixth, he'd never have entertained any idea of using bait."
Gu Bing, sitting off to the side, sighed softly, as if wanting to offer some comfort.
But Yang Yan's expression shifted. His gaze snapped toward the stairwell. At some point, Zhang Hengyu had appeared there, looking uncertain and out of place.
"Your brother, I take it." Yang Yan's voice was even.
"Mm." Zhang Yunqing was distracted.
"Brilliant Silver-grade physical talent. That's a solid prospect. It's been a while since Nanfeng produced a Brilliant Silver." Yang Yan rose, offering praise. "By the timing, he could leave with us. Would save some travel."
Zhang Hengyu pressed his lips together. His mind went to Su Chen.
"That won't be necessary." Zhang Yunqing spoke abruptly, her tone flat. "The standard process will suffice."
Yang Yan seemed to know what she was thinking. He shrugged and left.
The door closed. Zhang Yunqing looked weary. Zhang Hengyu asked cautiously, "Sis, is it because of that Sixth Chief Inquisitor?"
"You heard?" Zhang Yunqing frowned.
He quickly explained, "Only the name. Aren't Chief Inquisitors pillars of Yingfeng? Why are you so worried?"
"Sigh..." Zhang Yunqing took in his anxious expression and exhaled. "The Sixth is different. He's... brutal. Lawless. A massacre addict. Sometimes the damage he causes cleaning up Evil God Cults is worse than the cults themselves."
"That's..." Zhang Hengyu was stunned. In the education he'd grown up with, the Adjudication Court was a sacred institution. How could someone like that hold the rank of Chief Inquisitor?
"Oh, and one more thing." Zhang Yunqing's tone turned casual, almost as an afterthought. "He's also a refugee."