Chapter 99 - 98: The Fall of Jizhou

That night.

With the dragon-riding skill’s enhancement, Chen Xuan was unbeatable, defeating Su Wanqiu who pleaded for mercy repeatedly.

However,

Having been suppressed all this time, how could he let her off so easily?

Again... and... again!

Until Su Wanqiu really couldn’t take it anymore, he finally withdrew.

After the battle, a long while later!

Nuzzled in Chen Xuan’s arms, the fragrant sweat on Su Wanqiu’s forehead was still visible, with strands of hair sticking together.

Her chest was still heaving nonstop.

She hadn’t completely recovered yet.

She slightly tilted her head to look at Chen Xuan, his smug expression making her both annoyed and amused, after begging so much yet he still didn’t spare her.

So for the first time, the usually gentle her blurted out words of a bold nature, "Did you take medicine?"

"What?"

Chen Xuan looked down, unable to believe such words came from her mouth.

It seems that after so long, she was no longer the sister-in-law she used to be.

"Smack!"

He gave her plump rear a hard slap, "How dare you! Do I still need that stuff, it’s pure strength!"

"Yes, yes, strength, Brother Xuan... your strength is really strong!"

Su Wanqiu’s eyes were filled with laughter.

But when this smile fell into Chen Xuan’s eyes, he felt a hint of ridicule.

Thus....

The actions punishing Su Wanqiu resumed.

"No... Brother Xuan..."

"No..."

"No......"

"Ah....."

....

[Conquered Su Wanqiu thoroughly last night, rewarded with 200 skill points from binding with spouse Su Yun! Famous Spring Water bonus 60 points!]

In the morning, when Chen Xuan opened his eyes, he saw the fruits of last night’s battle.

Indeed, learning the dragon-riding skill wasn’t in vain, those skill points were well spent.

At this moment, he finally felt a sense of becoming the master.

In high spirits, he opened the panel.

[Divine Techniques: Evolution (Cooling down)]

"Ah!"

It’s really exhausting, why does the system have to impose time restrictions, aren’t skill points enough?

"To work, to work, oh the life of a worker...."

....

In a flash, half a month passed.

Since the flower thief was caught, Youlan Mansion had also become peaceful.

Although Chen Xuan was already the Deputy Director of the Divine Capture Bureau, he still chose to stay at the East District Divine Capture Bureau.

His reason was simply being accustomed to it.

Zhuge Potian agreed with this, after all, the East District needed a master like him to keep things in order, the other two Chief Constables were still lacking.

At this time, at the East District Divine Capture Bureau.

Chen Xuan was sitting cross-legged inside, immersed in cultivation.

After acquiring the famous Spring Water, cultivation difficulty reduced by 30%, also quickening his pace.

In this half month, the Fourth-Grade blood exchange progress reached 24%.

Compared to before, it enhanced more than double.

At this rate, he could complete the blood exchange in about one more year.

With more golden blood, his strength was steadily increasing.

Outside, Liu He and Qin Gang were idly chatting.

"Every day, nothing happening, feels like I’m going moldy."

"You, isn’t being idle good, always wanting more flower thieves around, only then can you be happy patrolling at night, you masochist!"

"How dare you, Black-face, scold me, I’ll let you taste these fists!"

"Bah, you’re a broken pot, watch me shatter you with one palm!"

"Black-face, you rascal, playing dirty! You can’t touch there!"

"Haha, my mistake, my mistake....."

"Hmph, unacceptable, I have to return the favor, let me give you a pinch!"

....

Their bickering made it impossible for Chen Xuan to focus on cultivation.

He shook his head.

Really exhausting, these two are so full of it, playing around every day, now they’re playing birds!

Dammit!

It’s just....

Looking out the window, it seemed to be around noon.

He stood up and went outside.

Then saw an inappropriate scene.

Liu He pressed down on Qin Gang, the two were grabbing each other’s crucial parts, truly unsightly.

"Cough cough cough....."

"Chief!"

The two quickly separated, stood up, and began explaining hastily.

"We’re just fooling around."

"Exactly, exactly!"

"Yes, yes, I understand!" showing a knowing look.

"Chief, no, you don’t understand, really don’t!" Qin Gang was anxious seeing his expression.

"Alright, alright, I’m just teasing you!"

Chen Xuan waved his hand.

"It’s noon, time to eat. Old Qin, go get some good food and some wine, since there’s nothing to do, let’s have a good meal together. It’s on me!" He said, tossing over a money pouch.

Qin Gang took the money pouch,

"No way I can let you spend this, Chief, let me, let me!"

Saying this, he attempted to return the money pouch to him.

"Enough, just go. As the Deputy Director of the Divine Capture Bureau, how can I let my subordinate treat me?" Chen Xuan waved his hand, then added, "Do you have as much money as I do? Save it up, buy some elixirs or something, boost your strength a bit!"

"Hehe, the Chief still cares about us. I’m going now!"

Before long, Qin Gang returned with a large pack of food.

Stewed beef, duck, white-cut chicken, peanuts.....

The three men drank wine and ate cooked food. Although it was all ordinary food, among men, after a few drinks, the food didn’t matter much.

Even though Liu He and Qin Gang were just Chief Constables, over the long years, they came to understand Chen Xuan’s personality well.

So, they spoke without reservation.

"Chief, do you know a big event happened recently?"

While the three of them were drinking happily, Qin Gang suddenly leaned in, lowered his voice, and acted mysterious.

"What earth-shattering event?"

His words piqued Chen Xuan’s curiosity.

Although Qin Gang’s strength was average, his family in Youlan Mansion wasn’t doing bad, especially in the military department. He was typical of a military second-generation, and he wouldn’t have joined the Divine Capture Bureau if he couldn’t take the hardship.

As for Liu He,

he came from an ordinary family with decent talent and climbed up step by step on his own.

This made him much more composed.

"Let me say upfront, you two must not spread this around. This issue is huge!" he seemed a bit apprehensive but couldn’t help himself.

"Hurry up and spill it, stop talking nonsense."

Their curiosity was piqued, and he was still lingering.

"Hehe, this I overheard when my uncle talked in the study that day."

"A few days ago, the three commanderies of Jizhou faced the encirclement of the righteous army and were in jeopardy. This time, the court dispatched the Imperial Army to Jizhou, even two Second-Grade experts, but guess what happened afterward?"

At this point, he deliberately paused and took a sip of wine.

This made Chen Xuan angry.

Damn!

With a "slap", he slapped Qin Gang on the head, "Hurry up and tell me, damn it, keep me in suspense any longer, and I’ll assign you to patrol every day!"

"I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Chief!" Qin Gang immediately begged for forgiveness, stopped playing coy, and said bluntly: "The entire army was wiped out, and the two Second-Grade experts were also slain on the spot. Jizhou fell too. The court has sealed off the news, but I bet it won’t stay hidden for long!"

"Even Second-Grade experts were slain? Wasn’t the highest level on the righteous army’s side just Third Grade?"

Chen Xuan was shocked, those were two Second-Grade experts!

"And what happened after? The court didn’t send more troops after such a big loss?"

"That I don’t know, afterward, when I wanted to listen more, my little brother suddenly showed up and called me, so I didn’t dare to eavesdrop anymore."

Qin Gang ate a piece of beef and felt uneasy, he heard it at the most exciting moment, and his brother appeared.

It made him not sleep well that whole night.

"Damn!"

Hearing it at the most exciting moment, and then it stopped.

Isn’t this like undressing a woman only to find the red light at last!

But....

This is indeed huge news.

Chen Xuan put down his wine cup, contemplating.

Jizhou’s fall, plus Qing Province, and Yu Province in Celestial Water Commandery, the Nine Provinces had already lost three provinces in less than two years.

Too fast.

One-third of Great Xia’s territory was gone, could that Emperor not be worried at all?

Too strange.

"Chief, Chief!"

"Huh?" Chen Xuan snapped back to reality, "What’s up?"

"Drink up!" Qin Gang raised his wine cup, "What are you thinking about? Don’t worry, we’re safe here, Youlan Mansion’s strength is quite strong! Didn’t you see that even though Celestial Water Commandery fell, the righteous army didn’t dare to attack Youlan Mansion!"

"But this time, two Second-Grade experts died!"

Chen Xuan was very puzzled, he knew the Mansion Master of Youlan Mansion was a Second-Grade, but now it seems that Second-Grade wasn’t secure anymore.

"Hehe~~~ Chief, you don’t know this!"

Qin Gang laughed mysteriously, then proudly asked Liu He, "Old Liu, do you know?"

"Pfft, knowing you’re a military second-generation, just spit it out, didn’t you see the Chief’s hand?"

Really has no memory, still pretending, already got slapped by Chen Xuan just now, forgotten so soon?

"Ah.....Chief, don’t hit me, I’ll say, I’ll say."

Qin Gang quickly begged for forgiveness, otherwise Chen Xuan’s hand would come down again.

"It’s like this, you all know the Mansion Master of Youlan Mansion is a Second-Grade, but there’s another Second-Grade, and a very strong one, very strong. They’re just rarely in Youlan Mansion, but as long as there’s trouble, they’ll definitely show up!"

"Name names!"

Chen Xuan was really suppressing his hand, truly annoying.

"This I truly don’t know, this lord is very mysterious, but one thing for certain is, he must be real."

He really didn’t know their name.

But he found out by chance when his old man inadvertently let it slip while drinking.

"Looks like Youlan Mansion indeed has something, seems I made the right choice back then."

Chen Xuan thought to himself.

...

Half a month later.

The news of Jizhou’s fall reached Youlan Mansion.

But just as Qin Gang said, the people of Youlan Mansion seemed not the least bit worried.

They continued with their business as usual.

Teahouses, inns, and entertainment establishments were completely unaffected.

Inside the side room of Chen Mansion.

Today Chen Xuan was off duty, he didn’t go to the Divine Capture Bureau.

"After suffering such a big loss, could the court just let it slide like this?"

He found it quite unbelievable.

And also, the righteous army suddenly had a Second-Grade expert, defeating two others alone, killing the court’s two Second-Grades on the battlefield.

According to the information he got, it was almost a crushing defeat.

Previously, the highest level on the righteous army’s side was only Third Grade, but as soon as the court sent a Second-Grade, the righteous army also had a Second-Grade.

So strange.