Peaceful County, south of the city.

Chen Yuan and Wang Ping were leading a few yamen runners on patrol.

After the Huang family incident, the county yamen's defenses had been tightened again. Not just them, but most of the yamen's runners had been assigned tasks.

The envoy from the Sky Patrol Department, Lord Zhang, had made it very clear that the escaped Unborn Teach heretics hadn't been caught and were still hiding within Peaceful County.

"Yuan-ge'r, are you really going to compete for the head constable position?" Wang Ping glanced around, moved closer, and asked in a low voice.

He couldn't help but be curious about what Chen Yuan was thinking and... how his strength had increased.

Although Chen Yuan was a bit more diligent than him, they had sparred last month, and Chen Yuan was only slightly stronger, still far from reaching the Blood Refining realm.

He had only been lying at home for half a month, but it felt like a year had passed.

The world was changing so fast.

"Such a good opportunity, I would be really unwilling to let it pass," Chen Yuan shook his head.

"Then... are you confident? Wu Yushan and Wang Lin from the prison are among the best fighters in the yamen," Wang Ping said with a hint of worry in his eyes.

Chen Yuan was congenial, and he had always treated Chen Yuan as a good brother. He really didn't want to see any accidents happen to him during the competition.

"I have a little bit of confidence."

A little bit, Yuan-ge'r, and you dare to bet?

Wang Ping was shocked, not catching the teasing tone in Chen Yuan's words.

"You'll know when the time comes."

"Yuan-ge'r, don't overreach yourself," Wang Ping said, then sighed:

"If Yuan-ge'r could really become the head constable, that would be great. Your brother here could benefit from it too."

"Don't worry, I'll let you benefit."

"Yuan-ge, look."

Suddenly, Wang Ping paused, raised his eyebrows, and gestured for Chen Yuan to look towards the left front.

There, white silk was hung.

On the plaque in front of the door, were two large characters, Tie Mansion!

Since Song Lao Liu died, Tie Qinghua naturally wouldn't identify herself as Madam Song anymore, but as Iron Maiden.

"I heard that they didn't find all of Chief Warden Tie's body. Several corpses were mixed together. The only thing preserved intact was Chief Warden Tie's spear."

Wang Ping smacked his lips, looking somewhat regretful.

"What, are you showing that 'pity' because Chief Warden Tie was kind to you?" Chen Yuan glanced at Wang Ping.

"No, what kind of status did Chief Warden Tie have? How could I possibly have anything to do with him for no reason?"

"Alright, let's go, patrol ahead."

Chen Yuan said in a low voice.

"Hey, Yuan-ge'r, do you think these businesses under Tie Xuan's control can be preserved after his death? I heard that Iron Maiden's strength is only at the Blood Refining level, completely unlike Zhu Sihai of the Four Seas Gang. The destruction of the Huang family was actually beneficial."

"It'll probably be difficult. It depends on what Iron Maiden can do."

"Heh, a woman giving herself a nickname like Iron Maiden. I just wonder if she can still be so 'iron' after Chief Warden Tie's death."

Wang Ping's tone was somewhat gleeful.

"It's none of our business anyway, don't worry about it."

Chen Yuan scolded lightly.

Wang Ping grinned, no longer discussing Tie Qinghua's affairs, and instead wiggled his eyebrows and said:

"Yuan-ge'r, don't you want to try the courtesan of Yan Yu Tower? Maybe... afterwards, you can get some good luck for tomorrow's competition."

"You go if you want. I'm going to cultivate tonight."

"You're still practicing at night?"

"Otherwise, where do you think strength comes from? 'The sharp edge of a sword comes from sharpening, the fragrance of plum blossoms from bitter cold.' Only through diligent cultivation can you possess the strength that others cannot."

"'The sharp edge of a sword comes from sharpening, the fragrance of plum blossoms from bitter cold'... Yuan-ge'r, I suddenly discovered that you're quite literary." Wang Ping muttered.

"Of course, did you think my years of private tutoring were for nothing?"

"I seem to have read more books than you. Why are you so outstanding?"

Chen Yuan remained silent.

"Forget it, Yuan-ge'r, if you're going to cultivate tonight, then I'll go to Yan Yu Tower and see if it's really like my dad said, 'time leaves no trace'. If it's really good, you definitely have to go another day."

"We'll talk about it another day."

"Don't say another day! Yuan-ge'r, you've changed. You weren't so hesitant about these things before..."

......

......

Late at night.

Chen Yuan's home.

Ending his sword practice, Chen Yuan took a deep breath, put the long sword back into its sheath, hung it on the wall, took out a set of black robes from the cabinet, and put the black iron mask from the box under the bed on his face.

He left the house quietly.

He was going to the Tie Mansion to find Tie Qinghua.

She wasn't important, Tie Xuan's death wasn't important. What was important was the twenty Tiger Bone Pills that Tie Qinghua had promised.

Although Chen Yuan had some silver, to be honest, he had very few connections. Before he became the head constable in the yamen, he couldn't reveal too much for the time being.

Otherwise, it would cause some unnecessary trouble.

Currently, he was still relying on Tie Qinghua.

Moreover, most importantly, although cultivation resources like the Tiger Bone Pill could be used throughout the Foundation Building stage, it probably wouldn't be so simple after reaching the Bone Refining level.

He would definitely need some other pills to assist.

Cultivation resources like the Tiger Bone Pill were not easy to obtain. Chen Yuan's plan was to temporarily support Tie Qinghua. Of course, it was too early to say whether it would succeed.

Tie Mansion.

The candlelight gradually extinguished. Except for the sound of patrols, the entire Tie Mansion was very quiet.

"Brother, Chief Warden Tie is dead. Are we still going to work for the Tie family? I heard that many forces outside are coveting the Tie family's foundation."

"Without a Bone Refining expert to guard it, I'm afraid..."

Two patrolling Tie family guards, one of them said in a low voice.

Not just him, but since the news of Tie Xuan's death came back, the entire Tie Mansion had been shrouded in a sense of panic. The reason why Song Lao Liu and Tie Qinghua were able to steadily control these businesses was because of Tie Xuan's reputation.

But now that Tie Xuan was dead, the demons and monsters of Peaceful County wouldn't let go of this good opportunity.

Without a Bone Refining expert to guard it, the brothels, casinos, and pickpocketing businesses in Tie Qinghua's hands were a sizable piece of fat.

"The madam has always been good to us. How can we..." The other person hesitated.

"Brother, you're confused! She's good to us because we work for her, but now, it's a death sentence!"

"I'll think about it..."

"What's there to think about? In my opinion..."

The two guards walked away, and a black shadow came out of the corner of the wall and headed in one direction.

Inside a mourning hall filled with white silk, seven white candles were burning. A cool breeze blew in from outside the door, and Tie Qinghua, kneeling on a futon, had a cold face.

"Swish..."

Chen Yuan didn't hide himself. After checking that there were no outsiders around, he walked into the mourning hall.