Diligence System: From Servant to Martial King

Qingning County.

Lin Mansion.

Heavenly Patrol Lin Aoshan, temporarily residing in Lin Guolong's mansion.

At noon, in the courtyard pavilion. Lin Aoshan sat under the pavilion, enjoying the coolness, the noise of cicadas buzzing in her ears, while the servant held a net, catching the cicadas on the trees.

She sat with her legs crossed, her figure showing its curves. Inevitably, she complained about the undesirable location of the mansion. The sun was blazing, the courtyard filled with heat, with nowhere to hide.

She was wearing the standard attire of the Celestial Patrol Bureau, though looking gallant, it was not very breathable, making it quite stuffy. At this moment, under the clothes and in the boots, she was already drenched with sweat.

In the fruit plate, there was ice-cold watermelon. But as soon as it entered her mouth, it couldn't relieve the summer heat in the slightest.

"Little Sun, why are you so anxious?"

Lin Aoshan saw Lin Guolong hastily running back and forth several times, his short legs creating a shadow, disturbing her, and she asked aloud.

Lin Guolong approached respectfully, performed a junior's salute, and said: "Good grandma, you may not know, a great event occurred in our county."

"Oh?" Lin Aoshan asked: "What great event?"

Lin Guolong said: "It's chaotic, all chaotic. Early this morning, people from the three halls and two clans seemed to have agreed. On Xifeng Street, Luofan Street, and Shuixiang Street, several brawls took place."

"They started fighting, which could be ignored, as people from Jianghu have grudges among themselves. But they disturbed the street's citizens, afraid to open their businesses. Even so, that could still be ignored. The key point is people have died from the fight, the matter is unresolved."

"This is very bad. The situation has grown so large, as the County Magistrate, I should manage somehow, but I don't know how to manage. Currently lost and helpless. Good grandma, could you assist Little Sun, using your Celestial Patrol Bureau title, to exert some pressure?"

Lin Aoshan shook her head and said: "Ah, if you had a fraction of luck, would you be so passive?"

Lin Guolong, with a flattering expression, massaged Lin Aoshan's back, smiling: "I'm not talented enough, unable to obtain it? My master does not think highly of me."

Lin Aoshan said: "Luck is not something obtainable. Luck acquired can't be retained. If the Grand Symbolist passed luck to you, it would be a true waste."

"Scholars with luck can reason with others. They can debate all sides, the rights and wrongs, and no one dares to disregard."

"Good grandma, your lesson is correct, but now we should find a way to resolve it," Lin Guolong said.

"If I'm not mistaken, these gang fights are all excuses," Lin Aoshan took a piece of chilled watermelon, eating while saying: "This is... aimed at that Military Officer."

"Ah!" Lin Guolong realized: "So that's the case, Brother Li is in a tough position."

Lin Aoshan crossed her legs, interested: "I'm rather curious if that newly arrived Military Officer can handle them."

"Further... the matter of extracting the enemy's leader from within the midst of an army, no one has witnessed firsthand."

"Is it true or false, this matter will reveal clues."

After devouring the watermelon, she wiped the juice from her hands on Lin Guolong's clothes, laughing: "Little Sun, accompany your grandma to watch the commotion."

"Good grandma, shouldn't we bring some troops?" Lin Guolong asked.

"No need," Lin Aoshan replied.

Then she lightly traveled, heading to Wenwu Street, seeking an open space to watch the spectacle.

...

...

Wenwu Street.

In front of the Spring Leaf Martial Arts Hall, people from various factions gathered.

Li Xian was guided here. The guide said: "Military Officer, inside, please hurry and mediate."

In a blink, he ran off.

The street was so congested, at the moment, people from various factions were crammed together. People pushed each other, resembling a human wall, impermeable.

Wang Wu seeing this, stepped forward and said: "Sir, let me make a path for you."

Then he shouted at the crowd: "Military Officer is here, make way quickly!"

His voice was loud enough to be heard despite the commotion. However, no one paid attention, still pushing and shoving, seemingly afraid Li Xian might squeeze in.

"The Military Officer is here, can't you hear?" Zhang Hou stepped forward, shouting angrily.

Then ridicule came from the crowd:

"Military Officer? Who's that, never heard of it, what's this position for?"

"Yeah, in our Jianghu disputes, what's this dog officer doing here?"

"Could it be he's hungry and came to beg for water?"

"Haha, then he's got the wrong idea, but... if the officer doesn't mind, I'm terribly urgent, got plenty of gold water."

"Hahahahaha."

...

Zhang Hou and Wang Wu were furious, "How dare you disrespect the Military Officer!" They stepped forward together, grabbing one's shoulder, pulling him back.

After throwing that person aside, the two continued pushing forward, attempting to forcefully make way to uphold the Military Officer's prestige. But upon reaching the third person, as soon as they put a hand on his shoulder, they felt their hands turn numb, shocked with weakness.

There were experts hidden in the crowd. Just now, Inner Qi rebounded, and although Zhang Hou, Wang Wu, and the others were young and strong, their Qi Power was decent but no match for this hidden maneuver.

With a scream, they were sent flying, nearly falling onto the ground, but were caught by Li Xian's hands.

"Military Officer, this..." Zhang Hou's face was full of shame.

Again from within the crowd, mocking voices emerged: "Ignorant children, really think they're something? Now you should know how high the sky is and the earth is. Call me grandpa, why not?"

"Heh, if you call me grandpa, I'll reluctantly give you a break."

"How about it, just a little bit of lip service and you can get in. Way better than forcing it."

Li Xian patted their shoulders, not showing anger. He stepped forward, calmly saying: "I give you one last chance. If you don't make way, the consequences are on your own."

"Let your grandma be a turtle..." Someone in the crowd began to curse. Before the words were finished, a large hand pressed down on his shoulder.

Immediately, a tremendous force pulled him, and he was actually thrown three zhang high!

Li Xian's eyes sparkled with a cold light as he sneered, his hands swift as lightning, grabbing the shoulders of the person in front of him and forcefully throwing them backward.

With Li Xian personally taking action, the force was naturally immense. Those blocking the way were like chicks, some being flung away, crashing into walls, street carts, and...

It was truly like a tiger among sheep, unstoppable, destroying everything in its path.

Refusing to drink the toast, they end up drinking the forfeit. Li Xian took action again, and no one could stop him. When he caught an old man's shoulder, he sensed his inner qi wasn't weak, desperately trying to resist.

"Old man, at such an age, still so sharp-tongued, you'll end up dead." Li Xian said icily, knowing that the person who had insulted Zhang Hou and Wang Wu was indeed him.

The old man faced a life-threatening situation, sweating in terror. He struggled to circulate his qi to resist but felt it was like an ant trying to shake a tree, the gap too vast, leaving him in despair, his heart heavy with sorrow.

In the next instant, a huge force pulled him, and with a cry of "Ah", he was flung away. Although he had inner qi, his qi-blood was weak, and a fall like this might just cost him his life.

In the distant pavilion.

Lin Aoshan and Lin Guolong both witnessed the scene. Lin Guolong exclaimed, "Brother Li is truly fierce."

Lin Aoshan said, "If he couldn't even pass this test, I would really doubt his abilities."

"However... this young man is indeed powerful, tossing people like they were mere chicks. From his look, it seems he's not even breaking a sweat, or using inner qi."

"Could it be purely physical strength? That's incredibly rare."

The gaze shifted to the martial arts hall.

Inside the Spring Leaf Martial Arts Hall.

Miao Xichun looked grim. These people had taken a fake act seriously and surrounded the hall.

Impenetrable.

Mei Rentu laughed, "Master Miao, please bring out that treasure and strange object, so we can feast our eyes."

"Indeed, Master Miao," Hu Shengnan said proudly, "You should see the situation clearly. Everyone has traveled a long way just to see that treasure. Master Miao, you wouldn't be so stingy, would you?"

Miao Xichun said, "Humph, you all want to get your hands on my treasure. But there's only one of that treasure, yet four of you. If I really bring it out, how will you divide it?"

"Master Miao has quite the art of sowing discord," Iron Bear laughed loudly, "So you're willing to let go of that treasure, Master Miao?"

Miao Xichun said, "Letting it go is no problem for me. But the question I raised before still needs to be resolved."

"Before I take out the treasure, everyone should best think of how to allocate it!"

"So as not to hurt each other's feelings and become a laughingstock to outsiders."

Although knowing it's a ploy to sow discord.

But everyone harbored their own agendas, never thinking in detail about how to claim the treasure for themselves.

The four all thought: "The treasure is exceptionally rare. I must first find a way to make this old rogue hand over the treasure. Then... rely on my own power to seize it. There's no other way."

Hu Shengnan's eyes shifted, smiling, "Since Master Miao is so magnanimous and willing to hand over the treasure, then naturally, it should go to the one with both talent and virtue."

"Our moral conduct needs no further words. Now we're to compare talents and martial arts. We're all martial artists, why not exchange ten moves with each other, and the winner gets it."

"This way, we neither harm our harmony nor ignore Master Miao's good intentions. Why not do it?"

Miao Xichun's expression darkened. Among these people, he resented Hu Shengnan the most; she was the one who stirred up the conflict. And with just a few words, she implied he was willing to "give away" the treasure — truly shameless.

Miao Xichun forced a smile, saying, "Hahaha, Leader Hu has a point. If so, let me first learn from your skills!"

Finishing those words, he leaped forward. Raising his hand, he used the "Flying Flower Spring Leaf Hand," a well-known technique of his, showing he was not holding back and almost wanted to kill Hu Shengnan on the spot.

Hu Shengnan's expression changed. Her eloquent tongue, confident in her cunning plan. But she didn't expect to anger Miao Xichun, determined to drag her into the water.

In a hurry, she lifted her palm to counter. The two slapped palms, Miao Xichun's inner qi surged like a sea, rushing forth. If Hu Shengnan fought hard, her qi would be greatly consumed, leaving her powerless to fight for the treasure.

If she didn't fight hard, she would surely get injured.

"Iron Bear, aren't you moving yet!" Hu Shengnan said.

Iron Bear from the Xiongpi Martial Arts Hall sneered coldly, standing still. Intentionally letting the two of them duel longer, to exhaust each other.

After a while.

Iron Bear suddenly made his move, saying, "Master Miao, you're breaking the rules. As the host, how can you take back the things you've already offered?"

"Leader Hu, I'll assist you."

He struck Hu Shengnan on the back, his inner qi passed through with great strength. Miao Xichun staggered back several steps, severely injured.

While Hu Shengnan also spat out a mouthful of blood, her breath weak.

Iron Bear's strike, injuring Miao Xichun six parts, and her four parts. Achieving both in one move, extremely insidious.

"Master Miao, please hand over that treasure now. You don't need to be involved in the matter afterward." Zhou Long from the Barbarian Martial Arts Hall said indifferently.

Miao Xichun's eyes dimmed. He used to have good relations with Zhou Long. Who knew, in front of treasure, there's no room for sentiment.

"Hahaha, fine, I, Miao, admit defeat!"

He immediately took out the [Treasure and Strange Object] from his bosom.

The crowd's breaths quickened, eyes unable to tear away.

"So it was the distribution of treasure that caused the dispute."

"You're really something. For such a matter, why not let me, a Military Officer, decide, instead of privately fighting here?"

At this moment, a voice rang out.

Li Xian stood at the door, with a mess behind him. He chuckled lightly, "I have a suggestion that could immediately resolve the dispute. Why don't you all listen?"