Chapter 47
The Giant Crocodile with a Human Face, the Scholar Who Wiped Out His Clan!
Sunset City.
Because of previous communication via carrier pigeon, Gu Lin quickly located the Gu residence.
This neighborhood is mostly inhabited by the families of Dongsi members. The Gu family's new residence is a three-courtyard mansion with a screen wall depicting good fortune and prosperity, flying eaves and corners, and the courtyard is planted with green bamboo and flowers.
Although living in Chuzhou is not easy, with his all-or-nothing gamble in the selection competition, he won a huge sum of 59,000 taels of silver. It would not be a problem to buy a house in Luoxia City, where land is extremely valuable. Moreover, the families of the Holy Land have a 30% discount.
"Lin'er!"
Hearing the commotion, Zhou Man quickly ran out.
She was dressed in a dazzling array of jewelry, with earrings, necklaces, and bracelets, her face adorned with rouge, and her dress was magnificent.
Gu Changchuan came upon hearing the sound.
"Father, how's your official position?" Gu Lin asked.
Gu Changchuan involuntarily straightened his chest, put his hands behind his back, and said loudly:
"A junior official of the eighth rank in Chuzhou."
Having said that, he bowed to the heavens and said, "Having received the salary of the God of Food and the grace of the nation, I should naturally devote myself to the people and fulfill my duties in my position..."
Gu Lin interrupted with a smile:
"The official title is just a nominal one."
Immediately, Gu Changchuan shook his head and sighed:
"It is indeed a nominal position, without any real power. I don't need to show up for duty, let alone handle official documents. I am just drawing a salary from the court without actually receiving it. I am truly ashamed to accept this position."
"Alright." Zhou Man rolled her eyes at him. "Can you even understand the intricacies of officialdom? A nominal position is perfect. You don't have to do any work or take any responsibility, and you still have the title of an eighth-rank official when you're out in the world."
"Come with me to prepare a sumptuous dinner for Lin'er."
Gu Changchuan looked regretful and sighed:
"There's nothing wrong with a nominal position; it's comfortable and carefree. But if I could have a little bit of real power, I would have a much brighter future."
No one can escape the common desire to advance and realize their ambitions, but unfortunately, he was given a nominal position and that was the end of his journey.
However, all of this depends on having an outstanding son. In fact, a nominal position is quite good. If he were to hold a real position, he might cause trouble for his son if he is not careful.
Half an hour later, the family dined together, enjoying a harmonious and happy time.
During this time, Gu Changchuan suggested:
"Jingming, Chief Escort Lin replied to me. He said he is willing to come to Chuzhou to develop. I plan to open an escort agency with him in the city. Little Fatty Wang Mu also wants to invest."
"I asked the state officials, and they said that it is not against the law for a nominal official like the Clerk to engage in business."
"I'm idle all day, I have to find something to do."
He gazed intently at his son.
Now we must follow our son's opinion in everything.
Gu Lin nodded:
"Father, you should make the arrangements yourself."
Gu Changchuan smiled.
......
A good night's sleep.
The next day, at dawn, Gu Lin washed up and headed to Luoxia Mountain.
Upon arriving at the East Temple government office, guided by several colleagues, Gu Lin arrived at the central hall at the summit of Luoxia Mountain, where steam rose from the vast marshland and the rain and mist shrouded the area.
That wasn't rain, but rather liquefied pure spiritual energy!
Inside the palace, everyone who came and went wore official robes adorned with the colors of the sun, moon, and stars, and the Cleansing Spirit Pool was under the full control of the Dao Discipline Office.
Gu Lin handed over the gold waist tag and identification document.
"You're only arriving now?" The elegant woman couldn't help but scold after making her notes.
After saying that, she led Gu Lin to the quiet room.
After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the elegant and beautiful woman arrived at a narrow and cramped quiet room. "Your room."
After performing the proper rites, Gu Lin entered the quiet room.
Inside was a well just big enough to hold one person. The well was hissing and making a clear, bright sound, like the most beautiful music in the world. The well water was rich in spiritual energy. Looking into the depths of the well, one could see milky white spirit salamanders swimming around.
This is the Spirit Cleansing Pool that drives martial artists mad, completely unleashing their innate potential.
Gu Lin had prepared dry food, fruit, and tea in advance. At this moment, he took off his official robes and entered the well naked. In an instant, a warm current surged into his limbs and bones, and spiky creatures wriggled on his skin, specifically lying on his acupoints.
.......
Ten days passed in the blink of an eye, and Gu Lin emerged from the well.
As expected, the Cleansing Pool had no effect on me, or at most, only a very minor one.
Gu Lin was not discouraged at all. It was expected, as his talent for cultivation was mediocre.
If you don't have any talent, how can you unleash your cultivation potential?
The reason for staying in the Cleansing Pool for ten days was to avoid attracting attention.
"Time to head to the mission building." Gu Lin left the quiet room.
The Cleansing Pool has a three-month time limit; it will be completely closed once the time is up, but people are free to come and go during this period.
Back at the East Temple, Gu Lin headed to the mission hall.
The magnificent palace has seventeen stories, and the lifelike statue of the mythical beast Xie Zhi at the top is atop it.
In front of the hall stood two handsome and refined middle-aged men.
Gu Lin handed over his identity badge.
One of the men with the beautiful sideburns reminded him:
"The elite cavalry can only operate on the first and second floors."
Gu Lin nodded.
Members of the four holy lands without official positions are all called "valiant cavalry," which are essentially just lowly soldiers.
Of course, once you leave Luoxia Mountain, people outside will call you a venerable one.
Gu Lin stepped into the mission hall, where dozens of elite cavalrymen were already lingering in front of the wooden frame, the oldest of whom was thirty-three or thirty-four years old.
He pondered to himself.
Everyone joined the Holy Land around the age of twenty. Others have been working for more than ten years and are still lowly soldiers, while Cao Baihu is at most forty years old, yet he is a centurion with great power.
Discarding unnecessary thoughts, Gu Lin began to peruse the case files.
Most of them are demon-slaying missions.
An eight-foot-long poisonous spider, a dog demon from the deep mountains, a giant python from the bottom of a pool...
Contribution points are appended at the end of each file.
Gu Lin frowned deeply.
The records clearly state that most of these monsters were newly arrived in the world.
Being new to the world means one's sins are not yet deep.
Taking lives doesn't earn you much merit.
"You even picked it yourself." Gu Lin couldn't help but chuckle.
Before the selection competition, I was willing to use myself as bait for the sake of merit, and now I'm being picky.
But this was unavoidable, as he was all alone and the various tasks were scattered throughout Chuzhou, taking at least ten days to half a month to complete.
The most suitable task must be selected.
If you are a squad leader or platoon leader with elite subordinates, your merit points will come flowing in like a river.
Wandering among the twenty bamboo frames, Gu Lin flipped through them until he finally found a file that satisfied him.
"A giant crocodile with a human face lurks in the Wei River on the border of Chuzhou. It is of low-grade first rank, has awakened intelligence and possesses a demon core. Three days ago, a civilian boat carrying thirty-two people perished in the monster's belly."
After completing the task, you will receive 76 contribution points.
"This is it!" Gu Lin immediately took the file.
A first-tier low-grade demon with a demon core is roughly equivalent to the third to fourth level of the Cave Profound Realm.
He is confident he can vanquish the demon!
As for contribution points, they are indeed too few, at most enough to exchange for three mid-grade spirit stones.
Gu Lin had some understanding of the situation; it was somewhat difficult for members of the Holy Land to achieve promotion by continuously eliminating minor demons and accumulating contribution points.
For those below the hundred-household level, the key to promotion lies in "King-rank Bloodline Demons" and "Heavenly Demon Bloodline Demons".
These two types of demons are born noble and possess boundless potential, posing a great threat to the divine dynasty once they grow up.
If one is lucky enough to eliminate the young and weak demons of royal blood, one can be promoted based on the merit.
Of course, the Dongsi Tianxuan Guard is a special case; they can also eliminate high-ranking and powerful officials of the Divine Dynasty and use this as a basis for promotion.
After circling around the first floor of the mission hall a few times, Gu Lin headed to the second floor.
After searching for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he picked up a file and a smile appeared on his face.
A Confucian and Taoist cultivator named Shen Deyang, who was notorious for his evil deeds, committed a massacre of his entire family due to his selfish desires. Two days ago, his whereabouts were exposed in a small border town between Chuzhou and Jiangzhou.
His cultivation level is at the second level of the Confucian Scholar's Spiritual Condensation Realm, and his true combat strength may be comparable to the fourth level of the Profound Realm.
Twenty-three contribution points are appended at the end of the file.
Minimal.
However, Gu Lin was in a fit of rage and felt he had to kill this Confucian scholar.
His own Confucian and Taoist cultivation had stagnated, so he relied on killing Shen Deyang to reap merit.
After taking the two case files, Gu Lin wrote his name on the official desk in front of the palace and affixed his seal.
Because of previous communication via carrier pigeon, Gu Lin quickly located the Gu residence.
This neighborhood is mostly inhabited by the families of Dongsi members. The Gu family's new residence is a three-courtyard mansion with a screen wall depicting good fortune and prosperity, flying eaves and corners, and the courtyard is planted with green bamboo and flowers.
Although living in Chuzhou is not easy, with his all-or-nothing gamble in the selection competition, he won a huge sum of 59,000 taels of silver. It would not be a problem to buy a house in Luoxia City, where land is extremely valuable. Moreover, the families of the Holy Land have a 30% discount.
"Lin'er!"
Hearing the commotion, Zhou Man quickly ran out.
She was dressed in a dazzling array of jewelry, with earrings, necklaces, and bracelets, her face adorned with rouge, and her dress was magnificent.
Gu Changchuan came upon hearing the sound.
"Father, how's your official position?" Gu Lin asked.
Gu Changchuan involuntarily straightened his chest, put his hands behind his back, and said loudly:
"A junior official of the eighth rank in Chuzhou."
Having said that, he bowed to the heavens and said, "Having received the salary of the God of Food and the grace of the nation, I should naturally devote myself to the people and fulfill my duties in my position..."
Gu Lin interrupted with a smile:
"The official title is just a nominal one."
Immediately, Gu Changchuan shook his head and sighed:
"It is indeed a nominal position, without any real power. I don't need to show up for duty, let alone handle official documents. I am just drawing a salary from the court without actually receiving it. I am truly ashamed to accept this position."
"Alright." Zhou Man rolled her eyes at him. "Can you even understand the intricacies of officialdom? A nominal position is perfect. You don't have to do any work or take any responsibility, and you still have the title of an eighth-rank official when you're out in the world."
"Come with me to prepare a sumptuous dinner for Lin'er."
Gu Changchuan looked regretful and sighed:
"There's nothing wrong with a nominal position; it's comfortable and carefree. But if I could have a little bit of real power, I would have a much brighter future."
No one can escape the common desire to advance and realize their ambitions, but unfortunately, he was given a nominal position and that was the end of his journey.
However, all of this depends on having an outstanding son. In fact, a nominal position is quite good. If he were to hold a real position, he might cause trouble for his son if he is not careful.
Half an hour later, the family dined together, enjoying a harmonious and happy time.
During this time, Gu Changchuan suggested:
"Jingming, Chief Escort Lin replied to me. He said he is willing to come to Chuzhou to develop. I plan to open an escort agency with him in the city. Little Fatty Wang Mu also wants to invest."
"I asked the state officials, and they said that it is not against the law for a nominal official like the Clerk to engage in business."
"I'm idle all day, I have to find something to do."
He gazed intently at his son.
Now we must follow our son's opinion in everything.
Gu Lin nodded:
"Father, you should make the arrangements yourself."
Gu Changchuan smiled.
......
A good night's sleep.
The next day, at dawn, Gu Lin washed up and headed to Luoxia Mountain.
Upon arriving at the East Temple government office, guided by several colleagues, Gu Lin arrived at the central hall at the summit of Luoxia Mountain, where steam rose from the vast marshland and the rain and mist shrouded the area.
That wasn't rain, but rather liquefied pure spiritual energy!
Inside the palace, everyone who came and went wore official robes adorned with the colors of the sun, moon, and stars, and the Cleansing Spirit Pool was under the full control of the Dao Discipline Office.
Gu Lin handed over the gold waist tag and identification document.
"You're only arriving now?" The elegant woman couldn't help but scold after making her notes.
After saying that, she led Gu Lin to the quiet room.
After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the elegant and beautiful woman arrived at a narrow and cramped quiet room. "Your room."
After performing the proper rites, Gu Lin entered the quiet room.
Inside was a well just big enough to hold one person. The well was hissing and making a clear, bright sound, like the most beautiful music in the world. The well water was rich in spiritual energy. Looking into the depths of the well, one could see milky white spirit salamanders swimming around.
This is the Spirit Cleansing Pool that drives martial artists mad, completely unleashing their innate potential.
Gu Lin had prepared dry food, fruit, and tea in advance. At this moment, he took off his official robes and entered the well naked. In an instant, a warm current surged into his limbs and bones, and spiky creatures wriggled on his skin, specifically lying on his acupoints.
.......
Ten days passed in the blink of an eye, and Gu Lin emerged from the well.
As expected, the Cleansing Pool had no effect on me, or at most, only a very minor one.
Gu Lin was not discouraged at all. It was expected, as his talent for cultivation was mediocre.
If you don't have any talent, how can you unleash your cultivation potential?
The reason for staying in the Cleansing Pool for ten days was to avoid attracting attention.
"Time to head to the mission building." Gu Lin left the quiet room.
The Cleansing Pool has a three-month time limit; it will be completely closed once the time is up, but people are free to come and go during this period.
Back at the East Temple, Gu Lin headed to the mission hall.
The magnificent palace has seventeen stories, and the lifelike statue of the mythical beast Xie Zhi at the top is atop it.
In front of the hall stood two handsome and refined middle-aged men.
Gu Lin handed over his identity badge.
One of the men with the beautiful sideburns reminded him:
"The elite cavalry can only operate on the first and second floors."
Gu Lin nodded.
Members of the four holy lands without official positions are all called "valiant cavalry," which are essentially just lowly soldiers.
Of course, once you leave Luoxia Mountain, people outside will call you a venerable one.
Gu Lin stepped into the mission hall, where dozens of elite cavalrymen were already lingering in front of the wooden frame, the oldest of whom was thirty-three or thirty-four years old.
He pondered to himself.
Everyone joined the Holy Land around the age of twenty. Others have been working for more than ten years and are still lowly soldiers, while Cao Baihu is at most forty years old, yet he is a centurion with great power.
Discarding unnecessary thoughts, Gu Lin began to peruse the case files.
Most of them are demon-slaying missions.
An eight-foot-long poisonous spider, a dog demon from the deep mountains, a giant python from the bottom of a pool...
Contribution points are appended at the end of each file.
Gu Lin frowned deeply.
The records clearly state that most of these monsters were newly arrived in the world.
Being new to the world means one's sins are not yet deep.
Taking lives doesn't earn you much merit.
"You even picked it yourself." Gu Lin couldn't help but chuckle.
Before the selection competition, I was willing to use myself as bait for the sake of merit, and now I'm being picky.
But this was unavoidable, as he was all alone and the various tasks were scattered throughout Chuzhou, taking at least ten days to half a month to complete.
The most suitable task must be selected.
If you are a squad leader or platoon leader with elite subordinates, your merit points will come flowing in like a river.
Wandering among the twenty bamboo frames, Gu Lin flipped through them until he finally found a file that satisfied him.
"A giant crocodile with a human face lurks in the Wei River on the border of Chuzhou. It is of low-grade first rank, has awakened intelligence and possesses a demon core. Three days ago, a civilian boat carrying thirty-two people perished in the monster's belly."
After completing the task, you will receive 76 contribution points.
"This is it!" Gu Lin immediately took the file.
A first-tier low-grade demon with a demon core is roughly equivalent to the third to fourth level of the Cave Profound Realm.
He is confident he can vanquish the demon!
As for contribution points, they are indeed too few, at most enough to exchange for three mid-grade spirit stones.
Gu Lin had some understanding of the situation; it was somewhat difficult for members of the Holy Land to achieve promotion by continuously eliminating minor demons and accumulating contribution points.
For those below the hundred-household level, the key to promotion lies in "King-rank Bloodline Demons" and "Heavenly Demon Bloodline Demons".
These two types of demons are born noble and possess boundless potential, posing a great threat to the divine dynasty once they grow up.
If one is lucky enough to eliminate the young and weak demons of royal blood, one can be promoted based on the merit.
Of course, the Dongsi Tianxuan Guard is a special case; they can also eliminate high-ranking and powerful officials of the Divine Dynasty and use this as a basis for promotion.
After circling around the first floor of the mission hall a few times, Gu Lin headed to the second floor.
After searching for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he picked up a file and a smile appeared on his face.
A Confucian and Taoist cultivator named Shen Deyang, who was notorious for his evil deeds, committed a massacre of his entire family due to his selfish desires. Two days ago, his whereabouts were exposed in a small border town between Chuzhou and Jiangzhou.
His cultivation level is at the second level of the Confucian Scholar's Spiritual Condensation Realm, and his true combat strength may be comparable to the fourth level of the Profound Realm.
Twenty-three contribution points are appended at the end of the file.
Minimal.
However, Gu Lin was in a fit of rage and felt he had to kill this Confucian scholar.
His own Confucian and Taoist cultivation had stagnated, so he relied on killing Shen Deyang to reap merit.
After taking the two case files, Gu Lin wrote his name on the official desk in front of the palace and affixed his seal.