Chapter 927: The First Step to Conquer the World (Part 1)

“Have you exited the hidden chamber?”

In the study of Wei Hall, Zongqi Pang Tai smiled at Wang Chen while reviewing documents and said, “I imagine you’ve gained quite a bit, haven’t you?”

Pang Tai had grown increasingly fond of this young Xiaoqi, nurturing a deep appreciation for his talent. It was this admiration that led him to allow Wang Chen to remain in seclusion at Wei Hall for over three months, shielding him from the threats of the Qianlong Society.

Wang Chen bowed respectfully and replied, “Thank you, sir, for your kind words. I have been fortunate enough to achieve a breakthrough!”

“Oh?”

Pang Tai’s eyes flickered with interest, and he quickly set down his brush. “So, what level have you reached now?”

Without hesitation, Wang Chen activated the Corpse Dog, Hidden Arrow, Sparrow Shade, and Thief Swallowing bloodshed wheels simultaneously. A chilling aura surged from his body, filling the room with an oppressive energy.

“Hm?”

Pang Tai’s expression sharpened, and he instinctively clenched his fists.

This was the instinctive reaction of a martial general!

But just as quickly as it had appeared, Wang Chen’s aura receded, and the pressure he had exerted on Pang Tai vanished in an instant.

Pang Tai’s eyes twitched slightly. “Martial general level!”

It was easy to distinguish between martial artists and ordinary people, but once one reached the martial master level, their life energy became deeply concealed. Unless they chose to reveal it, their true cultivation level was nearly impossible to discern.

Previously, Pang Tai had known Wang Chen to be at the third-grade martial master level.

A sixteen-year-old martial master was already worthy of being called a “genius,” and it was one of the key reasons Wang Chen had been promoted so quickly.

But Pang Tai never expected that, in just a few months, Wang Chen would advance to the fourth-level martial general!

He had assumed Wang Chen’s breakthrough was merely a minor advancement.

The reality, however, was far more astonishing.

It had taken Pang Tai himself over thirty years to reach this level!

Overwhelmed by shock, the Zongqi was momentarily speechless.

After a moment, he let out a bitter laugh and shook his head. “A sixteen-year-old martial general… Even in Daye, such a prodigy is rare. What merit do I, Pang Tai, possess to have such a talent under my command?”

Daye, the capital of Daliang, was a city of millions, home to countless noble families and a gathering of extraordinary talents. It was a place where dragons and tigers hid among the people.

Pang Tai was certain that someone like Wang Chen would quickly rise to prominence, even in a place as competitive as Daye.

The Zongqi was well aware that a small pond like Linjiang could never contain a dragon.

Having made up his mind, Pang Tai’s demeanor grew even more amiable. “Ling Zhiyuan, did you come to see me for something?”

Wang Chen thought for a moment and replied, “Sir, I have been in seclusion at Wei Hall for over three months. Now that I’ve broken through to the fourth-level, it would be improper for me to remain idle. I humbly request that you assign me an outgoing task.”

Previously, Wei Hall had allowed Wang Chen to remain in seclusion to protect him, and no duties had been assigned to him during that time.

But Wang Chen couldn’t continue to draw his Xiaoqi salary without contributing. While it hadn’t been an issue in the short term, prolonged inactivity would inevitably draw criticism.

Moreover, he needed to accumulate merit to climb to higher positions.

“I was just about to discuss this with you…”

In truth, even if Wang Chen hadn’t brought it up, Pang Tai couldn’t have kept him hidden in Wei Hall indefinitely. “I had planned to find an opportunity to assign you a position in the capital. Now that you’ve proven your ability to protect yourself, it’s time for you to take on your duties.”

“However…”

Pang Tai said with a hint of embarrassment, “At the moment, there are no personnel available to assign to you. You’ll have to wait until the next batch of newly appointed Guards arrives. Can you wait for a while?”

The Linjiang Wei Hall originally had one Zongqi and five Xiaoqi in its structure. However, due to the trouble caused by Huang Lianjue, an additional Xiaoqi position was added by the city authorities, which was conveniently awarded to Wang Chen for his merits.

Yet, while the Grand General granted the position, no additional personnel were provided. The Linjiang Wei Hall was already stretched thin, with none of the five squads fully staffed, making it impossible to spare anyone for Wang Chen’s team.

During this period, Wang Chen had been hidden cultivating within the Wei Hall, so the issue had been temporarily set aside.

Now, Pang Tai felt a headache brewing.

If he were to transfer someone from another Xiaoqi’s team, it would likely cause an uproar!

But to Pang Tai’s surprise, Wang Chen responded, “Sir, I believe I can manage on my own!”

Pang Tai was startled: “You want to be a Lone Wolf?”

A Lone Wolf is a unique figure within the Blood Guard.

As the name suggests, a Lone Wolf is someone who prefers to act independently, fierce and untamed like a wolf. They refuse to follow others’ commands and choose to undertake dangerous missions alone.

“I simply don’t wish to burden others,” Wang Chen explained. “Alone, I can fight or retreat as I see fit, which makes things much safer.”

In truth, given his current strength, leading a squad of martial artist-level Blood Guards would be of little value. Facing a strong enemy, he would only have to worry about their safety.

Moreover, operating alone made it easier for Wang Chen to keep his secrets hidden.

“That makes sense,” Pang Tai conceded, recalling the assassination attempts by the Qianlong Society against Wang Chen. “Very well, then. When a suitable task arises, I’ll assign it to you. But you must prioritize your safety—protecting yourself is paramount.”

Wang Chen took a step back, clasped his hands in salute, and said, “Thank you, sir!”

After bidding farewell to Pang Tai, Wang Chen left the Linjiang Wei Hall and headed to a blacksmith’s shop in the southern part of the city.

Linjiang City had four or five blacksmith’s shops, but this one was the largest and boasted the most skilled craftsmen.

Inside the workshop, the furnace roared, and several heavily muscled men hammered away at iron blanks, creating a bustling atmosphere.

“Sir!”

Upon seeing Wang Chen in his flying fish uniform, a dark-skinned blacksmith immediately greeted him with a wide smile: “You’ve arrived.”

Wang Chen nodded and asked, “Is everything I ordered ready?”

“Yes, yes!”

The blacksmith nodded eagerly and called out, “Xiao Liu, bring over the pipe set ordered by Lord Ling!”

Soon, a simple-looking apprentice carried over a large bundle of metal pipes.

The pipe set consisted of ten pipes—five long and five short—each meticulously polished, displaying a striking metallic sheen and texture.

Wang Chen picked one up and inspected it carefully.

The blacksmith remarked, “Sir, drilling these pipes from tough iron was no easy feat! I’ve already worn out three of my meteorite iron drill bits, but thankfully, it didn’t delay your order.”

Though the blacksmith seemed to be fishing for praise, his words were true.

The items Wang Chen had ordered were highly unusual, and the blacksmith had never handled such a request before. It had taken considerable effort to complete the task.

After thoroughly inspecting all the items, Wang Chen smiled with satisfaction: “Excellent work. You’ve done well.”

He pulled out a silver note and handed it to the blacksmith: “This is your reward.”

The blacksmith’s face lit up when he saw the amount on the silver note: “Thank you for your generosity, sir!”

Wang Chen chuckled, gave the blacksmith a pat on the shoulder, and then left the shop.

He made his way around the city, visiting two more blacksmith’s shops, a woodworking workshop, a pharmacy, and a tailor shop.

Finally, he returned to his residence with a large bundle of items in tow.