Chapter 44: Is It Difficult to Ride a Horse?
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
A barrage of messages flashed in front of Zhou Shu’s eyes, and he felt as if his dantian suddenly exploded. Waves of violent energy constantly surged out and instantly flowed through his entire body.
[You receive a reward of two years of cultivation because the Huben Saber you forged effectively completed a kill!]
[You receive a reward of two years of cultivation because the Huben Saber you forged effectively completed a kill!]
…
In the blink of an eye, Zhou Shu felt a string snap in his body. Then as if he had broken through some sort of shackle, his strength kept increasing.
Zhou Shu could sense his strength constantly increasing, making him feel as though he was floating in the air.
Becoming stronger was addictive!
He had successfully broken through to the eighth level of the Dragon Elephant Prajna Technique!
The increase in his strength was not as great as before. But leveling up from the seventh to the eighth level, his strength had undergone a tremendous change.
Reaching the seventh level from the sixth only required 128 years of cultivation, while reaching the eighth level required 256 years of cultivation!
The difference between one level was like heaven and earth.
Without even trying, Zhou Shu could feel his own transformation. The strength he felt in his body could only be described with one word!
When Zhou Shu looked at Sun Gongping again, he felt like he could kill him with one slap…
Now, my strength should be comparable to several Sun Gongpings, right?
“Why are you in a daze? I’ve made reservations at the Drunken Immortal Inn. There won’t be a second time. It’ll be your turn to treat me next time!”
Zhou Shu pursed his lips. “No! I’m not free! Oh right, Great Divine Constable Sun, you are well-informed. Do you know what the Huben Troops are up to recently?”
“Why are you asking this?” Sun Gongping said half-heartedly, “What else can they do? Protect the palace. The Imperial Guards can only patrol all day. What else can they do?”
This was equivalent to not saying anything at all!
How could they suddenly complete any kills if they were patrolling the palace?
The Huben Sabers had just given him decades worth of cultivation, indicating that they had just experienced a battle!
There was no rebellion in Great Xia. How could they have the chance to kill enemies in the palace?
His curiosity diluted the excitement of having just broken through to the next level.
In this world, he didn’t have many channels to obtain information. He was practically blind to the world outside of the Forging Division.
Even within the Forging Division, there were many things that he didn’t know.
He had known almost nothing about the military parade that Sun Gongping had mentioned.
In the end, it was because his foundation was too shallow and he didn’t have any connections. Even if he wanted to obtain information, he might not be able to find a way.
“Great Divine Constable Sun, what did you just say?” Zhou Shu said.
“Huben Troops?” Sun Gongping was puzzled. He felt that Zhou Shu was acting strangely today and absent-minded the entire time.
“No, before that.”
“I’ve made reservations at the Drunken Immortal Inn?”
“Let’s go!” Zhou Shu said straightforwardly. “I’ve thought about it. Work is never-ending. Since you’ve sincerely invited me, I definitely have to accept your invite!”
Sun Gongping was a divine constable of the Divine Constable Bureau and had a mysterious background. If he could build a good relationship with him, it would be easier for him to gather information in the future.
It would be great if he could get to know some people in the capital through him.
“Just the two of us?” Zhou Shu asked.
“Or what?” Sun Gongping asked. “I originally wanted to invite you to listen to music, but Old Ma refused…”
Zhou Shu was speechless. Is he here to treat me to a drink or to spend public funds?
Is he here on behalf of the Divine Constable Bureau to build a good relationship with me?
To think that I thought he really treated me as a good brother!
The guilt in Zhou Shu’s heart instantly disappeared. Originally, he had felt a bit guilty for keeping in contact with Sun Gongping in order to make use of him, but wasn’t Sun Gongping the same?
Everyone was using each other.
I’m not afraid of being used by others. It’s much better than being useless… Zhou Shu consoled himself.
Thinking about it, it made sense. He was only the superintendent of a small workshop in the Forging Division. Although he was a little more handsome, talented, and might have more money in the future…
What else did he have?
Why were others rushing to build a good relationship with him?
Wasn’t it because he was useful?
After thinking this through, he no longer felt uncomfortable.
“Is it really the Drunken Immortal Inn? It’s not a restaurant, right?” Zhou Shu still remembered the first time he had met Sun Gongping. Sun Gongping had directed him to a small restaurant.
“Hehe, you still remember that restaurant.” Sun Gongping chuckled. “I wouldn’t mind if you really want to go to a restaurant.”
“No, going to a restaurant is no different from eating at the Forging Division!” Zhou Shu changed his clothes and walked toward the capital with Sun Gongping.
The Forging Division’s workshops were located on the outskirts of the capital. It was around 15 kilometers away from the capital of Great Xia.
Sun Gongping had come on horseback, but Zhou Shu didn’t know how to ride a horse. Also, he didn’t have a horse, so they could only rely on their legs.
“I can’t believe you don’t know how to ride a horse!” Sun Gongping had repeated this sentence countless times.
Zhou Shu flew into a rage out of humiliation. “So what if I don’t know how to ride a horse? Did you know how to ride a horse since birth?”
“Hehe, although I wasn’t born with it, I was already able to ride a horse when I was three.” Sun Gongping chuckled.
“So what? Didn’t you just learn it earlier?” Zhou Shu said. “I was just too lazy to learn in the past. It’s not that hard to learn how to ride a horse. Give me the horse!”
With that, he snatched the reins from Sun Gongping’s hands, stepped on the stirrups, and jumped onto the horse’s back.
“Be careful! Don’t hurt my horse!” Sun Gongping shouted.
Zhou Shu rolled his eyes and imitated what he had seen in TV dramas. He clamped his legs together.
“Giddy up!” Zhou Shu shouted, and the horse galloped forward. He leaned back and almost fell.
Sun Gongping burst into laughter.
Zhou Shu’s eyebrows rose slightly. He adjusted his body and sat firmly on the horse’s back.
The next moment, he seemed to enter the state of being one with the horse. His body moved up and down rhythmically with the horse’s galloping. No matter how fast the horse ran, he sat firmly.
Level eight of the Dragon Elephant Prajna Technique not only gave Zhou Shu divine strength, but his control over his body had reached an inconceivable level.
There was no way he would be dismounted by the horse.
Sun Gongping was dumbfounded as he watched the horse run faster and faster while Zhou Shu sat more and more steadily.
He was left behind.
“I…” Sun Gongping cursed and chased after him.
…
An hour later, Zhou Shu and Sun Gongping appeared at the capital gates.
Zhou Shu’s face was flushed, but he didn’t even need to catch his breath.
Meanwhile, Sun Gongping was covered in sweat and dust.
He had run all the way!
Ninth-rank martial artists didn’t know how to fly or burrow beneath the ground. They would be just as tired when they ran!
“It’s not hard to learn how to ride a horse.” Zhou Shu laughed. “Great Divine Constable Sun, how about selling this horse to me?”
He felt that he really needed a horse. Otherwise, it would be too troublesome to travel between the capital and the Forging Division’s workshops.
“I’m not looking down on you,” Sun Gongping said. “But this horse of mine is no ordinary horse. It’s an authentic Great Wei dragon blood horse. You can’t afford it—”
“Name a price. Maybe I can afford it,” Zhou Shu said.
He didn’t have much money now, but he had the ownership of the Hundred Refinements Ring Pommel Saber. This was a money tree.
“One thousand taels of gold!” Sun Gongping said.
“One thousand taels of gold!” Zhou Shu was speechless. One tael of gold was equivalent to 100 taels of silver. One thousand taels of gold was equivalent to 100,000 taels of silver.
How many standard weapons would I have to forge to earn 100,000 taels of silver!
A horse is actually so expensive!
No way! I can’t afford it!
“Move! Get out of the way!”
The two of them were slowly walking on the road. Suddenly, there were loud noises behind them. Then a horse galloped over.
“Damn——” Sun Gongping pulled Zhou Shu aside in time to avoid being hit by the galloping horse.
Along the way, the pedestrians avoided the horse. Many of the roadside stalls were knocked over.
“What happened?” Zhou Shu watched the galloping horse disappear at the end of the long street, his heart stirring. “Was that a Huben Troop?”
His eyesight was astounding. Although the horse had only brushed past them, he could still see the knight on horseback wearing the Huben Troops’ armor with bloodstains on his body.
He thought about the cultivation increase he received earlier.
The Huben Troops encountered enemies?
Aren’t the Huben Troops Imperial Guards?
Zhou Shu looked around. It was peaceful in the capital. Although it was a little chaotic from the galloping horse, it didn’t look like a war had broken out.
“Great Divine Constable Sun, the one who just passed by, is he from the Huben Troops? Why did I see blood on him?” Zhou Shu asked Sun Gongping.
The frivolous expression on Sun Gongping’s face disappeared, and he became serious.
“I saw it too!” Sun Gongping said in a low voice. “Something must have happened!”
“Old Zhou, go to the Drunken Immortal Inn yourself. Eat whatever you want. After you’re done, put it on my tab.
“I’m heading back to the Divine Constable Bureau to take a look!”
While speaking, Sun Gongping had already mounted his horse and rode off.
Zhou Shu: “…”
Is this how you treat someone to a meal?
If I put it on your tab, will it be like what happened last time?
I didn’t come out to eat but to socialize!
Zhou Shu mumbled to himself and frowned.
What happened to the Huben Troops?
That knight rushed back on his horse. Is he here to seek help?
In Great Xia, who dares to attack the Huben Troops openly?
[You receive a reward of two years of cultivation because the Huben Saber you forged effectively completed a kill!]
[You receive a reward of two years of cultivation because the Huben Saber you forged effectively completed a kill!]
While he was thinking, two more messages appeared in front of Zhou Shu.
The battle isn’t over yet?
Zhou Shu’s heart trembled. Suddenly, a thought came to his mind.
He looked in the direction that the knight had rushed from. He could no longer hold himself back and went to take a look!
Let’s see who the Huben Troops are fighting!
I won’t go too far. If the place the Huben Troops are fighting isn’t far, I’ll just take a look and come back. I haven’t seen the battle scenes of this world yet.
If I can’t see them within fifty kilometers after leaving the city, I’ll go back to the workshop. If a war breaks out within fifty kilometers of the capital, Great Xia should be able to control the situation…
