Volume 6 Chapter 7: Can't We Go a Bit Slower?
"Mid stage Soul Expert at the lowest?" Lin Xi thought for a bit, and then he looked at Tie Hanqing, asking, "Then what about the highest? Will he exceed late stage Soul Expert, reaching Soul Master cultivation?"
Tie Hanqing firmly shook his head. "There is a chance of reaching late stage Soul Expert, there is absolutely no chance that he reached Soul Master level."
Lin Xi carefully looked at this thick browed middle-aged military officer. "Why is there absolutely no chance?"
Tie Hanqing also looked at Lin Xi, patiently explaining, "It is because if Wei Xianwu could reach Soul Master level cultivation at his age, there is no way the high ranking officers of the border army would easily let him be transferred away, they would definitely keep that kind of person at their side to foster them. After all, his experiences are still rather shallow, accumulating achievements in the Border Army is more favorable... in other words, if he had this level of talent, Deereast City's waters are too shallow, unable to hold such a large fish."
After a slight pause, Tie Hanqing added, "Moreover, he isn't someone of our Deereast City, to the extent where he doesn't even belong to Eastern Forest Province, but rather someone from Mountain Dew Province. If he transferred out of the border army out of homesickness, he definitely wouldn't hold a position in Deereast City, but rather return to Mountain Dew Province."
Lin Xi released an oh sound. After thinking for a bit, he then asked, "Since the cultivator I killed on the river has a military record, Wei Xianwu even using Military Prison to suppress me, what connection does that cultivator have with him?""
Tie Hanqing didn't reply to Lin Xi's question, instead frowning while looking at Lin Xi. "You are worried that Wei Xianwu will still act against you?"
"You know that I am a Green Luan Academy student, while he doesn't. Moreover, there is no way I can raise a sign and tell everyone that I am a cultivator student from Green Luan Academy." Lin Xi nodded and seriously said, "You also know that because every single Green Luan Academy student, especially new students whose true strength hasn't been set, are all fat sheeps in the eyes of the empire's assassins, you should also know the rules, there is no way I can reveal my identity to anyone, or else if even more formidable assassins than him come for me, none of you can escape responsibility. Moreover, I could sense the killing intent he directed at me, so even if I take ten thousand steps back, even if he knew I was a Green Luan Academy student, he wouldn't stop."
After remaining quiet for a moment, Tie Hanqing said, "City Supervisor Li has already demoted him by one rank, transferring him out of the nearby five towns."
Lin Xi shook his head, saying with a bit of self-mockery, "When one really wishes to kill, they wouldn't mind running a few extra days of road. Also, you all definitely have this type of worry as well, or else you wouldn't have transferred him away."
After a slight pause, Lin Xi looked at Tie Hanqing, continuing, "I understand what you all are thinking, you obviously don't wish for our Yunqin's cultivators to not die outside the border, in internal strife lacking all glory. However, others wish to kill me, yet I cannot defend myself. Sometimes, one's wishes and reality will always be entirely different."
Tie Hanqing remained silent for a moment, and then nodded his head, saying, "When I return, I will discuss this matter with City Supervisor Li again, see if we can transfer him back to Dragon Snake Border Army first."
Lin Xi thought for a bit. He opened his mouth, looking like he had something he wanted to say, but after opening his mouth, he instead released a sigh, saying, "Then I must trouble Sir Tie."
Tie Hanqing was the same. Originally, he couldn't hold back but warn Lin Xi to not be too fierce or make too many enemies, but when he saw Lin Xi's silent expression, he knew that this youngster likely wouldn't change much because of some words. As such, he also sighed inwardly, saying, "Then let's just leave this matter like that."
...
"Cultivation not reaching Soul Master, I wonder if this is real or not... if this is real, then it's best if you obediently return to the border army, to not cause any more incidents."
While looking at Tie Hanqing's departing figure, Lin Xi shook his head, saying this to himself. Then, he walked out.
Now, it was already close to noon. Despite wearing light garments, one would still feel a bit of dry heat under the sunlight. However, when he heard the rewards and penalties, the assignments of positions, the body of Qian Gangsheng who stood in the courtyard outside Town Supervisor Manor continuously trembled.
Lin Xi walked out of the hall, immediately seeing many familiar faces. He smiled towards Du Weiqing, Liang Sansi, Lu Mingyi and others who couldn't hold back their excitement, and then turned around to look at the warden who continuously shivered, saying with a laugh, "Sir Qian, what is it, do you feel cold?"
"Sir Lin, I..." When he heard Lin Xi's words, Qian Gangsheng's face turned even more pale, his body shaking even stronger. He bowed, wishing to say something, but when he thought about his display in front of Lin Xi before, he couldn't speak a word.
Lin Xi smiled and said, "Sir Qian, don't worry. Do I look like the type to hold a grudge over small matters?"
Qian Gangsheng suddenly raised his head, his face covered in indescribable pleasant surprise. "Sir Lin..."
Lin Xi replied, "What is it?"
Qian Gangsheng stopped his trembling, immediately saying, "Sir Lin, what you said is correct. Someone like your respected self, how could you possibly hold a grudge over small matters?!"
Lin Xi smiled. He looked at this fella who was the same rank as him less than an hour ago, but was now already a rank lower, moreover his subordinate, and then said, "Sir Qian, I do not know much regarding the Warden Office, so I must consult Sir Qian. Since the warden's main responsibility is watching over criminals, am I right to assume that your greatest responsibility is to remain loyal to your post, do your job seriously, and have exceptional martial skill, for example, when a criminal breaks out, you will promptly subdue and seize them? Previously, I heard Sir Qian's martial skill isn't bad, that normally, not even some strong men can get close."
"Not at all, not at all." Qian Gangsheng wiped away a handful of sweat, saying, "That is nothing more than the respect for a colleague, compared to sir, who knows how many times inferior I am..."
"Is that so? But that wouldn't do at all." Lin Xi cut him off. He gave Lu Mingyi a look, saying, "If your martial skill isn't good enough, how can you hold such great responsibility as a warden? How about this, you and Lu Mingyi give it a go. If you can win over Lu Mingyi, then that means your martial skill is indeed like the rumors say, not bad. If you cannot win over Lu Mingyi, then this position of Warden, how about you still step aside and let Lu Mingyi act as substitute first?"
"What?"
When Lin Xi's words sounded, the surrounding people immediately became stunned.
"You...!" After staring blankly for a moment, Qian Gangsheng almost erupted into a string of curses.
He wasn't a cultivator at all, while Lu Mingyi was known to be courageous and strong. Forget about how he was already past his prime, constitution weakening, even if he was in his golden years, he still might not be Lu Mingyi's opponent.
What not a holding a grudge? This was basically stripping him of his position as Warden, extreme hatred, immediately getting his revenge!
"Many thanks to Sir Lin!"
Lu Mingyi's reactions weren't slow. He immediately rolled up his sleeves, speaking in a low muffled voice to Qian Gangsheng, "I must ask Sir Qian for pointers!"
"You all..." Qian Gangsheng's entire body began to shake again, but now from anger. Knowing that he didn't have much leeway today, he decided to just go for broke, pointing at Lin Xi and saying, "Lin Xi, others say you are upright and honorable, but you are just a despicable small person, actually setting your resolution to deal with me! Just now, what was the purpose in using words to mess with me? Don't you feel like this is the conduct of a petty person, losing your past glory and brilliance?"
Lin Xi looked at Qian Gangsheng, shaking his head and saying, "I said that I am not the type to hold grudges over small matters, but when so many people's lives were involved, Lian Zhanshan's bottom couldn't even remain on his seat, someone like you who shares the same view on many things as him... all those lives, are you calling them a small matter?"
Qian Gangsheng was stunned, immediately a bit speechless. However, he really couldn't accept this result! He shouted angrily, "Lin Xi, I am going to report you! I haven't made many slip-ups during these years, what authority do you have to strip me of my Warden position?!"
"Purely because I am now your direct superior." Lin Xi looked at this Warden whose face was becoming purple, shaking his head and calmly saying.
Qian Gangsheng's screams and shouts were heard by many people, but when they thought about Lin Xi's performance and the endings of Lian Zhanshan and others, only Substitute Town Supervisor Jiang Wenhe who cleaned up his stuff in the Correspondent office, preparing to move into the Town Supervisor Manor walked over.
"Town Supervisor Jiang, you came at the perfect time. Please let him know that according to Yunqin law, officials below minor ninth rank can be directly appointed and dismissed by those at the Town Supervisor level as long as a letter is presented to the higher levels. Now, I am suggesting the dismissing and replacement of the Warden, what do you think?"
While looking at Jiang Wenhe who was walking over, Lin Xi calmly and seriously asked.
Jiang Wenhe's face fell, saying with a low voice, "Sir Lin... this is a bit too fast, right?"
He was an old civil official, well acquainted with the rules of bureaucracy, naturally knowing that removing someone from their position this quickly could easily result in being denounced by others. Moreover, he had just taken office, still having the 'substitute' word before his title.
Lin Xi gave him a look, saying, "Fast or slow, it's something that will happen sooner or later.
With just this line, Jiang Wenhe didn't persist with this any longer. With a bitter expression and after some hesitation, he nodded, "When you prepare the documents later, it will suffice."
When Qian Gangsheng heard this, everything before his eyes went dark, almost directly fainting. Meanwhile, all of the other officials who were watching in this already scorching hot weather, all began to inwardly feel chills. They knew that in this East Port Town, the weight behind the words of this Young Sir Lin might be even greater than this Town Supervisor.
Lin Xi didn't pay Qian Gangsheng any more attention.
He couldn't hide his own true love and hate either. Someone like Qian Gangsheng, under so many sets of bones, still only thought about his own military rank, this really left him feeling disgust. Meanwhile, he also understood extremely clearly that it was precisely because people like him remained in their position that there was even more darkness on this Breath River. That was why he wanted him immediately stripped of his position.
"I have the authority to name my successor as Enforcer ahead of time. If there are no special transfer orders, I wish for Sir Du to act as Substitute Enforcer. Moreover, Liang Sansi's performance during this case has been outstanding, so his award for promotion to official bailiff will also be delivered later into sir's hands." Lin Xi still didn't finish, saying this to Jiang Wenhe who walked away with a bitter expression.
Jiang Wenhe was speechless, the wrinkles on his face becoming even deeper. He turned around, taking two steps back, and then said by Lin Xi's ears, "Can you really not just go a bit slower... at least let me catch my breath?"
Lin Xi laughed, and then said, "Alright, then let's just slow down a bit."
When he heard this, the wrinkles on Jiang Wenhe's face relaxed a bit. However, when he heard Lin Xi's following words, he almost cried.
Lin Xi said, "I won't send them over today, I'll just bring them over tomorrow. For better or for worse, you still need this afternoon to sort everything out."