Chu Ming peeled a sweet tangerine and popped a piece into his mouth.

He could feel Primordial Qi entering his body, but the same issue remained; he had reached a bottleneck in Qi Introduction and couldn’t utilize it.

However, it wasn’t entirely useless. Primordial Qi brought some improvement to his physical body, although the benefits were so minimal that for a martial artist like him, they were practically negligible.

"Little Shan, this is quite sweet. Give it a try," Chu Ming offered a segment to Little Shan.

"So sweet, so sweet," Little Shan exclaimed joyfully.

"Take it," Chu Ming gave the whole tangerine to Little Shan and then took the freshly squeezed juice and went out.

Little Shan didn’t eat it. As soon as Chu Ming left, she pressed the tangerine into juice.

"Don’t worry too much; I’ll go with you when the time comes. Old Xiao will definitely send someone to protect us," Shen Yu, sipping juice, still wore a troubled expression.

Go together?

Looking at the elderly man before him with graying temples, Chu Ming felt a surge of emotion.

"Brother Shen, didn’t you mention at the feast yesterday that you wanted to try training in martial arts? Take a look at this," Chu Ming produced a Body Refining Technique he had deduced the previous night.

"Have you met Fang Xiao?" Shen Yu assumed the technique was given to Chu Ming by Fang Xiao, a personal attendant of the Tiger Armor Army.

Chu Ming nodded.

"Did you inquire about the matters related to evil entities?" Shen Yu’s face lit up with hope.

"I did. Housekeeper Fang said martial artists can deter evil entities, but only a Primordial Qi Warrior can eliminate them," Chu Ming replied.

"Alas..." Shen Yu’s hope vanished as quickly as it appeared. He was already aware of this.

Indeed, martial artists can deter evil entities, but in Shen Yu’s eyes, Chu Ming wasn’t one.

"Didn’t Fang Xiao mention sending the Tiger Armor Army to protect you?" he inquired.

Compared to Xiao He’s arrangement from the Imperial Supervision Envoy, Shen Yu had more faith in the Tiger Armor Army.

Chu Ming remained silent.

The master was about to lead an army to attack the Nine Hordes Kingdom, an extremely dangerous endeavor, and also had to protect Housekeeper Fang to keep his identity concealed...

Chu Ming was already anxious; how could he ask the master to be further distracted by arranging the Tiger Armor Army?

"Didn’t you say anything?" Shen Yu noticed something and grew even more anxious.

At that moment, Little Shan came over with a tray of juice: "Young Master, Housekeeper Yu says there’s a general in armor outside the Chu Mansion seeking an audience."

Hmm?

Chu Ming’s gaze sharpened, and his Sword Gourd Spirit instantly expanded.

It was Ten Thousand Soldiers Commander, Meng Zhen!

"Quickly invite him in!"

"Okay." Little Shan put down the juice and ran out of the courtyard.

"I knew it, Fang Xiao wouldn’t be so careless..." Shen Yu’s face brightened with relief upon hearing the Tiger Armor Army had arrived.

Soon, Meng Zhen, with a resolute expression and clad in armor, walked steadily towards them.

"Commander Meng," Chu Ming stood and saluted.

Commander?!

Shen Yu, standing nearby, was startled. A Centurion from the Tiger Armor Army ranked even higher than a Senior Fifth Grade official.

Moreover, a Centurion was a Refining Organ Realm expert, on par with an Inspector General of the Imperial Examination Hall.

It was surprising that the Tiger Armor Army had dispatched such a formidable protector.

"Fang Qingshi sent me to protect the Chief Clerk’s Office," Meng Zhen stated in a deep voice.

Shen Yu, who had been worried, felt reassured upon hearing Meng Zhen’s declaration, as if a weight was lifted off his shoulders.

Chu Ming looked at Meng Zhen with respect, but deep down, his anxiety only grew.

Currently, Housekeeper Fang was the commander of the Seventh Tiger Camp in the Tiger Armor Army, with only two Commanders under him, one of whom was Meng Zhen.

Meng Zhen’s presence here indicated that Housekeeper Fang had only one Commander left under him.

Chu Ming wanted to send Meng Zhen back but, after contemplating, refrained from speaking.

The other party was here under orders; it wasn’t something he could just dismiss.

"Commander Meng... why don’t you sit down for a bite?" he suggested.

"Yes, yes, Commander Meng, try some of this juice," Shen Yu poured a glass for Meng Zhen.

Meng Zhen hesitated for a moment, took a sip, and a surprised glint briefly flickered across his usually steadfast face.

"What is this...?"

"It’s fruit brew, squeezed from sweet tangerines. That glass you have, Commander Meng, is equivalent to ten tangerines."

This sounded like something he’d heard before.

Little Shan glanced at Shen Yu and obediently went back to making more juice.

After finishing his meal, Chu Ming returned to his room first, telling Little Shan to take a tangerine with her.

Outside the room.

In an effort to ensure Meng Zhen would protect Chu Ming diligently, Shen Yu brought out the Body Refining Technique that Chu Ming had deduced and sought Meng Zhen’s advice, hoping to build rapport.

"Chief Clerk Shen, this technique..." Meng Zhen was surprised as he browsed through the technique.

It was much simpler than the Tiger and Python Body Refining Technique, yet its effect seemed no weaker?

"Commander Meng, am I doing this move correctly?"

"..."

...

Inside the room.

Chu Ming sensed the area outside the courtyard, his gaze deep and contemplative.

"Tonight, let’s have a look at the Divine Mystery Bureau."

The matter of cultivating Primordial Qi needed urgent attention; only then could he head to the mines in Jingyan County.

He flipped through the books, and the Book Collection Lake within his Sea of Consciousness gave rise to more white mist.

This mist gathered above the small Primordial Qi Lake, forming a white cloud layer, with Primordial Qi gestating in its center.

By dusk, the Primordial Qi within the cloud layer had reached a very dense state.

Chu Ming adjusted his own state, placed a sweet tangerine in his palm, and guided the Primordial Qi from his Sea of Consciousness into the tangerine using his Primordial Consciousness. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

"Sweet tangerine, a Primordial Qi object... hopefully, it’s correct," he whispered.

Securing the sweet tangerine, he resumed his reading.

It wasn’t long before Chu Ming’s brows furrowed.

With his Sword Gourd Spirit sensing, someone had arrived at the entrance of the mansion.

Moreover, it appeared to be someone from around the Fifth Prince.

Shortly after, Little Shan came and knocked on the door: "Young Master, Grandpa Shen asks you to come out quickly."

"Coming,"

Chu Ming stepped out and, from a distance, saw an old acquaintance while Shen Yu stood blocking the courtyard archway.

"Chief Clerk Shen, Fifth Prince orders me to deliver robes and an appointment letter to the Chief Clerk’s Office for Chu Ming."

The visitor was none other than Lv Jinhui, the Fifth-Grade Merit Officer who once attempted to accuse Chu Ming of treason in Baiyuan County.

"Hand it over," Shen Yu demanded without any deference to the Merit Officer.

Lv Jinhui looked at Shen Yu and, instead of getting angry, he straightforwardly handed over the robes and letter.

"Additionally, by order of the Fifth Prince, due to the significant importance of the exploration of Jingyan’s salt mines, the Chief Clerk’s Office for Chu Ming is to set out tomorrow for an inspection of Jingyan County."

After stating this, Lv Jinhui courteously saluted Shen Yu and left on his own.

Shen Yu, fuming, turned to see the approaching Chu Ming.

"What an insult!" he ground his teeth, "A prince of the Great Qin Dynasty, yet so vile in his actions. If the Great Qin Dynasty falls into such hands, it’s doomed!"

At this moment, Meng Zhen also walked over.

"Commander Meng, we count on you for Chu Ming’s safety," Shen Yu seemed to have developed a good rapport with Meng Zhen in the afternoon.

Meng Zhen nodded slightly, "Don’t worry. While I lack the means to eliminate evil entities, ordinary ones wouldn’t dare approach me."

"As long as Chu Ming stays by my side, there shouldn’t be much difficulty."

"Moreover, that salt mine in Jingyan County might not even have any evil entities..."

"Let’s hope not."

...

Nightfall.

After dinner, Chu Ming and Shen Yu spent some time deciphering the Huishan Scripture before Shen Yu went to train with Meng Zhen.

After an afternoon of practice, Meng Zhen found himself marveling at how perfectly suited the technique was for Shen Yu, as if it were tailor-made for him.

Initially, Shen Yu was somewhat resistant because the training was exhausting. However, after finishing, the fatigue disappeared, replaced by an unprecedented feeling of comfort throughout his body.

"Old Meng, do I also have a talent for martial arts?" he exclaimed, thrilled.

"At this rate, you really might," Meng Zhen replied.