I Have 10 Equipment Slots-Chapter 167 - 115: Breakthrough on the Spot, Another Promotion
"What kind of Source Fruit was that? It’s so powerful! It actually let him break through two whole minor stages!"
"Gu Zheng really struck it rich. He went into Four Directions Perfecture, got incredibly lucky, destroyed a Rule Array Hub, earned fifty Great Merits, and even found a Source Fruit with such immense energy."
"He’s reached Super Body·Radiant, too. Now he can be promoted straight to Thousand Households."
"Right, right! Gu Baihu is about to become Mr. Gu!"
...
A group of Hundred Households ran out from the building, staring at Gu Zheng in endless amazement.
While many were still envious, far fewer were jealous.
The gap in their strength had become too wide. Any more jealousy would just be a joke.
"Gu... Gu, you are truly astounding!"
Liangqiu Ren followed them out, cupped his fists toward Gu Zheng, and said with emotion, "Gu, please wait a moment. I’ll go arrange the promotion ceremony for Thousand Households right now."
"No need to go to all that trouble." Gu Zheng controlled his aura, slowly reining it in.
"It is, it is necessary."
Liangqiu Ren replied as he walked out, "It’s the regulations. It’s mandatory!"
SWOOSH~
SWOOSH!
Several figures suddenly vaulted over the wall.
WHOOSH!
From the sky, a tall figure flew over and rapidly descended.
"Who was it? Who just broke through?"
"It’s you! Gu Zheng!?"
"Gu Zheng, did you just break through to Super Body·Radiant?"
"How long has it been? Another breakthrough! Incredible, simply incredible!"
"..."
Several Thousand Households who had rushed over gathered around Gu Zheng, marveling and exclaiming in amazement.
Gu Zheng cupped his fists in return. Finally, he turned to Xie Bisheng, who had descended from the sky, and bowed. "Ping’an thanks you, Mr. Xie!"
"Just one thing."
Xie Bisheng remained cold-faced, speaking nonchalantly. "This was your own effort. It has nothing to do with me."
As soon as he finished speaking, he flicked his left hand, tossing a round porcelain bottle toward Gu Zheng.
Gu Zheng reached out and deftly caught it.
"This is a Cyan Pill. Taking it will stabilize your realm after your breakthrough. It will also help you quickly rein in your vital energy and return to normal. In your current state, you shouldn’t be walking around outside. You’re too conspicuous."
After speaking, his figure shot into the sky and vanished in the blink of an eye.
He truly arrived quickly and left just as fast.
"Ping’an thanks you again, Mr. Xie!"
Gu Zheng faced the direction Xie Bisheng had disappeared and bowed in thanks.
His previous thanks had been a strategic move.
Gu Zheng had deliberately attributed part of the credit for his breakthrough to Xie Bisheng, leading others to mistakenly believe that Xie Bisheng had given him some kind of treasure.
Xie Bisheng had understood his intent and didn’t expose him, but he hadn’t looked pleased, either.
However, his subsequent act of giving Gu Zheng the Cyan Pill showed that he wasn’t angry and had tacitly approved of Gu Zheng’s gambit.
How could Gu Zheng not be grateful for that?
Sure enough.
When Gu Zheng straightened up and looked at the surrounding Hundred Households and Thousand Households, their expressions had become much warmer.
"Congratulations, Gu Baihu! No, I should say, congratulations, Mr. Gu!"
"Indeed! If the situation weren’t so unstable and food wasn’t so precious, we’d have to celebrate with several large jars of wine!"
"Lord Gu, let’s see more of each other from now on."
"..."
Everyone started speaking at once, making good-natured jokes and greeting him.
Gu Zheng returned their greetings one by one.
By the time Liangqiu Ren returned and asked Gu Zheng to come out from the backyard into the main hall—
"We greet you, my Lord!!"
In the spacious main hall, all work had ceased. Hundreds of people were lined up in neat rows, starting from inside the building and extending out into the large courtyard.
All of them faced Gu Zheng and saluted respectfully.
The spectacle was even grander than his promotion to Hundred Households.
SHHFF!
Gu Zheng straightened his back and returned the salute.
"My Lord, please change your armor."
After the salutes, ten staff members from Internal Affairs emerged in single file from a side hall. They walked before Gu Zheng, carrying an inner lining, Armor, a helmet, a Cloak, a Spiritual Soldier, an Elixir, a Badge, and a Waist Token.
With practiced movements, they removed Gu Zheng’s old armor and helped him don the brand-new Silver Moon Armor.
The Silver Moon Armor of a Hundred Households depicts a crescent moon.
The Silver Moon Armor of a Thousand Households, however, showed a full moon!
And after being promoted to a Thousand Households of the Demon Suppression Guard, the benefits improved further: every month, he would receive three Third-Turn Profound Pills, one thousand taels of silver, one Lower-Grade Spiritual Soldier, and one bottle of Soul Liquid to enhance his Spirit.
One could never have too many things like a Spiritual Soldier, especially a graded one. Gu Zheng accepted it all.
While Gu Zheng was thus occupied,
In other corners of the Demon Slayer Bureau, news of his breakthrough had already spread through every department.
At once, everyone was shocked and stunned.
"Did you hear? Gu Zheng, the one who cleared out the Demon Fiends from Jinshan Temple last time, he broke through again!"
"He broke through to Super Body·Celestial Ladder already? That’s amazing..."
"Not Super Body·Celestial Ladder, it was Super Body·Radiant!"
"What? Th... that’s impossible!"
"I remember this Gu Zheng. He came back from his first mission and was promoted from Squad Leader to Commander. He came back from his second mission and was promoted from Commander to Hundred Households. This time, after coming back from his third mission, he’s unexpectedly gone from Hundred Households to Thousand Households!"
"This guy’s promotion speed is insane! It’s inhuman!"
