From the Dragon and Tiger Cavalry to Hunting Sins and Becoming Saints

Chapter 33 Inquiry

Hu Liangyu's gaze quickly swept over Fu Que, and he found that although he looked somewhat travel-worn, he was in good spirits and did not seem to have suffered any injuries. Hu Liangyu felt relieved and immediately began to speak eloquently.

Fu Que just chuckled and didn't reply.

Liu rolled her eyes. She wondered who had been sighing and lamenting these past few days while Fu Que was away, even skipping his usual opera performances and waiting for a long time every day.

"Have you eaten yet? There's still food warming in the pot. If not, Auntie will bring it to you."

Liu pulled Fu Que to sit down, then turned the oil lamp up a little brighter and asked gently.

Fu Que was about to say that he had eaten, but then his eyes lit up and he said with a silly grin, "Not yet, I'm just craving Aunt Liu's cooking."

"Slippery!"

Liu tapped Fu Que's forehead.

He took out an exquisite silver hairpin from his sleeve: "I bought it on the way back. It's not worth much money, just a small token of my appreciation."

Liu glanced at Hu Liangyu, and only after the other nodded slightly did she smile and accept the gift, saying, "Then thank you, Auntie, Que'er."

"Brother Fu, what about mine? I stayed with Father for two nights, you haven't forgotten about me, have you?"

Hu Chewan blinked her big eyes.

In the past two months, my brother-in-law's personality has changed drastically. All his former flamboyant and lazy nature is gone, and he seems to have become a different person. Although he can't be described as gentle, kind, respectful, frugal, or modest, his speech and behavior have become much more appropriate.

This improved her impression of Fu Que considerably, and she was more willing to joke with him and get closer to him. Otherwise, given her usual personality, she wouldn't have bothered waiting here.

Fu Que took out an exquisite box from behind his back: "This contains the new Four Treasures of the Study from Suxinzhai. Didn't you buy some Xuan paper a few days ago? Here you go, practice with it for now."

"Once I become a high-ranking officer in the Tiger Cavalry, I'll scour the city for even better writing materials for you. We'll use one set of writing materials and discard it as soon as we finish it; we'll use one set and discard another!"

"Thank you, bro!"

Hu Chewan's eyes crinkled into crescent moons with laughter.

"You didn't encounter any problems on this trip, did you?"

Hu Liangyu cracked open a salted peanut and popped it into his mouth: "The escort job is not easy."

After sitting with Hu Liangyu for a while, Liu noticed that Hu Liangyu had something to say to Fu Que, so she changed the subject and pulled her daughter away, leaving the hall to Hu Liangyu and Fu Que.

"It's nothing. We encountered a few wanted martial artists hunting a giant ape along the way. Lord Qin Lie, along with me and a few other guards, killed both sides."

Fu Que took out the wooden tube containing monkey wine and placed it in front of Hu Liangyu: "It's wine brewed by that giant ape. I heard from Miss Chen of Qingshui Medicine House that this stuff is good for replenishing qi and blood."

You sustained many hidden injuries during your early years of fighting. While this can't cure them, I think it should at least reduce your suffering and allow you to get a few more good nights' sleep.

"That's very thoughtful."

After listening to Fu Que's brief account of what had happened, Hu Liangyu took a sip of monkey wine and thought of something.

"Someone's investigating, are you aware of that?"

Hu Liangyu asked.

"Know."

Fu Que picked up an egg and started peeling it, the shell fragments falling off with the frequency of his rotation.

"You did it too conspicuously. Not only did you kill people, but you didn't even take anything with you. The day before yesterday, the Dragon Cavalry dispatched several squads of county soldiers to storm into the Li family's residence and two gambling dens, arresting quite a few people."

Fu Que put half an egg into his mouth without saying a word.

"Not only the county government, but most of the three-striped tiger riders on the Tiger Cavalry side have been talked to, including me. In the past, when you killed these people, I was only worried about your safety and never stopped you."

But the situation is complicated now. Stop doing it. Besides, the martial arts exam is about to start, and they will be more restrained. You should focus on preparing for the exam these days, get rid of that hat first, and join the Tiger Cavalry with dignity.

Hu Liangyu's eyes flickered, as if he was recalling something.

"Which deity from the previous dynasty did you inherit your power from?"

Hu Liangyu put down his wine glass, his tone becoming serious.

"what?"

"You've been growing up in my house since you were eight years old. I can tell what kind of poop you're going to take just by the way you lift your butt."

Stop pretending. Aside from the inheritance of a previous dynasty's deity, no rare treasure could transform a weak, uneducated youth into a powerful figure capable of slaying a Blood Gate warrior in just two months.

Fu Que's mind raced. The ability of the otherworldly painter had to be kept secret, as it concerned his origins, and Hu Liangyu couldn't reveal it either.

However, he wasn't without a reason to make excuses, but since Hu Liangyu had asked, it meant there were precedents for his situation in the world. Should he go along with what the other person said, or...?

For a moment, Fu Que was brainstorming.

After asking his question, Hu Liangyu didn't urge him. He leisurely sipped his wine, waiting for Fu Que to continue.

"I don't know either. It was a statue with half its body missing. It was broken in the middle, with only the lower body remaining. The left leg was missing, and its hands were holding a broken knife that was only half left."

When I picked it up, a solemn and majestic phrase, "Suppress evil spirits and sweep away demons," echoed in my mind. Immediately afterward, I fainted. When I woke up, I felt full of power.

But ever since then, a voice inside me has been urging me to kill those who prey on the people.

In a flash, Fu Que made a decision: to go along with Hu Liangyu's words. After all, the most brilliant lie is the one you tell yourself.

"Any other distinguishing features?"

"no."

Fu Que shook his head: "And when I woke up again, the bust was gone too."

"If that's the case, then I can't help you. The Heavenly Court, which was built by the entire nation in the previous dynasty, has countless members, each possessing various powers and authority."

Hu Liangyu's tone was somewhat heavy: "Now that the previous dynasty has collapsed, all the gods in the Heavenly Court are more or less tainted by the resentment of the chaotic world, and the more orthodox and powerful the gods are, the more they are tainted."

It suppresses evil spirits and vanquishes demons.

"Your receiving this inheritance is a stroke of luck, but it could also be a source of trouble. If you become trapped in its mental constraints, you'll face immense trouble."

Fu Que popped half an egg into his mouth: "Will I die?"

"I don't know. I only heard my superior mention it a long time ago, when I was still serving in the Tiger Cavalry. Although your situation is rare, it is not unheard of. Some people have even served in the Dragon Tiger Cavalry."

But be careful, stay true to yourself, and don't let that inner voice urge you on. Since there are others in the Dragon Tiger Guard who, like you, have received the opportunity to inherit divine power, they must have a way to deal with this situation.

"I understand what you mean."

"Nothing else, but... be careful."

Hu Liangyu's face showed an expression that was hard to describe as a smile. He swallowed all the words he wanted to say, patted Fu Que on the shoulder, and then left the hall.

"Let's wait and see. It's only a little over a month until the martial arts program starts, so I shouldn't have to wait too long."

After seeing Hu Liangyu off, Fu Que quickly reviewed the information he had collected in his mind.