Chapter 8: The Huntmasters And The Nightwatchers

“Alright, since that’s the case I approve your entry into the Nightwardens. As for the rest, let Assessor Zhu take you there.”

The Chief Warden clearly had other matters to attend to. After saying that he lowered his head and continued reading documents. The old temple keeper led Li Chaosheng out of the room and then started a casual chat with him.

In their small talk Li Chaosheng learned quite a bit about the Nightwardens. First was about its official ranks. Old Zhu, the temple keeper, was not actually named “Assessor Zhu“. Assessor was a rank, and in the Nightwardens it corresponded to a Deputy Eighth-Rank officer.

An Eighth-Rank officer held the post of Warden. Above that was a Chief Warden. The middle-aged man in the room was a Chief Warden. A Chief Warden was not responsible for a single county’s demons and spirits; instead, he traveled on assignment. This time his posting happened to be Yanggu County. Under normal circumstances, the highest-ranking Nightwarden stationed in Yanggu County was an Eighth-Rank Warden. The old temple keeper served as his deputy, though their responsibilities did not overlap.

The Warden was responsible for managing the Huntmasters, while the old temple keeper managed the Nightwatchers.

Both Nightwatchers and Huntmasters were Principal Ninth-Rank officials of the Nightwardens. Among them, the Huntmasters were tasked with apprehending roving monsters. They often formed teams and took the initiative, even engaging large-scale fiends head-on.

Nightwatchers were responsible for guarding local areas and generally did not take the initiative unless monsters disturbed the peace. They could pursue in such cases, but when facing large-scale monsters they often needed the Huntmasters’ assistance. The advantage for Nightwatchers was relative freedom. They were not like Huntmasters who moved like an army and mobilized in large forces.

Those who disliked being controlled often chose to be Nightwatchers. However, Nightwatchers earned far fewer merits than Huntmasters, had much less room for advancement, and obtained fewer cultivation-aiding treasures. Therefore, the ambitious and upward-seeking tended to choose Huntmaster.

People who were steadier and more prone to laying low preferred being Nightwatchers. After all, they would guard their hometowns, it’s safe, promised freedom, and they could take on side jobs.

Take the old temple warden: he’s an old night watchman who normally just served as the temple keeper at the City God’s shrine, managing incense and offerings from day to day. Who would have thought he secretly held a Deputy Eighth-Rank official post in the Nightwardens?

Similarly, if Li Chaosheng became a Nightwatcher he could continue as an executioner, claim rewards from the Killing Scripture, have a safe and steady life, and might even earn not much less than a Huntmaster. With such perks, what was there to hesitate about?

“Assessor Zhu.”

Li Chaosheng called the old temple keeper, but the old keeper waved his hands about. “’Assessor Zhu’ and all that sounds awkward. Call me Old Zhu, or Brother Zhu,” said the old keeper amiably.

Hearing that, Li Chaosheng quickly adjusted and said to him, “Brother Zhu, I’ve decided. I want to be a Nightwatcher!”

Old Warden Zhu laughed. “Good, being a Nightwatcher is great! It’s safe, not like those Huntmasters who hang their heads on their belts. They may live to earn merits or die before enjoying them, it’s tragic. We’re Nightwatchers guarding our own little patch of land, rarely sent on external missions so it’s safe and secure, lovely job.”

“Yes, yes.”

Hearing the old warden’s words that held no ambition at all, Li Chaosheng kept agreeing. He was a simple man and had no need to do dangerous things. As for rewards, he had the Killing Scripture. He’d kill slowly and eventually obtain what he needed.

Have you never heard of the Sword God of Ten-Mile Slope (from the game, Chinese Paladin)? He slaughtered countless low-level mobs until he became a legend in his own right. By the time he finally left the beginner zone, he was already at max level, crushing every rival in his path and steamrolling the world. Doesn’t that sound satisfying?

Unlike those two, who were like cowardly turtles suddenly delighted by a small thing. One was a grandmaster of survival, hiding in the City God’s shrine, living off offerings, living leisurely and unwilling to strive.

The other already had access to his own resources and possessed the Killing Scripture that naturally brought him treasures. He didn’t need to risk his life to obtain resources at all. By laying low he could eventually make a breakthrough, so he lacked that daredevil spirit and was excessively steady, very much like Old Zhu in temperament.

They were truly kindred spirits, and because of that their relationship warmed rapidly and soon became lively.

“Here, Brother Li, you must keep these things carefully. These are your identification as a Nightwatcher.”

The old keeper led Li Chaosheng into an underground storeroom within the hidden chamber.

Then he handed Li Chaosheng a set of clothes: jet-black with specks of starlight, which upon closer inspection were little moons, and a gray belt. The old keeper explained, “Moonlight Robes are for deputy posts and are usually worn by deputy officials. For example, I, as a Deputy Eighth-Rank, wear Moonlight Robes. Principal Eighth-Rank wear Sunlight Robes, with little suns embroidered on them.”

“Next is the belt. Belt color determines rank: Ninth-Rank is gray, Eighth-Rank black, Seventh-Rank blue…”

Old Zhu introduced the Nightwardens’s official attire to Li Chaosheng and added, “Huntmasters wear Sunlight Robes, but that doesn’t relate to rank. Both Nightwatchers and Huntmasters are Principal Ninth-Rank.”

“Here, take this. This is your Nightwardens Waist Token. With this Token, whenever needed the county magistrate or prefect will obey your orders and assist you in completing missions.”

Old Zhu handed Li Chaosheng a black dark-iron token, with three big characters on the front: Nightwardens, and on the back: ‘Guard the night on behalf of Heaven, unhindered by any taboo!’

After taking the token, Old Warden Zhu handed over a thread-bound book with a blue cover. The cover bore the title: “Nightwardens Basic Body-Refinement Techniques.”

“A martial arts manual?” Li Chaosheng exclaimed.

Old Warden Zhu smiled and said, “This is far more valuable than a martial manual. It’s a Nightwardens internal cultivation secret. Though it’s only basic and can only be cultivated to the peak of the Postnatal stage, it’s still far stronger than those common martial tricks in the jianghu.”

“Cultivation secrets?”

Hearing that, Li Chaosheng looked puzzled, and that expression landed neatly in the eyes of the pedagogical Old Zhu, who smiled. “Exactly—cultivation. The world has demons, the Nightwardens subdues them. How to subdue them? By cultivating wondrous methods. What are these methods? The foundation is here!”

Old Zhu pointed to the blue thread-bound book and said, “This world is dangerous; demons run wild. If humanity wants to resist, they must cultivate immortality arts. The methods of cultivation are divided into stages: Postnatal, Prenatal, and above~”

“Above?”

“Ahem ahem ahem—this old man doesn’t know what’s beyond, but I do know that Postnatal is divided into six realms: Training Flesh, Training Sinews, Training Skin, Training Bones, Training Organs, Training Marrow. Upon reaching a flawless body one can live up to two hundred years, then enter Prenatal. Prenatal itself has three realms: Qi Movement, Prolonged Breath, and Enlightened Orifices. Our Chief Warden is at the peak of Prolonged Breath—he’s the top expert in several surrounding counties!”

Old Zhu slowly opened the blue thread-bound book and said, “This book records the cultivation methods for the six Postnatal realms, so it’s considered a treasure in the jianghu!”

Old Zhu said this while looking at Li Chaosheng, “This is also a Nightwardens benefit. After you receive it, be sure not to spread it outside, or you will be held accountable.”

“Understood, Brother Zhu. But once Postnatal is fully cultivated, what about the techniques beyond Prenatal?”

Old Warden Zhu shook his head and said, “Then you’d have to exchange merits from the Nightwardens. That’s also why Huntmasters risk their lives to slay enemies.”

Hearing this, Li Chaosheng calmly put away the manual and thought to himself that cultivation techniques in this world were heavily monopolized by higher-ups and couldn’t be learned without elevation. But that only made sense. If immortality techniques were easily available to everyone, the world would descend into chaos.