Chapter Ten: The Structure of the World and the Standards of the Celestial Observation Bureau

Hearing the plea for mercy, Fang Mu let out a cold snort, covered the bloodstained undergarment once more, and without hesitation drove the Ghostbane Dagger cleanly into the village chief’s chest. True Qi surged through the dagger like a tide, and Fang Mu’s voice sounded, calm and indifferent:

“Dead is dead. To leave him is to invite more trouble.”

Flames erupted from the corpse, reducing it to ash within moments. At the same time, the head Fang Mu was holding dissolved into black mist and vanished. The oppressive aura lingering in the air gradually dissipated, and moonlight poured down from above, casting a layer of silvery gray over everything.

“It’s over,” Qing Ruowu said, using her talisman sword to prop herself up, barely managing to lean against the doorframe.

Fang Mu turned back and made a quiet sound of assent.

“Let’s go. We should leave this place and leave the rest to the authorities.” Qing Ruowu hesitated, as if wanting to say more.

“They’re all dead,” Fang Mu replied.

“Yes,” Qing Ruowu paused for a moment and nodded.

“Let’s go,” Fang Mu said no more and stepped out of the wooden house ahead of her.

Watching Fang Mu’s figure, burdened with his wooden chest, Qing Ruowu bit her lip and struggled to follow.

This man… does he not know to lend a hand?

If Fang Mu could hear her thoughts, he would surely reply, “Sorry, I’m from the Neutral Faction.”

…

Jinglong County Magistrate’s Office.

After swallowing a medicinal pill, Qing Ruowu’s pale cheeks regained a hint of color. Fang Mu sat quietly on a nearby bench, meticulously tending to his wooden chest. His movements were gentle and deliberate as he polished every tool—small knives, awls, and the like—on a clean white cloth.

Qing Ruowu watched, puzzled. Why would a mystic spend so much care on ordinary tools?

“These are my livelihood. Of course I treasure them,” Fang Mu said, sensing her look without turning. “Without them, I might have starved to death long ago.”

Qing Ruowu considered this, then stood from her cross-legged position and walked over.

“The anomaly has been dealt with. What do you plan to do next?”

Fang Mu shook his head. After arranging his tools neatly and sealing the wooden chest, he finally spoke. “Let’s not talk about that yet. There’s something I’m curious about.”

The room was quiet. Qing Ruowu waited patiently for his question.

“What exactly is the Celestial Surveillance Bureau?” Fang Mu wiped his hands, the movement almost ceremonial.

Qing Ruowu answered without hesitation, “You can think of us as an agency dedicated to combating supernatural anomalies, directly answering to the Emperor of Guyue.”

“And what are the Divine Manifestations and the anomalies? Why has the world become like this?” Fang Mu pressed on.

Qing Ruowu sat beside him and sighed. “Why has the world become like this? We don’t know either. As for the anomalies, they’re simply things beyond ordinary understanding—like ghosts, for example.”

“So far, we’ve classified anomalies into three major categories. First, spirit-class: they lack physical bodies but manifest in various ways—frightening, possessing, and more besides.”

“Second, corpse-class: you might call them revenants. They’re usually monstrously strong, with formidable bodies or unusual abilities.”

“And lastly, rule-class: anything that doesn’t fit the first two categories falls here. You can only destroy them by uncovering and following their rules.”

“These are just the broad categories, of course. There are many subtypes, but all fit somewhere within those three.”

Fang Mu fell into deep thought, his brow furrowed. Clearly, if so many categories existed, the world must have seen no shortage of such events.

“What about Divine Manifestations, and what is a mystic?” Fang Mu asked, snapping back to the moment.

Qing Ruowu considered her words. “A mystic is an ordinary person who’s obtained a Divine Manifestation. As for what a Divine Manifestation is, I don’t know exactly. Call it fate or opportunity.”

“Ordinary people? Fate?”

“That’s right.” Qing Ruowu nodded. “A swordsman who gains a Divine Manifestation can cleave the sea with a single strike. A fortune-teller might read the heavens with a single divination. A scholar might channel the force of righteousness through his words. That’s what it means to be a mystic.”

“Independent mystics and our Bureau maintain friendly relations. The Evil-Detecting Stone—the one I gave you before—can reveal whether a mystic has colluded with anomalies. If so, it glows black.”

“There are nine ranks among mystics: Countercurrent, Dragon’s Gate, Leaping Carp, Transforming Dragon, Drifting Cloud, Summoning Rain, Feathered Ascension, Returning to the Source, and Celestial Gate. Beyond that, I know nothing.”

“In each realm, everyone’s experience and breakthroughs differ. That’s the mystery of the mystic.”

Fang Mu was left speechless by the flood of information.

“Oh, by the way,” Qing Ruowu added, “Ordinary people don’t know who we are. We keep our identities hidden as much as possible. If they found out… chaos would follow.”

Indeed, if people learned of the existence of such horrors, the world would surely descend into chaos.

Qing Ruowu smiled, a beauty mark by her eye fading in and out of sight. “So, what are your plans? You haven’t told me yet.”

Fang Mu thought for a moment. “Does your Bureau still need people?”

Qing Ruowu was obviously taken aback.

This was Fang Mu’s spontaneous idea. Judging from her explanation, the world was in turmoil. Why not join an official organization? He was no overpowered protagonist—seeking the shelter of the authorities was the wisest course.

Qing Ruowu’s eyes brightened. “Of course! The Celestial Surveillance Bureau hasn’t had a new recruit in ages!”

“Mm… what?” Fang Mu replied at first, then sensed something was off.

No new recruits for ages? What did that mean?

“Is your Bureau… unpopular? Can’t attract new people?” he asked.

There were independent mystics, yet the Bureau struggled to recruit. Something wasn’t right. Did poor benefits keep people away?

At this, Qing Ruowu’s face shone with pride.

“The Celestial Surveillance Bureau is the largest mystic organization to date!” She pressed both hands on the table. “Based in Guyue, joining requires passing five trials: Virtue, Strategy, Martial Arts, Refinement, and Diligence.”

“Virtue tests character, Strategy tests cunning, Martial Arts tests cultivation, Refinement tests personal interests, Diligence tests industry. Only those who perfectly pass all five can join.”

Fang Mu: …

Wasn’t this just the ancient version of moral, intellectual, physical, artistic, and labor education?

Now he understood why the Bureau was so short-staffed. In this world, passing even one trial was no small feat.

Qing Ruowu, finished with her explanation, paced excitedly and muttered to herself, “You’ll have no problem with martial arts, I’m sure. For the others, just give them a try. There’s one exam a year—next one’s in about half a year. Use the time to prepare…”

“Wait a moment…” Fang Mu interjected. “Actually, I think this situation suits me just fine…”