The-Chrysanthemum-Codex：Ash's-Ascension

Chapter 8: The Beating

The thought of someone without Dou Qi managing to take down a Second Level Dou Fighter? The idea jolted Ash so much that he nearly choked on his roast meat.

Could it be that Dou Saints in this world were less formidable than he had imagined?

Alfred Pennyworth, sensing Ash’s surprise, chuckled softly. "Young Master, Karn Bloodfury mentioned that you and he taught Chalman and Chris a lesson today. Are you thinking that because Karn Bloodfury could defeat a Second Level Dou Fighter, he must also be a Dou Fighter himself?"

Ash nodded, his thoughts aligning with that assumption.

“That’s not the case at all,” Alfred replied, shaking his head with a smile. “Karn Bloodfury indeed isn’t a Dou Fighter, nor has he ever trained in Dou Qi. Years ago, I saw how lonely you were and decided to buy you a companion from the slave market. That’s when I found Karn Bloodfury, being auctioned off with a group of orcs…”

Alfred shot an apologetic glance at Karn Bloodfury before continuing, “I noticed that he wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, so I thought that if I brought him back, you wouldn’t be bullied by him, and he’d suit your temperament. So, I bought him for a single silver coin. It wasn’t until later that I realized Karn Bloodfury might be of mixed blood and had the warrior bloodline of orcs—a natural-born fighter!”

Karn Bloodfury has orc blood? No wonder he had such an unusual physique at just fifteen years old. Alfred Pennyworth sure had the instincts of a shrewd businessman—one silver coin years ago had now yielded a Karn Bloodfury who could take down Second Level Dou Fighters!

Ash playfully punched Karn Bloodfury’s chest, feeling the solid, iron-like muscles beneath his fist. “Orcs must be incredibly strong. Karn Bloodfury can defeat a Second Level Dou Fighter, so how powerful would a true orc warrior be? Could they take down a Sixth Level Dou Saint?”

“Orcs are indeed formidable, especially against lower-level Dou Fighters. However, once a Dou Fighter reaches the Sixth Level and becomes a true Dou Saint, they far surpass orc warriors. Nowadays, many orcs with exceptional talent even attend Dou Saint academies to study Dou Qi!”

At this point, Alfred suddenly slapped his own mouth, looking apologetic. “Oh dear, I’ve gone and mentioned Dou Qi in front of you again, young master!”

Since Paru couldn’t cultivate Dou Qi, Alfred had always avoided talking about Dou Saints in front of him. Now, having let it slip, Alfred felt a deep sense of guilt.

“It’s alright, Alfred. I may not be able to become a Dou Saint, but there are plenty of other paths I can take!” Ash reassured him, setting the table for dinner with a smile. “Come on, Uncle Alfred, let’s eat!”

Alfred sat down but didn’t pick up his utensils immediately. Instead, he sat quietly, and to Ash’s surprise, tears began to well up in the old man’s eyes. The fool he had devoted so many years of his life to caring for was now showing respect for his elders—every bit of effort he had put in felt worthwhile.

…

That night passed in silence, but when Ash woke up the next morning, his head was throbbing. Little Paru’s emotions had been too overwhelming, and Ash had spent the entire night wrestling with the lingering feelings of frustration and resentment from the fool’s past.

Rubbing his aching temples, Ash felt as if he had been through some intense physical exertion the night before. His muscles were sore, and his body felt heavy.

After washing up, Ash checked the chrysanthemum tattoo on his backside, which was just about to bloom, and then stepped out of the tower.

Near the base of the tower, where he had disciplined the plump woman the day before, she was now gossiping with a few other servants. “Hey, did you hear? Last night, the eldest son of the Crisen family, Chalman, lost his Artifact. Now he’s out there with the city guards, searching for it like a mad dog!”

“And they say the Artifact has already recognized a new master! That means there must be a Ninth Level Dou Saint in St. Ironspire City, because who else could force a Third Level Artifact to change allegiance?”

Ash couldn’t help but smile at the news, though it was tinged with frustration. Damn, he had successfully “assaulted” the ram horn hammer, but he couldn’t use it. It felt like a lecher who, after undressing a beautiful maiden, suddenly discovers she’s a man—such bad luck!

At that moment, one of the family’s warriors hurried over. Ash recognized him; he was one of the men who had been stomped by Karn Bloodfury’s big feet yesterday!

The warrior cast a wary glance at the tower, as if afraid Karn Bloodfury might suddenly leap out. Seeing only Ash, he seemed to relax a little before saying, “Paru, there’s a couple outside who claim to be named Matthews. They’re holding a token from you.”

The Matthews couple—how delightful! They were already giving Ash another opportunity to do a good deed so soon!

“I see,” Ash replied with a grin as he walked past the warrior. In a low voice, he added, “Yesterday, Karn Bloodfury didn’t give you too much trouble, did he?”

The warrior’s expression stiffened.

Ash’s voice turned cold. “Remember, from now on, you will address me as ‘Young Master Paru.’”

Ash walked out of the St. Rudolf estate, this time without Karn Bloodfury in tow. After all, he planned to engage in some less-than-savory activities, and it wouldn’t do for Karn Bloodfury to witness them.

The elderly couple he had helped the day before were kneeling in front of the statue of Saint Rollin, praying fervently.

Ash approached them with a warm smile. “Well, if it isn’t the Matthews couple. It seems you have something you need my help with. Don’t you dare say you don’t, or I might just have to send you to the stake!”

Old Matthew stood up, bowing deeply with an apologetic smile. "Yes, Young Master Paru, we indeed have something we need your help with."

"This is the best news I've heard all day!" Ash grinned. It didn’t matter that he couldn’t use Dou Qi, nor that he couldn’t become a Dou Saint—after all, he still didn’t fully understand what being a Dou Saint entailed. But one thing was certain: he needed to master the Chrysanthemum Codex, or how else could he ever get close to women?

"It’s like this," Matthew began hesitantly. "Our cart of vegetables was overturned by the city guard’s horses. I want to ask for compensation, but… we’re just commoners, and we’re afraid to confront the officers of the city guard."

Ash quickly assessed the situation. The city guard was essentially just a glorified bunch of city officials, and he was the son of the third most powerful man in the empire, a descendant of a Titled Dou Saint—a noble by birthright! Surely, getting compensation from a few city officials wouldn’t be an issue. This was a good deed worth doing. "No problem! Lead the way, and I’ll make sure you get the compensation you deserve!"

With a spring in his step, Ash followed the Matthews couple through the winding streets until they arrived at the front of a grand church.

A church? What were they doing here? Was the city guard stationed in a church?

Ash took a closer look. Yes, it was indeed a church, remarkably similar to the Christian churches of his previous life, except for one notable difference: instead of a towering cross at the entrance, there stood a statue.

The statue depicted a figure clad in the robes of a Magic Dou Saint, his arms raised high, flames engulfing his body, his expression one of profound agony.

It was as if he were self-immolating.

Ash mused to himself, The influence of the Holy Dou Saint Church is even greater than I thought. Even the empire’s capital’s law enforcement is headquartered in a Dou Saint church!

The plaza in front of the church was crowded with people. Some were there to pray in the early morning light, others were soldiers of the city guard emerging for their drills, and there were also many commoners seeking justice from the city officials. It took some effort for Ash and the Matthews couple to push their way to the church’s entrance. Just as they reached the doors, the large wooden doors creaked open, and a commanding voice rang out, "Make way, make way!"

A squad of imperial soldiers in dark green armor, armed with long spears, marched out.

The crowd was too thick, and the lead officer scowled, raising his leather whip.

Crack! c***k! He snapped the whip in the air, shouting, "Did you hear me? Make way! The city guard is on official duty! Clear the path!"

The crowd parted to either side, and Ash and the Matthews couple were jostled aside. Just then, another figure emerged from the church—none other than Chalman, the very same Chalman who had been humiliated by Ash the day before.

Chalman looked dreadful. His sky-blue hair was disheveled, his eyes were swollen with dark circles underneath, and it was clear he hadn’t slept well.

In truth, Chalman had barely slept at all last night. He had spent the entire night leading the city guard in a frantic search for his lost Artifact, and now he had only returned to grab a quick bite before heading out again.

When he saw Ash, he paused, scanning the area with a quick glance. Not seeing Karn Bloodfury anywhere, he relaxed slightly and strode over to Ash with a cold sneer. "Isn’t this the shame of the St. Rudolf family? What brings you here? And these two old fools—didn’t you get enough of a beating yesterday?"

He glared at the Matthews couple, who huddled together in fear, retreating back into the crowd.

Ash grabbed their hands, a smirk playing on his lips as he said with mock surprise, "My, St. Ironspire City is really small, isn’t it? No matter where I go, I seem to run into you, dear Young Master Chalman. So, what brings you to the city guard today?"

As he spoke, Ash pretended to suddenly understand something. "Oh, I see! This morning, I overheard the servants whispering that you lost your Artifact. Tsk tsk, you’re a Dou Fighter, and a descendant of a Titled Dou Saint, no less. You’re really disgracing your ancestor!"

Chalman’s face turned red with anger, and he raised his whip. "Paru, say that again!"

"What if I do? Chalman, you’re a disgrace to your ancestor, and that’s a fact!" Ash spread his hands wide, his expression one of innocent defiance. "My goodness, dear Young Master Chalman, are you planning to hit me? But as I recall, it’s against the Holy Church’s laws to strike a descendant of a Titled Dou Saint without cause, isn’t it?"

Chalman’s whip, poised to strike, halted in mid-air. He didn’t dare openly violate the Holy Church’s laws.

In an instant, Chalman’s eyes flicked to the Matthews couple. "Hmph! You’re protected by the laws of the Holy Church, so I can’t hit you. But they blocked the road and delayed the city guard’s search for my Artifact—they deserve a beating!"

The reasoning was flimsy, but nobles were often synonymous with unreasonable. If Chalman chose to whip Matthew, most nobles would see it as justifiable.

Chalman was indeed a Second Level Martial Fighter. His strikes were precise and controlled. Though Ash and the Matthews couple were standing close together, Chalman’s whip was aimed squarely at Matthew’s head, with no risk of accidentally hitting Ash.

But would Ash let this opportunity slip by?

Saving someone in need was a significant good deed! He swiftly grabbed Matthew, shielding him beneath his own body.

The whip cracked down hard on Ash’s back, sending a sharp pain through his body. But though it stung, inside he was jubilant.

He had taken this lash on purpose. He could have easily pushed Matthew aside and dodged it himself, but the Chrysanthemum Codex demanded that the greater the good deed, the faster the progress! And between saving a life and taking a beating for someone, it was clear which one was the greater act of kindness.