"After the collapse of the Human King system, various minor factions and cults started causing trouble. The Immortal Alliance and the Enforcers also stirred up issues, and while our Six Gates is an official investigative body, we are the weakest."
"Not only are there too many cases to investigate, but we also get caught in the middle and suffer indignity."
"The most difficult thing is that Six Gates can't recruit any good prospects right now."
Ji Lengyue sighed,
"For any decent prospects, the Immortal Alliance, sects, and noble families are ahead. As for those with good aptitude within Six Gates, they get scouted by the Enforcers."
"Only people like me, stuck in the middle, remain in Six Gates."
Chen Jiuyang nodded. The situation was indeed like this; with the winds of change and the great era shifting, people's hearts were restless, and human selfishness was being exposed.
The major powers were all striving to enhance their strength and manpower.
However, Ji Lengyue was not injured, indicating that everyone still retained their last shred of sanity, maintaining the final thread from breaking. Otherwise, they would be collectively condemned.
Chen Jiuyang asked, "Do you regret it? Do you want to change jobs?"
"No!" Ji Lengyue's attitude was firm. "I love being a constable. Although my strength is not great, this is the duty of a Six Gates constable."
"If even constables like me abandon Six Gates, then when the common folk at the bottom are wronged or bullied, there will be no one to stand up for them."
"In that case, society will truly be in chaos."
Chen Jiuyang's eyes showed relief. "To follow one's path is a good thing and greatly beneficial for cultivation."
"But remember, you cannot leave Feng Province for your cases."
"I know," Ji Lengyue replied. "It's already remarkable to handle the cases in Feng Province well."
Then, Chen Jiuyang asked, "This year, why don't you stay for New Year's?"
Ji Lengyue was about to agree, but hesitated for a moment and said, "No, it's better for me to go home for New Year's."
Alas... Chen Jiuyang sighed inwardly. This girl's attitude had softened, but she still felt that other women would come to his home and refused to agree. However, her attitude was better than in previous years.
"Alright," Chen Jiuyang said with a smile. "After you eat, I'll send you back to Fengcheng."
"Yes, that's good," Ji Lengyue said with a smile.
Chen Jiuyang's words provided Ji Lengyue with a sense of security in continuing her work as a constable. In recent years, Ji Lengyue had encountered dangerous cases multiple times, and it was Chen Jiuyang's protective measures that had seen her through them safely. No one within Six Gates had ever made things difficult for her.
The servants prepared the meal, and the family sat down to eat. Lin Yuexian, unusually, did not appear. Had she calculated that Ji Lengyue would come today?
For her parents and Chen Yating, their lives were currently unaffected by cultivation or the changes in the broader environment; they were not exposed to that world. Ordinary people went to work, lived their lives, earned wages, watched movies, and traveled.
Dragon Country had over a billion people, and only a tiny fraction could practice martial arts or cultivate. By population ratio, it was probably only one in a thousand. Sometimes, for ordinary people, knowing too little allowed them to live a better life.
After lunch, Chen Jiuyang took Ji Lengyue into his residence and, for the first time, showed her the existence of the Two Realms Mirror. As he guided Ji Lengyue through the mirror, they instantly returned to the second floor of the Ping An Bookstore in Fengcheng.
"So magical..." Ji Lengyue was shocked, then looked at Chen Jiuyang with a wistful gaze. "How many more things are you hiding from me?"
Chen Jiuyang smiled and said, "My cultivation wasn't enough before, so I couldn't use it."
"Since you're here this time, here, this is for you." Chen Jiuyang handed her a sub-body of the 'Boundary Crossing' mirror. "Take this mirror home. You can activate it with your spiritual power to travel, and you'll arrive directly at my home in Qingzhu Village."
"From now on, you won't have to go through the trouble of driving for four hours." Ziyang County still had no high-speed rail. It was planned, but it was unknown how many years it would take for it to be operational.
"The scenery in Qingzhu Village is also nice. Even if you don't live there, you can let Mom go and stay sometimes."
Ji Lengyue's pretty face flushed slightly. "I, I understand." This was a New Year's gift of extraordinary significance. She didn't ask if Chen Jiuyang's other women also received one. Chen Jiuyang had been persistent for years, seemingly determined to marry all of them together. As long as one of them didn't agree, Chen Jiuyang couldn't achieve his plan. Moreover, cultivating immortal techniques gave her plenty of time to wear Chen Jiuyang down.
"Then I'm leaving," Ji Lengyue said, storing the mirror in her spatial ring and waving goodbye to Chen Jiuyang before leaving. Chen Jiuyang stood at the entrance of the bookstore, watching her return home. He did have several more sub-bodies of 'Boundary Crossing'; he had indeed prepared one for each of his confidantes. One was for future safety, and the other was because Ziyang County was truly a bit remote, and with the 'Boundary Crossing' sub-body, visiting Chen Jiuyang's home would be much more convenient.
At this very moment, Yao Zixuan also arrived at Qingzhu Village. She briefly met Chen Jiuyang's parents, left a gift, and then departed. Yao Zixuan had reached the Nascent Soul stage. The Immortal Alliance had discovered a secret realm at this juncture and designated it as a trial for those in the Nascent Soul stage. Yao Zixuan was quite busy.
A few days after Yao Zixuan's departure, on this day, the Young Master of the Feathered Ascension Sect finally broke through to the Nascent Soul stage!
"Today, I will wash away my shame and force Chen Jiuyang to break off the engagement, allowing Junior Sister Yao to marry me!" The Young Master of the Feathered Ascension Sect, filled with excitement, gathered his men and headed in a grand procession to the old street diagonally opposite the Six Gates headquarters, and then to the entrance of the Ping An Bookstore.
"Chen Jiuyang, I am the Young Master of the Feathered Ascension Sect. I have come today to challenge you. If you lose, you will break off your engagement with Junior Sister Yao!" This time, he was not as reckless, knowing that Chen Jiuyang was backed by the Chen family of Shu Mountain.
Chen Jiuyang, who was reading a book, was startled. "This kid is here again..."
"Ignorant..." He then raised a finger slightly, and a wisp of sword energy instantly condensed from his fingertip and erupted.
"Rumble!!!" A terrifying sword energy immediately appeared, shooting out from the bookstore towards the Young Master of the Feathered Ascension Sect.
"Bang—" With a loud bang, the Young Master of the Feathered Ascension Sect was struck by this sword energy, spitting blood and appearing on the verge of collapsing.
"Scram." Chen Jiuyang's indifferent voice came from the bookstore.
"This... How is this possible!" The Young Master of the Feathered Ascension Sect's eyes were filled with disbelief. "We are both in the Nascent Soul stage, why is the gap so huge?"
This question from the Young Master of the Feathered Ascension Sect caused Zhou Fangzun, who owned the chess shop, and Ming Huatong, who owned the flower shop, to raise their eyebrows. Who told you that Chen Jiuyang was in the Nascent Soul stage?