Chapter 80: Hero’s License

Over twenty forty-six-seater buses carried over a thousand early-stage and mid-stage Spirit Convergence Realm cultivators.

Jingyun frowned slightly. "Are all of those people authorities?"

The driver lowered his voice as he vaguely replied, "They’re troops deployed by our captain. That’s only a portion; more battalions will arrive soon."

Wang Sheng smiled. "There's no need to worry, Martial Aunt. Their mission is to protect the safety of the people and maintain order. They won't recklessly act against law-abiding cultivators."

"That's right. There are strict regulations in place," the driver added with a smile. "The interests of the public have to be safeguarded, but the rights of lawful cultivators as citizens also have to be respected. Our captain often emphasizes that in the eyes of the law, immortals and common folk are equal."

Still frowning, Jingyun softly said, "Though that’s a sound idea, conflicts are still inevitable."

Wang Sheng nodded. "Indeed. Now that cultivation is possible again, those unable to cultivate or lacking talent will inevitably harbor some prejudice against cultivators. Likewise, some cultivators will naturally adopt an attitude of superiority."

"You're right, Daoist Master Wang. I took the physical aptitude test myself, but even if I forced my way into cultivation, it would be useless.” The driver sighed. “Besides, I'm already past the age where it could make a difference."

The driver had unintentionally revealed a lot of information, but it was of little use to Wang Sheng. He was simply here to help and had no reason to be at odds with the authorities.

Once the convoy of buses had passed, their SUV proceeded to the toll booth. The investigation unit's credentials were expectedly effective; after a glance inside, the armed police quickly waved them through.

"It's been a long time since I visited the bustling mortal world," Jingyun murmured.

Wang Sheng merely chuckled, watching the cityscape pass by as he began sorting through the threads of the matter at hand. He had originally intended to stay far away from trouble, yet here he was, once again pulled back into the secular world.

So be it.

Once this ordeal was over, he would return to the mountain and focus on cultivation. His master had already reached the Golden Core Realm. Moreover, his senior sister had long since reached the middle stage of the Seed Formation Realm and was likely closing in on a breakthrough to the late stage.

Meanwhile, he had only just stepped into the Seed Formation Realm. He couldn't afford to drag the sect down. Unlike him, his junior sister wasn’t even considered a cultivator yet; she didn’t have to worry about disgracing their sect yet.

Mou Yue, their designated contact, was responsible for receiving them. Hence, she finally managed to slip away from her busy workload.

"You look awful," Wang Sheng noted as soon as they met.

Mou Yue smiled wryly and sighed. "I'm just that competent."

"Sure." Wang Sheng shook his head and took over her task, heading to the hotel front desk to book two rooms.

It was still the same hotel across from the university. The Special Investigation Unit had practically turned it into their temporary base.

The investigator who had driven them exchanged a brief greeting with Mou Yue before hurrying off. He had no time to rest despite having just spent hours on the road, evidencing how dire the investigation unit’s situation had become.

In the hotel suite, Mou Yue had just exchanged a few words with them when Jingyun lightly poked her. Mou Yue's eyelids fluttered closed, and she collapsed onto the large bed.

Wang Sheng was confused. "Martial Aunt?"

"She's exhausted. Let her rest for a while," Jingyun said gently. She then walked over to the window, gazing out at the city.

"Then you should rest too, Martial Aunt. I'll tidy up the other room," Wang Sheng said.

"Later. We should take a walk around the city. If we come across cultivators causing harm, we’ll intervene."

"Alright," Wang Sheng agreed. However, he didn't mention that the streets were already under heavy surveillance.

Despite her cold exterior, his martial aunt had a warm heart and a strong sense of justice.

Wang Sheng glanced at Mou Yue, who was already snoring on the bed, and shook his head. He grabbed his suitcase and headed to the adjacent suite.

The mistress really should arrange shifts for rest. At this rate, the investigation unit’s young members will collapse from exhaustion before the cultivators can even make a move.

Not long after Wang Sheng had left, Mou Yue's phone began ringing incessantly. However, a slender hand reached out and casually stuffed it under the blanket, bringing back peace and quiet to the room.

Jingyun gracefully walked over to the wardrobe and began organizing her clothes, folding them neatly and meticulously. She also used her true essence to gently reposition Mou Yue into a more comfortable sleeping posture, straighten the bedspread, and adjust the blanket.

The Illusory Core Realm cultivator seemed like a Virgo[1].

Mou Yue slept for over two hours before she could finally force her eyes open. Though still in a daze, her phone’s vibrations caught her attention. She immediately jolted awake and reached under the blanket, finding dozens of missed calls and hundreds of unread messages in the task force group chat.

"Damn it! How could I fall asleep?! I'm so screwed!"

She could already imagine their captain roaring her name in the office.

Jingyun, who had been meditating on the sofa, opened her eyes to remind the girl to balance work and rest. However, before she could speak, Mou Yue had already bolted into the bathroom, frantically apologizing to someone over the phone.

Wang Sheng sensed the commotion from the next room. By the time Mou Yue finished her call, he had already changed into his Daoist robe and was knocking on the door.

"Daoist Master Wang..." Mou Yue called pitifully.

Wang Sheng smiled. "I'm going to meet someone. Do you want to join us for dinner?"

She immediately composed herself, regaining her usual professionalism. "Is it a cultivator?"

"A senior sister—the one I met last time."

"In that case, I'll pass. I have to report back to the captain." Mou Yue reached into her bag and pulled out two items—a fitness tracker and a small purple booklet. She gave him the tracker first. "Daoist Master Wang, this is your locator wristband."

Wang Sheng took the wristband and put it on his wrist. He wasn't particularly concerned about its function.

Mou Yue explained, "The wristband will monitor your physical condition. If you engage in intense activity, it will immediately notify us so we can provide support as quickly as possible."

"Alright. What about the card?"

Mou Yue handed over the booklet. "This is a special ID issued by the Special Investigation Unit. You're now officially recognized as an advisor of our unit. As long as you have this ID, you have the authorization to subdue unruly cultivators first and report the details to us later. You can also use it to request full assistance from any of our members or the nearest law enforcement at any time."

Wang Sheng frowned slightly.

Isn't this basically a privilege card?

"You've earned great trust from us through our previous interactions. Moreover, we believe you can be a great asset to the Special Investigation Unit. We're just giving you the advisor title to make things more convenient for you, not require you to do anything for us.

"Due to policy constraints, we can't grant you too many privileges. Still, at the very least, you won't have to worry about the police interfering if you need to take action against evil cultivators in the future.

"Over the past two years, we've gathered enough experience to properly classify evil cultivators. The harm they cause to ordinary people far exceeds that of typical criminal organizations."

With her explanation eliminating his hesitation, Wang Sheng took the booklet and flipped it open. Inside were various barcodes and embedded chips.

To his surprise, the ID photo was a candid shot of him performing a sword dance at the Mount Mao exchange meeting. It had an excellent angle and lighting, and they had even brightened his complexion a little.

"Just for the photo alone, I'll keep this ID," he said, making Mou Yue let out a small sigh of relief. However, he added, "But after this, don't expect me to run errands for the investigation unit."

Mou Yue quickly shook her head. "Of course not."

He slipped the ID into his inner pocket. By then, Jingyun had already finished preparing. The two picked up their treasured swords and headed out for a walk.

After resting for two hours, Mou Yue had recovered some energy. She slung her bag over her shoulder, clicked her heels, and hurried off. Before leaving, she followed her captain's instructions to secretly snap a few photos of Jingyun.

She still couldn't quite understand what kind of personal grudge her captain had with Jingyun. However, as soon as she got into a taxi, a thought struck her.

Wang Sheng's master is the captain's ex-husband and Chi Wen's father, while Jingyun is his junior sister. If so, is that seemingly young and ethereal woman the captain's love rival?

Back in the day, the captain could have had a fair fight against her. Now that age has caught up to her a little, though... won't she face a complete defeat?

Mou Yue leaned against the backseat and stared at the photos on her phone. She couldn't help but mutter, "These cultivators staying young forever is totally cheating."

"Miss, where are you headed?" the taxi driver asked politely.

Mou Yue absentmindedly gave him an address. She then continued analyzing whether her captain had any chance of winning this "battle."

If she ever ended up in a relationship with Wang Sheng, then in twenty or thirty years, wouldn't she look like an old woman with a younger husband?

Uh...

Her cheeks flushed as she giggled behind her phone. However, she quickly shook off the thought. She was just slightly fond of Wang Sheng, nothing more.

If anything, her feelings toward Bulldozer were actually a bit stronger.

***

At the university gate, Shen Qianlin stood quietly in the corner, focused on her phone. It was chilly outside, yet she still insisted on wearing her favorite long dress, pairing it with a small jacket.

After waiting for over ten minutes, she heard someone snap their fingers. She instinctively shrank her neck and turned around, finding Wang Sheng smiling and standing behind her.

Right after, her eyes were immediately drawn to the woman beside him. She couldn't help but softly exclaim, "Wang Sheng, is she really your martial aunt? She looks so young."

Jingyun smiled gently and casually handed Shen Qianlin a small porcelain bottle. "I had some spare time, so I refined this beauty-enhancing pill. Consider it a gift for our first meeting."

"This is too valuable. I can't—"

"Take it, Senior," Wang Sheng interjected.

Hence, Shen Qianlin quickly expressed her gratitude and carefully accepted the bottle with both hands. Afterward, the three hailed a cab and headed toward the city's famous food street for local delicacies.

During the ride, they made small talk. Wang Sheng casually asked, "Has anything unusual happened at school lately?"

To his surprise, Shen Qianlin's brow furrowed slightly in hesitation.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I'm not sure if this counts, but I think you should see these chat logs," she replied.

1. Those with this zodiac sign usually exude perfectionistic traits ☜