Chapter 425: Doesn't Matter Anyway

Yang Ling left his residence in high spirits. Just as he entered the main courtyard, he ran into Chief Constable Wei and another Sixth-Rank Chief Constable.

"Chief Constable Yang, you've been staying at the Public Security Division this whole time?"

Chief Constable Wei asked curiously, glancing inside.

How could anyone live in a place like this? One or two days was tolerable, but wouldn't staying long-term make you feel like you were working every single day?

"It's more convenient for handling official business to live here."

Yang Ling said with a smile.

The two chief constables couldn't help but silently grumble inwardly.

Wasn't this making them look like they weren't passionate enough about their duties, not devoted enough?

Chief Constable Wei mused, "Actually, a three-courtyard compound in the Capital isn't that expensive..."

"No need, no need, don't worry about me, you two. I just like living here."

Yang Ling smiled and waved his hand dismissively.

Chief Constable Wei had nothing more to say and could only force a smile while cupping his fists:

"Congratulations to Chief Constable Yang for achieving such a tremendous merit this time. We've all basked in your reflected glory."

"The Wu Xiaoshuai case is closed?"

Yang Ling asked curiously: "Handled overnight?"

"That's right. After investigations conducted yesterday and last night, the case has been fully concluded."

"Wu Xiaoshuai will be executed in a few days. The Wu Residence has been sealed off, and Director Wu has been temporarily suspended from his post."

Chief Constable Wei said with some emotion:

"This case also implicated quite a few members of the Water Transport Guild. The Eldest Princess sent a banner this morning praising our Public Security Division's efficiency in handling the case."

Yang Ling asked curiously: "Were any Immortal God Sect followers captured?"

"Thirty-seven were arrested, and several of them were supervisors serving at the Four Directions Lodge."

Chief Constable Wei curled his lips into a cold sneer:

"They thought they were being flawless in their operations. Last night when they were caught, they were still enjoying themselves in some woman's bed.

They never considered how hard we worked through the night on this case."

Yang Ling breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. With Immortal God Sect followers captured, this case had made real progress.

Moreover, this would establish a good foundation for the Ironclad Department's future targeted crackdown on the Immortal God Sect.

"Wait, I jumped eight ranks in a row, and the primary credit for this case..."

Yang Ling's expression suddenly turned somewhat strange.

Chief Constable Wei sighed again in admiration:

"This case was solved thanks to Chief Constable Yang. You salvaged the Ironclad Department's reputation and averted a disaster.

Director Li Zhong of the First Division, Command Division, personally wrote your name down for the primary credit.

You could say that our First Division, Public Security Department has truly stolen the spotlight within the Ironclad Department this time."

"Um... Shouldn't Director Ji also receive the primary credit? After all, I do work under him."

Yang Ling said thoughtfully.

"Director Ji himself insisted that the primary credit for this case must go to you, Chief Constable Yang."

Chief Constable Wei said seriously: "Our Director Ji would never claim credit that belongs to his subordinates. That's also the foundation of solidarity and mutual trust within our First Division of Ironclad agents."

Yang Ling marveled inwardly. He was somewhat surprised that this primary credit had fallen on him.

But the benefits of jumping eight ranks were already in hand.

Even if the primary credit made him a target for envy, it didn't matter anyway.

After exchanging a few more words with the two men, Yang Ling strolled out of the Ironclad Department.

He arrived at the address Shopkeeper Ou from the Precious Medicine Hall had given him.

Staring at the seal plastered across the entrance of the residence before him, and the plaque above bearing the words "Wu Residence," he was momentarily stunned.

"The place Shopkeeper Ou recommended turns out to be the Wu Residence..."

Yang Ling stood there in silence for a long moment, then turned and walked away.

Even if the Wu Residence had rare exotic herbs and flowers, it should have already been confiscated by now.

"Medicinal shops in the Capital have purchase restrictions on Spirit Nurturing Pills for individual buyers..."

"It'll probably be difficult to convert the silver I have on hand into something useful in Zhao State for the time being."

Yang Ling opened his Status Panel and glanced at the time displayed on it.

There were still about eight days until the next dungeon refresh.

"Once I enter the Devour Heaven Palace dungeon, I'll use the gold I have on hand to exchange for Spirit Nurturing Pills."

At that moment, a group of people walked past in the distance.

They were all quite young, around thirty years of age.

Among them were several of Yang Ling's old acquaintances.

Dongfang Haojie of the Divine Sect.

Chi Qingyao of the Nine Immortals Dao Palace.

Huikong of the Arhat Temple.

Chen Zuo of the Extreme Flame Sword Manor.

Yang Ling glanced at their Status Panels from afar and noticed that these fellows had all made tremendous progress.

Judging by their current attributes, they had clearly already advanced to Lower Sixth-Rank.

"First-rate sects really are first-rate sects."

Yang Ling could roughly guess why the progress of these four had been so rapid.

It was most likely related to the Water Qilin Cave incident.

The sects behind them had determined that these individuals were worth cultivating and had increased their training resources.

Take Dongfang Haojie, for example. His Spirit had originally been only 30 points.

Now it was already 50 points.

What did that mean? He had consumed a Divine Soul Great Restoration Pill.

Based on Yang Ling's estimation of this pill, its preciousness surpassed pills that increased cultivation power like the Devour Heaven Great Rejuvenation Pill to a certain extent.

Foundation Consolidation Pills couldn't even be compared to it, unless they were accumulated in sufficient quantity.

"The direction they're heading is the Four Directions Lodge. They're probably checking in early."

Yang Ling stood watching for a while, then wandered back to the Ironclad Department.

He went to find Ji Kongliu and expressed his desire to interrogate the Immortal God Sect followers together.

"You're supposed to go to the Four Directions Lodge tomorrow to discuss matters regarding Fire Flood Dragon Island. Why are you still concerning yourself with this case?"

"This case has been fully closed. Those Immortal God Sect followers gave their confessions overnight."

"The case files have already been sent to His Majesty. All you need to do is wait for your reward to come down."

Ji Kongliu said casually.

Yang Ling felt somewhat disappointed. He had wanted to see if these followers had any leads on Luo Kai of the Immortal God Sect.

"Oh, by the way, the Fourth Prince said that when you have free time, you should go visit him."

"He'll be going on this Fire Flood Dragon Island expedition as well."

Ji Kongliu said.

Yang Ling's expression turned somewhat strange:

"Director Ji, the Fourth Prince is only Seventh-Rank. He's going to a dangerous place like Fire Flood Dragon Island too?"

"He'll be advancing to Sixth-Rank when he returns to the Capital this time."

Ji Kongliu said: "The internal technique the Fourth Prince cultivates is different from ours. Some of its advancement conditions are very special.

He actually advanced to Seventh-Rank many years ago but couldn't advance further simply because His Majesty hadn't given his approval."

"Now that His Majesty has nodded, the Fourth Prince naturally advances to Sixth-Rank as a matter of course. And it's not a simple Lower Sixth-Rank either - it's Upper Sixth-Rank, having broken through the life tribulation just like you did."

Ji Kongliu said with a knowing smile.

Yang Ling's body jolted. A thought suddenly struck him about the cultivation requirements of the Great-Grade Azure Dragon Force.

"Dragon Qi? So it seems Zhao Zheng's Imperial Pole Celestial Classic is also connected to Dragon Qi?"

Even so, he was still deeply shocked.

The last time he had met Zhao Zheng was in Xiangfeng Prefectural Capital.

Back then, the other party's Status Panel had only shown slight progress.

He had still been far from Sixth-Rank.

In just a little over half a month, had the other party's Strength and Agility already become comparable to the likes of Yao Chunman and Jiu Xingkong?

"He's probably consumed quite a few martial arts sacred medicines as well..."

"At the very least, he must have had access to Crimson Ghost Ginseng."

Harboring curiosity in his heart, Yang Ling left the Ironclad Department and made his way to the Fourth Prince's residence in the Capital.

It was a compound located very close to the imperial palace. Judging solely from the main gate, it probably covered at least thirty to forty mu of land.

"What are you doing here?"

A familiar voice drifted over.

Zhao Yingying stood nearby with furrowed brows, accompanied by the old woman who had locked eyes with Li Zhong that day and exerted tremendous pressure on all the Ironclad agents present.

Wang Mama, as Wu Xiaoshuai and the others had called her. A Fourth-Rank Grandmaster.