Elderly Martial Saint: Sixty Times the Cultivation Speed ​​at the Start

"Appointed Chief Inspector"

Yi Yang thought about his current position, but didn't let that sense of pride linger in his heart for long.

He had seen far too many arrogant people. Those gang leaders in Yunlin County, Mo Qianhe and Wei Zhao of Baiyu City—weren't they all running rampant in their own territories?

In the end, they all died.

The current status of the candidate chief inspector is merely an admission ticket to a table in the prefectural city.

Not to mention outside the city, the three major sects of Jinyang Temple, Xuanjian Pavilion and Cangwu Mountain have been entrenched for many years, and any elder you pick out is at the True Gang Realm.

The Liu and Wu families alone have been operating in the city for a century, with their roots deeply embedded in the Sky Patrol Bureau and the Chamber of Commerce. Each family has several experts at the True Qi Realm.

Among the high-ranking officials of the Four Divisions, Xiao Zhengyan, Ji Yunzhang, Yan Wuyuan, and Wen Shiheng are all considered strong figures even in the True Qi Realm.

Furthermore, some of the candidates for chief inspector also possess the strength of the True Qi Realm.

As for myself? I'm at the early stage of the True Qi Realm, just barely touching the threshold.

To put it bluntly, his current situation is not fundamentally different from what he was in Sanmu Village. The only difference is that before, it was the village bully who could crush him, but now it's sects and powerful families.

The level has changed, but the principle remains the same.

Yi Yang tightened the "Hidden Breath Formless Technique" by half.

This allows the true energy within the meridians to be hidden even deeper, while the exposed energy remains steadily at the triple perfection of internal energy.

The more popular you are, the more carefully you must keep your cards hidden.

Sixty years have taught him only this one thing, and given enough time, all those figures above him will be trampled underfoot by Yi Yang. This is the confidence that "destiny" has given him.

The soldiers guarding the city recognized the black armor of the Zhenfu Guard from afar.

Twelve black, exotic horses stood in a single file, their armor plates gleaming coldly in the afterglow—a sight rarely seen even at the south gate of the prefectural city.

"Get out of the way! Everyone get out of the way!"

The guards shouted at the top of their lungs, and the caravans and individual travelers waiting in line in front of the city gate were driven to the sides, clearing a wide passage.

Yi Yang and his thirteen riders did not slow down; their hooves pounded the stone pavement, the rhythmic sound echoing through the city gate.

The martial artists and merchants on both sides of the passage all turned to look.

Some people stared at the strange old man in the middle of the line, who had a full head of black hair but a frail face, for several seconds, their lips moving but no one daring to utter a sound.

The token verification process is very short.

The garrison commander took the token handed to him by Yi Yang, turned it over to look at the official mark on the front, and paused.

The four characters "Candidate Chief Inspector" are engraved on the bronze surface, the characters are deep and bold, and the small seal of the Judgment Hall is pressed next to it.

Upon seeing the token representing the high-ranking officials of the Sky Patrol Bureau, the guard bowed deeply and returned the token with both hands.

"Please, sir."

Yi Yang took the bronze medal and fastened it to his waist. Without giving the guard a second glance, he spurred his horse and continued forward.

We entered the city.

The main street was bustling with pedestrians. The prefectural city was indeed a prefectural city; even as dusk approached, the shops on both sides of the road were still lit up.

Yi Yang reined in at the third intersection and turned to look at Xu Min.

"Lord Xu, this is enough."

Xu Min rode forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Lord Yi, the escort mission is complete. I will now return to my post to report for duty."

He paused, then took a thin slice from his waist and handed it over.

"This is my calling card. If you ever need anything in the prefectural city, you can take this to the Zhenfu Guard to find me without needing to go through official channels."

Yi Yang took the copper plate and looked at it. The front was engraved with the two characters "Xu Min" and the back was the eagle emblem of the Zhenfu Guard.

He tucked the copper piece into his sleeve, cupped his hands in thanks, and said, "Thank you all for escorting me all the way."

Xu Min nodded, his gaze lingering on Yi Yang's face for a moment.

He wanted to say something, but in the end he simply looked away, turned his horse around, and gestured to the eleven garrison guards.

The twelve riders turned around and rode along the side street into the twilight, their hoofbeats fading into the distance.

Yi Yang rode alone on his horse, watching the twelve black-armored figures disappear around the street corner.

Xu Min took the initiative to give out his calling card.

This means that the squad leader of the Zhenfu Guard has approved of him.

It wasn't because of official rank, but because of what I saw along the way.

When Yi Yang was attacked at the inn, he chased after the attackers alone to resolve the situation. When he returned, his clothes were torn, there was blood on the knife that hadn't been washed off, and he casually said, "He's dead."

The Zhenfu Guard is willing to befriend such a powerful person.

Yi Yang regained his composure and spurred his horse toward the Sky Patrol Office.

He needed to go to the Hall of Judgment to report on his duties first.

Other things can wait.

But Yi Yang didn't know that the news of his return arrived even faster than the news of his journey to the Hall of Judgment.

Before Yi Yang even reached the main gate of the Sky Patrol Office, several groups of people in the city had already learned of his entry.

When the soldiers guarding the city changed shifts, they casually mentioned it. After the Sky Patrol Bureau's sentries verified it, the message was relayed back to headquarters by carrier pigeon. Meanwhile, the spies that each family had placed near the city gates delivered the message to their respective masters' desks.

In a side hall of the Liu family mansion, the clan elder put down his teacup.

"The person is back?"

"We just entered the city through the south gate, escorted by the Zhenfu Guard."

The elder pondered for a moment: "Have the gifts been prepared?"

"Twenty-year-old Biyuan grass, readily available in the warehouse."

"That's enough. Send it over first thing tomorrow morning. Make it clear on the invitation that the Liu family is willing to host a welcome banquet for you, sir, and the specific date will be decided by you."

The elder stood up, patted his sleeves, and said, "The sooner this favor is given while he has just been promoted and his position is not yet secure, the more valuable it will be. Giving it after he has established himself will only be icing on the cake."

The Wu family was more cautious.

When the Wu family elder brought the news to the back hall, the two clan elders were playing chess. After hearing the report, the elder holding the white pieces did not make a move, but instead twirled the chess piece twice with his fingers.

"No medicine will be delivered."

The old man holding the black pieces looked up at him.

"Send a visiting card, along with a list of properties on the three streets east of the prefectural city."

The old man holding the white pieces put them back in the chess box and said magnanimously, "Let him know where the Wu family has shops, so it will be easier to deal with them in the future."

The activities of the Evening Glow Chamber of Commerce are more direct.

When news of Yi Yang's entry into the city reached the Chamber of Commerce, Li Yuzhao was reviewing the monthly accounts. She put down her abacus, opened the window halfway, and said to the steward waiting in the courtyard:

"Notify all shopkeepers that Yi has returned. Quickly clear the two trade routes, East Street and the dock, which were previously blocked, and deliver what I need."

Department of Punishment for Evil.

The public housing was brightly lit.

Xiao Zhengyan, the deputy chief inspector, sat behind his desk, holding a rough porcelain teacup in one hand and flipping through the latest intelligence sent by his subordinates with the other.

The patrolman who was reporting stood at the door, his back bent, not daring to look too closely.

Xiao Zhengyan placed the newsletter on the table, tapped his fingers on the surface, and chuckled, saying:

"When I went through his file six months ago, he was born with a Class C bone marrow and was sixty years old."

He brought the teacup to his lips, blew on the floating leaves, but didn't drink. "I said it was useless, but now it seems I misjudged it?"

The guards kept their heads down, not daring to breathe.

Xiao Zhengyan sneered, took the old file out of the drawer, glanced at it, and then stuffed it back in.

"That woman, Yan Wuyuan, has a very sharp eye."

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said in a calm tone, "So be it. What's done is done. Let's see how long he can stay in the position of acting chief inspector."

Breaking Evil Division.

Ji Yunzhang's reaction was different from others. He didn't care about Yi Yang's age or his physical constitution; he only cared about one thing.

The White Dragon's Blood Pool, the Otherworldly Ghosts, and the Nine Evil Cults' hidden connections.

These things were discovered by Yi Yang all by himself.

Ji Yunzhang read Yi Yang's merit file for the third time, resting his chin on his hand and rubbing his index finger back and forth on his cheekbone.

"This person doesn't understand the inheritance of demonic arts, nor has he ever spent a single day in the Exorcism Division. But he entered the White Dragon Marsh, came out alive, and turned the situation upside down."

The deputy beside him asked in a low voice, "What does the master mean?"

"Make a note of this. In the future, for any major cross-departmental cases, contact him first."

Ji Yunzhang closed the file and said, "I want to see if this old man is just lucky or if he really has the ability."

Department of Knowledge and Information.

Wen Shiheng sat in his office, with two lists spread out in front of him.

The one on the left is from Yiyang, and the one on the right is from Weihe.

A few months ago, he chose Weihe from the two lists.

The reasons are sound and reasonable: Wei Chang'an's past favors and Wei He's youth and potential are all solid bargaining chips.

Looking back now, Weihe did a decent job in the Punishment Department, neither making any major mistakes nor achieving any great merits.

Yi Yang, on the other hand, was already a candidate for chief inspector.

Wen Shiheng ran his fingertips along the cover of the Yi Yang roster twice, a hint of regret in his eyes that he himself didn't even realize.

He raised his hand, closed the roster, and placed it back on the left side.

"Add Yi Yang to the list of key figures," he said to his deputy outside the door. "His rank is 'trustworthy but not to be trifled with.'"

The deputy acknowledged and walked away.

Wen Shiheng leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling for a long time.

The main gate of the Sky Patrol Headquarters.

Yi Yang dismounted and handed the reins to the groom who came to greet him.

As he stepped inside, the guards and clerks along the way all stopped what they were doing.

Some people bowed, some made way for him, and some just stood there staring at him.

Yi Yang was wearing the dark gray official uniform of a candidate chief inspector, with his shoulder armor a finger's width wider and his copper buckle at the waist replaced with black iron.

This outfit is so distinctive within the Sky Patrol Division that even someone who doesn't know Yi Yang can immediately tell his rank.

A young guard moved his lips and whispered something in his companion's ear.

His companion's eyes widened, and he turned around to look at Yi Yang a few more times.

Yi Yang did not stop, his steps were neither hurried nor slow.

He remembered his first visit here a few months ago, when he waited for seven or eight days at the Wanyangju Inn, but the four departments kept passing him around and no one would take him in. Back then, walking down this road, not a single person would even give him a second glance.

Nowadays...

Yi Yang's lips twitched, but he didn't let the smile truly surface.

At the main entrance of the Hall of Judgment, a bodyguard dressed in a dark gray uniform waited at the bottom of the steps.

Upon seeing Yi Yang, the guard stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Lord Yi, Vice Hall Master Pei is already waiting in the office. Please follow me."

Yi Yang followed the guards through the corridor and into the public room on the side of the Judgment Hall.

Pei Zongyue sat behind his desk, with three documents and a copper box in front of him. He looked up and saw Yi Yang enter, put down his pen, and got up to walk to the table.

"Lord Yi, you must be tired from your journey."

Yi Yang cupped his hands in greeting: "Vice Hall Master Pei."

Pei Zongyue didn't exchange pleasantries for long; he sat back down at his desk and opened the first document.

"The handover of the stolen goods in White Fish City has been taken over and inventoried by the Punishment Department. The 820,000 taels of silver, along with the elixirs and weapons, have been verified to be accurate."

Yi Yang nodded. In fact, he had taken some of the items here, and the other party knew there was no need to point it out.

"The bounty for the murder is 300,000 taels. According to the rules, you will get 60%, and Youquan Division will keep 40%. You can collect the silver notes from the clerk's office tomorrow."

"The detailed case file of the Blood Pool case of the Nine Evil Cults will be archived after you submit your performance review documents."

Pei Zongyue pushed the three documents over one by one, and Yi Yang flipped through them page by page. After confirming that the contents were correct, he signed and affixed his seal on the last page.

Pei Zongyue put away the documents and pushed the copper box to the side of the table.

"I'll explain the benefits of a candidate chief inspector to you as well."

He counted on his fingers: "First, three True Pills per month, for use by True Qi Realm cultivators. Go to the clerk's office to collect them monthly."

"Secondly, access to the fifth level of the armory is now available. You have one chance to enter and choose a true martial art, with a time limit of half an hour."

"Third, access to confidential files has been upgraded by two levels. The clerk's office has a register specifying which files can be viewed."

"Fourth, when carrying out major tasks, local astronomical patrol offices can be mobilized for assistance. Official documents need to be submitted in advance, and approval from the Judgment Hall is required."

Pei Zongyue opened the copper box, inside which were three pills that shimmered with a pale golden luster.

"Here's the True Elixir for this month. You can have it now. As for the rest—the salary, the upgrade of the official residence, and the allocation of personnel—you can handle them one by one at the Personnel Office."

Yi Yang put the copper box into his pocket, cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Vice Hall Master Pei."

Pei Zongyue waved his hand, leaned back in his chair, and looked at him.

"The task in White Fish City was handled cleanly."

The Chief Inspector reviewed the case file without saying much, but since he approved your application as a candidate for Chief Inspector, his attitude was clear.

Yi Yang responded.

Pei Zongyue's lips twitched, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just picked up the teacup and took a sip of water.

"Go ahead and get busy. The waters in the capital are much deeper than in White Fish City; some things will come up eventually."

Yi Yang bowed again and withdrew from the public housing.

By the time I stepped out of the Hall of Judgment, it was already completely dark.

The streetlights in the prefectural city lit up, one every ten zhang (approximately 33 meters), forming a path of light.

Yi Yang walked along the familiar alleyway toward the small courtyard assigned to him by Youquan Division.

The fifth level of the armory. True skill.

Three true pills.

There is also the 180,000 taels of bounty for the murder.

With all these things combined, his cultivation speed will increase even further.

As Yi Yang pondered how to allocate these resources, his pace quickened unconsciously.

Then he stopped.

There were still twenty feet to go before he could reach his own courtyard.

The "Mind Monkey Guarding the Will Technique" began to operate on its own within the spiritual platform. The golden-haired monkey pricked up its ears, its eyes fixed on the direction of the courtyard wall, and its tail taut.

The spiritual perception crossed the courtyard wall and landed in the courtyard.

Two different auras.

A long, steady energy flowed, indicating that the internal energy had reached the third level of perfection.

Another force, while substantial, lacked refinement, hovering around the fifth level of Qi and Blood.

Yi Yang's steps faltered in place.

He did not push the door open.

His right hand hung down naturally, his fingertips resting on the hilt of the Tiger Roaring Knife, his palm pressed against the wrapped cloth, and his five fingers closed.