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

Ning Xiong, the deputy commander, stared at the token in Yi Yang's hand for five breaths.

Those tiger-like eyes moved from the eagle official's mark to Yi Yang's face, then back to the token, scanning back and forth twice.

Fifty guards stood ramrod straight on the drill ground, watching this scene silently without uttering a sound.

The wind blew across the camp's flagpole, and the ropes slapped against the poles, making a snapping sound.

Ning Xiong loosened his arms, clenched his right fist, and pounded his breastplate, shouting loudly:

"Ning Xiong, Deputy Commander of the Zhenfu Guard, pays his respects to Commander Yi."

His voice was rough and full of energy; it was so loud that Yi Yang's ears rang when he got too close.

As Ning Xiong spoke, the fifty black-armored guards behind him clasped their fists in unison.

"Greetings, Commander!"

The clanging of the black armor was perfectly synchronized, indistinguishable from the sound of a single person, demonstrating excellent coordination.

Yi Yang put the token back in his pocket and nodded. These people didn't try to intimidate him, so he didn't need to put on any airs.

No need for formalities.

Having received the order, Ning Xiongchong waved his hand behind him, and the fifty Zhenfu Guards dispersed.

Only two people remained on the training ground.

Just then, Ning Xiong turned around, his tone neither hostile nor overly polite, and said very calmly:

I watched today's competition.

"Your strength is indeed greater than mine; I couldn't withstand that strike from you."

Yi Yang listened to the deputy commander's flattery without showing any expression; he was waiting for the second half of the sentence.

"But I didn't acknowledge you just because you can fight."

Ning's fierce eyes narrowed, and his voice lowered slightly: "The Zhenfu Guard doesn't submit to those who can fight. They submit to those who can get things done."

"My eldest brother, Ding Xiang, has been dead for a year."

When Ning Xiong uttered those words, his right hand clenched involuntarily, his knuckles cracking.

"It's been a year, and no one has given him an explanation."

Yi Yang didn't reply, she just looked at him.

Ning Xiong's breathing became slightly heavier.

"The chief inspector said he would investigate, but after a year, the case files were buried in the court of judgment, gathering dust, and not a single thing was found."

He stared into Yi Yang's eyes and said very solemnly:

"If you can find out the truth about Ding Xiang's death and figure out which dog betrayed him—there are sixty people in the Zhenfu Guard, and no one dares to go west if you say you want to go east."

"Including me."

The other party made their meaning quite clear: if they wanted to gain the obedience of this force, they needed to find out the cause of the previous commander's death.

Yi Yang went over the matter in his mind, and realized that it had two major advantages:

Firstly, it would allow them to subdue the Zhenfu Guard.

Secondly, it would allow them to expose corrupt elements within the Sky Patrol Bureau, enabling him to advance further under the Chief Inspector.

"Give me a copy of Ding Xiang's death record," Yi Yang said directly.

Ning Xiong was stunned for a moment, not expecting him to agree so readily.

"You just agreed like that?"

"Sitting in this position, I won't be able to sleep soundly until I've thoroughly investigated my predecessor's murder case."

Upon hearing Yi Yang's words, Ning Xiong's lips twitched slightly, not quite a smile, but his tense expression relaxed a bit.

He turned and walked towards the barracks, saying as he went:

"Come with me, the files are locked in my room."

Yi Yang followed.

The interior of the barracks.

On a rough wooden table were three leather scrolls and a stack of yellowed papers.

Ning Xiong pushed the teapot off the table and patted the dust off the scroll.

"I found this myself. The one from the Court of Judgments is too general and doesn't contain much useful information."

Yi Yang sat down and opened the first volume.

Ding Xiang has reached the mid-stage of True Gang, having cultivated the Hundred Meridians Connecting Gang, and is only one step away from the late stage of Outer Gang, which is True Gang Strength.

A year ago, he was ordered to carry out a routine patrol mission outside the city. He was ambushed at Qingfeng Ridge, thirty miles away from the official road. When he died, he had seventeen claw marks on his body and his heart meridian was pierced. His death was extremely gruesome.

The site still retains traces of the Nine Evil Cult.

However, Ning Xiong added a note next to it: "Qingfeng Ridge has an open terrain. Given Ding Xiang's perception range, it's impossible for him to get within ten steps before discovering the ambush. Unless he was lured to a specific location."

Yi Yang continued scrolling down.

Ning Xiong's investigation was far more thorough than that of the Judgment Hall. He spent three months tracing everyone Ding Xiang had contacted before his departure, and ultimately identified three leads.

Article 1: The day before Ding Xiang set off, he visited the Jin Guang Sect to discuss the city defense rotation. The Jin Guang Sect is a branch of the Jin Yang Temple in the prefectural city. The sect leader, Han Ziping, was once a monk but has now returned to secular life. His strength is at the early stage of True Qi.

Article 2: On the morning of Ding Xiang's departure, he passed by the Huajian Alliance's stronghold in the east of the city and had a brief conversation with the Huajian Alliance's leader. The Huajian Alliance is a force supported by the Xuanjian Pavilion. Its leader, Shen Kongming, has perfectly completed the Hundred Forging Body in the early stage of the True Gang Realm. However, unlike Yi Yang, they do not have any bottlenecks. Most martial artists with average talent are stuck at the early stage of the True Gang Realm.

Article 3: Ding Xiang's route ultimately deviated from the original official road and turned towards Qingfeng Ridge. Near Qingfeng Ridge lies the property of Wanyue Manor—several medicinal herb fields. Behind Wanyue Manor stands Cangwu Mountain, and its owner, Liu Rushi, is at the early stage of the True Qi realm.

Three clues point to three different factions.

Behind each of these families lies the shadow of the three major sects.

Yi Yang closed the scroll, leaned back in his chair, thought for a moment, and asked:

What's your judgment?

Ning Xiong stood by the table, his two thick arms supporting him as he spoke his understanding:

All three are suspects. But I have no evidence.

He gritted his teeth and said with difficulty, "I went to the Golden Light Sect, but they dodged the question. I went to the Sword Transformation Alliance, but they simply refused to see me. The Moonlit Manor was even more audacious; they said the manor lord wasn't in the city that day."

"As a candidate chief inspector, I was not serving as deputy commander at the time, and without the order from the Hall of Judgment, I couldn't even get into their house."

Yi Yang understood; Ning Xiong wasn't undetectable, but rather his identity wasn't sufficient.

At the time, he was a candidate for chief inspector. Because the case involved three major forces, he did not have the authority to conduct an independent investigation and needed approval from the Court of Judgment. However, for some reason, the Court of Judgment remained silent for a year.

Now he is the commander-in-chief, and his position is deputy chief inspector, so the situation is naturally different.

The commander has the authority to mobilize the Zhenfu Guard to carry out missions and can directly intervene in investigations of cases involving the safety of the Xuntian Division without the need for approval at each level.

This is one of the reasons why Ning Xiong was willing to acknowledge him.

Someone can now investigate the case for Ding Xiang.

"I'm taking the files with me."

Yi Yang stood up, gathered the three rolls of leather and the stack of papers together, and then spoke.

"I will visit each of these forces one by one to see if there are any clues."

Ning Xiong nodded emphatically and said:

"Just let me know if you need any manpower."

"Not for now."

Yi Yang tucked the case file under his arm: "Let's find out the details first, then decide how to proceed."

Yi Yang did not return to the small courtyard of Youquan Division.

Tonight he's staying at the Zhenfuwei barracks, partly to familiarize himself with the surroundings, and partly because he needs some quiet time to think things through.

The barracks reserved a small single room for the commander, with a bed, a desk, and a weapons rack in the corner.

Yi Yang placed Hu Xiao and Xuan Yuan on the table and took out the book "Martial Extreme Dragon Elephant Body" that Lu Quanan had given him during the day from his bosom.

Open the booklet and take a look.