On seeing Wu Fei rendered speechless by the retort, Lin Ji did not appear particularly pleased.
With a half-smile, he shook his head and paid no further attention to Wu Fei and the others, walking into the Liangcheng Prefectural Government on his own.
Outside the government office, Wu Fei's face was flushed with anger.
"Boss, this kid is too arrogant."
"Coming to Liangcheng and still daring not to give you face, truly taking his identity as a rural constable seriously."
"In my opinion, we should teach him a lesson to make him remember."
"That's enough!"
Wu Fei frowned and reprimanded, silencing the group of constables.
"We still don't know why this kid came to Liangcheng, this matter requires careful consideration."
With that, Wu Fei turned and walked away, followed promptly by a group of constables.
On the other side, after entering the government office, Lin Ji was immediately guided by a bailiff.
They arrived at a courtyard deep within the government office, where the bailiff stopped in his tracks.
"Captain Lin, the magistrate is inside."
"Thank you." Lin Ji thanked him with a bow.
After the bailiff left, Lin Ji was about to knock on the door when the voice of Zhan Chengfeng rang out from inside.
"Just come in."
"As you command."
After a slight bow, Lin Ji entered the courtyard.
Inside the courtyard, Zhan Chengfeng was seated in a chair in the corner, holding a rolled-up book in his hand, occasionally furrowing his brows in contemplation.
Without looking up, he spoke to the chair opposite him, "Sit."
"Thank you for granting me a seat."
"No need for formalities, I have never been fond of such elaborate rituals, just relax."
Zhan Chengfeng kept his gaze on the book, distractedly saying, "Wait for me to finish this chapter, then we can talk in detail. Just wait a moment."
"Understood." Lin Ji casually replied.
This wait lasted for a full half an hour.
As noon approached, Zhan Chengfeng finally set down the book in his hand and looked at Lin Ji.
"Lin Ji, it's been a long time. You seem much better than two years ago."
"Thank you for your concern, I am truly grateful."
"I've said it before, no need for formalities, just be yourself."
Zhan Chengfeng waved his hand nonchalantly, stood up, and said, "Come, walk with me."
Before Lin Ji could respond, Zhan Chengfeng walked out of the courtyard towards the nearby garden.
Although called a government office, it was not much different from the residence of a town official.
Lin Ji followed behind Zhan Chengfeng, with many questions in his mind, but he was not in a hurry to ask.
Since he was already here, he believed that Zhan Chengfeng would bring up what he wanted to know.
Zhan Chengfeng stopped in his tracks, and the two of them had reached the edge of a pond.
"Did it surprise you when you were suddenly appointed as the Chief Constable of Liangzhou?"
"At first, yes, but later I understood. What remained was just fear and anxiety, rather than surprise or joy." Lin Ji spoke frankly.
"Fear and anxiety?"
"The Soul-Subduing Demon-Slaying Staff. This thing is like a hot potato. At first, I thought Master Xingchi wanted to guide me into the Daoist sect, but after experiencing a series of events and pondering on my own, I understood."
Lin Ji paused, a hint of helplessness appearing on his face.
"Whether it's the Buddhist treasure Soul-Subduing Demon-Slaying Staff that restrains evil spirits, or the Golden Decree in my possession now, they don't seem like rewards, but rather a down payment for my life."
Zhan Chengfeng looked somewhat surprised as he turned to Lin Ji, scrutinizing him.
"Interesting, you truly are an interesting fellow!"
Zhan Chengfeng looked at Lin Ji with some admiration, then curiously asked, "Since you know these two items are not easy to handle, why not protect yourself and leave the items in Qingyang County, then escape on your own?"
"If you did that, the Celestial Oversight Bureau, currently in chaos, might not have the time to deal with you."
Lin Ji smiled but did not respond.
If Zhan Chengfeng had not brought it up, he wouldn't have thought of this.
For the lowest-ranking demon hunters and constables, the Celestial Oversight Bureau never had any rules like "only corpses can leave."
If you didn't want to continue, just inform the higher-ups, then leave.
"I have a narrow vision. Since joining the Celestial Oversight Bureau from the beginning, and surviving these years, I never thought about leaving." Lin Ji regretted inwardly.
The place where the Celestial Oversight Bureau dealt with evil spirits all day had unexpectedly become his comfort zone. So much so that even knowing he was being manipulated, he never thought of leaving.
Regrettable.
But since he was already here, there was no need to dwell on these thoughts.
Seeing Lin Ji remain silent, Zhan Chengfeng thought he was expressing his stance, so he continued, "Anyway, since you're here, let me give you some information. The origin of the Soul-Subduing Demon-Slaying Staff is not simple; it is the main formation eye of the Demon-Sealing Tower outside the capital."
"What?!" Lin Ji suddenly looked up.
"I only learned about this recently. The plan was decided from above, and I am just following orders."
Zhan Chengfeng shrugged, jokingly saying, "As a third-rank official, I am just a pawn compared to you, an incoming sixth-rank Chief Constable."
Upon hearing this, Lin Ji's bitter smile deepened.
"I wish I had never heard you say that."
"Backing out now? It's too late!"
Zhan Chengfeng chuckled, "In any case, since you have made a breakthrough faster than we expected, the plan has been accelerated. Stay in Liangcheng for now, and in seven days, take the Demon-Slaying Staff to the Ghost King City in Liangcheng to meet the Ghost King."
"Alone?"
"Haha, just go. If we dare to send a mere Fourth Realm individual alone, there must be a backup plan. As for the specifics, I cannot disclose them to you."
With that, Zhan Chengfeng looked at Lin Ji again, explaining with a smile, "It's not that I doubt you, but there are no secrets in the world. Although this matter is almost settled, and you have not been exposed, one can never be too careful."
"Too careful?"
"In case the information leaks, and I have told you everything, then you are captured and your soul searched, wouldn't that be a disaster?"
Lin Ji's face darkened slightly.
Zhan Chengfeng cryptically gave a few instructions and prepared to let Lin Ji leave.
However, as they were parting ways, Lin Ji suddenly asked with curiosity, "Lord Zhan, did the former Chief Constable of Liangzhou get promoted? Otherwise, if the position of Chief Constable is a revolving door, and he was replaced, an explanation must be given."
Lin Ji's words were only halfway through when Zhan Chengfeng suddenly sneered.
"The official statement is that he died at the hands of the Ghost Marshal."
"The official statement? What about the truth?"
"I personally snapped his neck."
Lin Ji suddenly looked up, gazing at Zhan Chengfeng with disbelief in his eyes.
Zhan Chengfeng also happened to look at Lin Ji, a hint of amusement on his face.
"He was a disciple of the Taiyi Sect."
"The Taiyi Sect, the number one sect in the world?"
"That's right, the Taiyi Sect, the leader of the Daoist sects."