After briefly explaining matters in Linchuan County, Lin Ji hurried back to Liang Prefecture without stopping.
Early the next day, Lin Ji appeared in the prefectural government of Liang Prefecture.
Without any delay, he went straight to the back garden of the government office, where Zhan Chengfeng's small courtyard was located.
Zhan Chengfeng happened to be in the courtyard and waved at Lin Ji.
"You're back so early. It seems the situation in Linchuan County isn't complicated?" Zhan Chengfeng asked.
Lin Ji shook his head and quickly recounted everything that happened yesterday.
After listening to Lin Ji's account, Zhan Chengfeng's expression turned serious.
"My good mood this morning was completely ruined by the news you brought," Zhan Chengfeng said.
"Sir, there are clearly others behind Hou Miao. This matter has exceeded my capabilities. If we want to investigate further, we need..." Lin Ji was interrupted by Zhan Chengfeng shaking his head.
"No need to investigate. Bai Zu Jun is dead, the case is closed, it's that simple," Zhan Chengfeng said.
Upon hearing this, Lin Ji furrowed his brows slightly.
"Sir, Bai Zu Jun is definitely not just committing crimes in Linchuan County. Hou Miao is from the Taiyi Sect, and he has been manipulating demons. There are likely many more major cases involved in this," Lin Ji pointed out.
"I know, but we won't investigate further," Zhan Chengfeng shook his head.
This time, Lin Ji realized something.
Zhan Chengfeng was not one to sit idly by. In the past, when such cases occurred, he would personally investigate.
During the incident in Lianghe County last time, he chased the man in black for days and nights. This time, the situation was obviously not small. If there weren't important reasons, he wouldn't just let it go like this.
After pondering for a moment, Lin Ji hesitated and asked, "Sir, is it related to the matters in the capital?"
Zhan Chengfeng looked at Lin Ji with some surprise.
"Luzhao'er told you about this? Or did you figure it out yourself?" Zhan Chengfeng asked.
Lin Ji remained silent.
Zhan Chengfeng didn't delve further and nodded, "The Demon Suppression Tower is about to restart. This matter concerns the future peace of the Nine Provinces. Therefore, during this time, all states have been instructed to maintain stability and avoid any disturbances."
"This matter involves the Taiyi Sect. Whether it's the high-level planning of the Taiyi Sect or the misconduct of its disciples, it won't be simple."
With a sigh in his tone, Zhan Chengfeng lightly tapped the stone table with his fingers.
"Therefore, this matter can only be temporarily set aside. We'll make plans once the restrictions in the capital are lifted."
Lin Ji understood and bowed before taking his leave.
"Excuse me."
Leaving the government office, Lin Ji felt somewhat helpless.
The feeling of being unable to investigate due to various constraints made him feel like a stifling breath was accumulating in his chest.
"Let it go, focus on cultivating in peace. I am not capable of handling this matter, no matter how much I think about it."
Returning home, after instructing the servants not to disturb him, Lin Ji began his cultivation in his room.
Encountering various incidents since arriving in Liangcheng, he increasingly felt inadequate.
In Qingyang County before, while not always handling everything with ease, he could still deal with demonic forces.
But in Liangcheng, perhaps out of sheer bad luck, most of the troubles he encountered were beyond his ability to handle.
"I can't slack off any longer."
Time passed quickly.
In the blink of an eye, it was the third day of the third month of the first year of Shengyuan.
During Lin Ji's closed-door cultivation, Liangcheng had calmed down.
Lin Ji had come out of seclusion a few times to handle matters at the government office, only to find that the entire Liang Prefecture seemed unusually peaceful during this period.
Whether it was truly the case or if there was some concealment happening, it was unclear.
But at least on the surface, everything seemed calm.
Lin Residence.
Lin Ji sat cross-legged on the bed, exhaling a breath as the spiritual energy around him dispersed.
"The Luminous Glass Armor is indeed powerful. My aptitude can only be considered average, and I was progressing rapidly only because I hadn't reached a bottleneck. But with this Luminous Glass Armor, my cultivation in the past month has directly pushed me to the mid-stage of the Fourth Realm, Insightful Connection."
Not long after breaking through Insightful Connection, he had another breakthrough.
At this rate, it wouldn't take him a year to have the opportunity to break through to the Fifth Realm, Night Travel.
In addition, the North Pole Technique he had recently learned also made progress.
Corresponding to the Big Dipper, each time he resonated with a star, he could draw the corresponding star power.
Initially, he had just started and resonated with the Polaris.
After this period of cultivation, Lin Ji could faintly sense the second star, Merak.
Although he could only slightly stir the power of Merak, having made a start, it would naturally progress smoothly.
After coming out of seclusion, Lin Ji went to the government office to handle some pending matters.
As expected, the documents from various counties were calm, as if the demons and monsters that had been causing trouble everywhere not long ago had all taken a vacation.
"Let's leave these matters for later," Lin Ji put down the documents, feeling somewhat troubled as he rubbed his nose.
Since there was nothing urgent at the government office, he returned to his residence.
He tended to the flowers, watched the birds, and occasionally took Ah Lu for a walk, leading a leisurely life.
But this leisure did not last long.
On the third day after Lin Ji came out of seclusion.
Early in the morning, as Lin Ji was just getting up and preparing to practice a set of martial arts before having his meal, a pure white pigeon landed on the big tree in the garden as soon as he set up his stance.
If it were an ordinary pigeon, it would have been fine, but this pigeon had a demonic aura, which Lin Ji couldn't ignore.
"The Spirit Pigeon of the Monitoring Bureau? Why is it looking for me?" Lin Ji was puzzled.
The Spirit Pigeon of the Monitoring Bureau was usually only used by officials of the rank of Star Inspector or higher. As a sixth-rank local constable like him, he was usually directed by the prefectural officials.
With doubts in his mind, Lin Ji took out his Gold Beheading Order.
Sure enough, upon seeing the Gold Beheading Order, the Spirit Pigeon immediately spat out a piece of paper.
Lin Ji took the paper.
After opening it, there were only four words written on it.
'Hurry to the capital.'
"Summoned to the capital?" Lin Ji widened his eyes.
The current capital was a place of turmoil, and if possible, Lin Ji would never want to set foot there.
"I'm just a small local constable. Why am I being summoned to the capital at this time?"
Confused, Lin Ji quickly took the paper to the government office and found Zhan Chengfeng.
To his surprise, Zhan Chengfeng's response was straightforward.
"If they ask you to go, then go."
"Sir, this is not in accordance with the rules," Lin Ji was somewhat reluctant.
However, Zhan Chengfeng pointed at the paper in Lin Ji's hand with a smile that was not quite a smile and said, "Have you seen a signature on this paper?"
"No," Lin Ji shook his head.
But after Zhan Chengfeng's reminder, Lin Ji remembered.
The last time Lu Zhao'er had a paper with a signature, it was the seal of Zheng Lixin, a high-ranking official in the capital.
Similar papers would usually have a signature.
Lin Ji looked at Zhan Chengfeng in confusion.
"Sir, what does it mean if there is no signature?"
Taking the paper back, Zhan Chengfeng looked at it with interest for a moment before returning it to Lin Ji.
"In the Monitoring Bureau, it is a strict rule to leave a signature on the Spirit Pigeon messages to keep a record. In case of any future complications, responsibility can be traced."
"The only person who can summon without leaving a signature is one."
"Who?"
Zhan Chengfeng gestured towards the direction of the capital.
"Master of the Bureau, Gao Qunshu."
(End of this chapter)