[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-after-the-sky-fell":3,"chapter-after-the-sky-fell-after-the-sky-fell-chapter-57":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","After the Sky Fell",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2280913,4462,"Chapter 57","after-the-sky-fell-chapter-57",57,"\u003Cp>Li Yi didn’t understand matters between cultivators; just a month ago he had been an ordinary office worker, so whenever he faced uncertainty, he sought advice from those with experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Listening to others’ opinions and guidance could sometimes save you a lot of detours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no sooner had he finished speaking than Biao Shu, beside him, lit up with excitement and said: “Li Yi, you say an investigator asked you to become an external combatant for the Investigation Bureau? That’s a good thing—definitely accept. It’s a legitimate job, with high pay, plenty of opportunities, and most importantly, the Bureau has your back if trouble arises.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Won’t external combatant missions interfere with my cultivation?” Li Yi voiced his concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Yue spoke up: “That depends on how you weigh your priorities. Joining the Investigation Bureau as an external combatant gives you access to more systematic training; yes, you’ll have missions, but you’ll also gain a steady income—far better than being a guide. Guides have unstable work. That’s why I only took the guide certification exam now—my cultivation slowed down, and I needed a side job. At our stage, you can’t just focus on cultivation anymore; life matters too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Yi, you already noticed your cultivation speed has slowed, right? Everyone encounters this. Once progress stalls, you must shift your focus elsewhere. So I still hope you’ll take this job and become an external combatant.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Li Yi finally understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A stable job would benefit his future life, and joining the Investigation Bureau would eliminate many unnecessary troubles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he’d have to take missions, it was still worth it by comparison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I possess a strange artifact. Though my cultivation speed has slowed somewhat from before, my limits haven’t been reached—I still have plenty of room to grow. Normally, I should stay home and cultivate. But this opportunity is rare; I should accept the job. If I work during the day and cultivate at night, it won’t hinder me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Most importantly, I need an identity, a patron. Otherwise, when trouble strikes like this, I’m powerless. If I join the Investigation Bureau, even if I offend someone, they’ll think twice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi weighed his thoughts carefully, then made his decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since Biao Shu and Sister Lin both say so, I’ll follow your advice—I’ll join the Investigation Bureau as an external combatant.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Yue nodded with a smile: “That’s better. You already have your fist technique and sufficient strength—you can handle the job. But remember, if you encounter a mission beyond your capability, don’t be stubborn. Run when you need to. Refuse the mission if you must.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that allowed?” Li Yi asked, surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Yue rolled her eyes: “You’re not an investigator. External combatants are basically temporary workers. Slacking off a few times won’t get you criticized—just quit if you want. Your life matters more.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I understand.” Li Yi felt Sister Lin’s words made perfect sense—no matter what, his own life came first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, has anything unusual happened at your home lately? Something about your mother...” Lin Yue suddenly grew serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, my mother’s fine. She’s healthy in the medical pod. I talk to her often. Why?” Li Yi asked, puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Yue hesitated, unsure how to say it, and finally said: “Keep a close eye on your mother. If anything seems off, tell me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood.” Li Yi nodded with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Yue fell silent again. Was it his imagination, or did Li Yi always behave strangely when his mother was involved—as if some force had warped his perception? She’d hinted so clearly, yet he remained utterly oblivious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she dared not confront him directly; she hadn’t yet found a way to deal with that thing. Breaking the balance prematurely could trigger disaster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group chatted a little longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After about an hour, Biao Shu had other matters in his meditation chamber and couldn’t stay long, so he pulled Lin Yue away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before leaving, Lin Yue told Li Yi to pay attention to the clothes she’d brought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The robe made from qiu dragon skin was luxurious—if lost, it would be a huge loss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi naturally understood; it came from Yang Yi, so it must’ve cost a fortune.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After seeing them off, Li Yi posted about his condition in the family group, assuring relatives not to worry, and thanked them for helping care for his parents these past days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After handling these trivial matters, he finally relaxed and rested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next morning, Wang Jian came to visit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The sniper rifle issue is resolved. You’re sneaky—hid it so far away, no wonder the whole neighborhood turned upside down and couldn’t find it. By the way, what’s your decision on the external combatant position? I’ve other matters to attend to, so you need to answer quickly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Jian was in a hurry, barely arrived before preparing to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi replied: “I agree to become an external combatant.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good, excellent. Rest well these next few days. After you’re discharged, I’ll take you to register at the Investigation Bureau. Also, don’t worry about Kong Sheng—he’ll be back in a couple days. I’m telling you ahead of time.” Wang Jian was satisfied with the answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you,” Li Yi said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ll be colleagues now—help each other out. Oh, add my contact. Call me if anything comes up.” Wang Jian smiled, gave a few more instructions, then hurried off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed investigators were truly busy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the next few days, everything remained peaceful. Li Yi knew he was safe, and future troubles wouldn’t be his problem—Wang Jian would handle them. As for Ning Wu... he heard no further news and couldn’t investigate, so he stopped thinking about it and focused on recovering in the hospital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the third night of Li Yi’s hospital stay,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>something he’d overlooked occurred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Long ago, on Ghost Street, Li Yi had used his lifespan to purchase a coffin mushroom. Now, the time had come to settle the debt—because the old man who sold it to him had said: “Seven days later, a debt collector ghost will come for payment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi had incurred a debt of eighty years of lifespan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>within the danger zone’s Ghost Street,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>it remained as always: tormented souls and vengeful ghosts wandered, ghost soldiers and death enforcers patrolled ceaselessly. Any living person who accidentally entered would be mercilessly devoured by these terrifying spirits. Only those who knew the special method—pretending to be dead—could avoid being attacked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, those who strayed here never knew this. By the time they sensed something was wrong, it was already too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, Ghost Street was regarded by many cultivators in the danger zone as a death Jinqu , a place absolutely forbidden to tread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That Li Yi had returned alive from Ghost Street was nothing short of a miracle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a peculiar, eerie figure appeared on Ghost Street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a barefoot, hunched figure in tattered clothes, carrying a bamboo basket. More like a demon from hell than a human, it wore a white cloth hood obscuring its face, held a cane in one hand and a pale lantern in the other. On the lantern was written a twisted black character: DEBT.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The debt collector ghost has appeared again.” For such apparitions, hidden living people on Ghost Street were no longer surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time, the debt collector ghost acted strangely—it walked toward an unknown direction on Ghost Street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As it walked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the scenery of Ghost Street gradually blurred, and around it emerged modern high-rise buildings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The debt collector ghost’s presence clashed violently with its surroundings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet it didn’t stop. It simply followed the debt note’s guidance to find its debtor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi, lying in the hospital, was this time’s debtor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the debt collector ghost, leaning on its cane and holding the lantern, slowly walked through the danger zone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It assumed this debt collection would proceed as usual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But halfway, something strange happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pale lantern’s eerie ghostly flame, once glowing, suddenly went out. And the lantern itself had become tattered, as if corroded by some unseen force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This corrosion wasn’t fast—but like boiling a frog slowly in warm water, by the time it was noticed, it was already too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The debt collector ghost halted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For it wasn’t just the lantern being corroded—it too was being eroded. Its flesh and skin melted, black smoke rose from its entire body, as if exposed to sunlight, burning everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was midnight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was this happening?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The debt collector ghost’s intelligence was low. It didn’t comprehend this situation, so it emitted a chilling, agonized wail and hurried forward, still heading toward Li Yi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But all of this was destined to be futile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the debt collector ghost could exit the danger zone, it could no longer withstand the world’s pollution—it was completely corroded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With its final ghostly scream, the debt collector ghost vanished entirely, leaving only a useless bamboo basket and a broken, extinguished lantern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, this debt would be hard to collect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Li Yi, the original culprit, still slept soundly in the hospital, unaware of what had transpired in the danger zone—and he had already forgotten the massive lifespan debt he owed.\u003C\u002Fp>",1530,"2026-06-20T01:26:56.586Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","51be1223b75cdec51ccc34cf584ed0f99e78842e7878e9f2b6b57422d19c85eb","after-the-sky-fell-chapter-58","after-the-sky-fell-chapter-56",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fafter-the-sky-fell-cover.jpg"]