Chapter 58

Li Yi had thought he’d have to lie in the hospital for ten days.

In reality, he’d underestimated the recovery speed of cultivators; by the seventh day of his hospitalization, the doctors had examined him and informed him his body was essentially healed—he could remove the bandages and casts and check out, though he was advised to avoid strenuous activity for the next ten days.

Hearing this news, Li Yi was thrilled.

These past few days lying in the hospital had driven him frantic—he had matters of his own to handle, and worse, he couldn’t cultivate.

So the moment he heard he could be discharged, he immediately completed the discharge procedures.

But due to the unusual circumstances, his discharge still required Investigator Wang Jian’s approval, since Li Yi was still under investigation for a murder case; without Wang Jian’s consent, the hospital wouldn’t dare let him leave.

Li Yi immediately called Wang Jian to explain his discharge.

“You’re getting discharged this soon?” Wang Jian sounded astonished over the phone—he hadn’t expected Li Yi’s injuries to heal this fast; under normal circumstances, Li Yi should’ve been bedridden for ten days to half a month.

It seemed Li Yi’s youth gave him an advantage, but more importantly, the abundant cosmic energy stored in his body had accelerated cellular healing.

“Yes, the doctors say I’m fine now and have cleared me for discharge, but I still need your approval.” Li Yi said.

Wang Jian paused, then replied: “Go ahead and get discharged—I’ll call the hospital right away. But don’t go wandering today; stay reachable. I need to take you back to the Investigation Bureau to officially enroll you as an External Operations officer.”

“Understood,” Li Yi said. “I’ll go home to handle some personal matters first. Contact me when you’re free.”

“Stay safe,” Wang Jian warned. “Your case has spread widely among cultivators—someone might have ideas about you.”

Li Yi’s expression shifted slightly. “What kind of ideas?”

“You possess a powerful fist technique, and Ning Wu deliberately spread rumors that you might have a strange artifact... but I’ve already debunked that—there’s no artifact on you. Still, there’s no guarantee some unscrupulous people won’t try to take advantage. Don’t over-worry; once you join the Investigation Bureau, these troubles will diminish.”

“I understand. Thanks for the warning,” Li Yi said, then hung up, his mind gradually sinking.

He understood what Wang Jian meant.

A powerful fist technique plus rumors of a strange artifact—these could sway many hearts.

Perhaps everyone knew the artifact rumor was false, but Li Yi’s mastery of a powerful fist technique was undeniably real.

And now, with no status or background, Li Yi was bound to attract unwanted attention.

“Given this situation, joining the Investigation Bureau as an External Operations officer was the right choice. After all this chaos, it’s impossible for me to quietly hide at home and cultivate anymore.” Li Yi took a deep breath—he felt his peaceful life had been shattered.

But he’d already prepared himself for this.

While waiting for the discharge notice, Li Yi began packing.

Quickly.

His gaze settled on the box Lin Jie had brought.

Inside was a garment made from Qiu Long hide.

He thought for a moment, then pulled it out directly.

Only then did Li Yi realize it was a gray-white, antique-style coat, somewhat resembling a flying fish robe—but instead of flying fish, it was embroidered with five-clawed black dragons; such patterns in ancient times would have been a capital offense, but no such rule existed now. Moreover, the design had been modified—more fitted, compact, clearly custom-tailored to someone’s physique and taste.

“It’s definitely Yang Yi Long’s coat—he always liked this style. But it looks like he just got it and hadn’t worn it yet, so he ended up giving it to Lin Jie.”

Li Yi traced the garment’s unique texture, where faint light shimmered across the surface—clearly, the Qiu Long hide contained abundant cosmic energy, granting the robe unusual properties.

He didn’t know what those properties were, but he was certain this thing was worth at least the best bulletproof vest.

“Try it on—see if it fits.”

Li Yi immediately slipped on the coat.

His build differed slightly from Yang Yi Long’s, but after putting it on, he found it fit well—though instead of lending him a tall, elegant grace, it accentuated his bulk, making him look powerful and fierce, like a warrior who’d just returned from slaying a dragon.

And though the hide was completely airtight, it felt refreshingly cool and comfortable against his skin, and nearby mosquitoes and insects avoided him entirely, retreating in haste.

“Excellent,” Li Yi couldn’t help exclaiming.

Supernatural creatures were truly extraordinary.

But when he realized this coat was worth as much as a guiding technique, he couldn’t help grimacing.

He understood—Yang Yi Long had done this on purpose.

Combining a guiding technique with Li Yi’s fist technique would surely produce a terrifying synergy—Lin Yue could see it, and Yang Yi Long had no reason not to.

So Yang Yi Long refused to hand over the guiding technique precisely because he didn’t want Li Yi to seize that opportunity before him—hence the coat.

No matter how good the coat was, it offered Li Yi little practical help now—it couldn’t be sold for money, couldn’t enhance his strength or aid cultivation; at best, it was just an expensive luxury.

“This coat means nothing to me. What troubles me is that Lin Jie got hurt defending me—I feel guilty. But her words reminded me: guiding techniques aren’t Yang Yi Long’s alone. If so, I’ll just work hard, earn money, and buy one from someone else.”

Li Yi’s gaze flickered as he pondered: “How much do External Operations officers earn? How long would I need to work to afford a guiding technique?”

As he thought, a nurse entered and informed him he could now be discharged.

Upon hearing the notice, Li Yi said nothing—he left the hospital immediately.

He hailed a cab and headed straight for his hometown.

Less than half an hour later.

Li Yi stood in front of the familiar, run-down residential complex.

The security cordon had been removed, the bloodstains cleaned away—no trace remained of the brutal murder that had occurred here seven days prior.

“First, get the artifact back.”

Li Yi immediately crossed to the opposite complex and retrieved the broken half-coin from a crack in the bricks of an obscure alley.

Looking at the familiar artifact, he exhaled softly, then turned back home.

At his door.

The door was still broken, the police tape still sealed across the threshold.

But inside, the place had been cleaned—bodies gone, blood washed away, and many unnecessary belongings discarded.

This wasn’t the work of investigators—it must have been Li Yi’s relatives helping out.

Even so, the place was no longer habitable.

As Li Yi stepped inside.

The noise immediately drew attention from within.

“Who is it?”

A middle-aged woman emerged cautiously from the kitchen, holding a cloth still stained with blood—she’d clearly been cleaning.

“Auntie, it’s me,” Li Yi said quickly.

“Li Yi? You’re back?”

Auntie Zhang Gui’s face lit up: “Good, you’re back—thank goodness! Why didn’t you tell us you were coming? I could’ve had your uncle drive to pick you up. You really shouldn’t have kept quiet about all this—you’ve scared your family half to death!”

Though Li Yi had always been busy working and barely interacted with these relatives—he was practically invisible in the family group—when trouble struck, they still came to help, and that moved him deeply.

“I thought everything was settled now, so I didn’t bother telling anyone,” Li Yi said. “Auntie, stop cleaning—this place can’t be lived in anymore. I’m going to find a new apartment and move out in a few days.”

“What? You’re moving?” Auntie Zhang Gui was startled, then nodded: “Moving’s better—if someone comes looking for revenge, living here would be dangerous. You’re too honest, Li Yi. After you move, don’t tell anyone where you live, and be extra careful with your safety. Don’t take any risks.”

“I know. Thanks for the warning,” Li Yi nodded. “By the way, Auntie, how are my parents?”

“Don’t worry—they’re fine, lying in the medical pod. You’ve worked so hard, raising them alone. Now this has happened... thank heaven you’re safe. If you hadn’t made it, how heartbroken they’d be when they wake up.” Zhang Gui sighed.

“It’ll all get better,” Li Yi said, stepping into the room.

The room where his parents lay had suffered no damage—the medical pod functioned normally, and the nutrient solution had been replaced.

“Oh, Li Yi, I’ve gathered all your important belongings here. Nothing else was worth keeping,” Zhang Gui said.

Li Yi saw his purchased nutrient solution and family savings neatly stored together, untouched. Also still present: the human-skin mask and the clay horse.

He took out one hundred thousand yuan in cash, added four gold-tier nutrient vials, and placed them all in a bag, handing it to Zhang Gui.

“Auntie, take these nutrient vials—drink them with Uncle sometimes, they’re good for your health. And take this money—it’s for buying clothes and food for Uncle and you.”

Zhang Gui gasped: “This—it’s too much! Li Yi, take it back! You’re living alone, caring for your parents—you need money more than I do. I can’t accept this.”

“Don’t worry, Auntie, take it,” Li Yi insisted firmly. “Last time I killed a wanted criminal, I got several million in reward money—I’ve got plenty. And now I’m a cultivator, joined the Investigation Bureau—there’ll be more earning opportunities. My life will only get better.” He forced her to accept the gift.

In these special circumstances, her coming to help him meant a great deal.

After all, visiting Li Yi’s home now could bring trouble—and implicate her.