Chapter 734: Reporting for Duty

After a while, Li Xizhou bit his lip lightly. Seeing Pei Ye raised his eyes and saw her moist eyes, the two pairs of eyes close at hand.

"You have no end." Li Xizhou whispered, somewhat indistinctly.

Seeing Pei Ye stared at her eyes, pressed down again to contain her lips and kissed for a few breaths, before raising his head lightly.

Li Xizhou stared at him with red ear tips. If the last time was an inability to control his emotions, this time was being bold and lustful. He was clearly very clear about what he was doing.

Li Xizhou held the hand he had wrapped around her waist, stood up from the tree, and raised her hand to tidy her hair: "I think you are addicted to the taste."

Seeing Pei Ye didn't deny it, and stared at her snow-white neck again.

Li Xizhou raised her hand to cover it, saying indifferently: "Stop looking. I ask you, are your wounds all healed?"

"Mm… still a bit painful, but it should recover in a day or two." Seeing Pei Ye withdrew his gaze and looked into the distance again, "Are we going out?"

"Mm, long time away from the Divine Capital, I miss it a bit."

"What are you doing next?"

"I'm going back to Zhu Jingdian." Li Xizhou said, "The injury looks stable, but I still need to recuperate for two days. There is also the Scale Blood test in twenty days. After that, I have to meet many people, so I need to make some preparations."

"Do you need help with this?"

"No need, there's nothing you can help with. I will arrange everything." Li Xizhou tidied her sleeves, stood up, and the hand Seeing Pei Ye had placed on her waist slid down, "What about you?"

"I'll go to the Immortal Platform to report for duty first." Seeing Pei Ye said, "After that, if there's nothing else, I want to stay at the Sword Academy for a while." Seeing Pei Ye said, "I haven't practiced sword for a long time, and there are only thirty days left until the Feather Scale Trial. I want to go up and fight to see if I can get into the top ten."

"Mm, go." Li Xizhou said, "There are no major events in the coming days, except for the Yan Prince's Mansion still needing to close the tail. You can practice sword quietly and rest. The Divine Capital is quite lively these days, you can also go make some friends."

"How to close the tail of this matter?"

"Wait until you finish reporting at the Immortal Platform, I will discuss it with Li Jian. We still have to see the Yan Prince's Mansion's follow-up… In short, once there is a result, we will inform you." Li Xizhou looked at him, "You go to the Immortal Platform first. I think Li Jian will have some things he wants to chat with you about."

"Mm, I know." Seeing Pei Ye had newly obtained 【White Water】 and had not yet lit the God Temple in the West Court Heart. Regarding the follow-up of this Immortal Authority, he also needed to ask Li Jian.

He thought for a moment, looking at the woman tidying her clothes beside him: "There is one more thing."

"What?"

"Those two Sword Masters who took action before… can I pay a visit?" Seeing Pei Ye rubbed his hands. For a long time, he only knew Miss Ming as a Ming Ming Jianzhu, but in just a few days, he had met two in succession.

Li Xizhou paused, looking at him: "You want me to introduce you."

"Is it possible?"

Li Xizhou smiled, continuing to tidy her sleeves: "Whether the 【Xiang Huang】 Ming Ming Jianzhu is willing depends on herself. You can ask her yourself in two days; I can make an appointment for you with the 【Flying Light】 Ming Ming Jianzhu, but his personality is unique. Whether you get his favor depends on yourself."

"I am best at catering to people's preferences and have always been liked."

Li Xizhou laughed: "Never seen someone so proud."

"Why, am I not liked by you?" Seeing Pei Ye looked up at her.

Li Xizhou rolled her eyes slightly and kicked him lightly.

"Remember one thing when you return to the palace." Seeing Pei Ye suddenly said, "The Bright Moon Old Palace, Jing Pool, etc., must not let anyone enter."

"…Mm." Li Xizhou nodded solemnly, "I know."

"I will also guard your Shark Palace here forever." Seeing Pei Ye smiled.

Li Xizhou also gave him a smile, turned around, swung lightly, and swam toward the lake surface.

Seeing Pei Ye watched her figure disappear from his field of vision, so the vast Mirage Realm was left with only him.

After a while, he stood up on the tree, quietly overlooking this vast and boundless world.

He raised his hand, and a rustling sound came from the branches above his head. A gorgeous and massive tiger head rubbed against his palm lightly.

…

Just past the Shen hour, the rain stopped completely, and even the wisps disappeared. The roof tiles first revealed their rough texture, and then the accumulated water on the ground mostly flowed away. The soil was a wet, new brown, and everything was clear as if just peeled.

After days of overcast rain, the Divine Capital finally welcomed its first sunny day. People walked out in surprise, praising each other, looking up at the long-lost azure sky.

The swordsmen by Longhu also celebrated with swords. Although strange celestial phenomena were liked by swordsmen, the continuous days of such weather indeed cast a layer of oppressive atmosphere over the entire Divine Capital. The clear sky made people feel comfortable from the heart.

Seeing Pei Ye walked up from the shore of Longhu. His sword was still dripping water, and his clothes were tattered.

He turned the scabbard upside down to drain the water, chose a stone to spread his clothes to dry, and leaned on the stone with his bare chest.

Long-lost air, carrying the smell of soil and grass. Seeing Pei Ye looked into the distance. A few figures were still gathered and sparring with swords. The sky was high and the clouds were light, and the earth had turned completely green.

The woman had left by carriage early, and at this time, she should have entered the palace. Seeing Pei Ye waited for a moment by the vast lake. The sound of galloping hooves came to his ears, and then stopped.

He raised his eyes to look. Zhu Gaoyang rode one horse and led another, looking down at him with a smile.

"…Why did you come?"

Seeing Pei Ye picked up his sword, put on his tattered clothes, and Zhu Gaoyang leaned over to hand him a hand. Seeing Pei Ye grabbed it and flipped onto the horse.

"I'm just idle." Zhu Gaoyang looked at him, "Heard that a hero was coming to receive credit, so I galloped out of the city with a horse."

Seeing Pei Ye smiled and sighed lightly: "Can't be called a hero. It was all the Princess's brilliant strategy, and I just acted as a thug."

Zhu Gaoyang patted his forearm: "When you told me that day, I thought you had entered the Mirage Realm several times and were affected by something. Only today did I know that the entire capital area was shrouded in confusing rain, and only you were awake."

"Remember it all now?"

"Remember it all." Zhu Gaoyang looked around, "Where is the Princess?"

"She left early and returned to the palace first."

"…Then why didn't she take you?"

"I have to report for duty at the Immortal Platform." Seeing Pei Ye said, "Otherwise, what did you come for?"

Zhu Gaoyang sighed lightly, looking at him meaningfully: "Since there is a carriage, wouldn't it be appropriate to take you to the Immortal Platform, yet she left you waiting here."

Seeing Pei Ye was strange: "Going to the Immortal Platform and going to the palace are not on the same route, what's appropriate? She wants to return to the palace to rest, and I have things to do at the Immortal Platform, so we separated."

"I mean, perhaps she didn't take you to heart."

"…You think too much."

Zhu Gaoyang shook his head and said no more, smiling: "Then after some time, when Princess Jinyang becomes the Crown Princess, and is sought after by ten thousand families in the Divine Capital, and is in the prime of her power, I don't know how many talents will join her command. Don't come find me to drink because you were left out in the cold, Young Master Pei."

Seeing Pei Ye was silent for a while and glanced at him: "Brother Zhu, have you ever had a love affair with a woman?"

"…Ah?"

Seeing Pei Ye looked at him.

"I have… whether I have or not, I'm ten years older than you, I've seen a lot."

"Have you or not?"

"Your Sister Xing Zhi?"

"Just Sister Xing Zhi?"

Zhu Gaoyang narrowed his sword eyes: "What is 'just Sister Xing Zhi'? How many do you want? I've known your Sister Xing Zhi since I was a child… anyway, I haven't had much chance to know anyone else later."

Seeing Pei Ye was silent for a moment and sighed lightly: "Brother Zhu, I don't understand. You don't understand but think you do. It was my fault for being deceived by you before. Let's not talk about this topic anymore."

Zhu Gaoyang frowned greatly, unhappy: "What don't understand but think you do? Shang Lang had a situation before, it was always me giving advice. You just didn't understand it."

"Is that so? Then did Brother Shang Lang succeed?"

"…"

Seeing Pei Ye looked at him.

"Didn't succeed."

"Mm."

"…"

The two horses galloped. Along the way, Zhu Gaoyang was clearly unconvinced, but the two indeed didn't discuss this topic again.

After entering the city, the youth's tattered clothes received—

quite a few gazes. Seeing Pei Ye wasn't shy. They looked at him, and he looked at them. Just from the street, one could tell that there were many outsiders. Many were not in the style of the Divine Capital. They had arrived in the capital about a month ago, and were all curiously looking at this strange person galloping into the city.

Some who recognized Zhu Gaoyang shouted loudly.

Only then did Seeing Pei Ye realize the intensity of the atmosphere in the Divine Capital, which was indeed different from when he left. The whole city was probably in an excitement waiting for the Feather Scale Trial, and at the same time, countless famous Jianghu scholars from all over the world were pouring in, with countless new information mixed in, although they didn't drown out the old ones, they were pushed to the back.

He realized this because no one recognized him.

In the New Year after the Vermilion Bird Sword Gamble, Seeing Pei Ye's name was everywhere in the Divine Capital. Now riding through the street, no one recognized him.

The two dismounted in front of the Immortal Platform and went straight to the top of the West Tower.

Seeing Pei Ye came to the Immortal Platform mainly to do two things. First, as a Crane Inspector, he left the capital when Zhang Siche entrusted the case to him. Now that the case is closed, he should return to his free body; second, he must meet Li Jian. On the day he asked about entering 【Life Dog】, the Platform Master made two requests. Now that he has obtained 【White Water】, the West Court Heart should be considered truly dominated by him, and the so-called "Gift of the Queen Mother of the West" is also complete.

Zhu Gaoyang climbed the steps beside him, but stopped at the corridor.

Seeing Pei Ye looked back.

He signaled: "The Vice Minister is inside, go yourself."

Seeing Pei Ye was puzzled: "Are you not going?"

"I already reported everything two days ago." Zhu Gaoyang said indifferently, "No need to go again."

Seeing Pei Ye thought that many things were done by both of them. Wouldn't it be more appropriate for you to be there… then he suddenly remembered something.

He looked at the man somewhat guiltily: "The Vice Minister… is he not giving you a good face?"

Zhu Gaoyang was stunned, and his eyebrows stood up: "So even you know!"

"…Ah, is, is it because of what?"

Zhu Gaoyang whispered: "A few days ago, I came to this building to report for duty. Zhang Siche had a cold face and cold eyes the whole time. I thought someone had just provoked him. I never expected that after everything was finished, he suddenly asked me—'Do you often use my name outside?'"

"…This, how did this happen?"

"Exactly! I only used his name once when I was on an external mission in a remote place like Xincang. How did he know?"

"Indeed, indeed strange…" Seeing Pei Ye looked back, already wanting to go report for duty quickly—he really regretted why he had to ask one more question just now.

"It must be Shang Lang's mouth!"

"Hm… ah?"

"You don't know, there are no secrets in Shang Lang's mouth. Whatever he knows, everyone knows." Zhu Gaoyang glanced at him, hating: "You must remember not to tell him any secrets—I've been too busy to see him these days. When I see him, I'll make him look good."

Seeing Pei Ye felt ashamed in his heart, not daring to show it on his face, and sighed: "I think Brother Shang didn't mean it."

Zhu Gaoyang sneered: "He wouldn't dare to mean it."

Seeing Pei Ye didn't dare to answer, turned around and passed the corridor, and entered Zhang Siche's public office.

"Vice Minister Zhang, Chief Clerk Fu." 【734-10

Seeing Pei Ye dared not continue the conversation, turned, walked through the corridor, and entered Zhang Siche's office.

"Inspector Zhang, Senior Clerk Fu."

"Inspector Pei, long time no see. The Academy has been very concerned about you these days."

"Thank you for your concern, Inspector. Seeing Pei Ye is unharmed."

Zhang Siche waved his hand: "It's not entirely out of concern for you; it's mainly because these several cases are all tied to you. If you couldn't return, everything would be over."

"... I've returned."

"It's good that you're back." Zhang Siche smiled slightly and signaled to Fu Zaiting: "Inspector Pei, please."

Seeing Pei Ye recounted the events in detail, handing over three cases in total. They were indeed nested, starting from the assassination of the Laoshui Envoy, which led to the case of destroying the Mirage City, and then from the Mirage City case, it led to the 【White Water】 link. The young man's figure was indeed present in all three cases.

Zhang Siche filed and sealed these, sighing with a smile: "Now, the capture of the Mirage City mastermind has not yet been settled. After all the cases are closed, Inspector Pei can be listed as 'Grade B' for this merit."

The so-called mastermind not yet caught naturally refers to what Li Jian said before leaving the capital: the Immortal Platform notifying all offices to sweep away the Mirage City.

For several days, all offices had sent letters asking to close the cases, but the Immortal Platform had rejected them all. Now that Yongji was not dead, this matter was still in the hands of the Immortal Platform.

Seeing Pei Ye nodded, writing letters and stamping seals for the case files one by one, which could be considered handing over all his duties.

Zhang Siche said: "Inspector Pei, please go to the Star-Gazing Platform; the Platform Master is waiting."

"Alright."

Afterward, he bid farewell to the two and pushed the door open to leave.

Yet he heard Zhang Siche say calmly: "By the way, call Zhu Gaoyang from outside in."

Seeing Pei Ye walked out the door and met Zhu Gaoyang's pale face.

He patted the man's shoulder comfortingly and walked downstairs.

When he reached the Star-Gazing Platform, the sky had just turned dim, the white moon hung faintly, and faint stars were dotted in the night sky.

Seeing Pei Ye walked into the high, vast dome room and saw Li Jian standing before the desk writing something, with a black cat like a dumpling lying beside his hand.

Seeing Pei Ye walked up quickly and picked it up: "Little cat, I missed you to death."