Regardless of the uproar caused by the new Martial Artist ranking system released by the Martial Arts Association, three days later, Zhou Yuanjue finished adjusting his condition. He had Ning Muqing finalize their preparations and itinerary, and then he was ready to set off for Shangjing Prefecture.
Before leaving, he had wanted to bid farewell to Feng Xun, but the old man was still in seclusion, so Zhou Yuanjue decided not to disturb him. The Secret Inspection Bureau's Guardians across Donghua played a crucial role and could not leave their posts without reason. Therefore, Feng Xun would not be attending the Martial Arts Association's founding ceremony.
Zhou Yuanjue and Ning Muqing concluded their trip to the Northern Three Prefectures and left Songyang City. This ti, they weren't on a comrcial airliner but a private jet from the Secret Inspection Bureau. Since the matter with the Northern Martial Alliance was completely resolved, there was no longer a need to feign secrecy.
About an hour later, the plane landed at the airstrip of the Secret Inspection Bureau Headquarters. After they disembarked, a group of high-ranking Secret Inspection Bureau officials were waiting for them as usual. These people were as tactful as ever. They exchanged a few customary pleasantries, expressed their welco to make an appearance, and then quickly took their leave. They managed to seem enthusiastic without being a bother.
"You're here. Co to Zixiao Mountain."
After sending off the welcoming committee of high-ranking officials, he and Ning Muqing were about to go drop off their luggage when a ssage suddenly reached Zhou Yuanjue.
It was a fluctuation generated in his vicinity by a unique magnetic field, which his keen Perception Power imdiately caught.
The mont he perceived the ssage, Zhou Yuanjue knew who had sent it.
Within Shangjing Prefecture, only the Chief Commissioner was capable of such a feat.
"You've gotten stronger."
With a sowhat surprised expression, Zhou Yuanjue vibrated his own magnetic field in response. The last ti he ca to Shangjing, he had also received a special magnetic field ssage from the Chief Commissioner, but back then, the signal had been extrely faint and intermittent, like an old man on his deathbed, ready to kick the bucket at any mont.
But now, the ssage was clear and stable, no longer on the verge of disappearing at any second. This ant the Chief Commissioner's power had grown much stronger.
"My power originates from this country, from this land. The recent changes in Donghua have strengthened the 'National Fortune,' so I have benefited as well."
"However, it's not just because I've gotten stronger. More importantly, you have beco far more powerful, more sensitive to magnetic fields, and your control is more refined. Otherwise, communicating across this distance wouldn't be so easy."
The Chief Commissioner's ssage ca through the magnetic field.
"True. A good transmitter needs a good receiver."
"By the way, what did you need for?"
Zhou Yuanjue nodded and replied.
"Let's talk in person. So old friends are waiting for you. Long-distance ssaging consus too much energy, so it's not convenient to say more. That's all for now."
After the Chief Commissioner's reply, Zhou Yuanjue felt the strange, pervasive magnetic field gradually dissipate as the area returned to normal.
'It consus too much energy, yet you still use this thod to send ssages? Do I not have a phone? Or did I forget to pay my bill?'
Zhou Yuanjue shook his head. 'So old, yet he still loves to show off like this.'
"What are you doing? Aren't you coming?"
Just then, Ning Muqing, who had already carried the luggage to the sedan, turned around and noticed Zhou Yuanjue was still standing frozen in place. She looked at him quizzically and asked.
"Nothing, just chatting."
Zhou Yuanjue snapped out of it. Clearly replying to the Chief Commissioner's "ssage" required precise magnetic field manipulation. While concentrating, he had forgotten to keep walking.
"Chatting? Don't I have your phone?"
Ning Muqing gave Zhou Yuanjue a suspicious look. The guy usually couldn't even be bothered to carry his phone; she was typically the one who held onto it for him.
'No phone? What's he chatting with? Is he ssing with ?'
"Who says you need a phone to chat?"
Zhou Yuanjue pointed to his own head.
"Alright, you win."
Ning Muqing rolled her eyes, thinking Zhou Yuanjue was telling her another one of his deadpan jokes. She played along with a couple of fake laughs.
Zhou Yuanjue, his expression unchanged, got into the car.
"Let's not drop off the luggage. Head straight to Zixiao Mountain."
Zhou Yuanjue said to Ning Muqing.
"In such a hurry?"
Ning Muqing asked, a little surprised.
"I hear so old friends are waiting for ."
Zhou Yuanjue said with a hint of interest.
Ning Muqing didn't ask any more questions. She just nodded, started the car, and sped toward Zixiao Mountain.
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Half an hour later, at the base of Zixiao Mountain, Ning Muqing stopped the car at the entrance to the restricted area. Sensing it was a little too quiet in the back seat, she turned to look.
Sure enough, it was empty. He was gone.
Ning Muqing sighed, opened the door, and got out. A familiar middle-aged man walked over—it was the sa man who had received her when she and Zhou Yuanjue first ca to Zixiao Mountain.
The middle-aged man glanced at the empty back seat and understood imdiately. He chuckled and said to Ning Muqing, "Co, co, let's go have so tea. I have a few friends to introduce you to this ti. It'll be convenient to stay in touch in the future."
"Friends?"
Puzzled, Ning Muqing followed the man toward the guard post's tea room. Only then did she notice four or five cars parked in a small lot next to the gate. None of them had the special license plates for the restricted area; they were all outside vehicles.
When the man led her into the tea room, she saw four or five people already sitting inside, chatting idly.
Seeing Ning Muqing enter, the group imdiately stopped their conversation and turned to look at her.
"This is the assistant to the new Saint Awakening. You can all get to know each other."
the middle-aged man said to the others with a smile.
From their postures and auras, Ning Muqing could sense the imnse strength they each possessed.
Seeing these people, and recalling the cars at the gate and how Zhou Yuanjue had ntioned eting so "old friends," Ning Muqing suddenly understood.
"You... don't tell your car also reached the gate, and then the person just... disappeared?"
The question slipped out as if by a will of its own. The mont the words left her mouth, she regretted it, feeling she had misspoken.
After hearing this, the others exchanged a look. Then, to Ning Muqing's surprise, they all nodded one after another.
'What kind of people are these? Do Saint Awakening masters just not use the front gate?'
Ning Muqing's mouth fell open as if she'd been struck by lightning. 'So it's not just who gets this treatnt.'
anwhile, Zhou Yuanjue had swiftly ascended to the Zixiao Mountain Peak and arrived at the courtyard where the Chief Commissioner resided.
Even before he entered the gate, his eyes narrowed.
High above the courtyard, several incredibly imnse auras billowed upward, scrambling the surrounding magnetic field. This caused patches of multicolored light to materialize in the air, resembling the auspicious glows of myth and legend. It was as if Immortal Gods were holding a gathering within the courtyard, causing these blessed signs to appear.
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