Ye Qingxuan politely declined Wei Datong and the others' proposal to head straight to Drunken Immortal Tower to celebrate. He only said that something had come up at home and that he would go back first. He strode with the wind at his heels, the long blade at his waist lightly tapping against his thigh with every step and giving off a deep, steady thud.
The streets and alleys of the Southern District still looked the same, but the gazes cast at him by the neighbors were completely different.
In the past, they had looked at Ye Qingxuan as a poor, lonely youth burdened by his father's debts and struggling desperately to survive. Today, they saw a man of the law dressed in the black uniform of the Fengtian Division, an official blade hanging at his waist.
That black uniform and that blade formed an invisible barrier, completely separating him from his former identity.
Ye Qingxuan pushed open the courtyard gate, which had been hastily patched together with wooden boards. With a creak, Ye Caiwei, who had been sweeping the courtyard, looked up.
The little girl froze at first. Then her large eyes locked firmly onto Ye Qingxuan. Her small mouth fell slightly open as she stared at the brand-new black uniform and the long blade she had never seen before. Her tiny body seemed at a loss.
"Big brother... what's this..."
Ye Qingxuan walked over, removed the blade at his waist, and carefully propped it against the wall. Only then did he crouch down and meet his sister's gaze.
"Nannan, big brother is now an official constable of the Fengtian Division."
Ye Caiwei extended a small hand and cautiously touched the Flying Fish Emblem embroidered on his sleeve. Then she touched the Black Iron Waist Token at his waist.