Han Xi Clears the Doubts, After the War

"I encountered a cyborg that day, his speed..."

Qin Annian recounted what happened that night, and finally asked with some confusion:

"That state was truly miraculous."

At this moment.

Han Xi set down her water glass, propped her cheek with her hand, and tilted her head to look at Qin Annian.

Uh.

Qin Annian's eyebrows twitched, and he asked in confusion:

"Why are you looking at me like I'm an alien?"

Han Xi's slightly husky voice rang out, with a rare hint of uncertainty in her tone:

"Are you really not an alien?"

Hearing this, Qin Annian fell silent.

"There are four paths in mental power cultivation. After entering the threshold, they correspond to the four realms of Human World, Free and Easy Wandering, Master of Nourishing Life, and Ascended Immortal, none of which are superior to the others."

Han Xi's voice was pleasant, with little emotional fluctuation, clear and crisp, yet because of that husky quality, the ends of her words seemed to carry a hint of laziness.

"The state you described is Free and Easy Wandering."

Free and Easy Wandering?

Qin Annian straightened his posture, waiting for Han Xi to continue her explanation.

"If one can ride the truth of heaven and earth, control the changes of the six qi, and roam the infinite, what would one need to rely on?"

"It means seeing through the mortal world, keeping one's heart beyond the clouds, so that no myriad changes can obscure one's own mind, and one can even predict the opponent's next move in advance."

Qin Annian nodded silently; at that time, he had indeed been able to see through the cyborg's next moves.

He had initially thought it was due to his consciousness as a Grandmaster of martial arts, but he felt that wasn't quite right. Now it seemed there was indeed a difference.

"However."

"You are only nineteen."

"Have you really already seen through the mortal world?"

Han Xi remained with her face tilted, her eyes like bright moons carefully examining Qin Annian.

"Thinking back now, when I first asked you to marry me."

"You really did seem like you had seen through the mortal world, with no emotional fluctuations in your heart."

"A Grandmaster's temperament shouldn't affect one's emotions."

Qin Annian pursed his lips and changed the subject:

"I'm not even sure now if I can enter that state again."

Han Xi let go of her face, gripped her right elbow with her left hand, and stretched:

"So you really aren't an alien?"

"This is the first time I've heard of someone who entered the threshold being unable to enter it again."

Qin Annian shrugged his shoulders, a thought suddenly occurring to him:

"Is there anyone who walks two paths at the same time?"

Han Xi placed her cup on the table, tossed away the empty nutrition bar wrapper, and shook her head:

"A person cannot simultaneously possess youth and the perception of youth."

"For someone who has seen through the mortal world, the rolling red dust of life will no longer serve to temper them."

"Flowers may bloom again, but a person never returns to their youth."

"Unless."

"A person can experience two completely different lives at the same time."

Qin Annian nodded in "sudden realization" to show he understood.

"It's your turn to take out the trash today."

After rinsing and putting away the cups on the table, Qin Annian picked up the sorted trash bags and went downstairs.

"Two lives?"

"Walking two paths at the same time?"

He pondered this as he reached the ground floor.

The night sky above the Universe Tower was bright with stars, free from any light pollution from neon signs.

The surroundings were lush with greenery, and the air was exceptionally fresh.

"It feels just like a dream!"

"Was it Zhuang Zhou dreaming of a butterfly, or the butterfly dreaming of Zhuang Zhou?"

The confusion born in his heart was crushed in an instant. Qin Annian clenched his fists and said to himself:

"No matter what!"

"In this life, I will reach the stars above!"

I will go and see the scenery of the Martial Gods!

As for the matter of his mental state, since he couldn't figure it out, he would set it aside for now.

"Next."

"The focus must be on the Hundred Cities Tournament."

Qin Annian believed that Zhang Qifeng would not go back on his word and would help him secure a spot in the Hundred Cities Tournament.

On the way home, Qin Annian opened the internal forum of the Security Bureau.

"Since Han Xi said the matter is over."

"Some information should have leaked out on the forum."

Qin Annian searched for the keyword "Zhao Daming". He did not consider himself a magnanimous person.

Naturally, he was very concerned about the fate of the mole who had wanted his life.

It didn't take long for Qin Annian to find relevant content.

[Former Peace Officer Zhao Daming, having colluded with outsiders, engaged in corruption and dereliction of duty, will likely spend the rest of his life in prison.]

He deserved it.

Qin Annian continued to scroll through the screen, reading the various rumors under the post.

"I heard Zhao Daming colluded with people from Lingyun Pharmaceuticals to traffic people for their human experiments. That takes some serious guts!"

"It's not as serious as the rumors say. It's just that someone from Lingyun Pharmaceuticals stuffed money into his pockets to let him provide convenience within his power."

"To turn a blind eye to those criminal acts."

"Tsk!"

"Regardless, he deserved what he got."

"That's true."

"But who would have thought that the temp under Zhao Daming would soar to such heights now!"

"Hiss!"

"Based on the merits he earned, he's already qualified to be promoted to a Tier 1 Senior Peace Officer!"

"He doesn't have the years yet. We Peace Officers have to grind for seniority."

"That's enough, though. Even if he just lies flat and does nothing from now on, he'll be promoted once his time is up, not to mention he has plenty of points! Oh, and he also has extra bonuses!"

"Among us Peace Officers, after this great battle, no one has more bonuses than him, right?"

In an instant.

The thread was filled with envious emojis.

"He took down Xu Laosan and Ge Qingwang single-handedly, then caught the Cultivation Holders Association in the act, giving the Bureau a reason to deploy troops. Later, he broke into the Iron Rod Gang alone and fought his way out from the siege of so many people!"

These were the achievements known to everyone; the battles against Ghost Blade, the cyborgs, and others had not yet spread.

But it was already "dazzling" enough!

"Everyone, remember he only became a full-time officer not long ago!"

"I think it would be tough for any of you to achieve even one of these in ten years!"

"Pfft! You're the same!"

Qin Annian continued to search for the keyword "Lingyun Pharmaceuticals".

The results all pointed to a laboratory supervisor at Lingyun Pharmaceuticals who had conducted illegal human experiments to develop a drug and had now been arrested by the Security Bureau.

"However."

"How could a laboratory supervisor have such great authority?"

There were voices of doubt under the relevant posts as well.

"Those who know, know."

"Didn't you see the news?"

"Lingyun Pharmaceuticals has set up a fund of 100 million Federation Credits to be invested in the renovation of the Old District."

"100 million Federation Credits!"

"That really is an exaggerated, astronomical figure!"

"And Lingyun Pharmaceuticals has also provided our Security Bureau with a batch of the latest drugs."

"Right!"

"Speaking of which, rumor has it that the upcoming 'awards for merit' will also feature this new batch of serums as rewards, right?"

"They really are throwing money around!"

"As for those families that acted as umbrellas for the Cultivation Holders Association, they have already been uprooted by the City Government."

"All of their assets have been confiscated by the City Government."

"The disparity, it really is..."

Qin Annian locked his Personal Terminal and rubbed his chin, lost in thought for a moment.

"The latest type of serum, huh?"

"As expected of a behemoth of the Federation; even in a war of this scale, some people still manage to cut off their tails to survive."