Chapter 157 Pingyu eats breakfast...

Pingyu finished his breakfast and rested his forehead on the back of the seat in front of him.

Whether it was from the exhaustion of dealing with Ajarn or from Nezha's departure, she seemed somewhat delirious. The plastic bag Lingquan handed her was warm, and the lingering warmth of his fingers made her mistakenly believe that Nezha was still there. Pingyu subconsciously reached out to the side, only to find her hand empty. She tucked her fingers into her seat and quietly pulled her arm back. Lingquan saw this through the rearview mirror and, intending to distract her, joked, "Do you know you're going to be a government employee before you even take the college entrance exam?"

Pingyu asked, "Can I be admitted to university without taking the entrance exam?"

Ling Quan: "Of course not."

Pingyu fell silent, continuing to be a silent stone.

The conversation that had just begun was nipped in the bud, and Ling Quan's brow twitched slightly. Taking advantage of a red light, she turned around and asked, "I said, weren't you quite interested in our department when we first met? Now that we're actually going to visit in person, why are you not reacting at all?"

"Distance makes the heart grow fonder," Pingyu replied listlessly. "Sister, I'm in a long-distance relationship with my boyfriend right now, I need to take a break."

"Isn't it said that distance makes the heart grow fonder?"

Pingyu, like a half-dead salted fish, turned his head from left to right: "It wouldn't look good on me."

Haha, she's a hypocrite.

Seeing that the girl's emotions were indeed quite stable, Ling Quan didn't say anything more. She didn't play any music, but simply lowered both side windows a crack. The wind whistled and whistled through the car. Ping Yu listened to these sounds, unsure of his own thoughts.

She had just separated from Nezha and didn't really feel like it was happening.

They spent those years cultivating with Lu Ya in the same way. Unable to see or touch each other, they could only imagine that they were still by each other's side by constantly chanting that name in their hearts. From the time she confirmed her relationship with Nezha until now, time has passed too quickly. Several months have passed in the blink of an eye, and the opening and closing of the Gates of Hell felt like child's play, an absurd dream that she kept opening and closing her eyes.

Sitting in the soft leather seat, I looked out at the endless stream of cars. Nezha had left too quickly, leaving too many afterimages around her that wouldn't disappear anytime soon.

After driving through several streets, Lingquan parked his car on the side of the road.

The sound of brakes screech followed by the sound of a door being pulled open and closed. The woman knocked on her window, and Ping Yu reluctantly looked up. Ling Quan, peering through the gray window, had an unlit cigarette in her mouth. She pointed her thumb behind her and said:

"I have something to do, wait for me a moment."

"good."

Pingyu nodded and watched the other person leave.

She stood there in a daze for a while, then suddenly jolted awake. Pingyu slapped her face hard, realizing she couldn't continue like this. She took out her phone, intending to scroll through some short videos to distract herself. But as soon as the video started, she heard a loud noise outside the window.

Ping Yu had a bad feeling and had to put down his phone and look outside.

The person who fell to the ground appeared to be a middle-aged man.

He wore sunglasses and held a white cane. Ping Yu looked down and saw that the man had fallen right on the uneven tactile paving. His cane had been flung aside by the fall and slid into a row of haphazardly arranged tables and chairs. Several men in vests stood in front of the blind man, their faces grim. Instead of helping him, they put the tables and chairs he had knocked aside back in their original positions.

On weekdays, there are fewer people and more vehicles.

Seeing that there was indeed no one to help him, Ping Yu could only sigh, open the door, and get out of the car.

At that moment, the blind man was groping around aimlessly. As he leaned forward, his fingertips touched a pair of warm hands. The blind man was startled and stared blankly ahead at the empty space. Ping Yu was on his left, speaking softly, "Uncle, let's walk carefully."

Upon hearing that a kind-hearted girl had helped him, the blind man hurriedly said, "Thank you, young lady!"

“It’s alright,” Pingyu bent down to help him pick up his cane. “Where are you going? I’ll take you there.”

She grabbed the cane, about to pick it up.

The next second, they found that the sticks were stuck and couldn't be moved.

Pingyu shifted her gaze forward and saw a foot resting on the cane. She didn't react, but simply said, "Could you please lift your foot?"

The other party was one of those men in T-shirts with unfriendly expressions.

He joked, "Little sister, we still have things to do with him. Don't meddle in other people's business. Go somewhere cool. If you're still hot, you can go to the uncles' shop to get something to eat and enjoy the fan."

What business do you have with this uncle?

"This blind man fell right in front of our shop, bringing us all our good fortune."

"Then what?"

"Just, can you treat us to a meal?"

Pingyu glanced to the side.

This street is an old residential area with an aging population. After sending their grandchildren to school, the grandparents stay home to do housework, which is why the street seems deserted. The area marked by these tables and chairs belongs to several row of food stalls. No one would come to these stalls for breakfast so early in the morning; the idea that the blind man's fall brought bad luck is utterly absurd.

Seeing that Pingyu hadn't responded for a while, the group assumed the pretty young girl had been scared away. They were just about to concoct a few more mischievous remarks when they suddenly heard a sigh: "Sigh..."

Ping Yu exhaled a breath of stale air.

Several people: "You..."

Before he could finish speaking, the person who had stepped on the white cane felt dizzy and fell face-first into the mud. Everyone was startled by this sudden turn of events; even a few passersby turned to look, curiously stopping to watch. As more people gathered, the remaining men finally reacted. They quickly helped their companion up from the chair, asking slurredly, "Old Wang, are you alright?"

"damn it……"

Old Wang was stunned by the pain and spat on the ground. Ping Yu apologized calmly, "I'm sorry, boss, I used a bit too much force. Are you alright?" Her insincerity was practically overflowing. That "Are you alright?" sounded almost regretful. Old Wang jumped up angrily, but Ping Yu shoved the cane back into the blind man's hand and continued, "Uncle, everything's ready. Let's go."

Knowing he had caused trouble, the blind man dared not move forward. He shook his head at Pingyu, urging her to leave quickly. Old Wang, having lost face, was unable to control his emotions. He grabbed the ashtray from the table and began to approach Pingyu step by step.

Although Pingyu has lost his magical powers, he still retains his physical skills.

She approached him, calmly observing the glass ashtray in his hand. It was as if it weren't a solid object, but merely a crumpled piece of plastic. Old Wang was a former hoodlum who had come ashore, a bully who preyed on the weak and feared the strong; harassing little girls passing by was his old trade. Seeing Ping Yu's fearlessness, his anger flared even more: "Little sister, if you move aside, I won't bother with you. If you still don't know what's good for you, I'll teach you a lesson for your father."

Pingyu calmly pulled out a chair and helped the blind man up, then took the cane from his hand again. "Uncle, could you lend me that again?" she said, pointing the cane at Old Wang as if teasing a dog.

"Damn it!"

Seeing that she wouldn't give up until she suffered, Old Wang's evil intentions were also aroused. He swung the ashtray straight down at Pingyu, as sharp as a knife.

The white cane was held upright and tossed lightly into the air by Ping Yu. With a flick of her toe, she struck the man's wrist on acupoint. He didn't even feel pain, only a tingling sensation in his fingers, and unconsciously let go. The salt jar smashed on the ground, exploding like fireworks. A moment of silence followed, which became the clarion call for battle.

Old Wang covered his hand and cursed. The remaining men hesitated for a moment before swarming forward. Ping Yu wielded the stick, swinging it so fast it was almost a blur. She struck people in the abdomen, legs, hands, and buttocks; soon, a group of people lay dead beside her. Ping Yu released the stick and instinctively walked towards Old Wang. She was always forgiving, but if someone was ungrateful, Ping Yu wouldn't be polite to her. The young woman had a pretty face, but her features were distorted, and her eyes held a sinister edge.

Looking at her face, Old Wang felt as if he were seeing a tiger that had wandered into the city.

The boss he followed when he was hanging out on the streets had also killed people; people who have taken lives have a different look in their eyes.

In Ping Yu's eyes, he had become a fish thrown onto a chopping board, and the girl, even empty-handed, seemed to wield a knife, capable of slicing his head open with a single blow.

"Grandma, Grandma...!"

Old Wang retreated, only to find himself with nowhere to go. Tables and chairs he had set up himself were everywhere, blocking the tactile paving for the visually impaired and thus his own path to survival. Old Wang could only kneel on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly to Ping Yu. He clasped his hands together, worshipping her as if she were a Buddha, desperately hoping she would lay down her weapons: "Please spare me, I'll never do it again. Please forgive me this time!"

We cannot let this opportunity slip by.

Pingyu heard this voice in his mind.

A gasp rippled through the crowd, followed by Old Wang's agonizing scream. But the expected pain didn't come. He opened his eyes and saw another figure appear behind the girl.

"Grandma, let's stop," Ling Quan's voice rang out like a bell, bringing Ping Yu back to her senses. She dazedly withdrew her hand and turned to look at Ling Quan. The woman wore a bitter smile, but her eyes held a serious expression. She seemed unsure why the seemingly law-abiding Ping Yu had committed such a violent act. She then suggested, "In a society governed by law, how about we leave it to Uncle Hat?"

Upon hearing this, Pingyu looked around blankly. All the vegetation that had grown wildly in her sight collapsed, withering rapidly and becoming colossal concrete structures standing upright on the flat surface. On the modern concrete road, everyone walked proudly in the sunlight. There were no longer ragged or even naked slaves, crawling on the ground like livestock, dragging their masters along.

Pingyu remained silent for a moment, then withdrew her hand from Lingquan's grasp. She picked up the white cane again and handed it back to the frightened blind man. Pingyu silently helped him up until he crossed the road before returning to the spot. With Pingyu's presence as a deterrent, the thugs dared not cause further trouble. The onlookers dispersed, leaving only crooked tables and chairs. Lingquan helped Pingyu move them aside, clearing the tactile paving for the visually impaired.

Then they returned to the car.

The car started, the engine humming. Amidst the loud noise, Ping Yu whispered, "I'm sorry."

The voice reached Ling Quan's ears, and she was somewhat surprised. The woman wanted to ask Ping Yu what had happened, but didn't know how to ask. She could only take advantage of the red light to scratch her hair and say, "It's nothing, they deserved it."

"Um."

After that, they remained silent the entire way.

Returning from the Shang Dynasty to the present, what had just happened made Pingyu realize that she wasn't truly prepared. Her soul had experienced two lifetimes, each spanning decades, her personality divided into two dynasties. When Nezha was present, she used restraining his behavior as an anchor. Now that Nezha was gone, no one could prove her existence in those past lives. Only unseen wounds remained, along with an ingrained bloodlust.

She slowly shrank back, hiding in a corner of her seat.

The scenery outside the car window gradually changed as Ling Quan drove along the same route. Two and a half hours later, from the city to the suburbs, they entered a tourist town. When Ping Yu got out of the car, he wondered if Ling Quan had taken the wrong turn. This was the city's earliest antique-style park, initially incredibly popular, but with the rise of traditional Chinese style and the construction of countless ancient-style streets, it gradually fell into disrepair, leaving only a garden full of starch sausages and Sichuan-style boiled chicken.

Are you sure this is it?

Ping Yu was puzzled.

"Hmm," seeing Ping Yu finally show a different reaction, Ling Quan's mood improved somewhat. The woman took Ping Yu's hand and led her through a series of alleyways, finally stopping in front of a guesthouse. This was an unoccupied guesthouse, and the elevator required a card to access.

She placed her cardholder on the wall, and the narrow space immediately began to stir. Beams of light extended from the swipe that activated, gradually dismantling the entire elevator. Then, all the beams converged on the ground, forming a complex Bagua diagram. Ling Quan grabbed Ping Yu's hand, "Hold on tight." In the blink of an eye, the elevator blazed with intense light, engulfing the two of them. A strong wind whipped at their faces, forcing Ping Yu to squint. She instinctively shielded her eyes with her arm until Ling Quan spoke again, "We're here, let's go."

He recovered and regained his sight.

They are now on a stone slab, carved in the shape of a lotus flower, with the two of them in the stamen.

Ping Yu looked around; the area was lush with vegetation and brimming with spiritual energy. If one looked into the distance, one could see thick fog gathering at the edge of the region.

"Where is this?" she asked.

"Penglai," Ling Quan explained as they walked, "Our Bureau 749 possesses the most comprehensive knowledge of cultivation in current human civilization. Whether it's Taoists, shamans, Gu practitioners, corpse drivers, supernatural beings, or even demons, they all serve here."

"That sounds so mysterious."

"What do you mean 'sounds'? We're already mysterious enough, okay?"

“But you guys still got known by ordinary people, didn’t you?” Ping Yu bluntly retorted, “Isn’t this all written in online novels?”

"Hmm?" Ling Quan chuckled. "You don't understand, do you? We have a dedicated online literature department."

Pingyu: ?

The woman looked on with a "you're dumbfounded" expression, then explained smugly, "Although the world is currently spiritually depleted, with the end-of-days prophecy of Mara about to pass, the time for the revival of spiritual energy is not far off. To avoid causing too much panic when the supernatural is revealed in the future, we have specially established an online literature department to gradually introduce these things to the public in the form of literary media. Just like how the higher-ups declassified the third kind of contact."

Wow, that's very convincing!

Now that she thinks about it, she vaguely remembers that before she transmigrated, major digital media outlets were constantly pushing out news about encounters between immortal cultivation and extraterrestrials. Could it be that after the spiritual energy revival, it really is a matter of cultivation techniques versus laser cannons?

Ping Yuguang couldn't help but shudder at the thought of that scene.

This is too surreal.

"Since your organization doesn't disclose information to the public in principle, how do you recruit these talented individuals?"

Ling Quan: "People in this era have no privacy; all their actions are under the watchful eye of the heavens, leaving them nowhere to hide. What's more, most people with a bit of ability like to pretend to be influential on the internet, so finding someone is a piece of cake, isn't it?"

"Then how about recruiting?" Since ancient times, people with special abilities have been more inclined to establish their own kingdoms than to work for the public. "We can't expect everyone to come as soon as they hear that they can be hired."

Mentioning this, Ling Quan clasped her hands together with a "slap." Her face was full of longing, and she even managed to squeeze out a charming expression on her otherwise strong face. Ling Quan said excitedly, "Of course, it's because of our big sister!"

"Big Sister?"

What a dog-eat-dog survival philosophy!

Just as Ping Yu was about to speak, he heard a gentle female voice drifting over from not far away: "Xiao Ling, I'm not that fierce. Don't scare us girls."

Ling Quan jumped to his feet like a puppy seeing its owner. Ping Yu even saw a virtual tail wagging behind Ling Quan like a propeller. The newcomer's voice was soft and ethereal, and Ping Yu felt a strange sense of familiarity about it.

While Ling Quan was greeting someone, she quietly turned around to look, but the moment she saw the face on the ground, she froze on the spot.

"you......"

Ping Yu murmured, rubbing his eyes hard: "What are you doing here...!?"

The woman raised her hand and waved, her eyes crinkling: "Long time no see, green grapes."

It is a demon.

She had changed drastically. She now had short, ear-length hair, wore comfortable loungewear, and a necklace that looked like animal teeth. No wonder all the defiant ones had surrendered; who could possibly defeat the Heavenly Maiden Ba, who single-handedly challenged the Wind God and Rain Master!

Pingyu's eyes suddenly lit up.

Ling Quan glanced at the time and called to Ping Yu, "We should go; the director is waiting for us."

As soon as he finished speaking, the girl beside him disappeared.

Where are they?

Ling Quan's heart skipped a beat.

She had witnessed this young lady's abilities firsthand; if a real fight broke out, probably only those at the top could stop her. Ling Quan wanted to ask Ba for help, but the girl was already in front of her.

Under Ba's surprised gaze, Ping Yu took her hand and said urgently, "Ba, could you please take me back to the Prince's Temple?"