"Yes."
Captain Huang's eyes lit up with excitement.
If the Minister, a cultivator at the peak of Foundation Establishment, took an interest — then Liang Xiao's safety would be guaranteed.
At least within Changlin City, there would be no one who could touch him.
Soon, the two arrived at the top floor of the Law Enforcement Department.
They knocked softly, then entered the Minister's office.
Inside, another deputy minister was already present — Pang Ke, an early Foundation Establishment cultivator.
"Old Yan, what's the rush?" Pang Ke asked curiously, raising an eyebrow.
Even among Changlin City's elites, Foundation Establishment experts were top-tier.
After all, the mayor and the curator of the Crimson Flame Cultivation Hall almost never appeared in public.
At the desk sat Minister Han Xuan, who looked up from his files with mild confusion.
"Old Yan, what's going on?"
Yan Lun didn't answer verbally.
He simply stepped forward and handed over the tablet he'd been holding.
Han Xuan and Pang Ke leaned in together.
The screen displayed detailed statistical data — followed by a set of surveillance clips.
"Huh? A Minor Immortality Ceremony?" Han Xuan muttered, brows furrowing. "No wonder the commotion was so big."
Pang Ke's eyes narrowed as he scrolled further.
"Wait… these numbers… this can't be right. Is this fake?"
Yan Lun remained silent.
Pang Ke's voice rose slightly.
"How can anyone maintain that kind of sustained combat power? Even if he consumed Qi-Gathering Pills nonstop, this is too exaggerated!"
He tapped the screen, muttering,
"If this is real… then his true qi quality is far beyond ordinary. Without that purity, this would be impossible."
Han Xuan looked up sharply.
"This young man — Liang Xiao — he's really only at the first level of Qi Refining?"
All eyes turned to Captain Huang Wei, who stood straight and spoke with conviction.
"Yes, Minister. He's the top scorer in this year's Changlin City college entrance exam. He had just entered Qi Refining when I sent him to prison — for protection from the Longevity Cult."
He hesitated for half a second before continuing,
"Which means… he likely broke through inside the prison."
A brief silence filled the room.
The Minor Reflection Phenomenon… could it have been him?
Huang thought quietly, though he doubted it.
Theoretically, it took a Foundation Establishment cultivator to trigger such a vision.
Even if it wasn't him, the fact that members of the Longevity Cult had performed the Minor Longevity ritual for Liang Xiao meant that his potential was immense.
Han Xuan drew in a breath.
"So let me get this straight — this kid, with cultivation at Qi Refining Level 1, killed 117 enemies, including one mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator?"
Even he couldn't hide his disbelief.
And deep down, he suspectedChapter 24: The Treatment of Honored Citizens something even more shocking:
If we hadn't intervened, that second mid-stage cultivator would have died too.
Pang Ke gave a low whistle.
"That kind of sustained power and ability to leap realms in battle... even major cities rarely see this level of genius."
Han Xuan suddenly broke into a grin.
"Heaven itself favors Changlin City!"
He turned decisively to the others.
"Old Pang, you'll stay and oversee the department.
Old Yan, Xiao Huang — come with me. We're going to the municipal government."
Captain Huang's heart surged with pride.
He hadn't expected this to reach the mayor himself.
But with a talent like Liang Xiao's — the kind that could shake entire cultivation cities — it made sense.
Truly… a once-in-a-century genius.
The Next Morning
Liang Xiao slept straight through the night.
When he opened his eyes, the sunlight was already pouring through the curtains.
Instead of getting up right away, he lay quietly, replaying the battle in the prison in his mind.
My "Destruction Needle"… it doesn't only have to ricochet — it can also be flicked.
He frowned slightly.
And the power from a flick seems even greater… though the firing speed is still too slow. One shot per second, max.
If both hands were used in rapid succession, he could fire five or six per second — even more under adrenaline.
The "Destruction Needle" couldn't exist in pairs simultaneously since its formation occurred during casting, but if he staggered the timing — even by one-tenth of a second — he could form a second one immediately.
That's the secret behind his machine-gun-like burst.
Of course, the needle could also be held between the fingertips for close-range ambushes…
But that greatly reduced its destructive force.
He sighed, recalling the battle.
Using Qi-Gathering Pills like that… was wasteful.
The energy wasn't fully refined, making the true qi impure. It could only be used for brute bursts — not to weave a Golden Core.
It was only thanks to his special Golden Core array that he could forcibly refine the pills fast enough to maintain that pace.
Still — recklessness during cultivation was dangerous.
Impure qi could lead to permanent damage.
"Gurgle—"
A deep growl came from his stomach.
"Huh? I'm hungry?"
He blinked, surprised.
Didn't I already start fasting?
Apparently, his body had only grasped the initial stage of abstaining from food — not true fasting.
Chuckling, he got up to find something to eat.
Just as Captain Huang promised, the room had everything — including food.
Opening a cabinet, Liang Xiao's eyes widened.
"Canned meat?"
He picked one up and read the label — Ironclad Wolf Meat.
"Monster meat…?"
He'd lived in this world for ten years, but this was the first time he'd ever tasted demon beast flesh.
He hesitated briefly.
They wouldn't charge me for this, right? I'm a Citizen of Honor now — a can of food shouldn't bankrupt me.
He grinned.
From now on, I can hunt monsters myself. Money… won't be a problem anymore.
With that, he popped the lid open.
A wave of rich aroma burst out instantly.
"Whoa… this actually smells amazing."
He scooped out a chunk with the folding spoon and took a bite.
The flavor exploded on his tongue — tender, savory, and packed with energy.
He could feel the spiritual vitality swirling into his body with every mouthful.
If I eat ten cans of this… it might equal a single Qi-Gathering Pill!
He laughed softly.
"Not bad, not bad — so this is the treatment of a Citizen of Honor!"
In no time, he'd devoured three cans, only then feeling full.
Considering his powerful physique, an ordinary person would probably be stuffed after a single bite.
He tossed the cans away and noticed a sleek new phone still sealed on the table.
"Hey… this is the latest Golden Eagle model!"
Opening the box, he whistled.
"Eighty-eight thousand Federal Credits for one of these… and Captain Huang said I could keep it?"
He turned it over in his hands like a rare artifact.
The metallic casing didn't bend at all under his full grip.
Yeah… worth every credit.
He quickly learned that Honor Citizens didn't pay phone bills at all —
Unlimited data. Free calls. No restrictions.
And that was only the beginning. There were bound to be many more perks he hadn't yet discovered.
Setting up the phone, he activated the One-Click Data Transfer and synced everything from his old device.
Then, with a smile, he dialed home.
"Grandpa, it's me — Xiao. Yeah, I'm out now. I… I'm a Citizen of Honor."
His voice trembled slightly with joy.
"Mm-hmm… yes. You and Yuan wait for me at home. I'll be back soon."
After hanging up, Liang Xiao lay back on the bed, scrolling through news feeds.
Surprisingly, there was no report about the underground prison massacre.
Instead, the top headline in Changlin City read:
"Top Scoring Student Kills in Rage!"
It was the talk of the city.
He'd braced himself for harsh criticism — accusations of murder, recklessness, or arrogance.
But when he opened the comments section…
It was the opposite.
People weren't condemning him — they were furious at Tan Weifeng.
Accusing him of attacking a veteran without cause.
Apparently, the story had touched a raw national nerve.
Public opinion had turned completely — against Tan Weifeng.
Liang Xiao, the supposed killer, had become almost an afterthought.
He let out a slow, relieved breath.
Looks like… the Federation handled this perfectly.
Smiling faintly, he scrolled on — calm for the first time in days.