Wei Xiaotian chuckled and said, "Joining the Demon Hunting Bureau doesn’t necessarily mean you have to leave the Exploding Star Gang. There's no conflict between the two, so you should at least consider it."
"Not considering it, not considering it at all," replied Li Xiaofei, shaking his head like a rattle drum.
Hu Shuo raised an eyebrow in curiosity and asked, "Why is that? Little Li, perhaps you don’t know, but countless martial artists in Chongque City dream of joining the Four Divisions. A government post holds far more status than being a gang leader."
Left with no choice, Li Xiaofei spoke honestly, "A gang allows more freedom. I can do whatever I want. Government jobs have too many rules and too many restrictions. It would get in the way of my time chasing women and having kids."
Hu Shuo merely smiled at his words, clearly unconvinced. He asked, "I heard that before the passing of the old patriarch of the Li family, he advised his descendants against becoming government officials. Is that the real reason?"
Li Xiaofei was stunned.
There was such a family rule?
If that were true, he could use it as a convenient excuse to decline. He was just about to go along with it when Hu Shuo continued, "I have a solution, one that won’t make you violate your family’s teachings and won’t interfere too much with your... personal pursuits."
"Oh?" Li Xiaofei’s curiosity was piqued. "What kind of solution?"
"You can become a plainclothes officer," replied Hu Shuo.
"Plainclothes?" Li Xiaofei had already guessed what that meant, but he still pretended to be confused. "And what does that entail?"
"Hahaha." Hu Shuo laughed as he explained, "It means you’d be an informal member within the system. No need to check in for daily duty, and no need to wear a uniform or patrol. You’d only need to assist the Demon Hunting Bureau whenever necessary, but you’d still enjoy all the privileges and benefits of a full government official. How about it?"
Li Xiaofei’s eyes gleamed with interest. Now that was something. No matter how he looked at it, this was an additional layer of protection. If he had official backing, he could act even more recklessly in the future.
The problem was that while Li Xiaofei was indeed talented, he wasn’t exceptional enough for the Director of the Demon Hunting Bureau to personally invite him again and again. Why was Hu Shuo so insistent on recruiting him?
Li Xiaofei couldn't help but feel suspicious. There had to be a trap hidden somewhere in this. After thinking it over, he decided to remain cautious and shook his head. "I still prefer my freedom."
"You should learn to appreciate an opportunity when it comes your way." The cold, stunningly beautiful secretary finally lost her patience and interrupted, "The Director values talent and is willing to nurture you, which is why he has personally extended this offer multiple times. Don't be so ungrateful."
Li Xiaofei shot her a sideways glance.
This woman had already been looking down on him earlier. Her gaze was filled with disdain.
"Director Hu, I can join the Demon Hunting Bureau," Li Xiaofei suddenly said, grinning. "But only on one condition, this beautiful lady by your side must marry me as a concubine and bear me three to five children. How about that?"
"Pfft!" Hu Shuo nearly spat out his tea and Wei Xiaotian almost fell off his chair.
"You—" The secretary’s delicate features contorted in rage. She gritted her teeth, barely suppressing the urge to strike him down on the spot. Her voice was laced with venom as she said, "Keep dreaming."
"Then there's nothing more to discuss." Li Xiaofei chuckled. "Director Hu, I appreciate your kindness, but I don’t deserve such an honor. I’d rather continue rolling in the mud as a small-time nobody."
Yet, Hu Shuo still didn’t seem angry as he smiled. "Winning a woman's heart requires charm and ability. Seduction is an art, not something you can demand through brute force. How about this, I’ll give you a chance. From now on, Jin Na will be your direct liaison. The two of you will have plenty of opportunities to interact. If you truly have confidence in yourself, then prove it through action. Do you have the guts?"
"Director, I object!" said Jin Na, her expression changing drastically.
But Hu Shuo simply replied in an indifferent tone, "Secretary Jin, follow orders."
Jin Na gritted her teeth, but in the end, she had no choice but to straighten and give a formal salute. "Yes, sir."
"Good. Then it's settled," said Wei Xiaotian. He was afraid that Li Xiaofei might say something even more outrageous, and quickly answered on his behalf before he could refuse.
Li Xiaofei opened his mouth, but seeing how the decision had already been made, he could only go along with it. After a few more casual exchanges, Hu Shuo left with Jin Na.
Just before stepping out of the room, the furious secretary shot Li Xiaofei a venomous glare, as if warning him not to entertain any foolish ideas. Li Xiaofei merely shrugged and smiled, completely unfazed.
The hotel suite was in disarray as clothes lay scattered across the floor. A pair of black silk stockings had been torn to shreds, while one high heel rested on the nightstand and the other had ended up in the bathroom.
Si Kongxue lay fast asleep, her long, wine-red hair spread across the pristine white pillowcase, accentuating her stunning beauty. A night of intense battle had left her utterly exhausted. The lingering marks on her delicate body, souvenirs from their fervent encounter, bore testament to her unique preferences during their moments of passion.
The young princess of the Fengyu Merchant Guild was now deeply asleep. Due to the effects of the Yin-Yang Resonance of Great Sorrow, her physique was undergoing subtle yet profound enhancements. It was silently improving as she rested.
Li Xiaofei sat cross-legged in midair before the window, his eyes shut as he continued his cultivation. Every dual cultivation session brought him new insights.
His greatest reward from the battle against Nangong Longjian was the acquisition of a Neutron Star level law nucleus. It was the stellar seed that brimmed with the energy and comprehension that Nangong Longjian had cultivated over hundreds of years. It was an absolute treasure. If news of its existence spread, countless top-tier factions and powerful beings would go to war over it.
However, the law nucleus of a high-level cosmic lifeform was not something Li Xiaofei could fully comprehend in a single session. He had taken just over four hours to extract the kindling of four fundamental laws, Speed, Metal, Space, and Berserk.
Nangong Longjian focused primarily on these four laws, but he also had insights into Light, Darkness, Poison, Flame, and Lightning... That makes sense. True high-level cosmic lifeforms only rarely comprehend a single law. They typically master several as their primary focus, with multiple others as supplementary disciplines.
Li Xiaofei pondered over this realization.
During their battle, Nangong Longjian had remarked that he recognized Li Xiaofei as a human from Earth because he had yet to form his own star cores through cultivation. Thus, Li Xiaofei’s most urgent priority now was to complete his transformation into a full-fledged cosmic lifeform.
He needed to shape his dantian into a universe, where each law would become a celestial body. This would take time. Casting a brief glance at the sleeping Si Kongxue, Li Xiaofei activated his Secret Time Pavilion and stepped inside, preparing to use the temporal acceleration to advance his cultivation.
Si Kongxue drifted in and out of sleep for a full ten hours. When she finally opened her eyes, an unprecedented sense of lightness and comfort washed over her, as if she had undergone an intense full-body massage.
There's even this kind of effect? She thought.
She was pleasantly surprised. When she lazily turned in bed, she saw Li Xiaofei stepping out of the bathroom, a white bath towel wrapped around his large frame. Despite his bulk, his presence exuded a sense of power and dominance.
"Awake?" Li Xiaofei acted as if nothing had happened. "Go freshen up, then grab something to eat. After that, come with me to buy some gifts."
"Yeah, we’re meeting your parents today, aren’t we?"
"Hee-hee, okay! But... I still want more."
Si Kongxue lunged at him with a playful giggle. Her obsession with Li Xiaofei had reached an almost uncontrollable level. Her heart and mind were entirely fixated on him. And so, the two of them didn’t leave the hotel until afternoon.
By then, Li Xiaofei had completed his transformation into a true cosmic lifeform. Several celestial bodies had formed inside his dantian, each infused with different laws. Now, he no longer had to worry about anyone seeing through him.
After visiting the Si family and attending a banquet, Li Xiaofei returned to the Exploding Star Gang for the celebration feast.
Wei Xiaotian personally attended it. Not a single high-ranking member of the gang was absent. Everyone knew that Li Qingchen was now the rising star of the gang, the boss’s new favorite, and an undeniable hero. As such, they all showed him great respect.
Just like that, three hectic days passed. Finally, Li Xiaofei had a moment to breathe. He requested a ten-day leave from the boss, then, accompanied by Huang Dinggou and Little Black, he hired a small shuttle-class starship and set off for Planet M73.
A promise had been made, and he intended to keep it. He would bury Nangong Longjian’s ashes at the highest peak of M73, allowing him to rest eternally with a view of Earth. This was Li Xiaofei’s first step into the vast, uncharted depths of the universe.