After the spiritual energy was restored: Goddess girlfriends came knocking.

The Xia Dynasty, Shencheng.

Shenzhen Branch of the State Administration for Special Environmental Affairs, abbreviated as Special Administration Bureau.

Qin Zhengming pushed open the office door, put his briefcase on the table, and rubbed his temples.

The man, in his early forties, already had several gray hairs at his temples.

He hasn't had a full night's sleep in a month.

The reports on the table were piled up to half a foot high, all of them reporting unusual events from various districts of Shenzhen.

Just two months after the spiritual energy explosion, more than a dozen awakening cases have emerged in Shenzhen alone. Some can conjure fireballs, some suddenly become stronger, and one junior high school student even removed the iron door from the classroom.

We simply can't handle it all.

This is not finished.

Every few days, the authorities send out documents instructing local branches to pay attention to the movements of "visitors from outside the territory," which, to put it bluntly, refers to people and animals that inexplicably appear on Earth.

Qin Zhengming picked up the strong tea on the table, took a sip, and then picked up the report on top.

I opened it, and my gaze lingered for a moment.

"Last night, an abnormal fluctuation of spiritual energy occurred in a residential community in Shenzhen. It lasted for about four hours and affected an area of ​​about fifty meters. Nearby residents reported brief power outages and electronic device malfunctions. There were no casualties. The preliminary judgment is that it was caused by a single source and is suspected to be an awakening event."

He recognized the address on the report.

One of the sources of the global magnetic field anomaly two months ago.

Qin Zhengming remained silent for a moment, then picked up his pen and wrote a few words at the top of the report.

"Observe secretly and do not act rashly."

Then he closed the report, leaned back in his chair, and rubbed his temples.

……

Lin Chu has been very busy these past few days.

It's not that I'm busy with cultivation.

He's busy spending money.

Back when I was a working-class person, I would hesitate for a long time before I could even think about eating a Japanese meal that cost 300 yuan per person.

I have millions in my account now, and I can't let myself down by not spending them, after being a saint for most of my life in the Xuan Tian Realm.

He first went to the Mercedes-Benz 4S store and bought an AMG GT in full, silver-gray with a streamlined body.

The salesman was all smiles the whole time, providing a one-stop service of serving tea, water, and business cards.

Then there are watches and clothing from various high-end luxury brands.

The Vacheron Constantin Overseas watch feels heavy on the wrist, not much lighter than the jade tablet worn when attending court in the past.

Next came the food.

He checked off several of the best Black Pearl restaurants in Shenzhen, including French, Japanese, and Cantonese cuisine. He would sit alone in a private room with seven or eight dishes in front of him, but by the third restaurant, he felt that they were just so-so.

On the morning of the fourth day, Lin Chu drove around the coastal highway, enjoying the sea breeze.

He suddenly realized that this carriage was not much different from the one he had ridden in the Xuan Tian Realm back then.

It's just a bit faster.

He parked the car back in the villa garage, lay down on the living room sofa, snapped his fingers, and looked at the faint golden light at his fingertips.

Buying luxury cars, expensive watches, and fine food—these things are only novel for two or three days before they become boring.

However, when he was cultivating, the feeling of spiritual energy flowing through his meridians made his heart race with every slight increase in energy level.

"Looks like I'm destined to be a workaholic," Lin Chu muttered to herself.

My phone beeped.

Shui Shui: [Image]

Shui Shui: Would this potted plant look good in the entryway?

Clicking on the picture reveals a potted Monstera deliciosa plant placed on a cabinet in the entryway.

Lin Chu: It looks pretty good.

Shui Shui: Then I'll give you a potted plant.

Lin Chu: Thank you, but it really doesn't need to be that complicated.

Shui Shui: No trouble at all, it's on my way.

Lin Chu put down her phone, thinking that this new landlord was too enthusiastic.

I've only been here a few days, and there's already a potted green ivy in the entryway, several succulents on the balcony, and now a Monstera deliciosa.

For a moment, it was impossible to tell whose house it was.

He replied, "I'll treat you to dinner another day," and the other person immediately replied with "Okay," followed by a fox nodding emoji.

The phone rang again as soon as I put it down.

This time it wasn't WeChat, it was a phone call.

Four words popped up on the screen: Village Chief Uncle Lin.

Lin Chu paused for a moment, then answered the call.

"Feed? Uncle?"

"Lin boy!" The village chief's voice was as loud as ever, making the receiver buzz. "Are you free this weekend? Come back right away!"

"What happened? What's wrong in the village?"

"No, no, everything's fine in the village." The village chief lowered his voice, his tone suddenly becoming mysterious. "Anyway, it's all good news. You'll see when you get back. Remember, you absolutely must come back, and don't give me any excuses."

"What exactly happened...?"

"Beep beep beep".

Lin Chu stared blankly at the disconnected phone.

He thought about it and figured it had been a long time since he'd been back to the village, so he might as well go back and take a look.

I'll also bring some things for a few uncles and elders I know in the village.

Early Saturday morning, Lin Chu first went shopping at the mall.

I went to the bank again and withdrew several hundred thousand yuan in cash, which I then packed into separate envelopes.

Then I called a Lalamove truck and had everything loaded up.

The driver, a man in his forties, stared wide-eyed at the three cases of Moutai: "Boss, are you going back to your village to visit relatives or to help alleviate poverty?"

"..."

More than two hours later, the car drove into Linjia Village.

Several middle-aged women were washing vegetables by the well at the village entrance when they saw a Lalamove truck drive in, followed by a silver-gray sports car. They all craned their necks to see what was happening.

Then the sports car door opened, and Lin Chu stepped out.

"Oh my, is this Lin Chu?" Aunt Wang exclaimed first, wiping her hands on her apron. "You...you look so different!"

Lin Chu smiled and said, "Hello, Aunt Wang. Nothing has changed, I've just been exercising a bit lately."

While dealing with the uncles and aunts who surrounded him, he had the Lalamove driver unload the goods.

Each family received a bottle of Moutai, and nutritional supplements were distributed among households. Several elderly people each received an envelope.

"You silly child, you're back now, why did you bring anything?" Grandpa Zhang declined verbally, but his hand had already taken the Moutai bottle and felt it over and over.

Lin Chu finally managed to escape from the crowd and return to the front door of her old house.

I took out my keys, opened the door, and found a thin layer of dust inside.

Lin Chu chuckled, raised his hand and made a hand seal. The Cleansing Spell swept over, and the tables, chairs, benches, windowsills, and stove were completely renewed inside and out.

Even the dust on the old broom in the corner floated up, gathered in mid-air, and automatically flew into the trash can.

"This cultivation is really good; I should cultivate it."

He clapped his hands, picked up the two boxes of gifts, and walked towards the village chief's house.

The village chief's house is located at the east end of the village. It is a three-story building with white ceramic tiles on the exterior walls.

When Lin Chu arrived, the village chief was squatting at the door smoking. When he saw Lin Chu coming, he threw down his cigarette butt and rushed over to greet him.

"You're finally back!" The village chief looked him up and down. "Tsk, you've changed a lot. You're fairer and taller."

"Are you feeling alright?"

"You're fine, you're fine." The village chief pulled him into the house, pressed him down on the sofa, poured him a cup of tea, and then sat down himself, smiling at him without saying a word.

Lin Chu felt uneasy under their gaze.

"Uncle Village Chief, what is it that you called me back for?"

The village chief laughed for a while, then leaned forward and lowered his voice: "Young Lin, tell your uncle the truth, do you have a girlfriend now?"

Lin Chu paused for a moment while holding the teacup.

"……No."

"Great!" The village chief slapped his thigh, his voice so loud that Lin Chu almost dropped her teacup. "Let me introduce you to someone!"

Lin Chu opened her mouth: "Um, Uncle Village Chief, I don't really want to right now—"

"Don't give me that." The village chief didn't give him a chance to speak, stood up and walked into the inner room. "You wait here."

After a moment, the village chief came out of the inner room, holding a photo in his hand, and handed it to Lin Chu.

"Take a look, I guarantee you'll be satisfied."

Lin Chu was about to continue declining when her gaze fell on the photo, and all the words she was about to say caught in her throat.

The woman in the photo is wearing a plain white dress, her hair is casually draped over her shoulders, and she is smiling with her eyes crinkled.

Her features were so exquisite they looked painted on, especially her peach blossom eyes, with the corners slightly upturned.

She sat by the window of a café, holding a cup of coffee in her hand. Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting a soft glow on her profile.

Lin Chu's heart skipped a beat.

I think I know her.

But I've never seen this face before.

That sense of familiarity almost overflowed from my chest.

Some blurry images surfaced in the depths of my mind—a red figure, willow trees by the stream, and a pair of bright, sparkling eyes.

The scene appeared and disappeared very quickly; he didn't even have time to grasp it before it vanished.

"How is it?" the village chief asked, leaning closer. "Isn't it beautiful?"

Lin Chu was still staring at the photo, and did not answer.

The village chief chuckled and, without urging him, began to speak: "This is the child of a distant cousin of mine. A couple of days ago, my cousin came to visit the village and somehow we started talking about you, so I told him about you."

"They were really interested and said they wanted to introduce you to someone, and we hit it off immediately."

Lin Chu put the photo down and took a deep breath.

"When will we meet?"

The village chief's smile widened: "Monday! I'll confirm the location later and let you know!"

……

Shenzhen, Nanshan District.

In a quiet café, a woman sat by the window.

She was wearing a plain white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to her forearms, revealing her fair wrists.

Cang Yao rested her chin on one hand and held a photograph in the other.

That photo was taken when Lin Chu was a child in the village. She was wearing a school uniform, had dark skin, was thin, and was standing on a chair, grinning.

Her thumb gently stroked the childlike face in the photo, and the corners of her mouth slowly turned up.

Her peach blossom eyes curved into two crescent moons.

……

at the same time.

In the central part of the Xia Dynasty, deep in the Qinling Mountains.

A circular portal of light tore open out of thin air, with pale blue runes flowing across its frame.

Several figures shot out from the portal and landed in a clearing in the forest.

Three cultivators in green robes, two men and one woman, each with a standard longsword hanging at their waist.

Finally, a female cultivator in white robes emerged, her face aloof, her brows and eyes carrying the composure that comes from years of holding a high position.

If Lin Chu were here, she would probably be stunned for a moment.

Zhou Caiwei stopped and looked up into the distance beyond the dense forest.

The outline of the city can be faintly seen on the horizon.

She looked away, her tone indifferent.

"Split up and remember your sect's instructions: the world is currently a complex mix of various forces, so keep a low profile."

"Yes, Elder Zhou."