249: When one person attains enlightenment, cats and dogs ascend to heaven.

However, this stroke of luck was truly a bit too unbelievable.

Chen Heguang couldn't understand what kind of fortune could allow a young man, whose talent could be described as extremely poor, to achieve his current accomplishments.

Not only Chen Heguang couldn't understand, but even if anyone else were to come, they wouldn't be able to comprehend it.

One year.

Not even a year.

Even someone with good talent might not have left the Skin Refinement Realm in a year.

It usually takes ten or eight years for an ordinary person to go from Skin Refinement to Bone Refinement.

And between Skin Refinement and Soul Transformation... Chen Heguang pondered.

It took him a long time before he finally figured it out.

Skin Refinement and Soul Transformation span a total of seven major Realms.

Seven major Realms in one year means that, on average, he had to advance at least one Realm every two months.

This speed... Chen Heguang remained silent for a long time.

Envious?

Of course, he was envious.

But he also knew that such an opportunity was not something he could envy.

Besides, envy was useless.

Even if he and Jiang Lan had received the same opportunity now, he might not necessarily be able to achieve his current accomplishments.

Having lived most of his life, he still had a good grasp of this.

In fact, as early as when Jiang Lan's Realm suddenly surged every once in a while, Chen Heguang had already seen the initial signs.

However, Jiang Lan always casually brushed it off each time.

Although he had been suspicious before, how could he, as an uncle, possibly dig for the truth?

As for now, there was even less need to dig for the truth.

His nephew had already become the top combat power in Chihong Province; wouldn't he be crazy to still dwell on those things?

Moreover, the stronger his nephew was, the better their lives would be.

Seeing Chen Heguang's thoughtful expression, Jiang Lan continued:

"What I said is true. Spend as much silver as you want; if it's not enough, I'll have the Emperor send you some later."

Chen Heguang was not a pedantic person, and since Jiang Lan had already said so, he no longer had any intention of declining.

Since silver was no different from stones, if he continued to decline, it would seem overly sentimental.

Nodding, Chen Heguang said:

"Since that's the case, I won't decline."

Jiang Lan smiled and said:

"That's right. Burn the account books later. What do we need such things for between us uncle and nephew?"

Chen Heguang grinned but said nothing.

Jiang Lan also stopped talking and, after bidding farewell to Chen Heguang, headed straight for the Demon Suppression Division.

Walking on the familiar street, Jiang Lan felt a mix of emotions.

He hadn't been back for a while, and now that he was here, he felt as if nothing had changed, yet everything had changed.

This feeling was very peculiar.

Jiang Lan walked unhurriedly, and on both sides of the street, there were countless vendors, porters, and street performers.

"Come and see, come and see, the Wang family's ancestral mighty pill! One pill, your spear won't fall; two pills, your wife will scream no!"

Jiang Lan raised an eyebrow and looked at the strong man performing by the roadside.

Why did that line sound somewhat familiar?

So much time had passed, and he still hadn't changed his sales pitch?

Normally, such unenterprising people would be crushed in later generations.

Upon reaching the entrance of the Demon Suppression Division, before Jiang Lan could even enter, he saw two familiar figures from afar.

One short and stout, the other tall and thin.

It was Zhang Wen and Zhao Wu.

The short and stout Zhang Wen seemed to have noticed Jiang Lan as well.

He quickly turned his head.

Zhang Wen's eyes widened, and his expression seemed to carry a hint of disbelief.

He looked in Jiang Lan's direction and rubbed his eyes vigorously.

"Holy crap! Am I seeing things? Is that the Boss?"

As he spoke, he forcefully patted Zhao Wu's shoulder beside him.

Zhao Wu frowned.

"Didn't you sleep well? Didn't the Boss go on a long trip?"

Saying that, he somewhat impatiently turned his head in the direction Zhang Wen was pointing.

It was fine if he didn't look, but once he did, Zhao Wu froze on the spot.

His expression first showed disbelief, then turned to surprise.

"Boss? It's really the Boss who's back."

Normally, Zhao Wu was always serious and unsmiling, but perhaps because he hadn't seen Jiang Lan for such a long time, he seemed a bit overly excited at the moment.

Although the distance was not close, hearing their conversation was still effortless for Jiang Lan.

Not bad, they still thought of him as their Boss.

He hadn't misjudged them.

Jiang Lan walked up to them with a smile.

"What, you don't dare to recognize me?"

"No... no..." Zhang Wen's voice trembled slightly, "It's just that you haven't been back for too long, so seeing you now is a pleasant surprise."

"Alright." Jiang Lan asked with a smile, "Where's Yu Zhi?"

"Oh, he went to a Brothel."

As soon as Zhang Wen finished speaking, Zhao Wu, who was beside him, slapped him hard on the back.

Realizing he had said the wrong thing, Zhang Wen quickly tried to make amends:

"No, no, he went to listen to a storyteller. He said it could increase his knowledge."

Jiang Lan couldn't help but laugh.

Increasing knowledge, huh?

As for storytellers...

Where would you find storytellers in a Brothel? There might be singing girls, that's more likely.

Immediately after, Jiang Lan looked at the clothes they were wearing.

They were no longer wearing the clothes of Civilian Servant, not even those of Demon Suppression Guards.

With armor and a cloak, one would have to be at least a Centurion to dress like that in the Division.

"You two got promoted?"

"Hehe!" Zhang Wen chuckled, "Boss, thanks to you, we got promoted! Now, the two of us, no, the three of us, have all been promoted to the position of Centurion. What is this called? When one person achieves the Dao, even cats and dogs ascend to heaven!"

Zhao Wu: "..."

"Chickens and dogs ascend to heaven."

"Ah, right, when one cat achieves the Dao, chickens and dogs ascend to heaven."

Zhao Wu was exasperated and slapped Zhang Wen on the back of his head.

"No, what does a cat have to do with it? Is the female cat outside in heat, and you're enchanted by it?"

Zhang Wen looked wronged.

"I remember there was something about a cat."

Jiang Lan still maintained a smiling expression.

How long had it been since he felt this simple and unadorned joy?

"There's no cat, it's 'when one person achieves the Dao, chickens and dogs ascend to heaven'."

"Ah, right, you're more knowledgeable."

Jiang Lan: "..."

Well, then.

It seemed that if it weren't for Zhao Wu, all his Civilian Servant would be idiots.

Even if they weren't idiots, they would definitely be the cream of the crop among illiterates.

"Alright, you two stop bickering. Go drag Yu Zhi out of the storyteller's arms and meet me at Lin Hong Hall later."

"Yes, sir!" Zhang Wen readily agreed, "You just watch, I'll have him here in less than a quarter of an hour."

Jiang Lan waved his hand.

"No need to rush, I need to see others first."

Now, the Civilian Servant who used to follow him had all become Centurions.

He wondered how Centurion Chou was doing now.

"You really should see others. Centurion Chou always mentions you to us brothers. And also Demon Suppression Envoy Wu."

Jiang Lan twitched the corner of his mouth.

Goodness, it really was 'when one person achieves the Dao, chickens and dogs ascend to heaven'.

Everyone who had some connection to him had been promoted.