The weather was gradually turning colder, and the people of Nanquan Lane, who had been wearing short sleeves and single shirts, gradually switched to long sleeves. Then, from single long-sleeved shirts, they added an outer garment.
The cooling weather had no effect on Chen Ping'an.
Now, his Qi and blood were like a Dragon, like a tiger and an elephant. His entire being had a continuous surge of heat from within, driving the cold far away.
Cultivating Golden Bell Cover both internally and externally was quite difficult.
At this stage, Chen Ping'an was still quite unfamiliar with it, especially in the mobilization of Qi. He could only Cultivate Golden Bell Cover 3 times a day.
But even so, after six or seven days, Chen Ping'an successfully got started with Golden Bell Cover.
After getting started with Golden Bell Cover, when Chen Ping'an held his breath and concentrated, there was an extremely faint airflow surging within his body. With the blessing of this airflow and his hardened physique, his overall defensive power increased by 30%.
It could be said that Chen Ping'an, at the Qi Blood Sixth Stage, was an extremely strong existence.
The two fat and thin deacons who had Siege Mu Wanjun with Great Deacon Wu Haihua of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect in Jiming Lane back then—if Chen Ping'an were to face them one-on-one now, he would have a three to four tenths chance of taking them down.
What the panel gave him was not just a simple Martial Dao Realm, but also many perfect combat experiences and the application of Move and battle tactics.
After reaching the Qi Blood Sixth Stage, Chen Ping'an did not relax his Cultivation in Martial Dao in the slightest. Every night after his Squad Leader duties, he diligently Cultivated, even subtly impressing Shaoyao at home.
No wonder Lord Chen, at such a young age, held such a high position. Who could see the hard work behind it?
With Shaoyao accompanying her at home, Chen Er'ya's life also became much richer. During the day, she tended to flowers, read books, and chatted about interesting things, living a truly carefree life.
Chen Er'ya felt as if she was in a dream with this kind of life.
If it had been a few months earlier, how could she have ever imagined that she would live such a life?
All of this was because of her brother.
A few more days passed, and Chen Ping'an also welcomed his twentieth birthday. He had reached adulthood!
On his birthday, Tian Fuliang, the acting Squad Leader of Nanquan Lane, organized a celebration for Chen Ping'an's coming-of-age ceremony, with the cooperation of all the Chief Constables of the Zhenfu Division. In addition, all the well-known Gang forces in Nanquan Lane sent high-ranking members from their Gangs, and some Gangs even had their Gang Leaders personally come to present generous gifts to Chen Ping'an.
"Congratulations, Lord Chen, on your birthday!"
"Lord Chen is truly young and promising; he has reached such a high position before even reaching adulthood. He is truly a model for our generation, an example to aspire to and learn from!"
"Lord Chen, a small token of our appreciation, please accept it."
"Lord Chen bears a heavy responsibility and carries the weight of the common people; his status is so noble. On his birthday, it is only right to celebrate and congratulate him. It is only natural for us to present a small token of our appreciation on behalf of the common people."
"......"
During the banquet, cups clinked. Words of flattery were endless.
Looking at the smiling, flattering faces at the banquet, Chen Ping'an somehow thought of Old Chen.
Old Chen was half-lying on the bed, and his spirits were still good at that time.
"What are you worried about, kid? I, Old Chen, have been through wind and rain, through mountains of knives and seas of fire. What could happen with just this injury? Don't worry, no matter what, I'll live to see you come of age! Maybe I'll even get to hold my grandson! Hahahaha..."
Old Chen's voice, appearance, and smile seemed to be right before his eyes.
"You said you'd wait until I came of age, and personally perform the ceremony for me? Old Chen... why did you leave?"
Chen Ping'an silently drank a cup of wine.
As he drained his cup, someone beside him respectfully refilled his wine. Chen Ping'an picked up his cup again and looked around. Everywhere his eyes landed, there were smiling, fawning faces.
These people were all prominent figures in Nanquan Lane. Now, seeing him, they only had smiles, not daring to frown in the slightest, fearing he might misunderstand.
"It's a pity, Old Chen, you didn't get to see me in such a glorious moment!"
Another cup of wine went down, and Chen Ping'an's heart was silent.
Old Chen, with his bare hands, had established a foothold outside Wei River County City. His greatest aspiration in life was to become a Chief Constable of the Nanquan Lane Garrison Office. Now, Chen Ping'an had already fulfilled his aspiration for him.
Cups clinked, and time gradually passed. Towards the end of the banquet, Chen Ping'an bid farewell to Tian Fuliang and rose to leave.
"Ping'an, don't you want to stay a bit longer? Today is rare, and there are still performances planned later," Tian Fuliang said with a smile.
"Lord Tian, it's getting late today, I should head back," Chen Ping'an returned with a smile, "Lord Tian's arrangements today, Ping'an is immensely grateful and will never forget."
Hearing this, the smile on Tian Fuliang's face became even brighter. All he did was for this one sentence from Chen Ping'an.
His position as Squad Leader was not yet completely stable, and he needed Chen Ping'an's support and cooperation.
He no longer tried to persuade him.
"Lord Chen drank quite a bit tonight, arrange for someone to see him off," Tian Fuliang said to his confidant behind him.
Chen Ping'an did not refuse, cupped his fists in a bow, and walked out.
Tian Fuliang's arrangements today were quite grand; there were many tables to celebrate his coming of age. Besides the Chief Constables, many official Yamen Runners and senior Yamen Runners from the Zhenfu Division also attended this banquet.
"Lord Chen, walk slowly."
"Good evening, Lord Chen."
"......"
At a banquet, those who arrive the latest and leave the earliest both represent status. Chen Ping'an's early departure represented his authority.
As Chen Ping'an walked out, high-ranking Gang members and core members stood up to bid him farewell, their faces full of smiles.
Chen Ping'an nodded slightly, returning a faint smile.
A Gang Leader, seeing Chen Ping'an return a smile, felt invigorated and his smile broadened even further.
After Chen Ping'an left, a core member of a Gang, seeing his Gang Leader's reaction, was puzzled and quietly asked a question.
"Gang Leader, he's just a young man who just came of age. Being respectful to him is enough. Is there a need to be so polite? If we need to be polite, it should be towards Lord Tian!"
This core Gang member's thinking was very simple: Lord Tian was the head of the Nanquan Lane Garrison Office. No matter what, this young Lord Chen was only a second-in-command, subordinate to others. Why was the Deputy Gang Leader so polite to him?
"Shh, lower your voice! Do you want to die?"
The Gang Leader of this Gang glared fiercely at him.
"So many people around are listening, do you want to kill us?"
The core member beside him, though he didn't understand, seeing the Gang Leader's strong reaction, didn't dare to say more.
The Gang Leader looked left and right, and finding that everyone around them had smiles on their faces and their attention was on the distant Lord Chen who was leaving, no one had heard what they had just said, he finally relaxed.
Their Gang was just a small Gang, incomparable to the Feisha Gang or the Wild Wolf Gang.
This Lord Chen of the Zhenfu Division, though he looked young, was actually a ruthless character.
How was the Tiger Head Gang annihilated back then? Who didn't know!
It was simply because someone in the Gang offended Lord Chen, and Lord Chen, in a fit of rage, wiped out the entire Tiger Head Gang.
Their Gang couldn't even compare to half of the Tiger Head Gang. How thick must one's skull be to dare to offend Lord Chen?
This was a joke.
The Gang Leader made up his mind that after the banquet, he would definitely make this core Gang member feel his 'care' properly, so that he would deeply understand Lord Chen of the Zhenfu Division.
No!
Not only that, but he also needed to straighten out the rules and teach the people below not to offend those who shouldn't be offended.
Lest one day they end up like the Tiger Head Gang, sitting at home when the people from the Zhenfu Division surround them.