Fu Qingyang has arrived? Pang, the official, raises an eyebrow and suddenly stands up. Xia Hou Tianyuan murmurs, "What kind of person is Fu Qingyang?" The Fu family is a premier lineage in the Spiritual Realm, one of the leading forces behind the White Tiger military contingent, and stands as a towering presence throughout the Five Elements Alliance. They also control vast assets overseas, making them a powerful capitalist force. In terms of family influence and financial strength, the Xia Hou family falls short of the Fu family. Pang reflects, "Fu Qingyang is exceptionally proud and possesses extraordinary talent. I heard that during his transcendental stage, he once faced off directly against a malevolent professional at the Saint level—fought fiercely and refused to retreat, holding his ground for over an hour, which is truly remarkable. "Fu Qingyang has been stationed in Songhai for less than a year, and while I have had limited interactions with him, our exchanges have been few. Though he is proud, he is far from a naive young man." Xiahou Tianyuan immediately felt at ease and smiled, saying, "Good—he's not a rookie after all. The Fu family and the White Tiger troops have extensive business dealings with our household. For someone of ordinary standing, I'm sure they wouldn't turn against me just over this." Pang, silent as ever, had already heard the growing footsteps approaching the office, a considerable number of people. Xiahou Tianyuan remained stern, gazing at the open office door. "Master Pang smiled calmly: 'Who?' Fu Qingyang was unwilling to speak further, and Zhang Yuanqing, the subordinate, timely interjected: 'Xiahou Tianyuan is suspected of kidnapping, threatening public stability, with solid evidence. We must legally detain him.' Master Pang's expression darkened, and he coldly remarked, 'Do you have a place to speak here?' Turning to Fu Qingyang, he smiled again: 'Fu, as the Hundred-Commander, Xiahou Tianyuan has already been arrested for injuring people within my jurisdiction. As for the kidnapping incident, he himself has admitted to it. According to protocol, this matter has now become my Fenghua District's case.' Fu Qingyang replied calmly: 'You want to talk about protocol? Then let me tell you: the victims' families have already reported the incident to the Lingjing Wanderers team of Kangyang District this morning. My team has killed the kidnappers and rescued the hostages. If we follow protocol, then my case is more valid than yours.' Master Pang shook his head: 'The person has already been arrested by me. I cannot hand him over to you. If this reaches the Council of Elders, I will certainly have the upper hand.' He certainly knew that Fu Qingyang was more right, which is why he had devised this strategy—using rules to block rules, thus creating room for prolonged debate. In official work, one must learn to leverage procedures. Standing by, Xia Hou Tianyuan agreed: "Fu, I have already taken responsibility and am willing to accept sanctions. What then is your intent to be so confrontational?" Seeing Fu Qingyang remain silent, he smiled and added: "To be clear, Fu and my family have business ties—our families are long-standing friends. I’d still call you my junior brother." His tone made it unmistakable: Are you really going to turn against us just over a common individual? Fu Qingyang didn’t even glance at him, instead fixing his gaze on Pang Zhishi, and said calmly: "I didn’t come here to negotiate with you." Pang Zhishi frowned: "Then what are you here for?" Fu Qingyang opened his inventory, summoned a black banner, and tossed it with a decisive motion. It struck the table with a clear "ding," firmly settling in front of Xia Hou Tianyuan. Xiahou Tianyuan shivered violently, collapsed into the sofa, and his muscles convulsed and spasmed. Though his face was thunderous with anger, he could not move. "Fu Qingyang!" exclaimed Pang Zhixing, furious, demanding, "Do you intend to fight me?" He pressed both hands against his chest, and waves of luminous green light radiated out, spreading in ripples across the office. A continuous series of cracking sounds echoed as the floor and walls split open, and thick, sturdy vines surged upward, growing rapidly to seal the windows and doors—within moments, the office was transformed into a wooden cage. Pang Zhixing snorted, "No one will be leaving this place today..." Vines sprouted from his body, slender and touch-sensitive, extending, contracting, and wriggling, weaving together to form a network of vine armor. Fu Qingyang reached into the inventory and grasped a bronze sword—three feet two inches long, with an octagonal blade covered in copper patina. Is he about to fight? Would a Wayfarer at the Saint's stage, fighting in such a confined space, not affect us? Zhang Yuanqing felt a sudden sense He immediately turned to Guan Ya, Ling Jun, Bai Long, and the others, only to find their seasoned practitioners calm and utterly composed. Too calm, wasn't it? Had I overestimated the combat prowess of the Saint Realm cultivators? As Zhang Yuanqing felt puzzled, a sharp blade of light suddenly flashed before him, forcing him to instinctively close his eyes. Then, a dull gasp echoed in his ears. When Zhang Yuanqing opened his eyes again, Pang, the Senior Official, was covered in vine armor, having collapsed to the ground, with thick streams of blood gushing from his abdomen. "You may report me to the Council for the assassination of a colleague," said Fu Qingyang, shaking the blood-stained edge of his sword. "Of course, I will also report you for shielding a criminal, for corruption and embezzlement." "You still fall short," he added. His voice was cold, and his expression showed not a single trace of disdain—calm, as though a proud monarch were punishing a humble subject. What had happened? Was Pang truly a Saint? Had I not overestimated the Saints—had I overestimated *him*? Zhang Yuanqing was quietly astonished. He had heard from Li Dongze and Guan Ya that Fu Qingyang was exceptionally talented and the most promising candidate among the current generation of the Wu Xing Alliance to become a senior elder. But until now, he still lacked a clear sense of what that truly meant. Now, Zhang Yuanqing had a clear understanding—indeed, a true natural talent. That was why the calm composure of Ling Jun Guan Ya and others made sense. Sitting motionless on the sofa, Xiahou Tianyuan watched the scene unfold, his face pale. Fu Qingyang didn’t look at Pang the Senior Official; instead, he walked to the side table, pulled out his black banner, and closed his inventory. Xiahou Tianyuan immediately leapt up, his voice strong but trembling: "Fu Qingyang, I am the direct descendant of the Xiahou family. Are you really going to oppose us?" Fu Qingyang raised his sword handle and struck it against Xiahou Tianyuan’s head. Xiahou Tianyuan stepped back, avoiding the blow. Thud! The impact was strong, and a sharp pain surged through him, causing his consciousness to fade instantly. As he lost consciousness, one thought echoed in his mind: I Xiahou Tianyuan is suspected of kidnapping, threatening social stability, and has been arrested by Fu Bai, the Commander of Kangyang District. By evening, a post originating from the Taimei Official Forum sparked lively discussion among the Five Elements Alliance travelers. The post provided a detailed account of the incident: Commander Yuan Shishen of the Second Squad in Kangyang District received a report alleging that Xiahou Tianyuan had kidnapped the family of the victim, using crude and unruly methods, defying all norms. Upright and resolute, Yuan Shishen took decisive action, after enduring great hardships, ultimately defeating the kidnappers and rescuing the hostages. Subsequently, Fu Qingyang led the arrest of Xiahou Tianyuan. Notably, the poster is named Yuan Ting. "Kidnapping? Hmm, the Xiahou family is becoming increasingly unruly." "Hasn't the Xiahou family always been this way? How many elite spiritual families in the realm are truly gentle and courteous? This time, however, they've dared to make waves in Songhai—finally, they've encountered stiff resistance." "Fu Bai isn't one to tolerate them. It's long past time they were dealt with "Upstairs, be careful in your words—be mindful that evening colleagues might come to your home to check the water meter." "Master Yuan Shi has a touch of intrigue—I quite like that." "Young people always carry such energy, but I'm afraid he'll be retaliated against by the Xiaohou family. They might just kidnap ordinary people, enough to keep the Wild Wayfarers busy for a while, though I doubt they'll manage to move Master Xiaohou Tianyuan." "How dare the Xiaohou family retaliate against Master Yuan Shi—that would be a declaration of war against us. I'm just worried he'll strike from the shadows, and I'm unsure how this situation will unfold." "The Xiaohou family has already begun active measures—I've heard that several of our senior officials at Songhai have recently filed complaints against Fu Bifang, requesting a meeting of the elders to hold him accountable." "Accountable? On what grounds?" "I know this—I've personally heard that our local official, Pang, was wounded by Fu Bifang." "That's... well..." Zhang Yuanqing had finished dinner, went through the forum comments once more, and then quietly closed the screen. Before dinner, Uncle came to find the successor to the robe of transmission to compete in dance, but was sent back by Grandma. The two dancers didn't feel awkward, but Grandma did. "I'm not sure if Commander Fu can manage this..." Zhang Yuanqing lay in bed, quietly waiting for the meeting's outcome. After arresting Xiahou Tianyuan, pressure began to build—thanks to Xiahou Xin's efforts, official figures with vested interests in the Xiahou family, including the Five Elements Alliance officers and the Taiyuan Division commanders, all called Fu Qingyang. Some urged him, others pleaded for mercy. According to Guan Ya, Fu's family also sent calls to Fu Qingyang, requesting his release, though the elder members of the Fu family had not yet expressed any stance. In fact, the people directly involved in this matter weren't Fu Qingyang—they were him. Yet, Commander Fu carried the burden. Guan Ya explained: "You're his younger brother—he'll definitely protect you!" Zhang Yuanqing was deeply moved and said: "Is Commander Fu so generous and loyal?" Guan Ya replied: "No, he's just conceited." ... A Fu Qingyang held his wine glass, sitting on the balcony, enjoying the gentle breeze. Across the round table, Ling Jun was crouched on a single sofa. "After all, Pang is from the Hundred Flowers Association—you've somewhat overlooked me," he said. Fu Qingyang: "Oh, so you're implying that you've also been involved in shielding Xia Hou Tianyuan?" Ling Jun grew furious: "Well, I thought you were Yue Fei—now I see you're Qin Hui." He picked up a piece of honeydew with his toothpick, eating it while reflecting: "Your method of winning over people is quite effective—Yuan Shi will surely become your loyal aide in the future." Fu Qingyang frowned: "That's what I call governing through virtue." He didn't particularly like the term "winning over people," which he found too transactional, though he didn't feel the need to explain it further. Ling Jun remained crouched on the sofa, holding his phone between two fingers, checking the time. "There are still five minutes until the meeting starts. Have you decided how to handle them? The Fu family elders have no formal accountability—which is good—but they're "With the Fu family gone, those people won't hesitate to challenge you anymore. After all, you're just a steward, aren't you?" Ling Jun wiggled his eyebrows. "Would you like me to help you? Just call me 'big brother'." Fu Qingyang replied coldly. "You don't really want to help me." Given his nature, it was impossible for him to address someone as 'big brother'—Ling Jun knew this well, and thus saw no real sincerity. Ling Jun sighed. "The charge of kidnapping won't bring down Xue Hou Tianyuan. Xue Hou Chi is still in Songhai—he's Xue Hou Tianyuan's grandfather. As long as he stands, Xue Hou Tianyuan will be safe." Xue Hou Chi was the one who fought against the Master of Zhishake Palace. Fu Qingyang didn't dispute this—it was true. He glanced at his watch, then stood and walked toward the study. "I'm off to a meeting." In the study, the tall, graceful rabbit-themed woman had already opened the computer and logged into the meeting software. The Five-Element Alliance had a rule: small meetings were held in person, while larger ones took place via computer Large conferences are prone to spreading rumors—just one misstep, and they’re easily targeted by the more malicious professionals. Of course, events such as the annual performance review of Taimei or the Grand Masters’ meetings of the Five Elements Alliance are exceptions. At the appointed time, the officers began logging in. The computer screen displayed that twenty-two attendees had joined, with two-thirds of the officers from the Songhai Branch in attendance. This meeting was initiated by a joint request from several officers of the Songhai Branch to the Council of Elders. Similar gatherings occur at Songhai several times each year. Typically, the Elders convene them proactively, but when a matter proves difficult to resolve, officers may also submit a formal request to call for a large-scale meeting. The theme of this session is to address the affairs of the direct descendants of the Xiahou family, as well as the allegations made by Pang officer accusing Fu Qingyang of intentionally harming colleagues, and Fu Qingyang’s counter-accusation that Pang officer is shielding offenders and engaging in corruption and neglect of duty. All microphones were now silenced. Master Tedi, presiding over the meeting, spoke solemnly: “I’ll give you just fifteen minutes The highest level of Songhai Division consists of five senior elders, followed by regional officers, and then various small teams of spiritual realm practitioners. As one of the five senior elders—highly influential and powerful—Lao Tai-di did not see fit to expend much time or effort on the fate of a direct descendant from a prominent spiritual lineage. "Pang Wudi, speak first," said Lao Tai-di, activating Pang's microphone. "Senior Elder, Xia Hou Tianyuan injured people within my jurisdiction. I arrested him strictly in accordance with established procedures. Under the leadership of Fu Qingyang, they forcibly stormed my office and nearly killed me. According to the Five Elements Alliance's regulations, anyone who harms a colleague must be executed." Several officers immediately began typing, expressing support for strict disciplinary action against Fu Qingyang. Lao Tai-di then activated Fu Qingyang's voice channel. "Fu Qingyang, what would you like to say?" "Everything I have to say is already documented in my report," Fu Qingyang replied calmly. Senior Tai Di said in a steady tone, "You knew that Xia Hou Tian Yuan had already reported himself, yet you still went after him, disregarding the Five Elements Alliance's rules. Is that accurate? I haven't made a mistake, have I?" "No." Fu Qingyang spoke coldly. The pace of the other stewards' typing slowed considerably. Tedi, the senior steward, continued, "Since everyone has made mistakes, let's each take a fifty-minute reprimand. The case involving Hei Wuchang still needs investigation. I'll settle your matters later—let this matter drop. Regarding the handling of Xia Hou Tianyuan, I'd like to hear your thoughts." Immediately, seven or eight stewards requested the microphone. "Senior Steward, Xia Hou Tianyuan's target was family members of Zhishi Palace members. Though there were errors, there was no intent to cause harm—only to lure out the intended targets. A lighter penalty would be appropriate." "Senior Steward, Xia Hou Tianyuan is indeed a key figure from the Xia Hou family. Given that no significant impact has been caused, a lenient punishment is necessary. Let him compensate the victims, gain their understanding, and serve a period of ten to fifteen days." "The act of kidnapping is unacceptable and deserves punishment. A fifteen-day detention would suffice." Tedi the senior steward pondered. Though he held the authority to make decisions, it was the stewards who actually carried out the work—so he had to take their concerns into account. Additionally, the several members of the Fu family who had been operating on the periphery of the core group had privately reached out to him, subtly expressing their desire for a more restrained, lenient handling of the matter. However, fifteen days were insufficient to gain widespread acceptance, and the Elder Teddy calmly stated, "Xia Hou Tianyuan has violated the peace and order regulations, inciting and orchestrating a kidnapping and detention—therefore, he shall be held for two months." Two months… With the senior officials, led by Pang Wuyi, no further objections were raised. Though not the outcome they had most desired, two months was acceptable, and it would serve as a period of reflection and renewal. "Elder, I would like to speak!" Fu Qingyang responded via typing. Elder Teddy granted him a speaking slot, "You have five minutes." What else did he intend to do? The senior officials, Pang Wuyi and others, exchanged subtle frowns. Fu Qingyang spoke with a steady, measured tone, neither hurried nor rushed: "Based on my investigation and the evidence I have gathered, Xia Hou Tianyuan has committed a number of offenses. In February of this year, leveraging the strength of his family's influence, "In November last year, he colluded with senior leaders of local state-owned enterprises to embezzle state assets. In August last year, he committed three cases of rape; two were settled through payments, while in the third case, the victim refused reconciliation, and thus he arranged for the captive Lingjing Xingzhe to be murdered to eliminate her. Additionally, multiple individuals have reported that he privately recruited wild Lingjing Xingzhe to serve as his enforcers, carrying out unlawful acts, and that he has been using captive young girls for the entertainment of his associates within the circle. 'I have detailed criminal records, evidence, and real-name complaints from several victims,' he said. The meeting fell silent for a while. Pang Wudi and the other stewards felt a sudden chill, both shocked and furious—how had Fu Qingyang managed to uncover so much information so quickly, and gather such solid evidence? The next moment, their minds flashed to the answer: The Xiahou family! A family insider must be a family insider. Outsiders could not possibly possess such detailed knowledge about Xiahou Tianyuan's crimes. He had likely been plotting against Xiahou Tianyuan all along." Has he already quietly coordinated with other factions within the Xiaohou family and gathered solid evidence? Well... "I'll copy the documents over to you later," Fu Qingyang added. As soon as the words were spoken, the stewards who had remained silent throughout the meeting began to speak one after another, demanding strict punishment for Xiaohou Tianyuan—as if they had all discussed it in advance. Elder Tedi paused for a few seconds, then asked, "Is there anyone else who would like to speak?" Only when Xiaohou Chi himself stepped forward did the situation become clear—Pang Wudi and the others realized the meeting was now lost and chose to remain silent. "I'll verify the evidence. Until then, Xiaohou Tianyuan will be placed under your supervision, Fu Qingyang. The meeting is adjourned!" ... "The meeting is over?" Zhang Yuanqing, who had just received Fu Qingyang's message, shot straight up from his bed and carefully read through the contents. Fu Qingyang stated that the criminal records of Xiaohou Tianyuan had been submitted, sentencing had not yet been decided, and it would likely take several years before he could be removed from the situation. Yet, the subtle mention by the centurion of Xia Hou Tianyuan's grandfather, Xia Hou Chi, currently stationed in Songhai—though under control of the Five Elements Alliance—has become a ticking time bomb. Zhang Yuanqing has recently been advised to prioritize safety, to stay away from the Kangyang District Police Headquarters, and to wait for further instructions. "Besides Xia Hou Chi, there's also Xia Hou Xin. His son was sent to prison by me. Should he retaliate in a desperate move, I'll be in serious danger. I need to reach out to the Zheng Sha Palace and strike a decisive blow at the Xia Hou family." Reflecting on this, Zhang Yuanqing dialed Wang Qian's phone. The call was answered by Qingdian Daxing, who replied: "Wait a moment." The Palace Master has not returned from her dungeon quest, and they are unable to reach her. If she were to remain stuck in the quest, things would get quite interesting indeed... Zhang Yuanqing murmured under his breath, then settled back to sleep. At 4 a.m., he was woken up by his phone ringing. The caller ID read Wang Qian. Zhang Yuanqing perked up instantly, his drowsiness The Qingdian Great Saint said with a pleasant tone, "Our Lady has come out. She wishes to see you."