Taking the room key from Xie Lingxi, Zhang Yuanqing approached the presidential suite and swiped to open the door. "Beep!" After the chime, he turned the door handle and stepped inside. The opulent hall was empty. Zhang Yuanqing glanced around, then said, "Master of Zhishi Palace?" A clear, melodic voice came from the bedroom, slightly weak, "Inside..." Zhang Yuanqing immediately crossed the hall and pushed open the master bedroom door. The room featured a smaller antechamber; after passing through it, he spotted Master Zhishi lying on a luxurious gilded bed by the window. She still wore her traditional red gown, with cloud patterns embroidered in gold thread on her chest, sleeves, and hem. Lying on the soft bed, one delicate, pale arm—like lotus stems—supported her elegant head. Her eyes, beneath the silver mask, silently watched him as he entered. How graceful she was—what a face must lie beneath that mask... Zhang Yuanqing's gaze passed without missing a single detail over the two slender, graceful feet revealed at the hem of her dress. She never wears shoes, does she? "Have you been expecting me, Master?" Zhang Yuanqing sat down at a desk near the bed where the Empress was resting. The Master of Zhi-Sha smiled gently, saying, "I was injured by the Tian Wang taught by the Commander of the Army, and it will take me some time to recover. With the enemy now approaching Songhai, I must find a way to protect myself. Therefore, I need you!" Has the Commander's Tian Wang actually come all the way to Songhai? Zhang Yuanqing felt a sudden sense of urgency. As he heard the last part, he paused, startled: "Need me?" Need me to die for you! The Master of Zhi-Sha nodded lightly, her slender fingers gently twisting her hair, and explained, "I have a device called the 'Wahuang's Embrace,' which can rapidly heal my injuries—no matter how severe—and its effectiveness surpasses even the original life essence fluid. However, there is a cost associated with its use, a cost I cannot afford on my own. Thus, I need you." Ah, so it is! Zhang Yuanqing nodded first, then sensed something was off—what kind of cost could only be borne by him? Neither Zhang Yuanqing nor the Prime Origin Celestial The Master of the Stop-Kill Palace sat up, hands pressed gently against her abdomen, in a graceful lady's sitting posture, and sighed, "The price of the Emperor of Nü is that to save one person, another must be sacrificed—this sacrifice must be a man, specifically the one deeply cherished by the one offering the sacrifice..." Just as Zhang Yuanqing's 'whoa' surged to his throat, the red-dressed beauty sitting on the mat suddenly vanished. In the next moment, a pair of cool, soft hands reached from behind, gently caressing Zhang Yuanqing's cheeks, her voice soft and tender, "You are my face-to-face partner. Such a heavy responsibility—surely, you can't shirk it, can you?" With that, she lightly parted her lips, releasing a warm, fragrant breath. ...Zhang Yuanqing's entire body bristled with gooseflesh, frozen in place. He couldn't move because the Master of the Stop-Kill Palace's presence was pressing down on him. After a few seconds of stillness, she suddenly burst into soft, girlish laughter, her laughter causing the floral robes to tremble and flutter. "You were so startled! How could I She moved gracefully, stepping back to the Empress' bed, her crimson skirt trailing gently on the ground. Huff... Zhang Yuanqing exhaled slowly and deeply, his mind boiling with fury: Madwoman! You're absolutely mad! For a moment there, he thought he was done for. "Master of the Stilled Kill, please don't make such a joke. What exactly did you have in mind when you invited me here?" Zhang Yuanqing suppressed his irritation. The Master of the Stilled Kill unbuttoned her sleeve and settled herself slowly, her clear eyes losing their warmth, her tone now a bit colder. "I was seriously injured by the King of the Divine Eye, nearly dying at his hands. He pursued me all the way to Songhai. I need you to report this matter up to the headquarters. There are five senior monks at the Songhai branch—the Divine Eye himself is careful not to draw too much attention. With their backing, my situation will be much less stressful. There's another matter..." She glanced at him gently. "I heard you killed Li Xianzong in Yin Yang Town. You did well—indeed, you're the man who deserves to be my favorite." Yet Li Xianzong is a trusted aide of the Eye of the Demon. Once he arrives in Songhai, he will certainly settle this matter." Has the Eye of the Demon come to Songhai? Zhang Yuanqing's face immediately grew pale. After a thoughtful pause, he asked, "What is the Eye of the Demon's strength?" The Master of Zhishi replied calmly, "Without any external aid, my chances of surviving under his command are only one in three; my chances of defeating him are zero." That is, utterly hopeless—how strong is that? The Master of Zhishi is at least a Sovereign-level character, and though she is a lawful-type, she's only just entering the Sovereign realm. The Eye of the Demon, however, is a seasoned Sovereign. Zhang Yuanqing silently admired her, then asked, "If I were to face the Eye of the Demon, what should I prepare?" The Master of Zhishi glanced at him, speaking with a touch of impatience, "Prepare for the worst." "..." Zhang Yuanqing raised his hand to his mouth, cleared his throat to mask his embarrassment, and said, "What I mean is, what are the Eye of the Demon's strengths and weaknesses?" "I'd like to know him a bit better." The records of the Mageye Emperor he would certainly not be able to access—master-level records, even if he achieved one A-level achievement, would not grant access; only at a certain rank would such permissions be granted. The Palace Master of Zhishi had personally faced the Mageye Emperor, providing the most authentic and up-to-date intelligence. "The Mageye Emperor is the only one besides the Robe of Justice who has perfected the art of the Persuasive Eye, to the point that vertical eyes have grown on his forehead—the very name 'Mageye' originated this way." The Palace Master paused and said, "Discussing his strength and weaknesses would be pointless. At this level, even if he has weaknesses, you simply cannot target them. What matters is his personality—perhaps you can leverage that. He's a madman, a true oddity!" "Madman? Oddity?" Zhang Yuanqing seized the opportunity to express his frustration, maintaining a composed and calm demeanor. "How so?" "The Mageye Emperor also has another title—'The Younger-Than-Expected Emperor.'" Because he has always carried a stern, impatient anger toward this world and this nation. Whenever he arrives in a new place, he investigates whether local officials are abusing power, oppressing the people, embezzling public funds, and gathers evidence of their misconduct. Once he deems the evidence sufficient to sentence his targets to death, he halts his pursuit and then personally visits them to kill them." The Master of the Stop-Killing Palace said: "Moreover, it is said that he is fiercely opposed to wrongdoing and intolerant of those who dominate the weak. Therefore, members of the Army of the Master of the Army are afraid of him. Wherever he is present, no demonic spirit dares to commit injustice." ...Zhang Yuanqing listened in stunned silence, his face expressionless. He thought—Is this an evil profession? Is this a saint sent from heaven to save the world? The Master of the Stop-Killing Palace spoke calmly: "You shouldn't think of him as a good person. A person with the Magician's Eye is a classic example of a执念 becoming a demon—such individuals are even more extreme and dangerous than those who are naturally inclined to kill. If I'm not mistaken, the official rankings of the "I understand," Zhang Yuanqing nodded seriously. Hmm, based on my understanding of the evil professions, this Magi-Eye Emperor must have faced severe treatment—no, not just treatment, but persecution, even harm—before he reached the level of a Spirit Realm traveler. Only then can we explain his "youthful passion and resentment." Every evil act within the evil professions has a reason. While rooting out corrupt officials starts with good intentions, if the approach becomes overly zealous, it takes on a different character. "Thank you for the insight—I now have a clearer picture of who he is," Zhang Yuanqing nodded. Though, he added mentally, this probably won't make much difference. The Master of the Halt-Death Palace gently inclined her head. "All right, you may go now. I'll rest a while. Tell Xie Lingxi to stay out unless there's an emergency. Anyone who disturbs my rest will be hung and beaten." Is this her room?... Zhang Yuanqing silently sympathized with the young green tea for a brief moment. Leaving the suite, he didn't hesitate and immediately picked up his phone to call Fu Qingyang. This is crucial—it must be reported immediately. "Speak!" Fu Qingyang said plainly. The centurion's voice has always been so composed, but in that very 0.01 second after I delivered this news, I need to hear your reaction... Zhang Yuanqing spoke softly: "Centurion, I just received word from the Master of the Stillness Palace—the King of the Magi-Eye has arrived in Songhai." "What?" Fu Qingyang's tone changed, his questions now urgent: "Did the Master of the Stillness Palace confirm this?" Even the usually composed centurion sounded genuinely eager. Zhang Yuan清 briefly summarized the Master of the Stillness Palace's message and relayed it to Fu Qingyang. "I understand," Fu Qingyang said, taking a deep breath. "This person is extremely dangerous. I'll immediately report this to the elders. Yuanshi, you need not go to the office for the next few days—just stay at home." Ah, I'm nearly turning into a turtle whenever I'm called on officially... Zhang Yuanqing said, "I've got it under control." "Songhai has nearly 30 million people. If the Mage's Eye hasn't revealed his true identity, searching for him would indeed be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Moreover, the Mage's Eye's primary target is the Master of the Stopping the Killing Sect—the Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn is merely a secondary concern. For now, he'll stay away from his office and wear a disguise when going out. The situation should be manageable... That's what he thought as he hung up the phone. Fu Qingyang didn't respond, and instead dialed the Dog Elder's phone. "Senior, I just received a piece of intelligence from the Primordial Sovereign." "He?" the Dog Elder chuckled. "Go on." "The Demon Eye has arrived at Songhai." "What?" The Dog Elder's voice suddenly rose several decibels, his questions rushing out quickly. "Where did the Primordial Sovereign get this information? Is it reliable? The Demon Eye has been active in the north—how could he suddenly appear in the south?" Listening to the Dog Elder's tone, Fu Qingyang suddenly realized his own earlier hesitation, and gave a subtle twitch at the corner of his mouth. "It was Master Zhan Yuanqing who told him," he said, relaying Zhang Yuanqing's words verbatim. The Dog Elder remained silent for a while, then spoke in a low, steady voice. "This intelligence is both significant and timely. I will immediately convene the senior council to discuss our strategy against the Demon Eye Sovereign. Of course, I'll also issue a public announcement, urging those with less-than-clean records to stay at home for now." "If it were any other Heavenly King, the Dog Elder wouldn't be this worried. But the Mago-Eye King is different—he's a complete enigma, a madman. Passionate! A neurotic!" The Dog Elder said, "Let Yuan-Shi stay at home too," and then hurriedly hung up the phone. He forked some slices of ham and bit into them, chewing thoughtfully. "Now, without further ado, Lingxi—have you heard about the Clan Mandate I've secured in Yin-Yang Town? Would you like to join?" Shen Lingxi's eyes sparkled, her delicate face glowing with excitement. "Really? Really? Yuan-Shi Brother has obtained a Clan Mandate! Invite me right away—I want to become Yuan-Shi Brother's loyal supporter and help him achieve great things!" The Clan Mandate offers numerous benefits. Most directly, it provides experience points—though not in large quantities, experience symbolizes strength, and who could possibly refuse growth in strength? That's just the beginning of its advantages. "Yuan-Shi Brother, what do you call our clan?" asked the young green tea enthusiast, cutting a piece of beef and placing it gently into her brother's bowl. Zhang Yuan settled his breath, speaking calmly. "The Returning of the Departed!" "The Return of the Kings?" Shen Lingxi clapped her hands with delight. "It has such a strong presence—I love it!" Though a bit conventional, it was still acceptable. "Wait!" “Zhang Yuancheng shook his head: ‘You thought of the emperor as the “King,” didn’t you? I originally wanted to adopt that name, but it’s already taken, and frankly, I find it rather outdated.’ ‘So?’ Xie Lingxi’s heart sank at the sound of it. “Return of the Departed! The “Wan” of the Dead!” Zhang Yuancheng lifted his chin proudly. What on earth is this? This name is going to make the entire faction’s banner obsolete… Xie Lingxi’s eyes widened in astonishment, momentarily stunned. Then, in the next instant, a look of even greater joy and admiration bloomed on her face. “Return of the Departed—Master Yuanshǐ is truly unconventional, breaking all the molds. I love this name! I’m eager to join—please, recruit me right away!” Zhang Yuancheng immediately opened the warehouse, clicked the search icon in the upper-right corner, and with his finger as a pen, typed in the name “Xie Lingxi.” He selected “Invite.” In the very next moment, Xie Lingxi felt a subtle sense of awareness: “Ah, there it is…” Her She hurried into the clan warehouse and indeed found several items. Two items lay quietly inside: one was a plain, poorly crafted straw figure, and the other resembled a wolf-repelling spray. "Brother Yuanshǐ, could you demonstrate the properties of these items?" The items in the warehouse display their attributes publicly, without requiring the clan members to personally handle them—this is one of the features of the clan warehouse, helping members select items conveniently. "We can look at them again later," Zhang Yuanqing immediately lowered his head to eat. "Why not now? Just show me!" Xie Lingxi cooed. But Zhang Yuanqing paid no attention to her. ... Under the blazing sun, Aunt Yuan drove to a bar that had yet to open. This street is packed with bars and nightclubs, all closed and not yet open for business. Yet one bar at the corner remained open, with an array of cars—some luxurious, others more modest—parked outside. One after another, people arrived in various styles—some in full suits, others in flip-flops with seven-seam pants, some in tailored shirts with casual haircuts, and others wrapped in black coats with masks and baseball caps—forming an exceptionally diverse group. When Xiao Yuan parked her car, she took out her phone and handed the invitation message to the two tall security guards at the entrance for review. After confirming the message was correct, one of the bearded men, a bald man, took a good look at her well-proportioned, full-figured frame and smiled warmly. "Go on in!" he said. "By the way, would you like to join us for a drink later?" "Sure," she replied, her expression neutral, "if I'm in the mood and don't end up killing either of you." She tucked her phone away and entered the bar. Inside, the space opened up into a spacious hall filled with round tables and wicker chairs, with a long bar directly facing the entrance. At the tables around the hall, a number of the so-called "evil professionals" who had come to the appointment were already seated—Xiao Yuan was one of them. She received an invitation today: the newly appointed "head" of the Military Church, who has arrived at the Songhai branch, is reopening the outpost and extending a warm welcome to long-time guests to attend and meet in person. As one of the three major organizations within the realm of evil professions, the Military Church commands unquestioned respect—its prestige is never to be underestimated, and the evil professions genuinely rely on the existence of the black market. When conducting transactions independently, they fear being "blackmailed" or "undercut." After taking her seat, Xiao Yuan ordered a cocktail from the bartender and waited silently. About fifteen minutes later, a young man emerged from the back stage, dressed in athletic wear with a sports headband on his forehead. He had a strikingly handsome appearance and a bright, cheerful smile—free of the coldness and sharpness typically associated with evil professions. Yet, as soon as he appeared before the gathered guests, each of them involuntarily felt a sudden surge of unease. This individual was far more powerful and formidable than even the most revered figures—without realizing it, everyone straightened their posture and adopted a more composed, attentive demeanor. A cheerful, sunlit young man scanned the hall and declared in a strong voice: "Today marks the reopening of the Black Market at the Bing Master's branch in Songhai. It's a pleasure to have all of you here. From now on, I'll be taking care of this place—feel free to enjoy yourselves, as long as you don't bully the weak or harm the innocent." Hmm? Everyone paused, internally muttering: Really, just 'casual' play? "I promise you, the chaotic scene at that run-down bar will never happen again," the young man said. "The Bing Master's actions have displeased the Bing Master's office, and their prestige must be respected. Since you're all native to Songhai, from today on, should there be any news about the Zhishā Palace members—or even the Palace Master himself—please inform me. A reward of 500,000 for each lead. For any verified lead concerning the Palace Master himself, the reward will be 5 million." The evil-oriented characters in the hall exchanged glances, their faces bright with excitement. They were thrilled by the generous rewards and deeply curious about the Bing Master's growing tensions with the Zhishā Palace The young man wearing a sports headband continued: "The second matter is to gather evidence proving that the Prime Immortal of Songhai Branch has committed misconduct." What? Miss Xiao Yuan was momentarily stunned, staring in surprise at the young man by the counter.