After speaking, Xiao Yuan paused for two seconds, then grasped the door handle and gently turned it. The scene before her transformed, as if rippled in water— the hotel corridor morphed into an ancient, solemn Buddhist temple, with towering Buddha statues holding lotus flowers with gentle, lowered brows. Their eyes were half-closed, half-open, serene yet stern. Xiao Yuan carefully studied the Buddha statues before softly shifting her gaze. The temple was a realm of illusion, born from the inner vision of Master Wuhen, not a real place. That Buddha—seeming both compassionate and fierce—was a manifestation of Master Wuhen’s inner state. He had created this temple, enclosing himself within it. The Buddha symbolized Master Wuhen’s inner self; as long as the Buddha remained still, Master Wuhen remained in control. When the Buddha withdrew his compassion and turned into a wrathful, fierce figure with eyes blazing, it would mean Master Wuhen could no longer contain his inner resolve to act. "Master Wuhen," Xiao Yuan said sincerely, "Lord Yuanshizhen has now assisted Kou Beiyue in avenging her past grievances. This child has now fulfilled his k The temple was silent. The figure in green robes stood firm, motionless. After several seconds, Master Wuhen's strained voice echoed: "It can only be done once!" Xiao Yuan sighed with relief, beaming: "Yes!" She quickly bowed her head, clasping her hands in reverence before the statue. As she prepared to step out of the temple, a low, pained voice resonated once more in her ears: "Could the Jade Emperor of the Primordial Heavens assist in seeking out evil professions who still harbor good intentions?" Such an important matter entrusted to the Jade Emperor of the Primordial Heavens? Has Master Wuhen finally come to fully recognize him? Xiao Yuan was momentarily stunned, a profound sense of joy welling up within her. When she first agreed to join the "Return of the Departed" guild, Master Wuhen had replied: "Then go and verify it yourself." This showed that Master Wuhen cared deeply whether the Jade Emperor's ideals were merely superficial slogans. Now, the Jade Emperor had finally demonstrated his ideals through concrete actions. Master Wuhen had fully embraced and recognized him. At last, this small team had welcomed its first lawful, orderly profession. "Excellent!" "A gentle smile played at Xiao Yuan's lips. ... 'Ding!' In the first-floor grand hall of Fu Family Village, on the luxurious leather sofa, Zhang Yuanqing pulled out his phone, read the message, and quickly turned to face Fu Qingyang: 'Captain, Master Wuhen has replied to me. You truly have a keen sense of foresight— they've genuinely accepted me.' He subtly paid his compliments. Xiao Yuan had sent a message expressing her gratitude and outlining Master Wuhen's request—helping locate an evil profession that embodies virtue. This, in essence, signaled that Master Wuhen now sees him as one of his own. From now on, he could confidently seek assistance from Master Wuhen, even if faced with the King of the Eye of the Divine. With the added reward of two thousand moral points, though he hadn't always prioritized personal gain, the returns were truly heartening. Zhang Yuanqing felt a deep sense of satisfaction. Fu Qingyang raised his porcelain cup, sipped his tea, and then stood up, saying, 'Then let's go and interrogate Chi Yue An.' Zhang Yuanqing quickly rose and followed him, the two descending the double stairwell and returning to the ground floor. "Captain, last time you were granted permission by the Dog Elder to kill Pang Zhi-shi," Zhang Yuanqing recalled. Just earlier in the living room, while discussing the matter of Chi Yue-an, he had learned that Chi Yue-an had accumulated over 2.3 billion in wealth over the years, with more than half of the funds unaccounted for—suggesting a larger fish behind the scenes. Zhang Yuanqing believed it would be better to directly kill Chi Yue-an to inquire about the spirit matter. Now, as a Level 3 Night-Wanderer, equipped with the Subduing Demon Staff, he could withstand the spiritual contamination of a Level 4 Lawful-Order Walker. "That was a very special time," Fu Qingyang replied calmly. "How could the importance of the Fallen Holy Cup and the Night Rose compare to that of Tong Que Tower?" Oh, our rules and standards are quite flexible, then… Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself. Fu Qingyang said evenly, "Are you criticizing me in your heart?" …Zhang Yuanqing firmly denied, "No, no… Captain "Fu Qingyang spoke calmly. "Not the Zhu family?" Chu Yue An was confined to the final chamber. He still wore his white suit, now creased and stained, his neat side part now tousled, a wooden collar around his neck and chains at his ankles. He lay half-sitting, frail. The collar and chains were props—barely sufficient to restrain a Saint, so Ling Jun administered an extra injection of biological toxin to strengthen his hold. Notably, these props could be carried into the spiritual realm; should Chu Yue An leave the chamber during that state, he would surely perish. Upon hearing footsteps, Chu Yue An immediately turned his head, ignoring Fu Qingyang and fixing his gaze on Zhang Yuanqing. The fire master's face flared with anger and resentment, each word spoken with gritted teeth: "The Prime Immortal!" As for whom he most resented, it was undoubtedly the Prime Immortal. Chu Yue An even harbored no ill will toward the seductive demon, for that being was merely a minor figure, incapable of making a significant impact or posing a real threat. It was all because the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign had interfered unnecessarily—Cuquee Pavilion was sealed off, and he himself ended up as a prisoner. "I still prefer your arrogant, pompous demeanor from last night," Zhang Yuanqing remarked sarcastically. "Look at yourself now—you're nothing but a dog." How could the fiery, impetuous Fire Master bear such mockery and provocation? The veins on Hui Yue An's forehead bulged, his eyes nearly popping out of his sockets. He suppressed his anger and suddenly chuckled, saying, "How long can you maintain your pride? By secretly investigating cases and aligning yourself with the evil professions—despite being the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign, the Council won't spare you." In a world where order is upheld and evil is destined to prevail, siding with evil professions constitutes a serious offense. The Primordial Heavenly Sovereign, lacking a powerful background, could never escape accountability no matter how many merits he accumulated. "Oh, the evil professions have just left," Zhang Yuanqing said. "The Council declared me innocent!" Hui Yue An coldly replied, "Then keep on acting strong." Fu Qingyang added calmly, "Indeed, he is innocent." "Heard of his support, Chi Yue's face went stiff immediately, and he shouted, 'Impossible! Collaborating with evil professions is a serious offense. You've also seriously injured and killed peace officers...' He didn't believe that the powerful elites behind would willingly be taken advantage of—they would surely intervene. As a steward, the Five Elements Alliance could fully handle him, but those elites were beyond the reach of the Five Elements Alliance. Even the Songhai government would have to report to the capital to deal with them. Until the capital made a statement, the elite figures in Sha Kou District would naturally act, and the violent enforcement actions of the Kangyang District's Wardens would be their key leverage point." He knew this name—he was one of the official four princes, the son of the head of Taiyuan Sect, with his maternal uncle serving as the Grand Elder of the Hundred Blossom Assembly. In terms of family background, he even surpassed Fu Qingyang slightly. How could the elite power brokers of Sha Kou District, with all their influence, use this as leverage against a prince of his standing? They simply didn’t have the strength to do so. Chìyuè Ān felt utterly hopeless. But the very next moment, Chi Yue An coldly laughed, "There's no mastermind—this is entirely my doing, unrelated to anyone else." Zhang Yuanqing immediately turned to Fu Qingyang, questioning the matter. As a complete novice in this area, he knew he couldn't easily persuade Chi Yue An, who held the position of steward. It would have to be entrusted to a professional. Noticing his subordinates' gaze, Fu Qingyang calmly said, "Chi Yue An, I've reviewed your psychological evaluation. You exhibit tendencies toward violence and sexual abuse. Every condition has a reason. You were once a junior husband at the Zhu family, and the elderly matriarch there shared a particular fondness for sexual domination—did you endure significant suffering under her care? After prolonged exposure to such an environment, it's common for individuals to develop psychological issues, either experiencing mental breakdowns or being cultivated into submissive, victimized personalities. Yet, as a Fire Master, you never willingly submit. You naturally grow resentful of women, deeply detest them, and particularly enjoy subjecting them to physical and sexual hardships in intimate settings. After you left the Zhu family and joined the Wuxing Alliance, you had thought you had finally found your freedom. Yet gradually, you realized that the cumulative abuse had completely warped your psyche. "Thus, under your direction and protection, the Copper Rooster Pavilion came into being—it became your outlet for pathological desires. There, on that helpless woman, you rediscovered your dignity and joy. Truly pitiful—I never show mercy to anyone, yet I now feel profound compassion for you." How devastating—killing with words indeed. Zhang Yuanqing glanced at Fu Qingyang, recalling that he was a high-ranking scout, and then quickly averted his gaze. Chi Yue's eyes were bloodshot, her pupils red, her fists unconsciously clenched, veins standing out prominently, her face now fierce and grim. Fu Qingyang spoke with his usual calm, as though it were not he who was causing the harm, continuing: "I have not yet revealed these past incidents. If you don't mind, I can help spread the word widely. Perhaps this will generate a wave of sympathy, and even secure your life—death may not be certain after all." “……” Chi Yue An’s lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but then held back. He took a deep breath and said, “If you truly have something to ask, let the senior monks come. I won’t believe you.” How stiff he was! Zhang Yuanqing exhaled in relief, concealing his joy. This was exactly what they had hoped for—never intending to get a direct answer. In fact, during their discussion in the living room earlier, their goal had been clear: to make Chi Yue An loosen up. Fu Qingyang spoke with the calm assurance of someone fully in control, saying, “I will report this to the senior monks.” Chi Yue An lowered his head slightly, breathed a sigh of relief, then suddenly lifted his gaze again, gritting his teeth, “Master Yuan Shi, why?” A scroll was pressed against her chest, inscribed not with incantations but with the name "Chìyuè Ān" and her birth chart. A pair of hands as clear and luminous as jade held a syringe, gently pushing the blood from the needle into a small white porcelain bowl. Then, black juice was poured in, glutinous rice was scattered atop, and the paper scroll was folded and burned until ash, which was then added to the bowl. After completing these steps, the hands, still as bright and pure as jade, lightly touched the liquid in the bowl and, with a delicate touch, brushed two spots on the wooden figure’s faceless face, forming the eyes. The dark liquid was absorbed by the figure, and gradually, Chìyuè Ān’s features took shape. With the same graceful hands, she lifted the figure and, with a refined motion, picked up a silver needle, swiftly piercing it into the figure’s brow. "Hiss… hiss…" A steady stream of pale blue vapor rose from the brow. "...What is it? Why?" Zhang Yuancheng asked. Chìyuè Ān spoke sharply, "We have no grudges He grew more and more agitated, progressing from questioning to roaring, his voice echoing through the narrow corridor. Fu Qingyang turned to look at Zhang Yuanqing, gazing at him steadily. Zhang Yuanqing paused, his tone calm: "Because of anger, because of hatred, because of youth, because... simply because he was born human." Chì Yuè Ān seemed deeply humiliated—personally insulted—and burst into laughter: "You're remarkable, you're noble, Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn! You've offended so many people that sooner or later, you'll have no place to be buried at all..." As he raged on, a shimmer of pale blue vapor suddenly rose from the center of his brow, then surged out in a powerful gust, igniting black flames that rapidly consumed his flesh, and then his bones. In less than two seconds, this towering seven-foot man was completely reduced to ashes—his clothes, pants, and wooden shackles and chains remained untouched. He seemed to have vanished entirely, as if erased from existence. Dead? Dead? Zhang Yuanqing's eyes narrowed in shock, his spine stiffening as he stared at the scene before him, utterly startled.