Dusk. Zhang Yuanqing, dragging his weary body, took a taxi back home. After leaving the International Tower, he turned to Fu Jiawan Villa, handed over cash to Fu Qingyang, and asked the affluent young man to transfer the funds to Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn's account. Then, he openly disclosed his deal with Mr. Bill, and subsequently called Guan Ya, inviting her to visit Fu Jiawan to exchange techniques. Each time facing crisis and enduring brutal treatment, Zhang Yuanqing always emerges with a resilient, determined spirit. Fu Qingyang had observed him with remarkable attention to detail. At dinner, Zhang chewed on the sweet yet slightly tangy goukao meat, asking, "Grandma, has Uncle been working late again?" Grandma picked up spring bamboo shoots and replied calmly, "Your aunt has taken him out for business engagements." "Oh, that's surprising! Your sister has taken my nephew out for business engagements?" Aunt expressed her surprise in an exaggerated tone. It sounded rather unsteady—like an unreliable older brother taking his niece out to start a business venture. Grandma settled into her gossiping expression, speaking softly even though she was at home. "In a few days, the official world in Songhai is going to shake up." Seeing her daughter and grandson both looking puzzled and genuinely interested, she felt satisfied and continued, "They say many people in the security system will be affected, opening up a number of positions. As for Yuanjun—well, you know, he's been diligent and has earned solid recognition over the years, yet promotions in Songhai are tough. No matter how many achievements he has, it all depends on seniority. That's why he's held the position of deputy team leader for so many years now. "Now, isn't this the perfect opportunity? My sister-in-law wants to use her connections to see if Yuanjun can be promoted. By the way, she was introduced to him by your grandfather." Introduced by your grandfather... Zhang Yuanqing looked at his grandfather. Grandfather has worked his entire life in the security system, so his network is extensive. Yet, he's always seen himself as upright and impartial, never forming close alliances. He knows many people, but their relationships haven't been particularly deep. How has things changed now? Facing the glances of her grandson and daughter, the upright and strict grandfather cleared his throat, "I'm just asking if there's any chance at all." Jiang Yu E nodded, "How much has your sister prepared?" The grandfather coughed vigorously, "I'm just asking if there's any chance at all." Zhang Yuan Qing nodded, "Is fifty thousand enough?" The grandfather's patience snapped; he snapped, "Eat!" Zhang Yuan Qing and Jiang Yu E sat quietly, eating, silently implying that the teasing should stop. The mother-in-law's outbursts were merely theatrical—she never truly raised her voice. But the father-in-law, when he was angry, was serious—his demands came with full force. In Kangyang District, the Director was pushed down the stairs by the Mago's eyes, leaving his position vacant. Yet Brother-in-law couldn't possibly make two consecutive exits—his hopes lie in Shakou District. The problem is, right now, the situation is at its most tense. With the wind of scrutiny blowing strongest, it's hard for anyone to accept connections at this very moment... Brother-in-law has earned a promotion to Deputy Commander, but Songhai is well-known for relying heavily on personal relationships and seniority. Promotion remains difficult without external support. Without outside help, advancement seems quite challenging. I'll check with Guan Ya soon to see if she has any connections. I've destroyed the Tongque Pavilion and established significant merit—though the branch office hasn't yet formally recognized and rewarded me. This is the perfect time to make a request. Although the Five Elements Alliance doesn't handle administrative affairs, its rules are rules—personal relationships can always override formal procedures. After dinner, Zhang Yuan washed up and returned to his room, lying down quietly, silently donning the "Silent One" mask. From now on, he'll keep it on except when eating or fighting. At the very moment he put on the mask, an indescribable fatigue surged through him, as if his vitality, spirit, and all his abilities had completely "degraded" into that of an ordinary person—his spiritual essence, constitution, and skills all sealed away. Gasp! The equipment from the transcendent stage possesses this very ability. The evil occupations abroad seem quite formidable—though he couldn't quite recall their official names. Zhang Yuanqing silently marvelled. Nevertheless, according to the established framework of the Spirit Realm, the evil occupations abroad might actually surpass the lawful ones. He just wondered whether among the lawful occupations there existed any peak-tier roles akin to the Night Wandering Spirit. "The Spirit Realm is divided into three regions. In theory, each region should have evil occupations. If each region has three, then there would be a total of nine evil occupations. The lawful ones, however, would be even more numerous. It would be fascinating to see what the overseas server's occupations are like." As Zhang Yuanqing was lost in thought, a notification from the Spirit Realm system reached his ears: 【Ping! Fu Qingyang has invited you to join the White Guard Battalion.】 At the same time, a glowing cyan dialogue box appeared in his line Wait, did the centurion finish the meeting? Did the White Shield troops agree to my joining? Zhang Yuanqing clicked "Confirm." [Beep! You have successfully joined the White Shield Troops. Please review the regulations carefully. Benefits are available in the warehouse section.] Zhang Yuanqing quickly opened his character's attributes, navigated to the "Faction" section, found "White Shield Troops," and clicked. The troop's introduction and regulations appeared. The White Shield Troops' regulations were simple: never kill unnecessarily, never oppress the weak, never align with evil professions, never violate public order and good customs, never betray fellow members, always uphold order and duty, and remain loyal to the Commander's directives. As for benefits, in addition to receiving a salary equivalent to that of a corresponding position in the Five Elements Alliance, members in first- or second-tier cities are allocated a residential property valued at 200 million yuan, and there is a dedicated office serving the White Shield Troops. Then Zhang Yuanqing opened the faction warehouse... A "whoa!" escaped his lips. The faction's warehouse holds forty slots, stacked high with equipment and materials, covering the seven lawful professions, three evil professions, and various foreign ones that Zhang Yuanqing didn't recognize. The total value of these items alone amounts to several billion. Zhang Yuanqing silently opened the warehouse for "The Return of the Dead," glancing at the scarecrow and the long-lasting spray, and quietly wept. Fu Qingyang had shown him the world's diversity. Zhang Yuanqing drew a faint smile, reluctantly sending a 100-yuan red envelope. Yuan Shishen: "Ladies and gentlemen, the gift may be modest, but the sentiment is deep." All red envelopes were claimed within three seconds. Ling Jun: "Ten yuan—quite good, thank you, @Yuan Shishen. The White Tigers in the group are all Sages—keep them well-fed and attentive. When you need help, just reach out to them." Wait? Are they all Sages? Zhang Yuanqing was stunned. Though he knew Fu Qingyang's White Tiger division would surely be of high quality, he hadn't expected the average member to be a Sage. Fu Qingyang: "Perhaps not long from now, it'll be you who'll be the ones being licked." Seven-time Prince: "Boss, that's quite an overstatement. Yuan Shishen may have exceptional talent, but we're no pushovers either." Little Brain Hammer: "By the way, isn't Yuan Shishen a Level 3 Night-Wanderer? I believe the reason you were specially invited is because the boss thought you could advance to Sage status during the mid-year "Nanashi: "So, if that's the case, it will be quite challenging for Yuan Shi Tian Zun to enter the top ten in the killing副本 events. Typically, during mid- to late-year killing events, only prodigies with experience levels approaching or exceeding 90% manage to reach the top ten. The difference between 1% and 99% experience, even at the same level of 3, is significant. Yuan Shi Tian Zun: "With good fortune, I should be able to advance into another solo Spiritual Realm before the mid-year large-scale killing event. By the way, how experienced are everyone else in the arena competitions? Are the organization-awarded items particularly strong?" Xiao Nao Fu: "Absolutely strong—probably among the top tier for that stage. However, securing first place is quite difficult. If the Tai Men also join this year, it will be even tougher." Ling Jun: "In unlimited combat scenarios, I believe Yuan Shi Tian Zun is absolutely among the strongest in the official Supernatural stages. However, the arena competitions may have certain limitations. Yuan Shi's combat skills still need further development." Zhang Yuanqing chatted casually with them, gradually gaining a basic understanding of the several faction brothers. Jichu was more lively and outgoing, always adding comic remarks—definitely a type of persistent troublemaker. Xiao Naofu was steady and composed, speaking in a clear, formal manner, giving a strong sense of reliability. Hengsao Tianxia seemed to have an unfortunate family situation; within just a few minutes, he complained several times about his wife constantly "PUA"-ing him and not respecting him. Yet everyone silently ignored him. As for the others, no one stepped forward to chat—either because the new arrivals at the transcendental stage weren't considered worthy of their warm welcome, or simply because they didn't have the habit of group chats. Then, the group fell silent. It was a rather inactive group; the White Guard members weren't easy to get along with... Zhang Yuanqing quietly exited the chat platform. ... A grand, elegant private dining room, with an interior design combining dark gold and rose red, creating a refined and luxurious atmosphere. At the table, a refined silver candleholder stands at the center, six white candles casting a soft glow. The dinner is rich and varied—excellent ribeye, caviar, foie gras pâté, ham slices, seared scallops, cream-baked shrimp, and a hearty seafood soup—among others. Bill Tarantino sits quietly at the table, carefully slicing the ribeye on his silver plate. Across from him is a man dressed in a deep blue casual suit, wearing a silver mask that reaches his nose, allowing him to eat freely. "I came here simply because of the meal," he says, scooping a spoonful of caviar and savoring it, "but I won't be going to the West with you. Do you know I'm from the continent? My family and friends are all here. What makes me go to the West to become some kind of president—just because I'm the highest-ranked traveler in the realm of the Void?" Bill Tarantino set down his fork and spoon, earnestly saying, "We can help your family immigrate. Why not pursue better opportunities in the West? There's a vast horizon there—someone with your extraordinary talent should soar and thrive." He glanced around the table, smiled, and added, "To me, a meal like this is merely a simple dinner. But you are a hundred times more noble than I. You are destined to lead that vast commercial empire and become the leader of all the merchants." "Not interested!" the man replied. Bill Tarantino had a thousand words ready, but they all stalled in his throat, and he finally sighed softly. Over the past hundred years since the Lingjing was established, countless merchant talents have risen to the pinnacle, aspiring to claim that unique throne. Yet so many brilliant individuals, seasoned leaders, fell along the way. In the end, it was a stranger from a foreign land who seized the top position—no, in Chinese, that word carries a negative connotation. It should rather be described as 'claiming the crown.' The Merchant Guild was initially thrilled—finally, a merchant of such stature had emerged, capable of standing alongside the supreme figures of the world's leading spiritual realms. Yet, to their surprise, this new president proved remarkably inflexible, not only refusing the Guild's overtures but even threatening to leave them alone with their monotonous routines. Over the years, through the Guild's persistent efforts, the world's foremost merchant had gradually softened his stance. Now, the Guild intended to capitalize on this momentum and welcome him back as president. That is why Bill Tarantino had made this journey to the mainland. The mage king... Bill was momentarily stunned. After a few seconds, he finally recalled the relevant information about this figure and said, "I heard from Anne that the mage king has already passed away—this is what the president of the Goddess Association told her. Could it be that the information is incorrect?" As a spiritual traveler from across the ocean, he wasn't deeply familiar with the mage king, though he did know one thing: the Merchant Guild and the Goddess Association were closely connected, and this mage king had been the president's most beloved lover. Since Anne became his assistant, she had often privately remarked that after the mage king's death, the president had undergone a dramatic transformation, frequently imposing unexpected punishments on association members, with the anger persisting for several months without abating. "Indeed, worldwide, no more than ten people know this prophecy, and among them, all are the Most Exalted." The man set down his tall glass, took a deep breath, and spoke slowly and deliberately: "When the sun, moon, and stars align and return to their rightful places, the gods who have been sleeping within the chaos will awaken. The King, seated upon the divine throne, will lead the gods in restarting the war, ushering the world into a new cycle." Bill Tarantino fell into thoughtful reflection. After a long pause, he hesitated slightly and asked, "The gods sleeping within the chaos—do you mean the region that has yet to be opened?" It is well known that the Spiritual Realm comprises three major regions, yet one of these regions has never seen a Spiritual Traveler emerge. Currently, the world only has two major regions of the Spiritual Realm. Various organizations know of the third region because, within the Spiritual Realm dungeons, they have discovered items that do not belong to either of the two established regions. For instance, the perfect human skin—its functions match no known profession in the present age. There are many such items. "Yes, on the day when the sun, moon, and stars align, the vast region will reboot, and the Spirit Realm will reveal its original form." "What does this have to do with the Mage King?" "It has nothing to do with the Mage King, but everything to do with the Night-Wanderer God. The Mage King has already touched upon the Night-Wanderer God's essence—he has kept that secret embedded in the character card." "I understand now..." ... Late at night, Zhang Yuanqing was jolted awake by a steady hum of electricity. Half-closing his eyes, his body instinctively pushed the blanket aside, slipped on his slippers, sat at the table, opened the drawer, and took out the Cat King speaker. The very next moment, a woman's passionate breaths and the relentless physical contact filled the room. Wow! Zhang Yuanqing's drowsiness vanished completely. He quickly removed his "Silent One" mask, grasped the Cat King speaker, and entered the Night-Wanderer realm.