Fu Qingyang had been waiting for a reply. The ringtone rang for a few seconds before the line connected immediately. As soon as he spoke, he asked, "How about it? Has Wuhen agreed to step in?" This jade token is identical to the one from last time—the small green tea still has one, which she hasn't used yet. However, the nature of the two tokens is different. The one given by Master Wuhen promises to save her life in a critical moment. As such high-level figures are typically firm and decisive—what they say usually becomes reality—Zhang Yuanqing didn’t hesitate or try to manipulate the situation. Instead, he used the token from Xie Lingxi to "lure" Master Wuhen out. The outcome would likely be that Master Wuhen would take him away and not intervene in the battle between the Móyǎn and the Wuxing Alliance. To have Master Wuhen personally create a hallucination to distract the Móyǎn Tian Wang, one must secure his own verbal commitment. Fu Qingyang: "Keep it safe and deliver it to me when you return to Songhai." The two then ended the call. …… Voice conference room. The curly-haired Teddy used the plants to extend their tendrils, opened the computer, logged into the software, and waited quietly. The four elders joined one after another. "How about it? Has Master Yuanshiben summoned Master Wuhen?" As soon as the head image of the Red Flame Sect elder appeared, he immediately asked a question. The other three elders remained silent, waiting for a response. The Dog Elder spoke calmly: "Hunhuan agreed to create the illusion, but only within these limits." Relieved, the four elders exchanged glances. The White Tiger's military elder smiled and said: "That's more than sufficient. I still wouldn't feel secure if he were to join the battle. What remains now is for the Master of Zhishi Palace to guide the Demon Eye to the agreed-upon location." The Luo Shen elder remarked: "This step is crucial—hope that woman doesn't make a mistake." The Central Court elder then asked: "What were Hunhuan's conditions?" The Dog Elder replied: "None." The Central Court elder immediately grew alert: "None?" The Luo Shen elder from the Water Deity Palace interjected: "Given his style of 'Past Without Trace,' he would never act at random—how could he have no conditions?" They had recommended the Prime Original Sovereign to step in because he had close ties with that small team, and only he could serve as a mediator for negotiations. If it were anyone else, they'd never even have the chance to meet that formless one. The dignity of Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn refers precisely to this. Yet they hadn't anticipated that "Wan Shi Wu Hén" would offer her assistance without charge. The Dog Elder said: "Fu Qingyang indeed stated this, and it just so happens that he wanted to discuss this matter with you. According to Fu Qingyang, 'Wan Shi Wu Hén' heard that Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn had nearly perished at the hands of the Mage-Eye King and immediately agreed to help. 'This person holds Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn in exceptional regard. What do you all think?" The Luo Shen Elder was astonished: "As a master of an evil profession, this level of regard should not be expected, nor should it make sense." The White Tiger's Army Elder, on the other hand, expressed some caution: "He values Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn so highly—what might his intentions be? Is he attempting to win over our people?" This elder's primary concern was the possibility of being lured away. The Dog Elder offered his opinion: "In my view, there isn't as much complexity as people think. Yuan Shi Tian Zun is exceptionally skilled in social interactions—he's not only well-liked, but the Master of Stopping Killing has been particularly close to him. During the Copper Rooster Pavilion incident, Wu Hen owed Yuan Shi Tian Zun a personal favor, which he likely intends to repay. This clearly demonstrates his deep goodwill and high regard for Yuan Shi Tian Zun." Hearing this, the elders of the White Tiger troops felt reassured and smiled, saying, "This young man truly knows how to build relationships." The Dog Elder chuckled, "Indeed, it's not common for someone to bow down so deeply and sincerely." The atmosphere in the conference room became much more relaxed. ... At the Wu Hen Hotel, at the front desk. Zhang Yuanqing lounged lazily on the dedicated rest chair at the front desk—a chair that had been used regularly by Xiao Yuan, and now carried a distinct, lingering fragrance of serenity. He took a sip of the juice at hand, gazing at the smooth, well-defined back, with a particularly striking curve in the hips. She was wearing loose-fitting pants that yet managed to hold such fullness—it was clear this lady had a remarkable natural talent. "Miss Xiao Yuan, the hotel’s business seems to be rather sluggish," he remarked, noting three waves of guests during his hour-long break, among whom a group had booked only hourly rooms. "The city outskirts don’t draw much foot traffic, so naturally, the business is slow. And if you keep staring at my back like that, I’ll pinch out your eyesight," Miss Xiao Yuan said without turning around, her voice cool and firmly threatening. "Miss Xiao Yuan, you’re mistaken—I wasn’t staring at your back at all. I simply realized that my longstanding habit of being disturbed by that piece of props has improved remarkably." Zhang Yuanqing was gazing at the curve of Miss Xiao Yuan’s buttocks not out of mere admiration, but to verify whether his experience had indeed improved. What a relief—his mind no longer frequently conjured up images of a pig’s tail… Zhang Yuanqing thought with quiet satisfaction. He put his own practice into action, verifying one characteristic of the straw man: under the condition that XP influence remains moderate, early recognition of the need to step back and abandon the item—before it becomes deeply entrenched—can effectively mitigate the distortion of XP. He had tested this principle on both Xiao Yuan and Guan Ya. Xiao Yuan sneered, "Even without that straw man, your preferences aren't all that normal." "Why do you say that?" Xiao Yuan replied calmly, "You seem to have a special fondness for older women—was it due to a lack of maternal affection since childhood?" "Really unfair," said Zhang Yuanqing, "one sentence that both criticizes my tastes and lays bare my deepest wound." A more reserved, sensitive young man would have been flustered, turning crimson with embarrassment. But Zhang Yuanqing is a natural extrovert, professionally trained—so he remains composed and never falters. He sipped at the sweet, thick juice and said, "I've heard this before—someone's dating preferences and sexual orientation actually begin to take shape in childhood, solidifying during adolescence. So most of the 'weirdos' have an unhappy childhood, which is truly heartbreaking. Therefore, we must give children a happy childhood. Of course, I'm not a 'weirdo' myself, though I do have a strong preference for older women. When I was young, my father passed away, and I became deeply dependent on my mother. But then, my mother simply sent me off to live with my maternal relatives. I've always felt a sense of maternal absence—what I lacked, I craved. That's probably why." "Miss Xiao Yuan, I'll be silent for a moment," said she, "so are you trying to pursue me—pursue a woman with an evil profession?" "I don't like that at all. My attitude toward an evil profession—you should know it well. When you say something like that, it makes me feel as though you don't believe in me." "I'm sorry—I misstated it. So, are you truly trying to pursue me?" "Miss Xiao Yuan is beautiful, well-built, and has only one flaw—her age. But in my eyes, being older is actually an advantage." "So what?" Miss Xiao drew a paper cutter from the paper holder. "Just… just let's chat casually." Zhang Yuanqing was flexible and adaptable. At that moment, an外卖 delivery rider in a blue uniform arrived at the hotel on his electric bike. The delivery rider stormed into the lobby, shouting, "Miss Xiao Yuan, I'm not doing this delivery job anymore! By the Jade Emperor, what a fool you are to be here!" The delivery rider looked slightly pale, with bright, expressive eyes—sharp and spirited, like a poised, determined little wolf dog. “How did you end up doing deliveries?” Zhang Yuanqing asked in surprise. “Stupid brain, no education, no work experience—what else could I do?” Xiao Yuan replied calmly, then turned to Kou Beiyue and said coldly, “This is your freedom. But don’t expect me to pay you anything.” Kou Beiyue sighed with regret. “I’m not unemployed—I just can’t keep up with being a delivery rider. Just now, an elderly lady insisted on bringing me into her home, saying she wanted to be friends with me. She offered me twenty thousand yuan every month, even touched me. With so many orders to handle, I simply didn’t have time to listen to her chatter—I had to leave. She turned around and gave me a negative review. This job is simply not sustainable!” The girl is still too young. In a few years, you’ll see what a wealthy woman truly values… Zhang Yuanqing listened, stunned. Xiao Yuan glanced at him, as if to say, this is indeed the right perspective on choosing a partner. Kou Beiyue removed his safety cap and placed it on the counter, then walked straight to the refrigerator. He hesitated between drinks and bottled water, finally choosing the 1.5-yuan mineral water and gulped it down in one go. "Exactly. If you're not doing anything wrong, what's the point of accumulating all those moral points? Just letting them go stale? Theft only deducts five points—at least, as long as the amount is under ten thousand yuan. Even if you spend just one-third of your moral points, that would be enough to improve your living situation." Kou Beiyue was momentarily stunned, finding the argument somewhat convincing. After a moment's thought, she countered: "That's foolish. This is a one-time transaction—moral points will eventually run out." "Then, you could allocate half of the money you earn to charitable causes. That way, you'd regain moral points—though not as many as you'd lose through theft. But the advantage is that you're generating income through principled actions. With 1,300 points, you can keep cycling this process, and for at least one year, you won't have to worry about your living expenses." Kou Beiyue fell into thoughtful silence. Xiao Yuanqing looked at Zhang Yuanqing with a puzzled expression, saying: "You can't use your clever tricks here—apply them to the fundamental principles instead." "Just chatting casually," Zhang Yuanqing said, finishing off his drink. " "Xiao Yuan said, 'Cui Beiyue's case has now been closed. Even if the official authorities carry out a thorough investigation of the aristocrats, they won't acknowledge that her sister was killed by officials, nor will they admit that the head of the Public Security Bureau forged evidence. 'Without a reversal, he'll never be able to see his parents. Can you help me with that?' Cui Beiyue looked at him with growing anxiety. Zhang Yuanqing paused thoughtfully, 'As long as it's covered in the news, we can't expect much more. But we can restore the case and have the Public Security Bureau staff personally inform his family. If you agree, I'll try to make it happen.' Cui Beiyue quickly replied, 'That's enough. That's enough...' That's enough... Zhang Yuanqing saw in him the humility and helplessness of a common citizen, and his bright mood dimmed instantly. He said nothing, and quietly left the hotel. ... Songhai. As the Eye of the King, hopping from building to building without a clear destination, searching for his target, received a call from his subordinate: 'Sir, the target has moved.' She just drove out of Songhai and is now on the highway—our people are tracking her. "Oh," the Mago-Keen King said, "keep watching. Notify me if anything happens." After hanging up, he continued aimlessly searching. About half an hour later, the phone rang again. A hurried voice from a subordinate came through: "King, our people are missing—contact was suddenly lost, and we don't know their fate." While tying on his headband, the Mago-Keen King said, "They're already dead. I know the target's location. I'll handle the rest myself." He had implanted markers on the tracking team members; the disappearance of those markers indicates that the trackers have been killed. The marker on the target, however, remains intact. This means that the members of Zhishikang discovered the trackers and eliminated them, but failed to detect the marker. Therefore, the person who acted was not the head of Zhishikang. If the one who acts is the Master of the Stop-Kill Palace, he must be alert as to why that woman shows such special concern for an ordinary member. If the tracker remains undetected and successfully identifies the base of the Stop-Kill Palace's members, he too must wonder why the Master of the Stop-Kill Palace is so careless. The King of the Magic Eyes snapped his knees and shot upward like a swift arrow into the sky. ... At night, in a village sixty-plus kilometers outside Songhai. Outside the town, the shaggy Teddy dog gazed at the Master of the Stop-Kill Palace, dressed in an ancient-style red gown, and said: "I've summoned it now. Please observe these rules: First, never mention the word 'animal.' Second, if you see a rabbit approaching, do not pay any attention to it. Third, when staff members come to speak with you, pay close attention to their uniforms. For staff in black uniforms, do not respond—never respond. For those in blue uniforms, say: 'I'm fine, I don't need any assistance.' "The old dog elder said, 'These are the outer rules—remember not to go deep into the heart of the zoo.' The Master of Stopping the Kill gazed at him with a sparkling gaze, showing clear interest. 'What if we do go deeper?' The old dog elder smiled warmly. 'The zoo has three levels. The outermost level corresponds to the 7th-tier Masters. The second level corresponds to the 8th tier, which is also the area I currently control. The innermost core corresponds to the 9th tier—so far, I’ve never dared to enter. 'If you wish to return to the spiritual realm, go as deep as you like.' Returning to the spiritual realm means certain death. At that moment, a vast shadow descended, blotting out the moonlight above. This shadow slowly settled from the sky of the village, not landing within the village itself, but pushing the village aside—physically, as if it were forcing its way through. The original location of the village was replaced by the shadow, while the village itself was pushed to a distant place. Once the shadow had settled, it gradually revealed its true form." Directly facing the Dog Elder and the Master of the Stop-Killing Palace was the entrance gate of the Zoo, a long electric door tightly shut, with massive stones inscribed with the characters "Zoo" beside it. Inside the electric door, lush vegetation thrived. The Master of the Stop-Killing Palace looked toward the deeper part of the Zoo, smiling gently and asked, "Is Xia Hou Chi inside? Where exactly is he kept? Can I conveniently dispatch him once I enter?" The Dog Elder replied seriously, "It's the Five-Element Alliance's matter how to handle him—you don't need to complicate things further." The Master of the Stop-Killing Palace chuckled, "What if I insist on killing him? If you object, I'll simply refuse to cooperate." The Dog Elder's sparkling button eyes flashed with a hint of danger, "I won't accept any pressure." The Master of the Stop-Killing Palace laughed even more freely,掩着 her mouth, adopting a young, demure demeanor, "You're truly dull—no sense of humor at all. Have you forgotten how to be playful after all these years as a dog? Ah, I remember Teddy is quite passionate in his desires. As for you "If there is any preference, would you rather have a smaller female dog or a typical woman?" The Dog Elder still didn't fully understand the eccentric nature of this mad queen, and could not yet adapt to it. His fluffy fur trembled, and it took considerable effort to restrain his urge to intervene and calm her down. At that moment, the White Tiger's senior military commander, who had been quietly observing nearby, spoke calmly, "He has arrived! I feel him." In terms of reconnaissance, senior scouts held absolute advantage and authority—even the most perceptive ancient war gods could not detect their presence. The Dog Elder immediately opened his mouth and expelled a smooth, dark jade stone. He tossed it onto the ground and raised his paw, snapping it with a crisp sound. A gray-white glow spread out, like a tide rolling outward, causing all things in its path to lose their color. Within a few moments, the entire world transformed into shades of black and white. A low, strained voice, tinged with pain, echoed, "State your demands." "The Elder Dog said solemnly, 'Kindly integrate my zoo into the distant town, so that it becomes one unified whole.' As soon as he finished speaking, the Master of Zhishā Palace was astonished to find that the zoo behind her had transformed into a series of red brick buildings of varying heights. Some buildings were lit up, others dark, with cement roads winding between them, seamlessly blending with the distant town as if it were a single, cohesive entity. 'Interesting!' she remarked, 'I can't tell whether this is real or not.' As she spoke, the grayness faded, and the world regained its natural colors. The Elder Dog no longer hesitated, saying, 'Enter!' The Master of Zhishā Palace followed without delay, stepping into the town. The Elder Dog then retreated toward the distance. About fifteen minutes later, a small car drove steadily along a straight asphalt road, entering the town without stopping. Some time afterward, a figure descended from the sky and landed outside the town." This figure wore a black short-sleeve shirt and gray athletic pants, with a sports headband tied around his forehead—sun-kissed and striking, none other than the King of the Mago-eyes. He removed the headband, revealing his vertical eyes, which emitted beams of bright crimson light. These beams swept across the town for a long time, then shifted outward toward the open countryside beyond. There was no other presence nearby—within the town, only the Master of the Halt-Killing Palace remained. A smile curled at the King of the Mago-eyes' lips: "I've found you!" With a swift tap of his foot, he surged forward like a projectile into the heart of the town.