At that very moment, Zhang Yuanqing truly felt like the most dazzling star of the entire gathering. The official journalists, much like sharks detecting blood, turned their heads with remarkable speed, eager to catch a glimpse of Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun. The Queen glanced around, then back at the group behind her, and what she saw was a sea of faces filled with astonishment, excitement, and inspiration, along with a steady stream of attentive glances. Nearly every official reporter had caught the vibrant tone of Jiang Jingwei. "Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun! Alive! Finally, we've seen him—just as described on the forum, where he was called 'Queen,' he's quite handsome and refreshingly young." "Indeed, indeed. I love this kind of youthful, endearing charm. The real person hasn't let me down. But why are there so many women around him? Does he also share the 'fickle heart' trait of the flower prince?" "A young, handsome, accomplished figure like this—how natural it is that he's so well-liked. Now we have one more adorable young hero to admire. He's surely destined to become a Saint." "I wanted to sign, and I'm looking forward to his performance. Truly, this is a star-level player—Queen is both envious and moved. She's someone who naturally thrives at the center of the stage, always active online, with a strong presence everywhere. Her ID name reflects her inner self. So, while envious, she also feels a deep sense of pride and satisfaction in sitting beside the Primordial Sovereign, being noticed and admired. The Primordial Sovereign is behind me... Annette, who had been standing still, suddenly turns around, her gaze swiftly scanning the crowd behind her before settling firmly on Zhang Yuanqing. At that moment, Annette recalls the profile of the "Primordial Sovereign"—a rising star of the Five Elements Alliance's Songhai branch, in her early twenties. Both details match perfectly. Is it possible? Is he really the Primordial Sovereign?" At that moment, Jiang Jingwei had already happily rushed to Zhang Yuanqing and Guan Ya, excitedly saying, "I've been looking for you both for a long time—finally, I've found you!" Indeed, it was him—Annie's expression grew complex at once. She had always thought of him as just an ordinary young official, a typical representative of the official corps. Yet, he was in fact the celebrated young prodigy of the Songhai Branch, having cleared two consecutive S-tier realms within less than three months and promoted to Level 3—such a record would surely be featured on the desks of senior leaders in overseas realm organizations, making him a priority observation case. The Magus had only been noticed by the Divine Goddess Association when he reached the Level 4 Saint stage, precisely because, as an independent practitioner, he lacked a prominent platform or channel to gain recognition. Overseas organizations naturally prioritized official figures first; it wasn't until they turned their attention to independent practitioners that those individuals typically already enjoyed considerable fame. Annie gazed deeply at the Prime Origin Sovereign and then hurried back to Bill Tarantino. "You just show up, that's all. What's the big deal?" Zhang Yuanqing said softly. "What's wrong with me shouting?" Jiang Jingwei replied with conviction. She didn't feel at all guilty about her volume, and besides, Zhang couldn't hear her anyway. What could I say... Zhang Yuanqing managed a smile. Although Yuan Shi Tian Zun was a newcomer, he had offended so many powerful factions that maintaining a low profile on the big stage had become an instinctive form of self-protection. But once it was exposed, it had to be this way—after all, he would eventually have to step into the spotlight. "Give me room—I want to sit next to Yuan Shi Tian Zun." Jiang Jingwei pushed her small hips between Zhang Yuanqing and Xie Lingxi. How could Xie Lingxi possibly resist Jiang Jingwei, the Fire Master, who collapsed right onto her like that? "Ah, how can you be so rude!" Xie Lingxi exclaimed, clearly annoyed. "What's wrong with me?" Jiang Jingwei looked utterly puzzled. "This is my seat," Xie Lingxi declared, eyes blazing, asserting her claim. "Oh, then it's mine now," Jiang Jingwei said. Seeing that the girl was so blunt and unreasonable, Xiao Green Tea twirled her eyes, changed her strategy, and spoke softly, "Didn't they always say fire masters are heroes who strengthen the weak and support the strong? How could a master as skilled as you, Jingwei, take someone else's place? Let's swap back, shall we? Master Yuan Shi wouldn't mind a girl being too pushy, would he?" Bill was amazed to hear the red-haired young lady greet Chen Shu's son and call out "Yuanshi Tianzun," a moment that even his extensive travels had never prepared him for. Yet he felt delighted, as he had, without realizing it, cultivated a solid friendship with Yuanshi Tianzun—now further strengthened by Chen Shu's connection. The Merchant's Guild places great value on personal networks. He would need to visit Chen Shu more often, engage in more business exchanges, and offer favorable terms. Building a relationship with Yuanshi Tianzun's mother would prove more cost-effective than directly approaching him. "Yes..." Anne murmured, "Had I known he was Yuanshi Tianzun from the very beginning, I should have taken him to the hotel that very first day and conquered him on the bed." The more she reflected, the more regretful she became. "Of course, it's not too late now." Bill Tarentino smiled gently. "You're planning to invest in him, just as Betty did, aren't you?" Due to the prophecy of the Compass of Light, world-wide organizations have placed significant attention on the Night-Wanderers. However, the yield of Night-Wanderers remains low, and most newly born ones are absorbed by the Taimei Sect. As a result, organizations—both domestically and internationally, including the Five Elements Alliance—struggle to cultivate their own Night-Wanderers. Consequently, Night-Wanderers outside the Taimei Sect become especially precious. Of course, Taimei's Night-Wanderers can also be invested in, though their return on investment is not as favorable as that of those from the civilian sector. Betti is one of the Magus King's lovers; thanks to her alliance with him and her significant contributions, she has now become a powerful steward of the Beauty Goddess Association, highly valued at the highest levels. Anne scoffed, "That woman secured benefits from the Magus King, received rewards and mentorship from the Association—she's been well-served on both fronts—and back then, her strength was far behind mine." "The Prime Immortal is receiving so much attention; you may not be able to win him over. I mean, the Five Elements Alliance won't agree." Mr. Bill smiled and said, "Wishing you success—I still have strong confidence in the charm of your passion for your profession." The commotion on this side soon drew the attention of the audience across the way. In their view, the colleagues on the other side suddenly turned their gaze toward a specific direction, their movements synchronized and highly noticeable—seemingly focused on a particular "figure of importance." Zhu Rong turned to her male companion beside her and instructed, "Is there someone important over there? Go find out what's going on." The young man, with a delicate face and handsome appearance, rose respectfully and hurried off. A short while later, he returned, his expression somewhat troubled: "Rong Rong, it's the Prime Immortal." The Prime Immortal... Upon hearing the name, Zhu Rong's beautiful eyes narrowed, flashing a cold, determined intensity. She reached out and grasped the air, drawing forth a single-purpose telescope. "Where is he located?" As she spoke, Zhu Rong raised the telescope toward the other side, her lips pressed tightly together in a cold, composed manner. The young attendant lowered her voice: "He's sitting right beside the redhead, very easy to spot." Upon hearing this, Zhu Rong slowly moved her single-lens telescope, then paused, locking onto her target. Immediately, the young attendant noticed the firm, icy line of Zhu Rong's lips lift into a joyful yet dangerous smile. With a round face, rosy lips, and a straight, elegant nose, she forms a sweet and endearing appearance. Thanks to the noble aura of the Night-Wanderer deity, she transforms from a sweet, approachable neighbor girl into a sweet, charming young princess. "What's there to look at?" said Zhao Chenguang, her companion, with a calm, composed tone. Sun Miao-miao glanced at the cold, dignified Zhao Chenguang and puffed out her cheeks. "You don't need to worry about me!" A slender, pale youth behind her handed her a golden-hued shield, saying, "Here you go." "Still, the Miao Mountain school is best," Sun Miao-miao remarked, taking the shield and immediately understanding its function upon reviewing its properties. Holding the shield, she turned her gaze toward the distant Yuan Shi Tian Zun. Soon, a clear, high-definition image emerged on the shield, reflecting the scene she was seeing. Sun Miao-miao shifted her gaze, looking down at the shield. "Hm, he's quite handsome." "She praised him, then smiled brightly, saying, 'I hope I can secure a spot against him and defeat the Prime Immortal in front of everyone, thereby vindicating my grandfather.' At that moment, Yin Ji turned back, her voice clear and cool, stating, 'According to the records, the Prime Immortal has no Yin corpse. Miao Miao, winning against him won't be difficult—your real opponent will be Zhao the City Guardian.' 'Yin Ji is right,' said Su Fan. 'The transcendent-level matches are internal competitions within our Taimei Sect.' Several sages nearby nodded in agreement. Sun Miao Miao smiled. She had promised her grandfather that if she could defeat the Prime Immortal on the platform in a public match, he would send her one of the children from the locust tree. She had long coveted those children and held an extraordinary affection for the little spirit servants—much like many girls become deeply moved and overflowing with maternal love when they see adorable, charming creatures. Sun Miao Miao didn't particularly enjoy pets; she loved the spirit servants, and the smaller they were, the more she became enchanted. The requirements for cultivating spiritual servants are extremely stringent. On one hand, it's difficult to find suitable candidates; on the other, the official policy prohibits private cultivation unless the individual is an evil or a particularly disruptive lawful one. But what sins could children possibly commit? The grandchildren raised by my grandfather on the trees were not made servants by design—rather, it was an accident. These children, originally adopted orphans, perished in a fire due to an unforeseen incident, deeply grieved my grandfather, who then defied the organization's rules and transformed them into spiritual servants, keeping them close by. Even the esteemed elders have been reprimanded once. To cut to the chase, due to the influence of the Primordial Sovereign, my grandfather has become a running joke within the order. Initially, he could still hold his own with Uan Ting's training videos against the younger members, but over time, both Uan Ting and my grandfather have themselves become part of the ongoing humor. The elder, who valued appearances, was quite anxious. Just as the tournament was underway, he said earnestly: "Miǎo Miǎo, you must defeat Yuan Shi Tian Zun so that those little rabbits will realize that I'm not foolish—I simply have such a strong and talented lineage that losing one Yuan Shi Tian Zun is nothing. I'll just have Xiao Hong accompany you." Xiao Hong passed away at seven years old, the youngest among the children in the槐tree grove. The Red Hair Elder turned to the curly-haired Teddy dog, smiling, "That child is quite good—clean in demeanor, very pleasant to look at." The Dog Elder nodded. Compared to the other Hundred-Flower Hall elders, he had a closer relationship with Yuan Shi Tian Zun. Though the child was a member of the White Tiger's military ranks, he was actually under his direct command. When the child eventually advanced to the position of steward, he would become part of his own forces. This blended system of the Five Element Alliance to some extent broke down barriers between the different factions, strengthening the bonds among the five major clans. Jiang Jingwei looked utterly stunned: "Didn't you see that both I and he have red hair? If we weren't born of the same father, how could we both have red hair?" Your logic is off. Are the red-haired rulers also offspring of your father? Zhang Yuanqing asked curiously. "Is your father a senior elder of the Chihuo Sect?" "My father is the Master of the Chihuo Sect!" When speaking of his father, Jiang Jingwei's face grew serious, and she gave a "Oli-gui" gesture, exclaiming, "Long live the Bull-headed people!" Immediately upon saying this, she noticed that the Yuanshiben, to her right, and her two sisters on the left, all rose and stepped aside, each looking utterly bewildered. "You—you—you're the one of the five Grand Masters. How come you never mentioned this before?" Zhang Yuanqing lowered his voice so softly that he was afraid someone would hear. He had always assumed Jiang Jingwei was the child of one of the elders. He never imagined she was the young princess of the Chihuo Sect. "You never asked." "Jiang Jingwei proudly straightened her little waist and announced once more: 'Long live the Bull-headed Man!' 'Ah, so you are the Princess!' Zhang Yuanqing smiled warmly, gently massaging her shoulders with great politeness. 'From now on, whenever the Princess has any instructions, just let me know—I’ll be at your service. As for the materials and props the Princess’s family may no longer need, please make sure to entrust them to me.' Jiang Jingwei, receiving a steady stream of flattery, felt a bit lost, yet beamed with delight. 'Very well, next time I’ll steal a few props for you!' 'Long live the Princess! Ah, no—Long live the Bull-headed Man!' At that moment, a warrior clad in armor seated in the first row rose and walked to the center of the stage, declaring with a clear voice: 'The match pairings for today are now finalized.' Almost simultaneously, each of the spiritual realm travelers in the audience saw their personal dialogue window appear: 'Yang, Yang, Yang – versus Tokyo a bit warm.' 'Old man is your dad – versus Spring breeze all night.' 'Young detective student – versus Toyotomi "Rong Xiaolong vs. Tang Ding." "Yuan Ting vs. the site's head supervisor." "...” "Yuanshi Tianzun vs. the Maoshan practitioner"... A total of 40 pairs, 80 participants. The Covered-Plate Swordsman announced: "Next, I'll reveal the competition rules. Contestants must remain in the spiritual realm and may not withdraw privately; any withdrawal will be considered a withdrawal of participation. Contestants must not use equipment two levels above their own; any violation will be treated as cheating and result in disqualification. Equipment with excessive destructive power is also not allowed—participants are encouraged to make their own judgments. The final evaluation will primarily follow the elders' opinions." "Viewers who need to use the restroom, please leave your seats and find a convenient spot." "Ten minutes from now, the first pair of contestants will take the stage." The atmosphere immediately became lively, with constant murmurs and discussions. "Yuanshi Tianzun facing off against a Maoshan practitioner? Such a major highlight on Day One—then I'm not leaving!" "Really that exciting?" The Maoshan master ranks ninth on the extraordinary list, while the Prime Origin Celestial Sovereign ranks eleventh—today, one person will be eliminated. By convention, many had planned to wait until the match lineup was announced before deciding on their fates. If the initial match list didn’t feature any star-level contenders, a significant number would likely step down—especially those at the Saint level among the spiritual realm practitioners, most of whom would opt to leave. To them, the battles at the Extraordinary stage seemed merely like children’s play, lacking appeal. "The Maoshan master..." Guan Ya furrowed her brows. "He's part of the second tier of the Taiyi Sect's Extraordinary stage—first tier includes Sun Miao and Zhao the City God, and second tier consists of him and Yuan Ting. I'm not particularly familiar with the Maoshan master, but I know Yuan Ting's strength. Prime, you'll need to be cautious." Zhang Yuanqing nodded. Ten minutes later, the first group entered the arena. Sanyang Kaitei was a particularly striking woman, a Wood Spirit, while Tōkyō a Bit Hot was a Fire Master. Wood generates Fire. The Wood Spirit found itself at a severe disadvantage against the flame warrior, and after barely fifteen minutes, the triumphant outcome of "Three Yangs Opening the Thirteenth Gate" was no surprise. "Hmm, I wonder why I feel both of their physical techniques are rather weak? They're both Level 3 Travelers—should be captain-level figures. Yet I remember that the captains of Kangyang District are usually strong in close combat... Isn't that right?" Zhang Yuanqing frowned thoughtfully. Then, suddenly, he realized it wasn't the warriors who were weak—it was his own combat skills that had advanced so rapidly. Previously, he had considered the captains of Kangyang District strong simply because he hadn't yet studied under the elder Siji. Unconsciously, through the repeated training under her guidance, his combat abilities had matured significantly. This woman—indeed, no wonder she was chosen by Fu Qingyang as a mere "useless" one. Zhang Yuanqing couldn't help but glance at the elder Siji's profile. Time flew by swiftly. At noon, Jiang Jingwei patted her stomach and cried out in distress, "Oh, so hungry! So hungry! So hungry!" Then, she slumped against Zhang In the afternoon, after having gone too long without eating, she regained her vitality, no longer feeling hungry. It wasn't until evening that the match finally reached its close. A shield-wielding swordsman stepped onto the stage and announced loudly, "Mao Shan master, Yuan Shi Tian Zun, enter!" At that moment, the audience's gaze split naturally into two groups—some turning toward the Taiyuan Gate direction, others toward Zhang Yuanqing. Cheers and exclamations erupted immediately, with the crowd already buzzing before the match even began. The stewards and elders remained as usual, indifferent, yet their presence indicated that everyone was eagerly anticipating the duel between the two star performers. Zhang Yuanqing rose and nodded to his four female companions beside him, "I'm going!" He then strode confidently up the stairs toward the stage. At the same time, he noticed a slender, pale youth from the Taiyuan Gate section standing up and stepping off the platform—without ascending the stairs, he leapt directly down from the viewing area, over fifteen meters high. Thud... thud... thud... Another "audience" member rose to their feet, leapt onto the stage, and landed with a resounding crash, half-kneeling behind the young man. The crowd's roar surged up, cheering their entrance.