"Senior!" Zhang Yuanqing bowed in greeting. The dog elder nodded slightly, remaining in a crouched posture, gazing at the magical eye sealed within the tree, and said, "The person you've been waiting for has arrived. I hope you will fulfill your promise." The Magician of the Eye looked at Zhang Yuanqing, smiled warmly, and said, "I would like to speak with Yuan Shi Tian Zun alone." The dog elder shook his head and said, "You know this is entirely pointless." In the zoo, plants were his eyes and ears. The Magician of the Eye grinned, "All I dislike is having lesser fish around me when I'm speaking." The fish, Fu Qingyang, raised an eyebrow. The dog elder paused thoughtfully, then turned to Zhang Yuanqing and said, "No matter what he says, you must never remove the band from his forehead." Zhang Yuanqing asked with some concern, "The eyes of the enchanting demon can also release abilities." "Don't worry," the dog elder replied, "his abilities have been sealed, and he is no different from an ordinary person." With that, the dog elder took Fu Qingyang and departed. The room now contained only Zhang Yuanqing and the Mage-Eye King, who, revealed only to the upper body and his head, smiled warmly. "Nice to see you again, Yuan Shi Tianzun!" "In fact, I didn't intend to see you again." Zhang Yuanqing remained expressionless, his tone low. "Just speak your mind, Mage-Eye King. Though I don't think there's much to say between us." The Mage-Eye King maintained his bright, cheerful smile. "At first, I merely intended to eliminate you—this humble creature—on the way to avenging Li Xianzong. Li Xianzong, though ruthless and fiercely competitive, with a penchant for bloodshed, possesses one quality that I deeply admire: compared to most of the seductive spirits, he maintains a slightly higher moral standard. So I had planned to cultivate him as a capable assistant, helping me cleanse the world. Unfortunately, you ended that plan. Of course, you were acting in accordance with righteousness—something I cannot deny." Can we cut to the chase and get straight to the point? Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself. The King of Magical Eyes continued: "You know I always adhere to principles when it comes to killing—never taking the life of an innocent. Since I arrived in Lingsha, I have ordered an investigation into your criminal record. Unfortunately, you have never committed any offense against the law. There has been no embezzlement, no abuse of power, no assault on women, no murder of the innocent. I simply cannot find a reason to kill you." ...Zhang Yuanqing could no longer hold back and interjected: "Your Majesty, could it be possible that I simply haven't had the chance yet to do all these things?" The King of Magical Eyes nodded: "My subordinates have reminded me of this, but how do you explain the case of the Copper Rooster Pavilion? Your gains and risks in that case were not proportional—what motivated you to risk your life and dismantle the pavilion?" "You needn't answer me. Just ask yourself." Zhang Yuanqing remained silent, helplessly asking: "Then, what exactly do you wish to say by having me come here? What do you hope to achieve?" "The King of the Mystic Eye answered nothing, sighed, and said: 'My life has been a failure. As a child, I struggled to survive, my life as fragile as grass. In my youth, I was furious beyond measure at corrupt officials, yet I bowed to the small-minded and cruel outcasts. When I became the spirit of deception, the very people I most despised were the ones I faced. I often endured their treatment with great difficulty, yet remained powerless. I wished to cleanse the world of evil, to put an end to wrongdoing through violence, to restore order through strength—yet the orderly ones called me extreme, mad, and deserving of death. The forces of evil, on the other hand, said I was mentally ill.' Isn't that so... Zhang Yuanqing listened silently. 'Finally, I found someone named Li Xianzong—someone I could count as a companion, though not a perfect match.' "Until I came to understand you..." The King of the Mystic Eyes' gaze suddenly blazed. "There are many who abide by rules and regulations, but those willing to sacrifice their lives for the sake of righteousness are rare. Among those who are willing to sacrifice for righteousness and possess the ability to do so, with great potential—you are the only one I have ever encountered. 'Master Yuan, follow me. Let us together heal this world. It is ill, and it needs healing.' Finding me at midnight just to win me over? Hearing this, Zhang Yuanqing found it both absurd and utterly characteristic of the Mystic Eyes. He wanted to mock the other as mentally unwell, yet the earnestness in the King's eyes, the intensity in his expression, the passionate zeal with which he spoke of healing the world—these moved him. Zhang Yuanqing fell silent. Such a person might indeed be mentally unwell—or even worthy of dying—but should not be mocked. Zhang Yuanqing thought for a moment, then said, "King of the Mage's Eye, our philosophies differ. My grandfather once remarked that out of ten officials, nine are corrupt—only one is truly honest. Whether they're government officials, working within the system, running companies, or leading large enterprises—anyone who holds power will inevitably seek personal gain. Corruption is human nature. To be honest and selfless is actually contrary to human nature. The 'kind-hearted saints' we see on the internet exist only there; in reality, everyone wants all the benefits of the world to flow to themselves. Therefore, we must acknowledge human nature and face its darker aspects. While upholding justice and promoting the good, we must also learn to blend in with the ordinary. Your vision is too radical. Do you envision a world cleansed through constant purging? No—through the complete elimination of humanity itself." "Then what?" the Mage's Eye stared at him. "Then I cannot be on the same path as you," Zhang Yuanqing said firmly. The Heavenly King of the Mystic Eyes remained silent, only slowly speaking after a long pause: "I now understand your thoughts. Then, Master Yuanshen, I shall curse you. One day, when you witness the darkness of human nature, when your grievances go unheeded, when justice is forced aside by power, when the weak are reduced to mere sheep—I shall curse you, so that you too become just like me." A deep resonance in his voice sent a sharp pain surging through Zhang Yuanqing's chest, as though an invisible hand had tightly clamped around his heart. "Whoosh! Whoosh!" At that moment, two vines shot forth, wrapping around Zhang Yuanqing, radiating a gentle yet powerful emerald glow. A few seconds later, the vines retracted, and from within the main trunk of the camphor tree, the voice of the Dog Elder spoke with solemnity: "No curse, no manipulation—what have you done, Mystic Eye?" The Mystic Eye smiled brightly: "I have done nothing. My words only resonate with those who share my ideals." He gazed deeply at Zhang Yuanqing, smiled widely, and said, "My purpose has been fulfilled, Yuanshǐ Tianzun. You will ultimately walk the same path as me." Huh! Without a word, Zhang Yuanqing summoned his Fumu Jie, and drove it firmly into his thigh. A brilliant golden light erupted, illuminating his pupils with a radiant glow. At once, the light faded, and Zhang Yuanqing stood there, puzzled. The Dog Elder hadn't been wrong—he hadn't been cursed, hadn't been bewitched. His body and soul remained untouched by any external negative influence. The words of the Mage-Eye seemed merely ordinary declarations, devoid of real significance. Yet, why does my heart ache? Zhang Yuanqing murmured to himself. "Stop playing these little games," came the Dog Elder's slightly displeased tone, "Mage-Eye, it's time for you to fulfill your promise." "Of course!" The Mage-Eye lifted a smile, beaming with delight, "I speak what I say. I will share with you all the information I know about the Chu family's massacre. Pausing, he said, "Back then, it was Wushu and Gui Dao who led the forces to destroy the Chu family—they were acting under the orders of Xushuo." "Xushuo?" The Dog Elder's voice conveyed astonishment. "Why would Xushuo have specifically targeted the Chu family?" Xushuo was the foremost master of the Evil Professions, hailed as the first great traveler of the Spiritual Realm by the Evil Professions themselves. He had remained largely out of sight for many years, appearing infrequently. While the Chu family was indeed a prominent lineage of the Spiritual Realm, it seemed entirely unreasonable that Xushuo would have singled out the Chu family for destruction. The Mage's Eye interjected, "Of course—it was the Night Rose that sought to eliminate the Chu family. The Night Rose's true objective is to seize the rule-type artifact from the Chu family. Its function—need I elaborate?" The Dog Elder remained silent for a while, then asked, "Resurrection—whom does the Night Rose wish to resurrect?" Before the Mage's Eye could respond, the Dog Elder had already grasped the point: "The leader of the Night Rose..." It now made sense, he thought, which The Night Rose had not yet grown strong enough to extinguish the Chu family, so it allied with the Commander of the Army. Yet, if that were all, the Night Rose could simply reach out to the high-level tier-ten monarchs. How could Shura care about such matters? Let alone issue direct orders. "Could Shura really care about such trivial matters?" the Dog Elder was puzzled. The Mage-Eye Monarch replied, "This isn't trivial. You should know that the leader of the Night Rose is the Night Wanderer. As someone of your standing and authority, you ought to be familiar with the Prophecy of the Light Compass—at the very least, you should have heard of it. Though I myself am not well-versed in the Prophecy of the Light Compass, I can tell you that the chief disciple of the Night Rose has reached a certain agreement with Shura. Shura has placed his entire stake on the Night Rose's leader." The Prophecy of the Light Compass? Zhang Yuanqing appeared composed and calm on the surface, yet his inner thoughts were in turmoil. The last time he had heard of the Prophecy of the Light Compass, it had been in the audio recordings of the Mage-King The prophecy of Guangming Luoban involves both the Night Rose and the Shura? Even Shura, hailed as the strongest of the evil organization, is so deeply invested... Shura extinguished the Chu family in order to revive the Night Rose's leader—this is effectively an investment in the Night Rose. And the Goddess Association, that enigmatic powerhouse of the Void occupation, has also invested in the Mage King. What secret lies hidden behind the Night Wandering God occupation? Zhang Yuanqing's mind raced with a flurry of thoughts and possibilities. "I would like to share these intelligence updates with Lady Zhi Sha." "Great!" Zhang Yuanqing beamed and turned to leave. Pushing open the door of the prison chamber, Fu Qingyang stood beneath the streetlamp, upright and composed, truly standing like a pine tree. Upon seeing him emerge, Fu Qingyang gave a slight nod and then turned to walk away. Zhang Yuanqing followed naturally, delivering the details from the magical eye exactly as they had been conveyed. Fu Qingyang slowed his pace and listened intently. After Zhang Yuanqing finished, he said: "Without the explicit permission of Elder Dog, you've so easily shared such crucial information with me?" Zhang Yuanqing spoke with serious determination: "For one day, I am a White Guard; for life, I remain a White Guard. I am born a man of the Hundred Men's Company, and when I die, I shall be its ghost." Fu Qingyang glanced at him with a slight raise of an eyebrow: "Not quite!" He then added: "But I am very satisfied with your dedication. Indeed, your housing assignment will now be upgraded by five hundred thousand." "Truly impressive—now I've got a house worth twenty-five million. Zhang Yuanqing's spirits immediately brightened. Fu Qingyang murmured softly, "The prophecy of the Disc of Light..." Zhang Yuanqing, attentive, asked, "Did the centurion know about it?" Fu Qingyang gathered his thoughts and pondered for a few seconds. "I don't know the prophecy myself, but your words this morning reminded me of an old incident from my childhood, around twenty years ago. The commander of the White Tiger troops passed away suddenly due to an unforeseen event. At that time, the elders of the Fu family were deeply concerned, fearing that the White Tiger troops' influence would wane and they might become a secondary force. "I had once heard of the 'Disc of Light' incident, but at the time I was unaware of its significance and didn't give it much thought." Ah, I know this—I remember the commander of the White Tiger troops died during that upheaval, which ultimately led to the formation of the Five Elements Alliance. Zhang Yuanqing was disappointed not to learn the details of the prophecy from Fu Qingyang. A few minutes later, the two of them left the side path and returned to the main road, heading toward the zoo's main entrance. As they were about to step out of the zoo gates, Zhang Yuanqing felt a sudden chill run down his back—the sense of being watched from afar returned once more. It was the same feeling again: who was watching me? Without thinking, Zhang Yuanqing quickened his pace. "You've finally come to see me..." A faint, murmuring voice echoed in his ears once again. It was the same voice! As he hurried forward, Zhang Yuanqing murmured softly, "Captain, did you hear anything?" "No!" Fu Qingyang's expression remained stern as he gazed straight ahead. "Remember what I said—don't pay any attention." With that, the ever-confident Fu Qingyang also stepped up his pace, as if eager to leave this place quickly. The murmuring continued: "You've finally come to see me, Zhang Zizhen..." Zhang Yuanqing froze, then stopped abruptly. Zhang Zizhen—that was his father's name!