The next morning at eight o'clock, Zhang Yuanqing took a taxi to the International Building (Note 1). The traffic was congested, and the taxi moved at a snail's pace. He sent a message to Xiao Yuan, informing her that he would visit the Wuhen Hotel the following day. Over the past few days, he had reached out to her several times, but had not received any response. Uncertain about her intentions, Zhang Yuanqing sought advice from his life coach and shared their bet with him. Ling Jun remarked, "Isn't it obvious? You've now won the championship—she's afraid you'll come knocking and ask for a romantic encounter." Zhang Yuanqing asked, "So, she's shy?" Ling Jun replied, "No, rather, she's feeling caught between a rock and a hard place. When you finally approach her, she'll be wondering whether she should knock you out." Zhang Yuanqing said, "I didn't intend to sleep with her—I just meant it as a joke." Seeing that Xiao Yuan remained unresponsive, Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself, "Then I'll just accompany Auntie for a shopping trip this afternoon." Then he sent a message to his aunt, arranging to meet at 2 p.m. at the usual spot. He put down his phone and looked out the window at the congested traffic, beginning to think about how to sell the scarecrow at a premium price. As a prop of the Black Unseen, the scarecrow indeed possessed the qualities of a saint—capable of tainting both the object and the spirit, with particularly impressive effects when facing enemies. Yet its cost was excessively high, and its target audience limited, which would become a reason for Mr. Bill to negotiate a lower price. Zhang Yuanqing expected a price between 10 million and 15 million, or equivalent in value to other props. Under normal circumstances, a scarecrow of saintly quality should command over 20 million—such props are indeed expensive, and often sell without a fixed market price. At that moment, the red light faded and the green light came on. The driver pressed the accelerator, smoothly shifting from first to third gear, and sped off. Suddenly, a bus ran the red light and collided hard with the taxi from the side, striking precisely where Zhang Yuanqing was seated. Wow... Zhang Yuanqing's pupils constricted, her adrenaline surged, and she immediately leaned back, rolling from left to right, then quickly grasped the interior handle. *Thud!* The high-speed bus collided with the side of the taxi, sending glass and bumper fragments flying. The taxi was instantly flipped and rolled sideways over fifteen meters. The driver and Zhang Yuanqing spun and felt dizzy due to not wearing seat belts and the cramped space; Zhang's forehead collided several times with the ceiling and windows, causing sharp, burning pain. The accident further disrupted the already congested traffic—some vehicles slowly maneuvered around to continue moving, while others saw their drivers step out to assist. Pedestrians along the roadside stopped to watch. *Clang!* Zhang Yuanqing kicked open the taxi door and rushed to the driver's seat, pulling the unconscious driver out through the window. Her pulse was steady, no external injuries, no internal bleeding... After a quick assessment, Zhang confirmed the driver was only temporarily unconscious, and breathed a sigh of relief. He pulled out his phone to dial the police, while simultaneously pushing past pedestrians who were calling for emergency services, and walked toward the bus, banging on the door with growing fury, shouting, "How are you driving? Get off this bus right now—I'm going to beat you senseless!" He was visibly annoyed—his personal safety had been threatened, even though, with his level of ability, such an accident wasn't life-threatening. Still, he wasn't willing to tolerate it. Since his father had died in a car crash, he had always been utterly intolerant of drivers who didn't drive carefully. The bus driver looked utterly bewildered, as if he couldn't believe he had made such a basic mistake. When the police and ambulance arrived to handle the incident, Zhang Yuanqing, who had never experienced a traffic accident in his life, finally reached the International Building at 10:30 a.m. ... In the elegant, Western-style office, Zhang Yuanqing sat down under the warm hospitality of Mr. Bill. "The Jade Emperor himself has arrived," Mr. Bill said, "in your words, that's truly a privilege." Mr. Bill opened the cigar box and said, "This has been my collection for many years." As for his lungs, he'd be fine with just one or two—Mr. Zhang Yuanqing, embodying the spirit of a business professional, accepted the cigars offered by Mr. Bill without hesitation. Anne gently said, "I'll help you!" She took the cigar, used a V-shaped cutter to trim the rounded head, then ignited it with a spray gun. Today, Anne looked particularly elegant—she had applied eye makeup, lipstick, and fresh hair styling, wearing a skirt suit paired with a white shirt, two buttons undone to reveal the soft, smooth lines of her chest. Mr. Zhang glanced at her, and their eyes met—deep, sea-blue and serene. Anne smiled gently, her gaze soft and warm. Last night, after Yuan Shi Tian Zun and Mr. Bill finalized their agreement, Anne meticulously prepared all evening. First, she hired a scout to conduct a personality analysis of Yuan Shi Tian Zun. Following the scout’s advice, she abandoned her usual air of charm and elegance, opting instead for a composed, professional wardrobe with a simple yet refined makeup style—adopting a clear, polished corporate demeanor. She stopped fanning out her flirtations and embraced the "corporate goddess" approach. Oh, by the way, the scout is Guan Ya, a member of the Second Squad of the Qingyang District’s Spiritual Realm Division—someone who is very familiar with Yuan Shi Tian Zun. This woman… Zhang Yuanqing took a slow draw from his cigar, composed himself, and thought: Men must learn to protect themselves when they're out in the world. From Anne’s gaze, he saw something that had also appeared in Zhu Rong’s eyes the day before—clear, unspoken longing. Love for the night-wanderer, and the magus is a prime example. I myself am a night-wanderer, having gained recognition through the tournament, showcasing abilities and talents that would command the attention of any organization—so it's inevitable that she would seek to charm me. Zhang Yuanqing felt a quiet sense of alertness. He didn't want to end up like the magus, unless Fu Qingyang lent him the knight's gear. Annie smiled gently and asked, "Mr. Yuan Shi, what would you like to drink?" "Black tea, please," Zhang Yuanqing replied. Annie nodded with composed grace, opened the door beneath the wine cabinet, retrieved a box of black tea, and began boiling the water. Glancing at the female assistant busily attending to her duties, Mr. Bill eagerly shifted to the main point: "What would you like to sell?" Zhang Yuanqing answered, "A piece of equipment—a divine-grade item." "Divine-grade?" Mr. Bill perked up immediately, his eyes growing more animated. "Could I see its attributes?" "Certainly." Zhang Yuanqing pulled out a scarecrow from the guild's warehouse and quickly set it down. Just as Bill reached out to take it, he paused slightly but didn't mind—instead, he bent down to examine the scarecrow closely. With his experience, he quickly recognized it as a wizard's tool. Bill's eyes lit up immediately. Wizards were a rare evil faction, outnumbered compared to the lawful ones, and their powerful, evil faction artifacts were especially valuable. This was a solid transaction indeed. Thinking this, Bill grasped the scarecrow firmly and held it, waiting a few seconds until the item's attributes appeared. He eagerly checked the attributes. A few seconds later, Bill dropped the scarecrow as if it were scalding, his hands trembling. "What's wrong, Mr. Bill?" Anne, who was brewing tea, asked with concern. "Nothing," Bill replied. "He just doesn't want to fall in love with the pig tail." Zhang Yuanqing saw Bill's reaction and smiled gently. "Whoa!" Mr. Bill drew a deep breath, saying, "Undoubtedly, this is an exceptionally powerful artifact—but it also has a fatal flaw. Master Yuan, I'm offering one million RMB. That's not a low price; I'm not trying to squeeze you. 'You must know that, under normal circumstances, ordinary humans would never accept such a cost—they'd rather forgo its very functionality.' One million? That's the price for high-quality transcendental artifacts. You're just a greedy merchant. Zhang Yuanqing shook his head, his tone serious: "Mr. Bill, you've come to this conclusion because you belong to a lawful, orderly profession and have a high moral standard. But the evil professions have no such ceiling. I'm sure, with your network, you can find a suitable group to embrace this artifact." He subtly indicated that you could sell the artifact to an evil profession. In the regulations of the Five Elements Alliance and the Taiyuan Sect, maintaining ties with evil professions is considered a serious offense. But abroad, in capitalist nations, where interests prevail, order and evil may oppose each other, yet their boundaries are not so rigid. It is quite common for people to engage in business transactions occasionally. Bill remained silent. Zhang Yuanqing continued, "Moreover, sometimes the cost itself becomes an advantage. From my personal experience, the cost of having a scarecrow has helped me navigate through numerous challenges." Hearing this, Mr. Bill became interested. "Could you give me an example?" "For instance," Zhang Yuanqing said slowly, "your female assistant will never succeed in winning my affection—she'll always be out of reach." "It protects me from all allure," he added, "and I believe it will be a strong market in your country." There exists a profession dedicated to passion abroad, and not all spiritual practitioners are LSPs, yet they often struggle against their biological instincts. At such times, the role of the scarecrow becomes particularly valuable. Mr. Bill suddenly understood—he now grasped why the Primordial Deity could so consistently resist Anne's charms. Pausing a moment, he said, "You're right, but not everyone will bear this cost. Moreover, compared to the cost of the straw man, I believe more people will choose to succumb to their passions." "No, Mr. Bill, I think you've misunderstood something." Zhang Yuanqing spoke firmly. "I'm not obligated to sell to you. If you can't offer me a price that satisfies me, why shouldn't I submit my offer directly to the Organization? With my achievements and standing, I'm certain the Five-Element Alliance will pay a premium." That was true—should Mr. Bill insist on the lowest possible price, Zhang Yuanqing had no reason to deal with him at all; selling to the Five-Element Alliance would be just as good. Seeing Mr. Bill remain silent, he added, "Of course, if you believe the straw man truly lacks value, you're entirely within your rights to decline. After all, business is about mutual agreement—when it works, we proceed; when it doesn't, we part ways." Bill pondered for a long time, then asked, "What is your ideal price?" He turned the question back to him. At that moment, Anne had just finished brewing tea, and with her smooth, slender hands, carefully held the hot cup and offered it to Zhang Yuanqing: "Mr. Yuanshi, your black tea." As she spoke, her fingers seemed to accidentally get scalded; her hands trembled slightly, and the hot tea splashed onto Zhang Yuanqing's thighs. !!! In that instant, Zhang Yuanqing demonstrated the agility that even businesspeople would be amazed by—lifting his hand to shield the steaming tea while simultaneously bending and lifting his hips. Part of the hot water landed on the leather sofa, making a soft "pff" sound, while the rest splashed onto his forearm. Zhang Yuanqing winced slightly, his face tightening with pain. "Sorry, sorry..." Anne apologized repeatedly, wiping the water from his forearm with a tissue, her face filled with remorse and concern. Was she doing this on purpose? But to splash boiling water directly onto my crotch—wasn't that a bit too cruel? Zhang Yuanqing furrowed his brow. The transaction hadn't even been finalized yet, so he suppressed his displeasure and said: "Eight million in cash, plus one piece of equipment." "Mr. Bill nodded. "Certainly, but only if it's a transcendent-quality artifact." Zhang Yuanqing immediately replied, "I want precisely that perfect human skin." Mr. Bill seemed momentarily taken aback, hesitating, "No problem—though I must warn you, both the previous and the one before that owner met rather tragic ends." I know—one was beheaded, the other became a call-girl, repeatedly exploited..." Zhang Yuanqing spoke calmly. "I understand." Though unusual, the artifact possessed an exceptionally strong capacity to carry its karmic consequences; when used well, it could become a true divine instrument, yielding unexpected benefits. Zhang Yuanqing chose it primarily because it would allow the spirit of the deceased to wear it and assume the consciousness of the corpse. Thus, even if the corpse were a towering figure, the humiliation would fall upon the deceased, not upon me, the Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn. The two signed the agreement, exchanged the artifacts, and Anne recorded Zhang Yuanqing's card number before heading out to arrange the transfer with the finance department. The identity of Yuan Shi Tian Zun is now publicly known, making cash transactions unnecessary. Zhang Yuanqing gently held the thin human skin in both hands, and after a few seconds, the item's attributes appeared: 【Name: Perfect Human Skin】 【Type: Special Item】 【Function: Concealment】 【Description: A being of indescribable nature fell in love with a woman who could not return the feelings. To win the woman of his dreams, that being crafted this item and disguised himself as her husband, successfully winning her heart. Upon discovering the truth, the woman was devastated and cast a curse: anyone who uses this item will inevitably face misfortune.】 【Note 1: The being and the woman shared a love that lasted exactly 60 minutes. Regardless of what you do with this item, please do not exceed this time limit.】 【Note 2: No one will detect your disguise, unless they are a deity.】 The introduction of this item sounded like it had a rich backstory—indeed, it was a cursed artifact, which explained why each of its previous owners had fared poorly. Zhang Yuanqing was quite satisfied with the way he folded the human skin. Bill thought for a moment, earnestly saying, "If you stick a pig's tail through your backside, I'm certain Yuanshishen will be yours." ... Five o'clock in the afternoon. Zhang Yuanqing returned home exhausted. Lying on his bed, he stared at the ceiling, his brows gradually furrowing. "Did I really bring bad luck today?" After bidding farewell to Bill in the morning, he encountered an elevator malfunction at the International Building—the cabin plummeted several floors, and the passengers screamed in panic. Though they all escaped unharmed, Zhang Yuanqing was drenched in cold sweat. On his way to the mall with his aunt, he nearly got hit by a car; because his aunt was so beautiful, a middle-aged man wearing a shirt with angel wings approached him and complained. His phone accidentally fell into the toilet. Then, the car accident, and being drenched by scalding water—this wasn't right. This simply wasn't right. His brows were tightly knit, and a thought flashed through his mind: a curse! "But it doesn't make sense. If it were a curse, I should have been completely ruined by now—how could the curse be so gentle? Maybe, perhaps, I just have bad luck?" Zhang Yuanqing thought for a moment, and sent a message to Aunt Xiao Yuan: "Prime Immortal: I feel like I'm under a curse. Today, I've been experiencing bad luck, but it seems rather ordinary—just plain misfortune. Can I still go to Wuhen Hotel?" Breaking the curse is simple—just use the Vamoose Staff—but he wanted to first consult a professional to confirm whether it was truly a curse. Magical Aunt Xiao Yuan: "If you're experiencing bad luck, you should stay still and avoid moving. Please send me your address." Zhang Yuanqing immediately sent over the address of his building. Forty minutes later, Magical Aunt Xiao Yuan replied: "I've arrived." Zhang Yuanqing left his room, stepped out of the entrance, and walked down the hallway. From the window of the hallway, he looked down and indeed saw a white sedan parked at the entrance. "I'll come down right away," he replied, and sent a message. He then took the elevator The white windows slowly descended. Aunt Xiao Yuan sat at the driver's seat, mature and attractive, vibrant and commanding. Zhang Yuanqing smiled and hurried toward her. Suddenly, Aunt Xiao Yuan's face changed, and she urgently said, "Be careful!"