As Aunt Xiao Yuan urgently reminded him, Zhang Yuanqing had already heard the subtle breeze above his head and sensed the unusual flow of air. Without hesitation, he lunged to the side. "Crash!" Behind him came the sharp sound of porcelain shattering into fragments, splashing with soil. After a swift leap and a roll, Zhang Yuanqing pressed his palms against the ground, rose to his feet, and turned to look back. The plants that had fallen were knocked over in a heap. "Damn!" Seeing the scattered porcelain shards and soil, he let out a spontaneous exclamation of national cultural heritage. If this had hit someone's head, even if he were a night-wandering deity, he'd surely suffer a head wound and bleeding; for an ordinary person, there'd be no chance of rescue—likely dying on the spot. My bad luck is getting more dramatic by the day. The morning car accident at least gave me a clear warning and a chance to react. He felt heavy-hearted. "Beep-beep~" At that moment, the white car nearby honked. Aunt Xiao Yuan's bright and elegant face appeared, and she calmly said, "Get in!" Zhang Yuanqing no longer hesitated about the issue of falling objects from high floors; he hurried over and settled into the passenger seat. It was peak commuting hour, and there were many residents moving in and out of the community—mostly elderly women and men—disturbed by the loud crash of the potted plants just now, now turning their eyes toward them. He silently prayed that the rumor wouldn’t come true—namely, that the retired police chief’s grandson, who had just formed a connection with a wealthy businesswoman, would be the one to cause trouble tomorrow. With a soft click, he closed the car door. Xiao Yuan pressed the accelerator and sped off. Instead of leaving the community, the car wound its way and finally parked in a quiet spot within the premises. Zhang Yuanqing glanced sideways at her profile—the woman’s side view was particularly beautiful: her nose was straight and refined, her jaw slightly lifted, and her cheek contours graceful. Whether a person’s facial features appear three-dimensional largely depends on the nose, while the overall facial beauty is largely determined by the shape and lift of the chin. From this angle, he could clearly see the curled, slightly arched lashes of her eyes. Her beauty—different from her aunt's gentle and endearing charm, Guan Ya's refined grace, and Xiao Green Tea's clear and elegant poise—was bright and bold, with a commanding presence. She carried herself so naturally that one could confidently place her at the forefront as a leader, without anyone questioning whether women could truly lead. This quality is often missing in women who are graceful, delicate, elegant, or well-behaved. Moreover, Xiao Yuan is a woman of simplicity—her expressions, her demeanor, and her personality are all understated and calm, with a quiet, clear, and composed air. She shifted the gear to neutral, engaged the handbrake, and said coldly, "Do you want me to pull out your eyes?" Only then did Zhang Yuanqing notice that, under his intense gaze, Xiao Yuan's body had grown stiff and her expression slightly tense. Don't be so nervous—this bet was just a joke... Zhang Yuanqing cleared his throat and shifted to business, his tone slightly subdued: "Aunt Xiao Yuan, am I under some curse?" "Seeing that he had not mentioned the bet at all, Xiao Yuan's expression remained cool, though slightly relaxed. She murmured softly, "Fú Fú—this is a kind of curse. Compared to the more severe curse of death by spell, Fú Fú is gentler. The afflicted will experience a series of misfortunes over time, with affairs going poorly, ultimately dying from an unexpected accident." From her observations and the way the potted plant had fallen, she now knew exactly what kind of curse the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign had been struck with. "Your forehead is dark, with black energy swirling around your spirit body—this is a curse befitting a Saint-level cultivator. Your misfortunes will grow increasingly severe, and within at most three days, you will die from an unforeseen cause." Indeed, it was a curse—no more than three days, and death by accident… Zhang Yuanqing felt a deep sense of urgency. He promptly summoned the Vengeance Staff. A flash of yellow light, and the heavy bronze staff settled firmly into his palm. He did not immediately set out to dispel the curse, but instead asked, "Is there any way to trace the source of the curse? Also, I recall Now he is no longer the naive rookie he once was. Breaking the curse is simple, but the core of this matter isn't about breaking the curse—it's about identifying the caster. Understanding the medium through which the curse was cast is crucial; if it's flesh and blood, then the next time, the curse might directly kill him outright. He cannot keep himself in a state of purification indefinitely, or else he'll be drawn and absorbed by the Vamapada杵 before being slain by the curse. Moreover, while awake he can remain vigilant, but what about when he's resting? A curse-induced death happens in an instant—when asleep, he simply can't react. Kogetsu's eyes gleamed with admiration before she shook her head. "There's no such method. You should think about it yourself—has anyone recently been causing you trouble?" Unable to reverse-locate the caster… Zhang Yuanqing furrowed his brows. Then it became clear: he had to identify the caster within a short timeframe. Gazing at the contemplative Yuan Shi Tian Zun, she responded to the second question: "Your curse is exceptionally strong—the caster must have drawn upon your blood and flesh as a medium to channel the curse, rather than relying on photographs or your birth chart." Zhang Yuanqing's speculation was confirmed, and his heart grew heavier. "Besides Hei Wu Chang, I haven't had any grievances with the spiritual energy practitioners. Of course, with my current reputation, the Spiritual Energy Society could eliminate me without needing any reason. I have so many enemies that it's nearly impossible to distinguish who among them is truly responsible..." A quiet concern lingered in Xiao Yuan's eyes, her tone calm and measured: "Try a different angle—why didn't the caster simply curse you to death right away? Is there a deeper purpose, or are they hesitant for some reason? Have you sustained any injuries or bleeding recently? Who might have had the opportunity to draw your blood?" As a practicing witch and gushe specialist, she understood her profession far better than Yuan Shi Tian Zun, and thus her thinking was sharper and more focused. Zhang Yuanqing leaned back against the chair, lowering his gaze to ponder. If the curse cast upon me stems from an evil occupation, it should have directly killed me—there's no record of evil occupations receiving rewards by having their heads taken. If not an evil occupation, then it must be someone who controls the curse-related artifacts. To diminish one's fortune without outright killing—ah, the death from fortune depletion is more subtle. His identity is most likely that of a lawful occupation, perhaps even an official from the official ranks, who fears that a direct curse would draw the attention of the senior leadership at the Songhai branch. After all, my current status is already under intense scrutiny even among the elders. An unexpected curse-induced death would prompt immediate investigation, and a more gradual death by fortune depletion is less conspicuous and thus harder to detect. During these days, aside from the match events, I have not sustained any injuries—during the matches, who came into direct contact with my flesh and blood? Zhang Yuanqing quickly identified three individuals: the Miao Mountain sorcerer, Zhao the City God, and Qing Songzi. Among them, Zhao holds the greatest suspicion, followed by the Miao Mountain sorcerer, with Qing Songzi having the least. The latter two likely lack the saintly-quality artifacts associated with the witch-guerrilla If Zhao Chenguang is behind this, then this matter must be reported to Fu Qingyang, either by him personally handling it or by him forwarding it to the elders... Zhang Yuanqing already has a plan in mind. "Feel free to ask me for help whenever you need." Seeing the bright look in his eyes, Xiao Yuan knew that Yuan Shi Tian Zun had fully understood and settled on his course of action. "No, thank you. The fact that you can provide an accurate answer is already the greatest help I could possibly receive. I will handle it myself." Zhang Yuanqing said. She couldn't intervene in matters involving the Taiyi Sect. Xiao Yuan nodded. "Regardless of whether this matter is resolved or not, please remember to keep me informed." "Agreed!" As Zhang Yuanqing opened the car door and was about to leave, Xiao Yuan suddenly asked, "How about Kou Beiyue's situation?" "I haven't forgotten. The higher-ups have asked me to wait for updates, but so far there's been no reply." He glanced at her. "As soon as I hear anything, I'll let you know." With that, he stepped out of the vehicle and gently closed the door. Just "... In the bedroom, Zhang Yuanqing locked the door and dialed Fu Qingyang's phone: 'Admiral, I've been cursed.' 'What's going on?' Fu's voice grew serious. He recounted to Fu Qingyang in full detail his unusually bad luck today, as well as the specific observations he'd made with the geomancer from Wuhen Hotel, who had been specially assigned. Of course, he also mentioned the three suspects. Fu Qingyang paused for a few seconds, then spoke slowly: 'I understand. I'll get back to you no later than tomorrow.' 'Thank you so much, Admiral,' Zhang Yuanqing said, preparing to wait for the call to end. But after a few seconds, Fu didn't hang up. Zhang Yuanqing immediately added: 'Thank you, Admiral—your presence commands respect among peers, your stature surpasses even the Supreme One, your life spans in harmony with the heavens, and you unify the Five Elements.' 'Ding-ding~' The line went dead. While his grandmother's dinner was still cooking, Zhang Yuanqing sat in his ergonomic chair, tapping his fingers on the desk. 'At most, within ten days, the killing quest will begin.' My second exclusive realm is approaching soon, and it doesn't conflict with the slaughter dungeons—I just don't know which one will come first. Recently, due to the tournament matches, I've been reading through the guides more slowly. Now that I've won the championship, I need to pick up the pace again. The solo realms are unpredictable and perilous; with my character's hidden rating, I'm likely to encounter S-tier or A-tier ones again. Therefore, I can skip reviewing the guides for realms below A-tier. Ah, every time I enter a solo realm, I have to have the Matsu-Sea branch pay a substantial fee to purchase the guides from the Taiyuan Division—it feels a bit embarrassing. The Five-Element Alliance doesn't have the Night-Wanderer deity, so guides for this profession's exclusive realms are quite scarce. There are only a few trial missions or low-level dungeon guides available. As a result, before my second exclusive realm launches, the Matsu-Sea branch has purchased numerous high-difficulty Night-Wanderer dungeon guides from Taiyuan. Although Zhang Yuanqing has sold off his two S-rank dungeon conquests for a good price, offsetting part of the costs, the Songhai branch still incurred substantial financial outlays and a significant number of in-game items. As for the Transcendent Realm, it's manageable; however, once one reaches the Saint Realm, the value of dungeon conquests will greatly increase, and Taomin will surely demand much higher fees. This is the advantage of having high merit—organizations will go all out, even at great expense, to cultivate such individuals. Ordinary Night-Wanderers, on the other hand, would likely have to settle for whatever comes their way. "Solo expeditions to the Spiritual Realm are too risky. Even with my current strength, I can't afford to be complacent—I need to build in a 10% safety margin." With this thought, he pulled out his phone and sent a message to Xie Lingxi. The Prime Immortal: "Lingxi, I'd like to see the Palace Master." The Young Green Tea: "Got it—I'll pass on your message." Zhang Yuanqing wanted to purchase some life essence from the Master of the Zheng Sha Palace. This was a strategic resource, extremely precious, and produced in limited quantities by the Le Shi families. As a result, within the Wuxing Alliance, only officials were eligible to apply for usage—specifically, for diluted life essence. Though Zhang Yuanqing had high merit, he wasn’t yet an official, so he couldn’t apply according to protocol. He could certainly ask Fu Qingyang to assist, but if the Master of the Zheng Sha Palace could provide him with concentrated life essence, there would be no need to apply for the diluted version at all. He stayed chatting with the young green tea until his grandmother called from the living room to have dinner. Then he received a clear response: Grandma frowned deeply and looked at her grandson: "When you encounter someone who challenges you, never fight—just call your cousin instead." She then turned to her daughter and said, "You too!" In a place like Songhai, it's common for people to be approached because of one's beauty, but it's rare for someone to be physically assaulted simply for being ignored. After dinner, Zhang Yuanqing received a call from Fu Qingyang. "The person who cursed you has been identified—it's Zhu Rong, the wife of Chi Yue'an." "Zhu Rong?" Zhang Yuanqing exclaimed, surprised. This outcome had come as a surprise to him. "How did she manage to obtain my blood?" Zhang Yuanqing asked in astonishment. "It was the Evergreen Pine," Fu Qingyang explained. "He struck you with a whip during the tournament match, and at that moment, he absorbed your blood, storing it in a piece of equipment. He and Zhu Rong have a deal: as long as Zhu Rong secures your blood, she will become his lover. The Evergreen Pine is a wood spirit, and he finds such a temptation hard to resist." "According to Qingsongzi's account, Zhu Rong's original intention was to train you into a refined courtier." Zhang Yuanqing: "????" He was both stunned and felt deeply humiliated. Qingsongzi had been considered the most innocent suspect primarily because he had no motive and was unaware of the secret agreement between the two of them. Indeed, Chiyue An had been cursed to death—this meant that Zhu Rong had been the one who killed him originally. Was it because I disrupted her hidden channels for illicit profits that she sought revenge? Or perhaps my firm determination to pursue justice on that day made her realize she was under threat? Was the curse placed upon me specifically to train me into a courtier? That seemed like a profound insult. Fu Qingyang said, "I have already dispatched personnel to prepare for action and are en route to Zhu's household overnight. By tomorrow morning at the latest, we will be able to carry out the arrest. If Qingsongzi's account is accurate, then our options for handling Zhu Rong will be quite limited." "The Five Elements Alliance has a way to get Zhu Rong to speak the truth. If Qingsongzi's account is accurate—there's a difference between cursing the Yuanshizhen and wanting to sleep with him. Should the Zhu family's core faction wish to eliminate Yuanshizhen, the Five Elements Alliance would certainly take severe action, possibly even lifelong imprisonment. But if Zhu Rong merely wishes to spend time with Yuanshizhen—then the Zhu family, as a prestigious spiritual realm dynasty, is far from a mere regional guild that can be easily pressured. Their ties with the official establishment are strong, and their interests are deeply intertwined. The Alliance will certainly impose penalties, but certainly not at the cost of Zhu Rong's life." Zhang Yuanqing said. "As for the specifics of the penalties, the senior leadership will naturally discuss them. Right now, the top priority is to recover the medium of the curse. Also, we can take this opportunity to investigate the case of the Copper Rooster Pavilion." Fu Qingyang replied, ending the call. "This event provides the perfect opportunity to bring the Copper Rooster Pavilion case to a close." "Seriously, I wanted to sleep with you—why didn't you say so? Just book a room and give me the hotel number! Zhang Yuanqing slammed his phone hard onto the bed, his face dark with frustration. She actually noticed it… Zhang Yuanqing nodded, and informed her of the curse placed upon him by Zhu Rong, omitting the matter of his relationship with the young men. After all, it was a matter of face. The Master of the Halt the Killing Palace hummed, lifting a corner of her mouth: "Since the woman has been trained by the Demon King, her heart has grown twisted—she holds a deep aversion to the Night-Wanderer. That’s why she didn’t curse you to death, but instead drained your fortune. I’d wager she’ll reach out to you within the next two days, using curses as leverage and her beauty as temptation, aiming to mold you into a compliant young man. Well, well…" You needn’t mention that… Zhang Yuanqing managed a weak smile. She won’t have the chance anymore—my cousin-in-law has already stepped in!