Why should I have dinner with you? Zhang Yuan thought, when did this pretentious young man become so practical? He was truly grateful to him—Zhang Yuan knew this well, whether it was the case involving his sister, resolving his parents' long-standing concerns, or helping him advance to the rank of Saint. He had helped so much. If that young man were a girl, he would surely have taken off his clothes and lay on the bed waiting for him to visit, thus properly repaying the great favor bestowed by the Heavenly Sovereign. But as a typical mid-secondary school boy—self-conscious, sentimental, and shy—saying "thank you" could make him blush, let alone having him go out and make a real effort to invite him to dinner. It must have been his mother who taught him this. Though she had grown less attentive to him lately, she still felt she owed him many personal favors and thought it only right to invite him for a meal. Zhang Yuan picked up the phone without hesitation. It rang for a while before someone finally answered. Zhang Yuan asked, "Is Xiao Yuan here?" "Xiao Yuan hasn't arrived yet," came the voice of Kou Beiyue through the speaker. "Just say whether you're coming or "I'll send you a message later." Kou Beiyue seemed unwilling to say more and hung up the phone hurriedly. Zhang Yuanqing waited for the address while simultaneously using a ride-hailing app to book a car heading to Jinshan City, with the destination tentatively set as "WuHen Hotel." Although it was now quite late, for a night wanderer, a new day felt just beginning, full of energy. He had long wanted to visit WuHen Hotel, but the case involving the Color-Desire God had delayed his plans. Now was a perfect opportunity to chat with Xiao Yuan about the details of his investigation into the Color-Desire God and to strengthen their relationship. Though he no longer had his life mentor's guidance, he had learned a good deal and had come to realize his own shortcomings—initially, when their relationship was still fragile, he would send messages to Xiao Yuan every time he completed a quest, and regularly make rounds at WuHen Hotel. Ever since the hunting quests launched, Yun's spirit has been captured by Guan Ya—the fox spirit—constantly dreaming of sweet, tender moments with her, utterly enchanted by the mixed-blood woman's ample figure and long legs, completely immersed in the romance, naturally neglecting Xiao Yuan. The life coach once said that Xiao Yuan is deeply sensitive; even when feeling disappointed, she never speaks up, never asks questions, but instead quietly withdraws. "Beep!" Just as he was thinking, Kou Beiyue sent a text message. The address was the countryside homestay in Shijiang Village. Zhang Yuanqing opened his phone and searched for the destination—a rural area about thirty kilometers outside Jinshan City. He opened the ride-hailing app, updated the destination to "Shijiang Village Homestay," then opened the window and activated his night journey, leaping down from a height of over ten floors. ... Shijiang Village Homestay. In the back courtyard, a middle-aged woman frowned: "Why have you chosen my homestay as the hunting site? You should know—should the hunt fail, I’ll be left with nothing but my well-established business." Even if the hunt is successful, with the Five Elements Alliance's capabilities, they will likely track us all the way here." The Color-Desire God smiled, "Hosting guests and serving meals requires a location—and we certainly can't choose a hunting ground within the city. You don't want your moral standing to drop to zero, do you? And here, adjacent to a reservoir, surrounded by mountains on three sides, with sparse human footfall—what a scenic, serene spot. Truly, a fitting place to meet your end. "Moreover, once you've slain the Prime Heavenly Sovereign, you'll receive five million, tax-free. What's a modest countryside inn compared to that? You could open ten, even a hundred, and still have the freedom to do so." Blood Swan snorted, remained silent—thus, implicitly agreeing. The Color-Desire God then added, "Once the Prime Heavenly Sovereign arrives, we shall refrain from acting immediately. Let Kou Beiyue test the waters, in case the Sovereign has allies hidden behind the scenes, ready to ambush us." Upon finishing, he turned to Kou Beiyue and said, "You are in charge of eliminating the Prime Heavenly Sovereign." The warm, orange light illuminated his thin Kou Beiyue furrowed her brows: "It's wrong to kill someone. Yuan Shishen is an official figure. I don't think it's necessary to kill anyone for money. Master Wuhu has always taught us..." The Color-Desire Deity immediately began to exert his influence, two delicate streaks of crimson light glowing like faint lanterns in the darkness. He spoke clearly and deliberately: "From this moment on, Yuan Shishen is your enemy. You are actively planning to carry out a covert assassination against him. He has shown you kindness, but that kindness is all false. If you don't kill him, your small circle will be taken away, and all your family will perish. Only I, your master, can help you through this crisis. Furthermore, you have repeatedly defied my will. Remember your identity—never let this happen again." After several repeated appeals, reinforcing the impact, Kou Beiyue's strained expression gradually settled, and her gaze grew resolute: "Master, you are absolutely right." "Master Yuan Shishen is indeed about to take my little Yuan away. She's been especially irritable these days—she must be thinking of him. I can't let this continue. For Yuan, for my family, I'm willing to assist you." The color-desire deity's expression eased slightly, and he was about to offer some praise when suddenly, Kou Beiyue looked troubled. "But, Master, I—I won't lie..." What a useless pastry! The color-desire deity's temples bulged with anger; he rarely got so worked up, unless he truly couldn't contain himself! Taking a deep breath and suppressing the rising fury, he continued to persuade, finally overcoming Kou Beiyue's hesitation about telling the truth. Though she's a sage, she's rather foolish—having her along would only cause trouble... The color-desire deity held a very low opinion of this servant. A simple-minded mage might appreciate her, but if she were working under the Extinction, she'd certainly not survive three days. "Ring, ring..." At that moment, Kou Beiyue's phone rang, displaying "Yuan" as the caller. The Color-Desire General and the Blood Swallow both furrowed their brows. The former said, "Keep her steady." Kou Beiyue obeyed her master's instruction and picked up the phone. A firm voice came through the speaker: "It's past time—why hasn't she returned to the hotel yet?" Kou Beiyue, who had just earlier insisted she wouldn't lie, now began to fabricate: "Xiao Yuan, I'm delivering food right now. Today's orders are unusually heavy—I'd like to earn a bit more to help cover the hotel's expenses." The other side remained silent for a few seconds, then softened: "The hotel really needs just a few more coins from you? Come back soon." After that, the call was hung up. The Color-Desire General chuckled: "Go home now, or your mother will give you a good scolding." Kou Beiyue's face instantly flushed. About half an hour later, a phone ringtone sounded. The Blood Swallow pulled out an older-model phone, answered it, and switched to hands-free mode. "Yan-jie, a taxi has just entered the village and should arrive at the countryside homestay in about ten minutes," came the Xue Yanzi asked, "Only one taxi? Is there anyone tailing them?" "No one spotted," Ma Fa replied. The color-thirsty general's eyes shone with greed and excitement; he licked his lips, as if anticipating a grand feast, "At last, we've managed to hook him." Xue Yanzi hung up the phone, "Proceed as planned!" ... The taxi drove along a winding, uneven cement road, with hills rising on either side. It was summer, and lush vegetation layered like a green cloak, tightly enveloping the mountain slopes. After turning several more corners, they finally reached their destination. Under the deep evening sky, the red-brick house glowed with lights, and a colorful sign reading "Shi Jing Rural Homestay" stood proudly at the entrance. Nearby, the reservoir shimmered like a smooth mirror, reflecting the glow of rural lights; with the gentle night breeze, ripples danced across its surface. "The location is a bit remote, but the view is excellent," Zhang Yuanqing remarked, enjoying the scenery through the window. The taxi parked on the open space outside the countryside homestay, where only one black sedan was parked. Though the red-brick house was brightly lit, there were no guests present. The driver said, "We've arrived!" Zhang Yuanqing had already spotted Kou Beiyue waiting by the signboard for him. He immediately paid the fare with his phone, opened the door, and stepped out toward her, smiling, "Wow, what a turn of events! The sun rose from the west today—having the chance to dine on the cuisine of our misty master, Beiyue, is truly an honor, I must say..." He glanced around, but didn't see the familiar white sedan, and asked, "Has Xiao Yuan still not arrived?" Kou Beiyue maintained a serious expression, walked up to him, and whispered, "Xiao Yuan has been delayed a bit—she'll be here shortly. By the way, I'd like to show you something." "What?" As Zhang Yuanqing was walking forward, he instinctively turned his head and saw that Kou Beiyue now held a dagger in her hands, its blade inscribed with twisted, eerie incantations. His vision blurred instantly, and his mind was soon overwhelmed by a The next instant, the sharp dagger pierced Zhang Yuanqing's chest, passing through his beating heart. Zhang Yuanqing's pupils dilated dramatically. "I'm sorry," he whispered, "everything has been ordered by the master..." Ku Bei Yue, who had hand-delivered the execution to his enemy, found tears welling up in his eyes—though he couldn't explain why. As the dagger cut through his heart, it simultaneously violently drained the vitality from his body. Amid the intense pain, Zhang Yuanqing broke free from the illusions of sight and hearing. He didn't question Ku Bei Yue's betrayal; instead, he kicked the emotionally shattered second-stringer into the air. Then, Zhang Yuanqing's body dissolved into shimmering starlight, collapsing into a dreamlike glow and appearing ten meters away, clutching his chest where blood streamed freely, fleeing toward the reservoir. He had fallen into the trap. No guests, a remote countryside farm—no trace of the small, seemingly insignificant Xiao Yuan, who had suddenly turned against him—these details all pointed to a carefully orchestrated assassination. And yet, before coming to this appointment, he had completely forgotten to use the star-phase divination technique to examine his own facial features. All the way here, he hadn't even picked up a small phone call or sent a text message to confirm. This simply didn't fit his nature. The enemy had managed to subtly distort his habits—something profoundly alarming, sending a deep sense of unease. The divine general smiled faintly, chuckling, "How was it feeling to be the prey? Yuan Shi Tian Zun!"