"I understand, Mr. Bill!" Zhang Yuanqing took a sip of his ice-cold Coke and then glanced at the blonde woman standing behind Bill. Mr. Bill smiled and said, "She's my personal assistant. Anything you'd like to say, you can say right in front of her." Oh, a milk-pressing assistant... Zhang Yuanqing smiled knowingly. It was common for middle-to-older, single, well-off men to have such assistants at their side. They didn't necessarily need exceptional skills, but they always had to be young, beautiful, and well-built. Though Mr. Bill was a high-profile figure with a substantial income, his personal assistant wasn't quite on par with my sister Guan Ya... Zhang Yuanqing quietly compared them in his mind and felt satisfied, then said, "Mr. Bill, I'll offer you something you won't be able to refuse." Mr. Bill responded with a cheerful smile, "We'll have to see to know that." As he spoke, he noticed Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn pulling out a stack of yellow paper scrolls—thin, about ten in number. "Scrolls?" Mr. Bill glanced briefly, his legs still slightly curled, and chuckled, "Master Yuanshi, if I'm not mistaken, scrolls are consumables." After all, once used up, they lose all value—far less than props, especially life-saving ones like these sliding boots. "Indeed, they are consumables—but of the Sovereign-level kind," Zhang Yuanqing said. Sovereign-level... Mr. Bill lowered his legs, sat up straight, and asked eagerly, "What exactly do they do?" "They embody the power of the Sun God. Their primary function is purification. Once infused with spiritual energy, they activate internal energy, neutralizing all negative effects and offering moderate protection against toxins," Zhang Yuanqing said, drawing one out and holding it between his fingers. "Simply placed at home, they serve as a source of warmth, keeping spirits and shadowy entities at bay. Most importantly, the Sun God's power effectively counters alcoholism—Mr. Bill, wouldn't you agree that you'd prefer not to be attacked by heavy drinkers again?" Mr. Bill's breathing had already grown labored. The power of the Sun God is an exceptionally potent and rare energy that purifies all negative effects—on its own, it can render many professions' skills ineffective. Moreover, the Sun God's power specifically weakens those who drink excessively, which is precisely what he needs. Master-tier items are extremely rare, each one being of immense value. More importantly, these master-tier items are non-transferable within major organizations; even with ample funds, one cannot acquire them. "Indeed, something I cannot refuse," Mr. Bill explained, "but ten aren't enough!" "Consumables are far less valuable than items, and the cost of the sliding boots is minimal relative to their worth—therefore, we must add scrolls." He gestured with a "two": "I'd like twenty scrolls, plus one million." A scroll for four and a half million? You're such a shrewd merchant... Zhang Yuanqing shook his head: "I'll give you ten scrolls, but I can attach one ancient artifact to the deal. Furthermore, if you agree, I'd be happy to designate you as the overseas agent for the Break-Sin Scroll. You can purchase them at a discounted rate from me." In their previous transactions, Mr. Bill has treated him fairly, and as a merchant, he naturally expects his clients to make a profit. "An ancient artifact?" Mr. Bill frowned: "You mean the tools used by ancient practitioners of supernatural abilities, right? If it's of Saint-level quality, that's fine—but you'll need to give me two additional Break-Sin Scrolls. As you know, these ancient tools lack inherent item properties; both their cost and their capabilities must be discovered through experience. That means there's inherent risk, and until they're fully understood, they can't be used immediately." Zhang Yuanqing paused, then said, "Alright, that's settled!" He then opened his backpack and produced a bronze tripod, about the size of a palm. This artifact had been appraised by Elder Gao Feng, who rated it: average. The sage-like qualities are solid but not exceptional. Mr. Bill picked up the bronze tripod and carefully examined it under the glow of the crystal chandelier. Zhang Yuanqing seized the opportunity to ask: "Mr. Bill, do you know about ancient practitioners?" "In our country, they're called 'supernatural beings.' " Mr. Bill said while savoring the ritual vessel. "The 'spirit realm travelers' are a modern phenomenon, no more than two centuries old. However, based on our historical research and the development of spirit realm archives, it's evident that there were indeed similar groups in ancient times—only the difference was that they didn't advance through the spirit realm. Now that you've attained the rank of Sage and are a key talent nurtured by the Five Elements Alliance, your superiors should have already informed you of these secrets." "No, my superior only leads by example and is utterly consumed by the art of flattery... Zhang Yuanqing silently chided the young gentleman, yet nodded politely, saying, 'I would like to learn as much as possible about the ancient ability holders in your country. If there's a fee for intelligence, please feel free to state it.' Mr. Bill glanced at him, then looked down again, continuing to examine the bronze tripod, and smiled, 'If your level isn't sufficient, I won't share this information with you—no matter how much you offer. But since all of us are now Sages, certain details can be openly discussed and exchanged among us. This is an unwritten rule among our spiritual realm travelers. To date, the prevailing view among the major organizations of spiritual realm travelers is that mythological history is essentially the history of the ancient "spiritual realm travelers." Do you know of the three major mythological systems?' Zhang Yuanqing shook his head, 'I'm not very familiar with the myths of my own country, let alone those of other civilizations.' "Mr. Bill said, 'The three major mythological systems are Greek mythology, Norse mythology, and your Eastern creation myths. If you fully harness your imagination, you'll find that the various professions in the Lingjing Xingzhe series closely resemble certain deities in mythological histories.' The Yellow Emperor, who ascended to heaven after flying through the day with three thousand female attendants, corresponds to the central earth monster... That was Zhang Yuanqing's first thought. 'In Greek mythology, there's a deity highly similar to the drunkard—Dionysus, the god of wine, who rules over chaos and is known as the god of chaos. For the profession of love and desire, there's also a deity that matches perfectly—Aphrodite, the goddess of love and desire.' As Mr. Bill was just finishing speaking, Zhang Yuanqing immediately replied, 'The goddess formed when Zeus's phallus was cast into the sea?' Mr. Bill stared at him in astonishment for a long time, 'You still claim you don't understand mythology...' ...Zhang Yuanqing: 'Please continue.' Mr. Bill set down the bronze tripod and said, "This item is confirmed. Our transaction is complete. The mainstream view holds that these so-called deities are actually ancient beings with extraordinary abilities—whose exact levels remain unknown, possibly rulers or half-gods. Because they possessed such powers, the ancients revered them and elevated them into divine forms. There's another piece of evidence: do you know that the Spirit Realm has three major regions?" Zhang Yuanqing nodded, "Yes, one of the regions has not yet been activated." "That region is the Nordic mythology—do you know its conclusion?" Mr. Bill gently prompted. Zhang Yuanqing thought for a moment and replied, "I only know that Zeus slept with his aunt, his sister, his daughter, his niece, and many mortal women. He was like a stallion, constantly sleeping with women or on his way to do so—just as the king of demons is utterly consumed by passion." "You indeed don't understand mythological tales. Zeus is the father god of Greek mythology, while Odin is the chief deity of Norse mythology," Mr. Bill corrected, steering the conversation back on track. "The conclusion of Norse mythology is Ragnarök—the twilight of the gods—where all the deities perish and the entire system comes to a complete stillness. Various organizations speculate that this may be related to the third major region of the Spiritual Realm having remained unopened throughout time; however, the precise reasons remain unclear. "There are many such enigmas. For instance, the Eastern creation myths are fragmented and disjointed, assembled haphazardly, almost as if the traditions have been severed—though, of course, the mythological stories you've added to your novels are not included." Zhang Yuanqing pondered for a long time, then sighed. "That's a truly insightful perspective, very enlightening. Well, Mr. Bill, our transaction hasn't been fully completed yet." In the end, Zhang Yuanqing exchanged twelve broken talismans and a bronze cauldron for the sliding cleats. Then, he sold eight sets of damaged talismans to Mr. Bill at four million per set, which made Mr. Bill so delighted that he nearly insisted on having Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn stay for dinner. The thirty sets of damaged talismans left by the old stick-figure had now dwindled down to just ten. Zhang Yuanqing then purchased a large quantity of materials for making various talismans—at a cost of ten million—where the materials for drawing talismans were cheaper than those used for body-revival or spirit-revival processes. He pondered whether to sell out Kou Beiyue's information, employing a strategy of driving away the tiger to swallow the wolf, so that the freelance professionals could handle the threat themselves. After all, Kou Beiyue was still wanted by the authorities. Yet a week later, his subordinate remained unharmed, and the logistics company escaped seizure. Thus, the Gǔ Wang assigned a covert mission—to embed himself within Kou Beiyue's circle. The reason was simple: while Kou Beiyue himself was merely a minor figure, the Yuanshǐ Tianzun and Wuhen Master behind him held extraordinary significance. However, this mission carried risk: if Kou Beiyue remained passive and waited for his return, then upon his reappearance, the person known as the "human blood bun" would be caught off guard, effectively setting himself up as a target. The milk tea had been sipped for ten minutes, and the human blood bun had been on edge for ten minutes. It seemed as though there were no hidden traps—what was going on with Beiyue? Wasn't his business acumen rather poor? The human blood bun murmured to himself, distracted and uncertain. "I'd like to ask you something," Kou Beiyue "I've just been wanted for arrest. You should know my relationship with the Primordial Celestial Sovereign, right? Wasn't it you who betrayed me to the Lord of Lust?" Kou Beiyue asked. Right off the bat, a major move? Ren Xuemeng, calm on the surface, felt her heart race, adrenaline surge, and her mind rapidly processing how to respond. "Yes, it was the Chairman who asked me to do this." Ren Xuemeng answered truthfully. "Little Yuan is truly impressive—she managed to guess this correctly." Kou Beiyue said, full of admiration. "What do you want from me?" Ren Xuemeng asked, her expression stern. Kou Beiyue delivered her lines exactly as Yuan had taught her, with a cool demeanor: "I won't hold anything against the Lord of Lust, but due to certain circumstances, our communication channels with the Xie, Free Organization have been severed. I hope you can assist me in gathering information from your side." "Of course, I won't undersell you on compensation." "Is that all?" Ren Xuemeng was taken aback. What else could she possibly want? Xiao Yuan said you still have value... Kou Beiyue said in a steady tone, "Master Yuanshishen insisted on killing you. It was only because I valued our brotherly bond that I stepped in to save you, and managed to settle matters with Master Yuanshishen. Master Yuanshishen rarely dares to defy me." "Human blood bun bun: I don't even know whether I should believe this..." As she was speaking, Kou Beiyue's phone chimed. He unlocked the screen and stared at it intently—his expression instantly grew strange. [Big Brother, where are you? I want to follow you—your loyal subordinate!] ... In the empty boardroom, the curtains were drawn tightly, soft light illuminating the newly polished conference table. Beep-beep— On the ceiling, ten sleek, high-tech metal sensors glowed yellow simultaneously. Then, one after another, beams of pale blue light descended vertically, solidifying into figures—youths with handsome appearances, women with graceful and alluring features, elderly men with silver hair, and middle-aged men with dignified bearing. There were also non-human figures, such as a fluffy terrier. "The last time we held our 'Conference of the Ten Elders,' we discussed whether to sell the 'Silent Village' strategy to the Taimei Sect. It's been less than a month since then, and Master Yuan-Shi has just emerged from his killing quest—still hasn't entered the first quest of the Saint Realm yet." A young man with red hair exclaimed loudly. "Can it really be another matter of his again? And how did Elder Zhao even get involved?" Zhao Ling, unimpressed, turned his gaze toward the senior elder at the head of the table, Emperor Hong, and said, "Senior Elder Hong, I too would like to know the reason behind the Five Elements Alliance's invitation of the Taiyuan Sect to this meeting. I hope it's not another S-tier quest completed by Yuan Shi Tianzun—otherwise, Senior Lu isn't merely being careless; he's actually at fault for the Taiyuan Sect." The elders immediately turned their attention to Emperor Hong. Every time the Ten Elders convened, something significant always unfolded, and they only hoped it wouldn't be something negative. Events like the攻略 of the Silent Village were undoubtedly positive. Emperor Hong, with his composed, refined, and gentle demeanor, spoke with a subdued tone: "Indeed, it is directly related to Yuan Shi Tianzun." The elders at the table instantly looked puzzled. Was this young man perhaps being unusually restless? Emperor Hong's expression grew serious and he turned to the third position on his left, where a handsome young man in a white robe sat. "Fu Qingyang, you've reported the incident—please explain it now!"