No way—buying groceries so early in the morning? I haven't been home for several days. Has my grandmother's daily routine changed that much? Oh, tonight is the weekend, and Aunt Xiao is also here. That's quite awkward... Zhang Yuanqing muttered under her breath, intending to offer a graceful smile, but recalling that the last time she had taken over the body of the old, sturdy woman, she had been more of a sturdy, down-to-earth type, so she adopted Fu Qingyang's reserved, composed demeanor and politely, slightly stiffly greeted, "Good morning, grandmother." She had originally meant to call her "mother," but thought it might not be quite right. Grandmother paused, then quickly composed herself with a polite yet slightly embarrassed smile, "Ah, yes, good, good... Bai Lan, isn't it? Um, are you here to see our son Yuanzi?" Due to the earlier mix-up, grandmother still felt a bit uneasy upon seeing the young woman, unsure of how to greet her. Though Yuanzi had said he and this strikingly beautiful Bai Lan were just ordinary friends, grandmother didn't quite believe that. They might not be officially dating, but clearly had a warm, mutual interest—there was Zhang Yuanqing's mind raced, and suddenly an idea struck him. "I haven't contacted Zhang Yuanqing in a while. I send him messages, but he never replies; I call, but he doesn't answer. So I came to see him, but it seems he's not here anymore..." Saying this, he adopted a look of quiet resentment. Upon hearing this, Grandma nodded eagerly—clearly Yuanzi had taken her words to heart. Of course! Since they both now lived at Guan Ya's place, they should truly focus on building a romantic relationship. Being indecisive wasn't in the Chen family's style. Even his uncle, the family's so-called 'fallen member,' was known for his sincere and pure romantic relationships. "He's been away these days—he's living with his girlfriend!" Grandma said this last part with particular clarity, then pretended to be genuinely enthusiastic and extended an invitation. "You've come all the way, so why not come in and have lunch with us?" Zhang Yuanqing immediately sensed that Grandma's words were merely polite—her more enthusiastic the more formal it became. So he replied, "No, thank you, Grandma. I have other matters to attend to." And he quickly rushed Seeing this, the grandmother pulled her daughter out of the sedan chair and stood at the elevator entrance, smiling, "Next time he returns, remember to come over for dinner." The elevator doors closed slowly. The grandmother remarked, "What a beautiful girl! Unfortunately, Yuanzi already has a girlfriend. Still, should Guan Ya ever break up with Yuanzi, Bai Lan would be a wonderful choice." "Mom, that's exactly what you're calling a 'backup'." "What's so special about a 'backup'? Yuanzi is still young—how can we know what the future holds? If they do part ways, Bai Lan would be perfect." "You two can't possibly compare to me!" Jiang Yu Ei said proudly. "You're not even her junior—how can you compare?" the grandmother replied with a sigh. "I haven't arranged a date for you in a while. Let's plan one next weekend." "Oh, Mom, I'd really like to stay with you for a few more years yet," Jiang Yu Ei said, quickly cooing. … Zhang Yuanqing guided the Blood Rose into Fu's village, handing over the blue pills and the Cat King speaker to her body. "By the way, you haven't taken a bath in a week—there's a definite wardrobe smell." Sniffing the air, Zhang Yuanqing decided it was time to give the Blood Rose a bath. Indeed, though she's my shade-body, it wouldn't be appropriate for her to bathe here. If Fu Qingyang came by to see me and found me lying in bed while the shade-body stood beneath the showerhead, he'd probably hand me a check on the spot, demanding that I vacate Guanyi. While carefully storing the Cat King speaker and the blue pills, Zhang Yuanqing maneuvered the Blood Rose out of the basement. He had originally intended to visit the rabbit maids, asking them to bathe the shade-body—since they used to take care of it when it was temporarily housed at Fu Qingyang’s. But then he thought again: since he was going to meet the patrol team members shortly anyway, why not simply have Guanyi take care of the shade-body’s bath instead. Ascending the stairs to the first-floor lobby, Zhang Yuanqing spotted Ling Jun, carelessly leading a young woman into the villa. The girl had long black hair flowing like a waterfall, eyes bright and dewy—like those of a deer in the forest—sharp and delicate, with a slender, oval face, long and straight eyebrows, a refined nose, and a soft, youthful mouth. She combined the freshness and purity of a young girl with the grace and charm of a mature woman, creating a striking, captivating allure. Such a beautiful girl… Zhang Yuanqing, though accustomed to seeing many beautiful women, still couldn’t help but gaze at her intently. As Ling Jun and the woman approached, he raised an eyebrow and smiled, saying: “Is this young lady your new love or your longtime sweetheart?” “Whether she’s your new romance or your old flame, you mustn’t mention it in her presence—this shows a deep respect for women, and respect for women is the very foundation of winning her favor. Remember that!” Ling Jun instructed his student. Suddenly remembering something, his expression changed, and he snapped, “You damn fool! There’s something wrong with the Peach Blossom Scroll—have you been deliberately misleading me?” He was indeed tricked by the Peach Blossom Scroll? Zhang Yuanqing looked utterly innocent, feigning confusion: "No way! What could possibly be wrong? Why do you think that?" Ling Jun pulled him aside and whispered: "When I first used the Peach Blossom Scroll, things went really well—I actually secured a promising girlfriend who was only in a casual relationship with me. But when I took her to the hotel for deeper conversations, a female server suddenly barged in and started giving us a series of enthusiastic pats. The server claimed she'd been fond of me for a long time and insisted that if I didn't accept her, she'd post photos of us online. Now, I frequently visit that hotel, and it's no surprise that the server has a strong affection for my youthful, affluent image. What surprised me, though, was how extreme she was." So she too has been cursed by the Eye of Magic? Zhang Yuanqing chuckled to himself, making a self-deprecating remark: "Isn't that exactly what proves its effectiveness? Given your capabilities, you should have gone with the flow—seizing the moment, creating a harmonious scene of one dragon and two phoenixes." He immediately confirmed that the Peach Blossom Scroll indeed had an issue—the consumable came with a cost, the cost being the combination of good fortune and ill omens of love. Henceforth, it would need to be used with caution. Ling Jun shook his mouth slightly, saying, "That female server is about the same age as my mother, yet she weighs twice as much!" "That does present a challenge," Zhang Yuanqing replied. At that moment, the young woman nearby—combining purity with grace—frowned, saying, "Ling Jun, you've brought women all the way to Fu Qingyang's household? When did he become so easygoing?" The remark made Zhang Yuanqing and Ling Jun exchange a glance, both of them shivering slightly. "Certainly," Ling Jun cleared his throat and said, "Teng'er, he is actually the Yuan-Shi Tian-Zun—more precisely, the shadow body of the Yuan-Shi Tian-Zun." Upon hearing this, the young woman named Teng'er stepped closer, studied him carefully for a few seconds, then nodded with sudden realization. "Indeed, it is a shadow body." Her voice was clear and sweet, like a nightingale's, with precise diction—immediately conveying a Beijing accent. Ling Jun continued: "Yuan Shichen, this is my cousin, Miao Teng'er." I'm suddenly looking forward to hearing from your cousin... Zhang Yuanqing turned his gaze away and said, "I need to run over to the neighboring building now." "No rush!" Ling Jun smiled. "My cousin has specifically come to see you." "See me?" Zhang Yuanqing was taken aback. His first thought was that, due to Yuan Ting's blunt nature, this lovely cousin had come to hold a grudge against him. "Actually, my cousin wanted to speak with Anny from the Goddess of Beauty Association about something, but because of the attack on the Wine God Club, she's been hiding out temporarily and unable to reach out. Since you're close to Anny, she thought it would be best to go through you to make contact." Ling Jun explained the purpose. "To speak with Anny?" Zhang Yuanqing frowned. "Could I ask why? At least I need to know whether she's doing it out of goodwill or with some intention." Ling Jun glanced at his cousin, paused slightly, and said, "The reasons aren't quite ready to share, but I can assure you there's no ill will. You could invite Anny to Fu Family Bay—would that work?" Zhang Yuanqing thought for a moment, then said, "Alright. In five minutes, go meet me in the basement—I'll give you my answer." After saying that, he left the large villa and turned into the adjacent smaller residence. "Yuanshen, you've arrived!" Xie Lingxi stepped out of the screening room, darting like a young swallow straight toward Zhang Yuanqing's arms—only for the queen to remove her silver earrings and vigorously swing them out. The two earrings transformed into water rings, wrapping around Xie Lingxi's ankles and sending her sprawling with a soft *plink* onto the ground. Li Chunfeng stepped out from the small room adjacent to the screening room, observing the blood rose with a critical eye. "Your shadow body is quite beautiful," he remarked. "Where is Guan Ya?" Zhang Yuanqing asked. "She's upstairs sleeping—she hasn't been getting much rest lately," the queen glanced up at the ceiling. Zhang Yuanqing nodded, then surveyed his team. "The penalties the headquarters has imposed on me, I'm sure you've all seen. Starting today, I'm no longer your team leader. Fortunately, Guan Ya has only had her bonuses and benefits deducted—no demotion—and from now on, she will be our team leader. In addition, aside from Guan Ya, Jingwei, and myself, all of you will continue to receive your rewards and commendations for your assignments in Jin "Your detention period is one month," the Queen asked, "and during that time, are there no assignments?" Zhang Yuanqing nodded: "For the next half-month, I'll be preparing for the副本. There will be no tasks assigned during this period—please go ahead and make yourselves at home." After stating this, he turned to Li Chunfeng and said: "Do you have any channels for purchasing or customizing equipment? I need a powerful close-combat weapon. The headquarters has canceled my welfare benefits and reduced my privileges, so I'm unable to purchase through the regional branches." This request was both a genuine plea for supplies and a way for him to assess Li Chunfeng. Among his current equipment, the Blood-Soaked Blade is the only close-combat weapon. However, its quality is now insufficient and increasingly lagging behind his level—perfect timing to request a superior weapon. At the same time, this also allows him to gauge whether Li Chunfeng truly has connections extending beyond three months. Only a master among the bachelors possesses the skill of crafting artifacts, and according to the audio recording from Bing Ge on the Cat King's speaker, Guan Ya clearly ranks as a master-level scholar. Li Chunfeng frowned, hesitated for a few seconds, then said, "I'll find out for you." Zhang Yuanqing nodded, bypassed the crowd, and walked up the stairs to reach the second floor, then turned on the light in Ya's room. As he turned the doorknob, Guan Ya had already awakened, glanced at him, then lay back down again, murmuring, "I'm sleeping, don't disturb me." Zhang Yuanqing approached the bed, leaned beside her, and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, smiling warmly. "Big sister, it's been a while since we've had a proper moment together." Guan Ya faced away from him, chuckled, "You've suddenly become so enthusiastic—perhaps you're afraid I'll scold you. Well, then, let's talk. You said you'd kill Wei Yuanzhou just like that, didn't you? That was a full-fledged assistant, even a senior one. This doesn't sound like you at all." Zhang Yuanqing told her about the curse of the magical eye. After speaking, he solemnly declared, "Don't worry. Once I enter the realm, I'll ask the Lady of San Dao Mountain for an item that can suppress the curse—the mirror you've used before." Guan Ya, hearing it was the ghost mirror, sighed with relief, as the mirror's function had been personally verified by her. "Our cousin is right—don't go to extremes. Follow the rules. The official body exists precisely to maintain order. Unless we're truly out of options." Zhang Yuanqing actively acknowledged his mistake. Guan Ya smiled and gently spat, "Who's your cousin? Do you dare say this in front of him?" "Your cousin is just my cousin," Zhang Yuanqing said, reaching to kiss Guan Ya's cheek. Guan Ya pushed him aside, unexpectedly sending him sprawling like two big meat loaves, both of them momentarily stunned. "Get out of the way! Don't use women to kiss me—yuck!" Guan Ya suddenly realized, her arms prickling with gooseflesh, and then kicked the blood rose off the bed. As a normally heterosexual woman, she now feels just like a steel-mind male being gently fondled on the backside by a gay man. "Are you jealous because my chest is bigger than yours?" Zhang Yuanqing patted her back and stood up, humming. Seeing Guan Ya's eyebrows furrowed, she quickly adjusted: "Your big, your big..." Guan Ya muttered irritably: "I'll eventually replace this lifeless body of yours—this kid, Fu Qingyang, is deliberately making me miserable." She's been dissatisfied with the blood rose for a long time, yet this gift was specifically from Fu Qingyang to Yuan Shi, so she couldn't voice her frustration. "Oh, I almost forgot about the main matter—I need to give my lifeless body a bath and change clothes. I haven't taken a shower in half a month," Zhang Yuanqing said, adding with a somewhat embarrassed explanation, "Previously, it was the rabbit-dancer who used to take care of my bathing." Not wanting Guan Ya to object, he closed his eyes and returned his consciousness to his true form. "...Annie, I have a friend who would like to see you. The meeting is at Fu Qingyang's villa—would you be In the prison room, Zhang Yuanqing sent a message to Anne. A few minutes later, Anne replied: "No problem—I'll be there right away." ... Forty minutes later, Ling Jun met Anne outside the villa. She was seated in the shuttle bus driven by a rabbit-dress attendant, her golden hair neatly coiled, the wind lifting her side and forehead strands, her blue eyes sparkling with captivating grace. Dressed in a flowing, light net dress paired with a sleeveless denim blouse, she exuded a delicate charm, a mature elegance, and a touch of endearing sweetness. "Dear Anne, you're becoming more beautiful every day," Ling Jun said, his professional instinct kicking in as he opened his arms. Anne stepped down from the shuttle, smiled gently, and raised her hand to gently stop his approach, saying, "Mr. Ling, maintaining a respectful distance from a lady is what a gentleman should do." Ling Jun murmured, "Unfortunately, it's a case of the flowers wishing to stay, but the water flowing on without care." "He seemed to be making a self-deprecating remark, but in reality, he was teasing Anne. When she first arrived on the mainland, she was stylish and alluring—dressed to impress, graceful in her movements, radiating her own charm. Now, her style had become more conservative, refined, and reserved—clearly a deliberate effort to win over the heart of Yuan Shi Tian Zun. Yet, Ling Jun knew that while Yuan Shi was indeed fond of attractive women, he lacked the courage to act on it; he hadn't even managed to win over Guan Ya. Moreover, the young man had strong moral principles and, once he had a girlfriend, naturally maintained a respectful distance from other women. Anne didn't understand the meaning of this Chinese sentence, and she didn't mind. She said, 'Mr. Yuan Shi asked me to come see someone. Please show me the way.' Ling Jun led her into the villa, up the double staircase to the second floor, and into his room. Miao Teng'er was seated by the window, a jade bead resting on a round table before her. The furniture and walls of the room were subtly tinged with a green hue. 'Please sit down!' "Mei Teng'er raised her hand, making a polite gesture. Ling Jun closed the door and left. Annie sat down at the table, gazing at her with confidence, marveling at the girl's exceptional beauty and the unique blend of purity and grace. "I don't think I've ever met you before," Annie smiled politely. "Now I do," Mei Teng'er replied. Her demeanor wasn't cold or distant at first glance—she seemed like a fresh, wholesome neighbor girl. But upon closer inspection, there was a subtle charm that drew you in. Yet when you got to know her better, you noticed her calm, understated nature. "What brings you here?" Annie was straightforward. Mei Teng'er spoke softly: "I heard that in the Foreign Affairs Department of the Goddess Association, there's a woman named Betty, who was once the magic king's lover. Have you met her, Miss Annie?" "Oh my goodness—please don't mention her to me. She's my greatest rival. Because she courted the magic king, she took over the position that was originally mine. To this day, I remain a second-level member of the Foreign Affairs Department." Annie lifted both hands, making an exasperated gesture, her face filled with indignation. Miao Teng'er didn't notice Annie's frustration; she remained calm, her tone gentle. "Do you know," she asked, "whether the Mage King ever gave her a fragment of the map?" The map fragment left by the Mage King for Betty? Annie perked up. She hadn't forgotten her mission to the continent—to find a significant item for the President. That item had been tricked away from the President by the Mage King through sweet words. After the Mage King's death, it had never returned to the Spirit Realm.