"Didn't you hear?" the senior detective snapped, his words resonating like military orders—orders that carried the weight of law among the White Tiger troops. To the scout, Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn's remark sounded as if the fire chief had just declared, "The bull-headed man must die." The elder detective turned sharply to Fu Qingyang, his voice filled with indignation. "This is the kind of troops you've managed to assemble?" Fu Qingyang remained composed, his tone calm. "Ordinary civilians don't serve as soldiers, and soldiers aren't inherently virtuous. I don't see anything wrong with Yuan Shǐ's defiant spirit." He refused to broach the matter of negotiation. The elder detective's temples bulged with tension. "B-class merit, two million—this is the minimum threshold of the Huaihai branch. If you don't agree, then the Yin-Yang Rotating Disc may as well be discarded. But the Huaihai branch will recommend to headquarters that Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn shows disrespect for the organization and neglects discipline. From this point on, you'll remain in the lower ranks forever." Zhang Yuanqing bowed deeply and declared loudly, "Well said. I beg the senior detective to "If you can accomplish this, I shall present you with the Yin-Yang Wheel without a single coin." "Arrogant!" the Senior Detective erupted in fury, filling the study with an atmosphere of stern intensity—every move seemed to carry a threat, as if the room itself were a precipice. Zhang Yuanqing's hairs on his arms stood rigid, and goosebumps rose on his back. "Grand Master Yuanshǐ, do you truly believe your exceptional talents allow you to look down upon everyone? Do you think the Headquarters will truly let you off with a mere nod?" the Senior Detective demanded sharply. Silently, Zhang Yuanqing drew forth the Yin-Yang Wheel, braving the mounting pressure, and declared with steady resolve: "Senior Detective, you have used your authority to dominate me, to seize what is mine—take it, then. As a humble Saint, I have no complaint at all." With that, he bowed and presented the Yin-Yang Wheel. The Senior Detective's temples bulged with rage, now completely incensed. "Ah, ah!" At this moment, Li, the Secretary, cleared his throat gently. The pervasive tension vanished as if by magic. With a cheerful smile, he Since ancient times, a fine tree in a forest is inevitably struck by the wind—young talents with too sharp a锋 often perish. The headquarters is refining you, preparing you for greater responsibilities down the line, with the utmost sincerity. "Think about it: if you were to eliminate a member of the organization, even a potential steward, despite their deserved guilt, that would be a serious offense—dismissal and imprisonment. Yet the headquarters has only downgraded you, with a symbolic one-month suspension, and now even that has been waived. Can't you see how highly the headquarters values you? "You are the Night-Wanderer. To cultivate you, the organization has gone to the Taiyuan Sect and paid handsomely for a detailed strategy. You need materials—without hesitation, the organization has already pre-allocated them to you. "These benefits, these privileges—ordinary members would break their heads to secure them. You should also appreciate the headquarters, shouldn't you?" This conversation is delivered with gentle demeanor, humble in tone, deeply personal, full of warmth, and yet never once mentions the Yin-Yang Rotating Disc. You two play the red face and the white face, treating me like I'm young and inexperienced, aren't you? Zhang Yuanqing put it plainly: "May I ask, Li Secretary, is my contribution to the organization greater, or is the organization's return to me more substantial?" There's no love without reason—every thing the organization gives him, he earns himself. He insists on calculating each and every item, and he's certain that the benefits he brings to the organization far outweigh what the organization provides to him. When it comes to contributions and personal relationships, who really owes whom? Li Secretary maintained a warm smile and said calmly, "I understand your point. The headquarters will never overlook any deserving contributor—your achievements are well documented and will be rewarded in due time." "Li Secretary, that doesn't sound right," Zhang Yuanqing protested, "a simple阴阳transitional disk is enough to keep me stuck in the lower rungs of the organization for life. What good are all those honors to me?" He adopted an angry posture. Li Secretary waved a hand, his smile remaining gentle. "That's just talk—don't take it too seriously." The senior detective sighed. "I know it's just saying it out of frustration, but the matter at the Jinghai branch has given me a clear view of what 'achievements' really means. It's indeed very useful—more so than money—but as long as it hasn't been exchanged, the initiative always remains in the hands of the senior management." Zhang Yuanqing smiled dryly. "The next time I don't comply, they'll give me a push. This time, it's one year without a promotion; next time, two years. As long as I still care about my achievements, I'll have to keep being pushed around my whole career. The more achievements I accumulate, the higher my sunk costs become, and the more chains I'm wearing. I'm like a donkey, constantly running toward a carrot dangling ahead of me—watching it, running and running, yet never reaching it. "When I finally reach it, that will mean I've been fully tamed, won't it, Li Secretary?" Li Secretary's smile slowly faded. He spoke seriously: "Master Yuanshǐ, do you realize how defiant your words sound? And do you know that these very words might prompt headquarters to revise your performance evaluation? Don't let yourself be misled." "The Fire Specialist is impetuous and headstrong, the Wood Spirit is indulgent and capricious, the Water Spirit is adaptable yet reserved and introspective, the Earth Monster is inflexible, and the Scout is domineering—each has inherent personality flaws. The Five Elements are capable of accommodating them; why then cannot they accommodate my own unruly, independent nature as the Prime Celestial Sovereign?" Zhang Yuanqing looked at him with steady resolve, his tone unusually serious. "If they cannot, then I shall be dismissed outright." At this moment, Fu Qingyang gazed at the unruly Yuan Shi Tian Zun, and once again, Sun Doctor's words came to mind. ——Could it be that this is truly the original Yuan Shi Tian Zun? Since becoming a spiritual realm traveler, his abilities have grown stronger and his rank has risen steadily; unconsciously, he no longer feels the need to conceal himself, and thus has gradually begun to reveal his authentic nature. The real you—unruly, passionate, stubborn... Fu Qingyang sighed softly. Li Secretary set aside her smile, her expression no longer warm, and said calmly: "Yuan Shi Tian Zun, then what do you wish for?" "Two million cash, one artifact of Saint-level quality, restoration of my one-hundred-million-yuan materials quota, three opportunities to use the Yin-Yang Wheel, and a B-level merit." Zhang Yuanqing stated. "If you don't mind the merit, then three million cash, two artifacts of Saint-level quality, and all else remains the same." The first was a step back in price; the second... if the headquarters chooses the latter, it clearly indicates that the conflict has deepened significantly. So this is also Zhang Yuanqing's way of testing the headquarters. Li, the secretary, looks at him deeply: "I'll relay this to headquarters and get back to you within three working days." After saying that, he gives a gentle nod to Fu Qingyang and walks along the red carpet out of the study. Once both of them leave Fu Qingyang's villa and board the business vehicle to depart from the Fu family compound, the senior detective suddenly smiles: "It's acceptable—compared to Fu Qingyang's high demands, this price is within reach." In fact, the Hua Hai branch is truly offering two million yuan in cash, one artifact of Saint-level quality, and three opportunities to use the spin wheel in this transaction. The one-hundred-million-yuan material allowance was originally a reward from Yuan Shi Tian Zun; it's simply being restored now. Li the secretary opens the refrigerator and pours two glasses of wine. "We'll keep negotiating—save wherever we can... Do you think Yuan Shi Tian Zun's remarks just now were staged, or were they sincere?" "The senior detective officer smoothed out a smile: 'I recommend that headquarters revise his evaluation. Everything he said just now is true. This young man should be guided and nurtured rather than pressured—should he be pushed too hard, he'll storm the heavens. Moving forward, we must pay special attention to how we handle his matters. Either cut his pride all at once, or grant him benefits without appointing him to a position—either way, he will serve as a sharp, unmatched blade.' 'I'll relay your suggestion,' Li remarked, sipping his wine and adding, 'So it seems we've brought in a monkey from the Sun family.' ... A small-apartment villa. Li Chunfeng sat at his computer desk, typing rapidly: 'The three items the Prime Elder didn't take interest in—he's seeking either a first-tier or premium item from the Saint Realm. If you'd like to clear your inventory, consider selling to him. He just returned from the Cliff Mountain Sea with the Yin-Yang Compass from the Huaihai branch and the Sacred Infant's head from the Xie family. We have both funds and items available.' After composing the brief email, he clicked to send it." Then Li Chunfeng covered the computer, stepped out of the room, and went to the living room to welcome the head of the Xie family. Xie Lingxi held onto her father's arm, nestled close by him, like a warm, attentive little quilt. After introducing her two sisters—both of whom had been very attentive to her—she said formally when Li Chunfeng arrived, "This is Li Chunfeng, a scholar by profession, the 'Zhuge Liang' of our team." The gentle and handsome Xie Su nodded and smiled warmly, "Thank you for your care of my daughter. Here is my business card; please feel free to reach out to me whenever you need assistance." Unusually, Li Chunfeng, who was usually reserved in social settings, smiled and, while taking the card, bowed slightly, "I'd like to introduce myself to the head of the Xie family." The group enjoyed tea and casual conversation. Guan Ya, indeed a refined lady of noble birth, didn't hesitate at all when facing the head of the Xie family—she could both respond smoothly and introduce sophisticated topics. After about fifteen minutes of small talk, Zhang Yuanqing returned. "Oh, Uncle, I'm so sorry Zhang Yuanqing smiled warmly, completely shedding the reserved and distant demeanor he had shown in the study, and warmly grasped Xie Su's hand, saying, "Uncle Xie, your grace and elegance are truly impressive. It was only just now, upon meeting you, that I truly understood why my sister Lingxi is so beautiful—she must have inherited all of your charm and grace. I had to be a bit demanding earlier because there were guests present, but I hope you'll understand." Zhang Yuanqing sat down beside Guan Ya, saying, "Fifteen vials of life essence, 50 million cash, plus two pieces of sage-tier equipment, and three opportunities to use the infant sage's head." Among these, the 50 million cash was the least valuable. Xie Su thought for a few seconds, then asked, "Would sage-tier equipment suffice?" The quality of sage-tier equipment varied—some were truly outstanding, like the Yin-Yang Wheel; others were rather mediocre. Zhang Yuanqing smiled, saying, "I'm confident my uncle won't treat me with subpar items." Xie Su nodded with a smile, "The price is fair, but I'd like to add two points: first, the fifteen vials of life essence will be paid in installments—five vials each month—not because I don't want to, but because the production of life essence is limited. Second, each time you use the infant sage's head, you'll need to leave behind equipment of sufficient value as collateral." The infant sage's head is a high-tier rule-based component, far more valuable than the Yin-Yang Wheel. Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun's offer is indeed reasonable. Zhang Yuanqing readily agreed. With the deal finalized, Xie Su's smile deepened. He patted his daughter's head and said, "Lingxi, Dad plans to stay in Songhai a bit longer to visit a few old friends. You'll come with me. We'll be sharing a hotel room for the next few days." Hmm—was he about to introduce his network in Songhai to his daughter? What a blessing for a second-generation family member—senior connections become one's own. Zhang Yuanqing felt quite envious. Unlike children from grassroots families, whose networks had to be built through constant, humble visits, he had to rely on that. Of course, Xie Su's stay in Songhai also served another purpose—since the business talks had gone so smoothly, how could he possibly showcase the challenges of negotiation? Three days later, headquarters responded, selecting the first proposal put forward by Yuan Shi Tian Zun: 50 million in cash, one piece of sacred-quality equipment, three opportunities to use the Yin-Yang Wheel, and a B-level achievement. The additional condition is: each time the Yin-Yang rotating disk is borrowed, approval from Fu Qingyang is required. Should the disk be lost, all items returned to Huaihai Branch will be forfeited, and all A-level merits will be erased. The Xie family has also agreed to Zhang Yuanqing's proposed terms—this price, after countless negotiations and repeated discussions, is what they have finally secured. "There are ten senior elders in total at the headquarters, and the marshals generally don't get involved. In reality, it's just these ten elders who make the decisions—minor matters are settled in regular meetings, while major ones are discussed privately among the ten. The senior elders of each branch are all part of the ten's factions. The Grand Senior Elder of the Five-Element Alliance rotates among these ten. If each elder is a regional duke, then these ten at headquarters are like the cabinet ministers." Fu Qingyang explained. Zhang Yuanqing suddenly had it all clear. He recalled the Dog Elder having mentioned that Fu Qingyang wanted to join the headquarters—back then, he hadn't felt much enthusiasm, only thinking that the money公子 (Money公子) wished to be assigned to headquarters for duty. Now that he thought about it, the money公子 truly has ambitious aspirations—he aims to become the eleventh. That's why the resistance has been so strong; how could it not be? There are only so many positions and so much power. Fu Qingyang wants to join the headquarters, and others must inevitably give up some power and interests. "Did the Marshal ever join the headquarters before?" Zhang Yuanqing gently inquired. Fu Qingyang's expression suddenly grew strange. "Since she ascended to the rank of Sovereign, she has been systematically conquering the clan's quest dungeons. The ones she entered at the beginning of the year were completed by the end—now she's half-divine, and has seamlessly continued the legacy of the late Grand Marshal." If that's the case, then we're just dust to the wind, old friend... That thought flashed through Zhang Yuanqing's mind as he looked down, deliberately guarding against the scouts' mind-reading abilities. "Yet even a prodigy like the Marshal still feels like a mere scrap in front of you." Zhang Yuanqing spoke these words with a forced sincerity, his gaze lowered. "Indeed, talent is innate—it cannot serve as the sole measure of strength. True strength lies in the heart." Fu Qingyang deeply agreed and then asked, "Why don't you look up?" "In the presence of true strength, I can only look down," Zhang Yuanqing said aloud. ... After leaving Fu Qingyang's study and returning to his bedroom via the Star-Flight technique, Zhang Yuanqing placed the three items provided by headquarters and the Xie family on the desk. He intended to distribute these items among his team members. With so many holy-tier items now available, it made sense to allocate them appropriately, equipping his subordinates. This would be more valuable than keeping them in his own inventory. Guan Ya, a daughter of a noble family, would naturally be delighted by receiving holy-tier items, though not overly enthusiastic. On the other hand, Xiao Green Tea, still young and unmarried, would surely be thrilled—she had never held any holy-tier items before—and would likely exclaim how wonderful her brother was. The gift to the Queen offered the best value: even mid- or lower-tier holy-tier items were treasures beyond her reach, and she might be so excited that she would fall in love with him. He thought of this as he paced. Regarding cash, the two million from Huaihai Branch, the five million from the Xie family, and his own savings combined, surprised him—he now found himself a billionaire. He planned to keep this sum aside to purchase a top-tier item from the powerful figures behind Li Chunfeng. The quoted price for the sliding cleats was one hundred million. Of course, Mr. Bill has offered this price out of goodwill among our long-standing relationships—normally, a top-tier artifact from the Saint's Stage is priceless. However, Zhang Yuanqing still has other Saint's Stage artifacts, including rare items like the Vital Fluid. Now, all they need is Li Chunfeng's feedback. "The elder ancestor's voice was frail and raspy, yet carried an unyielding authority: 'Take it. Hold it. Don't pretend to hesitate.' Shi Su immediately bowed low, suppressing his excitement and speaking with conviction: 'Thank you, Elder Ancestor.' The elder ancestor nodded once: 'Does the Yuan-Shi Tianzun of the Songhai Branch have a close relationship with your daughter?' 'Very close,' Shi Su smiled. 'Then marry her to Yuan-Shi Tianzun.' 'Elder Ancestor, Lingxi is still young and not yet ready for marriage,' Shi Su was caught off guard. The elder ancestor's voice came through the wooden door: 'At seventeen—she should have been married by now.' Shi Su chuckled: 'This isn't the same time as before, Elder Ancestor. Different eras, different laws.' Laughter echoed from the hall: 'Young man, when I ruled the Lingjing realm, the Qing Dynasty was still in its infancy. I've seen more dead people than you've seen living ones. Speak to me about laws? Bring him to me at the crab banquet in September, and we'll settle this matter then.' Shi Su bowed respectfully: 'Nephew understands.' He placed the Sacred Infant's head into the inventory and departed the shrine, glowing with a bright red hue. By September, Xie Lingxi had reached the age of eighteen. ... In the living room, Zhang Yuancheng and his teammates were enjoying lunch together, and he said, "Queen, Lingxi, come to my room after dinner." He was preparing to distribute the props. Xie Lingxi looked embarrassed: "Brother Yuanshi, Sister Guan is still here. How can you ask such an unreasonable request?" You've been deliberately creating tension between me and Sister Guan ever since you've had the chance—though you've forgotten, she's a scout, and she already knows your intentions before you even speak. Zhang Yuancheng paid no attention to her, continuing to eat while opening the forum to check the latest updates. To his surprise, as soon as he logged in, a post near the front caught his eye. # The rogue faction of Huaihai Branch has been subdued by Yuanshǐ Tianzun—only a rogue can tame a rogue # Zhang Yuanqing stared at the post, dumbfounded, and after a long pause, managed to utter two words: "Whoa..." The worst-case scenario has indeed come true—he's definitely been targeted by Huaihai Branch!