Li Chunfeng said nothing, reached into his pocket, and tossed out a long, thin wooden plaque. Zhang Yuancheng caught it, studied it carefully. The plaque was finished in black lacquer, with the characters "Prosperity Flows In" inscribed on the front and a pattern-like, incantation-like design engraved on the back. After holding it for several seconds, the item information appeared: 【Name: Wàn Bǎo Wū Hand Token】 【Type: Consumable】 【Function: Access】 【Description: A renowned artisan of alchemical craftsmanship opened a small shop named "Wàn Bǎo Wū," and this hand token serves as entry凭证.】 【Note: It is well known that consumables have no cost—except that they are often expensive.】 The token itself was unremarkable, yet its attributes prompted Zhang Yuancheng to reflect deeply. After holding it and pondering for a long time, he asked: "Are all tools crafted by alchemical artisans registered and archived by the Spiritual Realm, with their item attributes assigned?" Li Chunfeng replied calmly: "I will certainly clarify this for you when I reach the Sovereign Realm." Zhang Yuanqing learned the address of the Things House and then cautiously asked, "I'd like to get a better sense of this artisan's personality, so as not to say the wrong thing or make a mistake that might cause unnecessary trouble." "If someone else said that, I'd believe them," Li Chunfeng pushed his glasses up his nose, gave a slight sigh, and remarked, "When it comes to interpersonal relations, you're the most adept at knowing when to act that I've ever seen. Even if you say something wrong or do something off, you simply bow low and that settles everything. Imagine the honor a master like Yuanshizhentianzun—renowned for his brilliance—would feel upon receiving such a humble bow. Even a sovereign would surely feel flattered and forgive you." "Are you mocking me?" Zhang Yuanqing glanced at him sideways. "I'm actually envious of you." "Envious of my skill in socializing?" "No, I'm envious of your sheer lack of modesty." “….” Li Chunfeng said nothing more, paused for a few seconds, then remarked, “She is a person of an odd temperament, free-spirited and highly individualistic. In her eyes, order and goodness, chaos and evil, are all the same. She acts solely on her own feelings. She might champion justice for something she finds displeasing, even if it means sacrificing everything. She might, in her fury, destroy an entire city, and never blink if countless innocent lives are lost.” “Chaos-neutral!” Zhang Yuancheng nodded. “What are her hobbies?” “Cigars!” Li Chunfeng replied. That’s quite unusual. Stealing a few premium cigars from Fu Qingyang’s collection every now and then… This already suggests a certain level of chaos, yet she has managed to become a lawful, orderly profession—indicating that her chaos is not overwhelming. Zhang Yuancheng thought this over, his body transforming into a shimmering streak of starlight, vanishing into the adjacent grand villa. … Saves on soup, spends on flowers. At 11 a.m., at the airport, Zhang Yuanqing, wearing a baseball cap and a mask, carrying a backpack and a vacuum-packed pot of braised chicken in his hands, with a red peony in hand, followed the directional signs through the bustling arrival hall, eventually reaching the entrance to the P1 underground parking garage where he had agreed to meet Red Chicken Brother. From a distance, he spotted Red Chicken Brother—standing at 1.7 meters tall, with a plain appearance just as unremarkable as his height—wearing loose pants and a white tank top, barefoot, a cigarette tucked between his lips, arms tucked into his pockets, scanning the crowd with attentive eyes. Behind him stood a group of about fifteen men in black suits, wearing sunglasses, standing straight and expressions serious. Passersby kept glancing back, as if they were filming a movie. What on earth is this man up to? Zhang Yuanqing felt a sudden unease, and stopped walking. Just then, Red Chicken Brother, being particularly observant, spotted Zhang Yuanqing—like a glowing firefly among the crowd—and immediately broke into a warm, welcoming smile, extending his arms to greet him: "Bro, this way, this way." Chang Yuanqing could only keep his face stiff as he approached, offering a bright, cheerful smile: "Red Chicken Brother!!" They embraced warmly. After releasing the embrace, Red Chicken Brother turned to look at the black-clad figures behind him and said, "You still haven't introduced them." The two rows of mirrored-clad figures bowed in unison, loudly declaring, "We greet the Supreme Deity!" Their voices were strong and resonant, echoing throughout the hall. Suddenly, the entire room fell silent. The crowd of onlookers paused in astonishment, turning their attention toward them. Some quietly pulled out their phones... ...Chang Yuanqing nearly covered his face. Before coming, he had contacted Red Chicken Brother, informing him that he would arrive in Bao Tang Province, at the Flower District, at noon tomorrow. Upon hearing this, Red Chicken Brother was thrilled, exclaiming that with the Supreme Deity's arrival, he absolutely had to arrange something grand—a formal and elaborate welcome ceremony. Chang Yuanqing had never imagined it would turn out this way. He thought, "That's what you call a grand welcome?" To anyone unfamiliar, it might have sounded like he was filming a dramatic urban "Red Chicken smiled, 'This actually aligns well with the ordinary people's image of a club—though in truth, we're quite humble.' Zhang Yuanqing forced a smile, 'I really like it, Red Chicken—you've put thought into this. Let's go—let's have the soup!' Hurry up and leave! Under the escort of a group of black-robed staff, Zhang Yuanqing and Red Chicken entered a sleek black executive vehicle. Once the car smoothly and swiftly exited the underground parking garage, Zhang handed over his gift. 'I know you all enjoy chicken soup, so I've specially selected this as a welcome gift.' 'The braised chicken...' Red Chicken said, a bit hesitant, 'It's not very fresh, actually.' The freshness of ingredients is a matter of strict standards and commitment for the soup-brewing team. Zhang burst into laughter, 'Then I'll truly savor this fresh chicken soup!' The awkward topic was immediately smoothed over. Red Chicken immediately pledged, 'I'm certain the executives will be delighted—I'll take you through the finest dining experiences in Huadu over the next few days.' "As long as it's not about frying cockroaches, uh, Hu Jian doesn't need to... Zhang Yuanqing muttered this under his breath, then straightened his tone: 'This time, everyone here has come with important matters. Red Chicken is a local power figure—have you heard of 'Wanbao House'?'" This was the primary reason for his connection with Red Chicken. "Wanbao House..." Red Chicken's smile faded slightly, saying, "That's a truly excellent place—the largest venue for props sales, the biggest black market, and the central hub for intelligence gathering. I went there once with the Master of Simmering Soup a few years ago. I remember that entry required a hand card." "What kind of Master?" Zhang Yuanqing doubted he had heard correctly, finding it hard to believe someone would go by such a name. "The Master of Simmering Soup is a pillar of the Wanbao House branch. Back in his younger days, he was a key figure in the industry—over a decade and a half ago, in the Province of Soup-Braising, anyone involved in the world of the streets would have heard of the renowned name of the Master of Simmering Soup, the top leader of the Black Dragon "My father used to follow him and fight alongside him, eventually stepping in to take the blows and bear the burdens." Red Chicken Brother said, "When the Five Elements Alliance was founded and began recruiting talents to establish branches across the regions, Brother Jiang transformed himself, shedding his former status and becoming a senior elder of the Huadu branch." Zhang Yuanqing nodded and said, "I can only imagine how thrilling those early days must have been. Red Chicken Brother, I'd like to know more detailed information about Wanbao House." Red Chicken Brother agreed and explained, "The owner of Wanbao House is a woman who calls herself Lian San Yue, a master of crafting equipment. I'm not sure of her exact level—possibly level 7 or 8. Wanbao House is the largest outlet for selling equipment, as well as the central hub for gathering intelligence and the main black market. "It houses both lawful and chaotic professions—something you'd hardly believe. The two factions that often clash and even fight to the death outside, coexist harmoniously here. "This is because Lian San Yue has strong backing. She is not only a master, but also has the Hua Family's full support behind her, which gives the Huadu branch the face "The Zhao family among the bachelor houses?" Zhang Yuanqing couldn't help but interrupt. Hong Ji-gong nodded: "I don't know much about Lian San-yue. She tends to be unpredictable—someone who's chatting and laughing with you one moment and then suddenly raises her knife to cut you down the next. "But she has one strength: she's extremely reliable. If you're doing business with her, you can trust her completely." Not only does she do business with lawful, orderly professions, but also with evil ones, yet remains highly reliable—no wonder Bing-ge once consulted her on how to contain the Holy Grail's pollution. Zhang Yuanqing now had a clear picture. After lunch under Hong Ji-gong's hospitality, Zhang Yuanqing arrived at his destination at two in the afternoon, driving the sports car borrowed from Hong Ji-gong. Wan Bao House was located in an older part of Huadu, primarily composed of aging, low-rise buildings of three or four stories. The alleys were simple and crowded, with bicycles, electric scooters, and three-wheelers constantly visible. Here, you rarely saw a well-dressed corporate professional—you could see merchants and common folk everywhere. Zhang Yuanqing fastened the disguise ring, transforming himself into a passerby he had seen just a few minutes ago. Following the route instructed by Hong Jiguo, he meandered through the narrow alley, eventually stopping in front of a modest convenience store. The old sliding iron gate was covered in rust and tightly shut, while the shop's sign read: "Wanbao House!" Of course, this time he came solely to collect props and to gain a deeper understanding of Lian San's background—he would not inquire about Bingge's affairs. Li Chunfeng would certainly inform Lian San of the upcoming visit from Yuan Shi Tian Zun; if at that moment someone asked about Bingge, even with a changed appearance, suspicion would inevitably arise. As long as Lian San was confirmed to be here, the clues regarding Bingge could be pursued gradually. Upon entering Wan Bao House, the scene presented was that of a cluttered shop, much like a hardware store. Three rows of shelves stood inside, each bearing a scattered array of tools, while numerous large materials and goods were stacked at the base of the shelves. How familiar this place seemed—hadn't I been here before? Zhang Yuanqing glanced over the scene briefly before turning his attention to the counter. At the counter, a woman dressed in a black bodysuit and draped in a leather coat sat quietly. She was exceptionally beautiful and graceful, exuding a deep sense of relaxed elegance. Her fingertip held a slender lady's cigarette, yet the air was thick with the aroma of cigars. "Is it her?" Zhang Yuan's pupils contracted, and he stood motionless. He had seen her before—within Pang's memory, she was the ghostly figure from his dream who had nearly killed him—the White-Dressed Murderess. It was precisely from her that Pang had purchased the cigars.