The Chu family—exterminated, a little girl, settled in Songhai... Aside from the father who shouldn't have been there, isn't that exactly the case of the Chu family's tragedy? Is the young girl speaking in the dream the Master of Zhishā Palace?! Zhang Yuanqing rolled over, now plunged into confusion—not the kind where an old ox gets stuck in mud and can't move, but rather a high-speed, intense collision, like particles colliding in a particle accelerator. He had dreamed of the Master of Zhishā Palace, which, though strange, was understandable. After all, they were close friends, long-time acquaintances. The Master was a delicate, gentle beauty, often teasing him with subtle romantic overtones. As a normal man, it was only natural to dream of her occasionally. But why his father? The Master of Zhishā Palace and the late father were completely worlds apart. Zhang Yuanqing carefully recalled the details of the dream, finding them vividly clear. After waking up, the scenes remained fixed in his mind, as if he had truly lived through them. And it was from his own first-person perspective—her perspective. It wasn't even like a dream—it felt more like a fragment of memory. Yes, a fragment of memory! Zhang Yuanqing, a star official who had devoured countless spiritual beings, was very familiar with this sensation. So the question arose: why had fragments of Zhi Sha Palace Master's memory appeared here? Could it be… Zhang Yuanqing's heart suddenly gave a jolt, and a bold thought surged into his mind, making his back and arm hairs stand on end. "What's wrong?" Guan Ya sat up, frowning, her expression a mix of concern and anxiety. Zhang Yuanqing took a deep breath: "Nothing. Nothing…" He suppressed the thought in his mind and shook his head at Guan Ya, indicating he was fine. "Then shall we get up and have breakfast?" Guan Ya asked tentatively. "No," Zhang Yuanqing said seriously, "you shouldn't have asked that. It doesn't match Guan Ya's character." Guan Ya was startled. "How so?" Zhang Yuanqing immediately flashed a smirking smile. "You should have asked: Husband, are you thinking of breakfast, or of abalone?" "Oh, you want to eat abalone, don't you? I'll go tell the rabbit maiden..." Guan Ya saw the situation was turning bad and quickly kicked off the blanket to escape. Zhang Yuan, fierce and determined, pinned her down and chuckled, "Not only will my celestial dignity enjoy the abalone, but I'll also treat you to a sausage." Guan Ya immediately adopted a defensive posture, curling up and lying flat on the bed, back facing him, protecting her chest, and chuckled softly, "Are you talking about the Huadu smoked sausage?" Zhang Yuan was furious, "Pah! I mean the Qiudao red sausage." ... At the small dining table in the living room, Xie Lingxi, wearing a high-tech headset, blushed and spat out, "Such a pair of dogs!" She gritted her teeth and used her porcelain spoon to tap the bottom of her bowl several times, "I'm going to slice the sausage and boil the abalone." The queen, who was just sipping her millet porridge beside her, raised her eyebrows in disbelief, "Are they still doing some undignified activity in the bedroom?" No, something must be done immediately to stop this moral collapse. Xiao Green Tea wrinkled her nose: "Guan Ya is truly impressive—she flirts with Yuan Shi Brother while at the same time refusing to feed him. She's utterly masterful at the art of fishing, and quite unscrupulous. I simply can't compete with her. If Yuan Shi Brother ends up on my bed, I'll probably end up crying and half-resisting. Indeed, it's clear we need to keep pursuing our own cultivation. The Queen, upon hearing this, sighed with relief and said, 'That's good—then we'll have a real chance.' She was most worried about Guan Ya becoming unseemly and sharing a bed with Yuan Shi. Once Yuan Shi poured his energy into her repeatedly, he no longer had the interest or energy to pursue other women. Then she would have no opportunity at all. Fishing is excellent—the more skilled Guan Ya is at fishing, the more uncomfortable Yuan Shi becomes. Then, with just a simple approach, she could easily claim her close friend's man. Xie Lingxi frowned: 'Yet every time I hear them being intimate, I feel as though green moss is growing over my head. What a nuisance!' On the other side of the table, Lady Yin Yao sat gracefully, her eyes fixed intently on the tablet, where a Qing Dynasty palace drama was playing. Upon hearing Xie Lingxi's complaints, Lady Yin Yao pulled out a small handheld speaker from her pocket. Within a moment, a mature, composed voice emanated from it: "You can poison her and kill her, or inform the magicians of her whereabouts during her missions, or hire assassins to eliminate her—there are many ways. Once she's gone, you'll ascend to the position of the Empress." The speaker was a gift from Xie Lingxi—a tool used by musicians that converts thoughts into spoken words. Though it lacked offensive power and had a simple function, it was perfectly suited for Lady Yin Yao, who was unable to speak. The entire dining room fell silent. Li Chunfeng, who had been quietly eating without paying much attention to the subtle rivalries among the women, suddenly lifted his head in alarm, gazing at this noble lady. "You're quite a dangerous thinker, Your Ladyship." "Little green tea was startled and dismayed. "My mother has always treated the concubines at home this way—Father occasionally gets angry, but what can he do? The concubines are no different from household servants; they're at the mercy of the head mistress, who holds all the power," Lady Yin Yao said calmly. Li Chunfeng couldn't help but speak up: "Have you ever thought that, perhaps, under the current dynamics, it's actually Shé Lingxi and the Queen who are the concubines?" The restaurant fell silent once more. Lady Yin Yao's tone immediately softened with pity: "You truly must be pitiable." Shé Lingxi and the Queen: "...". After breakfast, Zhang Yuanqing didn't get to eat abalone, but he did lick the children's grain stores and hold their bowls, feeling thoroughly satisfied. Back in his room, he dialed his father-in-law's phone. As soon as the call connected, he immediately began his night walk—so as to block out the sound of the phone conversation and prevent Shé Lingxi from overhearing. "My esteemed nephew, how is Lingxi doing at Songhai?" Shé Su's warm, gentle laughter "Very well behaved. Just now, she rejected the suggestion to either poison my girlfriend or hire someone to kill her. I think Lingxi is a genuinely kind young lady." Zhang Yuanqing also smiled warmly. ... Xie Su's smile instantly grew a bit awkward. "Ah, Lingxi, she's always been spoiled by her mother." Then Zhang Yuanqing heard a soft, delicate voice pleading, "Lord, please don't say that—my lady has been teaching Lingxi to be proper and well-mannered every day." Is this Xie Lingxi's mother? The voice is truly pleasant, though it seems rather tea-tinged. Zhang Yuanqing silently noted that. "Master Xie, there's something I'd like to ask you." Zhang Yuanqing got straight to the point. "What is it?" "I remember that the musician oversees conception and life; the higher-tier rule-based artifacts, such as the Mother Goddess's Womb, can even bring the dead back to life. If someone's spirit departs, could you restore it?" After asking, Zhang Yuanqing immediately held his breath. Xie Su remained silent for a moment, then said, "Many conditions would be required—such as, I must be present at the exact For instance, the scattered spirit essence isn't very abundant... When the conditions are right and the environment permits, I can reassemble the spirit essence. If I have specific tools, I can repair it. If not...” Xie Su thought for a moment, then said, “Then I can't repair it—no matter what the cost, I can only stitch it together.” Stitching... Zhang Yuanqing, sitting by the desk, slumped back in his chair, motionless. It wasn't clear how long it had been before he heard Xie Su tentatively ask, “Uncle?” Zhang Yuanqing took a deep breath, steadied himself, and asked, “What do you mean by a great cost?” “Like falling into a crisis!” Xie Su replied. “...” Zhang Yuanqing raised a hand and pressed it to his forehead. After several seconds, his voice came out low and steady, “I understand now. Thank you, Uncle, for clarifying.” After hanging up, he placed the phone on the desk and slumped back in his chair, silent and expressionless. For a long time, he remained that way. Then, he picked up the phone again and sent a message to After sending the message, he patiently waited. Fifteen minutes later, the Master of Zhishā Palace's text arrived: "Good! We'll meet at 12 midnight, at the usual place." Zhang Yuanqing put away his phone and stood up to leave the room. Today marked exactly the fifth day—he was heading to Bao Tang, the provincial capital's Huadu district, to save on expenses. She wore a brown leather jacket, the collar open, with a black bodysuit underneath, and slim seven-inch pants, exuding a clean, modern elegance with a strong sense of assertiveness. Clearly an aggressive, driven woman—perhaps even a senior leader. If she were holding a cigar, she'd be the quintessential club elder. Upon noticing guests entering, she glanced over at March, then sighed, "On time." Zhang Yuanqing surveyed the room and saw no one there, so she asked, "Do I have any answers now?" March turned her attention back, tidying up the cluttered shelves as she said, "I've learned from an elder at the Zhu family that the previous owner of the zoo was a nocturnal wanderer—by profession, at least, and likely at the Sovereign stage. The elder first encountered him at the Sovereign level; the exact rank is unknown." That made sense—how could someone not be at the Sovereign level possess a zoo, or even interact with the zoo's spirit guardians? Zhang Yuanqing asked, "So, who was he?" "A man named Zhang Tianshi." Zhang Tianshi... Zhang... Zhang Yuanqing furrowed his brows, silent in thought. Zhang Tianshi should be his father's Lingjing ID—after all, no Lingjing traveler would carry his true name through the world. It's understandable that the animal zoo's artifact spirits know his true name. For instance, the Ghost Bride knows his real name, even his home address. If the Red Dance Shoes had a bit more spiritual intelligence, they'd know too. The Cat King Speaker is no different. While a Lingjing traveler's identity can be concealed from outsiders, it cannot be hidden from their lifelong companions—their bonded artifacts. "Any further information?" Zhang Yuanqing pondered, asking, "For instance, how did the Zhang Tianshi die, and when?" If his father were the Night-Wanderer God, then he could never have died in a car accident. Lian San Yue shook his head: "The exact timing is unclear—we can only pinpoint a general timeframe. It could be as early as 20 years ago, or as late as 15 years ago. By 15 years ago, I already knew that the Dog Elder at the Song Hai branch possessed that rule-based artifact." In effect, I can confidently tell you that my father passed away exactly 15 years ago... Zhang Yuanqing remembers starting elementary school at age six, when his father died in a car accident that year. Now that he's 21, it's precisely 15 years. "Yet, the timing seems rather recent. My father had just passed away when the Dog Elder was already summoned to the zoo? That doesn't make sense. The interval between the arrival of the Dominants in the realm is typically long. It's unreasonable that, upon the zoo's return to the spiritual realm, the Dog Elder should have just happened to enter the realm—and specifically, enter the very realm where the zoo is located..." Zhang Yuanqing murmured to himself. "When exactly did the Dog Elder become the Elder at the Song Hai branch?" he asked. If Lian San Yue didn't know or would charge for "I'm not sure, but it should have been over fifteen years." Lian San Yue picked up a tilted clock, brushed off the dust, and placed it back upright, saying, "Is there anything else? If not, let's settle the final payment." Over fifteen years—that means, when my father was still alive, the Elder of the Dog Clan had already been in Songhai. They must have crossed paths at some point! Zhang Yuanqing thought for a moment and asked, "You mentioned the Zhu family, right—the Zhu family among the Three Families of Life? How did that elder come to know Zhang Tian-shi?" "Oh, by the way, Chu Shang became the head of the Chu family later on—he was the last generation of the Chu family head. Around twenty-one years ago, the Chu family was wiped out." That's it, that's it... Zhang Yuanqing repeated it over and over in his mind. "You mentioned that both of them were members of the same organization—what organization?" Zhang Yuanqing gathered his thoughts. "Xiao Yao!" she said. "If you need intelligence from the Xiao Yao organization, just add twenty thousand more." "I don't need it yet." Zhang Yuanqing politely declined. He could easily access the official database—he was certain that any well-known organization would have more detailed and accurate records there. There was no need to spend twenty thousand. Twenty thousand could even buy an electric scooter without brakes. At once, Zhang Yuanqing settled the final payment of twenty-five thousand and left the Wanbao Store. ... By 3:30 p.m., he had returned to Songhai by air flight. In the compact villa, Li Chunfeng sat at a stone table in the courtyard, reading a book and sipping coffee leisurely. A stack of books lay piled on the table. "Reading, huh? When you have time, lend me some— I haven't attended classes in a while. I think I should make it a point to swim in the ocean of knowledge." Zhang Yuanqing approached and glanced at the books. "Quantum Mechanics," "Origin of the Universe," "Atomic Physics," "Chemistry," "Pharmacology," "The World of Code." "Then perhaps I won't need to swim after all..." Zhang Yuanqing silently passed by. A few minutes later, he stepped out of the house again and returned to the courtyard, asking, "Where are they?" "Guan Ya and the Princess went to the neighboring villa to refine their physical techniques, while Xie Lingxi and the Queen are cheering them on," Li Chunfeng said, his eyes still fixed on the books. "Cheering for whom?" Li Chunfeng turned to look at him. "You think?" Zhang Yuanqing looked serious and said, "Li brother, you are a scholar, well-read, broad-minded, and wise in your studies. In your opinion, how should I handle the relationships among my team members?" Across from the Kangyang District Public Security Office, a café glows with bright lights and its doors are open. A dreamlike streak of starlight rises from the entrance, materializing into a tall, handsome young man. Zhang Yuanqing steps inside and takes in his surroundings. At the counter, a young woman in a magnificent red dress is carefully preparing coffee. She wears a silver mask that covers half her face, and when she focuses on her work, she is quiet and composed, radiating a gentle, serene grace. "Hmm, I've been timing this just right—by now, you should have been thinking of me," says the Master of Zhishake, smiling warmly, "Yes, my little face-lover?" Her mood is bright, embodying the demeanor of a café hostess welcoming her beloved. Zhang Yuanqing walks to the counter and stands silently, gazing at her. The Master of Zhishake bows her head, smiling gently. "I've heard from Xie Lingxi about your experience last night," she says. "Indeed, you're growing more capable and independent every day. Once you're promoted to Master, I'll appoint you as the chief of my court, to oversee all the face-lovers." Zhang Yuanqing looked at her in silence for a while, then said, "Lady Zhi Sha, have you known me since long ago?" The Lady Zhi Sha was momentarily taken aback.