Qin Feng Academy? How does this relate to Qin Feng Academy? Zhang Yuanqing paused, glancing at the elder court lady beside him. Guan Ya studied the totem for a moment, then looked up, calmly addressing the Japanese girl: "This is the totem of the Qin Dynasty!" Asahi Ryouta was savoring the name 'Qin Feng Academy,' and only now regaining his composure, slightly awkwardly stating: "Yes, this is one of the pieces of evidence we found in the historical texts of Huaguo—high heaven's origin is indeed connected to the Qin Dynasty." It felt rather uncomfortable to her that high heaven's origin should be linked to the Qin Dynasty. Since it's from the Qin Dynasty, then Guan Ya must have seen it at the academy... Zhang Yuanqing nodded, "Xu Fu, right?" Though not particularly passionate about myths, he had a solid grasp of history. Back when he was at the old mountain temple of the elder, it was precisely his strong command of classical Chinese and historical knowledge that enabled him to understand the temple's chronicles. Gao Tianyuan, an ancient cultivator, a Qin dynasty totem—he immediately thought of the renowned Fang Shi who had set out at sea in search of medicine. Minami Ryō nodded, softly saying, "Hmm." Then, she suddenly stood up, embodying the spirit of a master craftsman, bowing deeply without rising, and loudly declared: "Gao Tianyuan is of great importance to Chih鹤 Group. Please, Lord Yuanshǐ, extend your assistance." Zhang Yuancheng said nothing, merely pondering, lightly tapping the round table with his finger, and said: "You go first. I have something to discuss with Guan Ya." "Ah!" Minami Ryō silently stepped out of the theater and closed the door behind her. Guan Ya lifted her water cup and asked, "Xie Lingxi can monitor the activities within the villa—she should be able to hear our conversation here." Zhang Yuancheng shook his head: "I've assigned the Blood Rose to keep an eye on it." It wasn't impossible for Xie Lingxi to learn of it—after all, she was one of their own—but since they had promised Minami Ryō "Yuanjie, did she say anything that seemed off?" "Nothing false," Yuanjie replied. "Emperor Qin wanted immortality and simply sent Xu Fu to refine elixirs to extend his life—why would he need to sail overseas in search of the elixir of eternal life? Think about it: during the Qin dynasty, the natural energies of heaven and earth were abundant, and there were countless talented and extraordinary individuals. In contrast, a small island nation likely had only a few ancient practitioners of cultivation. 'Would it be reasonable for a wealthy landowner to go to a tenant farmer's humble home seeking wealth?' said Guan Ya, raising an eyebrow and pausing thoughtfully. 'You mean...' Zhang Yuanqing nodded. 'Unless the island nation possessed something truly valuable that even Emperor Qin himself would have coveted—then he would have sent Xu Fu overseas to seek it.' Guan Ya found this plausible. 'In that case, we must trace back to history before the Qin dynasty, even to the mythical age. However, while myths do reflect certain aspects of ancient cultivation life, they often contain fabricated or exaggerated elements and may not provide us with the information we need.' 'That doesn't matter. As long as we establish that the island nation has something precious, we've already provided a sound motivation for Xu Fu's journey overseas." Zhang Yuanqing didn't dwell on this point and continued: "Xu Fu took young men and women with him and successfully reached the island nation, where he found the treasures long sought after by the First Emperor—possibly an elixir of immortality, or perhaps something else. But Xu Fu didn't bring them back to Central China. He grew greedy, wanting to claim the treasures for himself, so he stayed behind in the island nation, establishing the high heaven realm and becoming a local emperor, ruling the island together with the spiritual travelers who accompanied him." "It sounds very plausible," Guan Ya said, one hand resting on her chest and the other supporting her chin, with curiosity: "In your opinion, what exactly was the treasure—was it truly the legendary elixir of immortality?" "I'm not certain. It might have been the elixir, or perhaps the voyage itself was merely a cover for a more genuine purpose. Still, it must have been an invaluable treasure. The First Emperor had unified the entire realm and commanded countless extraordinary talents and sages. What kind of treasure could he not already possess? The fact that he dispatched Xu Fu on such a grand scale to seek it out suggests that its value likely exceeds what we can Zhang Yuanqing said, "Guan Ya, I'd like to take on this task, but I'd like to increase the compensation and request access to Gao Tian Yuan." "To Gao Tian Yuan..." Guan Ya immediately furrowed her brows. "Yuan Shi, you can think of these points just by seeing a totem—within a short time. The Thousand Crane Team has been investigating Gao Tian Yuan for nearly a century. Do you think they wouldn't have thought of it already? The Three Sacred Treasures might be incidental; what they truly seek is the thing that caused Xu Fu to betray the First Emperor. That's also why the Thousand Crane Team doesn't want Tian Fa to find out. By the same reasoning, they absolutely won't agree to send Fu Qingyang to Gao Tian Yuan. Yet, if you go alone, it would be too risky." Her unspoken implication was that if Yuan Shi insisted on going to Gao Tian Yuan, the Thousand Crane Team would likely eliminate him. Zhang Yuanqing agreed with her assessment and asked, "Then, do you think it's better to abandon the endeavor?" "Indeed, it would be a great pity if we missed this opportunity. Let me think... "Guan Ya murmured, frowning at her refined brows as she pondered deeply, before finally brightening and smiling, "I've got it! If we insist on going, we absolutely cannot let our top talents go with us—otherwise, the Thousand Crane Group will be scattered like fish in a net, exposing High Tianyuan's secrets to Tianfa. Should Tianfa get involved, we'll barely be able to sip a single drop of soup. "Her thoughts grew clearer and clearer: 'Also, they wouldn't dare kill your shadow body or spiritual servants to eliminate you, since that would be pointless. You could negotiate with them, reach an agreement on how to divide the treasures inside, make reasonable concessions, and I believe the Chienhe group would agree to that.' 'Excellent idea!' Zhang Yuanqing lifted the delicate face of Guan Ya, and kissed her deeply. Though he had been designated as a 'useless' by the money magnate, she at least came from a spiritual realm family—much more reliable than her own home's dull, sweet-natured aunt. He turned and walked toward the entrance of the screening room, pulled open the heavy soundproof door, and peered inside. There, in the living room, Shallowawa Reo stood straight and tall, hands folded in front of her, holding her leather bag, in a poised, obedient posture. Xie Lingxi, dressed in a little dress, was walking around her, her gaze intense and focused, as if examining a prey or an opponent. 'Shall we have Shallowawa Reo come in?' Zhang Yuanqing called out, and then stepped back into the screening room. Ryō Asano exhaled a long breath, quickly pushing aside the intimidating peer, and hurried into the screening hall. "Master Guan, how do you feel about this?" Ryō Asano stared at him with a mix of anticipation and nervousness, saying, "Please go ahead and let me know what you need." "JK said, with a face full of righteous indignation: 'He's been dissatisfied with the team leader for a long time now, ambitious enough to aim at replacing him. This time, by stealing the keys and infiltrating Huaguo, he's likely established contact with the evil organization.' 'Where is Kōten'en?' Zhang Yuanqing asked cautiously. 'I don't know,' Shina Ryō shook her head. After all, if you knew, wouldn't the team leader have sent you instead? Because if Master Guan Shi were truly ruthless, you'd already be stationed here by now... Zhang Yuanqing said: 'I can help, but my fee should be raised to 500 million Fusan yen. Additionally, once the matter is settled, I'd like to enter Kōten'en. But please rest assured—I'll have the Yin Shi enter first. As for the treasures inside, you may choose first.' This means: I want my share! Shina Ryō immediately looked troubled. She was indeed eager to share the rewards with Master Guan Shi, as he was her savior, a true life-long companion. Her rise to sainthood and current status all stemmed from his support. But the Chiyoko Group wasn't under her control. With the group leader and the senior officers' firm determination to secure high ground at Takanashi and their deep desire to see the rise of Japanese spiritual practitioners, they would never willingly share their achievements with outsiders. Zhang Yuanqing immediately saw what concerns were in Shinao's expression and smiled. "Tell the senior leadership of the Chiyoko Group: if the Edo swordmaster truly establishes ties with the evil organization, the longer the situation drags on, the less hope the Chiyoko Group will have—the only option left will be to yield to the Heavenly Judgment. As for me, I can reclaim the Jade Disc within just two days. By the way, did you bring the Edo swordmaster's DNA?" "I did," said Asano Reo, nodding. "During the assault by the Chiyoko Group's senior officers, the Edo swordmaster was injured. I brought his blood with me." That settles it! Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "Contact the organization. I and Guan Ya will step back—we will absolutely not eavesdrop." With that, he took his old kami-queen and left. Once the heavy soundproof door "A deep, resonant voice came through the phone: 'This is vital to the thousand-cherry group's ambitions. If we fail, we'll all have to commit seppuku.'" Motonari Haru instinctively bowed, softly relaying the conditions of the Primordial Sovereign to Koshino Ichiro. "Hoo-hoo!" came a burst of exasperated frustration from the phone, "The high heavens belong exclusively to the thousand-cherry group—no one else can lay claim to it, Haru! How could you have negotiated it this way?" Haru instinctively apologized repeatedly, then recalled the Primordial Sovereign's reasoning, and added softly, "But,组长, the Primordial Sovereign says he can reclaim the key within two days." Two days... The other end fell silent. A moment later, the组长's tone softened, saying, "If the Primordial Sovereign can achieve that, I'll agree. But he must uphold his promise—only his shadow form or spiritual attendants may enter the high heavens." Haru felt a great relief, a smile spreading across his face, "The Primordial Sovereign is a noble warrior, and he will surely honor his promise." If she knew the "Rogue Celestial Sovereign" moniker, she probably wouldn't have thought so. After hanging up, Sayo Rei pushed open the heavy, sound-insulating door with a sense of ease, and found Genji, the Primordial Celestial Sovereign, Guan Ya, and that attractive peer of her own age, all sitting silently in the living room. On the Primordial Celestial Sovereign's head, a sleek, technologically advanced headset was worn. "From your expression, it seems the Chiyoko Group has agreed?" Zhang Yuanqing asked with a smile. "Yes, the team leader said that as long as the Sovereign can retrieve the key and uphold his commitments, he would be able to...," Sayo Rei glanced at Xie Lingxi, quickly closed her mouth, and awkwardly changed the subject, "The Sovereign, your headset is truly beautiful." Xie Lingxi chuckled lightly. After receiving the photograph, documentation, and bloodstains of the Edo swordmaster from Sayo Rei, Zhang Yuanqing returned to her room, retrieved the Da Luo Star Disk, and began to calculate and plan the course of action for the pursuit of the Edo swordmaster. As the power of the stars flowed into it, silver stars on the dark circular disk one by one ignited, projecting a magnificent river of stars across the room. The star river spun rapidly, forming vortices that surged suddenly into Zhang Yuanqing's brow. In his mind, a vivid scene suddenly emerged: an elderly, thin man wielding a warrior's sword, his face contorted in fierce determination, leaping upward with a sweeping slash. The blade shone with an unmatched brilliance, radiating sharp, piercing sword energy. A few seconds later, the scene changed: this time, a robust, strong man stood before him, his muscles bulging prominently, brimming with formidable strength. His eyes burned with fierce intensity, conveying a bloodthirsty warrior's spirit, and his face was covered in blood-red, twisted symbols. Two pairs of ethereal arms extended from his ribcage. The scene concluded, and the analysis ended. Zhang Yuanqing opened his eyes, furrowing his brow: "The Commander of the Army... Undoubtedly, the renowned swordmaster of Edo has established ties with the local evil organization—and specifically, with the most formidable of the three major evil factions, the Commander of the Army." "The one just now should be the Mist Sovereign. If it were a Sovereign, the enchanting glyphs should cover the entire body, not just the face. The ability to manifest two pairs of phantom arms indicates a level five. If it were level six, there would be three pairs of arms." Although the "three-armed" skill is considered Sovereign-level, during the Saint phase, the Mist Sovereign can project arm phantoms; upon reaching Sovereign rank, these arms solidify into true flesh, and the being develops two heads. Zhang Yuanqing opened his computer, logged into the Yuan Shi Tian Zun account, and searched for "5th-level Mist Sovereign of the Army Commander's Academy." He found nineteen individuals—all officially wanted and recorded in the database. He sequentially opened each spiritual realm ID to review personal profiles. Zhang Yuanqing quickly located the Mist Sovereign he had seen on screen. [Spiritual Realm ID: Blood-Drinking Sword, 5th-level Mist Sovereign, active in the Chun City region of Ji Province, known for brutality and bloodthirstiness, with a history of... ] Below are the cases the Blood-Drinking Sword has committed. Zhang Yuanqing had roughly surveyed the situation—he had committed rape, plunder, and no evil deed went unperformed, with over forty official and ordinary women victims. He served as a protective umbrella for several local powerful criminal factions, though constrained by moral standards, he was not their leader. He controlled numerous merchants, helping them remove obstacles and amassing substantial wealth. The Chuncheng branch had launched multiple campaigns against him, with the most recent one two years ago nearly resulting in his death. After being driven off by blood-drinking swordsmanship, he had retreated into hiding, remaining silent since then. Whether it's Fu Qingyang or Ling Jun, once they're involved in this matter, it will be difficult to keep the events at Gao Tianyuan hidden. A reliable ally who is indifferent to this matter must be found. In Zhang Yuanqing's mind, two people come to mind: Jiang Jingwei and Xiao Yuan. According to Guan Ya, Jiang Jingwei has recently completed a dungeon run and has gained significant experience points. Combined with the fire demon's strengths, she can even hold her own against a 5th-level Saint. Moreover, Jingwei is straightforward and never actively seeks out secrets—no matter how clearly the secrets are presented, she will simply smile and chat it off, making her a completely trustworthy companion. "However, from a standpoint of security and reliability, Xiao Yuan is the better choice. She is a 5th-level character and belongs to a powerful evil class, outperforming Jingwei in combat strength. The issue is that I have a rather warm relationship with Xiao Yuan. Should I bring her together with Guan Ya, it might not be the most comfortable arrangement." "Also, Guan Ya is a scout—she will surely notice the closeness between me and Xiao Yuan. Perhaps it's better to go with Jing He could face the queen's growing closeness with Xie Lingxi without any concern about Guan Ya feeling jealous, but he couldn't look himself in the eyes when it came to Xiao Yuan. Before he had successfully courted Guan Ya, Zhang Yuanqing had indeed deeply admired this aunt, and that admiration had never faded. So he decided to call Jiang Jingwei's phone. The phone rang for a while before finally connecting. On the other end, a warm and composed female voice answered: "Master Yuan Shi? This is Jingwei's mother." "Good afternoon, Mother. Is Jingwei available? The patrol team has a task." Zhang Yuanqing said. "I'm sorry, Jingwei has entered the spiritual realm." Jiang Mother apologized. "Didn't she just complete a quest a few days ago?" Zhang Yuanqing was taken aback. "It was a clan quest from the Chihuo Clan. Jingwei is currently undergoing special training under her brother in the spiritual realm. I'm sorry, she won't be able to join this task." What special training? Nothing but fighting, fighting, fighting... Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself, and hung up the phone with disappointment. Ah, I can only turn to Xiao Yuan. Life isn't always smooth—eight out of ten things go wrong.