"Hi, Xiao Yuan, do you have time lately?" Zhang Yuanqing dialed her number. "Not really—I'm on duty at the shop." Xiao Yuan's calm and detached voice replied. "The hotel is being handled by Kou Beiyue anyway; there's not much business going on." Zhang didn't treat himself as an outsider at all, and immediately took the lead. "I have a project here. If it succeeds, the compensation will be two million." For Xiao Yuan, who had always struggled financially, this was a deal she simply couldn't refuse. She asked, "What kind of project?" "We need to hunt down a Level 5 swordsman and a Level 5 Mist Master. The location is Chun City in Jisheng Province. Currently, we have four Sages and three Transcendent-level individuals on our side." Zhang briefly outlined the assignment details. "Are you asking me to work alongside official personnel?" Xiao Yuan's tone instantly turned cold. "Are you simply too comfortable yourself, or do you find my life too relaxed?" Zhang Yuanqing quickly explained: "Although they are official contacts, these are my close friends and family—people I can fully trust. The main reason is that we don't want the official authorities to know about this operation. With that, I'll add an additional 500,000 to your offer." Small Yan remained silent for a while, then said: "Very well. When?" "Depart today in the afternoon, with the operation taking place in the evening. We'll meet at Songhai Airport." Zhang Yuanqing said. After hanging up, he stepped out of his study and gathered everyone in the living room. "Tonight we have a mission. We'll be flying to Jisheng shortly—please get ready," Zhang Yuanqing said, then turned to Asano Ryō and said, "I've already identified the target—she's in Chun City, Jisheng." "So quickly? Indeed, it's in Jisheng," Asano Ryō stood up in surprise, bowing repeatedly. "Thank you, Mr. Genshō. I'm truly convinced that asking you for assistance was the wisest choice for the Chihara Group." From the route of the journey from the Japanese Besides Guan Ya, everyone else, lacking a clear understanding of the background, appeared somewhat bewildered. Yet since Yuan Shi Tian Zun had not mentioned it, they were hesitant to ask further. Zhang Yuanqing added, "I've hired an assistant—I'll introduce her to you later. She has a rather eccentric personality; you... don't need to engage with her too much." Who is she? Why does Yuan Shi seem a bit uneasy? Guan Ya narrowed her eyes, catching the subtle emotions in her boyfriend's gaze. Suddenly, Guan Ya was staring at me intently. Wow, just a few sentences, and she already sensed something? Finding a scout as a girlfriend—what a daunting prospect! Zhang Yuanqing tried to maintain a composed, calm demeanor, saying, "I'll go arrange it right away!" He then transformed into a vision of dreamlike starlight and vanished. The very next moment, he appeared at Fu Qingyang's grand villa, asking the young rabbit-dancer in the living room, "Is Master in the study or the training hall?" Fu Qingyang's lifestyle was the simplest of three daily routines—sleeping in the bedroom, working in the study, and practicing martial arts in the training hall "The rabbit lady spoke softly. "Have you gone out?" Zhang Yuanqing nodded and said, "I need a private plane. I have to fly to Chun City in Jilin tonight. Could you help arrange that?" The rabbit lady smiled gently, "I can arrange your lord's private plane—this should take about four hours. Do you have any specific time requirements?" "Just notify me as soon as it's arranged," Zhang Yuanqing said, and then went upstairs. A few minutes later, he came downstairs again. The rabbit lady who had just arranged the flight had gone, and as he looked around, he spotted another rabbit lady returning from tending the garden. He asked, "Where is Ling Jun?" "Lord Ling Jun has gone out with your lord," the rabbit lady replied. "Together?" Zhang Yuanqing frowned. "Something must have happened. They rarely go out together—this must be due to some pressing matter." The rabbit lady shook her head, "I'm not sure. Lord Ling Jun never discusses business matters with us." Also, in Qian Gongzi's eyes, the rabbit maid is a personal assistant, akin to a traditional maid in ancient times—maids' duties revolve around daily living and household affairs, so how could they be expected to discuss official matters? Well, he hasn't told me about it, which means it's something I can't get involved in. Zhang Yuanqing himself has pressing matters to attend to and has left hurriedly. There were seven distinguished guests in the cabin. Aside from the glasses-wearing man who, as soon as he boarded, became completely immersed in his computer, radiating the quiet, bookish aura of a homebody, the other six were women. They all possessed flawless beauty, with their skin as delicate as that of infants and an unmistakable, refined grace. While adult skin typically carries some imperfections, the flight attendants noticed upon carefully observing the cabin crew that their skin was even more delicate than that of infants. As for grace—an attribute that requires cultivation—many beautiful women could only aspire to it. Thus, the attendants were eager to learn how these women maintained their skin. Xie Lingxi lay comfortably in the spacious, plush seat, her snow-white, slender neck fitted with over-ear headphones. She turned her head toward the window and said, “Has Yuanshǐ’s friend arrived yet? Who did he invite? Has he told you?” Standing straight on the tarmac, Zhang Yuanqing looked toward the horizon. "Who knows? To have the captain personally wait for you—she must be quite a talent," the Queen said. As she spoke, a shuttle bus sped up and stopped along the silver bay stream. The doors opened, and a tall lady stepped down. Wearing a mature, earth-toned harbor-style midi skirt and a V-neck black blouse, her wavy hair naturally cascaded over her shoulders. With each step, her skirt swayed gently, revealing a pair of bare-toe sandals. She looked fresh-faced, with an oval face, round eyes, and a striking, elegant presence—both vibrant and cool. Elegant, cool, and commanding—her aura exuded the strength of a seasoned woman, far surpassing that of a young girl. When Xiao Yuan approached Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn, she smiled slightly, with a touch of reserve. "How do you find her?" "She's wonderful," Zhang Yuanqing murmured, his heart racing, his gaze fixed on her, unable to look away. Used to seeing Xiao Yuan in her hotel uniform, this unexpected look seemed to have transformed her entirely. Xiao Yuan chuckled, "Doesn't she look just like your mother?" "...Zhang Yuanqing's face darkened, his lips twitching: "We've lost points—suddenly, you don't look as good as before." Zhang Yuanqing knew this was a jab at his own earlier dating preferences. Because of a lack of maternal affection, he had always sought out mature, strong, yet warm and gentle women. Xiao Yuan didn't pause to acknowledge him; she simply passed by, boarding the private jet. Zhang Yuanqing hurried to follow, guiding her to a seat. At this moment, he couldn't even look at Guan Ya first—doing so would mean he felt vulnerable. He glanced around the room and introduced: "Xiao Yuan, a spiritual healer—my friend." The moment he said it, everyone except Xie Lingxi looked stunned. Li Chunfeng, the Queen, and Shallow Ryō instinctively stiffened. The inherent vigilance of orderly professions toward those of more chaotic or evil nature was deeply ingrained. "My friend!" Zhang Yuanqing repeated it once more. Guan Ya looked at her boyfriend silently, with sincerity and seriousness in her eyes when she mentioned "my friend"—as if vouching for this medium. She had previously seemed a bit hesitant, wondering whether her partner was a medium? Guan Ya pondered this. In a way, their cautiousness toward Xiao Yuan wasn't entirely a bad thing—it meant Xiao Yuan wouldn't know that Guan Ya was her girlfriend, nor would Guan Ya know that she had a subtle connection with Xiao Yuan. Zhang Yuanqing thought so. At that moment, Xie Lingxi said with a gentle voice, "Please don't be nervous. Aunt Xiao Yuan is a friend of mine and my brother Yuan Shi. She's a wonderful person and never does anything wrong." Though she wasn't particularly close to Aunt Xiao Yuan, the young green tea girl harbored a strong sense of goodwill toward the group of medium practitioners, due to her own sense of regret at being an unworthy father. She also knew that Yuan Shi had maintained consistent contact with them, making them trustworthy friends. The queens and others watched her for a few seconds, then gradually relaxed their vigilance. Zhang Yuanqing guided Xiao Yuan around to sit down, when suddenly Xie Lingxi from behind said, "Auntie Xiao Yuan, they're all patrol team members—people from our own side. This sister, Guan Ya, is Yuan Shi's girlfriend." By heaven and earth, Xiao Lücha's words were truly sincere, aimed at easing the atmosphere and signaling that everyone was on the same side. Yet, Xiao Yuan, who had previously remained cool and reserved, with a natural wariness and even hostility toward the official attendants, paused slightly upon hearing this. Without thinking, she turned her head toward Guan Ya. After a few seconds, she calmly withdrew her gaze, fixing her eyes steadily on Yuan Shi Tianzun. She sat down silently, without a word. "!!!" Guan Ya felt a sudden weight settle in her chest. She had noticed a sense of hostility in her eyes toward me—surprise and disappointment in her subtle expressions. Could this woman have feelings for Yuan Shi? She glanced at Yuan Shi again, her tone now charged with questioning and a hint of anger… Damn it, Yuan Shi’s expression had gone stiff! The man had been secretly courting someone else behind my back! Guan Ya's face darkened, and her chest heaved noticeably. Man, right now I want to lift Xie Lingxi up and beat her senseless. Zhang Yuanqing suddenly felt a prickling sensation along his back—his official girlfriend was sending out a beam of death. He feigned not noticing, called for the flight attendant, and spoke in a low, melancholy tone: "Let's go!" The journey from Songhai to Jisheng Chuncheng takes about four hours. Thanks to Xiao Yuan, everyone remained unusually quiet throughout. Occasionally, they would stop at the restroom or order a simple meal, but most of the time, they simply closed their eyes and rested. Putting an evil-oriented profession alongside a group of lawful-oriented ones in the same cabin is like locking a lion and a tiger together in one enclosure—on the surface, everything appears calm, but beneath, tensions are rising steadily. The lawful-oriented professions are inherently cautious of the evil-oriented ones, much like humans reacting to wild beasts—even when the beasts have been tamed and even when a trainer is present to watch over them, their hearts still flutter with anxiety. What if, at any moment, the beast suddenly erupts and turns the trainer and everyone else into a meal? Moreover, the seers can fly, while most lawful saints cannot—should this woman have ulterior motives, the entire group would perish before even reaching their destination, all en route during the campaign. The turbulent currents beneath the surface of calm, however, only Zhang Yuanqing truly understands. "Yet you are an extraordinary musician. The body of a musician or a scholar is not much stronger than that of an ordinary person," Li Chunfeng gently advised. Xie Lingxi didn't bother to respond, merely glancing at Guan Ya and Xiao Yuan across the table. At that moment, Xiao Yuan calmly said, "The evil professions in the north are particularly active. You'd better have a well-thought-out plan—strike swiftly and then retreat. Otherwise, be prepared for the possibility that the high-ranking officials of the Army Master's Order will launch a counter-hunt. If things reach that point, I won't be staying." Guan Ya also spoke with quiet composure: "The Changchun branch is strong. No matter how bold the evil factions appear, this world remains the domain of the lawful order." Xiao Yuan turned her gaze to her and said, "There are six divine generals of the Army Master's Order, four Heavenly Kings, and senior monks from the Void Sect active in the northwest. I hope you still hold your ground when you meet them." The atmosphere suddenly became tense. Guan Ya laughed coldly, "If you're afraid, you can simply leave now." Xiao Zhang Yuanqing quickly stepped in to mediate: "Ladies, we've traveled far and are quite fatigued—let's focus on recuperating and restoring our strength..." Both Xiaoyuan and Guan Ya shot him a cold, sharp look, and Zhang Yuanqing silently retreated, lowering his head. At that moment, the descending plane began to shake violently due to air currents. Xiaoyuan closed her eyes, and Guan Ya turned her gaze toward the window. The plane landed smoothly, and the group boarded the business van arranged by the hotel, leaving the airport and heading toward a five-star hotel in Chun City. The hotel had been arranged by the rabbit-dress girl, with a complimentary airport shuttle service. For an extra fee, guests could also hire a local guide—though Zhang Yuanqing's journey wasn't about sightseeing; it was about eliminating people. Chun City's ultraviolet radiation was significantly stronger than that of Songhai, though not as humid or oppressive as the southern regions. As long as they avoided direct sunlight and sought shade, it was indeed a pleasant place to escape the summer heat. Thus, Li Chunfeng proved to be a theoretical, bookish type, lacking practical experience. After checking in, Zhang Yuanqing said, "It's five o'clock now. I'd like to gather some intelligence first and locate the target's address. Our operation will take place at ten o'clock in the evening. Everyone, please rest and adjust yourselves." He intended to first use the Red Dance Shoes to pinpoint the location of the Edo swordmaster, then develop a plan for the hunt. The group went into their rooms. Zhang Yuanqing brought Xue Ruai and Lady Yin Yao into the room; just as he washed his face, his phone buzzed twice. He received messages simultaneously from Xiao Yuan and Guan Ya, with remarkably similar content: "Come to my room for a moment."