Ten o'clock... Zhang Yuanqing turned his head toward the nightstand, where the electronic clock read 21:15. "I know," he replied succinctly. With his aunt present, he didn't elaborate much. After hanging up, he said to Jiang Yubi, "Today's game is over." The aunt glanced at him sideways, pursed her lips, and said, "Didn't that tall, curvy fox spirit come by to see you?" "Go on, go on!" Zhang Yuanqing spat at her, saying, "I'm going to bed now. You should head back to your room and rest too." The aunt didn't move, furrowing her brows. "You've been away from home for several days. It's only been a few days since you came back. Today, you must stay with me until midnight—I still haven't had my fill. Even if you've got a girlfriend, you can't forget about your mother." "You're just my aunt, not my mother," Zhang Yuanqing corrected. The moment the hard approach failed, Aunt Jiang softened, twisted her body slightly, and cooed, "Just one more game, please?" Who could resist a little bossy aunt? Unfortunately, Zhang Yuanqing had matters to attend to. Without further ado, he strode over, extended his arm into her leg bend, and carried her off like a cross-legged hug, straight out of the room. "Oh! Put me down! You're not showing the slightest respect to elders!" Jiang Yuwei struggled fiercely, kicking and flailing her long legs, then went after her nephew, tearing at his face in frustration. The little darling, resting on her head, promptly smacked her on the head with small fists. In the living room, Grandpa and Grandma were watching TV with their reading glasses on. Grandma frowned upon seeing her daughter being carried out by her grandson. "Mom, Yuanzi's being mean to me!" Jiang Yuwei, taking the initiative to complain, flailed around a bit. But her nephew's strong arms were firmly wrapped around her waist and legs, and she couldn't get off. "Put Aunt Jiang down," Grandma finally said, clearly leaning toward her daughter. Zhang Yuanqing had no choice but to set his aunt down and change his story: "Grandma, I'll step out for a while—Guan Ya's cousin has invited me to have barbecue." "Will you be back for the night?" Grandma looked unhappy upon hearing that he was going out again. "It depends." Meanwhile, Zhang Yuanqing took several kicks from his aunt, while Grandpa and Grandma watched closely. He couldn't dare to treat their daughter badly, so he had to endure. ... At ten o'clock in the evening, a fierce wind swept toward Fu Family Village, causing the trees and plants in the courtyard to sway violently, with leaves and dust swirling in the air. Amid the wind, a figure landed by the fountain and then transformed into a shimmering streak of starlight, vanishing into the night. Outside the study, Zhang Yuanqing removed his wind-walker gloves while knocking on the door. "Knock-knock~" Soon, the brown wooden double doors opened automatically. Fu Qingyang, dressed in a snowy white robe, sat upright behind the desk, his gaze deep and steady. Zhang Yuanqing walked in, glanced around, and said, "Big brother, where's he?" He didn't see the half-divine president's figure. Fu Qingyang picked up something from the table and sent it flying with a flick of his hand. Zhang Yuanqing caught it steadily. Upon closer inspection, it was a black jade tablet—smooth and lustrous, with an intricate void pathway carved on the front resembling a wormhole, and unfamiliar spiritual patterns engraved on the back. "Break it," Fu Qingyang said. The president wasn't here—of course. Even though both were orderly organizations, complete trust wasn't possible. Basic precautions had to be maintained. The patterns on this jade tablet were similar to my own transmission tablet, but more complex, suggesting a higher quality. Zhang Yuanqing didn't hesitate. With a firm press of his fingers, he snapped the lustrous black jade with a crisp sound. In the next instant, he saw Fu Qingyang's form rapidly dissipate, the scene in the study fade gradually, and then, after a ripple-like wave of motion, he found himself in a spacious, bright—luxurious private suite of a night club! A large screen displays a scene of a classical-dressed woman dancing. A variety of wines, beverages, fruits, and snacks are arranged on the marble tabletop, and a table tennis table is placed in the lounge. The patterned marble floor reflects the ambient lighting, gleaming brightly. Directly facing the screen is a circular sofa. A man dressed in a wine-red suit, wearing a half-mask of silver, lounges comfortably on it. This seemingly charming man appears to be the president—he is embracing two women with exposed shoulders, savoring the drinks and snacks served to him by them. On the sofas on either side sit several women in off-the-shoulder tops and short skirts. They keep their legs together and cross their hands over their abdomens, sitting with graceful and dignified posture. What's going on? Zhang Yuanqing stands there, puzzled, and hesitates, asking, "Are you, then, Mr. President?" "Nice to meet you, nice to meet you." "The President gentleman pushed aside the two beautiful ladies at either side, warmly approaching, casually wrapping his arms around Zhang Yuanqing's shoulders, 'The atmosphere isn't great, is it? This is truly where men discuss business—why haven't you called anyone over?' The ladies by the sofa rose up together, standing in a neat line, their voices soft and seductive: 'We've been honored to meet the Lord of Heaven!' Zhang Yuanqing, accustomed to social grace, found himself completely at a loss for words. In his mind, a meeting should unfold in a treasure-filled hall, where the President of the Merchant Guild stands atop a mountain of riches, calmly surveying him. He would express admiration for his return of the items, then bestow upon him the coveted rewards—longed-for by the spiritual travelers. If not, wouldn't the Merchant Guild, being a Western-style organization, at least resemble a stately church under a moonlit sky, with the President seated on a high throne, overlooking the humble pilgrims with a cool, detached gaze? And then, in the name of the divine, grant them their rewards. After all, such a meeting should be full of elegance and dignity—exactly befitting the status of a half-g How did it become a private suite at a nightclub? To someone unfamiliar, it seemed as though the half-god patriarch had summoned the Prime Immortal just to go on a date. "Unimpressed?" Seeing the Prime Immortal standing there as if rooted to the spot, the patriarch stroked his chin and mused, "Shall we try a different set?" "Oh, no, no—we don’t need to," Zhang Yuanqing waved energetically. Before the half-gods, he still felt a bit reserved. To be bold in the presence of an elephant was to be considered arrogant. With careful diplomacy, he suggested, "Patriarch, how about we get straight to the point?" The patriarch, wearing a silver mask, paused and sighed, "I see. It’s simply that the girls I’ve invited aren’t beautiful enough. Next time, I’ll personally hire girls from the Goddess of Beauty Association to join you." Ah, really? With that settled, Zhang Yuanqing imagined the grace and charm of Anne and found himself unable to refuse the girls from the Goddess of Beauty Association. "Pop!" The patriarch snapped his fingers. "Exiled!" With a crisp sound, the girls in the suite suddenly vanished The president, dressed in a wine-red suit, returned to the sofa, leaned back lazily, and smiled, saying, "Thank you so much for helping me locate the fragments of the Compass of Light." Zhang Yuanqing understood at once and, with a sense of propriety, retrieved the Golden Compass from his possession and offered it to the president with both hands. The president took it, ran his fingers over it, and remarked, "Without the fragments coming together, the Compass holds no meaning; yet possessing it grants you the capital for strategic advantage." He flipped the Compass into the items section, then opened it again—now holding a stamp in his hand. More precisely, a shape resembling a stamp. Zhang Yuanqing focused closely. On the front, deep blue ink bore the characters "Universal Commerce," not in Chinese, but in an unfamiliar script—yet Zhang could read it perfectly. The edges of the stamp were adorned with elegant patterns, also in deep blue ink. "Here you are," the president said, handing it over. Zhang Yuanqing took the stamp with anticipation, and after a moment of silence, the item information appeared: 【Name: Universal Commerce Exchange Ticket (A Class)】 【Type: Certificate】 【Function: Exchange】 【Description: A-Class exchange ticket, usable only to obtain power.] 【Note: What you trade with is determined by this ticket.] So concise—unprecedentedly concise… Zhang Yuanqing quickly reviewed the information. The last time he had seen such brevity was with the Fallen Holy Cup. While detailed descriptions may be valuable, brevity in item information often signifies true worth. “This exchange ticket has been my treasured possession for many years—only one is obtained every decade,” the chairman said, lifting his glass and sipping the pale yellow whisky. “It can only be used to exchange for power. For instance, you could trade with it a top-tier material or item from the Saint Stage, and it would return you power of the same level.” "When you accumulate a large number of unnecessary items and materials, its value becomes apparent. Exchange has no upper limit—you can even sacrifice realm-tier items, down to half-divine-tier ones, and it will still grant you corresponding power. However, remember three key points: First, saints cannot withstand the power of rulers, and rulers themselves cannot endure half-divine strength. If you exchange across levels, the result will be a return to the spiritual realm. Second, only the holder of the ticket can perform the exchange. I heard Bill sold you that cause-and-effect-type item? I want to emphasize that you cannot have the shadow corpse use your exchange ticket instead. Third, the exchange ticket has its own will—it selects what it desires from you, rather than what you specify. You can either agree or decline. Can't have the shadow corpse use the ticket instead? Then the only thing capable of countering a cause-and-effect-type item must be a higher-tier cause-and-effect-type item. Zhang Yuanqing runs his fingers over the paper ticket, subtly sensing the depth of the Universal Merchant House's standing." Using materials and props to gain power is indeed very suitable for merchants. Hmm, it also fits well with Fu Qingyang's situation—someone from a well-established family. For ordinary travelers without savings, however, this exchange voucher holds little value. Yet I do have a substantial amount of master-tier materials, as well as material credits worth several hundred million. In critical moments, exchanging materials from the Saint stage to gain power proves to be a solid means of survival. Even if I face the divine generals of the Army of the Primordial Sovereigns, I won't be afraid. Should a Sovereign-level being intend to eliminate me, I still have a fallback plan to go down with them. Zhang Yuanqing now realizes the true value of this voucher—it's a treasure that can awaken a person's inner cosmic potential. These days, aside from the destined protagonists, most ordinary people can only rage helplessly, lacking even the right to fight desperately. In the world of the Spirit Realm travelers, while grade disparities might be closed through external efforts, stage gaps remain insurmountable. Though his Yuanshǐ Tianzun is adorned with countless treasures, when faced with a Sovereign, he can be effortlessly crushed with a single finger—earning merely a remark of "truly a troublesome little bug." Yet this exchange voucher can elevate that evaluation to "Damn, a complete loss," and even achieve a one-for-one match at its peak. Its greatest value lies in the fact that, upon ascending to Sovereign status, he can leverage his investment to challenge the very peak Sovereigns—perhaps even once. Should he reach the rank of Half-Deity, he could face three such champions. The higher the rank, the greater the value of the voucher. Quite impressive indeed, Zhang Yuanqing thought with growing delight. Then he inquired about the second purpose of this meeting: "I heard from Fu Elder that you once used precisely this exchange voucher to defeat three Half-Deities?" "The smile on the Chairman's lips faded instantly, and he sighed, saying, 'Never mind this matter—my half a lifetime of savings have vanished, and since then I've lived a simple life of steamed buns with scallions. It took me many years to regain my wealth." Zhang Yuanqing nodded: "Yes, exactly those four shrimp and crab attendants. Have you had much interaction with them?" "Not really..." The chairman once again drifted into memory: "The two luminous sun deities are musicians and night wanderers—both at the peak of their mastery. As for the shadow pair, one is a night wanderer, the other I'm not entirely clear on. At the time, there were so many half-gods and masters vying for the fragments that I didn't pay much attention." "Did they secure any of the compass fragments?" Zhang Yuanqing asked promptly. "Yes! In fact, they secured the most crucial one." The chairman replied. "I remember now—they were accompanying the veteran general of the White Tiger army. Because of that central fragment, the general became a target of attack and fell in battle. That central fragment was then taken by the Xiao Yao organization." The information is quite dense—let me organize it carefully... Zhang Yuanqing remained silent, quietly reflecting. Among the Shadow Twin, there is a Night Wandering Spirit—quite fitting for the title—and capable of competing for the compass, surely of high rank. Such a figure is actually quite easy to identify. Yet how could the other one be unfamiliar even with the Head of the Half-God Council? The Head certainly wouldn't pay much attention to the "supporting figures," but this does indicate that the other Shadow Twin possesses unique means of concealment. According to Zhang Yuanqing's knowledge, among the major native professions, those skilled in concealment and appearing and vanishing at will are precisely the Illusionists. Not quite—The Soothing Organization is dedicated to safeguarding the world; how could it possibly be associated with evil professions? Since he was asked by Fu Qingyang, he hesitated only briefly, for prolonged reflection might reveal his familiarity with the Soothing Organization. Thus, he suppressed the surging thoughts and shifted the conversation to the exchange tickets. "Head, how is the exchange carried out? It seems uninterested in what I currently possess." The Head smiled, "That is because it hasn't yet become yours." Zhang Yuanqing understood. He added the "stamp" to the inventory and then retrieved it, holding it between his fingers. The very next moment, the stamp popped up a dialogue box: 【Exchange item: Fragments of the Lunar Origin.】 【Confirm?】 Zhang Yunqing stared at the dialogue box, his mind reduced to a single word: Wow!! He was genuinely startled by this exchange voucher. It was like encountering a beggar on the road who suddenly says to you: "I know you. Your father is Zhang Zizhen, the Celestial Master of the Spiritual Realm, one of the Twin Suns of the Xiao Yao Organization. Your spiritual ID is the Primordial Supreme Sovereign, and though you appear as a member of the Five Elements Alliance, you're actually a descendant of the Demon King lineage." Exactly that kind of shock.