Zhongyuan, Kaifeng Prefecture. A middle-aged man, dressed in autumn-weather attire and wearing a baseball cap, purchases tickets at the scenic spot's ticket counter and then passes through the grand city gates, entering this ancient city steeped in historical ambiance. In Kaifeng, there is an old saying: "Kaifeng City, layered upon layered—several cities lie buried beneath the ground." Due to the silt accumulation of the mother river of the nation, the riverbed downstream has risen, and in many areas, the riverbed is even higher than the city itself. Whenever the river floods, silt and water submerge the entire city. As generations rebuild cities on the ruins, the phenomenon of layered cities emerges. The ancient cities have long been buried deep beneath the earth, becoming part of the city's long historical narrative. Today's Kaifeng, however, is a modern reconstruction and does not possess much of the historical atmosphere. Under bright sunlight and a gentle breeze, the middle-aged man strolls through the unfamiliar ancient city, eventually stopping by a quiet pond surrounded by willow trees and a covered bridge. "How do you feel now, revisiting this place?" A figure emerged from the water, its body composed of flowing currents, its face blurred, and its lower torso submerged beneath the surface. Few visitors passed by, scattered and indifferent, as though they had not seen the figure at all. A middle-aged man wearing a baseball cap gazed intently at the figure in the pool, his eyes blazing with wild fervor, and remarked, "Had the imperial court supported me in perfecting my divine arts back then, I could have extended my life by two hundred years. Under those circumstances, I would have been invincible throughout the realm—how could mere northern barbarians dare to disturb the heart of the Central Plains? The fall of the Song Dynasty would have been a great relief." "Having said that, he fixed upon the figure in the pool a gaze filled with quiet madness: "Why have you helped me, the Night Rose?" The figure in the water smiled: "Because you possess great potential. You are not bound by moral values—you can act freely and boldly in the real world. That is something we deeply admire." "I have no interest in destroying the world," said the Master of Pure Yang coldly. "Speak the truth!" The figure in the water shrugged: "That is my truth. If I weren't constrained by moral values, I could easily exhaust that entire official contingent of spiritual realm travelers." "Of course, perhaps the Grand Protector has another, deeper intention. You are also a night-wanderer deity. You know, deities are often overly cautious—always looking ahead ten steps while taking just one. Outsiders rarely grasp their true intentions." The Master of Pure Yang paused, then asked: "What is it you wish to discuss with me?" He didn't care about the Night Rose's motives—what mattered most was whether she could genuinely assist him in restoring his cultivation. "The Taiyimen and the Wuxing Alliance may soon take action. As for your fate, the Grand Protector still cannot fully grasp it, since the enemy is the Red缨 Elder, who is also protected by the Taiyin." The figure in the water spoke slowly. "When extraordinary powers cancel each other out, it comes down to strategy and cunning—and that is precisely where you excel." The Pure Yang Master scoffed, "They're currently being completely outmaneuvered by me." "The Grand Protector also mentioned that, in the near future, you might be needed," the figure in the water said, speaking in an unusual tone. "The Leader observed celestial patterns and informed the Grand Protector that someone is keeping a close watch on the Leader." "Is it the one from Taiyimen?" "No—it's not him. If it were him, we wouldn't need to worry at all; how could a mere insect intervene in the clash between immortals? But the Leader has only sensed fluctuations in his own destiny, not clearly seeing the opponent." The Pure Yang Master said, "If the circumstances allow, I will step in." Pausing slightly, he added: "That young lady from Taiyuan Gate has a solid, pure flow of energy—she truly impresses me. If the Night Rose helps me consume her, I will repay you." "Yin Ji... Hmm. If the Demon King is still alive, I'd advise you not to touch her." The half-bodied figure formed by the flowing water smiled. "By the way, there's one more matter—I'd like you to avoid killing the southern sect's illusionists in the near future. You may tolerate killing extraordinary illusionists, but the saints are pillars of strength within each organization. Should you continue, the southern sect might very well ally with Taiyuan Gate." The Pure Yang Master's eyes flashed with growing intensity, speaking coldly, "Are you teaching me how to conduct myself?" "This is a piece of advice! Well, you're clearly a madman—unwilling to listen." With that, he collapsed into a cascade of water and sank into the pool. ... Fu Family Village. A spacious and opulent study room. Fu Qingyang sat behind his desk, gazing at the smartphone before him. With the hands-free speaker activated, a sharp woman's voice poured out: "Fu Qingyang, is this how you've been taking care of Guan Ya? When did she start dating someone, and why haven't you told me? The marriage alliance was decided by the clan elders—do you intend to defy them too? You'd better not defy the elders. Without Fu family support, you'll never make it to the headquarters of the Five Elements Alliance." To hear someone now say "It has nothing to do with me" is truly shameful. The next round of scolding followed one after another, but before he'd finished a few sentences, Fu Qingyang coldly interrupted: "That's enough. You're my aunt, so I can tolerate you for ten minutes—only ten." The call time precisely reached 10:00 when he said this. On the other end, there was a brief pause—she indeed respected this nephew deeply; not only did she, but the elders of the clan also held him in high regard. Yet compared to their respect, the elders were more eager to see his growth. That's how they were—pragmatic and reserved. As long as you demonstrated sufficient ability and talent, they wouldn't mind even if you casually tossed your knife in front of them or even sat on their heads defecating and urinating. They'd simply smile and say, "Excellent!" The elders were grounded and unemotional, adhering strictly to the rule of the strong prevailing over the weak. As long as Fu Qingyang didn't rebel, the elders would tolerate him endlessly. This very tolerance, however, only allowed Fu Qingyang to grow more unruly, while the senior family After a few seconds, the woman gritted her teeth and said, "Who is her boyfriend?" If Guan Ya's boyfriend were just an ordinary person, that would be fine—he could easily be dismissed. But if he were a Lingjing Traveler, then it would depend on his status. Different statuses required different approaches. She wouldn't hold much regard for regular servants or offspring from Lingjing noble families, and making them part of a broken couple wouldn't be difficult. What she feared most was if Guan Ya had married an older man of considerable influence and power. For the Fu family, the marriages of their top-tier descendants were carefully planned, involving strategic considerations for the family's long-term development and direction. It wasn't enough simply to find someone powerful. For instance, if the Fu family aimed to enter the internet industry, they would marry into a leading company in that sector—marrying someone like a Shanxi coal magnate would be out of the question. Fu Qingyang said, "The Primordial Heavenly Sovereign!" As soon as those four words were spoken, silence settled on the other end of the phone. Fu Qingyang picked up his phone and hung up. He turned toward the desk, stretching his neck and listening intently to the two chatting at the table, then said coldly, "Did you hear it all?" Zhang Yuanqing and Ling Jun pulled back their heads. The former sighed, "My mother-in-law is truly formidable—I've already been thinking of flying over there to fight her." He had just returned from Jinshan City, where he had hoped to find a girlfriend and share all his insights. But on the way, he was unexpectedly summoned by Fu Qingyang, who informed him that the list from Qin Feng College had been finalized. So he took a detour to come here, just in time to hear this scene. He didn't particularly like Guan Ya's mother's voice—it wasn't unattractive, but it was overly assertive, with a tone very similar to Chen Shu's, carrying a subtle sense of unyielding self-assurance. The only difference was that, although Chen Shu was an inadequate mother, she remained genuinely caring toward her son, even if not consistently so. Ling Jun shook her head, "That won't do. With your current level, going to the Fu family would be like walking straight into a trap." Guan Ya's mother is just that kind of woman—a long-standing, quality-driven grumbler with a twenty-year track record—though she's actually quite attractive. "Of course she is," Zhang Yuanqing knew well the appearance of his mother-in-law. Fu Qingyang drew a brief breath, "Though I don't particularly like this aunt, isn't it a bit impolite of you two to praise and critique her so much in front of me?" Zhang Yuanqing quickly replied, "Big brother, will she find any trouble with me?" "Definitely!" Fu Qingyang stood up, moving toward the wine cabinet as he spoke. "You can think of the Milner family's marriage alliance as a project worth hundreds of billions of Federation currency. The project's managers are Guan Ya's parents, and the investors are the Fu family and the Milner family. Once this deal is closed, they'll receive substantial commissions." He opened the wine bottle, poured a small glass, took a sip, and turned to Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn. "Now that you've blown it, won't you be coming after me?" "Lingjun nodded firmly, adding in agreement: "Guan Ya has indeed been ruined by you, and besides your so-called potential, you have nothing—no network, no assets. How could her parents agree to that?" Fu Qingyang glanced at him coldly, then turned to Zhang Yuanqing: "Her official status provides a solid protective umbrella. At most, she can leverage her existing influence within the rules to pressure you and then negotiate with you. She won't easily choose to have you assassinated." Assassination... Zhang Yuanqing furrowed his brows. For ordinary people, it was unheard of—when an in-laws' mother was dissatisfied with her son-in-law and arranged for a murder, it would be a major departure from the norm. But within large families, such events were commonplace. Once significant interests or power dynamics were at stake, ethics and morality often became mere formalities—this has always been the case throughout history. "What if she decides to assassinate me?" Zhang Yuanqing asked. Fu Qingyang replied calmly: "Assassinating an official? That's a capital offense!" Zhang Yuanqing knew this was the attitude of the young gentleman from the money family. He felt at ease immediately. Fu Qingyang walked back to his desk, took out a file folder, and handed it over. "All training rosters since the founding of Qin Feng Academy are kept here." Zhang Yuanqing's heart surged with excitement. ... Afternoon, Wuhen Hotel. The plump young man parked his e-bike, returned to the hotel, greeted the small round clerk at the front desk, and hurried toward the interior. "What's going on?" the clerk asked, her tone calm and matter-of-fact, her eyes fixed on the hotel entrance. She was always cold and reserved, rarely smiling—her cool elegance reminiscent of plum blossoms in the dead of winter. "I just met the Yuan Shi Tian Zun," the plump young man said, pausing. "The Taiyuan Sect seems to want to collaborate with the Southern School. He's the driving force behind this initiative, and I've reported it to the Grand Elder." The clerk furrowed her delicate brows. "Has he come to Jinshan City?" "Yes! He's already returned to Songhai." "Having said that, the plump young man, a master of illusion magic, sensed a strong displeasure rising within Xiao Yuan and then smoothed it out. Han Mei appeared even more poised and cool, offering only a cold "Ah." It turned out that the elder's concern was well-founded—Xiao Yuan, the young man, had observed that the old woman, Xiao Yuan, harbored a subtle affection for Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn. He was deeply worried that she might be taken away by Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn. At that moment, the plump young man thought to himself, "Heaven may decide to rain, and the mother must marry—how can you stop it?" Though he never dared to say this aloud, for it would surely be hammered down by the enchanted creature (the Fire Master) who would be right beside him. As a master of illusion magic, in his eyes, Cuo Beiyue's emotions were like an unsecured local network—accessible at will. But Xiao Yuan's emotions were deeply reserved, and without actively deploying her skills, they were difficult to detect. Previously, he had been skeptical of the elder's claims; now, he believed them fully. Before Xiao Yuan could cast her cold gaze upon He removed a sleek, black helmet, walked toward the bed, donned it, and lay down. His consciousness passed through a shimmering, hazy void, and materialized in a grand hall of dreams. Sixteen sturdy stone pillars supported the vaulted ceiling, with a crimson carpet stretching from the entrance to a golden throne at the far end. On the throne sat a figure six meters tall, draped in a cloak, within which a swirling, pulsating dark light shimmered. "May I have the honor of addressing the Senior Elder!" The plump young man bowed low, saying, "I have news from your task. The Prime Sovereign just sought me out."