Zhang Yuan opened the post titled "Yuan Shi Tian Zun Shouts Out in Anger at the Headquarters," posted by a user identified as "Ten Faces Hidden in Battle." The user transformed the proceedings in the courtroom into written text, delivering a detailed and lengthy account. Then, with emotionally charged language, he exclaimed: "Yuan Shi Tian Zun claims to have a backbone of rebellion within himself, but what I see is steel-like resolve. Facing injustice and entrenched power, he dares to loudly declare, 'I won't accept it!' I simply cannot match that. This, perhaps, is the gap between me and the outstanding figures of the organization. After the trial, I reflected deeply, and his resolute declaration kept echoing in my mind—repeatedly. We are the Orderly Faction, the official body, the guardians of social stability. We should be just, radiant, and deeply committed to our beliefs. Yet the actions of the Headquarters have left me cold. Imagine: if Yuan Shi Tian Zun were the son of the Alliance's leader, would Cai Elder have dared to treat him this way?" "Met with so many contributions from Yuan Shishen to the official body, his achievements are truly outstanding—yet how is it that he still falls short of even a timid second-generation disciple? This situation has deeply stirred my sense of injustice and despair, especially as someone from the grassroots. I no longer feel comfortable remaining silent. Thus, I've published the proceedings of the tribunal on the forum. Though I may be stripped of my title, I now face no fear." Started off criticizing the headquarters in the comments, delivering sharp, impassioned remarks that in ancient times would have warranted execution. [The Princess: This is undoubtedly the biggest scandal the officialdom has faced in recent years. The treatment of Yuan Shi Tian Zun is deeply distressing—how does the headquarters treat its loyal supporters? I hope the Grand Marshal will follow through.] Such outspoken, rebellious comments are numerous. The comments from the Saints are much more measured, with higher-ranking figures being especially cautious in their expressions. Yet the majority of them support Yuan Shi Tian Zun—whether out of mere conformity or genuine conviction. Zhang Yuanqing eagerly scrolled through the comments until, on one occasion, when he flipped a page, the screen displayed: "Post not found!" The post had been deleted. He returned to the homepage and refreshed—only to find that the posts he had just read had all been removed. "Everything's gone," he exhaled. Fu Qingyang lounged with one leg crossed, speaking calmly: "The momentum has already been set. No matter how many times we delete them, new posts will keep emerging." "I don't have many hired troops. These people are willing to take on assignments—not just because of the money. The modest compensation isn't enough to make them question the headquarters in a real-name forum. They're actually supporting you. There are still many mid-to-low-level official practitioners who stand firmly on principles and justice. Cai Elder has damaged the headquarters' image of you to its very core, and you've done the same to the official practitioners' perception of him. Under the weight of institutional power, these criticisms and doubts can only be buried in their hearts or expressed as quiet, private grievances. But should a new Supreme Sovereign emerge to challenge Cai Elder, you'll soon realize that he has lost the support and trust of the grassroots members. Fu Qingyang set down his high-footed cup and reminded, "Recently, don't sell any Qin Dynasty antiques anymore. Master Miao suspects you've entered the hidden realm within Qin Feng Academy. This time, he's stepped in to save you, on the condition that you return the rewards from the realm." "What has he discovered?" Zhang Yuanqing felt his heart sink. Fu Qingyang shook his head slightly. "No investigation is needed, nor any proof. For those in power, evidence is merely an afterthought—something to explain to the public or to appear diligent. He simply believes you are the most likely among the academy's students to have entered the hidden realm. That's sufficient." "I didn't agree to his condition, and he changed it—now he wants me to marry Ting'er." "He's aiming to strengthen his ties through marriage," Zhang Yuanqing instantly grasped Master Miao's strategy. Rather than merely reclaiming the treasures from the hidden quest, marrying Fu Qingyang proves more advantageous. By uniting with this promising young master, he effectively secures both the items and the backing of the Fu family. Ah, the big guys always see only interests and calculations... Zhang Yuanqing murmured to himself, worriedly saying, "Then, will he force me to hand over the props? After all, the most precious treasures I've already dedicated to you, elder." "So he can't even think about it," Fu Qingyang coldly declared, then added, "Master Jiang recently pressed the ten elders. At this crucial moment, if he now targets you again, it would be a direct challenge to the Grand Master—no one dares to challenge a half-divine fire master. Moreover, Master Miao's stance leans more toward marriage alliances. He won't pressure you to give up your treasures. In fact, he's likely to propose that you become his son-in-law." With that, the young gentleman turned to his subordinate, with a look of "I truly understand you," and said, "I know you won't agree to the marriage proposal. When that happens, I'll step in and defend your position." In Zhang Yuanqing's mind, Miao Teng'er's graceful and exquisite appearance flashed—her pure, alluring charm, her dewy eyes like those of a deer in the forest. Big brother, you're so good at almost everything—except you're just too decisive. Zhang Yuan, suddenly noticing Fu Qingyang studying him, quickly interjected, "I absolutely won't agree to a marriage alliance. I'll only love Guan Ya, my sister, for the rest of my life." "Why did you lower your head while speaking?" "Because your flawless, radiant appearance made me feel utterly inadequate." At that moment, Fu Qingyang's phone rang. The assistant sitting in the front row turned and handed him the phone. "Sir, it's your aunt." My mother-in-law's phone? Zhang Yuan glanced at the caller display—sure enough, it was "Fu Xue." ... Hangzhou Branch Office. In an office with floor-to-ceiling windows, the elder Hong Ying, with a gentle and kind expression, held a porcelain cup so thin it seemed as delicate as a butterfly's wing, listening intently as Elder Gao Feng recounted the proceedings of the trial. When he finished, the elder Hong Ying, now in her fifties yet still radiating grace, smiled and said, "She can be killed—she must never bow." "It truly is admirable. When we were young, we were just as bold and confident, convinced the world was ours." She sipped her fragrant tea, sighed, and said, "Unfortunately, by the time we rose to become masters and truly held the reins of power, we were no longer young. That youthful confidence and sharpness had long since been worn down." Yet Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun's astonishing pace of advancement allowed him to retain the youthful spirit of defiance and resilience even as he entered the ranks of elite spiritual travelers. She set down her cup, momentarily lost in thought, and remarked, "This reminds me of Ling Tu, the door master's most outstanding son. Though still young, he has already ascended to the peak of mastery. He always carries a refreshing energy that inspires admiration—his dream is to save the world and become a hero who benefits humanity. "It's quite amusing, yet deeply admirable." "Ling Tu?" Elder Gao expressed regret. "When will such a figure return to the spiritual realm?" Master Gao Feng, who became a Spirit Realm traveler less than fifteen years ago, has never met Ling Tuo, who returned to the Spirit Realm two decades ago. However, there are only a few peak masters at Taiyuan Sect, and none of them are descendants of the Sect's head. The only possibility, therefore, is that they have returned to the Spirit Realm. Elder Hong Ying raised her cup to drink tea, without directly answering Master Gao's question. Since Master Gao had only casually asked it without pressing for deeper insight, he lowered his gaze to the tea tray and said, "Jiang Master said we are like trained dogs—by doing so, he is criticizing both the ten senior leaders at headquarters and us. I remember that in the past, the departmental elders often listened to instructions rather than to declarations, showing their own initiative and independence. Now, however, everyone hesitates to act, afraid of making mistakes and being held accountable by headquarters. Gradually, the entire Wuxing Alliance has lost its vitality. I've thought deeply about this for a long time, and suddenly realized that over the years, I've spent more time understanding the intentions of the upper echelons, while the time I've spent hunting down evil professions “The things Yuan Shishen said on the judgment bench left me deeply humbled—I’m sure many of the elders felt the same way. ‘He might bring about a transformative change for the Five Elements Alliance. I’m truly looking forward to it,’ I said. Yet, Red Ying Elder chuckled, ‘If only I hadn’t been so foolish, such talent would have belonged to my own sect.’ "Master Yuan Shi Zhen has been doing things one after another that are getting bigger and bigger—now he's openly challenging the headquarters in the Tribunal. Honestly, how many people would dare to do that? It's no surprise that the grassroots members of the Five Elements Alliance see him as a role model." "From now on, I'll never darken his reputation again. In fact, I'm genuinely looking forward to him being one of our Taimei Sect's own." Amid the lively discussions, Yuan Ting spoke up once more: "Anyone who wants to know the detailed account of the Five Elements Crisis—please message me privately. I personally asked Master Yuan Shi Zhen, and it was absolutely brilliant. After you've read it, you'll understand just how awful Cai Long Shen has been." "I want it! I want it!" "@Yuan Ting, the go-to person for everything—just share it directly in the group chat." ... In the capital. In the conference room, Cai Shui Shi scanned seriously across the thirteen colleagues seated at the table. Cai's children number over twenty, with half being spiritual travelers and the other half ordinary people. Ordinary descendants manage the assets of the Five Elements Alliance, while spiritual travelers' descendants enter official institutions and hold key positions. To ensure the family's prosperity, senior members must have numerous offspring—population growth is essential. I had hoped to seize the Sacred Heaven Set from Yuan Shi Tian Zun during this confrontation, but it turned out that my efforts ended in failure. "Understood, brother," the middle-aged man replied, then added, "Has Father given any instructions on how to proceed against Yuan Shi Tian Zun?" Cai Shui Shi shook his head: "Father hasn't specified anything—let's wait until the storm passes." Another young woman asked: "What about Fu Qingyang? Should we strike him first?" Everyone was sharp—by now, they had realized that with Jiang's sudden appearance at the Court of Judgment and his intervention in the proceedings, Fu Qingyang must surely be playing a key behind-the-scenes role. Cai Shui Shi pondered: "Fu Qingyang has already established his influence, and the Fu family's power is vast. It would be unwise to launch an attack now—actively confronting such a strong opponent would only bring setbacks. We should instead remain patient, and first consolidate public opinion. “… I’ve gone through the posts on the forum,” came Fuxue’s mature, alluring voice over the phone. “Yuanshi Tianzun delivered a passionate speech, sharply criticizing the headquarters; the Grand Marshal personally stepped in, turning the tide… Fu Qingyang, don’t you two have a script conflict?” She spoke with a light, cheerful tone, as if she were in a good mood. Fu Qingyang gave a perfunctory “hmm.” Fuxue laughed softly and brightly. “I underestimated you both. Not only did you turn the crisis into an opportunity, but you’ve actually outmaneuvered Cai Qinhè. With Yuanshi’s current standing, even if he were to part ways with the headquarters, his future would still be secure.” The mother-in-law gently remarked, “Guanyá, this stubborn girl, has better vision than I ever did. I’m growing more and more impressed with Yuanshi Tianzun every day.” Zhang Yuancheng cracked his lips, thinking internally whether it would be awkward to speak now—would it make Fuxue feel uncomfortable? But upon reflection, he realized it wouldn’t. Fuxue is a classic yuri-type—dramatic He subtly expressed his dissatisfaction. "Honestly, such a cold-hearted young man—your aunt used to be so fond of you." Fu Xue remained unfazed, chuckling warmly. "Then give me Yuan Shiyi's phone number." Fu Qingyang glanced at Yuan Shiyi beside him. Zhang Yuanqing quickly shook his head. "First of all, you weren't that fond of me when I was young. Second, why didn't you ask Guan Ya?" Fu Qingyang said coldly. Fu Xue immediately snorted. "That girl's just gloomy and jealous—she's afraid I'll take her man away." Could she really say that casually? Indeed, she's a true 'yuri' type. Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself with quiet disdain. Fu Qingyang silently hung up the phone. After a long pause, he turned to his trusted subordinate and said, "I've just realized something—your stellar performance at the trial has surely drawn a growing number of female colleagues who admire you. It would be wise to remind Guan Ya to sign a contract with you." "What kind of contract?" Zhang Yuanqing's expression grew serious. "The contract that never allows for infidelity—I can provide the props." "Boss, it seems you still love your cousin more than anyone else." "What exactly gave you the impression that I'd lean toward you in this matter?" "...” … The protagonist's team chat group. [Xia Hou Ao Tian: Isn't the Prime Immortal just mistaken about the script? Did he even steal my script?] Xia Hou Ao Tian expressed his lingering disappointment in the group chat. [Sun Miao Miao: Hmph. You're just a mediocre martial arts practitioner, a scholar of the Five Elements. No matter whether the Prime Immortal has made a script error, the protagonist will never be yours—give up now.] [Xia Hou Ao Tian: Indeed, the most venomous are the women (feeling annoyed)] [Zhong Tian Gui: Too bad—my level wasn't high enough to attend the Tribunal.] [Zhao Chenghuang: Honestly, there's nothing to be sorry about. Attending the Tribunal doesn't guarantee a good outcome. You've seen the Prime Immortal's demeanor—only disappointment, both for him and for yourself.] Is Zhao Chenghuang really becoming more reserved than ever 【The world turns to fire: you're simply too deeply attached. Everyone has their own personality and style of action. I won't feel disappointed in myself simply because Yuan Shi Tian Zun has done something. Zhao Chenghuang, just be yourself and strive for excellence—every single person is a protagonist. @Xiahou Aotian, this also applies to you.】 【Xiahou Aotian: Though you're absolutely right, being educated by the Fire Master still feels odd to me.】 【Sun Miaomiao: Just think about how deeply he's humiliated the Fire Master, and you'll see why it feels strange.】