The old dog elder looked as if he had just peed himself—this was truly the legendary "staring blankly, motionless"? Watching the reaction of the shaggy terrier on screen, Zhang Yuanqing nearly couldn’t hold back a subtle upward curve of his lips. Previously, he had used the "Great Detective’s Pipe" from the White Tiger Guard warehouse to conduct a behavioral profile on Zhang Zizhen, and thus understood that his father—a reserved, somewhat overly earnest, and earnestly dramatic man—lacked particularly strong personal charisma, falling far short of the charm of the renowned "Wu Long and Feng Chui" figures he had known. Yet such a personality was highly transferable. So, Zhang Yuanqing smiled gently, his voice slightly hoarse, saying, "Long time no see, old friend—surprised to see you?" He had a subtle intention in saying this, observing carefully how the old dog elder would respond. On the other side of the screen, the old dog elder remained motionless for a long time, then cautiously approached, bringing his head close to the screen, his black button-like eyes reflecting the glowing blue light. He gazed deeply into the image of his long-lost friend, "You're not "It wasn't just a feeling—I sensed that the Dog Elder's voice had suddenly grown more weathered. His voice, now deep and worn, said, 'Zhang Tian Shi has returned to the Spiritual Realm. I've personally confirmed this. So, who exactly are you? Why have you been pretending to be him and calling me?' Zhang Yuanqing had anticipated this, but seeing the Dog Elder's reaction, he was still momentarily stunned. In his memory, the Dog Elder had always been gentle and relaxed—a very interesting dog, no, a very interesting elder. He had never seen him so furious. The Dog Elder and my father—hadn't they once shared a story? As he thought, he sighed, "I know you don't believe me. I'm truly sorry—I've kept this secret for so long. I'd like to invite you to meet me at the top floor of the Baiyin Tower in the Meat Rice Market..." Before the other could finish speaking, the Dog Elder had already raised his paw and pressed the hang-up button, speaking calmly, "I have no interest." Zhang Yuanqing remained completely composed, a faint smile playing at the corner of his mouth. "All these years have passed. Have you truly taken full control of the zoo I gifted you?" The Dog Elder's paw suddenly went rigid, and his gaze instantly deepened. Such a masterful presence wasn't easy to deceive—thankfully, I've always held solid evidence. I wasn't afraid of being unimpressed. Zhang Yuanqing spoke gently, at a steady pace: "You know my true name. The true name of a Lingjing cultivator is revealed only to the closest of friends." Pausing, he slowly added: "Zhang Zi-zhen!" The very next moment, Zhang Yuanqing saw the Dog Elder's pupils dilate, the entire being—no, the whole dog—stunned into stillness. Yet Zhang Yuanqing didn't pause to give him time to recover. He continued to unleash a series of powerful revelations: "By the way, the first to return to the Lingjing realm after the fall of the Chu family was Ling Tu. After that, the XIAO family dissolved. I had to feign death to escape. You must know this, right?" "You..." The Dog Elder's expression had completely transformed—shocked and doubtful. It fixed its gaze on Zhang Zi-zhen on the screen, suppressing its mounting urgency, and cautiously asked: "You've been living abroad for so long. Then, why have you suddenly returned to your homeland?" Zhang Yuanqing replied fluently, with a warm smile. "The prophecy of the Bright Compass is about to come true—the world is on the brink of a great transformation. I've been waiting for this moment, which is why I've come." "Old friend, I've been waiting for you at the Silver Tower Building. There's something important we need to discuss." With that, he hung up the phone without waiting for the Dog Elder's reaction. The Dog Elder might not be certain that Zhang Zi on the other end is truly himself, but he certainly will come to the Meat Rice Market—to seek one answer. Nothing could spark curiosity like the unexpected resurrection of a long-deceased friend, just as he once anxiously set out to Jiangnan Province when he learned of Bingge's disappearance. "I should have worn the Wind-Bringer gloves all along..." Zhang Yuanqing murmured, raising his hand to rest on his face. As ripples of light spread across his features, he transformed into an ordinary passerby, pushed open the door of the rooftop, and vanished into the dim corridor. "You won't die. Don't be so fragile—you're just lazy," the dog elder said, staring at the camphor tree with displeasure. "If you don't agree, I'll assign the task of sealing the magical eye to your neighbor, the old fig tree. He's been waiting for you ever since your spouse passed away." The Dog Elder paid no attention, lifted his head, and gazed into the deep sky, speaking softly: "I'm going out for a while. Anyone who enters the zoo during this time will be considered an enemy." The night was still and quiet, with only the faint rustling of the camphor tree's roots moving beneath the surface. The Dog Elder repeated his words. Finally, a patient response emerged from the void: "Understood..." The Dog Elder had long grown accustomed to the zoo's indifference—much like a steady-spoken spouse who still holds onto memories of a long-dead former boyfriend; the steady spouse, though helpless, could only sigh in resignation. He transformed into a streak of green light, leaping from plant to plant, and soon departed the zoo. This green streak, using the street-side vegetation as stepping stones, flashed several times and then vanished hundreds of meters away, swiftly receding. ... Outside the zoo, beneath the soft yellow glow of the streetlights. Zhang Yuanqing, wearing a silver mask, stepped out of his night walk, revealed himself, and took out his phone, dialing the number: "The Dog Elder has left." Hang up the phone. A few minutes later, a crimson silk woven from red threads arced gracefully across the night sky, landing beside him. The silk burst with a soft "pop," transforming into a graceful lady dressed in a red gown that shimmered like flame. "You know the rules of the Zoo," Zhang Yuanqing said to Zi Sha Gongzhǔ, "the Mage's Eyes are imprisoned in the Lion's Garden, where there is a white lion that appears only at night. It serves as the guard of the Mage's Eyes. Gongzhǔ, you will be responsible for confronting it." Zi Sha Gongzhǔ nodded gently, smiling. "Are you truly going to release the Mage's Eyes? Should this come to light, the Five-Element Alliance will have no place for you." "I've studied the stars," Zhang Yuanqing said, appealing to his noble sister, "if I don't save the Mage's Eyes, I will surely face a great calamity. But if I succeed in rescuing them, I will gain great fortune." He used this moment to plead his case. "You know how entangled my karmic obligations are—there may come a time when I simply cannot cross a certain threshold. Therefore, I "Well, the 996 blessing isn't quite there..." said the Master of the Halt-Killing Palace calmly. "This is your fate. We don't have much time—let's go in." The red skirt swayed, then transformed into a red silk ribbon, flowing with the wind, darting into the distant zoo. "Crack!" Zhang Yuanqing snapped his fingers, and the scene dissolved into a dreamlike constellation of starlight. So Zhang Yuanqing deliberately avoided sensitive terms. The Master of the Halt-the-Death Palace walked beside him, her skirt brushing the ground, saying, "This should also be part of the rules—by night, it will revive." It was clear that the eccentric one also understood, using "it" as a reference. Zhang Yuanqing nodded, then leaned closer to the Master, speaking softly, "Do you know that this garden is my father's legacy? My father and the Dog Elder were close friends." The Master of the Halt-the-Death Palace was surprised, "Really?" "When I first came here, the artifact spirit mistook me for him," Zhang Yuanqing explained. As for this visit, he didn't mind being recognized by the artifact spirit, since he had activated the power of the fragments of the Taiyin Source to mask his soul's presence. The Master of the Halt-the-Death Palace tilted her head, pondering for a moment, then shook her head slightly, "I'm not quite sure—I don't recall my father having any particular items displayed for children. Who would do that without reason?" Zhang Yuanqing nodded in full agreement, "Indeed!" While speaking, he silently communicated with Yi Chuan Mei, " "Yichuan Mei's voice echoed in her heart: 'Master, I cannot perceive the changes in the Master's emotions.' A useless person—what good are you? The two hurried forward and encountered a small rabbit and a staff member wearing a blue uniform. The fluffy rabbit persisted in following them all the way, only to finally hop into the green belt in frustration when the two travelers failed to notice it. The staff member, after a polite refusal from Zhang Yuanqing, then stopped coming along. Soon, under Zhang Yuanqing's guidance, they arrived at the zoo. The sight took Zhang Yuanqing by surprise. The small pavilion where the Mage's Eye had been confined had its roof torn off, and mud patches lay scattered along the path outside, with footprints of a disordered, unidentifiable animal nature. Most importantly, the camphor tree that had sealed the Mage's Eye was gone. "It has been moved." "The Master of the Stop-Killing Palace crouched by the roadside, tapping the mud with her finger, 'It's fresh—just recently transferred. We followed the strange footprints; once we go that way, we should be able to find the Eye of the Mage.' Since the Marshal wasn't here and she herself had to go out, had the Elder Dog moved the Eye? Hmph—she underestimated him. Zhang Yuanqing felt a weight settle in his chest, an unexpected restlessness. Even the most skilled star official couldn't foresee every detail. He silently made a mental summary, pushing down his irritation, and said, 'We'll have to go anyway.' Suddenly turning, he looked toward the Lion Garden. There, the large stone in the garden was empty—where the white lion used to be, it was now gone. Had it followed the Eye? He mused to himself. Following the disordered footprints, they wandered on, and after ten minutes, stopped at a junction. At the intersection stood two signs—one pointing left, labeled 'Employee Rest Room,' and the other pointing right, labeled 'Do Not Proceed.'" Below the "Do Not Proceed" text, a smaller note reads: "When you see this sign, it indicates nighttime. Please do not enter the core area of the zoo during nighttime. Upon seeing this sign, return immediately along the same path, or go to the staff lounge and seek assistance from staff." Zhang Yuanqing stared at his sister-in-law, his expression stiff. "What exactly are the rules for entering the core area of the zoo?" The Master of Stopping the Killing calmly replied, "Do you think I'd know?" "Damn," he exclaimed, "what now?" "Don't use coarse language—these are master-level rule-based items. Think of it as an S-tier quest experience. It's quite interesting." "Interesting? Pfft. It'll kill you." Zhang Yuanqing sighed and said, "Which path should we take? Let me check my facial expression." The Master of Stopping the Killing raised her hand and touched the silver mask. "Look at yourself." Immediately, Zhang Yuanqing stepped into the night, removed his mask, took out his ghost mirror, faced the path marked "Do Not Proceed," and opened his star eyes. The ghostly mirror reflected his face, its features shrouded in bloodlight. Gasp—there might be life-threatening danger... Zhang Yuanqing turned toward the "employee lounge" direction and focused his gaze. The bloodlight still enveloped him. No matter which path he took, it was all a death sentence.