Zhang Yuanqing walked over to the girl in the red skirt, grasped her slender arm and pulled her aside. "Look at you! Such a fine washed Geisha coffee bean—what a waste of a good woman!" The Master of the Stop-Death Palace firmly held onto his arm, her eyes beneath the mask shimmering like ripples as she stared at him with urgency. "What have you learned? Speak quickly!" Zhang Yuanqing calmly broke free. "I'm a bit thirsty—could you make me a cup of coffee? Ah, by the way..." He gently pressed his fingers against the graceful, flowing contour of her jaw. "I don't like plain coffee. I prefer vanilla latte with seven sugars." Now it was his turn to take the lead. The Master of the Stop-Death Palace looked at him steadily, took a deep breath, and composed herself. "Hmm." "You should have said: 'Yes, Master.'" Zhang Yuanqing corrected. "Did I give you any leniency?" "Then shall I go?" "Please sit, Master." "Good girl!" The vanilla latte was quickly prepared. Zheng Shi, the Lady of Zheng Shi, carried the cup, swayed gracefully with her slender waist, and placed her full, rounded buttocks gently on Zhang Yuanqing’s thigh. Having adjusted her mindset, she smiled warmly and said, “Master, shall I feed you?” "Alright..." Zhang Yuanqing sipped at the sweet, rich coffee, not insisting that she return to her own seat, but moving straight to the point: "I've met the Master of Unseen Trails. He acknowledged his identity as one of the Shadow Twins, and shared with me the story of those days..." He then went on to recount in detail everything the master had told him. Can things returned to the Spiritual Realm be retrieved? Can a corporeal duplicate, devoid of consciousness, survive the perilous trials within a quest instance? The answer is no. "But having a lingering memory is a blessing," she sighed. "Do you know that my mother is carrying Zhang Zirui's duplicate?" Zhang Yuanqing changed the subject. The Lady Zheng, resting against him, shook her head. Indeed, if she had known that Chen Shu was carrying Zhang Zirui's duplicate, her reaction would have been far more dramatic back then... Chen Shu had not told her—she could understand that. Zhang Yuanqing tightened his arms, cradling the delicate, fragrant form in his embrace. Chen Shu is a woman of keen insight and strategy; she must also consider whether the Lady Zheng, who remains at the local stronghold, might unexpectedly fall, thereby exposing the secret of her husband's duplicate. This is her greatest secret. Zhang Yuanqing knew his mother so well—deeply thoughtful, distrustful of everyone, always keeping his cards close to his chest, outwardly cold, yet internally stubborn and passionate. At that moment, the Master of Zhishake suddenly said, "I have one concern." "What?" asked Zhang Yuanqing. The Master straightened up and looked at him. "If you were the leader of the Night Rose, and after Zhang Zizhen's death, you wanted to secure the fragments of the Bright Compass, what would you do?" Zhang Yuanqing paused for a few seconds before responding, "I would investigate thoroughly into Zhang Zizhen's family and friends—no one would be left out." "But Ling Tu is unaware of Zhang Zizhen's family background," said the Master. "Yet I am brothers with Zhang Zizhen, so I know his circle of friends. I will try to reach out to those close to him—such as, for instance..." Zhang Yuanqing paused, catching his breath, "the Dog Elder entrusted with the zoo." The Master gently took his hand and spoke softly, "Is there anything else?" The gentle warmth radiating from Yu Yi soothed the icy stillness in Zhang Yuanqing's heart; her voice, soft as a mother's whisper, calmed his emotions. Zhang Yuanqing took a deep breath. "Zhang Zi is truly a night-wanderer. If he has descendants and happens to become a spiritual realm traveler, he undoubtedly will be a night-wanderer. I will keep a close eye on this group." "Over the past fifteen years, have there been any particularly extraordinary night-wanderers?" "Yes—the Demon King..." "What became of the Demon King?" "..." Zhang Yuanqing could not speak; his face had turned pale. The story of the Demon King and the Ghost-Eye Judge's mutual demise carried deeper secrets, which Zhang Yuanqing had long known. At that time, the Demon King stood just one step away from the highest rank and possessed a divine artifact capable of countering the falling Holy Cup—how could he have perished alongside the Ghost-Eye Judge? Among those involved, Zhang Yuanqing knew of a mysterious figure who had invested in the Demon King. Now it came to him: the leader of the Night Rose likely played a role as well. So the immortal king died in a high-stakes match involving a half-divine participant? That did strike me as odd earlier—this immortal king was just one step short of the highest rank, a master of celestial observation with outstanding preparation and meticulous planning. How could he have died so suddenly? But if his opponent was the leader of the Night Rose, it makes perfect sense. That half-divine indeed specializes in the Moon. The immortal king likely fell victim to Ling Tu's strategic layout, though he wasn't the one Ling Tu was specifically targeting. After the immortal king, the most outstanding Night Wanderer is me. And I've been frequently visiting the Zoo, maintaining close ties with Master Wuhen's team. "Master Yuan Shi has been noticed—likely already embedded within the game," the Palace Master whispered gently. ...Zhang Yuanqing couldn't help but clasp the Palace Master tightly, as the world felt so cold, and only the warm presence of her body offered him comfort. "Don't worry." "The Master of the Stop-Killing Palace gently held his face, pressed her lips together, and said, 'Your energy exceeds your own expectations. At least you're not fighting alone—what you need to do now is strengthen your capabilities as quickly as possible.' But I'm not drinking Red Bull... Zhang Yuan quietly thought, finding joy in the simplicity. The Master of the Stop-Killing Palace smiled warmly, 'So, give up on women—break up with Guan Ya immediately. Women will only slow down your progress. If you're uncomfortable doing it yourself, I'll handle it with Guan Ya.' Goodness, here I've been waiting for you all this time... Zhang Yuan said with a scowl, 'I've no mood for small talk.' 'Then let's skip that—just hold me,' she softly requested. The café was brightly lit, the night sky outside deep and still, the floor-to-ceiling windows reflecting their embraced silhouettes—her red dress glowing like flame, graceful and serene. ... 'Master, I wish to confess—I'm a real piece of trash. I don't deserve Guan Ya.' On the rooftop of the compact villa the next morning, Zhang Yuan whispered into his phone. "Did you sleep with any woman?" Ling Jun's voice carried a lazy tone, as if he hadn't even gotten out of bed. "Not exactly. My ability to manage my subordinates remains strong," Zhang Yuanqing sighed, sincerely reflecting, "though I have indeed developed feelings for other women." "Which ones?" "Not one—two." "You young man!" Ling Jun drew a deep breath on the other end of the line, "Wait a moment—I'll get dressed. There's someone on the bed, and it's not convenient to talk." About three minutes later, Ling Jun's voice came through the speaker: "I'm in the bathroom, using sound-insulating props. Honestly, you're different from me—I'm a rogue, chasing the philosophy of 'not caring about long-term commitments,' as long as 'we've shared the moment.' The women I've been close to share this mindset, so I've always managed to glide through a crowd of women without touching any of them, never letting anyone down." "So you're just looking for short-term flings, then." "Boorish!" "Linjun shot him a look and continued, "Once you fall for any of the girls, you'll never let go. But you can't build an entire harem, can you? You're not even a half-god—what makes you think you can build one?" ——Currently, the only ones openly building harems and marrying multiple wives are the first-generation Spirit Realm travelers, the half-god-level figures. "Just stop talking and let me be clear," Zhang Yuanqing said. "A useless college student," Linjun scoffed, "just picking the one he loves most." "I love all of them," he insisted. "Loving all of them means loving none of them." "Hey, I called you here specifically to hear you complain!" "Then tell me—what do you love about them?" "Guan Ya has a lovely face and graceful figure. She possesses the refined tastes and broad horizons of a wealthy heiress, yet lacks the spoiled, princess-like attitude. Whenever I'm with her, I feel happy and at ease—no matter what I do, she always supports me." "That's a solid choice for a capable wife." "Xiao Yuan is a bit older, but she perfectly aligns with my ideal partner profile. Every time I see her, I feel a surge of attraction, and she has deep, sincere feelings for me." "A deep, sincere friendship—indeed, it's hard to overlook. And there's another one?" "The other one? Well, she keeps teasing me..." "Ah, Ling Jun," he mused, "from a biological standpoint, men being fickle is a natural trait. Passing on their genes has been an evolutionary instinct over thousands or even tens of thousands of years—just as women tend to seek out financially stable partners, essentially looking for providers to support themselves and their children. This too is an innate, genetically embedded trait in the process of reproduction and evolution. You shouldn't feel ashamed or guilty about it. Of course, something too practical and authentic may seem less beautiful—so we won't dwell on that..." He paused, then continued with confidence: "To address your issue, it's actually quite simple. I'd like to ask you: is your relationship with Guan Ya truly equal?" "Yes!" Zhang Yuanqing paused, ready to respond: "Of course, lovers should be equal." "If they are equal, then why do you want to build an harem?" Ling Jun asked. Zhang Yuanqing was taken aback. "Are the emperor and his consorts equal? Are the ancient gentry and their wives and concubines equal? It's precisely because they are unequal that multiple wives and concubines are maintained—those who provide support occupy the superior position, while those who depend on them are in the subordinate position. Ancient people adhered to this principle, granting the supporters a distinct status within the household. This principle still exists today, though it has evolved from an explicit rule into an unwritten one." Ling Jun explained. "Your future is boundless—your role as a ruler is just the beginning. One day, you might even challenge to become a half-divine being. Yet, a half-divine being expecting equality with his spouse is neither rational nor aligned with objective reality." "Will my father, a stallion who's always been in charge, treat the wives of a building with equality? Will the ancient ancestors of the spiritual realm families treat their spouses equally? Even if we step back and consider the powerful figures in society—will they treat their housewives, the 'yellow-faced' ones, with equality? "Lingjun said, 'Today, I won't talk to you about dating techniques—those are just superficial. Reality and truth are eternal.' Zhang Yuanqing listened, stunned: 'It seems I understand, yet I still don't fully grasp it.' 'You're a wise person—you already understand, but you're unwilling to accept it,' Lingjun remarked calmly. 'This takes time. Is there anything else? My supplicant is calling for me. As a subordinate, I need to serve her.' I had originally intended to discuss the deep, longstanding grievances between our two families... Zhang Yuanqing shook his head. 'That's enough.' Lingjun hung up the phone. Zhang Yuanqing quietly returned to his bedroom. The sound of running water from the bathroom signaled Guan Ya was bathing. With the guild quest approaching this morning, he opened the guild interface, entered 'Hong Ji Ge's' ID, and sent an invitation. Unlike the Lingjing quests, which have level restrictions, guild quests only have stage-based limitations. Transcendent beings cannot team up with sages, but sages can team up with sages. That is, a level 3 can lead a level 1, and a level 6 can lead a level 4—this is a unique feature of the guild. However, the difficulty of the dungeons will also increase accordingly. Furthermore, the player limits for guild dungeons differ from regular realm dungeons. For second-tier guild dungeons, a minimum of 12 members is required to enter, with a maximum of 12. In contrast, regular realm dungeons typically limit each faction to no more than six members. "I hope Xiao Yuan and Gu Ya don't clash during the dungeon, uh, well, I'm glad I haven't courted Sun Miao-miao much..." Zhang Yuanqing thought, and then his expression stiffened suddenly. "Ah, right—I was actually asking Ling Jun about this very issue, not about some irrelevant supplier theory." Zhang Yuanqing rubbed his face gently and sighed. After his conversation with the Master of Zhishake Palace last night, his mind had been unsettled ever since. It wasn't because the palace master had captured his heart, but because he had been startled by Ling Tuo—still feeling a bit disoriented Though he harbored a tinge of hopeful optimism, reason firmly told him that within Lingtuo's chessboard, there must be a piece named "The Primordial Heavenly Sovereign." He simply didn't know when that piece would finally be taken. Red Chicken's father used to be a trusted junior under the Spicy-Braised Elder, who protected him time and again. The Spicy-Braised Elder then took Red Chicken under his wing and nurtured him. As Red Chicken grew into adulthood and his temperament increasingly mirrored that of the Elder, he eventually became the Fire Master. The Elder was quite satisfied with this young protégé, though he was somewhat dissatisfied with the Fire Master's intelligence—having dropped out of junior high school after completing only the equivalent of first-year junior high level. Although the Elder himself wasn't particularly fond of reading and often thought books were useless, he still hoped his successors would become cultured individuals. "Have the club's revenues been going well recently?" the Spicy-Braised Elder asked, his tone authoritative. "Thanks to the projects your grace has provided," Red Chicken smiled, "Wow, this is actually really great!" The Elder gave him a sharp slap. "You're always saying 'wow'—'wow', 'wow', 'wow'—can one 'wow' carry you anywhere? What good is something you can't take outside the door?" "Red Chicken Brother takes responsibility when he's beaten," said Red Chicken Brother. "I understand, Grandfather. I'll pay more attention from now on. Please ask again." "How has the club's revenue been recently?" Indeed, the Spicy-Sautéed Elder deeply cherished this grandson without blood ties. Red Chicken Brother slapped his thigh enthusiastically. "It's absolutely excellent—growing steadily, just like the income of night club girls!" "...Ah!" The Spicy-Sautéed Elder gave him a solid slap, sending him right under the table. "My two grandchildren both went to Tsinghua and Peking University. How can you not measure up?" "Maybe because they weren't raised under your care?" "...I'm going to make you useless today!" "Please, please, Grandfather! The Prime Origin Immortal has invited me to join his faction."