Fujiawan Villa. Security officers and the Kangyang District's pedestrian squad have sealed off the villa complex, prohibiting any vehicular entry or exit. Captain Li Dongze, leading several subordinates, has been conducting house-to-house searches, but has yet to locate the missing noblewoman. "I'm sorry for the disturbance," Li Dongze, posing as a security officer, politely apologizes to the affluent residents, explaining, "The villa has no security concerns. The missing guest may have left on her own. Please rest assured—we won't be returning." After delivering this, he leads his team away from the courtyard,拄ing a cane, to the next household. "I heard that the young lady is a Saint. To take her away from a gala attended by so many elite guests—how could we possibly do that? Besides, it wouldn't make sense for her to be hidden within the complex. Such an effort would be entirely pointless." The speaker is a young woman in her early twenties, with stylish wavy brown hair, a refined makeup, and an elegant, slender figure.
She is a newly recruited member of the second team, a water spirit by profession, with a spiritual realm ID of Xiao Mo Xian. She has only been a spiritual realm traveler for three months, a fresh and delicate newcomer. Due to her beauty and sweet disposition, and her consistent attention to elegance, Li Dongze holds her in high regard, seeing her as a promising candidate for a refined and accomplished professional, and treats her with special favor. "Patrolling and conducting searches late at night—how unrefined! Women who stay up late age faster," Xiao Mo Xian complained. "A smile in the face of hard work is the ultimate elegance," Li Dongze replied calmly. "Stop complaining. This is what you're doing for the higher-ups. When important figures' heirs go missing, the lower levels naturally become overwhelmed—shouldn't they be resting at home?" "Commander, even if you do sleep at home, you're still a distinguished official, renowned for your achievements in cultivating the Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn," Xiao Mo Xian said. "Your words sound quite traditional, yet it's only been over six months since then."
Li Dongze sighed, pausing to look toward Fu Qingyang's villa. "I suddenly feel nostalgic for when Yuan Shi and Guan Ya were still here—well, and Jingwei too." Unfortunately, they were destined to be extraordinary figures, intersecting only briefly with him before moving on to different paths, never to meet again. The young magic仙 also expressed admiration. "I'm sorry I joined the team so late—I never got to see the legendary Yuan Shi Tianzun. You didn't even let me enter the villa earlier. I haven't actually met my idols yet. Oh, by the way, Wang Tai said Guan Ya is more beautiful than me—was that true?" "Wang Tai has one advantage—he never lies." "Ah, that's how he managed to win over Yuan Shi Tianzun, then." "Do you have any resentment toward her?" "Women often feel that way toward same-sex colleagues who settle for someone close at hand and climb the ladder." "Guan Ya isn't doing that—she's actually… well, let's just get on with it. Don't waste time talking."
Li Dongze held his walking cane with grace and advanced steadily: "You have good talent. With a bit more effort, you'll be able to catch a glimpse of their silhouettes."
"Commander, someday you'd better introduce me to Yuan Shi Tian Zun. I'd like to get to know him."
Thus, the sapling serves as a protective talisman bestowed by Master Miao upon the descendants—but it cannot be used within the spiritual realm.
In the quiet stillness, the sapling glows with a soft, fresh green light, its main trunk rapidly growing and extending branches that resemble arms and legs, while its crown evolves into a human "head," the layered, tender leaves resembling hair.
On the trunk closest to the crown, two deep, profound eyes open.
A powerful, vibrant force surges through the entire hall, making the guests feel both constrained and yet deeply at ease.
"Grandfather!" Ling Jun beams with joy.
Ling Jun's grandfather? The guests quickly turn to the towering humanoid plant, bowing humbly, "Master Miao!"
Master Miao glances over the gathering, pausing briefly on the two young people who remain standing without bowing—Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun and Xia Hou Ao Tian.
He then turns his gaze to his grandson, whose face is filled with delight and renewed confidence, his tone serious. "Finish the account of the events in three minutes."
"Lin Jun spoke rapidly, 'At nine o'clock, I noticed Ting'er had disappeared. At first, I thought she might simply have gone out of the dining area, but by nine thirty, she still hadn't shown up. I called her, but no one answered; I searched every corner of the villa, and couldn't find her—both the driver and the car were waiting outside.' 'I went to Fu Qingyang to retrieve the surveillance footage and discovered that Ting'er had been led to a guest room on the first floor by a server, after which she never came out again. I then asked that server what had happened, but she completely forgot having taken Ting'er. After confirming with us, we found that her mental state had been affected—possibly through hypnosis or illusion.' 'Someone used the rabbit-dress server to lure Ting'er to the guest room and then took her away. Grandfather, I've finished.'
Master Miao looked coldly at the young man in white robes among the crowd, saying, 'Fu Qingyang, your people have been manipulated—didn't you realize? Ting'er went missing from the villa, and you were unaware?'
You're a scout, not a fire commander. If you can't provide me with a satisfactory answer, don't blame me for holding you accountable." What about the fire commanders? Do you think we're being looked down upon? The fire demons present murmured among themselves. Fu Qingyang bowed slightly, apologizing, "I've been negligent. Right now, our top priority is to locate Ting'er. Lingjun's explanation wasn't entirely clear; I'd like to add a few points. Pausing, he further analyzed the situation, "All the people I invited are here, and the evening service staff have also been assembled—our numbers match perfectly. Therefore, either Ting'er left on her own, or the person who abducted her possesses the ability to mask her presence and remain undetected by surveillance. If such a person exists." "A stage magician and the Night Wanderer can achieve this," a swordsman remarked from the crowd. "A stage magician's ability to alter appearance, posture, and aura makes him ideal for blending in at such an event, while the Night Wanderer's invisibility can also accomplish the same."
But the dream-wandering of the illusionist and the nocturnal wanderings of the night guardian couldn't transport living beings along with them. "According to the monitoring feed, Miss Teng vanished right after entering the room. We still haven't figured out how she managed to leave." As soon as the statement was made, one of the fire demons spoke up loudly, "How could we not have thought of this? She must have entered the realm— I mentioned this possibility just a moment ago, and you all refused to believe me." Ling Jun furrowed his brows, "I also told you this earlier— Miss Teng entered the realm not recently. Moreover, there's always a 30 to 60-second buffer period before entering the realm, giving her ample time to notify us." The fire demon expressed doubt, "You said this, but I don't remember you doing so." Ling Jun grew impatient, "Fire demon, just hold your peace and listen." The fire demon became furious, about to lose his temper, but upon glancing at the Master Miao, whose expression remained calm and composed (which he perceived as unyielding), he wisely chose to remain silent.
Senior Miao offered a low, measured response, "If the person who abducted Ting'er possesses both spatial and teleportation equipment, then this feat can be achieved." Fu Qingyang added, "Such equipment is exceptionally rare and belongs to the second-tier region. I examined the scene thoroughly—there were no signs of struggle. Unless Ting'er left on her own, she must have been subdued instantly. Ting'er is a Level 4 Beast King, so someone capable of subduing her instantly must be at least Level 6. Furthermore, possessing the rare second-tier professional equipment makes the combination even more uncommon. Therefore, individuals meeting both criteria are not many."
Xiaohou Aotian was momentarily stunned, not expecting him to voluntarily take the initiative and put himself in a difficult position—he didn’t know whether or not to respond.
Miao Elder’s gaze flickered, fixed steadily on Xiaohou Aotian.
“What have you discovered, Xiaohou’s young man?”
“Oh—well…” Xiaohou Aotian hesitated, finally compelled by the pressure of the peak dominator to be honest. “The Prime Origin Celestial Sovereign is a sixth-tier Night-Wanderer God. He possesses a spatial artifact, yet he remained entirely within the restaurant throughout the entire time—impossible for him to have taken away your granddaughter.”
A series of eyes either openly or subtly scrutinized Zhang Yuanqing, among them, several swordsmen.
“My artifact is right here,” Zhang Yuanqing said, producing the little red hat, shaking off a corpse of shadowy essence to demonstrate his spatial abilities, then sighed impatiently. “It doesn’t have to be a Night-Wanderer or a stage magician—someone with two professional artifacts can certainly achieve this. Besides, why would I have taken away Teng'er? To make her my chief wife?”
He hadn’t lied… Several
Hmph. The kidnapping scheme we've carefully orchestrated with the elder—how could you possibly unravel it? Even the pinnacle of the scout class wouldn't be able to see through it. Zhang Yuanqing rested his hand on his waist, feeling the ghost mirror fastened to his belt. This thing is the very antithesis of the Insight ability. Unless it's a scout of master-level standing, no one can penetrate his disguise. Of course, no Yanshi would specifically interrogate him—on the case of Miao Teng'er's disappearance, he had virtually no motive, and neither Miao Elder nor Ling Jun would suspect him. Undeterred by the minor interruption, Fu Qingyang continued: "Besides meeting the two conditions mentioned above, we also need a motive. Miao Elder, Ling Jun—does either of you have any rivals or enemies against Teng'er?" A quiet, subtle guidance. "Teng'er is gentle and amiable, rarely harboring grudges against others," Ling Jun replied, shaking his head before softly adding, "If we must name an enemy, Yin Ji counts as half one." At Miao Elder's cold glance, he quickly silenced himself. With no clear leads and no suspect in sight, the case investigation
"Grandfather, the headquarters has location-tracing tools—this is our fastest way to find Ting'er," Ling Jun reminded. Yet Master Miao didn't respond. He recalled the case when Ting'er had been kidnapped and tied to a curse with the Magistrate. At that time, he had also used the location-tracing tools—a device combining divination and stargazing, which could determine a person's location based on their birth chart and personal belongings. But that attempt had failed—the tool provided no clues at all. If someone within the official ranks intended to undermine him, then this tool would likewise remain silent. At that moment, Fu Qingyang said, "The location-tracing tools are indeed the quickest method. Does Master Miao have any concerns?" Miao regained his composure and asked back, "What do you mean?" Fu Qingyang's expression was stern, yet his words were sincere. "This incident took place in my villa. I have a responsibility to ensure it."
Yuanshi Tianzun had a ready-made tool for locating people—once he had藤儿's DNA information, he could find her, according to the rules. "The power of the rules!" Master Miao's eyes flashed with subtle light as he turned to Yuanshi Tianzun, his tone urgent and questioning: "Teng'er has been missing for over an hour. Why only now are you mentioning this? Why didn't you immediately dispatch search teams upon discovering her disappearance?" His tone carried a growing sense of accusation as he concluded. Everyone else turned their attention to Yuanshi Tianzun. Zhang Yuanqing quietly approached the elder, feeling secure, and then sneered: "Why should I help you search for your granddaughter? Has Master Miao forgotten, during the trial session, when Master Fu asked for your assistance—how did you respond to him?" The moment these words were spoken, the air around them seemed to freeze. Master Miao narrowed his eyes, fixing his gaze on the young man who was now radiating a steady, mocking smile. Even Huang Taiqi, among the rising stars of the Wu Xing Alliance, stared at Zhang Yuanqing in stunned silence. What a brave man this is.
Though not the first time, he was truly brave—he genuinely didn't fear death. There was more than two hundred pounds of rebellious spirit packed into his body weighing over a hundred pounds. Tian Xiang really knew how to make a scene, thought Xiaohou Aotian. Ling Jun grew increasingly anxious, "Master Yuanshǐ, Teng'er is Teng'er, and my grandfather is my grandfather. Just for my sake, please, help us!" The longer it dragged on, the more dangerous Teng'er became. Ling Jun was absolutely frantic.
Senior Miao waved a hand, signaling his young nephew to be quiet, and fixed his gaze firmly on Yuanshǐ Tianzun: "Speak. What do you want?"
Zhang Yuanqing replied coldly, "I don't need anything. I just want you to come. I only wish to tell you that there are still nine other elders—Emperor has been gone for over a hundred years. Set aside your pride. You, too, have moments when you need to ask for help."
The hall fell once again into silence, yet within the hearts of the gathered guests, waves of shock and astonishment surged. They had still underestimated Yuanshǐ Tianzun. This
The deliberative council has concluded, yet the rift between Yuanshiben and the Headquarters has deepened to the point of irreparable. It's not merely that the Headquarters dislikes Yuanshiben; he himself seems unwilling to reconcile with them. Only Xia Hou Aotian has been profoundly inspired, finding the phrase "Set aside your arrogance" both powerful and deeply resonant. He'll say this to his ancestor on their next meeting. That's about it. Fu Qingyang glances at his trusted subordinate. The team has skillfully orchestrated the scene of the Magus Heir receiving the Magus's legacy, and so far, the timing has been impeccable. The antagonist's holding the heroine captive for several hours without so much as a touch—such a plot would only appear in films and television series. Moreover, the Magus Heir himself came specifically under the banner of receiving the legacy. If things continue to drag on, Yuanshiben won't rest, and even the most favorable outcome for Miao Teng'er will be out of reach.
Zhang Yuan nodded in understanding and immediately produced the tissue paper he had prepared earlier. "What I have to say is now complete. This is something given to me by Master Fu—on the tissue, there are oral epithelial cells wiped off from the cup that Miss Teng had drunk from." He summoned the red slippers in front of everyone and gently inserted the tissue into the shoe. "Tik-tik-tik…" The red slippers danced briskly, stepping through the wall and vanishing into the night.
Though her eyes were covered, her hearing remained sharp. She lay curled on a soft bed in a quiet room, the sheets feeling slightly coarse and ordinary. The sheets were fresh, with no body odor, only a faint scent of detergent—indicating that the bed had just been changed and had not yet been slept on. The room was serene, yet faint sounds of vehicles passing could be heard, suggesting it was situated directly along a street. Miao Teng'er’s memory still lingered at the Fu family villa, where she had been waiting for Fu Qingyang, only to suddenly feel disoriented and then lose consciousness. Who had taken her? As someone with solid abilities but not outstanding, and without an official position, she rarely attracted the attention of sinister organizations. It would take a high-level operative to quietly seize her—someone who wouldn’t target a plain, unremarkable woman. Yet, why would such a high-level force intrude upon Fu Qingyang’s villa specifically just to capture her? The return on investment simply didn’t justify the risk.
Miaoteng'er thought of her grandfather and uncle's political rivals—she had encountered such situations before. At that moment, her ear twitched slightly, picking up a soft, rhythmic "drip-drip" sound—the sound of a room card being swiped to open the door. She was in the hotel... Miaoteng'er suddenly understood where she was.
"Are you awake?" A stranger's voice, hoarse and gentle, came through, followed by soft footsteps. Someone was walking across the plush carpet toward the bed.
Miaoteng'er tensed every muscle.
The person stopped by the bed and gently removed the eye mask from her face.
The room was not lit; the only light came through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a soft glow of streetlight.
Miaoteng'er tilted her head upward, looking at the figure by the bed. "Who are you? Why did you—bind me?"
As she took in the man's appearance, her mind buzzed with a sudden shock—like a thunderclap from five bolts of lightning!
Standing by the bed was a young man with ordinary features, a gentle smile playing at his lips, appearing vibrant and full of energy, yet