Zhang Yuanqing felt regret after asking his question. By right, he should never have met Diana. She was the head of the Goddess Association, likely older than he was, and he had always lived in Songhai, becoming a spiritual traveler only for half a year. Before that, he had been just an ordinary university student. They simply existed in different worlds—like two parallel lines that never intersected. Yet Zhang Yuanqing felt a strange familiarity, though he couldn’t recall where he had seen her before. Diana smiled and said, “If you’ve ever seen me, you can’t possibly forget me.” Zhang Yuanqing was instantly at a loss. A woman of such extraordinary beauty at this level—once seen, one would likely remember her more vividly than one’s first love. “Perhaps… I’ve just mistaken the memory,” Zhang Yuanqing said, smiling, and turned to the president. “Could you lend me a teleportation item?” “The president doesn’t have any teleportation items, but there are a few consumables.” The president shrugged. “Just like the jade you gave to Anne, give me a piece of that.” Zhang Yuanqing said. His true objective was simply to establish a purchase record—should the Five-Element Alliance headquarters later conduct a thorough investigation into the origin of the transmission talismans, today's record would serve as the perfect cover. Of course, the merchant chairman was always elusive, and the headquarters would likely never find him. The Five-Element Alliance had barely come into contact with him at all, had it not been for the Wine God Club incident. As for the transmission items themselves, reusable ones were rare and priced exorbitantly. He already possessed a transmission jade chest that reliably produced one jade tablet each month—there was no need to spend unnecessary funds on additional purchases. The chairman, wearing his silver mask, spread his palm, and a black jade tablet appeared, which he gently tossed toward them. "Thirty thousand federal credits," he said. Zhang Yuanqing caught the tablet, added it to his inventory, then produced the little red hat, and neatly arranged the stacks of pale green bills stored in the corner, leaving behind thirty bundles. The merchant chairman raised his hand and snapped his fingers with a crisp sound. "Exiled!" Both Anne and Zhang Yuanqing vanished from the dining room. Diana tilted her head, smiling warmly at the president beside her, "He seems to have recognized me." The president suddenly snorted, as if remembering something unpleasant. ... Back at the smaller villa, Zhang Yuanqing looked at Anne and smiled, "Are you disappointed?" Anne sighed, "A little." Zhang Yuanqing stroked his chin and said, "According to your style in the sensual profession, even if I disagree with you using your charm, once you do, I can't resist. Anne, Diana mentioned that you're still quite pure—indicating you're different from the lover of the King of Magic. You don't intend to serve merely by your appearance." Anne remained silent for a moment, then playfully blinked and smiled, "Are you disappointed?" Zhang Yuanqing nodded, "A little." Anne couldn't help laughing, leaned closer, and whispered, "Mr. Yuanshi, you do have a strong appeal for me. But I don't want you to view me merely as a professional." "With that, she slightly inclined her body and said, 'I'll go now.' Zhang Yuanqing watched her leave and then went straight up to his room. 'I must have seen her before—I definitely have!' Zhang Yuanqing opened the nightstand, took out a small blue pill, and poured an entire bottle of pills onto his palm. Then he lay down on the bed and began to recall his father's face. His mind quickly entered a state of vigorous activity, with meaningless noise and fragmented images swirling like a carousel. Zhang Yuanqing's memories played like a video recording running backward, pulling time back to yesterday, the day before, a week ago, a month ago—and still continuing to regress. The intensity of this backward flow would have overwhelmed and killed him in the past, but now, as a peak Saint, his mind—his 'CPU'—had grown increasingly powerful through continuous evolution and iteration." One month, two months, three months, four months, five months, six months... Suddenly, Zhang Yuanqing expelled two jets of blood from his nasal passages, and the scene interrupted at the very moment he received the character card sent by his comrade-in-arms. A searing pain tore through his soul. Zhang Yuanqing quickly swallowed the entire bottle of blue pills, then trembled as he reached into his inventory, pulling out a vial of Life Primordial Fluid and injecting 20 milliliters. "Hee-hee..." He lay on the bed, drenched in sweat, his heavy breathing gradually calming the intense pain. "Only six months of recall—have I reached the limit? Hmm, I haven't seen her at all during my six months as a Spirit Realm Traveler. That means, if I've actually seen her, it must have been before I became a Spirit Realm Traveler. "Hmm, that's strange. The Supreme Primordial Sovereign hasn't seen such a breathtaking beauty—what merit does Zhang Yuanqing possess? Could it be that I simply made a mistake? "This retrospective has brought back so many details I once overlooked. Damn it, the Master of Pure Yang knows I possess the Qi of a Human Immortal. He's been quietly courting the Night Rose—does Ling Tu know that the shards of Yin Immortality are within me?" "No, if that were the case, I'd have fallen apart long ago. I'm still here, which means the Master of Pure Yang has been concealing my Human Immortal essence. He wants to claim all the treasures within me—he'll do everything in his power to eliminate me." "I now know who the mysterious investor behind the Demon King is—hell, it's the Chairman himself. After all, the Demon King has recently allied with the Goddess Association, likely thanks to his efforts. Now he's trying to connect me with the Goddess Association again." He recalled countless details—those he had once forgotten—revealing issues in many people's actions. Zhang Yuanqing lay on his bed, staring blankly into space for a long time. Once his sweat had dried, he sighed, rose from the bed, and quietly buried his speculations and revelations deep within his heart, then went to the adjacent room. Entered the study, where Fu Qingyang was waiting. She told him about their earlier conversation, omitting some less significant details—such as the Goddess Association's request that he sleep with Anne, or that he visit their headquarters next year. Fu Qingyang's handsome face remained expressionless. "The Goddess Association just needs to pay you a fee. As for how they obtained your list, that doesn't matter. They've just emailed me to inform me that I'm to escort the Pluto King to the capital tomorrow. So, by nine tonight, you'll need to get ready—there's a meeting you're expected to attend." Looking at that handsome face, Zhang Yuanqing sighed once again. If she had to find someone truly sincere to her, someone who had never once deceived her—turns out it was Fu Qingyang. "What's happened to you?" "Oh? Nothing much..." "But your expression is exactly like when your girlfriend moved on to a good friend of yours, took your money with her, and then discovered your parents weren't actually related—on top of that, you ended up borrowing a high-interest loan under your own name and still haven't paid it off." Fu Qingyang said. How bad is this… Zhang Yuan thought. "But even if the entire world betrays me, I still believe you're sincere, Old Man," Zhang Yuan's rhetoric had reached near-perfection. Fu Qingyang smiled, and gently changed the subject. "Tianfa wishes to redeem those items. The headquarters also wants to know how you plan to sell the King of the Underworld. You might try asking for things you've always wanted but haven't been able to secure." Zhang Yuan pondered. "Item categories related to rules?" "What's the difficulty?" Fu Qingyang's smile deepened. Zhang Yuan felt a surge of warmth—his girlfriend had just taken the family's savings with her, and the frustration of having parents who weren't biologically his, relying on him to take out high-interest loans, now completely vanished. With genuine delight, he retrieved the black jade stone that the merchant president had sold him and presented it to Fu Qingyang with both hands. "Old Man, I remember you never had any teleportation items. I specifically requested them from the president—that old man refused to sell them no matter how many times I asked. I kept pleading for weeks." Zhang Yuan bowed slightly and held — mainly afraid that Fu Qingyang would notice his lying. Fu Qingyang was momentarily stunned, clearly not expecting him to care about such a "minor" matter. After a brief silence, he said calmly, "You have so many worries. I won't pry into them, but you can always trust me." Don't let Guan Ya hear that... Zhang Yuan murmured with a touch of hardship, "Thanks, boss." ... Free Federation. In the reception hall of a certain manor, Chen Shu, dressed in a light silk dress, had just finished attending to one business partner. Holding her wine glass, she glanced sideways toward the sofa area. There, a beautiful woman was being admired by all present. Her formal gown was modest and elegant, revealing her rounded shoulders, and her skin and complexion were no less radiant than those of the younger women at the gala. "Master Yuan Shi is my daughter's fiancé, and I'm planning to marry them next year," she said. "He himself is deeply inspired by the concept of divine judgment and by the Federation. It's just that Osmon is so sharp and assertive—he's been making my son-in-law rather uncomfortable." "I don't know where his limits lie—he's a creator of miracles... Yes, he's an exceptionally tenacious and independent man, yet he treats me with the utmost respect. My daughter often worries that my charm is overwhelming, which truly bothers me." Fu Xue smiled gracefully, chatting and laughing with her friends gathered around her. A mother-in-law of modest standing is waving the banner of a tiger's skin, while her own mother remains nameless and obscure. At this moment, the host of the banquet, Ivan Charles, approaches Fu Xue with a glass of red wine, smiling. "Xue," he says, "Will and I have been talking— you've clearly placed greater value on Yuan Shi Tian Zun, which is why you declined the marriage alliance with the Miller family. Your judgment is spot-on, though Will seems a bit disheartened." Fu Xue smiles gracefully. "His feelings are not within my consideration." Charles shifts the topic, expressing curiosity. "Xue, does Yuan Shi Tian Zun truly listen to you?" "Of course!" Fu Xue lifts her pointed chin. "He's eager to experience the free atmosphere here?" "Indeed—he's drawn to this very freedom." At a distance, Chen Shu can't help but wince. Charles beams with satisfaction. "That's wonderful. In fact, Will and I have decided to approach Yuan Shi Tian Zun personally, seeking a contribution of eight million federal credits. I'd be grateful if you could help us coordinate this." "Krin-gold capability has always been Tianfa's traditional strength—there's a dedicated budget line within Tianfa's fiscal planning specifically allocated to support elite, lawful professionals across the world." "Of course!" Fu Xue smiled. "I'll relay Tianfa's goodwill." Only to relay, she thought. Charles chuckled. "We'll also be sending you a token of appreciation." The two clinked their glasses happily. At the end of the banquet, Fu Xue, escorted by her bodyguards, moved with graceful poise, her waist swaying elegantly as she made her way toward her vehicle. From a distance, she spotted Chen Shu leaning against the car's hood, her fingers holding a lady's cigarette, expression composed and waiting patiently. Fu Xue waved her bodyguards away and approached alone, confident and bright, smiling. "What couldn't have been said at the banquet?" Chen Shu scoffed. "Now I finally understand what 'riding someone's coat tails' truly means." "Fu Xue laughed out loud," "Now I understand what it means for jealousy to make someone look unattractive. Chen Shu, are you jealous, too? Ah, perhaps this is just my fate. Last year, I consulted an astrologer on the mainland who predicted that after I turn forty-five, I would rise to great prominence—remarkably accurate. Even if you're jealous, I remember you have a son there, don't you? It's truly a pity you have no daughters." Chen Shu narrowed her eyes, smiling politely but not genuinely: "Indeed, my son is a difficult child—far behind your son-in-law. I won't waste any more time. I'd also like to support Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn; will you help me make the connection?" Fu Xue readily agreed. Am I the kind of person who would sell out my organization for eight million—unless we add a zero? [Fu Xue: Don't rush to reject. Has Fu Qingyang told you that maintaining close ties with external forces and forming a shared interest alliance benefits your standing within the Wu Xing Alliance?] [Yuan Shi Tian Zun: How so?] [Fu Xue: You're a smart person—think about it. If you have strong interests tied to Tian Fa, for instance, if you supply Tian Fa with mechanical weapons and facilitate their capital partners' operations within the Wu Xing Alliance so they can profit, would Tian Fa simply watch helplessly if the headquarters decided to target you in the future?] [Yuan Shi Tian Zun: To have strong interests with Tian Fa, the Wu Xing Alliance simply wouldn't allow me to hold a high position.] [Fu Xue: My foolish son—did you ever wonder why the senior monks within the Wu Xing Alliance have grown close to Tian Fa over the past few years? Did you think that among the ten elders at headquarters, there aren't partners within Tian Fa as well?] You have no allies outside, and once you fail in the internal struggles, you'll have no chance to recover—your enemies will effortlessly erase everything you've built. [Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun: What is the Ji Shi Society?] [Fu Xue: A civilian organization based overseas, with substantial influence and members spread across all sectors. Though it cannot compare to official bodies like Tian Fa, the Sea God's Church, or the Beauty Goddess Association, it ranks among the top civilian organizations.] Zhang Yuan thought to himself, "Mother-in-law, you're not sharp at all! You're recommending me a mediocre, unproven force—just like Li Gang's son, a mere backup teammate." [Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun: I'll think about it.] He closed the chat app. ... That evening, in Fu Qingyang's study. Zhang Yuan sat behind the desk originally belonging to the money-merchant son, posture straight and upright, full of anticipation, waiting patiently. Fu Qingyang had mentioned that the leverage he held was sufficient to secure a rule-based item, yet Tianfa would never willingly hand it over—there would inevitably be disputes during the meetings. As long as he could withstand the pressure, he would come out far ahead. Tonight’s online meeting utilized a 3D projection system, a high-end facility reserved exclusively for the elders. Thus, Fu Qingyang offered his study to his trusted subordinates and took the small study in his master bedroom. Qian Gongzi, a refined nobleman, disliked having others enter his private chambers, even if that person were Zhang Yuanqing. At exactly nine o’clock, the three projectors above the ceiling emitted a soft "beep," their yellow lights flickering. The central main unit then emitted an infrared scan toward Zhang Yuanqing, followed by the extension of the metallic probes from all three projectors, projecting bright, intense blue beams. The three beams converged, casting a large conference table onto the central area of the study. Zhang Yuanqing glanced around and spotted Miao Long, Zhou Secretary (Cai Long's secretary), Li Secretary (Dihong Grand Elder's secretary), the hunter-mage from Tianfa, the three former defeated warriors, and Fu Qingyang seated at the table. Osmon, Hoover, and Xia Zhao all turned toward him; the former two looked slightly serious, with underlying hostility and anger in their eyes. Xia Zhao remained composed. Even the most upright knight would feel irritated after being defeated, so Xia Zhao chose to ignore Yuan Shi Tianzun. "Oh, my former defeated warriors—how nice to see you all again!" Zhang Yuanqing greeted warmly, as if they were long-time friends.