Tongtong... Zhao Xintong? Zhang Yuanqing almost didn't catch on, mentally reviewing the details before matching her with the image of the adorable, attractive middle school girl he had in mind. "Wait a moment!" Zhang Yuan清 rose and left the restaurant, heading toward the courtyard. He sat down at the stone table inside the courtyard, speaking in a steady tone. "I'm alone here. What's on your mind?" "After the call ended, I asked Kui Beiyue to use the public phone to reach out to her—the phone had gone off, no, it had been destroyed, surely by Tong Tong; she had been arrested." Destroying the phone before capture, to prevent the official investigators from tracing her colleagues through it, was a fundamental professional habit of the evil practitioners. In other words, the destruction of the phone meant the person had been caught. Zhang Yuanqing felt a weight settle in his chest, now understanding why Xiao Yuan was so urgent. By the official investigators' usual style, when dealing with evil practitioners, they would likely execute them outright—arrest was unlikely. To simply push someone down the stairs without a word—how unusually impetuous was that young woman! If a student died as a result, I wouldn't be able to save her, nor would I even be able to save myself. Moreover, as a Wu Gu master, Zhao Xin Tong had many ways to retaliate, yet she had chosen the most irrational and forceful one. Zhang Yuanqing felt a headache coming on, and asked, "Why didn't she contact me?" She only called when she had no choice—hadn't someone known about her even if she'd died? Not someone, but perhaps she'd already passed away by now. Yet, Zhang Yuanqing knew in his heart that the girl didn't even reach out to Kou Beiyue, indicating her reserved nature and trust only in Xiao Yuan. How could she have turned to him, a peripheral official, for help? "Don't blame me!" Xiao Yuan's voice carried emotion, as if a wife in a hurry was scolding her husband. "Alright, alright, I won't say another word. I'll go find out for you right away. Just wait for my news." Zhang Yuanqing gently reassured her. After hanging up, he sat at the stone table, thinking. Bai Liang City lies adjacent to the capital and overlooks the sea, boasting a highly developed economy and culture. Though it doesn't match the level of Songhai, it remains a significant city in the north. Therefore, the official staff there are of high caliber, and most importantly, its proximity to the capital places it within the jurisdiction of the Taiyuan Sect—where a Day-Wandering Immortal is stationed. Zhao Xintong encountered a steward from the Taiyuan Sect, which made things quite difficult. If it were the Wuxing Alliance, given the current status and reputation of Yuanshizhentian Zun, each of the major branches would at least offer some goodwill. ——Not the Jianghu Branch! After a few seconds of thought, Zhang Yuanqing opened the chat group, realizing at this moment the value of Zhao Chenghuang and Sun Miaomiao. He created a temporary chat group and invited both Sun Miaomiao and Zhao Chenghuang. [Yuanshizhentian Zun: @Zhao Chenghuang @Sun Miaomiao, Do you know the Bai Xia Branch of the Taiyuan Sect? One of my friends has been taken by a star official from there—she's a rather troublesome profession.] [Sun Miaomiao: You're still hanging out with a troublesome profession!] Then, without any principle, he asked: [What exactly happened? If it's murder or arson, we won't be able to help.] [Yuanshizhentian Zun: A junior high student had a conflict with a classmate and pushed them down the stairs. It's reportedly a 】 【Zhao Chenghuang: There are two senior elders in the Bai La division of the Tai Yi Gate—one is the newly ascended Master Fengdu Ghost King, and the other is Victoria. The latter holds the top position, yet she oversees affairs in the eastern eight provinces and is usually away from the Bai La division most of the time.】 【Sun Miaomiao: Go to Ling Jun—Victoria is Ling Jun's close companion.】 Sun Miaomiao retracts a message: 【Sun Miaomiao: Go to Ling Jun—Victoria and Ling Jun are as close as mother and son.】 Is it well known throughout the Tai Yi Gate that Ling Jun's devotion has changed? Indeed, seeking Ling Jun is the most convenient and timely option… Zhang Yuanqing immediately dials Ling Jun’s phone number. “Oh, isn’t this my top student under my dominion? How could he remember me, this humble teacher of mine—what a privilege!” Ling Jun’s relaxed, easy laughter comes through. “Humble teacher—there’s a matter I’d like you to assist with. Is Victoria Elder with you?” “Every beautiful morning, she’s by my side, like flowers and dew, like soy milk and steamed buns.” "Linjun smiled and then a soft 'pffft' sound came from the speaker, as if a woman had kissed him. Indeed, older partners are better—right from the start, they have little 'kisses' of affection, unlike my girlfriend, who in the morning only throws her blanket aside. Zhang Yuanqing was still complaining as he said: 'I have a friend who had an accident in Bai Xia City. Her spiritual realm ID is Zhao Xintong, a middle school student with a villainous profession. She was just arrested today by the steward of Bai Xia Branch of Taiyuan Gate. Could you please check on her situation? If she's still alive, let me know.' Linjun put down his smile, and his tone immediately turned serious and solemn. 'Got it!' About ten minutes later, Zhang Yuanqing received Linjun's message: 'She's still alive. She's being held in the interrogation room of Bai Xia Public Security Headquarters. The Bai Xia Branch hasn't executed her yet. They want to use her to uncover her accomplices—someone of a four-tier Saint is unlikely to be a lone warrior.' On the other hand, young professionals with a reputation for misconduct are relatively rare and difficult to manage—some of the colleagues at the Balsam Division are genuinely stressed, still investigating her background and history. "Got it. I'd like to bring her in. Is there any way to do that?" Being familiar with everyone, Zhang Yuanqing didn't hesitate or beat around the bush. Ling Jun paused a moment, then said, "Victoria mentioned that until we've clarified the situation, we can't provide a definite answer. Though I know you're certain she's not a complete liability, you'll have to understand that." "I understand. I understand," Zhang Yuanqing replied. "I'll come by first." After hanging up, Zhang Yuanqing sent a message to Xiao Yuan: "She's still alive, with no immediate life-threatening risks. I'll try to secure her, though I can't guarantee success." There's just so much on my plate—recently, I'm finding myself in the Spirit Realm all the time! I hope to resolve this today so it doesn't interfere with my next quest. ... At the HuoXin Hotel. At this moment, the small group chat within the HuoXin team was buzzing with constant updates. These self-redeeming villains, restless and uneasy, engage in lively yet pessimistic debates. [Sweetheart Red Mage: That doesn't make sense—Tongtong just underwent a deep spiritual purification through the teachings. Her mindset should be calm and composed. How did things turn out this way? What are we going to do now? Let's think quickly!] [The Twin Heroines: Master Wuhen specifically delivered sermons before we entered the instance—precisely to calm our tensions and dispel our anger. Now, with Tongtong so impetuous, what are we to do? I'm utterly stressed!] [Head Instructor Lin Chong: Why don't we just go in and seize the situation directly? I've checked—White Wax Division is only guarded by one Master. I'll personally draw out that Master, diverting him, and then you all rush in to rescue Tongtong.] [Madam Fang: Think about whether there's any Saint-level figure or a Master-tier artifact stationed there. If you're not going to make it, go on—don't burden us with your failure.] [Master Yang: Young Lin is indeed overly enthusiastic, but we do need to act—otherwise Tongtong 】 【Kou Beiyue: She might have already died.】 The continuously updating information suddenly stalled. 【Lin Chong: Kou Beiyue, you damn it—just wait here. I'm flying over right now to beat your ass, and I'm making you accompany Tongtong to the afterlife.】 【Human Itinerant: @Xiaoyuan, have you reached out to Yuan Shishen?】 The team members paused, realizing for the first time that they had overlooked their peripheral member from Songhai—Yuan Shishen, whom they considered a fellow traveler in distress, a seasoned patient in the realm of mental illness. Though fundamentally lawful and orderly, there was still a subtle sense of distance. Having only met once and with a relatively shallow relationship, they hadn't immediately thought of him during the internal crisis. Unlike Xiaoyuan and Kou Beiyue, who could call upon Yuan Shishen at any time, the Human Itinerant had developed a personal connection and identification with Yuan Shishen through his experiences in the Eight Precious Provinces, viewing him as a friend and a companion—thus instinctively reaching out to him. [Sweet Heart Demon: Tungtung encountered a Taomen star official. Yuan Shishen is from the Five Elements Alliance, and Song Hai and Bai Xia are located in opposite directions—his network simply doesn't reach there.] The group chat went silent once again. [Yang Bo: @Xiaoyuan, reach out to her—make the best of a bad situation.] Xiaoyuan was about to reply when her phone chimed—Yuan Shishen’s message arrived. She quickly exited the small group chat, tapped on Yuan Shishen’s profile, read the message carefully several times, and gradually relaxed her tense expression, a deep sense of security rising within her. Unconsciously, this man was giving her more and more security. [Xiaoyuan: I’ve reached out—Tungtung is alive. Yuan Shishen is en route to Bai Xia City and will do everything possible to save her. Please hold on patiently.] The evil-oriented members in the group were anxious and worried—suddenly seeing this message, they were stunned by the surprise, momentarily unable to respond. A few seconds later, the messages in the group chat rang continuously, filled with excitement and anticipation. Everyone was delighted that Tongtong was still alive, and eager for Yuan Shi Tianzun—the luminous figure of the Lawful faction—to bring their companions back. For the first time, they truly tasted the sweetness of having someone at the top. Wu Heng Master's decision to expand the mission's focus to include the Lawful faction marked a significant strategic shift. The wooden pin contains a paralyzing toxin; once driven into the body, its roots grow and take root within flesh and bone, and forcibly removing the pin will tear flesh and bone apart. The yellow paper scroll seals her spiritual energy, reducing it to that of an ordinary person, thus enabling interrogation. Otherwise, with the saint's sheer willpower, no severe torture would yield information. The White Wax Division has already interrogated Zhao Xintong twice, uncovering details about her family background, origins, and journey to becoming a spiritual traveler. However, each time they inquire about the power behind her, Zhao Xintong demonstrates resilience and determination far beyond her age, refusing to yield even under the pressure of scouting equipment. Yet the official travelers of the White Wax Division have not resorted to forced interrogation, as during the resistance process, Zhao Xintong has bled from all seven orifices and shows signs of mental collapse. At all times, minors are entitled to special privileges, regardless of their profession. Regarding the handling of this young, evil-tempered employee, senior management has not yet provided a response, so her life safety remains a matter of utmost concern for the White Wax branch staff. At that moment, the soundproof door of the interrogation room opened, and a man wearing a baseball cap, mask, and sunglasses entered, holding a document. Zhao Xintong lifted her gaze, her dark, youthful eyes quietly fixed on him. She noticed the man's attire—here, at the headquarters of the Public Security Bureau, the official ambulatory staff of the Taiyuan White Wax branch would not dress quite like this. The man, dressed in layers, turned off the recording device and sat down at the interrogation table, his voice low and steady. "I will ask you questions. You answer. No unnecessary words." Zhao Xintong's delicate face curled into a quiet smile of scorn. "When will you send me back to the spiritual realm? Beyond that, you won't get a single word from me." "She couldn't possibly leave the Wuhen Hotel untouched. The Master is absent in reality, and the Hotel is leaderless, lacking sufficient strength to protect it. If the official forces dispatch their top talents to besiege the Wuhen Hotel at this moment, she's uncertain about the fate of her scattered companions across the regions—but the small, steady Aunt Yuan and the dim-witted Kou Beiyue who reside within the Hotel will surely perish. 'Rather bold, isn't it? Yet why doesn't she think things through when acting?' murmured the interrogator quietly. That voice sounded familiar... Zhao Xintong suddenly raised her head, her gaze fixed and steady on him."