Wearing a sleek black helmet infused with technology, his consciousness passed through a shimmering, hazy void and materialized in a grand hall of dreams. The hall stretched endlessly to either side, veiled in mist, supported by sixteen thick stone pillars arching toward a vaulted ceiling. A crimson carpet extended from the entrance, leading to a golden throne at its far end. Upon the throne sat a figure six meters tall, draped in a cloak whose inner folds shimmered with a swirling, pulsating deep black light. "Senior Elder…" the plump young man hurried forward, knelt down, his expression a blend of confusion, anger, bewilderment, and cautious reverence, asking, "Did you perhaps receive information about the members of Master Wuhen's team from me?" The towering monastic guardian did not deny it, speaking slowly, "Yes, I've been the one who hypnotized you." The plump young man's round face flushed with anger, which quickly subsided as he pressed his forehead against the ground. "But, Grand Elder, do you know how close I came to dying? If it weren't for my sharp instincts—had I not been alert when I heard that the Primordial Sovereign was surrounded—I would have been easily tricked by Kou Bei Yue back to Wuhen Hotel, trapped like a fish in a net. Even if you kept it confidential and didn't inform me in advance, why didn't you alert me once the Primordial Sovereign safely returned to Songhai?" His tone carried both anger and resentment—genuine, not feigned. "Thank the Senior Elder," the plump young man exhaled in relief. He reopened his eyes, returned to his hotel room, removed his helmet, and breathed out a steady stream of浊 air. For now, the Senior Elder didn't suspect him, but would likely keep a close watch. If he showed any signs of unusual energy or activity, the Elder would begin to question him. Therefore, the best course of action was to do nothing—just wait patiently for an opportunity to fall naturally. The Sixth Elder was particularly discreet, often summoning subordinates only within the realm of illusions or dreams. However, there was one situation he couldn't manage through dreams: physical passion. The Sixth Elder had strong desires and enjoyed exerting control, regularly gathering female members of the sect for recreational sessions. In the past, when Yuchuan Mei was still with them, the Elder and the young student enjoyed a mutually satisfying relationship. Now that Yuchuan Mei had become the spiritual attendant of the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign, the Elder had lost his ideal companion. The other female members, however, often found themselves overwhelmed by the intensity of the Elder's demands, leading him to frequently convene and rotate his selections. All you need to do is patiently wait—soon enough, the opportunity will present itself. "After we've settled the score with the southern faction, I'll no longer deliver food runs. I'll stay put at Wuhen Hotel, preferably even changing hotels altogether," the stocky man got up, got out of bed, and left the hotel. Zhang Yuanqing sat down on the single armchair by the bed, one leg crossed over the other, tapping rhythmically on the armrest. Though he had clearly evolved from a young, eager rookie into a seasoned pro, he still felt a bit nervous. Xiao Yuan’s message had been quite clear in its implication. According to the mentor’s view, congratulations—this woman is now yours. The next step is simply to conquer her body and soul. But Zhang Yuanqing kept thinking and couldn’t help but feel something was off. Too underhanded… yes, too underhanded. With that thought, he pulled out his phone and sent a message to Ling Jun: “Teacher, she seems to have agreed.” A few seconds later, his phone buzzed, and Ling Jun replied: “Congratulations! You’ve now begun your evolution toward the stallion semi-divine status. The first step in establishing a spiritual realm dynasty is to achieve prolific reproduction, and the first step in reproduction is to build a large harem. Within fifty years, a new spiritual realm dynasty will surely emerge on the mainland. Young man, I have no doubt about your success.” "Thank you, my mentor..." No, that's not quite it. I need to say something else. Zhang Yuanqing deletes the message and retypes: "But I feel she's driven by guilt and a sense of compensation." Ling Jun: "Be more confident—eliminate the word 'feel.' Although she has a sense of compensation, she clearly likes you. Guilt alone wouldn't be enough to make her commit to you. You're merely using this situation to elevate your relationship to a new level. In fact, when you first emerged from the Five Elements Chaos quest, you could have already secured her—she was within reach. You've already missed one opportunity. This time, make an effort. Keep going." "That's true, but..." Zhang Yuanqing is halfway through editing when the sound of water from the bathroom stops, and the bathroom door creaks open. Xiao Yuan steps out, wrapped in a robe and holding a headscarf. Her hair is neatly tucked beneath the scarf, and her delicate, cool face, now flushed from the bath, looks like a charming lotus emerging from the water. The loose robe could not conceal her full figure, radiating the grace of a mature woman. Xiao Yuan sat by the head of the bed, removed her headscarf, tilted her head, letting her dark hair cascade down like a waterfall. She gently brushed her hair. After drying her hair, she quietly turned off the light, turned her back to Zhang Yuancheng and curled into the blankets, remaining silent throughout, making no eye contact—seeming as though she didn’t see the living person on the sofa. Zhang Yuancheng received the signal, took a sharp breath, kicked off her shoes, and climbed into the bed. From behind, he drew close to Xiao Yuan, and as his hand rested on her slender waist, he clearly felt her body tense—her soft frame stiffening like a drawn bowstring. This reaction wasn’t at all like that of an experienced lady-in-waiting. Zhang Yuancheng mused to himself. With his abdomen pressed gently against her round hips, he felt the softness and fullness of her body, and time flowed quietly. At the same time, he buried his face in the smooth, fair nape of her neck, gently kissing and licking the strands of hair The room was quiet and dim, with no words exchanged between them, yet they performed actions typical of a couple or spouses. His hands moved gently beneath the robe, his lips tracing from her earlobe to her cheek, then he gently turned her so she lay flat, facing each other. One radiant and passionate, the other dreamy and alluring. Zhang Yuanqing had never seen Li Xuan in such a state—her composed elegance and refined demeanor softened, revealing a touch of bashfulness, a hint of nervousness, and a deep undercurrent of affection. He had never imagined that this poised, elegant woman, who had initially seemed so imposing upon first meeting, would feel shy enough to lie beneath him. He lowered his head, enveloping her full, moist lips in his mouth and drawing them into a deep, sustained kiss. Li Xuan pushed at his chest with both hands, yet her strength was soft and yielding. The kiss lasted five minutes before she finally pushed him aside, tilting her head to one side, breathing heavily as she said, "Let's wash. Let's take a shower..." Her eyes sparkled with dew. Zhang Yuanqing lowered his head and whispered softly in her ear, "Aunt Xiao Yuan, you're truly beautiful, but this isn't even your most beautiful moment yet." He gently pressed the rifle against his side. Xiao Yuan sighed softly, and with a look of graceful disdain, she glared at him. Zhang Yuanqing put on his shoes and entered the bathroom. Xiao Yuan then pulled the blanket up, covering her head, listening to her racing heartbeat, her warm breath trapped within the quilt, making her cheeks grow even hotter. She thought she had gone mad—having sworn off any relationship with men for life, having promised herself never to repeat her sister's fate—yet here she was, years later, leading a man who was only a few years younger than her to bed. As she thought about it, Xiao Yuan suddenly felt something was off. The bathroom was unusually quiet, quiet as if no one were there at all. She quickly掀 up the blanket, covering her exposed chest as she rose to put on her slippers, and rushed to the bathroom. There, where she had expected to see the Master of the Yuan-Shi Heaven, there was no trace of him. He had gone... At that moment, the phone on the nightstand chimed softly. Xiao Yuan returned to the bed, picked up the phone, and checked the message. [The Primordial Heavenly Sovereign: The days ahead will be long!] Xiao Yuan stared at the message,怔, for a while, then lifted a corner of her mouth and murmured, "A timid one." ... "The mentor is right—this is a great opportunity to deepen our relationship. But we don’t have to rush to become close friends just yet. I’ve already gotten to know her well—have I touched her, haven’t I? Can she really escape now?" Zhang Yuanqing rode the wind, heading toward Songhai. After careful thought, he still felt it was inappropriate to establish a romantic connection with Xiao Yuan at this moment. Ling Jun’s approach has always been that of a romantic adventurer—seizing opportunities when they arise, then parting ways once the sun rises. If both parties feel a strong connection, they would maintain the relationship until a new romance emerges. Zhang Yuanqing didn’t want to be like Ling Jun, a wandering free spirit. So he seized this opportunity to rapidly deepen his relationship with Xiao Yuan, moving from quiet, unspoken intimacy to the point where they could now embrace and hold each other. As long as he let things unfold naturally, after a few more such moments, Xiao Yuan would be able to accept him without any sense of obligation—rather than the current feeling of compensating. "The mentor still falls short. I’m different—I’m about emotions." On the way back, Zhang Yuanqing slaughtered several stray dogs, using their lives and spirits to nourish the "Sword of Complete Form and Spirit." The sword doesn't necessarily need human life—dogs will do. This clearly demonstrates the principle of equality among all beings. Moreover, the blood scent helps mask Xiao Yuan's natural fragrance. The barbecue gathering started off smoothly—everyone was drinking, chatting, and enjoying the meat, all in good spirits. Yet Sun Miao Miao, known for her poor wine tolerance, soon became tipsy after a few glasses, declaring that drinking alone was dull, and proposing that they play drinking games—whichever person scores the highest points would be rewarded with a shared cup of wine with Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn. She also suggested that the rabbit-dancer could join in, since Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn belonged to Guan Ya, but was also shared among all of them. Tonight, he would be the headliner, and they would all enjoy him together. Guan Ya, too, was a strong and spirited woman, unphased by the group of glamorous, ambitious women vying for her attention. She simply lifted her sleeve and said, "If you all manage to drink one shared cup tonight, After three rounds of wine, Xue Hou Ao Tian and Li Chunfeng arrived as well. The two scholars, having been starved by拧ing screws all night, came over to the neighboring table where people were singing and dancing, enjoying grilled skewers, to ask for a share of the feast. Upon hearing about the game, Xue Hou Ao Tian, unwilling to eat without reciprocation, said, "I won't just take your food for granted—I'll also have a toast with whoever wins. As the main character, I rarely offer such a generous benefit to the supporting female characters. Tonight, you've truly struck lucky." Sun Miao Miao, upon hearing this, decided to skip the game altogether. "Let's take a break," she said, "my spiritual attendant will dance—let her perform for you all." She then summoned her spirit servant, a rabbit lady, who began to sing and dance. Zhang Yuanqing didn't want to fall behind either. He summoned the ghost bride and the Lady Yin Yao to join the competition, announcing that he would dance with Sun Miao Miao's spirit servant, offering both a 1940s and a 15th-century style performance. As soon as the Lady Yin Yao Make him realize his failure. The barbecue party didn't end until well past midnight—meat was barely touched, but wine flowed from box to box, half drunk, half enjoyed through play. Lady Yin Yao sprayed champagne at everyone, claiming it was a benefit for the host, Yuan Shi Tian Zun, only for the scene to quickly escalate into chaos, with most of the wine splashing onto the frail Summer Hou Ao Tian and Li Chunfeng. When the party finally concluded, both scholars were muttering complaints. ... The next morning, as the sun was just beginning to rise, Zhang Yuanqing woke up from a sweet dream, cradling a lush, beautiful figure in his arms. Guan Ya was curled against him, her loose hair like a cloud of dark silk, her refined, graceful face glowing with contentment and charm. "Are you coming with me to get breakfast downstairs, or shall we just stay here and rest a bit?" Zhang Yuanqing gazed down at the mixed-race beauty in his arms. "Let's rest a little longer..." murmured Guan Ya, languidly. Since Zhang Yuanqing had an appointment to attend that day, he didn't insist on morning exercises with his girlfriend. Instead Xie Lingxi and the queen had not yet gotten out of bed; Sun Miao Miao was a night owl, accustomed to sleeping during the day and being lively at night, and was still sound asleep on her bed at this moment. Moreover, he also wanted to see what changes would occur when the rules-based road reached the master-level after its promotion. Upon hearing that a major player would be using the Hundred-Refined Furnace, even San Cui's lips lit up with joy. Zhang Yuanqing purchased the entry hand-card for the black market and followed San Cui through the black market area to the room housing the Hundred-Refined Furnace. The towering triangular bronze furnace stood still and serene. "How many fire stones do you have? I'll take them all," Zhang Yuanqing said. "Oh, you're no rookie," San Cui smiled warmly, gazing at him. Most journey-level practitioners typically collapsed in their inner resolve after using the Hundred-Refined Furnace once and would never attempt it again. Those who dared to use it a second time were truly the most daring gamblers among gamblers. "I've accumulated twenty fire stones over the past two months, totaling one million," San Cui said, waving his hand and causing the crimson fire stones to cascade down. "It hasn't been used much recently," Zhang Yuanqing remarked. "Only once in the past month, and that person nearly went bankrupt," San Cui replied. Is that guy named Kakarot? Zhang Yuanqing silently lit the candle for the protagonist. Lian San-yue added, "But the last person to use it forged a truly remarkable artifact—one that people were envious of. This furnace is a gold-guzzling beast; even when I use it, I feel the pinch. That young man is lucky. Next time he comes, I’ll charge double for the firestone." He’s already here... Hearing this, Zhang Yuanqing said, "I’ll settle the firestone fee shortly. Would you mind if I asked you to step out?" He didn’t want to pull out the Little Red Cap in front of the owner, lest she recognize him and raise the price. "This is entirely up to you," Lian San-yue pointed to the iron hammer by the sidepath, smiling, "Don’t you think the use of that tool is self-evident?" With that, she smiled and walked away. After she had gone, Zhang Yuanqing excitedly rubbed his hands, opened the furnace lid, placed the Purple Thunder Hammer inside, and then fastened his lucky necklace. This time, the Hundred-Refined Furnace actively popped up a dialogue box: It clearly detects itself as a new, upgradable item.