Is he a homebody? Is he both homebody and lacking in skills? Zhang Yuanqing muttered this to himself while sensing the other's emotional state. Inside his mind, he was surprised—this single-line knight showed neither hostility nor greed, nor any sense of urgency, which didn't align with the mindset of a spy aiming to seize the Pope's relics. There was pride, confidence, impatience, a generally less-than-pleasant mood, and a faint trace of admiration—ah, would he really be admiring my spiritual realm ID? If so, I'll sell it to you for 998 yuan. Zhang Yuanqing set aside his initial skepticism and cautiously asked, "A knight of the single lineage? The relics were just stolen from the Pope's office, and you've already arrived here. Without my Insight ability revealing that you're telling the truth, your actions would have seemed suspicious." Then he turned to the Thunder Mage Deng Jingguo and said, "Lord Marshal, I propose we stay and listen. No one can fabricate a lie in front of me." Deng Jingguo nodded slightly, "That's exactly what I had in mind." It was obvious that he didn't trust this sudden visit, nor the knight's claim of a direct, unbroken lineage from the Pope's relics. After Zhang Yuanqing had taken his seat, Deng Jingguo turned to the sable-hair knight and said, "Mr. Zhai Cai, this is one of our members of the Anti-Black-and-White Alliance—the swordmaster I rely on. From now on, he will represent me throughout our conversation." "Swordmaster?" Zhai Cai lounged lazily against the sofa, observing Zhang Yuanqing with a smile. "There aren't many swordmasters in the first district, and even fewer among the civilian organizations. Are you one of Tianfa's appointments, or are you from the Fú family, the scouting dynasty?" His tone, posture, and expression all radiated a confident air of "I'm the big shot"—unperturbed even in a setting where someone else held the upper hand. Such composure—wasn't he a master himself? Zhang Yuanqing found himself slightly puzzled. Yet, even if the other were the master of the situation, he could still sense their true inner feelings through shifts in emotion. The knight, trained solely in his own lineage, never imagined that the swordsmanship before him was actually that of a magician—no matter how vigilant he remained against detection spells. "Who I am is not important," Zhang Yuanqing said. "What matters is who you are. Sir Zhai, how will you prove your identity?" "There are many ways to eliminate lies," Zhai said. "In my view, the knight's observation technique is overly subjective and easily countered by skilled practitioners. It falls far short of the simplicity and effectiveness of establishing clear rules." He picked up an apple from the fruit platter and gently tapped it against the tea table. "I propose we play 'Truth or Dare.' Anyone who lies shall be eliminated." With the soft sound of the apple striking the table, a golden-hued glow spread out, diffusing across the living room. Zhang Yuanqing and Deng Jingguo both felt, without conscious effort, an invisible force binding their minds, altering their perception—lying suddenly became a grave offense, as serious as murder. A powerful sense of constraint—just simple rules established—and it already surpasses the sixth-tier knight Xiazuo of the Divine Judgment's celestial punishment. That's a master-tier knight, a true gem among pandas. Zhang Yuanqing felt a sudden surge of respect. Deng Jingguo remained expressionless, merely nodding. "I believe you are a knight." After demonstrating briefly, Zhai Cai sighed. "Indeed, I am a successor of the Church's knightly tradition. You all know the Church, right? If not, I'll explain shortly. The knightly order is the Church's most powerful force, composed of a group of fearless knights who are unyielding even in the face of death. They are strong and resolute—wherever they go, evil and enemies crumble into dust. Together, they form an army so formidable that even the Pope is forced to retreat. However, over a century ago, the Church fell victim to a devastating upheaval, and only one powerful knight survived. That knight remained anonymous for a while before eventually connecting with Huo Zhengkui." He learned from Huo Zhengkui that the Pope had entrusted the relics to this Eastern man. Thus, the two of them decided to divide the Holy Disk into four sections, sealing them in two different ways. Two of the sections were simply sealed, allowing mutual resonance between them. The other two were sealed with more refined techniques, handled by Huo Zhengkui himself. The two sections capable of mutual resonance were kept by Huo Zhengkui and the Master, one each. They agreed to watch over and support one another in safeguarding the Holy Disks of the Church. Later, when they parted ways, they agreed to maintain contact every five years. Huo Zhengkui continued as his powerful underworld boss, while the Church knight took a Chinese disciple under his wing, teaching him knightly techniques and sacred arts. This move likely served to obscure the enemy’s view—no one would have imagined the Pope entrusting such a vital Holy Disk to a Chinese man. Then, unexpectedly, the knight’s lineage became ours. Zhang Yuanqing listened silently and asked: "What evidence do you have to prove all this?" "Heard this, the knight in the black, slightly worn coat reached into his luxury bag and produced two items, placing them on the tea table—one being a fan-shaped copper piece and a stack of yellowed letters. !!! Zhang Yuanqing's eyes narrowed slightly, as if a heavenly gift had just fallen from the sky—could there really be such good fortune? Zhai Cai unfolded the yellowed letters and said, 'The letters clearly describe all these events; once you've read them, you'll understand. To be honest, I've never felt a strong sense of belonging to the Church, nor do I wish to get involved in these matters. I intended to simply follow in the footsteps of my master and my senior masters—quietly taking on disciples, passing on the sacred objects. But last night, this copper piece suddenly broke its seal. Ho Zhengkui's sacred disc and the knight's disc are one unified system—when one seal is lifted, the other is automatically alerted and responds. I sighed and realized I had no choice but to step in and take on the responsibility of succession, thus coming to you." Deng Jingguo carefully read through the letters. After a while, he set down the letter and nodded, saying, "No problem!" Ho Zhengkui had indeed reserved a contingency—concerned that either one of his descendants might prove ungrateful, or that the Free Alliance might discover the secret, so he had entrusted one of the sacred plates to the knight's care. Compared to the just and reliable knights, the likelihood of ungrateful descendants within his own family was higher. Yet Ho's descendants had proven satisfactory, and had not let him down. Zhang Yuanqing furrowed his brows, asking, "How do you know that Deng Chairman is Ho Zhengkui's grandson? Before the loss of the Pope's relics, even Ho himself didn't know this secret." "The agreement was for biennial contact, and after Ho Zhengkui returned to the spiritual realm, his natural son, Deng Guoguang, once reached out to us. The establishment of the Anti-Black-White Alliance was also made possible by my master's master." The knight explained. "It wasn't until after Deng Guoguang's passing that the two families lost contact." "So, you knights are Ho Zhengkui's insurance—should this sacred plate from the Ho family be lost, the knights will "Deng Jingguo mused, 'The relics of the Pope were indeed taken a few days ago. My father, following Ho Zhengkui's example, entrusted the Pope's relics to his illegitimate son, only for that son to be devoured by the Star Official and to fall in sacrifice a few days ago.' 'However, there are complications...' He immediately informed Zhai Cai of the events—first, the Star Official killed Jia Feizheng, and then, midway, was intercepted and slain by the Supreme Master of the Celestial Sect.' The Deer-Skin Knight listened, stunned: 'So complicated... Ah, it seems now that the Supreme Master has obtained the Sacred Disc and successfully unsealed its enchantment. That's fortunate—the Sacred Discs are mutually responsive. I will endeavor to locate him and reclaim the Disc.' 'I won't remove it for several days,' Zhang Yuanqing said quietly. Deng Jingguo then turned to the swordmaster from the east, addressing Zhai Cai: 'Though the Sacred Discs have not been passed down to me, in truth, I have no desire to become involved. Yet, as a descendant of Ho Zhengkui, it is my duty, as a family obligation, Just as Zhang Yuanqing thought he was about to hear some lofty, well-intentioned remarks, Deng Mencount’s tone shifted: “I’ve already assigned the Immortal Sword Immortal to track the Supreme Master of the Heavenly Path. Now, Xiao Yao, you’ll take charge of assisting Zhai Cai in reclaiming the Sacred Disc. Should the situation demand it, I’ll step in personally.” Deng Mencount seemed entirely unwilling to get involved—perfect. That way, I can stay hidden beside this knight and find the right moment to seize the Sacred Disc… Zhang Yuanqing gave a slight nod: “I’ll do my best!” He had originally intended to mention that, if the situation became too risky, he’d ask for a higher fee—just to make it look sincere. But then he thought better of it. Such remarks would only seem overly formal. Zhai Cai glanced sideways at Zhang Yuanqing, clearly unconvinced: “A mere swordsman…” He shook his head, murmuring in disappointment. What does this mean?! Zhang Yuanqing almost wanted to hit him. After leaving Deng Jingu’s villa, Zhang Yuanqing and Zhai Cai walked slowly side by side along the long street. Was I lucky today—did the goddess of fortune flip me a card? The third holy plate appeared right before me on its own... But this knight is likely a Dominant; it will be hard to seize him. I'll have to ask the Chairman to intervene. The copper plates on his body will serve as the foundation for my entry into the Hunter's Guild. Zhang Yuanqing watched the knight walking ahead, and found him to be as appealing as a delicious, well-marbled piece of beef. Wait! Suddenly, he thought: If this knight survives, he will surely cause a major disturbance in Xin Yue County. A Dominant causing such a stir in Xin Yue County—given the Hunter's Guild's extensive network of spies and informants—it won't be difficult to uncover the reasons behind Zhai Cai's commotion. Then, how will I explain having taken the holy plate from a Dominant? As long as the Guild isn't foolish, they'll surely deduce that I have someone behind the scenes. Should I kill the knight? The knight belongs to the lawful order, more upright than even the scouts. To strike him down is not my intention. Moreover, such a rare gem—such a precious rarity—would be a great waste if I were At that moment, Zhai Cai suddenly turned around, a smile playing on her lips. "I sensed hostility from you." Zhang Yuanqing was startled and replied calmly, "I also sensed hostility from you." He quickly realized that knights lacked the ability to perceive emotions or detect subtle changes in mood—add to that his habitual restraint of emotions while thinking—and it was impossible for the other to sense any threat. This was clearly a deliberate attempt to unsettle him. "After all, we're about to become companions. I've always been an independent type, and I'm not particularly trusting of others." Zhai Cai shrugged and continued. "That Celestial Master is constantly on the move. In a kingdom this vast, finding someone is like searching for a needle in a haystack. It's troublesome—truly troublesome. My company has so many other matters to attend to, and I don't want to get bogged down by these trivial concerns. 'As for you, the Free-Spirited Sword Immortal—why don't you just take my Sacred Disc and go find people for me?' I'm not sure whether you're trying to unsettle me, but why do you seem so hostile toward me? Zhang Yuanqing simply stared at her coldly, After walking a bit further, Zhang Yuanqing glanced at the silhouette of the ermine-fur knight and approached him, asking, "Do you have any plans?" The ermine-fur knight huffed and countered, "Do you think I should have any plans? Deng Master mentioned you're investigating the Master of the Heavenly Path—any progress? Don't tell me you've found nothing." The way he's speaking is so aggravating... Zhang Yuanqing asked, "Are you a Sovereign?" Zhai Cai looked at him and smiled, "I'm a half-god!" If you're a half-god, I'd bow down right now... Zhang Yuanqing replied calmly. "The Master of the Heavenly Path is a bounty hunter, taking on the case of the consecutive murders in the Chinese community—this indicates his hunter rank isn't particularly high. I spent some money investigating his past assignments, and found that he's fiercely committed to justice, having killed only criminals and underworld figures." "So, knowing his approximate rank and personality, fishing-out-with-a-legal-charge is the most efficient approach. Yesterday, I posted a bounty at the Hunter's Guild—on myself—to have my own task fulfilled. I described myself as a reckless brute, committing every atrocity from rape and plunder to outright devastation." Zhai Cai's eyes lit up. "If the Celestial Master sees that bounty, he'll likely take it. Then all I need to do is wait for him to step into the net himself." Zhang Yuanqing smiled in agreement and added, "Therefore, if you're the Sovereign, you'd be best off staying with me. But don't hold out too much hope—another hunter might have taken the task instead." Zhai Cai tilted her head, pondering, then a slightly cheeky smile returned to her elegant face. "A solid idea. Then I'll serve as your bodyguard for three days. If no leads emerge within that time, we part ways and I'll go on my own." Thus, the two walked and chatted, passing through six neighborhoods, and arrived at the red-brick townhouse. Zhai Cai lifted her head, studying the six-story building and remarked, "You're really living in something so ordinary, a common residential building? It doesn't quite fit a Saint's stature. I stayed in a presidential suite at the international hotel on Man Island—so from now on, you're coming along with me." "Are you running a company?" Zhang Yuanqing asked curiously. "Even if I'm not a billionaire, I'm certainly a big-name figure with a fortune of billions in federal currency. From now on, call me Cai General," the single-legacy knight raised his chin. Zhang Yuanqing didn't want to waste any more words: "My room is 403. You can stay there or not." He headed straight up to the building, took the elevator back home, poured himself a glass of water, and sat down at the dining table, thinking. He already had a clear plan: first, lure the sixth-generation single-legacy knight to his home, then have the Supreme Master launch an attack. After the attack fails, he would immediately contact the Hunter's Guild and inform them of the copper blocks' whereabouts. Then, he would let the Hunter's Guild and the Sovereign Thus, it would settle accounts with the Hunter's Guild while also securing the copper block. He hoped the single-line knight would step up—of course, if he fell short and the Guild took the block, then the free-spirited swordsman could team up with the Sovereign Knight. Thinking this through, Zhang Yuanqing noticed the single-line knight hadn't yet ascended to the floor. He wondered if he might truly be leaving. He hurried to the window, pushed it open, and looked out over the street, where Zhai Cai, dressed in a black sable coat, stood before a roadside food stall, happily savoring a box of deep-fried stinky tofu. "I'll come up after I finish!" he waved. How can you maintain the elegance of the International Hotel with such a setting? How can you boast of a billion-dollar status while just sitting on the roadside eating stinky tofu? Zhang Yuanqing gave a dry chuckle and swiftly closed the window.