Seeing Master Miao extend an invitation as the "Minister of Foreign Affairs," Fu Qingyang instinctively felt a bad premonition. He grasped the mouse, clicked on the meeting link embedded in the email, and the screen swiftly switched to the internal conference platform of the Five-Row Alliance, which automatically logged him in. In the six-person conference room, only Fu Qingyang and Master Miao were present—Fu’s headshot showed his own portrait, while Master Miao’s displayed a towering giant tree. "Fu Qingyang!" Master Miao’s headshot lit up with a blue microphone, "The New Accord Prefecture’s Heavenly Punishment Division has sent an email with a query—your team dispatched to assist them in the New Accord Prefecture eliminated two peak Saint-level cultivators yesterday. One of them is named Hekate, reportedly brought to your location?" Who is Hekate? Why has she been sent here? What has happened? Fu Qingyang, outwardly composed, was internally questioning. Master Yuan had said nothing to him. Though he didn’t fully grasp the situation, the established rapport remained. Fu Qingyang responded coldly, "And then what?" What does Tianfa intend to do? "He wishes to extradite Hekate back and is willing to offer you a compensation that satisfies you," said Miao the Elder. Between official organizations, dialogue can only take place through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Any private communication with the Elders would be seen as collusion and is considered a serious offense. Thus, Miao the Elder has been left as the mere messenger. "I'll think about it," Fu Qingyang replied, neither accepting nor declining, intending to contact Yuan Shi Tianzun later. Miao the Elder nodded. He only served as a conduit and was not personally invested in the matter itself. What surprised him, however, was the performance of the aid delegation in Xin Yue Commandery: "Who exactly is Juming? I only heard recently that he had a conflict with a Saint of the Meid family, defeating him in battle. Then, in the past few days, he has slain the mighty beasts Hase, Baxu, and Hekate—each of them peak Saints, only slightly less accomplished than you were at the beginning. "I never heard of Juming before!" "Bax has returned to the Spiritual Realm... Fu Qingyang was momentarily stunned. As a scout of the Fu family, he had lived freely within the Federated Republic before joining the Five Elements Alliance. Bax was a renowned figure in the Evil faction—long before Fu Qingyang had even become a recognizable name, Bax had already gained fame throughout the Federated Republic. It's surprising that Bax fell at the hands of Yuan Shi. Fu Qingyang felt both relieved and a sense of bittersweet nostalgia, as though his youth had finally come to an end. Gathering his thoughts, he replied with a calm, composed tone: "Juming is my carefully cultivated secret asset, recently promoted to Level Six last month." "A Level Six cultivator capable of defeating a peak Saint-level master?" Master Miao scoffed. "I've reviewed the profiles of those Evil faction members. While the beasts Hase and Hekate are notable, Bax is a master who wields a dominion artifact. In terms of overall strength, you simply don't match him." Regarding hard power, Fu Qingyang at the Saint stage outshines Baxus. However, at that time, Fu Qingyang hadn't yet acquired any Dominance-phase artifacts—his very first Dominance artifact was the Jade Dragon Sword bestowed upon him by his family after he successfully cleared the Slaying Quest. Fu Qingyang remained composed: "I've sent the artifacts preserved by Yuan Shi over there." Miao Senior suddenly fell silent, deeply moved upon hearing Fu Qingyang's spiritual realm ID for the second time after fifteen days. Yuan Shi, a revered elder of the Headquarters—actually one of the nine—was considered a taboo. That young man who had sacrificed himself so completely during the Judgment Council had become a black mark in the nine elders' history. Every time they mentioned him, their faces flushed with embarrassment. It was a stain that could never be erased! "Indeed!" Miao Senior said calmly. Even Yuan Shi's inventory of artifacts was worthy of high praise, even from a peak Dominance-level elder—filled with top-tier and rule-based artifacts, especially the Sacred Heaven Set, which even he found truly captivating. After uttering just one sentence, Miao Senior left the conference room with a less-than-pleased demeanor. Fu Qingyang immediately switched to the webpage and logged into the official forum of the Wu Xing Alliance. There, he found the corresponding post prominently displayed: #Divine Colleagues, Successively Eliminating Three Peak Saints—Where Does Ju Mang Come From?# "Wow, he actually killed Baxes and Hecate—why has no one ever heard of such a legendary figure?" "Oh God, tell me this isn't true. A relatively unknown individual has accomplished what we all could never manage. Has the Five-Element Alliance grown this powerful?" "I can't believe it. Even if my grandfather kicked me in the back with his pointed boots, I still can't believe it." "He not only defeated Baxes and Hecate but restored the dignity of the divine retribution—worthy of our gratitude. Such a strong and admirable figure, yet so humble!" "Did he practice Eastern qi cultivation before becoming a Spirit Realm Traveler? Otherwise, it's hard to explain his strength." "How long will this hero remain in the New Covenant County? Could he possibly work with us in Feng City for a while? The Biologists of Feng City are already becoming quite aggressive." Suddenly, it feels as though all the saints we once considered heroes are just ordinary people now! The lawful, ordered traditions of Tianfa find it most difficult to accept that a relatively unknown beast king has achieved what even their most esteemed saints—those they pride themselves on—have failed to accomplish. The Five-Element Alliance, by simply assigning an unremarkable saint, has achieved such a feat, which deeply undermines the confidence and pride of Tianfa's members. If Fu Qingyang or Yuan Shǐ Tianzūn had accomplished this, their reactions would have been far less dramatic. The responses and comments from Tianfa's members have left the official envoys of the Five-Element Alliance feeling immensely pleased and proud—long accustomed to viewing all other lawful envoys as mere provincial outsiders. Now, they feel truly elevated! Moreover, the official envoys of the Five-Element Alliance are also curious about Ju Mang, this unexpected powerhouse, eager to learn about his past. Fu Qingyang closed the thread and was about to log out of the forum when he suddenly noticed one: #I know now why Ju Mang is so powerful.# Fu Qingyang furrowed his brow and clicked into the thread. In an empty house in King's County, brilliant starlight ignites, and Zhang Yuanqing steps out of the light, retrieves the Yata Mirror, and casts a shimmer of golden light. The golden light transforms into a duplicate! The duplicate gently wipes over the face, assuming the appearance of a composed young man—the Celestial Master. The duplicate and the original exchange a glance, as if looking into a mirror. Zhang Yuanqing settles into a meditative posture on the dusty floor, placing the Yata Mirror on the ground. "I should enter the Spiritual Realm tonight. When you return, remember to secure the Yata Mirror." Then, he retrieves the Supreme-Grade tools—such as the Form-and-Spirit-Annihilating Blade and the Chaotic Oil Painting—as well as the Supreme-Grade materials. He has activated the capabilities of his heart, using the character card of the beast creature Hase to overlay his own character card, allowing his purple-gold armor and personal strength to pass the Spiritual Realm's scrutiny. Yet these tools cannot be fooled by the Realm—they will be disastrous if he matches against a foreign Supreme-Grade dungeon. "These are our core assets," Zhang Yuanqing says, "so come back The duplicate nodded: "Once I've handled Catherine, I'll return immediately." The eight-armed mirror could only be used once per day, and the duplicate had perished last night under the attack of the master-tier item, "The Chaotic Painting." Zhang Yuanqing would have to wait until evening to deal with Catherine. "Don't sleep with Catherine," Zhang Yuanqing advised. The duplicate was momentarily stunned. "Why should I be told this?" "I'm afraid you won't be able to resist." "Don't we share the same mind and thoughts? Then it must be you who can't resist. Ah, I understand now. I'm a duplicate—my experiences are yours, yet I don't betray Guan Ya. The original, you're truly a dog." "Don't we share the same mind and thoughts? Then when I'm a dog, you're also a dog." The duplicate bowed slightly and dissolved into starlight. ... 69 Hamburg Street, Quins District, a wellness spa. Zhang Yuanqing wore a mask and a baseball cap, entering the lounge whose entrance was adorned with Japanese-style lanterns. After a first visit, now more familiar, he didn’t ask the female server for directions—he simply walked in. Walking along the corridor bathed in soft, warm light, displaying vibrant photographs, Zhang Yuanqing slowed his pace, attuned to the atmosphere around him. Soon, he sensed Catherine’s emotional undercurrents. Anger, doubt, restlessness… Her mood was clearly unsettled. She might be drawn into the situation, or perhaps lose trust in him. Zhang Yuanqing felt a sudden sense of urgency. He paused at the doorway of the private room, gently knocking on the door, its bronze-carved handle polished and elegant. … In the otherwise empty house, Zhang Yuanqing heard the ethereal ambient voice of the spiritual realm.