After dinner, Zhang Yuanqing politely helped his grandmother clean the dishes, then carried the kitchen waste down to the community's trash bin. Remembering he hadn't visited his aunt yet, he rushed to the fruit shop across the street, bought several pounds of seasonal fruits, and sent a text message to his uncle asking him to prepare a set of foreign skincare products—by the time he reached his aunt's house, he would have just five minutes. When he returned to his room with the fruits, a box of unopened skincare products was neatly placed on his desk—complete with moisturizing, anti-aging, brightening, and spot-reducing items. Holding the skincare products, Zhang Yuanqing knocked on his aunt's door. "Yuanzi is back!" His aunt, who was applying a night mask, smiled warmly upon seeing her bright, poised nephew standing at the door. "I came to see Grandpa and Grandma," Zhang said, handing over the skincare products and fruits, "of course, and also to see my young and beautiful aunt." Upon seeing the skincare products, his aunt's smile grew even more radiant. "How did you know I use this brand?" she asked. I was just about to run out—recently, viruses have been spreading all over the world, and my consignment business has come to a halt, which has me quite worried. Yuanzi, you really thought of it! Said Zhang Yuanqing, opening his arms. "Is Uncle at home?" Mama-in-law held the skincare products in one hand and gently held her nephew's arm, sighing, "Where else could he go if he's not at home? With the virus spreading so badly outside, he's been scared to go out—staying indoors all the time. In fact, he's been using the bathroom more and more lately. Just now, he went again." Uncle went to the bathroom to buy you skincare products! Zhang Yuanqing realized this and turned her gaze toward the bathroom. "Crack!" The bathroom door opened just as the uncle stepped out, wearing a deep red suit and slim, tailored pants. The two of them locked eyes—electric sparks flew between them, and the air was thick with tension. Mama-in-law gracefully released her nephew's arm and stepped back. Uncle took a deep breath, twisted his waist and lifted his hips, pointing his middle finger downward: "Useless Yuanzi! You're carrying things to see me, yet you're still spending my money—Yoyoy!" Zhang Yuanqing raised two middle fingers, pointing them down, mimicking the exaggerated posture of a dance, then stepped back two paces: "A wealthy uncle—I've already set the trap. Spend a bit more money now, and you'll bring out those dogs." Upon hearing this, Uncle shook his head vigorously: "Look at your greed! Everything you do depends on me—always acting like you've never grown up." Zhang Yuanqing danced around Uncle, singing loudly: "A well-established uncle—do you still remember the golden-haired girl from ten years ago, who was right..." Before he could finish, Uncle interrupted with two hearty "Yoyoy!"s: "Useless Yuanzi! Rarely has your performance been so reliable—deal done—Yoyoy!" Zhang Yuanqing waved cheerfully: "Auntie, I'm off now!" Back at the adjacent room, he carried the clean clothes prepared by his grandmother into the bathroom, washed and then used the divine power of the Sun to dry his hair. He donned his fluffy pajamas and sat quietly by the desk, waiting. His grandparents, who had gone to bed early, were now resting, and the house was quiet. Less than half an hour later, his bedroom door gently opened, and Jiang Yuer slipped in wearing a small tank top and shorts, shy and hesitant. "What kind of magic are you performing this winter? Don't you mind the cold?" Zhang Yuanqing glanced at her with a sideways expression. Jiang Yuer wrinkled her nose. "Won't your aunt look even more captivating in this outfit?" What a point to make! You're not even trying to act anymore, are you? Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself. Yet, when she walked straight toward him, he willingly moved the wheelchair aside, offering his thigh. Jiang Yuer leaned slightly to the side, placing her rounded, full buttocks gently on his thigh, and wrapped her hands around his neck. Zhang Yuanqing lifted his head, meeting her dark, luminous eyes—clear and starlit. They locked eyes for fully fifteen seconds, and Aunt Jiang gave a delicate huff. "How come you didn't bring Guan Ya home? Your grandmother has been thinking about this granddaughter-in-law ever since." Her tone carried no hidden resentment. "She hasn't even sent the transmission jade token. The airport in Xin Yue has also been damaged—she'll have to wait a few days before she can return home." Zhang Yuanqing smiled. "Once she returns to Songhai, I'll bring her over to have dinner at my place. As your aunt, you'd better treat her well..." Before he finished speaking, a crisp slap landed squarely on his forehead. Jiang Yu E's gaze remained cold, a smirk playing at her lips. "I'll eventually kill her." She shifts to full-blown drama at the slightest provocation. Zhang Yuanqing had originally intended to brush it off, but after a moment's thought, he persisted. "You know everything, yet you never mentioned it earlier. This isn't my fault, nor is it Guan Ya's." Jiang Yu E knew all the details, yet never revealed them to him. Instead, she had appeared beside him as the Master of the Stopping the Sword Sect—now Jiang Yu E stared into his eyes, and suddenly a layer of mist formed in them: "To stitch together your shattered soul, I've been mad for years. To allow Jiang Yu E to live a normal life, to not harm my parents or you, I created a separate persona. Every night before I go to sleep, I face the mirror and hypnotize myself—hypnotize myself into being a normal person—so I can suppress the chaos in my thoughts and emotions. Do you know how intensely the blood from my hospital delivery surgery affected me? The gushing blood, the wounds, the newborns who died, the patients who passed away—all of these scenes constantly remind me of the Chü family's tragedy, further intensifying my madness. Yet I must endure. I have to live in this home, live beside you. Even at night, when it's quiet, I long for someone to come and save me. I am so painful, so painful..." Warm tears fell one by one onto his face. Zhang Yuanqing felt his heart pierced—sharp and piercing. Jiang Yu E smiled with a sorrowful grace. "What good would it do if I tell you? I don't even know how long I can go on. Simply being honest with you only adds to my worries. I've already decided—once I reach my limit, I'll leave this household, let the family's outcasts carry me into the Five Elements Secret Quest, and seal myself as the Abyss." Zhang Yuanqing reached out, wiping away the tear traces on Jiang Yu E's cheeks, then gently cradled her face. In his heart, a thousand words condensed into one: "I'm sorry..." Jiang Yu E pressed her lips together, her eyelashes trembling as they closed. No matter how much pain and helplessness she had carried before, at this very moment, her heart was joyful. Their lips drew closer and closer... just then, a sound of the door handle turning came from the living room, followed by hurried footsteps approaching the bedroom door. Jiang Yu E leapt up instantly, Zhang Yuanqing immediately straightened, sitting upright with composure. The bedroom door was pushed open with force—there stood her cousin, Chen Yuanjun, looking worn and weary. Zhang Yuanqing took a deep breath to calm himself, deliberately adopting a light, joking tone. "Uncle, it's been two months since we last saw each other—now you could easily swap identities with your uncle!" He was teasing his uncle about his growing signs of aging. Chen Yuanchun, who had something to say, paused upon seeing Jiang Yubi. "How come you're in Yuanzi's room?" He glanced at her graceful figure in a tank top and shorts, furrowed his brows. "Isn't it cold?" It was nearing the end of the year, and the nights in Songhai were damp and chilly. "Oh, I came over to play a Switch fitness game with Yuanzi," Jiang Yubi replied calmly, using a soothing tone. "You two talk. I'll go back to my room and sleep." Chen Yuanchun instinctively assumed the matter would unfold this way, without further thought. As he watched his aunt leave the room, he quickly closed the door himself, and with a serious expression, walked over to the bed. "What's wrong?" Zhang Yuanqing's face also grew serious. Chen Yuanjun spoke steadily: "Yuanzi, I've been reviewing case files at the Public Security Bureau lately..." He briefly outlined his work, carefully choosing his words and pacing his delivery. "During this review, our technical staff recovered an electronic file that had been deleted. It's a 2019 missing persons record—the missing individual was... Lei Yibing!" Zhang Yuanqing was momentarily stunned. Had Yibing disappeared three years ago? I didn't know that! Although after Yibing went to university and the two were separated, their contact gradually diminished, it didn't completely fade—Yibing would still occasionally join him online for gaming sessions, sharing photos and license plate numbers. Chen Yuanjun continued: "The electronic file was forcibly deleted using someone's authorized access credentials. The case was never closed, and the file has never fully recovered its original state. Yuanzi, I suspect this incident is directly related to Lei Yibing's recent disappearance." "If we can identify who deleted the electronic records three years ago, we might uncover the truth and find Lei Yibing." Chen Yuanjun's mind was still anchored on the case of Lei Yibing's disappearance in April. Zhang Yuanqing, however, had many thoughts. When he first investigated Lei Yibing, he noticed that during his university years, Yibing had been reserved and unassuming—when conflicts arose with classmates, he would often yield gracefully, only to retaliate fiercely afterward. This didn't align with Yibing's well-known personality of being indifferent to life and death and taking action when challenged. At that time, Zhang Yuanqing had already suspected that Yibing had suffered an unexpected incident during the summer after high school, an event that transformed him into a spiritual realm traveler, controlled by the mysterious Eye and Judge. Now, the emergence of this missing-person record confirms his hunch. "Yibing truly became a spiritual realm traveler during that summer after high school and was subsequently controlled by the Eye and Judge. That's why, after entering university, his demeanor changed dramatically—becoming more cold, sharp, and ruthless," Zhang Yuanqing thought. Chen Yuanjun saw that he was silent and comforted him, saying, "Once the aftermath work is done, I'll visit Lei Yibing's home again to find out what happened back then regarding the missing case." Although the electronic records couldn't be recovered, since they had filed a report with the Kangyang District Public Security Bureau, the reporter must have been a relative of Lei Yibing's. "Thank you, brother," Zhang Yuqing spoke sincerely. Chen Yuanjun nodded and stood up, saying, "All right, go rest now." As he reached the door, he paused and turned back, asking, "Yuanzi, what do you think about this disaster?" Zhang Yuqing replied, "Experts have already confirmed it's a virus. Once the vaccine is developed, we won't have to worry anymore." "Viruses...?" Chen Yuanjun exhaled. "Yes, once the vaccine comes out, we'll be fine. Yuanzi, the Security Bureau sent over a report yesterday showing that terrorist attacks have concentrated in banks, the Security Bureau headquarters, large shopping malls, and wealthy neighborhoods. The old city center and suburban or rural areas have largely escaped attacks. I'm planning to buy a house in the suburban area of Songhai, so my grandparents and parents can move there. What do you think?" Ah, sometimes, poverty is the best protection color... Zhang Yuanqing said, "Guan Ya called me last night, saying she'd like to bring my family to Beijing. Brother, I think going to Beijing is better than going to the countryside. You can rest easy now." You're the one who's the most out of your depth—what's all this fuss about? After sending off his cousin, Zhang Yuanqing glanced at his younger sister's room, hesitated again and again, struggled with indecision, and finally quietly returned to his own room. ... Late at night, the Zoo. A cat and a dog are crouched at a laptop, their office plants growing slender, vibrant green tendrils. The keyboard taps rhythmically as they input information: "Master Miao, I'd like to ask you something." Ms. JOJO tilts her head, her light green eyes bright and focused on the dog beside her. "Who is Master Miao?" "Among the first group of travelers of the Spiritual Realm, my immediate superior—Grade 9, the Spring Deity. When it comes to recounting old stories, no one is more suited than an old-time classic." The dog elder replies. They checked the official database, but found no records about the Union of the Voyage. After thoughtful contemplation, the dog elder decides to go straight to the point and directly inquire about the first group of Spiritual Realm travelers. Hearing the name of Grade 9 Spring Deity, Ms. JOJO's eyes light up. "Is he acquainted with the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign?" The dog elder senses the unspoken meaning in her question and smiles warmly. "Never mind about changing your owner—he deeply dislikes the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign, even resents him to the point of extending that resentment to you." "Ms. JOJO asked, as the cat has always been curious." "Let me elaborate—on the private matters of the rulers, I won't go into detail. If you'd like to know more, you can ask the Prime Immortal." The Dog Elder remained as steady as ever. "After all, doesn't the Prime Immortal already have enough friction with this accomplished Elder?" Ms. JOJO understood. At that moment, the Master Elder replied: "What is it?" The Dog Elder perked up, glanced at the green plant beside the table, and the plant immediately waved its young tendrils, tapping out: "I'd like to inquire about the Union of the Journey." The Master Elder remained silent for about fifteen seconds before replying: "What do you want to know about the Union?" The Dog Elder paused, then used the plant's tendrils to respond: "I'm seeking out a long-forgotten story." He didn't elaborate, hoping to gauge the Master Elder's sensitivity to the matter. If the Master Elder pressed further, it would mean they were well-informed about the Union and were wary of others learning about it. The senior figures aren't particularly curious cats who keep asking questions repeatedly—any repeated inquiries must carry significance. "The Tongzhou Association is a spiritual traveler organization established during World War II. It was reportedly founded by the Free Alliance under the slogan 'When the nation faces hardship, we sail together as one boat,' aiming to rally local spiritual travelers and elite figures from both politics and business under the banner of patriotism. On the surface, it was a wartime effort; in reality, its true objective was to gradually take control of the nation during its vulnerable period, positioning itself as the silent master behind the scenes," replied Master Miao. The cat and the dog exchanged glances, each sensing a sense of gravity in the other's eyes. "Why did the Tongzhou Association eventually fade from sight?" asked the dog elder. "I'm not entirely sure," replied Master Miao succinctly. "Do you know any of its current members? I mean, members who are still alive," the dog elder typed out, fearing that Master Miao might respond with: "I didn't expect it—I'm actually a member of the Tongzhou Association!" Master Miao: "Master Jiang, the Master of the Central Hall and the President." "The president here refers to the president of the Hundred Blossom Association, the current Qing Di. Watching the computer screen, the dog elder's paws began to tremble. Three of the marshals... all from the Tongzhou Association! ... 'What's going on? Out of five marshals, three are from Tongzhou?' In the early morning, by the bedside in his bedroom, Zhang Yuanqing, just woken up, stared at the message sent by the dog elder, his gaze slightly dazed. According to the Free Alliance's method of cultivating spies, these three marshals should all be double agents. Well, first, let's rule out Jiang Marshal—he simply isn't suited for the delicate work of espionage. I remember my uncle once said that the former Marshal of the White Tiger Army allied with the Xiao Yao Organization to seize the Light Compass because he didn't trust the other marshals. Now, what about me? Oh, that's truly terrifying. Zhang Yuanqing quietly drew a shiver, then thought again and realized he was overreacting. If among the five marshals there are indeed spies from the Free Alliance, then the Wind and Thunder Divine Events simply wouldn't have been resolved properly." Yet with a chaotic, 12-tiered half-god causing upheaval across the realm, the lawful half-gods would be utterly overwhelmed. At that moment, Ling Tu, wielding the authority of the Sovereign of the Silver Moon, consumes the moral value of the lawful faction—directly triggering an explosion within the lawful alignment. Zhang Yuanqing puts down his phone, intending to discuss this matter with his superior or uncle at a convenient time. He dons his shoes, takes a simple shower, and then leaves the house, entering the unmonitored hallway, dissolving into starlight. In the neighborhood steeped in vintage charm, Zhang Yuanqing knocks on Lei Yibing’s door. It is still Lei Yibing’s mother who answers—her demeanor no longer as worn as it was in April, her dark circles gone, though she has grown more aged, her eyes lacking vitality. “Yuanzi?” A spark of brightness emerges in her eyes upon seeing Zhang Yuanqing. “Mrs. Zhou, I’ve come to see you,” Zhang Yuanqing says, lifting the fruit in his hands and smiling as he steps inside. He takes a seat in the living room, while Mrs. Zhou heads to the kitchen to wash the fruit. Zhang Yuanqing hurried to say, "No need, Aunt Zhou. I'll be leaving shortly. I came today specifically to inquire about Brother Bing." Aunt Zhou's eyes suddenly brightened, yet her expression remained tense—excited yet anxious—she carefully replied, "Have you found Bing?" "No," Zhang Yuanqing shook his head. Aunt Zhou exhaled deeply, her expression complex, unsure whether she felt relieved or more serious. Feeling her emotional shift, Zhang Yuanqing silently sighed. After eight months missing, the family themselves might no longer know what their feelings truly were—wanting to find him, yet at the same time, perhaps not wanting to find him. Zhang Yuanqing asked, "Aunt Zhou, Uncle Yuanjun mentioned that the Kangyang Public Security Bureau received a report about Bing going missing three years ago. Do you remember the exact date—month and day? And how did Bing come back afterward? Perhaps this time, Bing will return on his own as well?" Hearing this, Aunt Zhou looked utterly puzzled, "What are you talking about, Yuanzi? Bing never went missing before." At that very moment, Zhang Yuanqing's pupils contracted into needles.