At dawn, a passenger flight from the Free Federation to the Capital. In business class, Zhao Chenghuang covered himself with a blanket, eyes closed, resting feigningly. His sharp-featured profile stood out, elegant and composed. After a week of stay in Xinjie County, Dianya International Airport finally completed its repairs and resumed international routes—finally, the saints who had returned from the afterlife boarded their flights back to their homeland. To Zhao Chenghuang’s left lay Sun Miao Miao, curled up and snoring softly; to his right sat Water Group member Yuan Ting, browsing online forums. Guan Ya and Tianxia Guihuo boarded the flight returning to Songhai, while Hong Jie returned to his soup-making province. As for Shina Reina, her appointment at Tianfa had been arranged by Chihoko’s group, and she still couldn’t return home. It was said that Chihoko’s entire group held her in high esteem, believing that the war-torn Xinjie County was at a critical stage of development and that Reina’s steadfast commitment to the region would surely lead to significant advancement—her rise was seen as a rare and golden opportunity. "Whoa!" Yuan Ting suddenly exclaimed, startling Zhao Yuan Ting waved his hand, sending the female flight attendant away, and spoke in a low tone: "Look at the forum..." Sun Miaomiao and Zhao Chenghuang immediately pulled out their phones, logged into the Taimei Forum, and instantly understood the reason for Yuan Ting's outburst. "According to internal reports from the Wu Xing Alliance, Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn has established a power group called 'The Return of the Departed.' It's said that the number of its master-level figures exceeds ten. One can only say that Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn has truly come a long way—he has fully transformed from a once-infinite-talented prodigy into a true major figure in the spiritual realm, a genuine power player." "Once again, I must reiterate: Senior Sun is simply clueless!" Sun Miao Miao stared in astonishment: "The group has now surpassed ten master-level figures." "Didn't you two know?" Yuan Ting glanced skeptically at his two companions. "I just wanted to blame you for keeping such a major development hidden from me." Zhao Chenghuang sighed: "This guy is always the center of attention. Has he really just ascended to master status?" Now, he no longer feels the competitive drive or enthusiasm to race against Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn. How could ordinary mortals possibly compete with prodigies? It was simply because he used to be too young himself. Zhao Chenghuang's current plan is to reach Level Six before June next year, then enter the slaughter arena to compete for the position of Master. If he fails, he'll aim for the end of the year; should he fail again, he'll try the following year. Based on historical data, excluding a few exceptional talents, most Level Six Saints—even those with half-divine descendants—typically get stuck in the slaughter arena for several years. He has already made the mental preparation to remain at Level Six for an extended period. Of course, there are pathways to accelerate his promotion: for instance, the Yuanshishen Tianzun has personally sent several Level Six Yin corpses that were previously eliminated, supplemented by premium items from the guild warehouse and the support from his grandfather. With these multiple boosts, he has a realistic chance to become a Master within a year. However, he won't proactively raise this possibility—Zhao is proud and dignified. Sun Miaomiao excitedly opened the "Wangzhe Guilai" guild group and posted a screenshot of the thread from the Taiyuan Forum into the group. 【Sun Miaomiao: @Yuanshishen Tianzun, what's going on? What's going So, shall we consider ourselves a top-tier force? Xia Hou Ao Tian: The essence of mastery lies in quality, not quantity. As long as I'm here, even with just one master, we'll be a top-tier force. Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun: Indeed, we now exceed ten. The Mage-Eyed King has also switched allegiance and joined us. He informed the elder sages about incorporating Zhishi Palace and Jishi Society into Wángzhě Guīlái, making the Fan-Bai Alliance a subsidiary, and securing the Merchant Guild and Beauty Goddess Association as our key financial backers. Hong Ji Ge: This is equivalent to a small company evolving into a joint-stock corporation—further development would be going public and becoming an official organization. What a monkey-sensation! Xia Hou Ao Tian: Oh, Hong Ji Ge can now speak like this—so you've grown wiser, have you? Hong Ji Ge: Your tone is quite rude. Xia Hou Ao Tian: Under my mastery, all others are mere insects. How dare a mere sage challenge my supremacy? Hong Ji Ge: I'll have my grandfather give you a good dressing-down. Master Yuan Shi: @Zhao Chenghuang, I've been waiting for you to return to Songhai. I'll send you the two Grade-6 ghost corpses—the Greedy General and the Hundred-Headed Slayer. Grade-6 ghost corpses aren't very useful anymore; they serve well as expendable units, even at Grade-4 or Grade-5, or even at the Transcendent level. To elevate them to the Sovereign level would be too costly—my uncle would just shake his head at the expense. It's actually more worthwhile to eliminate a few Sovereigns instead. Zhao Chenghuang felt a slight relief. He knew that, given Master Yuan's sense of righteousness and generosity, this was only a matter of time. But seeing him mention it proactively gave him a sense of finality and genuine warmth. Zhao Chenghuang typed out "Thank you," just as he was about to send it, when Xiahou Aotian wrote: This is a meal offered with a demand—small Zhao, you must act like me, independent, self-reliant. A meal offered with a demand—small Zhao… Zhao Chenghuang’s facial muscles twitched, and he silently deleted 】 【Xiahou Aotian: Borrow it, that's borrowing—mere yellow and white goods, exchanged for a Sovereign, isn't that worthwhile?】 【Hong Ji Ge: Your use of public funds is borrowing, but Zhao Chenghuang's acceptance of Yuan Shi's gifts is a case of being served with a meal he can't refuse—unworthy!】 The Fire Master is always straightforward and fair. 【Sun Miao Miao: What about me? What about me? @Yuan Shi Tianzun】 【Yuan Shi Tianzun: You didn't refine the Yin corpse, didn't you receive a six-level Yin Chuan from the Spirit Servant?】 【Sun Miao Miao: I still want Xiao Doudi and the Ghost Bride.】 【Yuan Shi Tianzun: How could your son and wife possibly give them to you?】 【Guan Ya: ???】 #Yuan Shi Tianzun retracts a message# Zhao Chenghuang is too busy to pay attention to the members' banter, clicks on Yuan Shi Tianzun's profile, and privately sends a message: Thank you. 【Yuan Shi Tianzun: Brothers don't need to express gratitude; when brothers 】 【Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun: Do you still remember Lu Yue Shuang’s diary in Pan Shen’s labyrinth? It mentioned the "Same Boat Society."】 【Zhao Cheng Huang: The organization that ambushed Huo Zhengkui?】 【Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun: Exactly. The Same Boat Society was established during World War II, with its backing coming from the Western world—the Free Federation. Back then, their mission to eliminate Huo Zhengkui was precisely to hinder the rise of the official power in the second administrative region...】 He shared with Zhao Cheng Huang all the information about the Same Boat Society, including the secret that all three of the allied leaders had originated from it. Zhao Cheng Huang listened intently, growing cold with apprehension. He now fully grasped Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun’s implication: although the Same Boat Society had disbanded, given its style of the Free Alliance, among the first group of spiritual realm travelers, there must inevitably be spies from the evil faction. 【Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun: I’ve already asked Jiang’s headmaster about this matter. For now, I’ve ruled out the suspicion of the three allied leaders, and have identified a new 【The Prime Original Sovereign: That man is your grandfather.】 Grandfather... Zhao Chenghuang suddenly sat up, his eyes fixed intently on the phone screen, his face pale with distress. "What's wrong?" The two companions beside him simultaneously leaned forward to peer at the screen. Zhao Chenghuang turned off the phone, lay back down again, and spoke calmly, "Nothing." Yet inside, he could not settle. The first batch of spiritual realm travelers had encountered issues, and his grandfather was also part of that first batch. It couldn't be—his grandfather was strict and domineering, seemingly cold and distant, with poor interpersonal relations. Yet over the years, he had always acted with integrity, never indulged in women or attached himself to power or wealth. I don't believe he has truly fallen from grace... Zhao Chenghuang thought to himself. But if his grandfather truly had fallen from grace, how should he himself respond? The Prime Original Sovereign had shared this news with him—not merely to inform, but to invite him to make his own choice. How to balance familial loyalty against greater duty? Zhao Chenghuang's mind flashed back to the devastation suffered by Xin Yue Commandery, the series of casualty figures on the Five Elements Alliance's report, and the scenes of widespread destruction across various regions following terrorist attacks. He had already arrived at a clear conclusion. Amid this inner turmoil, Zhao Chenghuang reached the capital's international airport. The three of them boarded a dedicated vehicle sent by the Taiyuan sect. Zhao Chenghuang said, "Go to the old headquarters." The old headquarters was the courtyard complex where they had grown up, while the new headquarters was a more upscale residential area closer to the city center. Most of the elders still lived in the old headquarters, whereas the younger generation preferred the new one. Forty minutes later, the vehicle arrived at the historic, century-old hutong, and Zhao Chenghuang, without mentioning the luggage in the trunk, simply dissolved into starlight and stepped out of the vehicle. ... Xin Yue Commandery. Shallow Ryō, recently promoted to a supervisory officer in the Inspection Department, received a phone call from the head of the Chihaku Group, Kōbe Ichirō. "Ryō, didn't you know all along that the Prime Origin Deity hadn't passed away?" "Yes." "Eighty-eight! So important an intelligence—why didn't you report it to the organization? Have you forgotten your own origins?" Shina Ryō kept bowing, calling out, "Smi-ma-sai!" "Nevertheless, the fact that the Genjō-sama has entrusted you with secrets shows that he considers you one of his own." After a few gentle words of reassurance, Goda Ichiro finally stated his purpose: "Since the Genjō-sama is still alive, the Yashiki-kagami should be returned to the Chihara group. Ryō, the Yashiki-kagami is a vital asset of the Chihara group—its cornerstone object, determining the group's very essence—and must never be compromised. The organization would like you to personally approach the Genjō-sama and request its return." "Oh—this is... difficult." Shina Ryō looked hesitant. "Are you really going to watch the Chihara group's hopes rise, only to see them fall into the hands of outsiders?" Goda Ichiro asked firmly. "Absolutely not," Motonari Reina said loudly, then lowered her voice. "Director, the Yuanshishin is already a sovereign, and he has numerous allies at his level. I believe it would be more effective to present the Yashimikagami to him as a gift celebrating his promotion to a Day-Traveling God, thus strengthening his ties with the Chiharu Group." Kobe Ichiro rejected her proposal: "With you here, the friendship between Yuanshishin and the Chiharu Group has already grown strong and enduring. We shouldn’t sacrifice the Yashimikagami—after all, it’s a vital asset of the Chiharu Group, Reina. This is an order from the organization." In the past, Reina would have readily agreed without hesitation. But after all that has happened, she has long since outgrown her former high school self. The Director’s eagerness to reclaim the Yashimikagami stems from the growing intensity of the factional conflicts—having a sovereign-level artifact in her own hands provides a crucial safety net. Even if Yuanshishin’s relationship with the Chiharu Group remains strong, it still doesn’t compare to the security of possessing Moreover, with my connection, even if we need to retrieve the Yata Mirror, I believe the Primordial Sovereign will extend his support as long as I personally request it. Mitsuru thought it over and said respectfully, "I will convey the organization's request to the Primordial Sovereign." ... The quadrangle courtyard. Zhao Chenghuang transformed into a cascade of stars and surveyed the courtyard. He didn't see his grandfather, and the house was quiet, with no one in sight. He went to the locust tree and asked, "Where is Grandfather?" A pale ghostly face emerged from within the locust tree, conveying a subtle spiritual ripple: "The master has just left." The senior officials of the Taiyuan Sect often employ spiritual servants to guard and attend to the premises, so they cultivate locust trees throughout the courtyard. Since locust trees are associated with the yin energy, they nourish spirits and serve as ideal homes for such servants. "When did he leave?" asked Zhao Chenghuang. "Only one hour ago. Recently, the outside world has been in turmoil—the senior elder's physical body has been destroyed, and a new one has not yet been created. As a Zhao Chenghuang nodded, sent a text message to Sun Miao Miao, asking her to deliver his luggage back to the upscale residential area, and then settled himself cross-legged beneath the locust tree, patiently waiting. With his back against the tree, bathed in the morning sunlight, he repeatedly pondered Yuan Shi Tian Zun's words. He began recalling his memories of his grandfather, trying to find any subtle clues. Grandfather was one of the earliest practitioners of the Spiritual Realm, strict and rigid, with a reserved disposition, which made his interpersonal relationships somewhat strained; yet he was consistently fair and just, earning the deep respect of the senior monks and elders in the temple. As for his character, Zhao Chenghuang found no signs of decline—only that he was somewhat reserved, which, if pressed, could be attributed to his primary focus on the Yin energy. Focusing on Yin energy... Zhao Chenghuang's expression softened slightly. Yin energy governs the hidden and the concealed—ideally suited for a fallen one to remain undetected. There were many monks in the temple who specialized in Yin energy, so to suspect Grandfather of being a fallen one seemed rather hasty. Zhao Chenghuang shook his head. At that moment, leaning against the locust tree, he suddenly recalled a childhood memory. There was a basement beneath the locust tree, within the quadrangle courtyard. As a child, he and his companions, including Sun Miao-miao and others, often played exploration games, and they would take them down into the basement. The basement was dim and dark, accessible only to the grandfather—everyone else was barred from entering, making it the perfect setting for an adventure. However, just as they entered, they were stopped by Ling Pu. Upon learning of this, the grandfather became furious and severely scolded Zhao Chenguang with a bamboo stick. From then on, the basement became Zhao Chenguang's personal sanctuary, and he never dared to touch it again. As he grew older, it gradually faded from his memory. Now, reflecting on it, he wondered—what could be so remarkable about a simple basement? Why did the grandfather react so angrily? If there were any dangers, the grandfather would have simply mentioned them. Moreover, with Ling Pu guarding the entrance, if there were indeed risks, the children should have been prevented from entering. Yet the grandfather's outburst seemed rather unreasonable. Childhood memories surged forth. Zhao Chenghuang looked down at the tree roots and decided to explore the basement while the senior was away.