"I actually intended to dance with you—ideally, with a bit of rap, too—but your mood seems off." Uncle reached into the void, grabbing a glass of wine, then another of chilled cola, and said, "Go on, tell me what's going on." Zhang Yuanqing immediately laid out the Five Elements Alliance's plans, and their clear determination toward the Light Disc, to Uncle. "They're resorting to force?" Uncle scoffed. "I'm just standing still, and they can't even touch me. As for the demon-mages—well, even half-gods from the evil professions shy away from them. The Five Elements Alliance is just making grand speeches." "Why don't you take me around and show me the demon-mages' flair sometime, Uncle?" Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself. "We both don't particularly like the strict, rigid kind of leader," Uncle said, swirling his wine glass, lounging lazily on the sofa, with a gentle smile. "He's just a typical office worker who's always slackening on his duties." "What?" Zhang Yuanqing blinked. The family's disgraced members always speak in vague, aimless ways—without direction or conclusion. Even when they claim to be the rightful heirs, they often fail to keep up with the others' pace. Uncle poured a generous gulp of red wine and exclaimed, "Isn't that true? Our order's half-divine heroes fought tooth and nail, even drawing in a lusty demon like me to join the fray. Look at the Star Sovereign—what has he done? To someone unfamiliar, he seems like just a background character in a novel." He set down his wine glass, shrugged, "So, why should I support that sixth child to become the Sovereign of the Sun? He's not even my designated heir." Zhang Yuanqing sighed, "Uncle, by now, we have no choice. To elevate the Master of Tai Men to the throne of the Sun Sovereign is our only path. The Sun Sovereign cannot become a Chaotic one—no matter how many concerns or doubts you may have about the Master of Tai Men, once he ascends, he will inevitably become a part of the Order." Uncle set down his wine cup, gazing steadily into his nephew's eyes—uncharacteristically serious and solemn. In a measured tone, he asked, "Yuanzi, if you decide to step down from your position as the Sovereign of the Sun, then I and the Demon Queen will hand over the fragments of the Compass of Light. But I want to hear you say it yourself." Zhang Yuanqing's lips moved slightly, trying to form words, yet the simple phrase "I'm willing" remained unspoken. An inexplicable emotion deep within him held him back. "Exactly," Uncle resumed his usual relaxed demeanor. "As a Half-Deity of the Void, my successor should reach at least the rank of Deity. If I fail to achieve that, how will I stand in the world of heroes and legends?" Hearing this, Zhang Yuanqing grew alert and said, "Uncle, it seems the Marshal is beginning to suspect our relationship. Should the Five-Element Alliance follow my identity in their inquiries..." "Don't worry," Uncle replied, "if the time comes and you're still far from the peak of the Supreme Sovereign, I will yield. That's the essence of knowing when to act." Uncle proved both flexible and adaptable Uncle sipped on a glass of red wine, while Zhang Yuanqing took a long swallow of cola. The former said, "Let me tell you about the single-line knight. I've given him an ancient修行 manuscript on knightly cultivation. This manuscript is ideally suited for battlefield training—once he achieves a solid level of cultivation, he can briefly surge to the power level of an initial eighth-tier warrior. This is his only hope. If he succeeds, we can then proceed to the Cathedral's treasure vault. Should he fail, then we'll have to set aside the idea of retrieving the Cathedral's treasures." The single-line knight truly has it tough—having survived for half his life, only to face an S-tier quest. In his heart, Zhang Yuanqing silently prayed for Zhai Cai, sighed, and remarked, "Little Fu told me this is due to an increasing number of bugs in the spiritual realm. If Zhai Cai perishes within the quest, all the months of careful planning for the Cathedral's treasure will go to waste—human efforts often fall short against the will of fate." After this reflection, he turned to his uncle and said, "In five days, I'll return to the White Tiger's Army's faction quest "He said. He wanted to meet Brother Bing, and also meet the Unfortunate Commander. The Unfortunate Commander's official seal was obtained during the 'Five Elements Chaos' quest. Moreover, based on the incident where he was attacked on the plane and forced into a Tang Dynasty-themed quest, it appears that the Unfortunate Commander is proficient in all five elements—possibly even a human immortal. From these details, one can reasonably deduce the Unfortunate Commander's whereabouts. Uncle raised an eyebrow, then slowly nodded: "Good!" Zhang Yuanqing stood up and left, walked to the door, then turned back, pulling out a black jade pheasant: "Uncle, could you please keep this item for me for a few days?" Uncle exchanged a puzzled glance: "Why?" Zhang Yuanqing looked weary: "The nutrition just isn't keeping up." ... For the following several days, Zhang Yuanqing spent his days at Fu Family Village and returned home in the evenings to spend time with his grandparents. Chen Shu and the family's other 'unqualified' children were unable to shoulder the responsibility. In the end, it was his aunt and he who took on the duty of caring for the elders. During this period, he entered a realm once and extensively cultivated yin corpses with Lady Yin Yao. Among the soldiers of the Jiu Que army, all those whose bodies remained intact were collected by Lady Yin Yao. A total of forty-six corpses were gathered—thirty-two extraordinary, fourteen celestial—ensuring a steady supply of expendable troops for a long time to come. Unfortunately, both the Master of the Monastery and Tuoba Guanghe perished without complete bodies, making their recovery impossible. Even if he obtained fully preserved corpses, Zhang Yuanqing would still be unable to cultivate them. Occasionally, he assisted Li Dongze in handling several cases from Songhai. Since the disaster triggered by the disappearance of merit points, although the public had accepted the concept of viral infection, the existence of individuals with extraordinary abilities had become an established reality. As a result, sects and cults began to take root, flourishing among student groups, worker collectives, senior citizen associations, and other social strata. Among these, some were fraudulent organizations that exploited the promise of acquiring superpowers to secure financial gains, while others were malevolent professionals who saw an opportunity to expand their influence and build human-based power networks. The former is handled by the security officers; the latter is handed over to official organizations. Mid- and lower-level spiritual practitioners are constantly on the move, juggling case after case, working overtime, worn out and utterly abandoning their once peaceful, leisurely lives. Both the official forces and the evil factions are losing lives every day. Daily reports of battles and obituaries flood the forums, while those who once brought humor, wit, and light-hearted posts are dwindling. Chaos has already taken root! Yet, Zhang Yuanqing is gradually losing touch with the joys and sorrows, and the very lives of these ordinary figures—he now focuses instead on higher-level strategies and conflicts. ... The Xiahou family. A drone, about four meters long and robust in build, hovers slowly above the family community, its four propellers emitting a sharp, constant noise. Xiahou Ao Tian, suspended in the sky for four days, grits his teeth and says: "Old man, once you've fully recovered, we'll storm the residential compounds and force your ancestor to kneel and apologize." A cold chuckle comes through the black iron ring from the elder magician: "Exactly the way to meet your end—don't let me be Even in an era hailed as the "Divine Qin," masters of the Human Immortal rank were rare—let alone those who dared to carry out an assassination against the First Emperor. "Old man, you've treated me so well, isn't it because you're wary of my potential?" Xiahou Aotian said. A Qin-era alchemist transmitted a surge of spirit energy: "You don't belong! To some extent, Xiahou's ancestors have been exceptionally lenient toward you—so lenient that it's surprising. If it were my descendants, repeatedly disrespectful, I'd have already purged the family line." Xiahou Aotian straightened his expression, his face thoughtful: "So I've always imagined my ancestors as my adversaries." Seeing this, the Qin-era alchemist felt a deep sense of satisfaction. He could understand why the Xiahou Human Immortal had been so tolerant—this descendant was exceptionally gifted, with boundless potential. What was truly admirable was his childlike sincerity. He was deeply devoted to scholarship, utterly passionate about research. In his free time, he did only three things: read novels, watch anime, and perform in public. Unconcerned with power, wealth, or beauty, utterly ignorant of human relationships—what else could this be but a pure, childlike heart? Xue Hou Ao Tian is a white lotus that grows from the muck of power and desire, though from an early age, this lotus has always been detested by people. At this moment, with Xue Hou Ao Tian in thoughtful silence, he speaks with a sudden, enlightened tone: "So, my ancestors have already yielded to me all along." ...The Qin dynasty's immortals rarely lost their temper, but with Xue Hou Ao Tian, they could not help but grow angry: "This is what you mean by your tolerance toward the old Xue Hou ancestors?" "Is it not so?" "A young boy cannot be taught; a decaying piece of wood cannot be carved." As he speaks, Xue Hou Ao Tian, suspended in the air, sees a streak of starlight rise in the distance, transforming into the form of Yuan Shi Tian Zun. "...", for a brief moment, Xue Hou Ao Tian's handsome face flushes with embarrassment, shame, and awkwardness. Zhang Yuanqing approaches, disregarding the several streams of divine awareness sweeping down from below, "Ancestors are jealous of talent and capable individuals," Xiahou Aotian said with conviction. "Cut me some slack, or I'm afraid I won't be able to pull you out," Zhang Yuanqing replied with irritation. His eyes scanned downward, settling on the area with the most lush vegetation—there stood an old courtyard with white walls and black tiles, its interior veiled by a thick mist, indistinct. "There it is—the place where Master Xiahou has gone into seclusion?" he asked. Xiahou Aotian nodded. How strange—it was always the half-gods of the spiritual realms who preferred to live in quiet, uneventful homes, Zhang Yuanqing mused, and then materialized as a golden streak at the courtyard's entrance. He bowed gracefully, as if completely forgetting their past disputes, and declared with composure: "Disciple Yuan Shitan, respectfully bows to Master Xiahou." From within the courtyard came a calm, emotionless voice, trailing off gently: "What is it…?" Zhang Yuanqing maintained his bowed posture. "I have come to seek Master Xiahou Aotian, and would kindly ask your indulgence." A reply came from the courtyard. Pausing briefly, the faint, cool voice added, "Tell Xiaohou Aotian: if he disrespects our ancestors again, I'll have him suspended for a month." "I'll make sure he receives your message," Zhang Yuqing suppressed a smile. "Should I mention it? Every time you go to your ancestors and show off, it means you've gained something outside—Summer侯's family has already sensed that... Zhang Yuanqing said, 'I'd like to take you to a fascinating place. Of course, if you'd rather, just hand me the ring.' He pointed to the black iron ring on Xiaohou Aotian's thumb. Once he'd gotten this far, Qin Dynasty court magician stepped forward, emitting a noticeable spiritual resonance: 'Are you looking for me?' Zhang Yuanqing nodded. 'I need to enter a quest and meet someone.' 'Who?' asked the court magician. 'Perhaps Emperor Qin!' Zhang Yuanqing replied. A strong spiritual surge radiated from within the black iron ring.