"The chairman also asked me to deliver this item to you," Diana's voice interrupted Zhang Yuanqing's thoughts. He turned to see the foreign minister holding a circular disk about the size of a palm. The surface was engraved with the zodiac constellations, the yin-yang patterns, and a dense array of turtle-like characters—just a glance at it left one dizzy and consciousness blurred. As a sun-dweller, Zhang Yuanqing remained completely unaffected, studying the inscriptions carefully: "A celestial observation device? No, far more refined than my Dàluó Xīngpán." "This is a rule-based artifact obtained by the chairman from the Star Sovereign in exchange for fragments of the Light Compass," Diana explained. Zhang Yuanqing was immediately energized, showing genuine interest. He picked up the heavy copper disc and read the item information: 【Name: Tortoise Back Map】 【Type: Tool】 【Function: Forecasting】 【Description: A component of the He Tu and Luo Shu. Originating in ancient times, the Tortoise Back Map corresponds to the stars and constellations of the heavens, harmonizing with the principles of Yin-Yang and the Eight Trigrams. It can predict the evolution of events over the next fifteen minutes. The predictions are immune to interference, concealment, or misdirection.】 【Note: It is commonly said that "a matter does not go beyond three occurrences—anything beyond three is destined to be unfavorable!"】 Who had the pleasure of him, several people together, from undressing to putting on the safety helmet, from squats to gluteal lifts—the process is clearly detailed. The predicted scene remains unshaken, undistorted, or obscured by any force, unless the subject in question is a half-god. Even at the peak of mastery, the dominant phase cannot alter the predicted vision. The cost of the Tortoise-Back Map is that every third prediction brings a major ill fate on the owner at the fourth prediction. This major ill does not necessarily mean death; with proper use of survival measures, the danger can be mitigated, and life preserved. "What a great asset! It significantly improves resilience—pure gold for high-level players!" Zhang Yuanqing held it with great delight, as the Tortoise-Back Map greatly enhances survival rates in S-tier dungeons. After all, S-tier dungeons have almost no room for error; a single mistake can mean the difference between life and death. But if one can afford three mistakes, the outcome might be very different. Ah well, if only I had received this two months ago—I'd probably be at level nine now... Zhang Yuanqing sighed, feeling as though fate had played a trick on him. When it was needed, it didn't show up. When the tide had turned, it arrived! Perhaps it had been played for a trick by the Master of Taiyuan! Zhang Yuanqing muttered to himself. He received the turtle-back map and said, "Minister Dianana, I've already told Anne about our experiences on the island of Paphos. You can now create your strategy—though I suspect it may not matter much. Once this matter is settled, I'll be off." With a crisp snap of his fingers, he dissolved into starlight. Weney Burnt didn’t listen nor acknowledge the female assistant, instead turning her gaze to Zhai Cai, who was gently swaying his thick-soled glass cup. "I won’t meet your demands," she said. "You’re asking too much—Headquarters won’t agree. In my view, all this amounts to nothing. You’ll see once you join the New Yue Prefecture branch and become the head of the Executive Department..." she implied, "there are plenty of opportunities to earn your keep." Today’s meeting was arranged by Weney on behalf of the headquarters to invite Zhai Cai to join as the Chief Executive Officer of the New Yue Prefecture. Following the catastrophic events—the disappearance of moral standing and the siege of the Sea Emperor by the half-gods—the official forces of the New Yue Prefecture suffered devastating losses. Over the past two months, mid- and lower-level spiritual travelers have gradually recovered. Yet, the headquarters has still not found a suitable candidate among its top-tier powerhouses. The upheaval caused by the outbursts of the Wind and Thunder Deities dealt a heavy blow. It was precisely at this moment that Zhai Cai, having returned from an S-tier dungeon and promoted to Rank 8, with a After the initial meeting, Zhai Cai expressed a clear willingness to join Tianfa, which led to today's negotiations. "It's different!" Zhai Cai sipped her whisky and smiled. "The things the headquarters promises are legitimate and reasonable income. But the benefits gained through official duties are illegal and often subject to audits later." Winny coldly replied, "The headquarters can give them to you today and take them back tomorrow—don't count on politicians having integrity. On the contrary, the hidden, less visible gains are often the real unwritten rules. As long as your status remains, no one will dare to touch you." After a moment's thought, Zhai Cai shrugged. "You've convinced me." At that moment, both of them turned toward a specific direction in the office, where a brilliant constellation of stars began to rise, and Yuan Shiyuan stepped out from among them. Seeing that it was him, the tension in both of their expressions eased. Winny smiled. "How did you come here? I heard you went to the headquarters of Feng City's Mei Shen Association a month ago—how quickly you've returned from the副本!" She holds a great fondness for this prodigy from the second-largest region, viewing her as a close friend. Zhang Yuanqing took the chilled cola offered by An Diaoqi and smiled, "The Heavenly Punishment indeed has excellent information flow—I just came out of a faction quest at the Goddess of Beauty Association and now I'm at level eight!" Level eight... Winny and Zhai Cai looked momentarily stunned, slightly dazed. Though young, they had been journeying as spiritual realm travelers for several years, having risen to their current ranks through years of experience and immersion in the spiritual realm. Yuan Shǐ Tianzun, however, achieved this in just one year—the gap between them was hard to express in words. Watching the Tianzun's steady, composed gaze, growing ever more poised and distinguished, Winny felt a sudden hazy memory surface—of her beloved partner. He had once been as full of vigor and confidence as he was now, and now lay buried beneath the spring waters. "Whenever I see you, I get irritated!" Zhai Cai said, setting down her thick-bottomed glass cup. "You two chat— I'm going first." "I'm here to find you," Zhang Yuanqing said, looking "Zhai Cai pointed at himself, looking unconvinced: 'You came to my office in the Heaven's Judgment Division? Did you install a tracking device on me?' Zhang Yuanqing said nothing. He took out a music box, opened the lid, and let the clear, melodic 'ting-ting' sound echo throughout the office. After setting up an acoustic barrier, he said: 'Sir Knight, I'd like to ask you for a favor—but I'm not sure if you're up to it.' 'Help me, that's all. The second part sounds like it's challenging me.' Zhai Cai sat back down, picked up his glass, and took a sip. 'Just so you know, I won't take on anything too risky.' What about your knightly spirit? The correct response should be: As a knight, I'd face any peril—up a mountain of blades, down a river of oil—without hesitation! Zhang Yuanqing mentally sighed, maintaining a calm and composed demeanor: 'I wish to hunt the guardian of the Night Rose, but they are protected by an extremely subtle, hidden presence, making it difficult to lock onto them.' 'So, you're just looking for someone?' "Zhai Cai turned to Winny," "When you need to find someone, you should go to Winny, the Minister. In the New Covenant County, there's a rule-type artifact known as the Sky's Eye. You've served here yourself, so you're well aware of it." Winny shook her head: "The Sky's Eye is a sovereign-level rule-type artifact. However, as far as I know, the protectors of the Night Rose are under the secret guardianship of the Sovereign of the Moon, and their status is so high that even the Sky's Eye cannot reach them. If the Sky's Eye could reach the Night Rose protectors, the Five-Element Alliance would have already borrowed it by now." Zhai Cai cast him a look that said, "Even rule-type artifacts fall short—how can I possibly help?" Zhang Yuanqing said, "I have an idea, but first I need to clarify two points: first, once you have that artifact, will your rule power extend globally? Second, will your level of control over the artifact be sufficient to achieve that?" "That's certainly possible," Zhai Cai replied, with a guarded expression. "What exactly do you have in mind?" "I need "Zhang Yuanqing put forward his bold proposal." "Get out!" Zhai Cai rejected it without hesitation, "Are you trying to kill me? I'm merely a Sovereign—what merit do I have to restrict a half-god?" Normally, a knight's rules wouldn't restrict someone of a higher rank, nor would they suffer a backlash—only to be rendered ineffective. But Zhai Cai was different. He had the Saint Knight's Armor—a half-god-level item, an administrator's authority, a successful one. Yet this wasn't good news. The armor itself had the right rank, but the person wielding it lacked the necessary rank. The result would be that the half-god would be slightly restricted, and Zhai Cai would suffer a backlash, ultimately dying and returning to the Spiritual Realm. "If I tell you that even the half-gods have entered the副本," Zhang Yuanqing said. Zhai Cai hesitated. "Then, only the residual power of the half-gods in the real world would be eliminated. I might suffer significant damage, but not a threat to my life. Yet why should I risk my life for you?" “Zhang Yuanqing said directly, ‘Two artifacts of master quality.’ Zhai Cai stood up and took his hand: ‘Brother, I’d go through fire and water—up the mountain of blades, down the pot of oil—without hesitation.’ ‘You’re truly a good knight!’ Zhang Yuanqing remarked, pursing his lips. ‘The artifacts will be yours after the mission.’ As long as the hunt for the Night Rose protectors is successful, there should be more than two master-quality artifacts. Then Zhang Yuanqing turned to Wei Ni and asked, ‘I’d like to borrow the Sky’s Eye. What compensation would you like?’ ‘No compensation required,’ Wei Ni smiled. ‘I can lend it to you at my discretion, as long as headquarters remains unaware. The only thing you need to watch out for is not losing it.’ ‘You’re truly a generous superior,’ Zhang Yuanqing bowed. He knew Wei Ni was being friendly—this was a way of letting her know that their past bond would never be forgotten. …… Fu Family Villa. In Fu Qingyang's study, Zhang Yuanqing sat at the computer, logged into Fu Qingyang's account with the highest level of access, reviewing information on the Grand Guardian of Dark Night Rose. Among the Grand Guardians of Dark Night Rose, he was certain only of the one identified by the Lingjing ID—Grand Guardian "Shanhe Yongcun." Since the Sky's Eye operates within a single city, it was necessary to first narrow down the approximate location of the Grand Guardian of Dark Night Rose in order to locate him using rule-based items. Internal records of the Wu Xing Alliance would certainly contain data on the movements and profiles of the Grand Guardian. Soon, Zhang Yuanqing identified three potential cities housing the Grand Guardian's headquarters—two in the northwest and one in the north. As for the main stronghold of the Army Commanders, which the Dark Night Rose Guardians frequently visited, Zhang Yuanqing simply set them aside. It was straightforward: both Subduer and King of Fear had entered the Sun's Realm副本, and the Army Commanders' number of master-level warriors was relatively small. The official forces might therefore seize the opportunity to strike and eliminate the entire main stronghold. The previous sanctuary is no longer safe. "Lingtuo has entered the realm; the Dark Night Rose members will surely remain low-key and hidden, waiting at their base. That's the best course of action—staying put in one of the three cities. The Grand Guardian is likely somewhere among them." "I need to find three Masters to use my Sky-Eye for me, at the cost of being blind for three days. Yin Yao, Xiao Yuan, and Ms. JOJO are the best candidates—trusted and willing to assist." "If we find no trace of the Grand Guardian among the three cities, then we'll conduct a thorough search, seeking out more Masters—such as the Dog Elder, the Peak Elder, and the Master from Ji Shi Society..." ... Eight o'clock in the evening, northwest YL city. On the rooftop of an office building in the urban area, several figures stand in the cool spring breeze. One of them wears a gleaming golden armor, holding a golden straight sword. The heavy armor makes him appear tall and imposing. Zhai, the menu hand, supported himself with his sword, withdrew a green leaf from his inventory, and placed it between his teeth. He then injected three vials of concentrated life essence into his neck veins. As he felt the life force surging powerfully through his body, he pressed both hands firmly against the hilt of the sword, his pupils shifting to a solemn copper hue. Like an envoy of the divine, like a general appointed by ancient kings, he spoke with measured gravity: "By the name of the knight, I establish these rules: throughout the land, beneath the earth, and across the four seas, no living being shall wield hidden powers or receive their protection." The golden armor and straight sword suddenly glowed, their regal copper light spreading out in ripples. The rules were forged in the unseen realm! Zhai's face cracked open with countless gashes, as though an invisible force had torn through his cheeks. He collapsed heavily, emitting a resonant 'clang,' with crimson blood seeping steadily from the seams of his armor. He had suffered a counter-effect; the concentrated life essence could not immediately heal him. Zhang Yuanqing didn't disturb. He opened his inventory and retrieved the Eye of the Wind King. "Thud!" A towering iron cylinder, one meter high, landed heavily on the terrace. Suspended at the top of the cylinder was a crystal sphere the size of a basketball, within which a closed eye glowed. Zhang Yuanqing turned to Yin Yao, dressed in a white shirt and jeans. "Your Highness, step up!"