Indeed, it's quite comfortable being with her… Zhang Yuanqing murmured to himself. He seemed to see a younger version of himself—handsome in appearance, strong in abilities, and speaking with genuine charm. After pausing for several seconds, he nodded slowly: "Simply conveying one message—this will be enough to take you wherever you wish." Though this girl did seem somewhat attentive, given that they didn’t yet know each other well, such concerns were entirely understandable. At least it showed that Xie Lingxi was capable of being both diplomatic and loyal—to someone who had been kind enough to show her gratitude. "Thank you, Brother Yuanshi," smiled Xie Lingxi, then composed herself and said seriously: "I remember asking you to find a master named 'Wu Hen.' Before coming here, I’ve looked into this person, but found no relevant documentation." Zhang Yuanqing gave an affirmative hum: "The Five Elements Alliance’s archive also has no records. However—if Master Wu Hen is merely an ordinary person, then he wouldn’t have avoided you as an official representative. Therefore, I suspect Master Wu Hen belongs to the Evil Organization." This point had been shared by both of them, so after going 'offline,' they each used their own networks to investigate this individual. Xie Lingxi’s eyes sparkled with delight at having her intuition validated: "I thought the same thing—though I believe that the person in question and Master Wu Hen belong to a similar category." "But even this still carries some risks." "Brother Yuanshi, the danger should be manageable. If it were substantial, wouldn’t Master Wu Hen have entrusted you with his life before passing away? Since he has done so, there must be confidence in his judgment." Xie Lingxi had specifically come to Songhai precisely because she suspected that Master Wu Hen might belong to the Evil Organization—afraid that he would be transformed into a mere KPI by Wang Tai’s brother, thus rendering her gratitude toward Master Wu Hen effectively as a life-saving favor. And Zhang Yuanqing agreed with her, because he believed there were likely Realm Walkers protecting Xie family's young lady. With her presence, the risk could be somewhat offset. "When will you finish your tasks?" "Tomorrow I’ll visit the Palace Master; then I’ll have time on the day after." While savoring a post-meal dessert with a spoon, Xie Lingxi delicately held her chin and gazed steadily at the young man across from her. "Brother Yuanshi, you’re truly amazing—having successfully cleared two S-level Spirit Realms in succession. I sincerely admire you!" Noticing that I am completely new to this scene yet she never mentions my experience of referring to myself as an experienced Realm Walker—I can only conclude that it’s high EQ indeed… Zhang Yuanqing took a sip of his dessert. Reflecting on her praise and attentiveness, he couldn’t help but be impressed by how young she was and how accomplished she already was in her standing. Such moments when someone consistently praises you and adores you—those girls can be quite difficult to handle. Because it’s hard to refuse them outright; generally speaking, men are often completely overwhelmed. Yet Zhang Yuanqing wasn’t an ordinary man—he was a natural socializer. "Lingxi, look—the moonlight tonight is so beautiful. Since you admire me so much, wouldn’t it be lovely if I stayed with you and enjoyed the view of the moon together this evening? What’s your room number?" "Brother Yuanshi," Xie Lingxi blushed, "I’m still just a child…" "Interestingly enough, I am also quite young." …Xie Lingxi sighed inwardly. She was accustomed to using a strategy of stepping back to gain control—how could one possibly refuse a girl who consistently expresses admiration? She had learned this skill from her mother—a master in the art of interpersonal dynamics—who could even give her husband a good scolding and still manage to make him feel like he was in charge. Xie Lingxi had absorbed much of that essence, applying it effectively when dealing with elders and peers—she had proven it time and again. But with Brother Yuanshi, this approach didn’t seem to work as well. He would take her admiration and use it as a way to elevate himself, turning the tables on her. Of course, Xie Lingxi did genuinely admire this young man who was only slightly older than herself. "Let’s exchange contact details. I’ll come by tomorrow morning," said Zhang Yuanqing. After exchanging phone numbers, he left the hotel. … On the way home from the hotel in a business vehicle, Zhang Yuanqing dialed Li Dongze's phone. "Chief, I’ve just left the hotel and am on my way back." Li Dongze’s tone relaxed noticeably, followed by a warm, teasing remark: "So now, should I call you a 'Shie family son-in-law'? Both I and Guan Ya have noticed that Miss Xie clearly has strong feelings for you." Zhang Yuanqing frowned: "Compared to being called a Shie family son-in-law, I’d rather be called a Guan family son-in-law." Li Dongze paused, maintaining his usual tone: "Well then, give it your all." From Li Dongze’s response, Zhang Yuanqing sensed that he was probing into Guan Ya’s identity. How did Li Dongze know Guan Ya was anything special? Currently, Zhang Yuanqing only knew that Guan Ya was unusual—he didn’t yet understand the connection between her and Fu Bai Fu Chang. Zhang Yuanqing smiled vaguely to deflect this point and then said seriously: "I’ll be visiting Miss Xie’s young lady friend tomorrow—I’ll spend about one day out of town." "Specifically, she has requested that you accompany her," Li Dongze added without hesitation. Zhang Yuanqing felt reassured—Chief Li had not objected. This meant the Shie family’s reputation was still strong. He then asked his next question: "Chief, after completing my journey through Jinshui Park Resort, I’ve successfully advanced to Level 2 and received a commendable item as a reward." Advancing to Level 2… Li Dongze sighed: "One task per level—your progression is truly admirable. And yet, merely observing your swift promotions, one can only feel pity when you consistently match with S-level Spirit Realms. So what now?" "I wish to join the search operation for Black Uncommon Deities," Zhang Yuanqing explained quickly. "This will help strengthen our second team’s accomplishments and also serve as a way for me to develop personally." Li Dongze agreed without hesitation, but hesitated slightly: "A Level 2 Night Wandering Deity possesses stronger combat capability than most peers at the same level—so you are indeed qualified to participate. However, this initiative is currently under the leadership of an Organization-level official. I cannot make a decision on my own—I’ll report it to Fu Bai Fu Chang tomorrow and see what he decides." "Thank you, Chief." After hanging up, Zhang Yuanqing glanced out at the window and noticed that the driver was taking a different route—then frowned. "What's wrong?" The driver responded: "We need to take a detour—to avoid possible surveillance." Avoiding surveillance… As my name gains more recognition, I now know several people in Kangyang District’s second group who are following me. It will be necessary for me to pay closer attention to such tracking efforts from now on. He made mental notes of this detail. One hour later, the driver dropped him off at his residential complex. Zhang Yuanqing then took the elevator back to his assigned floor and just as he stepped out from the hallway window into his bedroom, he heard loud sounds of intense combat coming from inside. Ah… He sighed in resignation, deciding to walk through the front door carefully. Seeing that Grandmother wasn’t sitting by the living room waiting for him, he felt instantly relieved—then gently opened the bedroom door. Inside the bedroom, Jiang Yu'er sat cross-legged before the television screen, steadily holding a game controller and tapping out with rhythmic precision. Upon hearing the sound of the door opening behind her, Jiang Yu'er grunted: "The boss in the game is a young man who doesn’t come home after school—he just hangs around outside. I’m determined to finish him off!" "Let me help you with that," Zhang Yuanqing said, stepping forward despite his hesitation. "Go away!" Jiang Yu'er twisted her waist slightly—her upper body remained motionless—and continued tapping on the controller. With both long legs extended behind her, she delivered sharp kicks, displaying astonishing core strength. Zhang Yuanqing gently lifted one of Jiang Yu'er’s slender legs—the cold foot felt crisp against his hands—and as soon as he did so, she gasped and fell to the floor with a soft 'ah'. He then sat down beside her, picked up another controller, and resumed playing. Jiang Yu'er straightened up, gently rubbing the tear marks near her eyes. She sighed: "Where have you been hanging out?" They sat side by side, watching the television screen as they conversed: "Today I had dinner with a female high school student—she heard that I’m from Songhai University and was deeply impressed. She insisted on having me go to the hotel to help her study, even arranging for a five-star stay! Honestly, how am I supposed to afford such a room?" "So you came back?" "No—I asked her to pay for it." "You must be dead!" At 7:30 a.m., at the dining table, Jiang Yu'er chewed on a stick of oil cake, looking listless and absent-minded—her head bobbed like a small hen pecking at grains. "Did you stay up late again? I’ve emphasized that non-weekend nights are strictly off-limits. Does my advice no longer matter?" Grandmother scolded her daughter. At that moment, the grandson walked out of his room, yawning. Grandmother sighed—still angry about yesterday’s incident—but didn’t want to appear too blunt in front of others, so she calmly entered the kitchen and brought a bowl of hot porridge for him—wishing he would eat something to break the routine. Minutes later, when Grandmother saw her daughter and grandson sitting side by side, both engaged in focused head-bobbing, she erupted: "What exactly did you two do last night?" "Jiang Yu'er insisted on coming into my room to play games." "And Zhang Yuanqing wanted me to go to his room to play too!" They spoke in unison. Then they argued—Zhang Yuanqing held onto Jiang Yu'er’s hair, while Jiang Yu'er grabbed at her cousin's face. Grandfather and Uncle were used to such dynamics, calmly continuing their meal. … Two days later, at 8 a.m., Zhang Yuanqing arrived at the hotel lobby by taxi. He had already sent an early message for confirmation. Not long after, Xie Lingxi stepped out of the revolving door. She wore black athletic pants, a white T-shirt, and a light beige women’s overcoat—her sleek black hair tied into a neat ponytail, swaying gently with her walk. Notably, she was also wearing an elegant white wireless headset on her head—someone unfamiliar would have thought she was heading out for a morning run. "Brother Yuanshi," Xie Lingxi paused in front of him, smiling warmly. "Had the opportunity to meet the Palace Master?" Zhang Yuanqing asked curiously. She shook her head slightly, disappointed: "She didn’t see me." "A plastic acquaintance," Zhang Yuanqing chuckled. "But it’s not so," said Xie Lingxi, puffing out her cheeks and narrowing her eyes. "It's because representatives from the Xiaohou family have come to Songhai to trouble her—they’re preparing for a major confrontation and thus couldn’t meet with me." "The Xiaohou family?" Zhang Yuanqing thought it over. Thanks to his achievement in clearing an S-level Spirit Realm, his access rights had expanded—now allowing him to read some previously confidential materials. In the world of Realm Walkers, among the Orderly Professions, the most influential organizations are the Five Elements Alliance and Taiyi Gate—the two major official bodies. The next tier consists of five prominent families: For the Scholar profession: Zhao, Liu, and Xiaohou families. For the Musician Skill profession: Xie and Zhu families. As for the family that owns the Palace Master in question—there was no record of it in the archives—likely because it had been officially disbanded many years ago. "The heir of the Xiaohou family was defeated by the Palace Master last month," said Xie Lingxi, visibly concerned. "Now they’ve come to seek justice." "The Xiaohou family has built a strong legacy over decades—amazingly numerous talents and an extensive network of connections. In contrast, the Zhishake Palace is merely a local organization—it will need to fight hard now. Clearly, the Zhishake Palace faces significant challenges," Zhang Yuanqing remarked as a luxurious business vehicle approached. "This isn’t something we have to worry about yet—the car has arrived." … Their destination was Jinshan City—located just north of Songhai, a short distance away—accessible by high-speed rail in 25 minutes and by car within one hour. They arrived at the destination at 9:30 a.m.—a small hotel situated on the outskirts of town. The sign above the entrance read: "Wu Hen Hotel." As soon as they stepped out of the business vehicle, Zhang Yuanqing and Xie Lingxi entered the main lobby. "May I assist you with room reservations?" asked the receptionist—a woman in her thirties or early forties—radiant with professional charm, eyes wide and expressive, chest well-proportioned, exuding elegance. "We don’t plan to stay," said Zhang Yuanqing directly, lowering his voice. "We’re looking for someone named Wu Hen." The receptionist maintained a warm smile, yet her round, bright eyes narrowed slightly—her gaze sharpening, as if now more intense and cutting. "We currently have no one named Wu Hen," she said clearly, one word at a time. The air around them seemed to momentarily freeze. Zhang Yuanqing and Xie Lingxi both felt an overwhelming sense of pressure—like being watched by a hungry wolf. Was this the kind of pressure typically experienced during the Elevated Stage? Now even a frontline receptionist held such authority? Taking a deep breath, Zhang Yuanqing said: "I’ve been entrusted with a message from Master Wu Hen’s father—who is now facing difficulties—and I’d like to deliver it personally."