This time, Zhang Yuanqing believes he can evade the scanning of the Demon King’s Eye. With the Silent One mask sealing his powers, he is no different from a regular person. Based on this palpable sensation of anxiety, the Eye must be far away—so distant that its reach spans such a broad area, and yet I don’t believe it can perceive the spiritual state of every individual so clearly. It’s well-known that the broader the scope of a skill, the harder it is to execute fine precision. As time passes—one minute, then another—by the time five minutes have passed, the heart-pounding gaze fades away. Has he moved? Has his focus shifted elsewhere? Zhang Yuanqing still can’t relax. Standing by the window, he keeps a firm stare on the quiet night sky. He’s most afraid of two things: first, that the knock at the door in the living room will be the Demon King himself, wearing his exercise headband—an experience more terrifying than encountering an invisible spirit haunting the house. Secondly, that the Demon King suddenly appears at the window, smiling and saying, “Finally found you, Yuan Shi Tian Zun!” That truly sends one’s heart racing to a stop. Thirty minutes later, peace returns. None of Zhang Yuanqing’s concerns come true, so he finally exhales, closes the windows, draws the curtains, and returns to bed, sinking into deep sleep. … Hundreds of meters away, atop a residential building, the Demon King’s vertical Eye radiates a bright red glow, scanning one building at a time. After a while, he withdraws his "gaze," secures his exercise headband, sits by the balcony, and enjoys the warm breeze. “Not in this area at all…” “Yesterday I stirred up trouble—the Yuan Shi Tian Zun won’t flee from Songhai, will she? It’s not easy to visit the south once, and between the Yuan Shi Tian Zun and the Master of Zhishake Palace, something must happen.” “I’ll go back to Songhai University tomorrow to gather more information.” After this, he settles down, flops in a big chair on the balcony, and falls asleep soundly. … The next morning, Zhang Yuanqing—ordinary in physical constitution—is woken by the incessant beeping of notification alerts. He’d forgotten to set the “White Guard” group chat to do-nothing mode—he curses under his breath as he picks up his smartphone to check messages. You Feng Lai Yi: “Master, I’ve shared Bill Tarrenino and Anne’s profiles in our group file. Also, I've clarified their purposes for coming to the continent—do you need a private conversation?” The icon of You Feng Lai Yi is a cute folded-eared cat; upon clicking it, Zhang Yuanqing realizes it's a woman. Fu Qingyang: “Just get straight to the point.” You Feng Lai Yi: “Bill’s two purposes for arriving on the continent are: first, trade with our Five Elements Alliance; second, welcome the chairman of the Merchant Guild back to the Western Continent. As for why the chairman is here at all, I haven’t yet figured that out.” You Feng Lai Yi: “Anne is a member of the Association of Beautiful Deities—the Merchant Guild and this association are allies, similar to our Five Elements Alliance’s five major factions—she serves as Bill Tarrenino’s assistant. Her goal in coming to the continent is to uncover the truth behind the demise of the Demon King.” You Feng Lai Yi: “Master, the expenses for gathering intelligence on this matter amount to fifty thousand knives—please issue a reimbursement.” When Zhang Yuanqing sees this message, his mind clears up immediately—the first thought that comes to him is: can such confidential information be casually shared within the group? Then he realizes that the White Guard might indeed be Fu Qingyang’s trusted associates, capable of gathering together and discussing revolutionary plans—thus explaining why Fu Qingyang feels so confident sharing significant matters in the group. It makes sense then that the Hundred-Man Commander mentioned that inviting me to join the White Guard required a meeting with everyone—after all, it was only after the Copper Terrace case concluded that Fu Qingyang suddenly extended an invitation. Was this the very reason the White Guard’s perception of me shifted—and now they finally recognize and accept me? While thinking through these developments, Zhang Yuanqing continues reading messages. Xiao Nao FU: “Have you heard of the chairman of the Merchant Guild—someone who should be quite well-known if active on the continent? Also, why is he here?” You Feng Lai Yi: “I haven’t found out—I’ve asked repeatedly and they remain silent, even when offering additional compensation.” Fu Qingyang: “Strictly speaking, he isn't actually the chairman of the Merchant Guild—he’s the strongest in the Vacuous Profession. The Merchant Guild has assigned him the title of chairman as a courtesy, treating him more like a king. Also, he is one of us here.” Qi Ci Lang: “Old boss, old boss—any interesting stories about this person? Please share.” Fu Qingyang: “Not much to say—he’s enigmatic and understated; there's no record of his existence within the Five Elements Alliance.” Chairman? Vacuous Profession? In China? Having just listened to the Demon King’s audio, Zhang Yuanqing is particularly sensitive to higher-level vacuous professions—promptly sending a message: “Hundred-Man Commander, how common are vacuous professionals in China? @Fu Qingyang” Qi Ci Lang: “Master Yuan Shi Tian Zun, you’re still new at this—the presence of such professionals in China defies logic; otherwise, what would be the point of having separate Spirit Realms? Even if there are such professionals here, they’d likely be foreign Realm Walkers, like Bill Tarrenino—yet such individuals wouldn’t be numerous.” Not many—fewer at higher levels. Could it be that the Vacuous professional the Demon King encountered is precisely this chairman? This man has been deliberately cultivating the Demon King—he may not treat the successor with kindness or harshness, but he clearly takes great interest. I need to keep a close eye on him. While reflecting on these thoughts, Fu Qingyang sends another message: “@You Feng Lai Yi, please focus your inquiries on the Association of Beautiful Deities—they have an unusually strong connection with the Demon King. If you only wish to learn about the cause behind his death, one email would suffice—the fact that the Demon King and the Night Wandering Deity perished together is no secret; the Five Elements Alliance won’t conceal it.” You Feng Lai Yi: “I’ll do my best—though I don’t expect too much. The women of this association are quite scheming—I’ve got a plan.” You Feng Lai Yi: “Rather than making a long-winded effort to approach the Association of Beautiful Deities, why not try to engage Anne? After all, the Demon King is a Night Wandering Deity—if we inform Anne that Ling Jun is the prince of Taiyi Gate, she will surely be captivated.” Qi Ci Lang: “Haha, excellent idea! @Ling Jun” Xiang Suo Tian Xia: “I’m envious—@Ling Jun.” Ling Jun: “Roll over! Is it really possible for me to meet a woman in the Love Profession? Believe me—I’ll be controlled before any information is gathered. Unless you can provide me with some method to resist her demands.” The mature and composed Xiao Nao FU joins in: “Ling Jun makes excellent points—Anne is at the Sage level, and for a Realm Walker of the same rank, it’s hard to resist her charm, let alone her demands. To gain access from her, one would have to resort to kidnapping or coercion—which could cause significant disruption, ultimately not worth it.” For a moment, no one speaks. Indeed, this is quite challenging—based on their understanding of the Love Profession, resisting the allure of beauty is already difficult; once engaged, rejecting any demands becomes impossible. Even the purification abilities of a Night Wandering Deity are insufficient. The very concept of “demand” isn’t inherently negative—it’s not a detrimental buff at all. To simply enjoy the services of a Love Profession without any cost—what could be simpler? Zhang Yuanqing types in: “It's actually quite straightforward—I have a method that allows you to freely enjoy the services of the Love Professions without any obligation. @Ling Jun” Ling Jun: “Please don’t use the term ‘white-sponsorship’—it’s too casual—it should be ‘soul and body union,’ or ‘spiritual resonance.’ Indeed, do you have a real plan? Tell me.” Ling Jun actually doesn't believe Yuan Shi Tian Zun can offer any valuable suggestion. Though talented in his own right, his knowledge base is still limited—knowledge grows through accumulation. Yuan Shi Tian Zun: “I recall that in the West there’s a profession called ‘Knight’—they possess the ability to form contracts. Is it possible to use tools from the Knight profession to establish a contract with the Love Profession stipulating no demands for payment?” Ling Jun: “Wow!” Qi Ci Lang: “Wow!” Xiang Suo Tian Xia: “Wow!” Xiao Nao FU: “Ah, seems feasible—how come I never thought of this before? Your approach is truly brilliant.” You Feng Lai Yi: “Indeed a masterstroke—why didn’t anyone think of it earlier? Master, your newly recruited associate has excellent insight.” Ling Jun: “Master Yuan Shi, why do you have such sharp insights on this matter?” It’s not me—it’s the Demon King. It’s perfectly normal that someone would never consider how to ‘white-sponsor’ a Love Profession—only the Demon King might. Zhang Yuanqing murmurs to himself. Fu Qingyang: “I appreciate your suggestion—it will be well-received. I’ll find a way to secure a Knight profession tool. @Ling Jun” Hundred-Man Commander, once you have such a tool, please lend it to me—I’d like to discuss my ideals with Anne… Zhang Yuanqing makes this proactive comment, gradually becoming more familiar with the regular members of the White Guard. Their greetings now increasingly omit “Master Tian Zun.” As the group conversation settles into silence, Zhang Yuanqing calls Fu Qingyang on the phone. “Hundred-Man Commander, last night I sensed the Demon King’s gaze—his eyes landed on my home. Though the Silent One mask saved me from immediate detection, it won’t be a long-term solution.” Zhang Yuanqing laments to his superior that the Demon King is being overly persistent and increasingly intrusive. Fu Qingyang pauses for about fifteen seconds before responding: “I understand—I’ll pass your situation on to the Dog Elder. We can no longer delay.” This game of cat-and-mouse, while exhausting and somewhat tedious for the Demon King, poses a life-threatening risk for Yuan Shi Tian Zun—any single misstep could prove fatal. … At Songhai University: The Demon King holds a small notebook, biting his pen, asking: “Are you teaching at the first-year level? In your experience, has any student been missing classes regularly?” Across from him is a middle-aged man wearing black-framed glasses and a short-sleeve shirt. The teacher’s gaze appears slightly dazed—responding: “I don’t know—my habit is to forget to take attendance during class, even when I do, I often forget by now—how could anyone care?” “Ah, that's rather unqualified,” the Demon King remarks helplessly. The man replies honestly: “No—I think I’m doing a decent job at least—making good lectures; whether students attend or not is their own responsibility. Those who are eager to learn naturally benefit—those who aren’t, simply can’t be forced.” That’s quite reasonable… The Demon King thinks briefly before asking: “Have you ever done anything wrong? For instance, have you used your authority to pressure female students into forming relationships or to secure personal benefits?” The teacher's face shows a moment of struggle: “My health has declined—I’m past the prime years—so I haven’t taken any such actions.” The Demon King nods slightly: “Then keep up your excellent teaching. Thank you.” He sends the teacher on his way and begins to search for the next target. Over the course of a morning, through meticulous checks, he identifies more than thirty students who have missed classes frequently. Near noon, a group of students walks out of the building, passing by the Demon King without noticing him. “Wait!” The Demon King calls them to a halt. Upon hearing this, the young students turn around and look at him—seeing two eyes glowing like blood, with strange symbols engraved within. They instantly freeze, their minds blanked out. The Demon King smiles: “We are good classmates, close friends, aren’t we?” “Oh yes—oh yes…” they respond, faces dull, nodding repeatedly. Each of them is now convinced and captivated. The Demon King turns to a tall, slightly gaunt young man and asks: “Are you one of the first-year students? What’s your name?” The young man instinctively replies: “My name is Li Le Sheng—first year.” After saying this, he expresses some confusion: “We’re good friends, aren’t we? Why don’t you know that?” The Demon King smiles gently and adds: “Just a casual question. By the way, has there been any student missing classes regularly in your class recently?” “Regularly absent…” Li Le Sheng thinks for a moment. Then says: “Yes—Zhang Yuanqing hasn’t come to class in quite some time. Last time I added him as a friend and invited him to an event—he clearly accepted, but now I can't find him at all.” The Demon King nods: “Then what’s his name written?” “Zhong Chang Zhang—the ‘Yuan Qing’ part of Yuanqing.” Li Le Sheng replies. The Demon King records the name—then habitually asks: “Have you ever done anything wrong, such as using your position to…” At this point, he glanced at the plain clothes on the other person—the affordable pants and shirts, the shoes costing a few hundred yuan—and at the dark circles under their eyes, formed by years of staying up late to play computer games… The Magi-Eye King silently swallowed his words and waved: “Let’s go eat.” The first round of name collections was nearly complete. Now came the task of infiltrating the school archives, matching names with records, and locating each one personally. Yuan Shi Tian Zun is an official Pilgrim; his name must have been erased from the official files. The school’s records will not list him. Anyone whose name isn’t found—whom they can’t locate—is Yuan Shi Tian Zun. … The pet shop. Person_name sat at the table, and the potted plant by the corner extended its tendrils automatically, opened the Computer, entered the password, and logged into the meeting platform. Within minutes, the elders of the Place Branch joined online, with the sixth one being the Master of Zhishake Palace. The Dog Elder sighed: “Ladies and gentlemen, Fu Qingyang just contacted me. The Magi-Eye King has located Yuan Shi’s household. “The grand tournament hosted by headquarters begins in one week, and we cannot delay this matter—we must address the Magi-Eye now. “Lo Shen, you’ve fought against the Magi-Eye before—how strong is his combat performance?”